Moroccan Dafina
דְּפִינָה
Dafina (Arabic: 'that which is buried') is the Moroccan Jewish Shabbat stew, tracing its roots to medieval Sephardic Spain where it was called Adafina. After the 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain, the recipe traveled with refugees to Morocco, enriched with local saffron, cumin, and cinnamon. Traditionally left in the communal baker's oven or hammam overnight. The University of Washington Converso Cookbook Project documents the earliest forms among 15th-century Spanish Jews. In Moroccan Jewish homes, no two families make it identically — it remains one of the most personal recipes in the community.
Ingredients
- •1 kg beef brisket or short ribs
- •1 Cornish game hen or half chicken
- •250g ground beef shaped into a small log
- •500g chickpeas, soaked overnight
- •6 Russet potatoes, peeled and halved
- •2 large onions, thinly sliced
- •2–3 beef marrow bones
- •8 whole eggs in their shells
- •Pinch of saffron threads
- •1 teaspoon cumin
- •1 teaspoon turmeric
- •1 teaspoon paprika
- •1 teaspoon cinnamon
- •2 tablespoons salt
- •1 teaspoon black pepper
- •2 teaspoons garlic powder
- •1 teaspoon za'atar
- •2 bay leaves
- •Water to cover
Instructions
- 1
Season beef brisket generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Sear in a large Dutch oven over high heat until browned all over, about 8 minutes.
- 2
Mix ground beef with za'atar, paprika, salt, and pepper. Shape into a log and wrap in foil.
- 3
Season the game hen with salt inside and out and wrap in a second piece of foil.
- 4
Layer sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. Add seared brisket, marrow bones, foil-wrapped beef log, and foil-wrapped hen.
- 5
Nestle the soaked chickpeas and potatoes around the meats. Tuck the whole eggs between them.
- 6
Add saffron, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic powder, bay leaves, and remaining salt and pepper. Cover with water (about 1.5 litres).
- 7
Bring to a boil. Cover tightly. Place in a 93°C (200°F) oven or on the lowest burner setting.
- 8
Cook overnight 14–18 hours. Serve everything in separate bowls: sliced beef, hen, peeled eggs, chickpeas, potatoes, marrow bones.
Kosher notes
Fully fleishig (meat). Marrow bones add richness but may be omitted. Use only pre-soaked chickpeas — canned will disintegrate in the 18-hour cook.
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