Moroccan Harira Soup Broth
A fragrant, golden lamb-bone broth simmered with ripe tomatoes, celery, a big bundle of cilantro and parsley, ginger and turmeric. It is the savory base of Moroccan harira, and it is also lovely sipped on its own or used for soups and stews.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 45 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 3 hr 30 min
- Makes
- About 2.5 quarts (2.4 liters) broth, 8 cup-sized servings
Steps
Before you start
- Ask your butcher for lamb neck, shank or breast bones with a little meat on them; they give the most flavor.
- Leave about 3.5 hours for the full process. Most of it is hands-off simmering.
- Use a pot of at least 8-quart (7.5 liter) capacity so the water can sit about 2 inches below the rim.
- Have a fine-mesh strainer and a large heatproof container ready for straining.
Roast the bonesOven 425°F / 220°C
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Spread the lamb bones on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes, turning once halfway, until deeply browned on the edges.
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Ready when: Bones are deep golden brown with browned meat edges and rendered fat in the pan.
Tip: Don't crowd the pan, or the bones will steam instead of brown.
Prep the vegetables
- While the bones roast, halve the tomatoes, remove the cores, and coarsely grate the cut sides on a box grater down to the skin; discard the skins.
- Cut the onion into quarters and the celery into 3-inch pieces.
- Tie the cilantro and parsley together into one bundle with twine.
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Ready when: Tomatoes form a juicy pulp in a bowl; only flat skins remain in your hand.
Tip: Tying the herbs makes them easy to remove later.
Sweat the aromatics
- Heat the olive oil in the stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes until the onion edges soften and turn lightly golden.
- Stir in the tomato paste, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and saffron if using, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
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Ready when: Onion is softened with golden edges, and the spices smell warm and toasty.
Tip: If the spices begin to stick or scorch, add a splash of water right away.
Combine and add water
- Add the roasted bones to the pot, scraping any browned bits and fat from the baking sheet with a little hot water and pouring that in too.
- Add the grated tomato pulp, herb bundle, cinnamon stick, salt and 3.5 quarts (3.3 liters) cold water.
- The water should cover the bones by about 2 inches.
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Ready when: All bones are submerged.
Tip: Starting with cold water draws out more flavor and keeps the broth clearer.
Bring to a simmer and skim
- Bring the pot to a gentle boil over high heat, about 12 minutes.
- As soon as it boils, reduce to low so only a few small bubbles break the surface.
- Skim off the gray foam with a slotted spoon for the first 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Surface is mostly clear of foam and bubbles are small and lazy.
Tip: Don't let the broth boil hard, which turns it cloudy and greasy.
Simmer gently
- Partially cover the pot and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Top up with hot water if the level drops below the bones.
- The meat should be very tender and the broth should smell rich and herbal.
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Ready when: Meat pulls easily from the bones and the broth is golden-orange with a savory aroma.
Tip: Remove the herb bundle after 1 hour if you prefer a milder herb flavor.
Strain the broth
- Remove and discard the herb bundle and cinnamon stick.
- Lift out the bones with tongs and set aside.
- Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof container, pressing gently on the vegetables to extract liquid, then discard the solids.
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Ready when: Broth runs clear of large solids and measures roughly 2.5 quarts (2.4 liters).
Tip: Pick the tender lamb meat off the bones and save it to add to harira or soup.
Degrease and season
- Let the broth stand for 10 minutes, then skim the fat off the surface with a wide spoon.
- Stir in the 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, then taste and add more salt a pinch at a time until the flavor is bright and well rounded.
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Ready when: Broth tastes savory and lively, not flat, with only a thin sheen of fat.
Tip: Season after straining, since salt tastes stronger in a concentrated broth.
Good to know
Tips
- Roasting the bones first gives deeper flavor and color than simmering raw bones.
- Keep the simmer very gentle for a clear, clean-tasting broth.
- To make harira, bring the broth to a simmer and add cooked chickpeas, lentils, a little vermicelli and a flour-and-water tempering.
- Chill the broth overnight so the fat sets into a layer that lifts off easily.
Make ahead
Make the broth up to 4 days ahead. Cool quickly, refrigerate, and lift off the solidified fat from the top before reheating.
Storage & reheating
Cool within 2 hours. Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (leave 1 inch of headspace). Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat gently on the stove until steaming hot, at least 165°F (74°C), thawing overnight in the fridge first if frozen.
Substitutions
- lamb bones with some meat (neck, shank or breast) → beef shank or bone-in chicken thighs and backs. Beef gives a similar richness; chicken makes a lighter broth and needs only 1 hour of simmering.
- ripe tomatoes → one 14.5 oz (411 g) can crushed tomatoes. Good when fresh tomatoes aren't ripe; skip the grating.
- saffron threads → an extra 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. Gives color but not saffron's aroma.
- fresh lemon juice → 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar. Adds the same brightness at the end.
