Goat Cheese with Aleppo & Urfa Biber

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Ingredients

  • 1 Goat Cheese Log

  • 1tbls Aleppo

  • 1tbls Urfa Biber

Method

We like to use a young goats cheese on this which contrasts the spice of the Aleppo and Urfa Biber well. This one is so easy, simply sprinkle a generous amount of Aleppo and Urfa onto your goat’s cheese to your liking. Here we use about a tablespoon each to coat the top which just gives it a lovely presentation.

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Baked Brie with Dukkah & Honey

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Ingredients

  • 1 Brie (8oz or so)

  • 1tsp Dukkah

  • 1-2tbls Honey

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place your brie in a oven proof baking dish, drizzle honey and sprinkle with dukkah. Heat for 5-7 mins depending on the size of your brie (and your oven). Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or become flat. The cheese should maintain it’s shape and have just a bit of oozing out the center.

Roasted Cashews with Za'atar

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Ingredients

  • 1lb Cashews (raw & unsalted)

  • 2tbls Za’atar

  • 2tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • Sea Salt (to taste)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine cashews with olive oil and Za’atar coating the cashews evenly. Lay them flat on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 7-8 mins depending on your oven. Do keep an eye on them as they should become a light golden brown, if I they cook too long they can become bitter. Enjoy!

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Celery Kefta Tagine

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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.

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Octopus Sandwich

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Ingredients

  • 3 Octopus Tentacles (precooked)

  • 1 Crusty Bread (we love a good French baguette!)

  • 1 tsp Urfa Biber

  • 1 tsp Moruno Rub

  • 2 tbls Chermoula

  • 3 tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 1 tbls Mayonnaise

  • Onion (thinly sliced), Arugula, Parsley (optional)

Method

  1. Sauté octopus 3-5 mins until seared on each side.

  2. Add Moruno and stir for 1 min. Add Urfa Biber and stir for an additional minute.

  3. Toast bread in the oven/toaster and spread generously to your liking with mayo and Chermoula.

  4. Add octopus and any of your preferred greens. We like to add raw onions and parsley.

Dates with Tahini and Greek Yogurt

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Medjool dates

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

  • 1 cup Tahini

  • 2tbsp Honey

  • 2 tbsp Sesame seeds

Method

This is a simple yet rich dessert. Quite frankly this recipe is more about how much you want to indulge and eye balling it. For instance yogurt can be replaced by a fresh ricotta, mascarpone or even ice cream. 

We started by slicing the dates in half and spreading them over the plate, then we drizzled about 1 cup of tahini and topped it with a few heaping spoons of Greek yogurt, honey and sesame seeds. Et Viola!

Roasted Fish with Chermoula

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Ingredients

  • 1-4 pieces of black cod (or any type of meaty, flaky white fish)

  • 1 cup parsley

  • 2 cup cilantro

  • 1 tbsp paprika

  • 1 tbls Villa Jerada Chermoula

  • 1 tbsp Villa Jerada Harissa

  • 1 tbsp cumin

  • 2 threads of saffron

  • 3 garlic cloves

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1/2 preserved lemons skin and flesh

  • 1/2 cup of olives


Method

In a mortar pound all the ingredients except olives into a paste.
Rub the fish with the marinade and let sit for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 400. Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 17 min depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. Garnish fish with preserved lemon slices, olives, cilantro and parsley.

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Green Bean Tagine

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Ingredients

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  • 1 medium onion (diced)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 tsp turmeric

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • 1 tsp of saffron (steeped in warm water for 30min)

  • 4 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 cup of mixed parsley and cilantro

  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (we like Posardi)

  • 2 tbls tomato paste

  • 1 lb green beans (trimmed and cleaned)

  • 1 preserved lemon (inside removed and thinly sliced)

  • 1 cup warm water

  • Salt to taste


Method


In a cooking pot (we use a Dutch pot) warm some olive oil, add your onions and cook until translucent, add garlic cook for another minute then add the tomatoes, herbs, spices and beans. Let cook for another 5 min then add the water and half of the preserved lemons (cut in thin slices). Reduce heat to med-low and cover. to simmer. Cook until the beans are tender. Once the beans are cooked add the rest of the preserved lemons in thin slices.
Serve warm with some more good quality fruity olive oil (we recommend our Atlas Olive Oil) and warm bread.

Bekkoula - Steamed Spinach Salad Tartine

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Ingredients

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  • 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.

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Cucumber Tahini Salad

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Ingredients

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  • 3 Persian cucumbers
  • 2 tbsp Tahini
  • 1/2 tsp Nigella
  • 6 sprigs of cilantro
  • 1/2 of a lime
  • 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • 1 onion (quartered & thinly sliced)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • Salt to taste

Method

Mix tahini with a bit of water to get a dressing like consistency. If you prefer lighter dressing, add a bit more water or add less if you prefer a thicker dressing. Whisk, then add the honey and salt. Cut the cukes the way you like and add the dressing and mix well. Plate the cucumbers and add the onion, cilantro, olive oil and sprinkle the nigella on top. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

Zaalouk

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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.

Roasted Tomatoes & Ras el Hanout Yogurt

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt

  • 1 tbls Honey

  • 1 tbls Ras el Hanout

  • 3 cups Tomatoes (we like a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes)

  • 2 cloves Garlic

  • 4 Tbls Olive Oil

  • Half bunch of Cilantro

  • Salt (to taste)

Method

Mix the greek yogurt, honey and Ras el Hanout.

Create a marinade with the cilantro, grated garlic and olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in slices or quarters or if using cherry tomatoes use them whole. Marinade them for an hour or so then either heat olive oil in a pan, add tomatoes and lightly sear for roughly 3 mins on each side OR roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 mins until skin begins to burst. Spread a generous scoop of yogurt on a plate and the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil from the pan. Enjoy with bread or serve with grilled meats.

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Mderbel - Moroccan Cauliflower Salad

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We don't really follow the trends like cauliflower rice but we do eat the cauliflower mash our mama fed us in Morocco.

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Ingredients

  • 1 Cauliflower head

  • 2-3 Tbls Harissa (or to taste)

  • 3 Garlic Cloves

  • 1/2 Preserved Lemon (thinly sliced)

  • 4 Tbls Olive Oil (or to taste)

  • 1/4 cup Parsley

  • 1/4 cup Cilantro

  • Salt (pinch)

  • Pepper (to taste)

Method

  1. Cut cauliflower into small pieces and simmer in olive oil, garlic, parsley, cilantro, preserved lemons, salt and pepper until soft. About 20 mins.

  2. Once cooked, add Harissa, mix and mash with a fork.

  3. Drizzle olive oil over the top and serve!

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Tomato Salad Merhzina

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This dish is a staple you'll find on every single Moroccan table, every season. It compliments just about anything you can imagine and is incredibly easy to make.

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 Heirloom Tomatoes (Rough chopped)

  • 1/2 cup Picholine Olives

  • 1/2 Onion (finely chopped)

  • 1/2 Red or Green Bell Pepper (roasted and chopped)

  • 1/4 Preserved Lemon (thinly sliced)

  • 4 Tbls Olive Oil (or to taste)

  • 1 Tbls Vinegar or squeeze of fresh Lemon

  • 1/4 cup Parsley

  • 1/4 cup Cilantro

  • Cumin (pinch)

  • Salt (pinch)

Method

  1. Peel the tomatoes and cut in half. Remove the seeds and any liquid. Dice finely.

  2. Wash and chop the herbs well.

  3. Mix all the ingredients and add the vinegar and olive oil.

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Sumac Radish Salad

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Ingredients

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  • Watermelon radish

  • Daikon radish

  • White radish

  • Salt

  • Sumac

  • Olive oil

  • Lemon juice

  • Cilantro sprigs

Method

This time the recipe is your intuition. You have carte blanche. You shave some radishes, whisk some good olive oil and lemon. Sprinkle some sumac and salt and the dish is ready. We are adamant about the soigné presentation though.