Moroccan Mama

Ginjinha - Portuguese "sour cherry" liqueur

Ginjinha

Ginjinha or simply Ginja, is a liqueur made by infusing ginja berries, (sour cherry) (Prunus cerasus austera, the Morello cherry) with alcohol (aguardente) and sugar.

Ginjinha is served as a shot with a a single cherry in the bottom of the cup. It is a drink in Lisbon, Alcobaca, and Obidos, Portugal.

The Ginjinha of the Praça de São Domingos in Lisbon was the first establishment to commercialize the drink. A friar of the Church of Santo António, Francisco Espinheira, had experimented by leaving ginja berries in aguardente (the Portuguese brandy), and adding sugar, water and cinnamon. The success was immediate and Ginginha became the typical drink of Lisbon.

A Ginjinha do Rossio is perhaps the most famous ginjinha establishment, where locals queue up in a tiny bar carved into a wall just north of the Baixa

A Ginjinha

district in Lisbon.  For €1, locals and tourists line up to sip this sweet, sticky concoction.  Older Portuguese men drink their shot in one gulp, then suck on the

Drinking Ginjinha in Lisbon, Portugal

cherry for awhile before spitting the pit into the street.

While traveling to Lisbon to taste this awesome liqueur may not be in your budget, there are several importers where you may be able to find it.  Try HGC Imports Inc., (contact them and ask them where they distribute in your area - they distribute in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, new Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.)  There is also a very good chance The Spanish Table in Seattle, Santa Fe, Berkeley or Mill Valley, CA may carry it.

Moroccan Mini-Bisteeyas

Bisteeya is a type of sweet and savory pie common in Moroccan cuisine. It is made from an outer layer of puffed dough (usually phyllo) enveloping a filling of shredded meat, eggs, ground almonds, and spices.

I have slightly modernized the recipe for Bisteeya to create individual-sized "pies" rather than one large pie.  These mini-pies make great appetizers if made in a mini-muffin tin, or are perfect for dinner if made in standard-sized muffin tins.

Moroccan Mini-Bisteeyas

Makes about 30 mini-pies or 15-standard sized pies

Moroccan mini-bisteeyas

Chicken Filling:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, shredded in a food processor
3/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
 

Topping:
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 lb. blanched almonds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar
 

Bisteeya "crusts":
6 sheets of phyllo dough (1/3 pound)
1 sticks unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Filling: Melt butter in large sauté pan. Add chopped onion. Cook on medium heat until begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, saffron, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper and cook 1 more minute.  Add chicken and cook over low heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add chopped raisins and then slowly add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly until set, about 2-3 minutes. Mixture looks curdled. Transfer the filling to a bowl to cool. Stir in the chopped parsley and cilantro.

Topping: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and saute the almonds until lightly browned.  Remove, drain on paper towels, chop and combine with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Bisteeya "crusts": Place 1 sheet phyllo on dry surface.  Keep remaining dough moist with damp towel. Brush with melted butter. Top with second sheet, brush with butter. Finish with third sheet, brush with butter.  Cut out a 3-inch circle.  Sprinkle circle with the cinnamon sugar topping.  Transfer the circle in a mini muffin tin.

Once a muffin tin is full, transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and fill each cup with chicken filling and return to the oven for 5 more minutes to heat through.  Remove from oven, sprinkle remaining topping on each pie, return to oven for 2 more minutes until the topping has browned.

Sprinkle each pie with more cinnamon and garnish each basket with a sprig of cilantro, serve immediately!

Lamb Tagine with Prunes

Lamb tagine

LAMB TAGINE WITH PRUNES

SERVES 4 -5
COOKING TIME:  2 1/2 HOURS

This is the closest I could come to the lovely Lamb Tagine my mother-in-law, Lhasabia, prepared for me in Agadir, Morocco.  I've adjusted the cooking method to work with modern stoves. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds meaty lamb neck and shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
Pinch of turmeric
2 cups water
1 cup pitted prunes (6 ounces)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium clay tagine over a stove top.  In a separate skillet, add the lamb, season with salt and brown lightly on all sides over moderately high heat, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate.  Deglaze the skillet with a little bit of sherry, then gradually stir in the water, making sure to scrape the "fond" or browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.   Set aside.

Add the onions and garlic to the tagine and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and saffron -- cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Gradually stir in the water/fond mixture from the skillet, then add the lamb and cover. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 2 hours. Add the prunes and continue cooking until the meat is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Tilt the tagine and skim the fat from the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.

Serve with Khoubz.

Tagines - Everything You Need to Know

What is a Tagine?

Tagines - Yellow Glazed

Tagines are shallow, round clay cooking pots with pointed, cone-shaped lids in which Moroccan stews are traditionally made.� Cooking in a clay tagine, very gently over a brazier (kanoun) of constantly replenished embers, diffuses the heat all around the pot and produces, at the end, a reduced sauce sizzling in it's own fat.� However, many modern Moroccan households, and most American households, find it more convenient to cook the tagine on the stove top or ideally, in the oven.� Remember that the tagine is very delicate and can crack if exposed to direct heat, so if you use a gas stove, be sure to use a diffuser before placing your tagine on the burner.

Tagines are distinguished by their cooking fats and spices, although the distinctions have become blurred these days.� M'qualli are tagines cooked in oil with saffron and ginger, producing a yellow sauce.� M'hammer refers to tagines cooked with olive oil or butter, and spiced with cumin and paprika, where the sauce is red.

Where Can I Buy a Tagine?

Many kitchen supply shops or gourmet shops oftentimes will carry tagines, but they still may be difficult to locate within the USA.� I received my tagine as a gift from my fiance's mother, and carried it all the way from Agadir, Morocco back to Tacoma, WA.

Tagines are available made from a variety of materials, including clay and other ceramics, stainless steel, cast iron and silicone. Price and versatility can vary greatly by material.

Simple clay tagines are widely available online and in ethnic markets for as little as $20 to $30. However, many of these cannot tolerate high heat on the stove, which means meat cannot be browned in them. These tagines are best for foods cooked in the oven. Foods must be browned in another skillet before being added to the tagine. Many of these tagines also must be seasoned with oil before first use.

Most clay tagines also cannot go in the dishwasher. Some clay tagines have decorative glazing. Be careful with these, as some glazes contain lead.

Here are a few suggestions on where to buy a tagine:

The Spanish Table
The Spanish Table has locations in Seattle, WA, Santa Fe, NM, Berkeley, CA,� and Mill Valley, CA.� You can also order online and have your tagine shipped to you.� These are traditional clay tagines, and cost between $40 - $90.

Tagines.com
Tagines.com offers a selection of both cooking and serving tagines, and has reasonable prices to boot.

SiliconeZone
SiliconeZone makes a silicone tagine lid that fits over any skillet, and at $20, it may be the most economical choice.

Emile Henry
Emile Henry offers a line of beautiful, modern, and durable tagines.� They can tolerate high-heat cooking on the stove, in the oven and in the microwave. They also can go in the freezer and dishwasher.�

All -Clad
All-Clad offers a stainless steel version of the tagine.� It is extremely durable and the stainless steel bottom offers even heat distribution.� It also has handles!� The All-Clad tagine costs about $200.

Le Creuset
Le Creuset takes a similar approach to All-Clad with its tagine, which combines a ceramic top with an enameled cast-iron base. These cost about $150 and have superb heat retention and they also come in a variety of cool colors...

Now you've got your tagine... what next?� Here is an interesting video about traditional Berber tagine cooking

Tagine Video

Anna's Moroccan Potato Salad

While visiting my fiance in Agadir, Morocco, his lovely mother would send down breakfast and two (TWO!) Tagines every day!  One day she sent down a lovely Moroccan "salad" plate as a starter, or kemia, along with the Tagine for lunch. 

In Morocco, the salads are not lettuce and tomato like they are here in the US.  This salad plate consisted of:  white rice with corn and cilantro, cubed pickled beets, cubed carrots, and this amazingly simple (yet super yummy) potato salad.    This is my best effort to recreate the potato salad:

ANNA'S MOROCCAN POTATO SALAD

Serves 2 - 3

1 pound baby red potatoes (skin on)
About 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1 bunch of fresh mint, chopped (or chiffonade if you want it to look especially fancy)
Lemon Juice

Cut the baby red potatoes in half and boil until tender but not falling apart.  (**Remember, once you remove the potatoes from the boiling water, they will "carry over" cook for a few more minutes.  So don't wait until they are mushy to remove them from the water!**)

Do not rinse the potatoes, let cool for about 1/2 hour.  Toss the potatoes with enough extra virgin olive oil to coat (about 1/4 cup).  You don't want the potatoes too oily, so add a little bit at a time.  Salt and pepper the potatoes to your liking.  Remember, add a little bit at a time.  If you need salt, you can always add it, but once you've over-salted, there's no going back!  Add the fresh chopped mint and toss.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until cool.  Once cooled, toss with fresh squeezed lemon juice right before serving.

I usually serve this potato salad along with Claudia Roden's Carrot Salad with Cumin and Garlic.

Preserved Lemons - A Moroccan Staple

Moroccan preserved lemons

Preserved lemons are a staple in any Moroccan kitchen and are oftentimes used as an ingredient in many dishes that also call for olives, such as chicken tagines and some fish dishes.  They are typically preserved in salt, which helps mellow the tartness of the lemon.  While you may be able to find some preserved lemons in specialty markets (they may be labeled as "pickled" lemons), making your own is easy and the results are much tastier. 

There are a couple of methods used to make preserved lemons. 

LEMONS PRESERVED WITH SALT AND LEMON JUICE

About 3 - 4 Large unwaxed lemons
Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
Juice of 3-4 large lemons, or bottled lemon juice
 
Clean the lemons well, cut lemons in quarters but not all the way through so that the pieces are still attached at the top and bottom of the lemon.  Stuff between each quarter of the lemon a generous amount of sea salt or kosher salt, then squeeze the lemon closed.  Put the lemons in a sterile jar (I reuse cleaned, sterilized spaghetti sauce jars, pickle jars, etc., but you can also buy pickling jars at the market).  Squeeze as many of the lemons into the jar as you can, squashing them together and tightly close the jar.

Leave the lemons like this for 3 - 4 days.  Open the jar and press the lemons down into the jar as much as possible, then add the lemon juice to cover the lemons entirely.  Close the jar and leave them in a cool place for about 4 - 5 weeks.

When you are ready to use the preserved lemons, you will discard the pulp, and rinse the lemon peel, which is what will actually be used in your recipes.

LEMONS PRESERVED IN BRINE

Using the same procedure as the recipe above, but instead of adding lemon juice, cover the lemons with a brine made by combining 2 tablespoons salt to boiling water.  Lemons prepared this way take longer to mature.

 

LA CUCINA LAURENTI: Sweet and Spicy Sliders with Marrakesh Carrot Salad

LA CUCINA LAURENTI: Sweet and Spicy Sliders with Marrakesh Carrot Salad

http://mygem2.blogspot.com/2010/05/sw...

This recipe is a delightful combination of beef and lamb with chopped apricots, dates that gives it a Moroccan flare!  This recipe calls for an ingredient called Harissa; which is most commonly used  in North African cuisines in countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Algeria.  It is a delicious sauce that adds a depth of flavor and the right amount of spice to your dish.  You can find a variety of Harissa recipes on-line; if you wish to make it homemade, but most specialty stores will carry prepared Harissa.Sweet and Spicy Slider Burgers Patties 1 ½ pounds ground beef ½ pound ground lamb 2 ounces dried apricots, diced 2 ounces pitted dried dates, diced 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 tsp minced garlic 1/4 tsp ground fennel 1/4 tsp coriander 1/4 tsp cayenne 2 teaspoons harissa 2 teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Wheat dinner buns for sliders or regular hamburger buns. Green lettuce rinsed and dried Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Weigh 3oz of beef mixture to create sliders or 6oz to make a regular hamburger patty. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 5 minutes on each side for medium. During the last few minutes of cooking, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.Marrakesh Carrot Salad Juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground paprika ¼ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated Combine the lemon juice, garlic,...

THE VIEW FROM FEZ

THE VIEW FROM FEZ

http://riadzany.blogspot.com/

In the south of Morocco, near Zagora, only about 10 miles (18 km) along the Draa Valley, is the town of Tamegroute. The name itself means “border town” as this area was once part of Algeria's frontier. The town does not appear interesting at first glance, but it contains a rare treasure that is worth visiting.Tamegroute - more than meets the eye! Tamegroute has a history as an important center of learning and religion through its famous Sufi zaouia, historical center of the Nasiriyya Sufi order, one of the most influential - and at one time one of the largest - Sufi orders in the Islamic world. It was established by Sidi Mohammed Ben Naceur. The Naciri brotherhood is monk-like in their devotion to this sage. And, surrounding the area are various patients praying for a cure to their ailments, whether mental or physical. Sidi Ben Naceur was an important leader of the area, considered a saint, and revered for his scholarly and peacemaking abilities.The librarian at the Tamegroute Koranic library(photo: Suzanna Clarke) The Zaouia Naciri contains the tomb of Naceur and still contains the famous medersa, or Koranic school, dating back to the 1600s. The Koranic library is also impressive as it once held nearly 50,000 Arabic works that have now either been lost, are still in use, or have been sent to various museums across the country. The pre-university school is still in use and was once a major hub of learning in Morocco. Young scholars had access to amazing works, including that of math, philosophy, biology, astronomy, and even their very own Berber poetry. The library is being renovated, but at this stage the conditions in which thousands of priceless books are being stored is less than perfect. Although photography of the texts is forbidden, they are on display on small shelves protected by glass. The gold calligraphy and extraordinary illustrations are superb. One exhibit is a Koran more than 900 years old. As we said, it is worth a visit.

Moroccan Cuisine documentary

An interesting documentary on Moroccan cuisine

Moroccan Cuisine Part 1

Moroccan Cuisine Part 2

Carrot Salad with Cumin and Garlic

from Arabesque
by Claudia Roden

JAZAR BIL KAMOUN WAL TOUM

Carrot salads are very common in Morocco.  This one is sold by street vendors and is particularly delicious.  Use older carrots, which have a better taste than young ones.

SERVES 4 to 6

4 large carrots (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
4 TBS. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt and black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon

Peel or wash and scrape the carrots and trim off the tops and tails.  Cut them into quarters lenghtwise and then cut each quarter in half to produce sticks.  Boil in salted water for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender but not too soft, then drain.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and put in teh carrots, garlic, cumin, and some salt and pepper.  Saute on a medium high heat, stirring and turning the carrots over, until the garlic just begins to color.

Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve cold.