Kefta Tagine (Moroccan Meatball Stew)

Kefta Tagine was my introduction to tagines. It became a family favorite from the very first. The spiced meatballs and their sauce of onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers has never failed to impress guests, either. Even those few people I know who dislike cilantro don’t have a problem with it here. There are so many layers of flavor that the cilantro just becomes part of the supporting background of the dish. Serve with a side of couscous, however you prefer to prepare it. Even a simple store-bought couscous matches wonderfully with the tagine.

For the Kefta (meatballs)

1 pound ground lamb or beef
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil for pan-frying

For the sauce

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

Optional garnish
6 eggs

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs. Wet your hands and shape the meat mixture into 1-inch balls, re-wetting your hands if the meat begins to stick to them.

Heat a six- to eight-quart stove-top casserole and add then add the olive oil. Brown the meatballs well in the oil, in batches if necessary, then remove. Leave the oil in the pot. Cover the meatballs and set aside.

To the reserved oil, add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Saute the vegetables until the onion turns translucent. Add all the remaining ingredients for the sauce and simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until the sauce cooks down to a thick gravy.

Return the meatballs to the sauce. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. If you are using the eggs, carefully break them into the sauce and poach them for a few minutes. Be careful not to overcook the eggs. Serve at once directly from the pot. Serves 6.

Alyce’s Cincinnati Chili

Chili was never a great love of mine. The chilis I tried were all Texas-style chili, and they failed to catch my interest. One day my friend Alyce decided that it was time to destroy my anti-chili prejudice, and cooked her grandmother’s Cincinnati Chili for me. I have been an addict ever since, and have been getting other people hooked on it.

Cincinnati chili is not the consistency of the thick, Texas-style chilis. It is more like a good Bolognese, perfect to put over a bed of al dente noodles. It works equally well in chili dogs, making the best Coneys I’ve ever had.

Cincinnati Chili

4 cups water
2 lbs. ground beef, crumbled
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
5 whole allspice
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 tbsp. chili powder
1 large bay leaf
5 whole cloves
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Accompaniments for traditional Five-Way

spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente
red kidney beans
finely shredded cheddar cheese
chopped red onion
oyster crackers (optional)
Tabasco (optional)

Accompaniments for Coneys

hot dog buns
mustard
chopped red onion
hot dogs
finely shredded cheddar cheese
Tabasco (optional)

In a large pot, combine the water and ground beef. Bring to a boil, and boil for thirty minutes.

While the meat is boiling, measure out the spices onto a plate. Combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

When the meat is done boiling, add the rest of the ingredients and return to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Cover and simmer for one additional hour.

To serve traditional Five-Way

In a bowl, start with a bed of spaghetti. Top with a layer of chili, a layer of beans, Tabasco to taste if using, a layer of cheese, a layer of red onion, and a layer of oyster crackers if using. Serve immediately.

To serve as Coneys

Heat hot dog buns. Put mustard and red onion on bun, and add a cooked hot dog. Top with chili, Tabasco if using, cheddar cheese, and more red onion.