meat tajine with wild artichokes (Mqualli)

Ingredients for 6 to 8 people :

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

* 5 kg (11 Ibs) of wild artichokes

* 1 heaped teaspoonful of ginger

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

* 3/4 ladleful of groundnut oil

* the zest of 1 pickled lemon

* 7 or 8 preserved olives

* salt

Preparation: 

First, peel the artichokes carefully keeping only the hearts. Put them in a bowl of water and vinegar, as they are ready. Cut the meat up into pieces weighing about 150 g (5 oz). Rinse, add salt, ginger, saffron 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, take it out of the sauce and put on one side, Put the well-rinsed artichokes in the sauce which is still on the stove and add sufficient water to cover, Cook on a moderate heat and then add the zest of the pickled lemon and the olives. Let the sauce boil down until it becomes thick.

Put the pieces of meat back in the saucepan, taking care not to crush the artichokes. Just before serving, arrange the artichokes on top of the meat in a round dish, pour the sauce over and serve hot.