Red beans & rice

Onion, diced	2
Bell pepper, green, seeded, diced	1
Celery, diced	1 stalk
Ghee	2 tablespoons
Red kidney beans, dried	1 pound
Ham hocks, smoked	2
Bay leaves	3
Cayenne	½ teaspoon
Water
Green onions, chopped	3
Pepper, freshly ground
Salt
Tabasco
Rice
Duck fat, olive oil, ghee, or butter	1 tablespoon
Onion, small, minced	1
Rice, long-grain white	1 ½ cups
Chicken stock	3 cups
Bay leaf	1
Salt

1. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sweat the onions, bell pepper, and celery in the ghee. 
2. Once the onions become translucent, add the beans, hocks, bay leaves, and cayenne, and then add enough water to cover by 2 inches. 
3. Increase the heat, and bring the water to a boil. 
4. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the beams to slowly simmer for 2 hours. 
5. Periodically, stir the beans to ensure they do not scorch to the bottom of the pot, adding water as needed to keep the beans covered by an inch or more of water. 
6. Continue cooking the beans until they are creamy and beginning to fall apart when they are stirred. 
7. Remove the ham hock meat from the bones, and roughly chop it before returning to the pot. 
8. Stir in the green onions, and season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. 

Rice

1. Place the fat in a medium saucepan, and sweat the onion over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Pour the rice into the pan, and stir for 2 minutes. 
3. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the bay leaf and salt. 
5. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan from heat; fluff the rice with a fork. 

Chef's note: Needs a bit of work. The beans were tough...

Recipe mildly adapted from My New Orleans The Cookbook by John Besh.

Beef tagine with sweet potatoes, peas, ginger, & ras-el-hanout

Ghee	2 tablespoons
Ginger, peel, finely chopped	1 ½-inch piece
Onion, finely chopped	1
Beef, lean, cut into bite-sized cubes	2 pounds
Ras-el-hanout	1 ½ tablespoons
Potatoes, sweet, peeled, cubed	2
Peas	1 pound
Tomatoes, skinned, seeded, chopped	2
Lemon, preserved, finely chopped	1
Cilantro, finely chopped	1 bunch
Salt, sea
Pepper, freshly ground
Yogurt, plain

1. Melt the ghee in the tagine base over medium heat. 
2. Add the ginger and onion, and sauté until soft. 
3. Toss in the beef, and sear on all sides, and then stir in the ras-el-hanout. 
4. Pour in enough water to just cover the meat, and bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook gently for 40 minutes. 
6. Add the sweet potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover, and continue to cook for 20 minutes, until the meat is tender. 
7. Toss in the peas and tomatoes, cover, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. 
8. Sprinkle with preserved lemon and cilantro, and serve immediately with bread and yogurt. 

Recipe from Tagines & Couscous by Ghillie Basan.

Beef, beet, & orange tagine with couscous

Ghee	2 tablespoons
Garlic, crushed	8 cloves
Onion, red, halved lengthwise, sliced with the grain	1
Ginger, peel, finely chopped	1 ½-inch piece
Chile, red, seeded, sliced	1
Coriander seeds, crushed	2 teaspoons
Cinnamon sticks	2
Beets, peeled, quartered	4
Beef, lean, cut into bite-sized cubes	1 pound
Oranges, thin-skinned, cut into segments	2
Honey, dark, runny	1 tablespoon
Orange flower water	2 tablespoons
Butter, unsalted	1 tablespoon
Pistachios, shelled	3 tablespoons
Parsley, leaves roughly chopped	1 bunch
Salt, sea
Pepper, freshly ground
Couscous
Couscous, rinsed, drained	2 cups
Salt, sea	½ teaspoon
Water, warm	1 2/3 cups
Olive oil	2 tablespoons
Butter, broken into little pieces	2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
Almonds, slivered, blanched	3 tablespoons

1. Melt the ghee in the tagine base over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and stir until they begin to color. 
3. Add the chile, coriander seeds, and cinnamon sticks. 
4. Add the beets, and sauté for 2 to 3 minute. 
5. Toss in the beef, and sauté for 1 minute. 
6. Pour in enough water to almost cover the beef and beets, and bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, until the meat is very tender. 
8. Add the orange segments, honey, and orange flower water. 
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
10. Cover, and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes. 
11. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and toss in the pistachios, stirring them over medium heat until they turn golden brown. 
12. Sprinkle them over the tagine along with the parsley. 

Couscous

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Tip the couscous into an ovenproof dish. 
3. Stir the salt into the water, and pour it over the couscous. 
4. Leave to absorb the water for about 10 minutes. 
5. Using your fingers, rub the oil into the couscous grains to break up the lumps and aerate them. 
6. Scatter the butter over the surface, and cover with foil or wet parchment paper. 
7. Bake about 15 minutes, until the couscous is heated through. 
8. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. 
9. Add the almonds, and cook, stirring, until they begin to turn golden. 
10. Drain on paper towels. 
11. Remove the couscous from the oven, and fluff up the grains with a fork. 
12. Tip onto a plate to pile it into a high mound, and sprinkle the almonds over the top. 

Recipe from Tagines & Couscous by Ghillie Basan.