2 pounds red potatoes
1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry, plus 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 C. grated tomato (discard skin)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 bay leaf
1/4 fresh lemon
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt
4 to 5 dry saffron threads, crumbled
24 juicy purple or tan olives
1/2 preserved lemon

Peel the potatoes and thickly slice into a bowl of cold water. In heavy saucepan set over moderate heat, cook the grated onion in olive oil until melting, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato, ginger, paprika, cumin, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Drain the potatoes and add to the pan with the thinly sliced onion, the bay leaf, and the fresh lemon quarter. Toss to coat the potatoes, onion, and lemon quarter with the parsley, cilantro, and salt to taste. Add the saffron and 1 1/2 C. hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Use a slotted spatula to transfer to a covered serving dish to keep warm. Discard the lemon. Add the olives to the liquid and boil until the pan juices are reduced to a thick sauce. Correct the seasoning, pour over the potatoes, and garnish with the preserved lemon. To grate tomatoes: Halve and gently squeeze to remove the seeds. Grate the tomato halves, cut side facing the coarsest side of a box grater or flat shredder. You will be left with just the tomato skin on your hand; discard. Wolfert recommends cooking this dish the way Moroccans traditionally do: in a clay pot such as a Mexican cazuela or Moroccan tagine. The porous clay absorbs liquid from the dish, then slowly releases steam as it heats, which results in a more flavorful, juicy dish. Moroccan tagines are available at www.tagines.com. A note of warning: Clay pots are sensitive to rapid temperature changes, which can cause cracking. Don’t put anything hot in a cold tagine or anything cold in a hot tagine. Consider investing in a flame-tamer or heat-diffuser (a metal plate that’s placed over the burner) to distribute heat evenly.