My family loved it, but eventually we all got tired of the same ol’ same ol’.

One year, I decided to give the recipe a Moroccan twist: I added Middle Eastern spices, dried fruit and capers.

Everyone thought it was a wonderful twist on the original.

The ingredient list looks long, but don’t let that scare you off; it’s really just a lot of spices.

Plus, you can make it days ahead of time — in fact, you should, because the flavour improves the longer it sits.

This dish is so abundant and impressive looking, you can keep the sides simple: some couscous and a green vegetable and your holiday dinner is done.

The brisket can be made up to three days ahead of time and refrigerated.

Reheat the brisket in a 300F oven until hot, about 45 minutes. The brisket also freezes well for up to two months; just be sure to defrost in the refrigerator two days ahead of time.

Don’t let your butcher trim off all the fat! A small fat cap bastes the meat, adding flavour and keeping it from getting dry and tough.

You can trim any excess fat and skim the fat off the gravy once it’s cooked.

If the sauce seems greasy, transfer the meat and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

Pour the sauce into a bowl and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Using a small ladle, spoon out the fat. Pour the skimmed gravy back over the meat.

Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers

Method

Preheat the oven to 350F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Season the brisket on both sides with the salt and pepper. Lightly dust with the flour, turning to coat both sides evenly.

In a heavy flameproof roasting pan or ovenproof enamelled cast-iron pot, just large enough to hold the brisket, carrots and dried fruits snugly, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the pan, fatty-side down, and sear until browned, five to seven minutes.

Using a pair of tongs and a large fork, flip the brisket over and sear the other side in the same manner.

Transfer the brisket to a platter, then add the onions to the pan. (If the pan seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water). Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the onions are softened and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute more. Add a cup water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and place the brisket, fatty-side up, and any accumulated juices from the platter on top of the onions. Spread the tomato paste evenly over the brisket, then scatter the garlic around it. Cover the pan very tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 90 minutes.

Carefully transfer the brisket to a cutting board (leave on the oven). Using an electric or very sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain on a diagonal into thin slices. Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice.

Scatter the carrots, apricots, prunes and capers around the edges of the pot and baste with the sauce; cover tightly with the foil or lid and return to the oven.

Lower the heat to 325F. and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1¾ to 2½ hours. Transfer the brisket to a serving platter, then sprinkle with parsley.

If you’re not planning to serve the brisket right away, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves eight.