Welcome to the MoroccanCulture Blog

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked and peeled
4 cups couscous (1 1/2 pounds)
4 lamb shanks
1 stick butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and 1 tablespoon black pepper
Pinch of saffron
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks
3 onions, quartered
6 each cilantro and parsley sprigs, tied together
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
1 pound carrots, cut into 2inch pieces
1 pound small white turnips, quartered
1 quince, peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 pound zucchini, quartered
1 fresh hot chili pepper
1 cup raisins
Ghee* Smen** (aged butter) or butter

PREPARATION:
In a saucepan cover chickpeas with water and cook, covered, until tender. Drain, cool and remove skins. In bottom of a couscousi, Pre heat 5 tablespoons of butter and oil over until hot, add lamb, salt and spices, onions, herb sprigs and tomatoes and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add 3 quarts water and chickpeas and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours. Cut meat into chunks, discarding bones. Add carrots, turnips and quince to lamb broth and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan cover squash with broth from lamb stew and simmer until tender.

To lamb broth add zucchini, chili pepper, and raisins. Top with colander containing couscous, cover and steam 20 minutes. Dot couscous with remaining butter during last 5 minutes of steaming.

To serve, spoon couscous onto serving dish and toss with Ghee*, Smen** or butter. Spread out to form a large well in center. With a slotted spoon
transfer meat and vegetables into well. Add drained squash. Strain broth, correct seasoning and moisten couscous and vegetables with broth.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

*Ghee (See under Condiments) **Smen (Aged butter)
this is from
http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/couscous_fez.html

Serves 4 Hot Lamb Beef herbs Spices Main Course Barbecue Gluten Wheat Dairy free Eggless Morocco North African Africa

Ingredients

Marinade

100g/4oz Onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp freshly chopped Parsley

120ml/4fl.oz. Olive Oil

1 teasp Salt

Black Pepper

1 Garlic Clove, crushed

1 teasp Ground Coriander

½ teasp Cumin Seeds

Other ingredients

450g/1lb Lean Beef or Lamb, cut into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes

225g/8oz Solid Beef Suet, cut into 12mm/ ½ inch cubes

Instructions

1. Place the marinade ingredients in a shall dish, mix well then and the meat and suet mixing to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for 2-6 hours.

2. Thread the beef and suet alternately onto skewers.

3. Cook over hot coals for 15-20 minutes, turning from time to time and basting occasionally with the marinade. Alternatively, cook under a hot grill as above. Serve hot.

www.recipes4us.co.uk

Serves 6 Hot Vegetarian Vegan Pulses Vegetable Vegetables Soups Starter Gluten Wheat Dairy free Morocco North African African

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Onions, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1 teasp freshly grated Ginger

1.5L/50fl.oz. Water

200g/7oz Red Lentils

1 x 400g/14oz tin Chickpeas, drained

1 x 400g/14oz tin Cannellini Beans

1 x 400g/14oz tin Chopped Tomatoes

50g/2oz Carrots, chopped

50g/2oz Celery, chopped

1 teasp Garam Masala (check ingredients)

1 teasp Ground Cardamom (check ingredients)

1/2 teasp Ground Cayenne Pepper (check ingredients)

1/2 teasp Ground Cumin (check ingredients)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté gently for 5 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil for a few minutes then reduce the heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours until the lentils are soft.

3. Allow to cool a little then transfer half the soup to a food processor or liquidiser and process until smooth.

4. Return the pureed soup to the remaining mixture in the pan, mix well and simmer until heated through. Serve hot.

www.recipes4us.co.uk

Makes 20 Hot Lamb Herbs Spices Hors d'oeuvre Appetiser Starter Buffet Party Food Gluten Wheat Dairy Free Eggless Morocco North African Africa

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

100g/4oz Minced Lamb

1 large Spring Onion, chopped

2 teasp Ras el hanout

2 tbsp freshly chopped Coriander

2 tbsp Sesame Seeds

Salt and Black Pepper

Cornflour

Other Ingredients

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

20 Small Lettuce Leaves

10 mint leaves

10 Coriander leaves

Chilli Dipping Sauce to serve

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the meatball ingredients (apart from the cornflour) until well blended. Using damp hands, roll into 20 balls.

2. Sprinkle the cornflour onto a work surface and roll the balls in it to lightly coat on all sides.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot then fry the meatballs a few at a time over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until well browned.

4. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Allow cool a little.

5. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter then place a warm meatball on each lettuce leaf and top with a mint or coriander leaf and spear a cocktail stick through the centre to secure. Serve with the chili sauce to dip.

www.recipes4us.co.uk

Serves 4 Cold Vegetable Vegetables Soups Starter Gluten Wheat Dairy Free Morocco North African Africa

Ingredients

1.1L/40fl.oz. Fresh Chicken Stock

75g/3oz Onions, chopped

1/2 teasp Ground Caraway Seed

1 level teasp Cumin Seed

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tbsp Lime Juice

450g/1lb Carrots, peeled and chopped

Freshly chopped Coriander to garnish

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until tender.

2. Allow to cool then drain, reserving the liquid and transfer the pulp to a food processor or liquidiser. Process until very smooth.

3. Add the reserved liquid to the puree, mix well and chill.

4. To serve - transfer to soup bowls or plates and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve cold.

www.recipes4us.co.uk

Traditionally used by nomads as portable ovens over charcoal braziers, a tagine is made from glazed earthenware with a conical lid. The base is both a cooking and serving dish. It is very heavy to withstand constant use, and to hold the heat longer. The cone shaped cover acts like an oven and the entire lid is totally sealed to retain heat and moisture, which not only prevents it from drying out during the long cooking process, but also allows the slow infusion of flavors throughout the dish. The lid has an extended knob at the top which is designed to remain cooler and thereby act as a handle.

The low, indirect heat produces a rich, aromatic flavour as the food slowly simmers for several hours. Most tagines purchased nowadays can be used either in the oven or on top of the stove. The food is cooked in and served from the tagine, but remember to protect your table from heat from the base, when it comes off the stove or out of the oven.

Of course, tagines can be cooked in more conventional cookware such as casseroles, however, to add an aura of authenticity you can serve the cooked stew from a decorated tagine which is a beautiful serving dish in itself.

Tagines - The Recipes

Basically, tagines are a sort of stew, which are usually a mixture of vegetables, poultry or lamb*, often with the addition of fruit. They have a thick rich spicy sauce which is thickened due to the long cooking process and are generally served with bread, couscous or rice.

Originally, they would be cooked for many hours, however with modern cookers, a good result can be achieved in as little as 1-1/2 hours for poultry and meats and a lot less for vegetables, but bear in mind, the longer you cook them, the more developed the flavours.

The fruits are usually added in dried form and contribute a subtle sweetness to the overall flavor. Often tagines contain preserved or salted lemons, which give the dish a unique flavour which cannot be duplicated by using fresh lemons.

www.recipes4us.co.uk

y Linda Carpenter
Alpenhorn Bed & Breakfast, Big Bear Lake, California

Makes 24 individual mini-cups

24 small wonton wrappers
1 can (13.75 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained
1 can (3.8 oz.) sliced ripe pitted olives
1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, pressed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press wonton wrappers into lightly sprayed mini-muffin pan. Chop drained artichokes and red peppers. Combine chopped vegetables, olives, cheeses, garlic and mayonnaise. Fill prepared muffin cups with artichoke mixture using small scoop (1 scoop per muffin cup).

Bake 12-14 minutes. Let cool in pan 2 minutes. Carefully remove and serve warm.

www.recipes4us.co.uk