Quinces were popular with the Moors for their perfume and are still abundant in Morocco today (as well as my garden in Suffolk). In medieval times, to give a quince to a lady was a declaration of love.
 | 750g (1.5lb) lean lamb cut into large chunks 2 onions, finely chopped 60g (2.5oz) butter 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp saffron strands 1 cinnamon stick 600ml (1pt) vegetable stock or water Sea salt 2 large quince 2 tsp runny honey 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon |
1. Place the lamb, onion, butter, ginger, pepper, saffron and stick of cinnamon either in a tagine on the hob (if your tagine is suitable) or in a heavy based pan and fry gently in the butter or about 10 minutes, until the spices give off either aroma.
2. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a tagine or transfer your tagine to the oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the meat is tender, topping up the water if necessary.
3. Cut the quince into 8 pieces and remove the core but don't peel. Place the quinces in the tagine and stir in the honey and ground cinnamon, add water if necessary the quinces should be just covered. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes until the quinces are quite tender. Add salt to taste
4. Serve with warm bread.
This is a fresh spring dish full of Moroccan flavours.
 | 1kg (2lb) lean lamb, cubed 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion chopped Salt and pepper 1 tsp ground ginger Pinch of chilli powder, optional 1/4 tsp of saffron threads, lightly crushed 1kg (2lb) fresh peas, shelled weight 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander Peel of 1 preserved lemon, cut into pieces 12 green olives |
1. Put the meat in the pot with the oil, onion, salt and pepper, ginger, chilli and saffron.
2. Cover with water and cook covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is very tender, adding water to keep it covered in the sauce.
3. Add the preserved lemon peel and olives and cook uncovered for 10 minutes or longer, until the sauce reduced.
4. Add the peas and coriander, and warm through.
5. Serve with bread or couscous.
Pre-heat oven to 180C (gas mark 4). Serves 6-8.
This simple dish is a great recipe to try, the complex flavours of the Ras el Hanout are very different. Not a quick dish, but not difficult.
 | 2 tbsp of olive oil 500g (1lb) lean lamb cut into bite sized chunks 2 large onions chopped 2 garlic cloves chopped 30g (1oz) sliced almonds toasted 2 tsp Ras-El-Hanout spice blend 2 tbsp honey 1 pint of vegetable stock salt and black pepper |
1. Add the oil to a large saucepan or deep-sided frying pan and fry the onions and garlic until brown. Set aside.
2. Fry off lamb until coloured, add onions and garlic back into the pan.
3. Add Ras el Hanout, salt and pepper stir well to coat everything.
4. Add vegetable stock and bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
5. Add the honey and continue to cook for 30 minutes, until the lamb is very tender.
6. Serve with rice and scatter the toasted almonds over as you serve it.
Serves 4
 | 4 chicken breasts grated rind and juice of a lemon seeds from 6 cardamom pods, roasted and crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground coriander 1 garlic clove crushed 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion finely chopped 450 ml (3/4 pint) chicken stock bunch of coriander salt and pepper rice or bread to serve |
1. Put the chicken breasts into a shallow glass or pottery bowl. Pour over the lemon rind and juice then add the cardamom, cumin, coriander and garlic. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Arrange the chicken on the cooked chopped onion. Rinse the bowl with some of the stock and pour over the chicken. Add the remaining stock and the coriander and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat to simmering point then cover the casserole and poach the chicken, turning it over twice, for about 40 minutes until the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced with the point of a sharp knife.
4. Remove chicken to a warmed serving platter, boil the cooking juices if necessary to concentrate them, then serve with the chicken, accompanied by rice or bread.
Serves 4
This originated from an observation that all Moroccan chicken dishes seem to contain lemon.
 | 1 tbsp of olive oil 2 chicken breasts chopped into bite-sized bits 1 large onion chopped 2 garlic cloves chopped 1 red pepper diced a large pinch of saffron strands a large shake of cumin seeds 1 tsp of ground coriander 1/2 tsp of chilli powder 1 pint of chicken stock salt and a generous amount of black pepper |
1. Add the oil to a large saucepan or deep-sided frying pan and fry the onions and garlic until brown. Set aside.
2. Fry off the chicken until coloured, return the onions and garlic to the pan.
3. Add saffron, cumin seeds, coriander, chilli, salt and pepper, and stir well to coat everything.
4. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a strong simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until you have a nice consistency to the sauce. Serve with rice.
Serves 2, easily doubled
A Moroccan friend advised me that once you start using preserved lemons you use them in everything. I'm not there yet, but this adds a great twist on the traditional roast chicken: Anglo-Moorish fusion cooking
 | 1 medium free range chicken 2 small preserved lemons, quartered pinch of saffron, lightly crushed 1 tbsp olive oil 300ml (1/2pt) of chicken stock flour to thicken gravy salt and pepper |
1. Wash the chicken and wipe away excess water. Place the quartered lemons in the cavity of the chicken. Put in a medium sized roasting tin.
2. Rub the skin with the crushed saffron and season liberally with salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil over the chicken rubbing well into the skin and the saffron.
3. Roast for 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes (45 minutes per kilo plus 20 minutes). Basting every 1/2 hour.
4. When cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, wrap in tin foil and place on a warmed plate, make sure all the juices from the chicken are left in the roasting tin to flavour the gravy. Leave the wrapped chicken to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
5. Skim any excess fat from the roasting tin, leaving about 1/2 tablespoon behind to mix with the flour. Add the flour to the tin mixing well to form a paste. Place tin over a hot plate and slowly add the chicken stock to make the gravy. Season to taste.
6. Carve rested chicken and serve with the saffron and lemon flavoured gravy.
Oven at 200C, gas mark 4. Serves 4.
reserved lemons gives a distinctive flavour to this famous Moroccan dish.
 | 1 large chicken 3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion finely chopped 2 garlic cloves crushed 1/4 tsp saffron strands crushed 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon salt & pepper good bunch of fresh coriander finely chopped good bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped peel of 1 to 1 1/2 preserved lemons, cut into quarters 75g (3oz) green olives soaked in 2 changes of water for 30 minutes |
1. Put the chicken into a large saucepan with all the ingredients except the preserved lemon and olives.
2. Half cover with water (about 300ml or 1/2 pint) and simmer, covered, turning if necessary, for about 45 minutes.
3. Throw the lemon peel and drained rinsed olives into the sauce and cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is so tender that the flesh pulls off the bone and the liquid is reduced.
4. Serve hot with couscous.
Serves 4