Moroccan Couscous

From The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook by Debra Wasserman (VRG)

Moroccan couscous is enriched with dates, raisins, and almonds and spiced with cinnamon. This vegetarian low-fat side dish will delight the entire family.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange or other juice
• 1 cup instant couscous
• 1/4 cup pitted dates, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Bring juice and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Remove from heat.

Stir in couscous and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, saute dates, raisins, almonds, and cinnamon in 1/2 cup water for 2 minutes. Add cooked couscous. Mix well and serve warm.

Per serving: 301 calories, 8 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium.

Yield: 4 servings



Source
http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv291.htm

Stewed Artichokes with Olives and Moroccan Spices Recipe

From The Savory Way by Deborah Madison (Bantam Books)

Saffron, paprika, turmeric, cumin, and cilantro spice up stewed artichokes with kalamata olives, Moroccan-style.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 large artichokes
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups finely diced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Good pinch of saffron, soaked in a few tablespoons hot water
• Salt
• 4 cilantro branches
• 4 parsley branches
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, rinsed and pitted
• 1 lemon, quartered
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Preparation:

To trim the artichokes, break off the tough outer leaves and slice off the inner cone of remaining leaves. Trim the outside with a paring knife, slice the hearts into quarters or eighths, as you like, and remove the chokes. As you work, put the finished pieces in a bowl of water with the lemon juice.

Warm the olive oil in a saute pan or wide skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and add the onion, turmeric, paprika, cumin, and pepper. Cook together for 3 or 4 minutes; then add the saffron with its soaking liquid. Add the artichokes, salt lightly, and add the fresh cilantro and parsley. Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, turning the artichokes occasionally. Pour 1-1/2 cups water over all, cover, and cook over low heat until the artichokes are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the olives during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Taste and season with salt, if needed.

Serve with the lemon wedges and a garnish of cilantro leaves.

Yield: 4 servings


Source
http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv105.htm

7 Day Preserved Lemons

From Mostly Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert (Penguin USA)

Preserved lemons are a traditional condiment and flavoring used in Moroccan dishes. Although the ingredients and method are simple, they usually need to ripen about 30 days. This quick method only requires 7 days.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe lemons
• 1/3 cup coarse (kosher) salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• Olive oil

Preparation:

Scrub lemons and dry well. Cut each into 8 wedges. Toss with salt and place in a 1/2-pint glass jar with a glass or plastic-coated lid. Pour in lemon juice. Cover jar tightly and let lemons ripen at room temperature for 7 days, shaking jar each day to distribute salt and juice. To store, add olive oil to cover and refrigerate for up to 6 months.



Source
http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blcon18.htm

Macrobiotic Moroccan Lentils

By Jen Hoy

This is a macrobiotic adaptation of Christine Benlafquih's recipe. It is much milder, and doesn't have the spicy richness of the original recipe, but can satisfy the desire for ethnic food.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lentils
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 pinches sea salt

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a pressure cooker or pot. Add 2 liters (about 2 quarts) of water, and bring to a simmer.

Pressure cooker method: Cover, and cook on pressure over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. If the lentils are still submerged in sauce, reduce the liquids so that the sauce is ample, but not watery. Adjust the seasoning if desired, and serve.

Pot method: Cover, and simmer the lentils over medium heat about 1 1/2 hours, or until the lentils are tender and the sauce is not watery. (If the liquids reduce too much during cooking, add a little water to prevent the lentils from burning.) Adjust the seasoning if desired, and serve.

For the original recipe on the Moroccan cooking site: Moroccan Lentils


Source
http://macrobiotic.about.com/od/beans/r/MoroccanLentils.htm

Macrobiotic Moroccan Lentils

By Jen Hoy

This is a macrobiotic adaptation of Christine Benlafquih's recipe. It is much milder, and doesn't have the spicy richness of the original recipe, but can satisfy the desire for ethnic food.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lentils
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 pinches sea salt

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a pressure cooker or pot. Add 2 liters (about 2 quarts) of water, and bring to a simmer.

Pressure cooker method: Cover, and cook on pressure over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. If the lentils are still submerged in sauce, reduce the liquids so that the sauce is ample, but not watery. Adjust the seasoning if desired, and serve.

Pot method: Cover, and simmer the lentils over medium heat about 1 1/2 hours, or until the lentils are tender and the sauce is not watery. (If the liquids reduce too much during cooking, add a little water to prevent the lentils from burning.) Adjust the seasoning if desired, and serve.

For the original recipe on the Moroccan cooking site: Moroccan Lentils


Source
http://macrobiotic.about.com/od/beans/r/MoroccanLentils.htm

Moroccan Roasted Almonds with Salt

By Christine Benlafquih

Salted, freshly roasted almonds are a popular snack food in Morocco. Here's how to make them.

I've suggested roasting two cups, but you can make any quantity as long as the almonds rest in a single layer on the baking pan.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw whole almonds with skin
• table salt or extra fine salt
• water for rinsing the almonds

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

Rinse the almonds in cold water and allow them to drain in a colander for a few minutes.

Prepare a baking pan by generously sprinkling salt across the bottom. Add the almonds to the pan in a single layer, and generously sprinkle salt over the almonds.

Roast the almonds in the hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the almonds have barely darkened and are fragrant.

Allow the almonds to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Source

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/soupsandappetizers/r/Roasted_Almonds.htm

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

By Christine Benlafquih

This easy Moroccan recipe explains how to make classic Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives in an authentic tagine. Marinating the chicken for a few hours or overnight is optional.

Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives recipes are also available for conventional stove top preparation and slow roasting method.

The cooking time allows for bringing the tagine slowly to a simmer. Large chickens may require additional time.

Serves 4.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, skin removed, cut into pieces
• 2 large white or yellow onions, very finely chopped
• one small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped*
• one small handful of fresh parsley, chopped*
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (or 1/4 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled (optional)
• 1 teaspoon smen (Moroccan preserved butter - optional)
• 1 handful green or red olives, or mixed
• 1 preserved lemon, quartered and seeds removed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water, approximately

Preparation:

* Instead of chopping, you can tie the parsley and cilantro together into a bouquet and place on top of the chicken during cooking.

Prepare the Chicken

Remove the flesh from the preserved lemon, and finely chop it. Add the chopped lemon flesh to a bowl along with the chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, spices and smen, and mix well. If time allows, let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or even overnight.

To Cook the Chicken

Add enough of the olive oil to the tagine to coat the bottom. Arrange the chicken in the tagine (flesh-side down), and distribute the onions all around.

Add the olives and preserved lemon quarters, and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the chicken. Add the water to the tagine, cover, and place on a diffuser over a medium-low heat.

Give the tagine time to reach a simmer without peaking. If you don't hear the tagine simmering within 20 minutes, slightly increase the heat, and then maintain the lowest heat setting required for maintaining a gentle, not rapid, simmer.

Allow the chicken to cook undisturbed for 80 to 90 minutes, and then turn the chicken over so that it's flesh side up. Cover the tagine again, and allow the chicken to finish cooking until very tender.

Turn off the heat, and let the tagine to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Moroccan tradition is to eat directly from the tagine, using Moroccan bread to scoop up the chicken and sauce. French fries are frequently served with this dish, and may even be placed on top of the chicken.

Source

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/moroccanchickenrecipes/r/tag_chick_lemon.htm

Moroccan Fish Tagine with Potatoes, Tomatoes and Peppers

By Christine Benlafquih

Fish, potatoes, tomatoes and roasted peppers are layered in this classic Moroccan mqualli tagine. Mqualli is a general term used to refer to sauces made with ginger, saffron and oil. In this recipe, chermoula, olives and preserved lemons add zest and flavor.

Any firm, thick fish can be used – cut up or whole – but I like this tagine best with slices of eel because there are fewer bones to deal with at the table. Swordfish steaks, dorado, large whole whiting and sea bream are other good choices.

In addition to the ingredients below, you'll need to make Chermoula. Allow 2 hours for the fish to marinate.

Serves 4.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 kg fish or eel - whole, in pieces, or in thick slices or steaks
• Chermoula (see link above)
• 1 large onion, cut into rings
• 1 carrot or celery stalk, cut into thin sticks
• 2 large potatoes, cut into thin slices
• 3 tomatoes, seeded and cut into thin slices
• 2 bell peppers, any color - roasted, peeled and cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
• 1 preserved lemon, quartered or 1 fresh lemon, cut into thin slices
• handful of red olives
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Ahead of Time:

Make the Chermoula. Reserve half of the chermoula, and mix the remaining half with the fish. Cover the fish, refrigerate it, and allow it marinate at least two hours or overnight.

Roast the peppers, peel and seed them, and cut them into strips.

To Make the Tagine:

Pour the olive oil into a tagine, and distribute the onion slices across the bottom. Criss-cross the celery or carrot sticks in the center to form a bed for the fish.

Mix the potato slices with the spices, and arrange the potatoes around the perimeter of the tagine. Top the potato with the tomato slices, and distribute the reserved chermoula over the vegetables.

Add the fish and its marinade to the center of the tagine, and arrange the strips of pepper on top of the fish in a decorative manner. Garnish the tagine with the lemon and olives, and sprinkle salt and pepper over all.

Cover the tagine, and cook over low to medium-low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the fish and potatoes test done. Reduce the sauce if necessary until it is quite thick and mostly oils.

Source

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/tag_fish_mqalli.htm

Moroccan Lamb and Rice

By Linda Larsen

Source

This simple five ingredient recipe takes just minutes to put together.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours,

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless lamb, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 6 oz. pkg. chicken flavored rice and vermicelli pasta mix
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp. curry powder

Preparation:

Combine lamb, apple, seasoning mix from rice, chicken broth, and curry powder in 3-1/2-4 quart slow cooker. Mix well. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. Then stir in rice and pasta mixture, cover, and cook for 3-4 hours longer until lamb is thoroughly cooked and rice and pasta are tender. 4 servings

Moroccan Turkey Burgers

By Linda Larsen

Source

Mint, ginger, and cumin add exotic flavor to ground turkey in these easy hot sandwiches.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 3 drops mint extract
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/4 pounds ground turkey, light and dark meat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 hamburger buns
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• red lettuce leaves

Preparation:

Prepare and heat grill. Combine 1/2 cup sour cream, mint, mint extract, honey, and dash pepper in small bowl and refrigerate. I

n large bowl, combine 1/4 cup sour cream, bread crumbs, egg, onion, salt, cumin, ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and mix well. Add turkey and mix gently. Form into 4 patties.

Cover and chill patties for 1 hour. Brush patties with olive oil and grill over medium coals for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until thoroughly cooked.

Serve with sour cream mint sauce and lettuce on toasted, buttered hamburger buns. 4 sandwiches