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Tagine, a traditional North African stew, is characterized by its rich, concentrated flavors. Ours gets its delicious range from lamb and beef, tender vegetables, toasted spices (a popular blend known as ras el hanout) and caramel-sweet dates. In classic fashion, we’re serving the stew over fluffy couscous, brightened up with a bit of lemon. Dollops of creamy, cooling labneh make for a perfect finishing touch.

Ethan Mick

with Lemon-Garlic Couscous & Labneh

Spiced Lamb & Beef Tagine

Ground Lamb & Beef Blend

Couscous

Garlic

Lemon

Zucchini

Swiss Chard

Mint

Medjool Dates

Tomato Paste

Ras El Hanout

Labneh Cheese

Ingredients

Wash and dry the fresh produce. [Peel and mince the garlic.](#) [Using a peeler, remove the yellow rind of the lemon, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester).](#) [Quarter and deseed the lemon.](#) [Separate the chard leaves and stems;](#) roughly chop the leaves and thinly slice the stems, keeping them separate. [Large dice the zucchini.](#) Pit and roughly chop the dates. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems.

Prepare the ingredients:

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add **half the garlic**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Stir in the couscous and **1½ cups of water**; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork. Add the **lemon zest** and **the juice of 2 lemon wedges**. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

Cook the couscous:

While the couscous cooks, in a large, high-sided pan (or pot), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the **chard stems**, **zucchini** and **remaining garlic**; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add the **tomato paste** and **ras el hanout**; season with salt and pepper. [Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant and the tomato paste is dark red.](#)

Start the tagine:

Add the **ground lamb and beef** to the pan of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Add the lamb & beef:

Add the **chard leaves**, **dates** and **1 cup of water** to the pan of vegetables and meat; season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 7 to 9 minutes, or until thickened and saucy. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish the tagine:

While the tagine simmers, in a bowl, combine the **labneh** and **the juice of the remaining lemon wedges**; [season with salt and pepper to taste.](#) Divide the **cooked couscous** between 2 dishes. Top with the f**inished tagine**. Garnish with the **mint**. Serve with the seasoned labneh on the side. Enjoy!