Monday, January 11, 2010

Moroccan Ground Beef Casserole...

Recent I posted a dissertation on revisiting the casserole. And during my short time here blogging; I have had a chance to experience foods, cultures and spices from around the world. One such cuisine I have been introduced to are dishes from North Africa ~ mainly Morocco. So it got me thinking that maybe I should meld the two together, because some of the traditional casseroles that are simple to prepare can be somewhat bland. This is my adaptation of the standard ground beef casserole with a Moroccan twist. People may be shy about putting olives or raisins in the recipe, but they really do add a special tang and sweetness to the dish. You can also, add more red pepper flakes if you like your casseroles spicier.

Bon appétit in Moroccan is شهية طيبة!




Moroccan Ground Beef Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk, preferably whole milk
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Zest of a lemon
¾ cup green olives, chopped roughly
½ cup golden raisins
1 can (14-ounce) diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup mild cheese (Gouda, Swiss, mild cheddar), shredded
8 ounces macaroni, cooked and drained

Crumb Topping:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko or bread crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
½ cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Cook ground beef over medium-high heat in large deep skillet until fully browned. Remove meat from pan and drain juices. Lower heat to medium and add olive oil, onion and carrots, stirring until tender and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, stir a minute longer.

Add flour and butter, and stir until fully absorbed. Slowly add stock and milk, stirring until fully incorporated with no lumps.

Add all spices, lemon zest, olives and raisins. Stirring, add tomatoes and tomato paste.

Stir until sauce thickens. Turn off heat. Add cheese and cooked ground beef, macaroni and stir until fully mixed. Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Top with topping.

Bake for 25 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6

__________

George’s notes:
  • The official language of Morocco is Arabic; but with the long protectorate of France, many speak French. But their cuisine is a very diverse, with many influences from around the world.
  • For more about Moroccan cuisine, checkout Wikipedia.



Print

22 comments:

  1. There you go again, tempting me with those spices. Love it! Yes, raisins in any meat dish are wonderful, and I do not typically like raisins.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great take on a casserole I grew up with

    ReplyDelete
  3. I do love a good casserole and this one is a "must try" for me. The combination of spices along with raisins and olives is a delicious new take on an old favorite.

    This sounds delicious, George, and will be a perfect dinner on the cold, rainy nights we are experiencing here in the Pacific Northwest.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This sounds really delicious. I love that mix of spices. I'd never think to put ginger and cinnamon with beef but I'll take your word for it : )

    ReplyDelete
  5. You come up with some of the best dog-gone recipes. This sounds delish!

    ReplyDelete
  6. wow looks great love Moroccan great recipe

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the idea of combining simple casseroles with Moroccan spices - this dish looks hearty, tasty and comforting.

    ReplyDelete
  8. That looks like a fabulous ground beef dish. I just love all the spices. Something different than the usual ground beef casserole.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fabulous casserole. Moroccan spices really liven up everyday ingredients. I'm going to re-proportion the recipe for two so we can enjoy this before the grandsons next visit.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I will give this a try later in the week. I think my kids would love it. I don't have any ginger on hand or I would make it tonight. Thanks for sharing and I'll let you know what they think.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, this ground beef cassarole looks delicious with all the spices in it...yummie!

    ReplyDelete
  12. i just love moroccan flavors, probably because it usually involves cinnamon in some sort of savory dish. i always enjoy a good casserole, and that's definitely what this is--bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Seriously fabulous! I have bookmarked this. I have something like 42 pounds of ground beef in my frige, so please keep the ground beef casseroles coming.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You made this up? Really? You are a wizard! I'm just becoming familiar with Moroccan flavors and I really like this recipe. Who knew raisins and cinnamon would wake up an otherwise bland dish? I totally forgot about my chicken Moroccan recipe. I think I'll make it tonight!
    Thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love sweet and savoury together--the raisins and olives being a case in point. The spices in this casserole really elevate it to a whole new level. I'd say you have a real winner here, George.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is excellent... and a very good recipe when it's cold outside!

    ReplyDelete
  17. The addition of spices such as cinnamon and ginger really add a subtle complexity to an otherwise bland beef casserole dish. The addition of olives and raisins just kicks it up to a new level.
    This is a really nice dish. Also, it is a good comforting dish in this insane Winter weather we have been having lately in the Southeast.

    ReplyDelete
  18. sweet n' spicy...true middle eastern flavours are super in this dish of yours. Love it George...excellent as always. I am always inspired by all you write and make.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Look at all those wonderful spices! This sounds fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  20. A great twist on a basic casserole--loving all the spices ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  21. The combination of ingredients says taste but in capitals. I love the spices used. We don't eat much meat but for this one, I think we can make an exception. We usually allow ourselves one meat meal and one poultry so this one wins for the meat.

    ReplyDelete