For this recipe I was inspired by the Moroccan Tagine. As always I start with a research for the dish I am planning to cook. I read plenty of recipes until I get the idea of what are the basic ingredients and how I can add my own interpretation to it. The flavors here are so many. Lets start with the excellent Australian beef I got, incorporated with the sweetness of the local dates. Since I am a veggie lover  I couldn`t miss to add some fresh  red bell peppers and shallot. For fresh finishing I garnished the dish with capers and fresh mint leaves.

Ingredients:

– 800g  lean beef

– 1 can drained chickpea

– 700ml beef stock

– 1 red bell pepper

– 1 small onion

– handful shallots

– 10 big dates

– 1 stick cinnamon

– nutmeg

– 1 tbs honey

– 1 tbs tomato paste

– 1/4 tsp turmeric

– 1/2 tsp cumin

– 2-3 cardamon seeds

– capers

– handful mint leaves

– couscous

-salt and pepper for seasoning

– olive oil

Preparation

Cut the meat into cubes and season with salt and pepper. Preheat olive oil into a cooking pot and cook until you get a nice sear. Add the peppers and onion (leave the shallots for later). Cook for 30 minutes. Add the stock plus the dried spices, honey and tomato paste. Cook for another 30 minutes  and season with salt if needed. Now its the time to add the dates, chickpea and shallots. Cook for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the couscous and season it with olive oil and salt. Serve the ready dish and sprinkle mint leaves and capers.