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Casablanca Riff

Slow-Braised Baby Back Ribs Tagine with Honeyed Fruit, Almonds, and Couscous

2 hours 45 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerAfricanShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take

Moroccan Mrouzia is the sweet-and-savory masterpiece of Eid feasts. Here, we swap lamb for baby back ribs and channel centuries of North African spice wisdom into a meltingly tender tagine, no passport required.

Equipment needed
  • Dutch oven or tagine

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat the rib sections dry, then season evenly with the kosher salt and black pepper.
  2. 02
    Heat the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine base over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
  3. 03
    Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and golden, about 6 minutes.
  4. 04
    Add the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  5. 05
    Stir in the ground cinnamon, turmeric, saffron threads, and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
  6. 06
    Return the ribs and any juices to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
  7. 07
    Cover with a tight-fitting lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 1/2 hours, turning the ribs once halfway through.
  8. 08
    Remove from the oven. Drizzle in the honey and add the golden raisins, stirring gently to distribute. Re-cover and return to the oven for 30 minutes more until the meat is very tender.
  9. 09
    Meanwhile, toast the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
  10. 10
    About 20 minutes before serving, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the couscous and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover, remove from heat, and let steam for 7 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the butter.
  11. 11
    When the ribs are done, transfer them to a plate. Skim excess fat from the sauce if needed, then simmer the sauce, uncovered, on the stove for 5-8 minutes to thicken.
  12. 12
    Arrange couscous on a platter. Place rib sections (bone-in, glazed and intact) over couscous. Spoon the fruit-and-spice sauce generously over the ribs.
  13. 13
    Scatter with the toasted almonds and chopped herbs. Serve immediately.

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