Morocco: Recipes and Cuisine
The exotic flavors of North Africa reach their full expression in the cooking of Morocco. Moroccan cuisine is known for its flavorful stews, called tagines, that simmer in the bottom of a large, double-chambered pot. Their steam cooks and flavors the couscous pasta in the top compartment. The tagine is then served over the couscous. A wide variety of spices are mixed in varying proportions to give a personal touch to dishes. The best mixes, called ras el-hanout, can be bought custom made. Bstilla, a poultry pie in flaky pastry, is world famous. Most Moroccan meals finished with cup of excellent mint tea.
Moroccan Recipes
Couscous
(North African steamed pasta grains)
Couscous is a commonly served starch in the region of Northwest Africa known as the Maghreb. In typical Maghreb cooking, couscous is cooks in the top part of a pot known as a couscousière. The bottom part holds a stew, or tagine, whose simmering steams and flavors the couscous. The method described here is the quick way to make couscous. It does not make as fluffy or fragrant a dish, but it is much easier and requires no special equipment. Read more »
Couscous aux Sept Légumes
(Moroccan couscous with lamb and vegetables)
This straightforward couscous dish is one of the most popular dishes in Morocco and the rest of the Maghreb. Seven is considered a lucky number, and while the vegetables used in the dish may vary from family to family, town to town and season to season, the number used is constant. A great vegetarian dish, you can add meat if you like. Read more »
Djej Emshmel
(Moroccan chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemons)
Djej emshmel is a popular Moroccan chicken tagine also known as djej m'chemel, djej emshemel or djej emsharmel. The unique flavor of the chicken slow simmered with olives and preserved lemons highlights the best aspects of Moroccan cuisine. Read more »
Harira
(North African lamb and chickpea stew)
Harira is a soup from the Maghreb region of North Africa that is especially popular as an iftar meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan. There are innumerable variations of this hearty, healthy soup, but most recipes are for chunks of lamb slow simmered with tomatoes, chickpeas, spices and herbs. Read more »
Harissa
(North African peppers and spice paste)
Harissa is a common spice paste seasoning in the Maghreb of Northern Africa, especially in Tunisia. It is used to add flavor to couscous, pasta, sandwiches and soups, either as a condiment or as an integral ingredient of dishes. Read more »
Kefta
(Middle Eastern spiced meatballs)
Spiced meatballs are common in one form or another from Morocco in the west through the Middle East (kefta or kufta), to Greece (keftedes), Turkey (köfte), Armenia (kyufta), Iran (kufteh, or koofteh) and all the way to India (kofta) in the east. All names for these little balls of wonder derive from the Persian verb kuftan, which means "to grind." Read more »
Khoubz, or Khubz, Araby
(Mediterranean pocket bread; see Pita recipe)
Leems
(Moroccan preserved lemons)
Preserved lemons are a common pickle in North Africa, particularly Morocco, where they are known as leems, or country lemons. Their intense lemon flavor is valued as a bright addition to soups, stews and tagines like djej emshmel. Try preserved lemons chopped and tossed in salads or as a condiment for fish or seafood. Read more »
Mslalla
(North African marinated olives appetizer; see Olive Marinate recipe variations)
Ras el Hanout
(Moroccan spice blend)
Arabic for "top of the shop," ras el hanout is a spice blend, similar to Indian curry, that originated in Morocco. Each spice merchant takes special pride in his own version, which can have anywhere from ten to over one hundred ingredients. Ras el hanout is perfect as a rub for grilled meats or to season tagines, couscous or rice. Here is a recipe for a basic version. Add any of the suggested variations to give it your own personal touch. Also spelled ras al hanout or hanut. Read more »
Tagine de Poulet aux Fruits Secs
(Moroccan chicken braised with dried fruit)
This is a wonderful Moroccan tagine, redolent with the sweet flavors of dried fruit. Serve tagine de poulet aux fruits secs with couscous. Place a heap of couscous on a plate with steep sides, ladle the tagine over the top and spoon extra sauce around the edge. Read more »
