By Betsy DiJulio

Special to The Virginian-Pilot

NEW TREND on the culinary scene: Tagine. Like a casserole, the word tagine refers both to the dish and to the distinctive pot in which it is cooked. This North African "comfort" food is a staple of the region known as the Maghreb (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria).

The ingredients: The tagine (or tajine) is a succulent, fragrant and moist, slightly sticky or even syrupy melange of beans, vegetables, meat and other proteins, fresh and dried fruits, olives, honey, herbs and spices.

The pot: Traditionally, tagines were made entirely of clay. The base resembles a shallow bowl or round baking dish. A tall, domed or conical, chimney-looking cover fits on top, which allows steam to circulate and results in an intensely moist, stew-type dish.

The process: Traditional cooking methods involved a charcoal-fired clay stove or brazier, an open fire or a wood-burning oven. Nowadays, many tagines are made entirely on top of the stove, with some finished in the oven.

The result: The dish is an exciting celebration of nature's bounty in a bowl, with luscious flavors ranging from earthy and smoky to pungent and piquant. With endless beautiful and nutritional varieties plus ease of preparation, tagines may well become your go-to meal for weeknight suppers or weekend dinner parties.

 Though regional and familial varieties of tagines abound, some traditional marriages of ingredients include lamb with prunes, apricots, figs or dates; poultry with dates and honey; and chicken with preserved lemon and green olives. Omar Boukhriss, a downtown Norfolk restaurateur (Omar's Carriage House and Voila!) who hails from Morocco, lists garbanzo beans, carrots, eggplants, fava beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes and zucchini as among the most popular choices for traditional vegetable tagines. But contemporary cooks have created unlimited variations that, while not necessarily authentic, remain true to the spirit of the tagine.

Regardless of the featured ingredients, onions and garlic almost always play a supporting role, sounding a subtle, sweet note in the background. More flavor-forward sweetness is provided by fruits, including tomatoes, as well as by honey, orange-flower water and rosewater, sometimes offset by lemons preserved in salt. At Omar's Carriage House, where every Monday evening is Moroccan Night, the kitchen makes its own preserved lemons. Home cooks can purchase them at gourmet food shops.

According to Boukhriss as well as "Tagine: Spicy Stews from Morocco" by Chillie Basan, the herbs and spices used to perfume tagines include basil, cilantro, cinnamon sticks, coriander, ginger, mint, paprika, parsley, ras-el-hanout (a variety of spice, root and rosebud blends), rosemary, sage, saffron, thyme and turmeric. For crunch, nuts like roasted almonds and pistachios are most popular.

Seeded chiles and harissa (a chile, spice and olive oil paste) infuse the dishes with a fiery kick. Olive oil, butter or a matured clarified butter called smen lend additional richness and silkiness and, Boukhriss said, are often added at the end of the cooking period.

Contemporary versions of the tagine pot are available with cast-iron bottoms for browning and braising on the stovetop because clay tagines should not be used on an electric burner. Even with a gas flame, clay varieties should be used with a heat diffuser to prevent hairline fissures, because, as Boukhriss noted, "It is difficult to get the heat low enough." Another option is to prepare the dish in a heavy pot (oven-safe if necessary) and transfer to the tagine for serving.

Find tagines locally at gourmet cooking shops. Some decorative ones were even spotted recently at T.J. Maxx. Online sources include www.tagines.com [1] and www.lecreuset.com [2].

In America, tagines are often served with the ubiquitous couscous. However, in Boukhriss' family, couscous was a Friday treat. "It is only in this country that everything is served with couscous," he said. "I do it on the menu because one adjusts to the local taste."

However, as Boukhriss describes Moroccan cuisine: "When we put out a table, we put a lot on it. We eat a lot of salads." Among his recommendations are tomato, pickled carrots, ratatouille-style eggplant, roasted peppers with garlic, beans, lentils, and potato salad with olive oil, cumin and parsley.

And for digesting it all, Boukhriss recommends concluding your meal with hot tea steeped with fresh mint.

 Betsy DiJulio, flavor@pilotonline.com