Msemen (Moroccan Stuffed Flatbread) with Prawns

Ingredients

Filling:

• 1lb Shrimp (cooked)

• 1 tsp Harissa

• 1 tsp Kefta rub

• 1/2 cup Cilantro and Parsley (chopped)

• 1/2 Onion

• Salt to your taste

Dough:

• 3 1/2 cups White Flour (all purpose or bread)

• 1/2 cup Semolina or Durum flour (fine)

• 2 tsp Sugar

• 2 tsp Salt

• 1/4 tsp Dry Yeast (less in very warm weather)

• 1 1/2 cups Warm Water (not hot)

Method

For Folding the Msemen

• 3 cups of Olive Oil (more if needed)

• 1/2 cup Semolina (fine - you can use coarser caliber if you like)

1. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water and combine to make a dough.

2. Knead the dough by hand (or with a mixer and dough hook) until very smooth, soft and elastic but not sticky. Adjust water or flour as necessary to achieve that texture.

3. Divide the dough into balls the size of small plums. Be sure the top and sides of the balls are smooth. Transfer the balls of dough on an oiled tray, cover loosely with plastic and leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. While the dough is resting, set up a work area. You'll need a large flat surface for spreading and folding the dough. Set out bowls of olive oil and semolina. Set your griddle or large frying pan on the stove, ready to heat up.

Shape the Msemen

1. Generously oil your work surface and your hands. Dip a ball of dough in the oil and place it in the center of your work space. Using a light touch and quick sweeping motion from the center outward, gently spread the dough into a paper-thin, roughly shaped circle that's almost paper thin. Oil your hands as often as needed so that they slide easily over the dough.

2. Place the filling in the middle of the first flattened layer and shape as for Msemmen. Spread the filling around the centre of the flattened layer of dough.

3. Place the filled and slightly flattened square of Msemmen in another layer of flattened dough (basically one msemmen square inside another before we start the flatening process).

4. Slighly flatten the square.

5. Place all filled Msemmen in an oiled baking tray. Leave at least 15 cm around and between each one as we will flatten them further before pan-frying.Pan-fry each Msemmen until nicely golden from both sides (top and bottom).

6. Serve warm with a hot glass of Moroccan tea.

Carrots & Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

• 2-4 Carrots

• 1 Garlic Clove

• 1 tsp Kefta Rub

• 1/2 Preserved Lemon (pulp removed)

• 1/2 cup Parsley

Method

Boil carrots and garlic until cooked and soft. Remove from water and drain. Peel and cut into rings. In a frying pan add the olive oil, the spices, the preserved lemon cut into thin pieces and the garlic and cook until warm, ensuring not to burn the spices. Toss the cut carrots and mix well until it’s all coated and serve warm.

Kemia Chickpeas with Kefta Rub

Ingredients

• 1lb Chickpeas

• 1 tbsp Kefta Rub

• 2-3 tbls Vegetable/Frying Oil

• Sea Salt

Method

Soak your chickpeas overnight in the morning strain and dry in a towel until fully dry. Heat frying oil and dry until crispy. Dry in paper towel then put in a bowl. Add salt and Kefta rub, mix until all chickpeas are fully coated with the spice mixture. Add more spice to taste.

Celery Kefta Tagine

Ingredients

• 3 Celery stalks

• 1 Onion

• 1 Garlic clove

• 1 Preserved Lemon

• 1tsp Ras el hanout

• 1tsp Turmeric

• 1/2tsp Black pepper

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 cup of Water

• Salt to taste

Kefta Meatballs:

• 1lb Ground Meat

• 2 tbsp Kefta Rub

• 2 crushed Walnuts

• 1 cup chopped Parsley

• 1 cup chopped Cilantro

• 1 Green Onion

• 1/3 cup diced Onion

• 2-3 Mint leaves

• 1 Sage leaf

Method

To prepare the Kefta:

1. Mix the ingredients together and knead until the mixture resembles a dough ball

2. Make small little balls. You could make this ahead of time and let the Kefta sit overnight

To prepare the Tagine:

1. Thinly slice the onions.

2. Heat the olive oil and cook onions on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until translucent. Meanwhile cut the celery into thin long pieces.

3. Add the celery to the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add a tiny bit of water if the pan is drying.

4. Add your spices, and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

5. Add liquid and let simmer until the sauce has thickened and the celery is soft enough. This should be around 15-20 minutes covered on a slow med heat.

6. Add your rolled Kefta balls and cook for another 5 mins and add chopped parsley and cilantro. Let cook for 5 minutes. Your tagine is ready to enjoy with some crusty bread. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

Bekkoula - Steamed Spinach Salad Tartine

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Spinach leaves, most of the stem removed

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup tomato (fresh or we like Posardi tomato sauce)

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped or pressed)

• 1 tbls Kefta rub

• 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste

• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 preserved lemon rind (quartered)

• Pulp from 1 preserved lemon (finely chopped)

• 1 handful of Picholine olives

Method

1. Wash the spinach and drain well. Finely chop the leaves and crush the garlic then steam until spinach is wilted, about 2-3 mins.

2. Remove any excess liquid move to a frying pan. Add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix, and saute over medium heat for several mins until all the greens are wilted and well blended.

3. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnishing the salad with the olives and preserved lemon rinds and serve with bread or our favorite - on a tartine.

Zaalouk

Zaalouk is one our favorites on the Moroccan mezze repertoire.

Ingredients

- 3 Eggplants

- 4 Tomatoes (roasted or grilled)

- 2 tbsp Harissa

- 1 tsp Kefta rub

- 1 Garlic clove

- 1/2 cup of chopped parsley and cilantro

- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- Salt to taste

Method

Grill Eggplants and tomatoes until they blister. Dice the eggplants and finely chop the parsley and cilantro, then add to the tomatoes to a pan with olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add Harissa, Kefta, garlic, salt and herbs.

Mix and serve.

Kefta Meatball Shakshuka Tagine

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Eggs

• 1tbsp Tomato paste

• 2-3 Tomatoes grated

• 1 Onion

• 1tbsp Harissa

• 3tbsp Olive oil

• 1 cup Water

• 1tbsp Kefta rub

• Parsley

• Cilantro

• Salt

In a tagine, sweat some onions in olive oil on a light heat for about 15 min.

Meanwhile make the kefta

• 1lb Ground Meat

• 2 tbsp Kefta Rub

• 2 crushed Walnuts

• 1 cup chopped Parsley

• 1 cup chopped Cilantro

• 1 Green Onion

• 1/3 cup diced Onion

• 2-3 Mint leaves

• 1 Sage leaf

1. Mix the ingredients together and knead until the mixture resembles a dough ball.

3. Make small little balls. Could make this ahead of time and let the kefta sit overnight.

4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, herbs and let simmer for 10 min until a good thick sauce develops.

5. Add the kefta balls, cook for 5 min, add the eggs. Remove from heat once everything is cooked or until the eggs are to your liking.

Serve with a nice crusty French bread or our personal favorite Batbout (homemade Moroccan Semolina flatbread).

Harissa Fish Tagine

• Halibut or cod filet
• 1 tbsp Harissa
• 2 tsp Kefta rub
• 2 Anaheim fresh peppers
• 4 Wax potatoes
• 1 Fennel
• 2 Tomato
• 2 Small onions
• Olive oil
• 2 Garlic cloves
• Water
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Salt

Start by heating olive oil, lay sliced onions onto the tagine or the bottom of your pan. Add the tomatoes sliced and the fennel, garlic, Harissa, Kefta rub and a little bit of water so the spices don’t burn. Cook for 5 min. Add potatoes, Anaheim peppers, cilantro and parsley chopped. Add more water to create a stew consistency. Once vegetables are almost cooked add the fish. Cook for 5-7 min depending on the desired thickness.

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Kefta Shakshuka

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb ground beef chuck
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 2 teaspoons Villa Jerada Shakshuka Blend
• 2 ½ teaspoons Villa Jerada Kefta Rub
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 small onion, grated on the large holes of box grater or finely minced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Villa Jerada Harissa
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs
• Whole cilantro leaves, to serve
• Crusty bread or pita, to serve (optional)

Method

1. First, make the kefta (meatballs): combine the beef, ¼ cup of the chopped cilantro, 2 ½ teaspoons of the kefta rub, 1 teaspoon salt and the onion in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. (I think it’s easiest to mix with your hands.) Using your hands or a small scoop, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill for at least 20 minutes.

2. While the kefta are chilling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the tomato, tomato paste, remaining ¼ cup chopped cilantro, harissa, the 2 teaspoons Shakshuka blend, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the water. Cook until the tomato has broken down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce-like consistency. Add the kefta. Cover and cook until the meatballs are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to make an egg-sized hole in the shakshuka. Crack one of the eggs into the hole. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-soft. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. Scatter the whole cilantro leaves over the shakshuka and serve hot.

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1 large tomato, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
• 1-2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and sliced lengthwise ¼ inch thick
• 1 clove garlic, very thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups water
• 3-4 tablespoons best quality olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons harissa
• 1 teaspoon kefta rub
• 15 saffron threads
• Sea salt + freshly ground black pepper
• About 8 small sprigs cilantro, plus additional to garnish

Scatter the onions over the bottom of a large sauté pan or tagine and salt lightly. Tile the sliced potatoes over the onions. Arrange the sliced tomatoes, peppers and garlic over the potatoes. Pour the water into the bottom of the pan. The precise amount will vary slightly based on the size of your pan, but you want enough to form a thin layer over the bottom of the pan, just covering the onions. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables. (Don’t skimp on the olive oil, it’s part of what makes the potatoes silky and soft when they’re done cooking.) Dot the harissa over the vegetables. Season generously with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Sprinkle with the kefta rub and saffron then arrange the cilantro sprigs over the top. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat then cover and cook until most of the water has evaporated, the potatoes are cooked through and the tomatoes are starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. You may need to reduce the heat a little. If there’s still a little water in the bottom of the pan when the vegetables are done, remove the lid and cook off the excess. Sprinkle with additional cilantro to garnish, if desired, and serve in the pan. Makes 3-4 servings.