Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash {B is for Braising}

Santa Claus is quite perceptive.  I mean he brought me a Terracotta Tagine for Christmas and it wasn’t even on my list.  How did he know?!!  Working perfectly into our Winter Thyme Spice Exploration plan, we put that baby to good use tonight.  We turned a basic beef stew into a fragrant adventure with this Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash.  Paprika, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne came together with tangy tomatoes and sweet butternut squash to create a BIG flavor sauce.  The beef was tender, as slow braised beef should be, and completely infused with Moroccan love.  I’m smiling.

Simple steps to wonderful flavor.  The Tagine’s dome-shaped cover is designed to return all of the condensation to the bottom, allowing a slow braising process, resulting in tender moist meats.  If Santa didn’t bring you a Tagine don’t let that stop you from making this wonderful Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash.  Feel free to use your dutch oven and get happy.  Trust me, the aromas alone dancing through your kitchen will make you happy.

Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Inspired by Cooking Light, January 2011

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Entree

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1 lb. beef shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 4 shallots sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups 1 inch cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef, toss well to coat.
• Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add beef and shallots, cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic, cook 1 minute stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash.
• Transfer mixture to Tagine. Bake covered for 90 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in frozen peas and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Serve over rice sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

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