Moroccan Meat with Olives and Preserved Lemon

Meat with Olives and Preserved Lemons is a classic Moroccan dish flavored with onion, ginger, saffron, olives and preserved lemons. It's very easy to prepare, but the traditional method takes some time. Using a pressure cooker reduces cooking time by half.

Use beef or lamb. As with most Moroccan recipes, some bone and fat on the meat is OK, and even desirable for taste.

Serve Meat with Olives by itself, or top it with a mound of crispy patate frite (French fries).

Serves 4 to 5.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. (700 g) beef or lamb, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped fine or grated
2 cloves of garlic, chopped very fine or pressed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (or 1/8 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped parsley and cilantro
2 1/2 cups water
1 handful red or green olives, with pits
1 preserved lemon, quartered and seeds removed
Preparation:
In a large pot or pressure cooker, mix the meat with the oil, butter, salt, pepper, ginger, and turmeric. Heat the meat over medium-high heat, and stir to brown all sides.

Add the water, saffron, parsley and cilantro. Cover the pot, and bring the liquids to a fast simmer.

Pressure cooker method. If using a pressure cooker, cook the meat with pressure over medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the meat is quite tender. Add the olives and lemon. Reduce the liquids until they are mostly oils, or have the appearance of a thick sauce.

Pot method. If using a pot, simmer the meat, covered, over medium heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is quite tender. Stir occasionally and add a little water if necessary to prevent the meat from scorching. When the meat is cooked, add the olives and lemon, and reduce the liquids until they are mostly oils or have the appearance of a thick sauce.

Meat with Olives is traditionally served Moroccan style on a large platter, with each person eating from his own side of the plate with crusty bread for scooping up the meat and sauce.