Recipe: Tunisian Tajine with Potatoes and Meat

Name: Tunisian Tajine with Potatoes and Meat
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 17.75 oz (500 g) lamb meat (leg, shoulder or neck); 5 potatoes; 7 eggs; 1/2 bunch parsley; 1 onion; 3.5 oz (100 g) breadcrumbs; 2 garlic cloves; 2.1 oz (60 g) grated Gruyère; 2.8 oz (80 g) Gruyère slices; 0.9 oz (25 g) ground turmeric; Olive oil; Salt and pepper

By benisou 5/5 (5 reviews)

Recipe Tunisian Tajine with Potatoes and Meat - Chef recipe — Photo: Aftouch-cuisine

Prep 15 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1h

Tunisian tajine with potatoes and meat is a classic of Maghrebi gastronomy that combines the tenderness of lamb with the delicacy of golden potatoes. This recipe brings together two distinct cooking methods: meat braised in turmeric to develop its flavors, and a crispy base of blanched slices, all bound together with eggs and grated cheese. It's a generous, texture-rich dish that requires organization, but it rewards your efforts with a remarkable taste harmony between spice, garlic, and melting Gruyère.

Ingredients

17.75 oz (500 g) lamb meat (leg, shoulder or neck)
5 potatoes
7 eggs
1/2 bunch parsley
1 onion
3.5 oz (100 g) breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves
2.1 oz (60 g) grated Gruyère
2.8 oz (80 g) Gruyère slices
0.9 oz (25 g) ground turmeric
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

1 Bring 2 potatoes to boil for 30 minutes.

2 On a cutting board, first cut the lamb meat into strips, then into cubes.

3 Peel and chop the onion and deveined garlic.

4 Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the meat to the hot oil and let it brown, season with salt and pepper, and flavor with turmeric.

5 Add the chopped onions and a little water.

6 Simmer for 10 minutes, until the meat is cooked.

7 Peel 3 raw potatoes and cut them into fairly thin slices.

8 Plunge them into a hot deep fryer, just long enough to blanch them.

9 Line an ovenproof dish with blanched potato slices, overlapping them, and sprinkle with 0.7 oz (20 g) of grated Gruyère.

10 Beat an egg with a fork and pour it over, then pass under a very hot oven for just one minute.

11 Peel and chop the boiled potatoes, add them to the meat and onions, along with the chopped parsley, 0.7 oz (20 g) of grated Gruyère, and the breadcrumbs.

12 Break 5 eggs into a separate bowl and add them to the filling.

13 Mix well with a fork and pour this filling into the potato dish.

14 Cut 2.8 oz (80 g) of Gruyère into slices.

15 Alternate on the surface potato slices and Gruyère slices, coat with a mixture of beaten egg and 0.7 oz (20 g) of grated Gruyère. Bake for 15 minutes at 220°. Serve hot.

Chef Patrick's Comment

Good recipe. Personally, I would have added a bit of zing to it: harissa, cayenne pepper, or Espelette pepper.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace lamb with another meat?

Yes, use veal or free-range chicken. Cook lamb and veal the same way (10 min simmering). Chicken is faster, 6-7 minutes. The key: meat with collagen so the filling binds properly.

How long does the tajine keep in the fridge?

Three days maximum, well covered. The egg filling doesn't reheat well. Freeze before cooking if you prep ahead: up to 3 weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

Why blanch the potato slices instead of deep frying them fully?

Blanching (2-3 min) makes them flexible without browning. Fully fried, they'd be crispy and won't stick to the filling. Blanching also lets the potato finish cooking in the oven with the egg.