Beef, Fig & Date Tagine

Cooking the ingredients in a pan in batches before placing in the slow cooker is definitely worth the effort and 6 hours in the slow cooker is worth the wait!

Serves 6


2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
350g shallots, peeled and cut in half
1.5 kgs lean braising steak
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot peeled & finely chopped
70g tomato puree
1/2 jar My Secret Kitchen Saffron Tagine Paste
180g medjool dates, pitted & roughly chopped
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Fig Pudding Pickle
600ml beef stock
flaked almonds and fresh coriander to garnish


Heat 1 tbsp of each of the two oils in a large saucepan and sauté the shallots until brown and starting to caramelise, this could take 10 - 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and place in the slow cooker. Add the meat to the saucepan in batches and brown all over before placing in the slow cooker. Put the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil into the pan and sauté the celery and carrot together before adding the tomato puree, Fig Pudding Pickle and dates. Stir and scrape up any meat and juices from the bottom of the pan before adding the stock. Add the tagine paste to the stock, mix thoroughly before pouring over the beef and shallots in the slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours on medium heat and garnish with flaked almonds, fresh coriander and serve with toasted pitta bread and natural yogurt drizzled with rose harissa.