meat and potato tajine (mqualli)

Ingredients for 6 to 8 people :

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

* 1 heaped teaspoonful of ginger

* 1 coffeespoonful of saffron (mixed packet saffron and crushed flowers)

* 1 ladle ful of groundnut oil * 1 crushed garlic clove * 12 preserved olives * 1 pickled lemon

Preparation:

First of all be sure to choose a type of potato that will not boil to a mush. Peel and cut them up into pieces the size of a walnut, putting them in a bowl of water as they are prepared, Cut the meat into pieces weighing about 150 g (5 oz). Rinse and put in thick-bottomed saucepan with salt, ginger, saffron, garlic and oil. Cover with water and cook with the lid on, stirring from time to time. Add water if necessary.

When the meat is cooked and breaks off easily in the fingers, remove from the saucepan and put on one side. Rinse the potatoes and put in the saucepan, adding sufficient water to cover, and cook with the lid on, When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the pickled lemon zest, cut in pieces, and the preserved olives. Let the sauce boil down until it becomes thick.

Check the seasoning and put the meat back in the saucepan taking care not to break up the potatoes. Remove from the heat.Arrange the meat on a round dish with the potatoes on top. Decorate with the lemon zest and olives and cover with the sauce. Serve very hot.