Tanjia from Marrakesh

Ingredients

• 1 kg veal shank (or lamb shoulder)
• 1 tsp smen (aged, salted butter)
• 1 preserved lemon (msayer)
• 2 whole heads of garlic
• 20 cl olive oil
• 1 pinch of saffron threads
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 500 ml water

Method

1. Put the meat, the whole heads of garlic, the smen and spices, the quartered preserved lemon, the oil and the water into the earthenware jar (tanjia).
2. Mix everything well so that the spices are evenly spread.
3. Seal the jar with paper and tie it tight with wire.
4. Take the jar to the neighbourhood oven (farnatchi); there it stands in the embers and ash and cooks over a very gentle heat for about four hours, while the meat is checked.
5. Take it out of the oven hot: the meat should be very tender and the sauce reduced.
6. Remove the paper and, without a ladle or spoon, pour first the sauce and then the meat onto the dish; garnish with preserved lemon.