Steak Tagine Mosaic

A luxurious Moroccan-inspired dish featuring tender beef steak, aromatic spices, and colorful vegetables arranged in a mosaic pattern, slow-cooked to ...

6
Moroccan Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
May 30, 2025
13 views

Ingredients

🥩

2.5 pounds

beef chuck steak

cut into 2-inch cubes

🥬

2 medium

zucchini

sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

🥬

6 whole

garlic cloves

minced

🥩

2 cups

beef stock

🍎

1 whole

preserved lemon

rind only, finely chopped

🥬

2 large

yellow onions

thinly sliced into half-moons

🫒

3 tablespoons

olive oil

🥬

2 whole

red bell peppers

cut into 1-inch squares

📦

1/2 cup

fresh cilantro

chopped

🥬

3 medium

carrots

cut into diagonal coins

📦

2 tablespoons

honey

🥬

1 teaspoon

black pepper

freshly ground

🌶️

2 teaspoons

kosher salt

🌶️

2 teaspoons

ground cumin

🌶️

2 teaspoons

ground coriander

🌶️

1 teaspoon

ground cinnamon

📦

1 pinch

saffron threads

Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other

Instructions

Step 1
Pat the beef chuck steak dry with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. This ensures proper browning and flavor development.
Step 2
Heat olive oil in a tagine or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, sear the beef chuck steak until deeply browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium and add yellow onions to the same pot. Cook until softened and golden, about 8-10 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Step 4
Add garlic cloves, ground cumin, ground coriander, and ground cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent spices from burning.
Step 5
Return beef chuck steak to the pot. Add beef stock, saffron threads, and preserved lemon. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1.5 hours or until meat is nearly tender.
Step 6
Arrange carrots, zucchini, and red bell peppers in a decorative mosaic pattern on top of the meat. Drizzle with honey. Cover and continue cooking for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender but still hold their shape.
Step 7
Garnish with fresh cilantro just before serving. The mosaic pattern should be visible when serving directly from the tagine.

Chef's Tips

  • For the most authentic flavor, toast and grind your own spices. Heat whole spices in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind immediately before use. The volatile oils released will create a more complex flavor profile.
  • When creating the vegetable mosaic, consider both color and shape. Start from the outside and work your way in, slightly overlapping pieces to create a professional presentation that will hold its form during cooking.
  • If you don't have a tagine, use a Dutch oven with a piece of parchment paper under the lid to create a tighter seal and prevent moisture loss. This mimics the steam circulation of a traditional tagine.
  • For maximum tenderness, choose beef chuck steak with good marbling and visible connective tissue. These elements will break down during slow cooking to create a rich, silky sauce.
taginebeefmoroccansteakdinnerentertainingslow-cookedone-pot