Moroccan Beef with Sweet Potatoes

We purchased a decorative tajine during our trip to Morocco, but it was too small to use for actual cooking. Since we really wanted to try and recreate some of the meals that we ate, we ended up buying a full size tajine and have used it several times. We made our version of a Moroccan beef with sweet potatoes that had a nice spice and made for a wonderful meal. Although we cooked it in a tajine, a Dutch oven works just fine as well. The meat was very tender and the spices were warm and fragrant, but not spicy. It was an easy dish to make for a weeknight meal for the two of us, but could easily be done for a larger gathering as well.

Tajines and Dishes for Sale in Morocco

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 lb Beef Shoulder Roast – cut into 1 inch cubes
  •  1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  •  1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  •  1/2 tsp Salt
  •  1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
  •  1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  •  1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  •  1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  •  2 Shallots – quartered
  •  2 Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced
  •  1/2 cup Chicken Broth
  •  1 can (14.5 oz) Diced Tomatoes – undrained
  •  1 Large Sweet Potato – peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
Brown the Beef with the Shallots

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the paprika, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Toss the beef cubes with the spice mixture being sure that each piece is evenly coated. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the shallots and beef and cook for about 4 minutes until the beef is browned on all sides. Add the garlic and cook for another minute and then transfer the beef, shallots, and garlic to the tajine including all of the pan drippings (if using a Dutch oven, the beef can be browned in the Dutch oven). Add the sweet potato, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes to the tajine and stir to combine all of the ingredients. Place the lid on the tajine an place in the center of a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about an hour and a half or until the potatoes are fork tender. Serve as a stew or over a bed of rice.

Moroccan Beef with Sweet Potatoes
Coat the Meat
Combine the Ingredients
Cook Until the Potatoes are Tender
The Finished Meal
Final Serving
Lunch at a Moroccan Restaurant

Moroccan-Style Chicken

We love the spices of Moroccan food and one of our favorite memories of visiting Morocco was going to the market and buying spices to bring home with us. We also bought a tajine while we were in Morocco, but we chose to use a slow cooker for this recipe. Obviously, you can use a Dutch oven or tajine if you prefer. In addition to the spices, this dish also features olives and raisins, which again reminds of our time in Southern Spain as well as Morocco. Especially when cooking with olives, it is important to use high-quality olives whose flavor you really enjoy. We used olives stuffed with pimentos, which just added to the flavor of the dish. The chicken turned out tender and even though there are a lot of spices, it is certainly not a spicy dish. We did the recipe just for the two of us, but it can easily be increased to serve a crowd.

Spice Vendor in the Moroccan Market
Spices for the Moroccan-Style Chicken

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Large Chicken Thighs
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp All-Spice
  • 1/4 tsp Salt or to taste – but don’t over salt as the olives are salty as well
  • 1/8 tsp Fennel Seeds – crushed
  • 1 dash of Fresh Nutmeg – about 3 or 4 scrapes of the nutmeg across a micro-plane
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion – roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cloves Garlic – minced
  • 1/2 cup Olives Stuffed with Pimentos – cut in half
  • 1/4 cup Golden Raisins
  • 1/2 Fresh Lemon (or 1 small Lemon) – thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 cups Chicken Stock – just enough to cover the chicken
  • Basmati Rice – cooked to the package directions
  • Parsley for garnish
Everything in the Slow Cooker

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all of the spices in a small bowl to combine thoroughly. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the onion and place the chicken thighs on top of the onion. Cover the chicken with the spice mixture, being sure to thoroughly coat the the chicken with the spices. Add the garlic, olives, raisins, lemon, and add the chicken stock just until the chicken is covered. Cook on low for 5 hours, stirring once close to the end of cooking. Serve over Basmati rice.

Large Variety of Olives in the Moroccan Market
Spice Mix
Spiced Chicken
Adding the Olives and Raisins
Moroccan-Style Chicken over Basmati Rice

Caves of Hercules in Morocco

One of the interesting sites that we visited during our tour of Tangier, Morocco, was the Caves of Hercules (Grottes d’Hercule). Although the cave itself isn’t particularly fascinating compared to many other caves we have explored, its history makes it worth taking time to visit. It is located on the coast of the Strait of Gibralter and the drive from Tangier to Cape Spartel where the cave sits on the beach is quite beautiful. The cave is partially natural and partially man-made as the Berber people cut stone from the walls of the cave to use to make millstones.

Shape of Africa in Reverse from Within the Cave

You Can Still See Where the Stone Was Cut Away

View from Cape Spartel

Natural Cave Features

There are two openings to the cave, one from the sea and one from land, but the one from one land is the actual entrance to the cave. The opening to the sea was believed to have been carved by the Phoenicians and when viewed from the sea is in the shape of Africa. There are a couple of interesting legends associated with the cave. First is the belief that Hercules, the Roman god, stayed and slept in the cave during the 11th of his 12 labours that were given to him by King Eurystheus of Tiryns. This myth is obviously the source of the current name of the cave complex. Perhaps even more interesting is the legend that the cave was believed to be the entrance of a tunnel underneath the Strait of Gibralter that led to St. Michael’s Cave in Gibraltar. That same legend has the famous Barbary Macaque Monkeys that inhabit Gibraltar having used this tunnel to get from Africa to Europe.

Walking Through the Cave Towards the Sea Opening

Exploring the Caves of Hercules

Cape Spartel Lighthouse

Walls of the Cave

The Africa shaped opening, carved walls, and fascinating legends make this a worthwhile stop when visiting Tangier, Morocco. We also stopped at the Cape Spartel Lighthouse to have a snack and enjoy the amazing views. We also rode camels on the beach nearby, but that was very touristy. The Caves of Hercules remains one of our favorite memories of our tour in Morocco.

Riding Camels on the Beach

Interesting Coloration (and Yes, We Were Leaning Over as We Took This Photograph)

Views from Cape Spartel Lighthouse

Waves Crashing on the Rocky Cave Entrance