Moroccan · Tagines
Veal Tagine with Cardoons (Khorchef)
Cardoons — the thistle-like cousin of the artichoke known locally as khorchef — appear briefly each spring in Fes markets, and cooks prize them braised low and slow with veal until the ribs turn tender and faintly bitter-sweet. It is a dish for those who know the season, since cardoons demand patient trimming and long cooking to tame their toughness.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 100 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 800 g veal shoulder, cut into chunks
- 1 kg cardoons, trimmed of strings and cut into batons
- Juice of 2 lemons (for the cardoon soaking water)
- 2 onions, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- Pinch of saffron, bloomed, and 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter
- 1 bunch coriander, tied, salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Prep the cardoons
Strip the tough outer strings from each rib as you would celery, cut into batons, and drop straight into lemon water to stop them browning.
- 2
Parboil
Blanch the trimmed cardoons in salted, lemony water for 15–20 minutes until just tender enough to pierce, then drain — this tames their raw bitterness before they meet the meat.
- 3
Braise the veal
Warm the oil and butter in a tagine, brown the veal lightly, then add onion, garlic, ginger, saffron water, the herb bundle and salt. Cover with water and simmer 60 minutes until the veal is nearly tender.
- 4
Add the cardoons
Stir in the parboiled cardoons and continue simmering 20–25 minutes until both meat and vegetable are fully tender and the sauce has thickened.
- 5
Serve
Discard the herb bundle, adjust the seasoning, and serve hot with bread.
Chef's tips
- Cardoons discolour and turn tough fast — work quickly and keep peeled pieces in acidulated water until you're ready to blanch.
- Don't skip the parboil; raw cardoons added straight to the tagine stay fibrous no matter how long you braise.
- This is a short-season dish — outside spring, substitute chard stalks or celery hearts for a similar texture.
Frequently asked questions
What are cardoons and where do I find them?
Cardoons are a thistle vegetable related to the artichoke, eaten for their ribbed stalks. In Morocco they appear in spring markets, especially around Fes and Meknes, sold as khorchef.
Can I substitute another vegetable?
Celery hearts or chard stalks give a similar texture, though a milder flavour, if cardoons are unavailable.