Given the gift of a bottle of Moroccan Spice Mixture (The Spice House) from geekchick, and my lack of fundage (April is gonna be tight), I was inspired today to create a pot of... something to eat off of for the rest of the week.


I have no idea what to call it, and -- as it's still simmering -- I have no idea if it will be any good. Here's the "recipe":

2 lbs. of chuck, browned with a handful of diced red onion, 1 drained can stems & pieces of button mushroom, about a clove of minced garlic, salt, pepper, about a tablespoon of Moroccan Spice Mixture (MSM), a shot of Chipotle Tabasco, and a shot or three of rottgrub's hot sauce.

Deglazed the fond with 3/4 of a cup of Carlo Rossi Paisano (classy!).

Added 2 cans of diced tomatoes, a drained can of chickpeas, the rest of the red onion, another half cup of Paisano, half of a bottle of sliced green olives, a can of tomato paste, and 3 tomato paste cansful of water. Added about another tablespoon, tablespoon and a half, of MSM.

Bring to a boil; boil for 4 minutes.

Reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 3.5 to 5 hrs (as you will) -- stirring every 15 minutes.

We're into the third 15 minute period. This needs to cook until at least 3 pm or 3:30, to give the collagen in the chuck time to dissolve.

My question is this: what the hell do I call this thing? It's the mutant baby of beef stew, chili, tagine, and Eye-talian gravy. (I'm taking suggestions.)

I suspect it should be tasty. I hope so -- I've been mourning the lack of Trader Joe's Tagine Simmer Sauce.

I'll make another post about the relative edibility of the result.

I'll prolly serve it over couscous.

Tags: food, mad science