Here’s another of my new kitchen toys: a Le Creuset Tagine. Tagine refers to both the pot and the traditional Moroccan dishes made in the pot. The traditional pots like this are made of clay.

But enough with the lesson, let me tell you about the first recipe I tried in this. This recipe is adapted from one that was in the little Le Creuset booklet. Of course, I had to do a little addition, substitution, etc along the way. The result was delicious – my husband and Will both enjoyed it.

One of the big surprises of the dish was the addition of sliced almonds and raisins. I almost didn’t add them but am I ever glad I did! They really added a depth of flavor. Serve this over couscous or with rice.

Now for leftovers: use the chicken on a salad with a light vinaigrette or in a wrap with lettuce and tomato (perhaps a bit of cheddar too). Or reheat and eat with couscous or rice.

Spiced Honey Chicken Tagine
serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 large, boneless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Place the tagine base on a large burner and add the oil. Warm the oil over medium heat. Stir in the shallot and garlic and let cook but don’t let the shallot and garlic begin to brown though.

Stir in the chicken. Cook, flipping frequently, until browned on all sides. Stir in the ginger and cinnamon and cook for an additional one minute.

Combine the honey, lemon, vinegar and stock. Pour over the chicken and stir to combine.

Cover the tagine and lower the heat to low. Cook (covered) for about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the lid. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Raise burner the temperature to just higher than medium and bring the tagine to a rapid boil. The original directions said to reduce the sauce to a syrup-y consistency but I ended up just reducing it almost away.

I love my Le Creuset grill (actually, it’s a griddle…I know, but they essentially perform the same function, right?).

So far, it’s griddled asparagus for me (which I ate all of … alone) and made a TON of sandwiches. Loving the sandwiches (with the grill press, of course).

This is one of my favorites so far -the Italian Roast Beef. No recipe. No cookbooks. No internet searches. This one was completely a what-I-have-in-the-house. And it was totally something that will be repeated. Often.

Seriously. I may have been moaning while eating it without knowing.

(Stop laughing! It’s true. And I have heard enough chuckles about it in this lifetime. My parents still laugh about my moaning while eating things I really enjoy like tacos, nachos, and my stepfathers special hot wings.)

Here’s how you can indulge in it too:

Italian Roast Beef Sandwich
serves 1

2 slices crusty bread
2 slices lean roast beef
fresh mozzarella
4 slices sundried tomato, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil

Preheat your grill/griddle and press (or if you don’t have one, a George Foreman grill works too).

Take one of the slices of bread. Layer the roast beef, mozzarella (enough 1/8 inch slices to cover), sundried tomatoes, and garlic. Drizzle the other slice of bread of olive oil and place olive oil side down on top of the sandwich.

Place the sandwich between the grill and press and cook on medium until browned on both sides. Eat warm and enjoy.

::Sigh::

Isn’t it lovely? It’s red. That beautiful, deep shade of red – like a perfect, shiny apple. And it’s cast iron . . . mmm, cast iron. Better yet, Le Creuset cast iron . . . in red. Love the red.

I received the pan – this lovely grill pan – as a Christmas gift. (The grill was a present to myself . . . not Le Creuset but good anyway). I was fortunate to receive two wonderful Le Creuset pieces this year – you’ll be seeing the other one debut later this week. Since receiving it on New Year’s Eve, I have used it almost a dozen times.

Check back tomorrow to see some of the delicious things I have made so far.