Meatball Tagine with Dates

This lovely, rich meatball dish is extremely flavorful, yet simple to make. It combines sweet and salty flavors, a signature of many North African dishes. Bon appetit!

This tagine is packed with flavor, so good, you will want to soak up the last of that sauce on your plate with an oven warmed baguette.

Here's what you'll need

For the meatballs:

• Lean ground beef

• red onion

• panko breadcrumbs

• egg

• tumeric

• cinnamon

• nutmeg

• ground ginger

• salt

Form meatballs (around 2 tablespoons each), mixing all of the above ingredients and set aside.

• olive oil

• red onion

• garlic cloves

• carrot

• Ras al Hanout (this is a popular spice blend in Morocco)

• tomato paste

• dates

• prunes

• tomato

• beef broth (chicken broth can work just as well here, making the dish slightly less rich)

In a large pot, brown red onion, garlic and carrot in the olive oil for about 5 minutes on medium heat, or until carrots are softened. Add Ras al hanout to the mix, followed by the tomato paste, dates, prunes, tomatoes, and beef broth. Carefully mix until evenly distributed. Place your meatballs on top. Reduce heat and let simmer for 35 minutes, turning meatballs halfway through.

How to Serve

The best options:

• Over couscous. This way your delightful sauce can soak into the grains of couscous, giving a flavorful bite in every spoon.

• With an oven heated baguette. This is the traditional way, using the bread to pick up the meat (no forks needed!), all while soaking up the sauce. Seriously lip smacking good!