For our Moroccan dinner, we ate on a low table, sitting on cushions on the floor. We began by eating eggplant salad with bread made of semolina flour. Next, we ate the tajine on couscous with the bread and our (clean) fingers, like in Morocco. We ate melon slices next, which would typically be dessert, but with guests, there are pastries too. So we finished with a cup of mint tea and semolina cookies.
Batinjaan Zalud- Eggplant Salad (upenn cookbook)
Yield: 8 small salads. This Eggplant Salad may also be served as an appetizer. Be sure that the salad is very cold when served.
Ingredients
1-2 eggplants, peeled and cut in 1” slices
½ cup olive oil
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. sugar
tomato for garnish
olive for garnish
parsley for garnish
Directions
1. In a large skillet, fry eggplant in olive oil until soft.
2. Mash eggplant and add onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. Chill in refrigerator.
4. Presentation: Heap 1/2 cup eggplant mixture on a 6- to 7-inch plate. Mash it down to form a circle within 1 inch of edge of plate.
Dribble with 1/2 tsp. olive oil (if mixture appears dry).
Place: 1 slice tomato in center of circle and 1 black olive in center of tomato. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
For the Moroccan Semolina Bread Recipe (Khobz dyal Smida), I used about.com. I didn’t like it and wouldn’t make it again, but it was fun. Therefore, I’m not even adding this recipe.
Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Lemon (aka Chicken Tagine)
(America’s Test Kitchen)
Serves 4
Bone-in chicken parts can be substituted for the whole chicken. For best results, use four chicken thighs and two chicken breasts, each breast split in half; the dark meat contributes valuable flavor to the broth and should not be omitted. Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of zest from the lemon before juicing it. Make sure to trim any white pith from the zest, as it can impart bitter flavor. If the olives are particularly salty, give them a rinse. Serve with couscous (see related recipe).
Ingredients
1 1/4teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2teaspoon ground cumin
1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2teaspoon ground ginger
1/4teaspoon ground coriander
1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
3strips lemon zest (each about 2 inches by 3/4 inch)
3tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
5medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (4 breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks; wings reserved for another use) and trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 3/4cups low-sodium chicken broth
1tablespoon honey
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins, very large pieces cut into half-moons (about 2 cups)
1cup Greek cracked green olives, pitted and halved
2tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
*I also added chopped green pepper, chopped tomato, apricots, raisins and chickpeas!
Directions
1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside. Mince 1 strip lemon zest; combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.
2. Season both sides of chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large heavy–bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.
3. Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add thighs and drumsticks, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add carrots and breast pieces (with any accumulated juices) to pot, arranging breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add olives to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE AHEAD: The recipe can be prepared through step 4, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. To serve, gently warm until the chicken is heated through, then proceed with the recipe from step 5.
Basic Couscous (America’s Test Kitchen)
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2cups couscous
3tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1cup water
1cup low-sodium chicken broth
1teaspoon table salt
¼ cup parsley
½ tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice
¾ cup toasted almonds
Directions
1. Heat butter and shallots in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, aprox 5 min. Add garlic, cook till fragrant. Next, add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, and salt; stir briefly to combine, cover, and remove pan from heat. Let stand until grains are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover and fluff grains with fork. Season with parsley, zest, juice, and almonds and serve with chicken tagine.
Moroccan Semolina Cookies – Ghoriba dyal Smida (about.com)
Fine semolina (smida) provides great texture and flavor in this light, traditional variation of a Moroccan cookie known as ghoriba. Additional flavor comes from orange flower water and either lemon zest or vanilla.
Ingredients
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups (175 g) sifted powdered sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) melted butter
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla (or the zest from 2 lemons)
2 3/4 cups (500 g) fine semolina, plus additional if needed
orange flower water, for shaping the cookies
powdered sugar or granulated sugar, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350° F (180° C). Line two or three baking sheets with lightly oiled parchment paper.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick. Beat in the melted butter, vegetable oil, baking powder and vanilla (or lemon zest). Gradually add the fine semolina, mixing to ensure even distribution of ingredients. The mixture at this point will be sandy and coarse.
4. With a rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites into the semolina mixture until the egg whites are fully incorporated and a soft dough has formed. If the dough is too soft to mound without spreading or drooping, fold in more semolina, one or two tablespoons at a time, until the dough can be scraped with the spatula into a mound and hold its shape. Allow the dough to rest a few minutes.
5. Set out small bowls of orange flower water and sugar. Wet your hands and fingers with a little orange flower water, take a small portion of dough and gently shape it into a 1″ (2.5 cm) ball. Roll the ball in sugar and place on the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, allowing two-inch spacing on the pans between the balls of dough.
6. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until light golden with slightly darker edges and cracked tops. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to a wire rack. When the cookies are cool enough to handle, gently loosen them from the parchment paper and then leave to cool completely.
Store the semolina ghoribas in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or in the freezer for up to two months.
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