cardoon tajine (Kanaria)

Ingredients for 8 to 10 people :

* 1 1/2 kg (3 lbs 5 oz) of meat (mutton shoulder and chops or veal knuckle)

* 3 or 4 big heads of cardoon * 1 heaped teaspoonful of ginger

* 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (mixed packet saffron and crushed flowers)

* 1 ladleful of groundnut oil * 1 teaspoonful of olive oil * 1 crushed garlic clove

* 2 pickled lemons * 10 preserved olives * 1/2 teaglassful of lemon juice (more or less to taste) * salt

Preparation: 

String and trim the cardoons after having removed the tips, taking care to remove all the tough parts of the vegetable. Cut into pieces 4 or 5 cm (1 314 to 2), taking off the inner smooth skin each time as you go along. This preparation must be carried out meticulously. To prevent the vegetables discolouring, toss the pieces into a bowl of water with a little vinegar.

Cut the tips of the cardoons in two and prepare in the same way as the stems. Put on one side in a saucepan of water Cut up the meat in pieces weighing about 150 g (5 oz). Rinse, drain and place in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Add salt, garlic, oil, saffron and ginger. Cover with water. Bring to the boil and add the cardoons. Keep the tips. Cover the cardoons completely with water to prevent them discolouring. Cook 30 minutes with the lid on, then add the tips. Check the seasoning and leave to cook without the lid.

When the meat and the cardoons are cooked and tender, which normally takes about 2 hours, add the pickled lemon zest cut in pieces, the preserved olives and the lemon juice. Bind the sauce with a teaspoonful of flour blended with a little water and leave to boil down until the sauce is rich. Remove from the heat, Arrange the meat on a round dish with the cardoons on top. Decorate with the lemon zest and the olives.