M’soki (Tunisian Passover Spring Vegetable Ragout with Artichokes, Spinach, Fava Beans, and Peas)

Name: M’soki (Tunisian Passover Spring Vegetable Ragout with Artichokes, Spinach, Fava Beans, and Peas)
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 lamb shoulder, boned (about 3 pounds); 1 pound beef ribs; 2 pounds beef shank; Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; 2 fennel bulbs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 3 white or yellow carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 onions, peeled and diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 pounds fresh spinach, chopped; Green tops of 3 beets, chopped; 2 pounds unshelled fresh fava beans, or 1 pound frozen; 2 pounds unshelled fresh peas, or 1 pound frozen; 6 artichoke bottoms, fresh or canned, quartered; 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish; 1 cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish; 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon harissa (see page 33); 4 matzos

December 9, 2011

When Dr. Sylviane Lévy (see page 65), a physician in Paris, got married, she had a Passover dilemma. Her husband’s Tunisian family ate m’soki, a verdant soupy ragout with spring vegetables—like artichokes (considered a Jewish vegetable), spinach, and peas—and meat; her family, originally from Toledo, Spain, and later from Tétouan, Morocco, ate a thick meat- and- fava- bean soup. So which did she choose? Instead of picking sides, she serves both at her Seder. Now her grown children associate these soups with the taste of home. M’soki, also called béton armé (reinforced concrete) because of its heartiness, is so popular in France today that Tunisians, Algerians, and anyone who has tasted it now prepares it for Passover, and at special events throughout the year. This very ancient soup, probably dating from the eleventh century, would have included lamb, cinnamon, rose petals, and white or yellow carrots. It would not have included harissa, as peppers were a New World import.

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