North African Cuisine by Matt Wierbinski

Cover

Delicious, colorful dishes of the Maghreb countries

This cookbook consists of numerous dishes from the North African countries of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia. Although part of a developing country, the foods are rich and full of tradition. There was no shortage of dishes to choose from. As the designer of this book, I developed a concept that would compliment the vibrance of these recipes. I figured if I took particular colors from the pictures of the dishes and use them as part of the layout, I was sure to create a beautiful visual book. Along with gaining typographical experience, the process of designing a cookbook also taught me about the Maghreb country cultures, which was interesting and useful.

North Africa CUISINE OF

Table of Contents

07 08 11 12 15 17 18 21 22 24 26 29

Introduction

Moroccan Orange & Date Salad

Egyptian Koshari

Moroccan Fish Chermoula

Egyptian Moussaka

Moroccan Couscous

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Algerian Chicken Tangine

Photograph: William Warby

Libyan Shakshooka

Tunisian Eel & Vegetable Stew

Tunisian Eggplant & Pepper Salad

Libyan Shakshooka Procedure

TUNISIA

MOROCCO

ALGERIA LIBYA WESTERN SAHARA

Photograph: Motty

Introduction

The northern part of the vast African continent consists of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara. Each region has a large variety of social, and economical diversity which influences the cuisines in unique ways. North African cuisine consists of meats such as goat, lamb, and beef. It also contains seafood, almonds, olives, and a number of vegetables.

EGYPT

In respect to the Muslim culture, halal meats are usually cooked. Halal food is that which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Koran. Most dishes are spiced with cumin, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron. Parsley is also common. Harissa, a chilli paste, is used in a wide range of North African dishes. Some dishes of different North African regions have the same name, but are prepared distinctly unique. Additionally, two regions could have the same dish, but different identities. North African cuisine is home to several countries. The cooking of each region has its own unique style.

Moroccan

ORANGE & DATE SALAD

This is one of the most attractive and unusual salad recipes out there. It goes well with a number of Mediterranean dishes and only takes a few minutes to have ready. Nutritious and delicious!

Ingredients

6 oranges • 8 pitted dates • ⅓ cup slivered almonds • 1 tbsp. shredded fresh mint • 2 tsp. orange blossom water

Procedure

Slice oranges into ¼” slices crosswise without peeling (much easier to do than sectioning them). Peel slices and lay out on a plate or small platter. Cut dates into thin strips – easiest to do with scissors – and scatter dates and almonds over top. Sprinkle mint, orange blossom water, and ras el hanout or cinnamon over orange segments. Serve.

Photograph: Emily Barney

Photograph: Tiffany Conroy

Libyan

SHAKSHOOKA

It’s hard to beat this classic Mediterranean recipe built on the ubiquitous combination of tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Shakshooka is a light lunch or supper dish.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil • 1/2 onion • 1 clove garlic • 1 bell pepper • 4 cups ripe diced tomatoes • 2 tbsp. tomato paste • 1 tsp. chili powder • 1 tsp. cumin • 1 tsp. paprika • salt and pepper to taste • 5-6 eggs • 1/2 tbsp. parsley

Procedure

Heat skillet with olive oil. Add chopped onion, sauté until soft. Add garlic and continue to sauté until mixture is fragrant. Add bell pepper, sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium until softened. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and stir. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Crack the eggs over tomato mixture evenly. The eggs will cook “over easy” style on top of the tomato sauce. Cover the pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve.

Egyptian

KOSHARI

This is the most famous Egyptian dish for lunch or dinner. A must-try when visiting Egypt, because it is tasty, vegetarian, affordable and healthy at the same time.

Ingredients

½ cup chickpeas • 1 cup brown lentil • 1 cup rice • 90 gm spaghetti • 150 gm small macaroni • 3 cups water • tomato salsa • cooked garlic • raw garlic sauce

Procedure

Break spaghetti in 1-inch pieces. Place in pan with rice and olive oil. Add ½ cup water and salt. Stir, cover until boiling. Low heat for 15 minutes.

Place garlic and olive oil in tomato sauce.

Wash Lentils and strain the place in a pan with 1 ½ cups of water. Cover on high heat till boil. Cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes.

Stir garlic, vinegar, salt, and spices together in a small bowl with wooden spoon.

Place garlic in pan on medium high heat with olive oil. Stir to boil 2 seconds, add vinegar, stir.

Add vinegar, stir quickly, add lemon juice and spices, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Place rice on plate, then lentils, macaroni, onions, tomato salsa. Serve.

Photograph: Dina Said

Photograph: Alan Sheffield

Moroccan

FISH CHERMOULA

Chermoula is a marinade and the foundation for a number of Moroccan fish dishes. Lift the lid on this conical cooking pot and unveil the secrets to mouth-watering Moroccan cuisine. It is quick and easy to make and quite delicious.

Ingredients

½ tsp. coriander seeds • 12 peppercorns • ¼ tsp. red pepper • pinch saffron threads • ½ tsp. salt • 1 tsp. paprika • 1 onion • ⅓ cup parsley leaves • 2 tbsp. lemon peel • 2 tbsp. lemon juice 2 tbsp. olive oil • 2 tbsp. coriander • 1 garlic clove • 6 skinless fish fillets • 2 tbsp. butter • ½ cup water • 4 fennel bulbs

Procedure

Grind fine coriander seeds, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and saffron in a mortar with a pestle.

Chill fillets, cover 1 hour. Heat oven to 350º.

Transfer spice mixture to a small bowl and stir in remaining chermoula ingredients.

Add fennel and cook, covered, stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes.

Lightly oil a baking dish just large enough to hold fillets in one layer.

Bake chilled fish in oven, 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange fillets, seasoned with salt and pepper, in dish and top evenly with chermoula.

Melt butter in water over moderately high heat.

Serve each fillet on a bed of fennel and garnish with fennel fronds.

Photograph: Fedor

Tunisian EEL & VEGETABLE STEW

This lovely stew makes an ideal quick meal that is flavorful, healthy, and economical.

Ingredients

1 eel • 6 onions • 6 hot peppers • 3 tbsp. garlic • 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tbsp. ground cumin • 1 tbsp. sweet paprika • 1 tsp. spicy paprika • ½ cup salty green olives • ⅓ cup salted capers • ⅓ cup olive oil

Procedure Heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, red and black pepper, salt. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and carrots, simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in turnip, zucchini, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add cod, bring back to simmer, cook for 3 minutes. Top with parsley, serve.

Egyptian

MOUSSAKA

This dish is a favorite in the household. Moussaka is attractive and very inviting. Many eat it with white rice or bread.

Ingredients

1 lb. eggplant • 1 lb. zucchini • 1 lb. potatoes • 1 lb. ground beef • 1 large onion, chopped • salt, pepper and allspice • chopped parsley • 1 cup tomato paste • 2 cups white sauce

Procedure

Cut eggplant into rings and boil for short time until soft. Cut potatoes and zucchini into rings and fry. Fry onions. Add parsley, spices and meat when onions are slightly brown. Fry until meat is brown. Add tomato paste and 1 cup water and cook until meat is done. Make 2 cups of white sauce. Layer ingredients in casserole or baking dish in following order: potatoes, eggplant, meat mixture, zucchini and white sauce on the top. Bake at 350º until top is bubbly and browned slightly on top. Bake in 9 x 13-inch pan. Serve.

Photograph: Nadia Martinez

Photograph: Anna Kurzaeva

Moroccan

COUSCOUS

The national dish of the Maghreb countries, Couscous is prepared for feast days or as a special family meal, much as chicken is in the United States.

Ingredients

300 g couscous • 300 ml fish broth • 150 g shrimps, peeled • 1 zucchini • 1 eggplant • 1 sweet pepper • 1 small onion • 200 g cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, dill • 2 tbsp. pinenuts, olive oil • salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Bring fish broth to the boiling, remove from the heat. Add salt and 3 tbsp. olive oil, mix well, pour in couscous. Set aside for 30 minutes. Chop zucchini, eggplant and sweet pepper, slice onion. Heat olive oil, cook vegetables. Cut cherries into halves, add them to vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. At the end of cooking add salt, pepper, pinenuts an basil. Cook shrimps, then roast them a bit. Mix couscous and vegetables, serve with shrimps, basil and dill.

Tunisian EGGPLANT & PEPPER SALAD

Moroccans brought carrot salads to Israel in the 1940s, and they quickly became ubiquitous. These salads are a traditional Rosh Hashanah dish in Israel, a symbol of a sweet and fruitful year to come.

Ingredients

¾ cup red wheat berries • 1 eggplant • 2 red bell peppers • ½ red onion • ⅓ cup tbsp. olive oil • 1 tbsp. harissa • 1 tsp. paprika • ½ tsp. sea salt • ¼ cup pine nuts • 2 tbsp. dill • 1 lemon

Procedure

Submerge wheat berries in cold water and let soak for at least 2 hours in a medium sauce pan.

Chop vegetables into small cubes, combine spices with salt and oil in small bowl.

Simmer and let cook on low until wheat berries are tender, about 30-60 minutes.

Place all chopped vegetables in large bowl, pour half of oil mixture over vegetables and mix with hands.

De-stem peppers, trim off top and bottom from eggplant and peel outer layer of onion off. Preheat onion to 425º.

Divide vegetables onto 2 baking sheets. Serve.

Photograph: Aubrey Jenkins

Moroccan

CARROT SALAD

Moroccans brought carrot salads to Israel in the 1940s, and they quickly became ubiquitous. These salads are a traditional Rosh Hashanah dish in Israel, a symbol of a sweet and fruitful year to come.

Ingredients

1 lb. carrots • ½ cup chopped parsley • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • ¼ cup lemon juice • ¼ cup vegetable oil • ½ tsp. cumin • 1 tsp. paprika • red pepper flakes to taste

Procedure

Slice carrots, set aside. Mix together all ingredients in large bowl, cover. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Photograph: Rebecca Marx

Algerian

CHICKEN TAGINE

This colorful Moroccan stew offers deep spices, but stays light and bright with tart citrus, briny green olives, and fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

¼ tsp. saffron • 2 onions • ½ cup cilantro • ½ cup parsley • 4 tbsp. lemon juice • 1 tsp. cumin • ½ tsp. ginger • ½ tsp. turmeric • 2 garlics • 6tbsp. olive oil • 6 chicken thighs • 2 lemons • ½ cup chicken broth • 1 ½ cups green olives

Procedure

Soak saffron in 2 tbsp. of warm water for about 10 minutes in small bowl. Combine onions, 1⁄2 cup cilantro, 1⁄2 cup parsley, and 2 tbsp. of lemon juice in food processor. Add cumin, ginger, turmeric, and saffron and soaking liquid. Season with 1 tsp. salt and process to apurée. Transfer to large resealable plastic bag. Add garlic, 3 tbsp. of oil, and chicken pieces. Massage to coat chicken with mixture. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Warm 1 tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat in large pot. Add lemon slices, sear until browned. Add remaining 2 tbsp. oil to pot. Remove chicken from marinade. Pour broth into pot. Stir in chicken marinade. Bring to boil, reduce heat, 40 minutes. Simmer olives in saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add olives, reserved lemon, and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Cover, simmer. Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley. Serve.

Photograph: Ashley Rodriguez

Photographs: William Warby & Tori Avey

Libyan

SHAKSHOOKA PROCEDURE

1. Heat skillet with olive oil. Add chopped onion, sauté until soft. Add garlic and continue to sauté until mixture is fragrant. 2. Add bell pepper, sauté for 5 minutes until softened.

3. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir until blended. Add spices and stir. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Crack eggs over tomato mixture evenly. Cook “over easy” style on top of the tomato sauce. 5. Cover pan. Allow mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

Design and Layout by Matt Wierbinski Merriweather Regular 9pt/13pt; 10pt/14pt; 10pt/15pt; 10pt/17pt; 12pt/14.4pt Italic 9pt/13pt Bold 10pt/14pt Bold Italic 11.5pt/10pt Mission Script Regular 30pt Aphrodite Stylistic Regular 50pt

Sources Moroccan Orange and Date Salad recipe: Emily Barney Libyan Shakshooka recipe: Tori Avey Egyptian Koshari recipe: Julien Julia Moroccan Fish Chermoula recipe: epicurious.com Tunisian Eel and Vegetable Stew recipe: foodandwine.com Egyptian Moussaka recipe: Heba Maher Moroccan Couscous recipe: Susi Bala Tunisian Eggplant and Pepper Salad recipe: Aubrey Jenkins Moroccan Carrot Salad recipe: epicurious.com Algerian Chicken Tangine recipe: Kate McMillan