Anyone know how to cook Moroccan Food?

Question

I wanted to try out a few recipies, im quite a good cook but I havent a clue where to start with moroccan food. Any recipies for meals i can make. Ingrediants have to be found locally in the uk/wirral area. Thanks.

Answer 1

moroccan roasted salmon with mango salsa


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 large)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons commercial harissa
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned and cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preparation
Estimated Total Time: 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 450º.
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; cover and chill. Spread harissa over both sides of salmon; sprinkle with salt. Place salmon on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mango salsa.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Go on foodtv.com there is a show called "Easy Entertaining with Michel Kearello" He did a show on all Moroccan food he had at a party. If you click on the show and do a search you should find it. It has about 5 or 6 recipes I think.

Answer 4

"Cous Cous and different good ingredients From Morocco" by Paula Wolfert is between the desirable and simplest to apply cookbooks on the topics. that is likewise finished and covers the desirable substitutes for standard Moroccan substances that are not accessible right here.

Answer 5

The Moroccann's

Answer 6

would you like to try nigerian meals instead i could hook you up with something if you're down

Answer 7

www.al-bab.com/maroc/food/food.htm

Answer 8

Shopping List for Eight
Meat and Poultry

1 Ib. filet mignon or beef steak
1/2 Ib. beef fat (suet)
2 1/2 Ibs. boneless lamb
1 3-lb. chicken
Groceries

1/2 pint olive oil
1/2 pint peanut oil
1 small can black olives
2-oz. jar dried mint leaves
1 box loose tea
1 Ib. sugar
1 # 2 1/2 can chick peas (or ceci beans)
1 pkg. black raisins
Fruits and Vegetables

2 Ibs. onions
1 bunch carrots
2 large green peppers
1 Ib. yellow squash
1 pkg. frozen string beans or peas
2 large eggplants
2 Ibs. tomatoes
2 seasonal melons or 1 watermelon
1 bunch parsley
2 lemons
Special Purchases

In a Middle Eastern or gourmet shop:
1 Ib. couscous
all condiments and spices
honey pastries such as Baklava
Incense
In a Japanese or hardware store:
6-inch bamboo or metal skewers
Optional- cous-cousiere, available House of Yemen (see page 232).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Recipes


KEBAB KOUTBANE
Appetizer Kebabs in a Moorish Marinade
Yield: 8 6-inch kebabs
This typically Moroccan dish is an excellent hors d'oeuvre to serve at any time. It is amazing how the small cubes of suet improve the flavor of the kebab after some of the fat has burned off. The use of suet is particularly effective when cooking kebabs over a charcoal fire and may be successfully substituted in recipes calling for bacon.

Cut 1 Ib. FILLET OF BEEF OR STEAK into 3/4-inch cubes (approximately 32 cubes).

Cut 1/2 Ib. BEEF SUET into 1/2-inch cubes.

In an 8 x 10-inch shallow baking dish, prepare the Moorish Marinade:

Combine: 1/4 cup ONION, finely chopped and

2 Tbs. PARSLEY, finely chopped.
Blend: 1/2 cup OLIVE or SALAD OIL

1 tsp. SALT
1/4 tsp. PEPPER
1/4 tsp. GARLIC POWDER
1 tsp. GROUND CORIANDER (optional)
1/2 tsp. GROUND CUMIN (optional).
Blend the beef and suet cubes with the marinade and allow the mixture to marinate for several hours.

Thread four pieces of beef alternately with three pieces of suet (start and end with beef) on a 6-inch metal or bamboo skewer.

Grill or Broil using a hot fire, basting occasionally with the marinade.

Arrange 1 KEBAB KOUTBANE on a small plate.

Garnish with TOMATO SLICES and PARSLEY SPRIGS at the side of the plate.

COUSCOUS MARRAKESH
Yield: 8 portions
A couscousiere is a large double boiler with holes in the bottom of the upper pot allowing its contents to steam. A couscousiere may be improvised by lining a metal colander with cheese cloth and placing the colander in a 6- or 8-quart pot so that the handles rest on the rim. A piece of heavy- duty foil can serve as a lid.

Moisten: 1 Ib. COUSCOUS in a 3 quart bowl with

1 cup COLD WATER to which
1 Tbs. SALT has been added.
Stir up with a fork and allow to stand 10 minutes to swell.

Spread the Couscous out in a colander lined with cheese cloth (or in the top of a couscousiere).

Place the colander over a pan which fits it and is half filled with water.

Cover with aluminum foil and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

In a 6-quart kettle (or bottom of couscousiere):

Saute: 1 cup ONIONS coarsely chopped with

1 tsp. CORIANDER (powdered)
1 Tbs. SALT
1 tsp. CRUSHED RED PEPPER
1/2 tsp. SAFFRON
1 tsp. POWDERED CUMIN SEED in
1/4 cup PEANUT OIL until soft but not brown.
Add: 2 1/2 Ibs. BONELESS LAMB cut in 2 inch chunks and

2 quarts WATER.
Fit the colander (or top of couscousiere) with the Couscous over the meat, cover it with foil, and allow mixture to simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Add 1 3-lb. CHICKEN cut into 8 pieces to the stew and continue cooking for 30 minutes longer.

Stir the Couscous from time to time to make sure the grains are separated.

Add to Stew: 1 Ib. CARROTS, scraped and cut in 1-inch chunks

2 GREEN PEPPERS, cut in 1/2-inch strips
1 Ib. FRESH TOMATOES, cut in 1-inch wedges
1 Ib. YELLOW SQUASH, peeled and cut in 2-inch slices
12 oz. FROZEN STRING BEANS (regular cut) or PEAS
1 # 2 1/2 can CHICK PEAS, drained
1/2 Ib. BLACK RAISINS.
Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft but still slightly crisp.

Pour the Couscous into a large (15- to 18 inch) round serving platter.

Make a large hole in the center, pushing the Couscous to the edge of platter.

Arrange meat and vegetables attractively in center, pouring the sauce over all.

Garnish with PARSLEY SPRIGS.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



BATINJAAN ZALUD
Eggplant Salad
Yield: 8 small salads
This Eggplant Salad may also be served as an appetizer. It is an excellent accompaniment to a Couscous, as it is to any of the great entrees of Morocco. Be sure that the salad is very cold when served.

Peel 1 or 2 large EGGPLANTS (approx. 2 Ibs.).

Cut into 1-inch slices.

In a 10-inch skillet:

Fry in 1/2 cup OLIVE or SALAD OIL until soft.

Mash the eggplant.

Add: 1/4 cup ONION finely chopped

3 cloves GARLIC finely chopped (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
4 Tbs. LEMON JUICE
1 tsp. SALT
1/4 tsp. GROUND PEPPER
1 Tbs. SUGAR, and blend thoroughly.
Chill in refrigerator.

Heap 1/2 cup EGGPLANT MIXTURE on a 6- to 7-inch plate.

Mash it down to form a circle within 1 inch of edge of plate.

Dribble with 1/2 tsp. OLIVE OIL (if mixture appears dry).

Place:

1 slice TOMATO in center of circle and
1 BLACK OLIVE in center of tomato.
Garnish with PARSLEY SPRIGS.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



MINT TEA
Yield: 8 servings
Into a 6 cup glass or china teapot:

Pour boiling water, rinse and throw the water away.

Put in: 3 heaping Tbs. OOLONG TEA (do not use teabags)

2 heaping Tbs. DRIED MINT LEAVES
1/2 cup SUGAR.
Fill the teapot to the brim with BOILING WATER.

Allow to steep covered for 5 minutes.

Stir up the infusion and taste the liquid to see if it is sweet enough.

Strain into juice glasses (5 to 6 oz.).

Note: Prepare second infusion while the guests are enjoying the first. Add 1 tsp. tea, 1 tsp. mint and 2 Tbs. sugar to the pot. Add boiling water to allow to steep for 5 minutes. Stir again. Taste for sweetness. Strain to serve.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



MOROCCAN COCONUT CAKES
Yield: 1 1/2 Ibs. coconut fudge
You may want to make Moroccan Coconut Cakes, a delicious sweetmeat much like coconut fudge. They are easy to make and ideal to serve later in the evening after the Moroccan dinner.

In a 2-quart saucepan:

Combine: 2 cups GRATED COCONUT (moist, canned or fresh)

3/4 cup EVAPORATED MILK
2 cups SUGAR
Simmer gently to 238' or until a soft ball is formed in cold water.

Add: 1 oz. BUTTER and

2 Tbs. LEMON RIND.
Cool to room temperature in the pan.

Beat as you would fudge until thick and glossy.

Pour into a square (8 x 8-inch) pan lined with wax paper.

Chill and cut into 1-inch squares.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



HONEY PASTRIES
Purchase small honey pastries in any Middle Eastern food shop. Ask for Baklava. In Morocco it is called Kab El Ghzal.

Allow one or two pastries per guest.

Place them on a platter lined with a paper doily.

Serve them on dessert plates with forks.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



MELON A LA MOROCAINE
Use any melon in season or watermelon but be certain that it is very ripe.

Cut the melon into 1/2-inch slices and remove the rind.

Cut again into 3 inch pieces and arrange them attractively on a platter.

Garnish the platter with sprigs of fresh mint or parsley.

Spear the melon pieces with colored toothpicks.

Pass the platter to your guests. No dishes are used with this course.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



PEASANT PANCAKES
Yield: 8 servings
Here's another outstanding sweet of Morocco which you might want to serve instead of the honey pastries.

In a 1-pint bowl:

Cut 4 BANANAS (peeled) in 1/2 inch slices.

Add 1/2 cup APRICOT LIQUEUR and marinate for 1/2 hour.

In a 1-quart bowl:

Place 1 cup PANCAKE MIX following package directions to make a thick pancake batter using the above liqueur drained from the bananas as part of the liquid.

Add bananas to the batter and stir thoroughly.

In a 9-inch skillet:

Heat 1/4 inch COOKING OIL.

Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls (2 or 3 pieces of banana in each spoon) into the hot fat until golden brown on both sides.

In a 1-pint bowl:

Combine: 1/2 cup SOFT BREAD CRUMBS made by grating fresh bread

3 Tbs. MELTED BUTTER
4 Tbs. SUGAR
1 tsp. GROUND GINGER.
Place 3 or 4 PEASANT PANCAKES on dessert plates.

Sprinkle 1 to 2 Tbs. CRUMB MIXTURE over the pancakes.

Note: Crystallized ginger may be used instead of ground ginger, in which case use 2 Tbs. sugar and 2 Tbs. crystallized ginger, minced finely.

Morocco
The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world, and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, and more enjoyed than in this country.

Cooking in Morocco falls into two specific categories. The first, intended for important guests, is the work of skilled chefs. It requires such intensive supervision that the host does not participate. He merely oversees the banquet with his sons and servants. No women are present. The men squat on mattresses or pillows around low, beautifully inlaid tables. A silver ewer of perfumed water is taken around and poured over three fingers of the right hand of each guest.

The host claps his hands and the meal begins. One course after another- each delicacy is served until Chban- complete satiation- is achieved. Again the silver ewer filled with warm water is presented to clean the mouth, lips, and hands. The meal is a feast for the gods and indeed it begins and ends with Bsmillah--God's blessing.

In the second category of cookery are the wonderful dishes prepared with loving care by the mistresses- Dadas- of the homes. Here, where time does not seem to count, she spends hours with her glazed earthenware and copper cooking dishes and her kanoun, the movable clay brazier. Her kitchen is austere, and the charcoal which perfumes the kebabs and allows the sauces to simmer is the only source of heat. There are no chairs. A folded carpet serves as a seat. The Dada is dressed in a long colorful robe tucked up in front and her wide sleeves are held in place with a twisted cord.

The scents of coriander, cumin, saffron, marjoram, and onion mingle with the pungency of olive oil and the sweetness of sandalwood, mint, and roses, delighting the senses.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



How a Dinner is Served in Morocco
A hostess in Morocco might take a week to prepare a suitable dinner for her honored guests. The meal often consists of as many as fifty courses. It would take a full day just to make Bstilla- a crisp pastry, rolled as thin as tissue paper, filled with chicken in a mixture "sweet and peppery, soft and violent."

The dinner starts with Bstilla, followed by the typical brochette or kebab flavored with bits of beef or lamb fat. Next comes the Tajine, chicken or meat in a spicy stew which has been simmered for many hours, and it is served with a flat bread called Khubz.

In Morocco, as in most Arab lands, every household makes its own bread. It is made from semolina flour without shortening or milk. An invocation to God is made before commencing the sacred act of kneading. When the bread has been properly shaped, each family puts its own mark or stamp on it before sending it via the children to a common bakery oven. After the Tajine, a Batinjaan- eggplant salad or chopped tomato salad- is served as a separate course. Then comes Couscous, that marvelous Moroccan national dish made of semolina, cooked to perfection, each grain separate from the other. The dinner is completed with slices or wedges of peeled melon, pastries made with honey and almond like the Middle Eastern Baklava, and finally a small glass of mint tea. The dinner following is a very much simplified version, but it is delicious and will give you the "feel" of Morocco. Once you have made the Couscous, it may very well become one of your favorite dishes. This is a delightful dinner to prepare and serve.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This chicken is so loaded up with flavor it will make you weak in the knees. Make sure you toast the cumin and coriander seeds so that the flavors are released.
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole chicken, cut up
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
Toast cumin and corinader seeds in a skillet over a high heat for 30 seconds. Grind seeds in a mortar or in a spice grinder. Combine with olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and cover with marinade. Turn to coat. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least one hour. Preheat grill. Grill chicken pieces over a medium fire for about 20 minutes or until done. Baste with remaining marinade half way through cooking. Remove from grill when done and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.








Moroccan cuisine has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world. The reason is because of the interaction of Morocco with the outside world for centuries. The cuisine of Morocco is a mix of Berber, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and African cuisines. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fez, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan refined Moroccan cuisine over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.
[edit]
Influence and history
Being at the crossroads of many civilisations, the cuisine of Morocco has been influenced by the native Berber cuisine, the Arabic Andalusian cuisine; brought by the Moriscos when they left Spain, the Turkish cuisine from the Turkish that occupied Algeria and the Middle Eastern cuisines brought by the Arabs as well as the Jewish cuisine.

The history of Morocco is reflected in its cuisine. Political refugees left Baghdad in the Middle Ages and settled in Morocco, bringing with them traditional recipes that are now common in Morocco but forgotten in the Middle East. We know this because there are striking similarities between a 12th century (Common Era) collection of recipes by Al-Baghdadi, and contemporary Moroccan dishes. A signature characteristic is cooking fruit with meat like quince with lamb or apricots with chicken. Further influences upon Moroccan cuisine came from the Morisco (Muslim refugees) who were expelled from Spain during the Spanish inquisition.

According to Paula Wolfert, the specialist of Moroccan cuisine and author of a renowned book on the subject (see recipe books section):

To my mind four things are necessary before a nation can develop a great cuisine. The first is an abundance of fine ingredients-a rich land. The second is a variety of cultural influences: the history of the nation, including its domination by foreign powers, and the culinary secrets it has brought back from its own imperialist adventures. Third, a great civilization-if a country has not had its day in the sun, its cuisine will probably not be great; great food and a great civilization go together. Last, the existence of a refined palace life-without royal kitchens, without a Versailles or a Forbidden City in Peking, without, in short, the demands of a cultivated court-the imaginations of a nation's cooks will not be challenged.Morocco, fortunately, is blessed with all four.
[edit]
Ingredients
Morocco produces a large range of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables and even some tropical ones. The country produces large quantities of sheep, poultry, cattle, seafood and fish which serve as a base for the cuisine.

[edit]
Use of spices

Spices at central market in AgadirSpices are used extensively in Moroccan food. While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, like saffron from Tiliouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fez, are home-grown. Common spices include cinnamon, kamoun (cumin), kharkoum (tumeric), skingbir (ginger), libzar (pepper) , paprika, anis seed, sesame seed, kasbour (coriander), maadnous (parsley), zaafrane beldi (saffron) and mint.

[edit]
Structure of meals
The midday meal is the main meal, with the exception of the holy month of Ramadan. The typical formal meal begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine. Bread is eaten with every meal. Often a lamb or chicken dish is next, followed by couscous topped with meats and vegetables. A cup of sweet mint tea is commonly used to end the meal. It is common for Moroccans to eat using the fingers of their hand, and use bread as a "utensil."

[edit]
Main dishes
See also: List of Moroccan dishes


CouscousThe main Moroccan dish most people are familiar with is couscous which is very old and is probably of Berber origin.

Chicken is the most widely eaten meat in Morocco. The most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco is beef although Lamb is preferred while being expensive. The breed of sheep in North Africa has much of its fat concentrated in its tail, which means that Moroccan lamb does not have the pungent, reasty flavor that Western lamb and mutton can have.

Among the most famous Moroccan dishes are Couscous, Pastilla (also spelled Bsteeya or Bastilla), Tajine, Tanjia and Harira. Although the latter is a soup, it is considered as a dish in itself and is served as such or with dates especially during the month of Ramadan.


A Berber pit oven for baking bread[edit]
Desserts
Sweets are not necessarily served at the end of a Moroccan meal. A common dessert is kaab el ghzal ("gazelle's horns"), which is a pastry stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar. Another dessert is honey cakes, which is essentially pretzel-shaped pieces of dough deep-fried and dipped into a hot pot of honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Halwa Shebakia are cookies eaten during the month of Ramadan. Zucre Coco are coconut fudge cakes.

[edit]
Drinks

Woman pouring mint tea into tea glasses in a Moroccan villageThe most popular drink is green tea with mint. Traditionally, making good mint tea in Morocco is considered an art form and the drinking of it with friends and family members is one of the important rituals of the day. The technique of pouring the tea is as crucial as the quality of the tea. The tea is accompanied with hard sugar cones or lumps.

Moroccan tea pots have long, curved pouring spouts and this allow the tea to be poured even into tiny glasses from a height. To acquire the optimum taste, glasses are filled in two stages.

[edit]
Snacks and Fastfood

Street fastfoodSelling Fast food in the street has long been general tradition and the best example is Djemaa el Fna square in Marrakech. Starting the 1980s new snack restaurants started serving "Bocadillo" (which is a Spanish word for a sandwich and has been widely used in Morocco). The bocadillo is a baguette filled with salad and a choice between meats or simply a Tortilla (which is also a widely used term).

During the 1990s, a new trend started to emerge. New dairy products' shops (Mahlaba in Moroccan Arabic) begun to open through all cities in Morocco. Those mahlabas offer generally all types of dairy products, juices, breakfasts as well as bocadillos competing though the former established snack restaurants.

The late 1990s also experienced the opening in high scale of franchisees of multinational fastfood chains especialy in main cities.


Berber omlette[edit]
Moroccan food abroad
Couscous is one of the most popular North African dishes globally. Markets, stores and restaurants in Europe, especially in France and lately the UK feature tajines, couscous, preserved lemons and Moroccan spices.








How You Can Present a Moroccan Dinner
If feasible, use a low table with cushions on the floor. (Be sure to advise your guests to dress comfortably.) Cover the low table with a bright brocaded cloth and provide your guests with thick towels to cover their knees. You might want to place floral bouquets around the room, but do not have a centerpiece on the table.

Before serving the dinner, walk around the table with an attractive pitcher (silver if possible) filled with warm water which has been scented with cologne or a few drops of perfume. Carry a Turkish towel over your left arm and a small basin in your left hand. Pour a little water over the fingers of each guest, catching the water in the small basin.

Serve tiny kebabs first (with or without a fork) on small plates. As soon as the kebabs have been eaten, remove the plates. The salad may be served as a separate course or may accompany the Couscous. If you serve it separately place the salad (with a fork) in front of each guest. In Morocco, the Couscous is served in a large platter and each guest eats directly from it with a large spoon or he may roll the Couscous up in little balls and pop them into his mouth, but don't expect your guests to do this. You may prefer to place extra plates in front of your guests and ask them to serve themselves.

Slices of melon, watermelon, or cantaloupe speared with toothpicks (no plates) are served in a platter right after the Couscous. You might also serve the mint tea at this time, or wait until later to serve it with the honey pastries.

Again the hostess pours water over the fingers of her guests. This is a mark of graciousness and hospitality. At the end of the meal, after tea has been served, bring in a tiny incense burner and light it on the table.