Morocco - Kefta Mkaouara {Spicy Meatball & Tomato Tagine with Poached Eggs}

By Addylicious

Makes 24 small meatballs

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• For the Kefta (meatballs)...
• 1 lb. ground beef or lamb
• 1 small onion, fine diced
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• ¼ tsp. hot paprika
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• For the Mkaouara sauce...
• 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped or 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1½ tsp. paprika
• 1½ tsp. cumin
• 1½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. hot paprika
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 12-15 small green olives, sliced
• To serve...
• 4 eggs, for poaching
• 2 cups cooked long grain rice
• fresh cilantro and parsley for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

When using a tagine or dutch oven, preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For the Kefta (meatballs)...
Mix all ingredients until just combined. Do not overwork. Form into small meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.


In Dutch oven, add 1 tsp of olive oil. Once heated, place meatballs in the pan, leaving about 1/4 inch between each one. (You may have to do this in two batches.) Let each meatball brown on one side, and then turn when it is brown. Keep turning until meatballs are well browned on all sides. DO NOT BURN THE OIL

Pour off excess fat, deglaze with a bit of water or wine to make a fond

For the Mkaouara sauce...
Combine all sauce ingredients with meatball fond, (except green olives) and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Transfer into bottom portion of the tagine.
Nestle meatballs into sauce. Sprinkle with sliced olives. Cover tagine base with lid and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Remove tagine from oven, remove lid, with large spoon make 4 wells in sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Return lid and return tagine to oven. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until egg whites are set.
To serve...
Serve family style with rice and fresh cilantro and parsley.