Tajine Zitoun facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Tagine Zitoune, Tajine Zitoun, Tajine Zitoun, Olive Tagine. |
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| Course | Main course, side dish |
| Place of origin | |
| Main ingredients | Olives |
Tajine Zitoun or Tajine El Zitoune (Arabic: طاجين الزيتون) or Tagine Zitoune or Olive Tajine is a traditional Algerian stew from the city of Algiers. It is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked, a tajine pot. Tajine Zitoun typically includes lamb or chicken and olives, often also with some combination of onions, carrots, mushrooms or other vegetables, and is often seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, lemon juice, and saffron or turmeric. In Constantine, Algeria, the savory dish could be chicken or beef tongue simmered with only olives and mushrooms, or meatballs broken down, then cooked in sauce with mushrooms and olives.
Preparation
Some preparations call for the olives to be blanched in boiling water, then drained, before adding them into the recipe, to remove some of the salt.
The dish has variations depending on the region of Algeria, but all include olives. Like most Algerian dishes, some variations include a white or red sauce, some specify chicken or lamb or minced meat dumplings. Some include other vegetables. In the Oran district of western Algeria, which is known for both olive groves and mushroom farms, mushrooms are generally included. Saffron is preferred, but turmeric is often substituted for economy's sake.
