Moroccan Cuisine

[Vanessa1 7]

Hi everyone! My husband has been here with me for a little over a month now and things are going well. He has decided that, for the most part, he really doesn't like American food. With it being Ramadan, we are usually preparing a large dinner, Moroccan style. Of course we've done the harira and this weekend we took a chance with the bastilla/pastilla and it was awesome! In fact, my whole family loved it. My husband has me on a mission to find another recipe that I want to try out so I'm looking for ideas. Also, with my work schedule it would be great if we could find a recipe that doesn't take 2+ hours to prepare and cook. Any ideas out there??

[Jenn! 918]

I do a chicken and olive gamilla with french fries that's easy:

2 or 3 large onions sliced very thin

1 whole chicken cut up

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tablespoon turmeric

1 tsp coloring (opt.)

2 cups chicken stock

1 small tub of olives (I like kalamata)

1 lemon

french fries (I use frozen shoestrings)

fresh cilantro and parsley if you have it

In a pot, cook the onion in the olive oil on medium-high until

softened. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken

begins to brown. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric, orange powder and some chopped herbs.

Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for

about an hour.

In the meantime, in a separate skillet, fry french fries. Add olives

to chicken and juice of fresh lemon. Put chicken, onions, and olives

on a plate. Add liquid from the pot until there is about an inch of

liquid surrounding the chicken on the plate. Drain the fries on a

paper towel and add them to the top of the chicken. Serve with bread

(but of course).

[Jenn! 918]

Oh, and a little shortcut I often resort to is to make any kind of stew-like dish, add some combination of turmeric, cumin, ginger, cinnamon. Serve with lots of bread. And voila! Moroccan meal!

[LaL 418]

I do a chicken and olive gamilla with french fries that's easy:

2 or 3 large onions sliced very thin

1 whole chicken cut up

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tablespoon turmeric

1 tsp coloring (opt.)

2 cups chicken stock

1 small tub of olives (I like kalamata)

1 lemon

french fries (I use frozen shoestrings)

fresh cilantro and parsley if you have it

In a pot, cook the onion in the olive oil on medium-high until

softened. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken

begins to brown. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric, orange powder and some chopped herbs.

Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for

about an hour.

In the meantime, in a separate skillet, fry french fries. Add olives

to chicken and juice of fresh lemon. Put chicken, onions, and olives

on a plate. Add liquid from the pot until there is about an inch of

liquid surrounding the chicken on the plate. Drain the fries on a

paper towel and add them to the top of the chicken. Serve with bread

(but of course).

i love this recipe, and have been making it for years when you first posted it!

[sara535 15]

probably shouldnt call this a tagine, as its technically just a casserole, but we eat it all the time.

make the chermoula and get it marinating in the morning before work......

Fish Tagine

early in the day I make Chermoula – (traditional Moroccan marinade)

*one bunch of cilantro, chopped as small as I can get it

*3-6 cloves minced garlic (depends on size)

*about a heaping teaspoon each of cumin, ginger, paprika and salt

*about half a teaspoon pepper and a good dash of cayenne (or a spoon of chili paste)

*couple of tablespoons each of fresh lemon juice and some good vinegar

*enough olive oil to make a thin paste – maybe a quarter cup or so

mix it all together then I usually smell it to make sure it has enough of everything. It should have the consistency of a thin pesto

take your fish (today I used about 1.5 pounds of tilapia, but have used cod and sole and they were delicious too) and put it in a bowl to marinate with the chermoula - make sure all of the fish has some of the spices touching it. then leave it in the fridge for several hours.

Later I line a baking pan ( I used a 9 x 13) with carrot sticks, then add a layer of sliced (about 1/4 inch thick) potatoes. lay the fish slices over it, then add a layer of tomatoes. finally on the top I slice a red bell pepper and lay the rings around. then I take the leftover chermoula from the marinating fish, add maybe a quarter cup of water to it and pour it all over the top, making sure it covers some of the tomatoes. then cover it all with foil and bake for about an hour at 375 until the potatoes and carrots are pretty tender, about an hour. uncover for another 15 minutes or 20 until the peppers are roasted. sometimes I even broil it for just a couple of minutes so the top gets a little crusty.

eat with Moroccan or some kind of crusty bread.

[MrsAmera 41]

I've got tons of them but hate re-typing - check out my blog www.marocmama.com

[mspain 1]

i love this recipe, and have been making it for years when you first posted it!

Yeah this is definitely a classic. I learned how to make this one several years ago and it's definitely a keeper. I like it with manzanilla olives though, and a great variation is to add mushrooms too!

check out cookingwithalia.com she is awesome and I just made her chebakia last weekend and it was just like my sister in laws

Edited August 26, 2010 by meghan.spain

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Yeah this is definitely a classic. I learned how to make this one several years ago and it's definitely a keeper. I like it with manzanilla olives though, and a great variation is to add mushrooms too!

check out cookingwithalia.com she is awesome and I just made her chebakia last weekend and it was just like my sister in laws

I love cooking with Alia youtube videos. CookingwithAlia

Here is another youtube channel with Moroccan recipe videos. sousoukitchen

Meriem(F)

[Darnell 8,478]

did you find a source of fresh mutton in yer locale?

I am huge fan of mutton targine.

if you find 'electric targine' at electrics store anywhere - wei - many have 'timer thingies' on them...

you might have to make the pickled lemons yerself, though (or he should be able to help with that).

[New Beginnings 32]

Tortilla!

Tortilla is simple,

4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces

1 medium onion (I use my cheese grater to grate into small pieces)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbl spn of chopped parsley

5 eggs

In an omlette skillet or other small skillet sautee the onion until soft in Olive oil. Add the potatoes and spices and cook until fork tender. I like to cover the potatoes as they're cooking to speed it up. Once almost fully cooked add the chopped parsely and finish cooking. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl. In a small bowl, crack the eggs and whisk together. Add the eggs to the potatoes and mix together. In the same sautee pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and add the potato/egg mixture to that. Cook on medium heat.

As the sides start to cook, push them towards the center. after about 4-5 minutes, use a plate to help you flip the tortilla over and cook the other side until done. Serve immediately

[caybee 21]

We had the chicken and french fries last night, actually. Always a hit.

Our standby favorite is now a chicken curry. We use our own version of this recipe, usually minus the coconut milk since that isn't one of our staples, and we add chunks of potato, sweet potato, squash, or whatever fresh veggies we have on hand.

Marocmama's blog is excellent. There are also tons of ideas in the pinned Sultan's Kitchen thread if you have time to wade through. Jenn's tip of adding that spice combination to most things is great. You can also add a handful or two of green olives in the last few minutes of cooking many things like tagines.

I put sort of a rotating meal plan on a calendar this month. Here are some of what I have (most recipes can be found online):

*Spaghetti with Moroccan spices (my husband likes to add some cheese and bake it after it's cooked)

*Shrimp with rice and a paprika/butter/garlic sauce

*Kebabs of any kind

*Shawarma (chicken or beef, easy recipe here, should marinate overnight)

*Baked fish (usually tilapia) We put a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of the baking dish, then the fish, then a paste of olive oil, paprika, garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice, then sliced potatoes on top, cover and bake until the fish flakes, then remove cover and brown the potatoes if desired

*B'stilla

*Briouats (easiest for me using egg roll wrappers and rolling in a cigar shape instead of the classic triangles - I need more practice)

*Zaalouk, which is sort of a tomato/eggplant spread you eat with bread. I use cookingwithalia's recipe using whole canned tomatoes. Takes a little time standing by the stove, but extremely easy and delicious.

*Pizza, burgers, and tacos/burritos

*Harira soup every day during Ramadan. One batch lasts us three days. It was a little tricky for me to learn the consistency my husband likes (he likes it "uncluttered" enough to drink it from the bowl, but he likes the liquid itself thickened a little with flour/water at the end, not watery). Now I can make it in my sleep.

We use so much fresh parsley and cilantro that I buy bunches at once and freeze them.

[Vanessa1 7]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much and I'll report back when we try them. As a side note, we did check out the marocmamma website and bought the spices. We've made the fish recipe and it was fabulous!

[MrsAmera 41]

You're the Vanessa?!?!?! Ohmygosh girl you should have spoken up and I would have had to send you some VJ friend extra special spices!!! Thanks for trying them out!!!!

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much and I'll report back when we try them. As a side note, we did check out the marocmamma website and bought the spices. We've made the fish recipe and it was fabulous!

[Crossed_fingers 128]

I've got tons of them but hate re-typing - check out my blog www.marocmama.com

Oh my gosh I've spent all evening drooling over your blog. NOT SAFE FOR RAMADAN!!! It all looks delicious and I can't wait to try out your recipes!

[MrsAmera 41]

Oh my gosh I've spent all evening drooling over your blog. NOT SAFE FOR RAMADAN!!! It all looks delicious and I can't wait to try out your recipes!

Awwww! Thank you! I should put a not safe for daytime during Ramadan header