Zitounia | Tunisian Olive and Beef Stew

Crush the olives lightly with the back of a knife, then add them to boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Repeat once more with fresh water. Taste the second batch of water: if it is salty but not bitter, the olives are ready; if they are still bitter, boil them a third time.

Drain excess liquid from the marinated beef and pat it dry with paper towels; wet meat will steam instead of brown. Working in batches without crowding the pot, turn the beef in most of the olive oil until each side is deeply browned, then transfer it to a plate.

Soften the chopped onion in the same pot for 7 minutes. Add the sliced garlic, tabil, and black pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and harissa and cook for 2 minutes, until the color deepens. Add the grated tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.

Return the beef to the pot. Add the water, bay leaves, and salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook until the beef is tender enough to separate into strands when pressed with a fork. Leave the lid slightly ajar; a closed lid makes the sauce watery.

Add the boiled olives and cook uncovered for another 25 minutes. The sauce should thicken and the oil should separate around the edges, while the olives keep their shape. Taste before adding salt at this stage; the olives often make the dish salty enough.

Remove the bay leaves, stir in the lemon juice just before taking the pot off the heat, and taste. Zitounia is a salty-sour dish; if it tastes sweet, add another 10 ml lemon juice. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with warm bread or plain rice.