The holiday of Passover, known as Chag Ha’Aviv — the festival of spring — brings a celebration of renewal that is as evident on the table as it is in the season. For Jewish communities in North Africa: Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian Jews, springtime is a period of culinary abundance.
The season bursts forth with a rich variety of vegetables: tender peas and fava beans, crisp leeks, tangy green almonds, artichokes at their peak, and even green garlic braided into long strands and hung outside homes to ward off the evil eye and bad demons.
Lamb, too, plays an essential role during this time. Beyond its symbolic connection to the ancient Passover sacrifice, lamb is in season during the spring. Today, a beautifully roasted leg of lamb often graces the seder table in Israel, serving as both a nod to tradition and a modern centerpiece.
For Moroccan cooks, fresh artichokes and fava beans are incorporated into a festive lamb tagine with artichokes and green fava beans. This tagine, a dish beloved by both Jewish and non-Jewish families alike, made with artichokes and fava beans at their peak, naturally emerged as a favorite for Passover. It offers a true taste of spring in every bite.
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The popularity of artichokes during Passover extends beyond Morocco. They are featured in a variety of recipes — from an Italian lamb and artichoke dish in a lemon and egg sauce to a Tunisian artichoke and lamb hamin (Shabbat overnight stew) cooked with potatoes and harissa.
Artichokes have been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for centuries, and recipes can be traced back to medieval Spain, where stews featuring the cardoon— a relative of the artichoke also known as the artichoke thistle — were included in cookbooks. This culinary tradition may well have been the precursor to the modern-day use of artichokes in North African kitchens, as so many other Spanish dishes have moved with Jews and Muslims to North Africa during the Spanish Inquisition. Even today, North African Jews sometimes use wild cardoon during its brief season, a practice that continues in Israel as a nod to their heritage.
In North Africa, artichokes are prepared differently than in the United States. The focus is on the artichoke’s prized part: the bottom, or “cup,” of the flower that remains after the removal of the tougher leaves. This tender base is not only delicious but also serves as an ideal vessel for stuffing. Imagine artichoke bottoms filled with spiced ground beef in a simple tomato and paprika sauce, or delicately stuffed with fish and enhanced by a sauce of preserved lemons and fresh fava beans. It is no wonder that these dishes remain popular, not only within the Moroccan community, but throughout Israel.
However, the meticulous process of peeling, cutting and preparing these precious artichoke bottoms is labor-intensive. Fortunately, Middle Eastern supermarkets — often stocked with frozen artichoke bottoms imported from Egypt — have helped preserve this culinary art, making it easier for cooks to create these time-honored recipes. Additionally, canned or pickled artichokes are available in specialty stores, providing accessible alternatives. (In the recipe included below, the more common artichoke hearts can be used without compromising the dish’s authenticity.)
Fava beans, too, are a cherished ingredient of spring. When in season, they are available fresh in their pods, particularly in Middle Eastern markets across the United States. Though they are likely to be available in time for the Passover, frozen green fava beans ensure that this essential flavor remains accessible year-round. These beans bring a subtle earthiness and a creamy texture to any dish, making them an indispensable part of this traditional Moroccan tagine.
Every component of the dish tells a story of spring in the Middle East, making it a perfect dish to welcome the season throughout the holiday and beyond.
Notes:
- The traditional tagine recipe does not include wine. I have added the wine for extra depth of flavor.
- This stew is made traditionally with lamb. You can use boneless lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb. If you prefer, use beef boneless short ribs cut into 2-inch sections instead.
- You can use frozen green fava beans, preferably not skinned (they are often sold with the thin skin of each bean removed.) If you find fresh ones, you can use them in their pods, but only if the pods are very thin and tender, which are very rare to find in the U.S. If you cannot find fava beans, you can use green peas instead, but add those only for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Moroccan Lamb, Fava Bean and Artichoke Stew
This traditional Passover stew from the Moroccan cuisine is served with rice during the holiday. If you are not eating legumes (kitniyot) on Passover, you can serve the dish with a side of roasted potatoes.
- Total Time: 3-4 hours
- Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut to 2-inch pieces (see notes)
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cups white wine
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 lb frozen artichoke bottoms or hearts, thawed
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped, divided
- 1 lb green fava bean (see notes)
Instructions
- Pat dry the meat and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When the pot is very hot, add 2 Tbsp oil and sear the meat in one layer on both sides until it is nicely browned.
- When all the meat is seared, add white wine to the pot and add enough water to convert the meat. Add cinnamon and turmeric and mix. Bring to boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, for a low simmer. Cook for 2-2½ hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove from the heat.
- Peel the onion, cut in half and slice each half to thin half-circles. Slice the garlic cloves. If you’re using artichoke bottoms, cut each bottom into 4 sections.
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and quickly fry the artichokes for about 6-8 minutes until golden. Transfer the artichoke to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the onion to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes, until golden, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Mix in about half the cilantro.
- Add the cooked meat on top of the onion and sprinkle with a little salt. Arrange the fava beans and fried artichokes on top of the meat and sprinkle with another tsp salt. Gently pour the liquid you used to cook the meat in on top of everything, until the artichokes and fava are about half covered.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook without a cover for 30-45 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the liquid has thickened. Make sure the stew is on low simmer, that you see small bubbles all the time. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Sprinkle with the rest of the cilantro before serving.
Notes
- The traditional tagine recipe does not include wine. I have added the wine for extra depth of flavor.
- This stew is made traditionally with lamb. You can use boneless lamb shoulder or boneless leg of lamb. If you prefer, use beef boneless short ribs cut into 2-inch sections instead.
- You can use frozen green fava beans, preferably not skinned (they are often sold with the thin skin of each bean removed.) If you find fresh ones, you can use them in their pods, but only if the pods are very thin and tender, which are very rare to find in the U.S. If you cannot find fava beans, you can use green peas instead, but add those only for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes-4 hours
- Category: Main
- Method: Slow-Cook
- Cuisine: Sephardi
What about using Lima beans?
Hi! You can absolutely use Lima beans, though we haven’t tested the recipe with those so please let us know how it turns out!