Aleppo Peach & Tomato Salad

This is a recipe our dear friend Chef/Restaurateur Renee Erickson shared with us during a recent visit.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Peaches (cut)

• 2-3 Tomatoes

• 1 Tbls Olive oil

• 1 Tbls Aleppo pepper

• Lemon juice (to taste)

• Thai Basil (generous sprinkle)

• Salt (to taste)

Method

Rub peaches with olive oil, gently grill for 2 min.

Cut tomatoes in chunks, mix in a bowl olive oil, lemon juice, salt and Aleppo pepper. Add the tomatoes, peaches and coat well. Serve on a platter and sprinkle with Thai basil. 

Read the whole story and find a few more incredible recipes that Renee shares with us here.

Shawarma Crab Sandwich

Ingredients

• 3 tbls Butter

• 1/2 cup Cooked Crab Meat

• 1 tsp Shawarma

• 1/4 of a Chopped Raw Onion

• Parsley (to taste)

• Lemon (a squeeze)

Method

Brown the butter and sauté the crab (we love king crab in this!) in the mixture adding shawarma spice. Take mixture and stuff into a pita bread or your bread of choice. We use our homemade semolina/rye bread here. Stuff your sandwich with the crab mixture, onions, parsley and squeeze lemon to taste et viola!

Ras El Hanout Cake

Ingredients

• 2 Pears

• 200 gr Butter (room temp)

• 100 gr Butter (melted)

• 1/3 cup Nuts (your preference, we like to use walnuts and cashews)

• 4 Eggs

• 1 dl Milk

• 1.5 dl Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

• 250 gr Flour

• 11 gr Baking Powder

• 2 tbsp Ras el Hanout 

• 180 gr Sugar (granulated)

• 200 gr Honey

Preheat oven to 356 degrees F.

Peel the pears and cut lengthwise in quarters.

Melt 200g of butter with the honey add 1 tbsp of Ras El Hanout. When the liquid had melted, add the pears and cook gently on a low to medium heat for 20 minutes until the pears have become soft.

In a large bowl add the sugar, 1 tbls of Ras El Hanout, mix, then incorporate your eggs and whisk well.

Add the milk, flour and the baking powder and mix until everything is blended, then add butter and olive oil, again mix well until blended.

Spray a pound cake mold with baking spray or rub with butter and dust with flour.

Pour the batter in the mold and cook for 45 minutes.

Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a knife or a toothpick. If it comes out dry, your cake is done.

Let cool and transfer to a serving plate.

With a brush, glaze the top of the cake with the honey Ras El Hanout sauce. Place your pears and other nuts on top to garnish.

Enjoy!

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Thon Ohror (Harissa Tuna Sandwich)

Ingredients

Serves 2-4, depending on hunger and sides

• 2 cans good tuna in olive oil

• 3 tbsp mayo, and more for construction

• 4 tbsp Villa Jerada Harissa

• Baguette (Vietnamese style or Ciabatta)

• ½ cup green olives, sliced crosswise

• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced

• 2 eight-minute eggs, sliced crosswise, and seasoned with salt and pepper

• 1 boiled potato, sliced crosswise, and seasoned with salt and pepper

• ¼ Villa Jerada Preserved Lemon, sliced

• 8 cornichon pickles, sliced crosswise

• Big handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, whole or roughly chopped
  Salt and pepper

• Parsley (handful)

• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method

Mix tuna, mayo, and harissa together. 

Slice baguette lengthwise and spread mayo thinly on both sides.

Spread tuna mixture onto the bottom of the bread.

Layer all remaining ingredients evenly and to your pleasure. 

Harsha - Moroccan Scones with Almond Amlou

Harsha is a popular breakfast staple - a cross between a French galette and an American scone. It’s usually accompanied with Amlou (Argan Almond Butter), cream cheese or butter and honey then sipped with mint tea or a nice latte.

It's easy to make and has so many variations to try (we love using anise or fennel seeds).

Recipe

• 350 grams of fine semolina

• 1 Tbsp of sugar

• 10 grams baking powder

• 100 grams of butter

• 1/2 cup milk

• 20g more semolina for dusting

• pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, incorporate the semolina, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix well.

Melt the butter and add without kneading to the flour mix until you obtain a sandy texture.

Pour the milk over and gently mix until it is absorbed. Let sit for 10 min.

With a rolling pin spread the dough to a 1/2 inch thick block. With a cutting disk cut little rounds. 

Gather the remaining dough again and flatten with the rolling pin to get more pieces. Repeat until all dough is consumed.

Heat a cast iron skillet to med heat: once the pan is hot dust with semolina and start cooking the mini breads. cook for 5 minutes on each side.

Harissa Citrus Salad

• 2 Oranges 

• 1 tbsp Villa Jerada Harissa

• 5-6 Oil Cured Olives

• 1tbsp Olive oil

• Parsley, Fennel or Mint leaves (to taste)

• Onions (finely sliced)

  Peel the oranges, paring away all the exterior white pulp. Cut each orange into supremes or wedges (to your preference. If wedges then cut each wedge into 1-inch pieces). 

  Place the harissa, lemon, olive oil in a salad bowl. Add some juice from the oranges and whisk to combine. Add the oranges, parsley, mint or fennel, olives and onions. Toss gently to mix. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Orange & Carrot Gazpacho

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated (about 1.5 cups)

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or more to taste)

• 1 navel orange (optional) peeled and chopped or cut into wedges

• 1 tsp orange blossom water

• 1 pinch salt

• 2 mint leaves

• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

  Mix all ingredients. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

  Serve cold. Garnish if desired with extra cinnamon and mint leaves

Moroccan Harissa Grilled Chicken

• 3lbs Chicken Legs

• 3 Tbls Harissa

• 1 Tbls Olive Oil

• 1 Tbls Honey

• 2 Garlic Cloves - grated

• 1 Lemon - squeezed

• Salt to taste

  Create marinade by whisking Harissa, Olive Oil, Honey, Lemon, Garlic and Salt until well blended. Add Chicken to the marinade to soak up all the flavors ideally overnight but doing so for at least an hour will also add some nice flavor when you’re in a pinch for time.

  Heat up your grill. Meanwhile create a small slit into each chicken leg to allow the heat to enter and cook the meat evenly so the skin doesn’t become too crisp. Cook roughly 6 min each side or until meat is cooked and tender and skin is slightly crispy.

Lamb Tanjia

• 3lb Lamb Shoulder or Beef Short Ribs

• 1 full head of Garlic

• 1 generous sprinkle Saffron threads (roughly 0.15g)

• 1 tbsp Cumin (whole)

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

• 3 cups Water

• 3 Preserved Lemons (Beldi style)

Steep saffron in water for 1 hour minimum and cover the bowl so the aromas don’t evaporate.

In a Dutch pot put the meat, olive oil, garlic, water and saffron.

Rub the cumin between your hands to obtain some that are partially crushed. Cover the pot and cook on a med heat for 3 hours.

Ras el Hanout Saffron Clams

This dish is one of our all time favorites. It’s an incredibly simple way to impress at any dinner party with it’s complex fragrant, floral, earthy flavors.

• 2lbs Clams

• 8oz Cream

• 1sm Leek- finely chopped

• 1tsp Ras el Hanout

• 1 pinch Saffron

• 3/4 cup Cilantro

Wash and steam clams in a large pot until they open. Drain most of the water out leaving about 1/4 cup at the bottom. Add the cream and leeks then cook on medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add Ras el hanout and lower heat mixing until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Toss in cilantro and cook for another minute or so, then enjoy!

Batbout Moroccan Flatbread

• 400gr Semolina

• 100gr Rye Bran

• 100gr Whole Wheat Flour

• 3cups Water

• 1Tbls Dry Yeast

• 1Tsp Salt

• 1/2 Tsp Sugar

• 3 Tbls Olive Oil

1. Activate yeast in 1/4 cup warm water with sugar. Leave to sit for several minutes until frothy.

2. Mix dough by hand for roughly 10 mins until soft and smooth and not sticky. Add a bit of flour bit by bit if it’s sticky. Turn dough into balls the size of an orange and let rest for 10 mins covered in a tea towel.

3. Roll ball into a thin circle about 1/8 inch thick and place them onto tea towels to rise for an hour.

4. When ready cook on a cast-iron pan or non stick pan on each side until golden brown on both sides.

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).

Grilled Whole Branzino & Chermoula

• 3 Whole Branzino

• 2 Tbls Chermoula

• 1 Tbls Harissa

• 2 Tbls Olive Oil

• 1 Tbls Water

• 1 Tsp Sea Salt

• 1/2 cup Cilantro

• 1/2 cup Parsley

• Lemon (to taste)

  Clean and prepare fish. Slit fish down the middle and diagonally across the outside. Mix chermoula, harissa, olive oil, parsley, salt, cilantro and water. Marinate in the cavity and outside of the fish and refrigerate for 1 hour. Grill 6-10 min each side adding extra marinade the last few mins of cooking time and grill until the fish is flaky and drizzle with olive oil and and squeeze of lemon to serve.

Moruno Grilled Mushrooms

• 20-30 Shiitake mushrooms
• 2tsp Moruno blend
• 1 tsp Salt or to your taste
• 1tbsp Olive oil
• Lemon (to taste)

Using wooden or metal skewers, mix olive oil, Moruno and salt. Whisk lightly to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated. Put the mushrooms into the mixture and let marinade for 10-15 min. Place on skewers tightly and put on the grill at a medium heat. Turn frequently so they don't dry out or burn. Serve with lemon wedges - squeeze to taste.

Grilled Quail with Harissa and Sumac

Harissa Quail:

• 3 tbsp Villa Jerada Harissa
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp crushed thyme
• 2 quail

Sumac Quail:

• 3 tbsp Sumac
• Half a lemon juiced
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp olive Oil
• 2 quails

In a bowl mix all ingredients to obtain a marinade. Soak the chicken into the marinade for at least 45 min. Grill (we did a bbq for ours) gently turning often enough to ensure nothing burns or overcooks (depending on the bird) about 7 min on each side or until cooked to your preference. Once cooked serve on a dish with some lemon wedges.

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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Saffron Parsnip & Zucchini Soup

• 1 Leek
• 1 Parsnip
• 1 Zucchini
• 3 cups of water
• 2 cups of milk (or almond milk if vegan)
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 Oregano sprig
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Sweat the leeks in olive oil along with parsnips cut in pieces for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid browning. Then add the water, salt, saffron and oregano. Cool for 10 minutes. Cook until all the vegetables are tender. Then add the milk. Blend until a silky creamy soup.

Chermoula Asparagus with Carmelized Onions

Ingredients

• 1lb asparagus
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp Villa Jerada Chermoula
• 3 Tbsp extra Virgin olive Oil
• Half of a lemon
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook on a medium heat until they sweat and caramelize, stirring frequently for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile trim your asparagus and boil it for 3-4 minutes drain and cut in halves. Once the onions are cooked, add the asparagus, the Chermoula and stir until the Chermoula blends in to make a nice thick sauce. Add olive oil and drizzle lemon to taste.

Dukkah Endive Salad

• 2 endives
• 4 dates
• 150g Manchego cheese
• Picholine Olive Oil
• half a lemon
• 2 tbsp. Dukkah

Separate the endives leaves rinse and dry. Place on a plate and put aside. Pit the dates and slice. Mix your olive oil and a half a lemon into a thick vinaigrette. Pour the vinaigrette on top of the endives, sprinkle 3 quarters of the Dukkah, and mix all with your hands. Add the dates, then grate the cheese on top and sprinkle the rest of the Dukkah over the salad.

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.