FOOD FOR THOUGHT
MOROCCO
Table of Contents 1 Timeless Morocco 2 Salads Carrot & Orange Salad Fava Bean Salad With Chermoula 3 Soups Spiced Butternut Squash Soup Moroccan Chickpea Soup 4 EntrĂŠes Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Leg of Lamb with Mint Dressing Lamb Meatballs with Toasted Fregula Shrimp with Moroccan Spices 5 Desserts Chaariya bil Halib Moroccan Fruit Salad 6 Beverages Moroccan Spiced Coffee Moroccan Mint Tea 7 Conversion Chart & Contributors
Timeless Morocco Now ruled by a constitutional monarchy, Morocco has been the home of the Berbers since the second millennium BC. Morocco has been colonized by the Arabs, French and the Spanish, so its has a rich cultural base, and that impacted various aspects of Moroccan culture and traditions including their language and their food. Artistic expression is a huge part of Moroccan culture, wether it’s
through ceramics, clothing, or calligraphy, Moroccan's have a huge appreciation for the art world. Like art, Souks, which are small markets that sell local goods, play a huge role in the daily lives of Moroccan's, there you are able to find fruits, vegetables, spices, meets, and often times clothing. The depth of both history and culture play a huge role in how Morocco is shaped.
Salads
Carrot & Orange Salad Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
1 pound carrots 1 large orange ¼ cup cilantro leaf ¼ cup mint
1. Peel the carrots and grate them coarsely.
Dressing 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon icing sugar salt ground black pepper
2. Peel the orange with a knife, removing all the white pith. Cut it crosswise into thin slices, then into small segments. 3. Finely chop the coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves. 4. Put the grated carrots and oranges in a large bowl. 5. Make dressing and pour over the carrot mixture. Sprinkle with herb leaves. Toss lightly and serve.
Fava Bean Salad With Chermoula Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
1 pound shelled fresh fava beans 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 to 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon salt pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) tiny pinch of saffron* 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
1. Boil the fava beans in a pot of water partially covered for 20 minutes, or until the skins can easily be pinched off and bean inside is tender. Drain the beans. Do not peel them. 2. Make the chermoula: gently simmer the garlic in the olive oil over low heat for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Do not burn the garlic. Add the spices, cilantro and lemon juice; stir to combine. 4. Combine the beans and chermoula, and stir gently. 5. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnishing with preserved lemon, if desired.
*saffron is included in the spices package
Soups
Paula Wolfret Paula Wolfert is an American author of nine books on cooking and the winner of numerous cookbook awards. A specialist in Mediterranean food, she has written extensively on Moroccan cuisine including two books, one of them (The Food of Morocco) a 2012 James Beard Award winner. She also wrote The Cooking of Southwest France, and books about the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean, slow Mediterranean cooking and Mediterranean clay pot cooking.
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients La Kama Spice Blend 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoon ground white pepper ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
*Harissa is included in the spices package
Soup 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt 2 pounds butternut, kabocha or calabaza squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1 ½ in cubes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups water ½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream ¼ pound aged goat cheese, shredded Harissa Freshly ground black pepper
See directions on next page ›
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup (Cont.) Directions 1. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Sift through a fine sieve and store in an airtight container. 2. In a large, heavy pot, toss the onion with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the squash, cover with a round of parchment paper and the lid and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of the spice blend and the water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, 20 minutes. Let cool. 4. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender; add the crème fraÎche, three-fourths of the cheese and 1 teaspoon of harissa to the last batch. Return all of the soup to the pot and season with salt and black pepper. Serve the soup, passing the remaining cheese and more harissa at the table.
Moroccan Chickpea Soup Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 celery sticks, chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 600ml hot vegetable stock 400g can chopped plum tomatoes with garlic 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 100g frozen broad beans zest and juice ½ lemon large handful coriander or parsley and flatbread, to serve
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion and celery gently for 10 mins until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin and fry for another min. 2. Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for 8 mins. Throw in broad beans and lemon juice, cook for a further 2 mins. Season to taste, then top with a sprinkling of lemon zest and chopped herbs. Serve with flatbread.
EntrĂŠes
Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
2 carrots, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large onion, chopped ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup couscous 1 15 -ounce can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ cup chopped dried apricots Grated zest of ½ lemon, plus juice of 1 lemon ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Combine carrots and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes; cover and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, chicken and season with salt and pepper., turn occasionally, until browned set aside. 3. Add the onion to the skillet and season with salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon; remove from the heat. Add the couscous, chickpeas, apricots and lemon zest to the skillet. Add the carrots and the hot cooking water stir to combine. Add the chicken and any collected juices. Cover and let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Season with salt.
Leg of Lamb with Mint Dressing Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients
Dressing
1 9-to-11-pound bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and membrane 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup fruity-tasting olive oil 1/3 cup lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon harissa (Moroccan chili paste), more for serving 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, toasted and crushed ½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups tightly packed mint leaves, washed and dried 2 tablespoons chopped shallots 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar ½ cup fruity-tasting olive oil 1 small clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste
See directions on next page ›
Leg of Lamb with Mint Dressing (Cont) Directions 1.Score meaty side of lamb in a diamond pattern of 1/4-inch-deep cuts about 1 1/2 inches apart. Season with salt and pepper, and place scored-side up in a large roasting pan. 2. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, harissa, coriander seeds and cumin. Pour marinade over lamb and massage into crevices. Cover pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate 2 1/2 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1 1/2 hours before cooking to return lamb to room temperature; in last 15 minutes, heat oven to 450 degrees.
3. Remove foil from pan and place pan on middle oven rack; turn heat down to 350 degrees. Roast, basting lamb with pan juices every ½ hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat reads 130 degrees, about 1 ž hours total. Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 15 minutes before carving. Serve with harissa and mint dressing. Mint Dressing 1. In a food processor, combine mint, shallots, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and salt until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Lamb Meatballs with Toasted Fregula Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 18 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
1 lb ground lamb ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsp chopped mint 2 tbsp Moroccan Seven Spice mix 1 egg ½ cup breadcrumbs 1 tbsp olive oil 2 zucchini, chopped 2 cups bell pepper, chopped 1 cup fregula, cooked 1 cup chicken broth kosher salt to taste
1. Cook the fregula, drain and set aside. 2. In a bowl mix together the ground lamb, parsley, spice mix, egg and bread crumbs and form them into 1 inch balls. 3.In a large skillet, brown on all sides over medium heat. Do in batches so as not to steam, but brown them meatballs evenly first. Set aside to rest. 4. Add olive oil and sauté the vegetables for 3 minutes, add the browned meatballs and deglaze pan with chicken stock, stirring to pick up all the browned bits on bottom of pan. 5. Add the cooked fregula and mix thoroughly. Cook for 5 minutes uncovered and serve in bowls.
Shrimp with Moroccan Spices Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
2 lb. (1 kg) fresh raw shrimp or prawns in the shell 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 to 4 tablespoons butter 6 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons paprika salt, to taste 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1 teaspoon dried za’atar or oregano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley lemon wedges, for garnish
1.Clean the shrimp or prawns by removing the heads, shell and legs. De-vein the shrimp then wash in cold water. Leave to drain in a colander. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and softened, about half a minute. Stir in the spices and herbs. 3. Add the shrimp and saute for several minutes, stirring frequently, until pink and cooked through. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately transfer the cooked shrimp to a serving plate. If desired, pour the pan juices over the shrimp as a garnish
Desserts
Chaariya bil Halib Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
7 oz. (200 g) broken vermicelli 5 cups (about 1200 ml) milk 3 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste 1 tablespoon butter ½ teaspoon salt 1 to 3 teaspoons orange flower water ground cinnamon
1.In a large pot, bring the milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir in the broken vermicelli. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the vermicelli is tender and suspended in the thickened milk. 2. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the orange flower water. 3. Transfer the vermicelli pudding to a serving casserole or individual bowls and leave to set, 15 minutes or longer. 4. Serve the pudding warm or chilled, with a sprinkling of cinnamon as a garnish.
Moroccan Fruit Salad Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
6-8 oz. vanilla yogurt 1 pint fresh strawberries 2 peeled apples 1-2 bananas 2 oranges 1 tablespoon sugars
1. Cut up the strawberries & place in a bowl. Cut up the apples, bananas & 1 orange & add to the strawberries. 2. Mix the sugar in with the fruit. Next add the yogurt & stir. 3. Squeeze the juice from the last orange into the bowl and stir.
Beverages
Moroccan Spiced Coffee Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
500 ml milk ¼ cup water 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cumin ¼ tsp ground black pepper 2 tbsps instant coffee sugar (to taste)
1.Put everything except the sugar in a coffee pot and heat over a gas flame. 2. Keep on the heat for 3-4 minutes until the milk froths and rises up in the pot. 3. Take off the heat and add sugar to your taste, remembering that sugar brings out the flavour of the spices.
Moroccan Mint Tea Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
8 sprigs of fresh mint 3 teaspoons green tea 3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste) 4 cups water
1. Boil the water and pour a small amount in the teapot, swishing it around to warm the pot. 2. Combine the mint and green tea and sugar in the teapot, then fill it with the rest of the hot water. 3. Let the tea brew for three minutes. 4. Fill just one glass with the tea, then pour it back in the pot, repeat step 3. (This helps to dissolve and distribute the sugar.)
Conversions
Contributors Salads Carrot & Orange Salad by Fatima Shalawani Fava Bean Salad With Chermoula by Abdulrahman Kalaz Soups Spiced Butternut Squash Soup by Amina Karmoosh Moroccan Chickpea Soup by Hayat Alani EntrĂŠes Moroccan Chicken and Couscous by Nadia Balawi Leg of Lamb with Mint Dressing by Omar Hafez Lamb Meatballs with Toasted Fregula by Mennatallah Bawahri Shrimp with Moroccan Spices by Ahmed Kamleh Desserts Chaariya bil Halib by Sara Malaz Moroccan Fruit Salad by Tamer Camooneh Beverages Moroccan Spiced Coffee by Samiha Ward Moroccan Mint Tea by Passant Sulaiman