Tagine help!

A few months ago hubby & I were watching a Jamie Oliver show and he made a scrumptuous looking meal with a tagine.  Ever since then we have been looking for one.  Yesterday, we were in World Market and found one so we snapped it up!  But now I'm confused.  It didn't come with any instructions, so I've been Googling and it's very confusing - especially since people use the word "tagine" to refer to the recipe (kinda like saying "curry") and often the recipe they list doesn't even use a tagine, but rather a slow cooker.

So here are my main questions:

1) Do I need to pre-treat it?  Several websites talk about "seasoning" it, but the one we bought is glazed.  Are they referring to only the non-glazed ones?  I keep reading about soaking it in water but since it's glazed I don't see the point. 

2) Can this be used on a stove-top?  I know I can put it in the oven, but a lot of recipes say to saute the onions & chicken over low-med heat???

3) Anyone have any great recipes to share?

Thanks so much in advance for your help! 

Yummy!

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/tipsandtechniques/ht/Season_Tagine.htm

I've seen arguments for seasoning or not seasoning glazed tagines. It wouldn't hurt to do it, whereas if you don't use it carefully it can crack anyway.

Can you see anything to indicate whether you can use yours on a stovetop? Some are not made for the stovetop.

I always thought it was a tajine with a j but I just looked on Wikipedia which says j and g are both OK. Tajines in Moroccan cuisine are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, authentic Moroccan clay and ceramic tagines will crack over a high heat.and if you want to brown meat on the stove top I would get a European tajine/tagine with a cast iron bottom.

I have a glazed tajine and I seasoned it by soaking it and its lid in water for 2 hours (in the bath!) and then dried them with a cloth* and then put them in a cold oven which I then warmed to 150 C (300 F) (This is important, don't preheat the oven, the tajine might crack because of the rapid change of temperature) After 2 hours I shut the heat off and let it all cool down.

* At this point if it is unglazed some people put a few drops of olive oil on a cloth or paper towel and rub it all over the insides of the tajine and lid.

You don't have to season it, I have eaten meals cooked in my friend's glazed tagine which she has not seasoned at all, and I thought they were wonderful.

Thanks for all the help!

Seasoning sounds pretty simple, so I guess I will. Prolly can't hurt anything.

As for cooking on the stove, I'm not going to risk it. It's just glazed ceramic and I can't imagine putting that on my gas hob with an open flame.  I can brown whatever in a skillet if I need to and then add it in. 

Good to read about the rapid temperature changes - must remember to put the tagine in the oven and then start it - not pre-heat! 

Thanks again guys - I'm really looking forward to experimenting with this!

We bought one in Morocco, but it already cracked on the hob.  It was cheap in Morocco (like equivalent of £5) & DH thought it was okay to use on the ceramic hob.  We bought one like what the locals suggested - it's plainy plain.  They said the decorative ones are meant to be just that - decorative, whereas the plainer ones are for cooking - from among those produced & sold in Morocco.

It's not broken through so DH just warms it & uses it to serve tagines now.

You don't need a tagine to make tagine though.  

In Morocco, they tend to cook with them over charcoal fires.

Tips the Moroccans gave us - brown the onions & garlic on a med-high heat, then brown your meat.  That's the heart (I mean the centre) of the tagine (if you're doing a meat one anyway), then turn the heat way down low & pile the veggies around.  Cook long & low & slow.  Oh yeah - the dried fruits are nice in there too - prunes, apricots, preserved lemon for chicken, etc.

You need a heat diffuser before you put your tagine on the hob otherwise it will probably crack. They're really cheap and easy to find. Check Amazon or anywhere else online.

But, as Mrs R says, you don't really need a tagine to make a tagine.