Travelling through Morocco

MOROCCAN CUISINE

(Bride being carried in at a Moroccan wedding) Moroccan cuisine is exotic! It is extensive in its variety and remarkable in its taste and aroma. The centuries long history of invasions have contributed to the diverse sense of good food traditions, different ingredients and naturally the best possible combination of all these factors. It carries different levels of distinct tastes from north, south and the east; but the most strong influence comes undoubtedly from the east!

(Water boys selling on the street) Moroccans produce a large range of fruits and vegetables: nearly all tropical and Mediterranean varieties. Fish and seafood are plentiful while natural environment is very generous for feeding large quantities of sheep and goat. Poultry is also very popular throughout the country. Even the desert supplies a rich harvest of dates from its remote oases.

(Bedowin tent) Most these ingredients have always been used by the indigenous Berber people of Morocco in their traditional dishes. Bread is eaten in every meal. Equally well known traditional segment of Moroccan cuisine is 'tajine'. Tajine is mainly a casserole of meat and poultry named after the cooking pot in which it is cooked. The most famous national dish is still 'couscous' served with the meat and a sauce made from the bouillon.

Olives pickled in lemon juice and salt are essential ingredient of many Moroccan dishes. All kinds of olives are used for different recipes. Various sizes and colors of olives are utilized for different occasions, mainly for taste but also for presentation.

(Band)

Yogurt Cheese

Purchase a good quality yogurt such as the FAGE total 0% Greek yogurt (Costco) or Mountain High Plane Yogurt. Put coffee filters in a collander making sure all the collander is covered. Put the collander in a bowl or pot so it has a place to drain. Pour the yogurt on to the filters in the collander. Set the bowl with collander and yogurt into the refrigerator. In two days you should have a solid cheese. Drizzle olive oil on top. Serve with toast pieces of peta bread. (If you want to make the yogurt or the pita bread, see the Lebanese recipes on this site.)

Moroccan Chicken Soup with pita bread 4 cup Chicken stock 2 teaspoon Ground cumin 1 teaspoon Paprika 1 teaspoon Ground coriander 2 teaspoon Dried mint 8 Skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks 1 cup Brown lentils 1 medium Onion 2 Cloves garlic 1 bunch English spinach 1 bunch Chopped fresh coriander 2 tablespoon Chopped parsley 1/4 cup Lemon juice Turn Crockpot onto high. Add chicken stock, spices, chicken pieces and dried mint. Wash lentils well under cold running water and add to soup. Chop onion and place in microwave safe bowl with garlic and a little olive oil. Cook on high for 3 minutes or until onion is soft, add this mixture to the crockpot. Cover the Crockpot and cook on high for 3 1/2 hours or on low for 8 hours. When soup is cooked, add washed and chopped fresh spinach leaves and chopped fresh herbs. Stir in lemon juice and taste for salt. Serve with toasted pita bread.

Photo: Dye Pots at a leather factory:

Moroccan orange-walnut salad

6 large Oranges 
1 tablespoon Honey 
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon 
1 pounds Mixed salad greens; clean,dry,chill 
1/2 cup Thinly sliced red onion 
1 cup Thinly sliced radishes 
3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil 
  Salt; to taste 
  Freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup Toasted walnut halves (or chopped toasted walnuts) 

Moroccan vegetable stew 1 medium Onion, chopped 1 cup Unsalted tomato juice 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper or cayenne 2 cup Potatoes cut into 1-inch square pieces 2 cup Fresh green beans, sliced into 2-inch pieces 16 ounce Unsalted tomatoes OR 2 cup Fresh tomatoes 2 tablespoon Water 3/4 teaspoon Ground cumin 2 cup Carrots, large chunks 2 teaspoon Oil In a tagine or regular pot simmer on stove or in oven onions in oil and water until transparent. Add potatoes and carrots and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped tomatoes and cumin. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, checking to see if the stew needs more liquid. If so, add the tomato juice. Add green beans and cook for 15 minutes more. Check seasoning--add 1/4 teaspoon or more black pepper and more cumin, if desired.

MOROCCAN PRESERVED LEMON QUARTERS (or purchase)

Eureka or Meyer lemons, rinsed
Kosher salt

Quarter lemons lengthwise and put in a noncorrosive airtight container. Freeze for 8 hours. Add 1 tablespoon salt per lemon (4 quarters). Store airtight at room temperature for 6 days; shake occasionally. Use as suggested. To store, chill up to 6 months (color darkens). Each lemon makes 4 pieces.

Lamb Tagine : Photo making tagine pots

 
2 pounds LAMB CUT INTO 1'' CUBES 
1 teaspoon SALT 
2 teaspoon FRESH GROUND PEPPER 
½ teaspoon SAFFRON, CRUSHED 
1 teaspoon GROUND GINGER 
2  CLOVES GARLIC, PRESSED 
1 large YELLOW ONION, CHOPPED 
1 small BUNCH PARSLEY (OPP.) 
4 tablespoon OIL 
1/2  PRESERVED LEMON, SKIN ONLY 
2 teaspoon CINNAMON 
1/4 cup HONEY 
2 tablespoon ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER 
1 tablespoon SESAME SEEDS 
6 ounce Blanched almonds, slivered 

Tajine dishes are slow-cooked at low temperatures, resulting in tender, falling-off-the-bone meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. The cover has a knob-like formation at its top to facilitate removal. While simmering, the cover can be lifted off without the aid of a mitten, enabling the cook to inspect the main ingredients, add vegetables, move things around, or add additional braising liquid.

If you do not have a tagine pot, please use a large cooking pot. In a 6 quart pot add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add lamb, salt, pepper, saffron, ginger, garlic, onion and parsley. Add 2 1/3 cups of water, enough to just barely cover and simmer on the stove or in the oven for a minimum of 1 1/2 hour or until meat is tender. Chop preserved lemon skin into tiny pieces, add with cinnamon and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. Then add the honey and orange blossom water and cook for a few minutes more until the sauce is quite thick and reduced. In the remaining tablespoon of oil, just before serving taost sesame seeds in a fry pan with almonds and ten sprinkle over the meat. Garnish with olives and lemon slices and SERVE OVER COUSCOUS.

Moroccan Winter Fruit Couscous

2 tablespoon Oil 
1/2 cup Onion; chopped 
1 1/2 cup Bulgur (cracked wheat); uncooked 
1 cup Apricots, dried 
1 cup Prunes; chopped 
1 cup Apples, dried; chopped 
4 cup Vegetable stock 
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground 
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground 
1/4 teaspoon Coriander, ground
 

Moroccan mint tea

2 tablespoon Chinese green tea or Chinese gunpowder tea 
5 cup Boiling water 
1 large Bunch fresh mint 
1 cup Sugar; or to taste 

Ghouribi (moroccan sugar cookies)

1 cup Vegetable oil or butter 
1 cup Sugar 
3 cup Unbleached all-purpose flour 
1/3 cup Finely ground walnuts or almonds 
Cinnamon 

Moroccan Date Cake 10 servings 1/2 cup Butter 1/4 cup Sugar (or up to double amt.) 4 Eggs 1 teaspoon Baking powder 1 cup Unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Ground cloves 1/2 cup Milk 1/2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract 1 cup Pitted, chopped dates 1/2 cup Chopped walnuts Fresh whipped cream Preheat the oven to 325 F. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs. Combine the baking powder, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, beating well. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Beat well. Add the chopped dates and walnuts and stir again to distribute them evenly. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve with fresh whipped cream.