BEEF TAGINE WITH PEARS, GINGER AND ALMONDS

Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 3 hours 20 mins Serves 4-6

1kg chuck beef, diced

75g ghee

3 red onions, sliced into rings

4 carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8cm piece ginger, cut into batons

1 Tbsp ras el hanout (North African

spice mix, from online suppliers)

1 tsp ground turmeric

3 sticks cinnamon

2 cups beef stock

2 tsp Vegemite

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

4 ripe pears, peeled, cored, wedged

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds Yoghurt, coriander and mint, to serve

STEP 1 Cook beef in half of the ghee in a flameproof casserole dish on mediumhigh heat until browned, then remove beef and set aside. Add remaining ghee, onion, carrot, garlic and ginger to same pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

STEP 2 Return beef to pan with spices, stock and Vegemite, season, then simmer for 3 hours with the lid ajar, until beef is tender, topping up with water as needed. After cooking, almost all the sauce should have evaporated.

STEP 3 Mix in pear wedges and stand for 5 minutes. Serve topped with sliced almonds, yoghurt and herbs.