by Anissa Helou
SERVES 4
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 pound (450 g) lean ground lamb, from the leg or shoulder
½ tablespoon sea salt
½ teaspoon Lebanese 7-Spice Mixture or allspice
1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter
FOR THE CHERRY SAUCE
2¼ pounds (1 kg) fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries (see Note)
1 tablespoon raw cane sugar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
FOR ASSEMBLY
2 to 3 pita breads, split into 2 disks and cut into medium triangles
1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter, melted
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¼ cup (50 g) pine nuts, toasted in a hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly golden
1. To make the meatballs: Mix the lamb, salt, and spice mixture (or allspice) and shape into small balls, the size of large marbles. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the meatballs until lightly browned.
2. Put the cherries, sugar, and pomegranate molasses in a pot large enough to eventually hold the meatballs and bring to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Add the meatballs and simmer for another 15 minutes, until tender.
3. To assemble the dish: Arrange the pita bread triangles all over a serving platter, coarse side up, making sure the pointed ends are nicely arranged on the outside. Drizzle the melted butter all over the bread. Spoon the meat and sauce over the bread. Sprinkle the chopped parsley all over, then the toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately.
NOTE: If you can’t find fresh sour cherries, use dried sour cherries and simply rehydrate them by soaking them overnight in water: 2 cups (500 ml) water for 14 ounces (400 g) pitted dried sour cherries. Add the soaking water along with the cherries when you make the sauce.
Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons
D’JAJ M’CHERMEL
MOROCCO
There are four different types of Moroccan tagines: m’qalli in which the sauce is flavored with saffron, ginger, and pepper; m’hammar where the only seasonings are cumin and paprika (m’hammar means “reddened” or “toasted,” and I guess that here it alludes to the red color of paprika); k’dra with only saffron and black or white pepper as seasoning and lots of onions in the sauce; and finally m’chermel, which is the recipe I give below, made with lots of herbs and all the spices used in the other versions. Tagines are basically stews, and the interesting thing about Moroccan tagines is that instead of browning the meat at the beginning as with most other stews, the browning is done at the end after the meat has cooked and the cooking liquid has evaporated to leave only a silky sauce. You can cook tagines in the traditional earthenware tagine that gives its name to the dish. Or do as many Moroccan home cooks do and cook the tagine in a pot, then transfer it to a beautifully decorated ceramic tagine dish to serve at table. It is mostly street food vendors and rural folk who cook their tagines in earthenware tagines. I personally follow the example of city Moroccan home cooks and cook my tagine in a heavy stainless steel or cast-iron pot.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
Good pinch of saffron threads
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
4 poussins or Cornish hens
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), grated on the fine side of a grater
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, very finely chopped
¼ bunch cilantro (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, very finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste
1 large preserved lemon, peel only, cut lengthwise into medium-thin julienne
7 ounces (200 g) unpitted green or Kalamata olives, or a mixture of the two
Moroccan Bread, for serving
1. Mix together the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, saffron, pepper, and a little sea salt in a large pot. Add the poussins and rub well inside and out with the spice mixture.
2. Add the onions, herbs, cinnamon stick, and 3 cups (750 ml) water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. Cover the pan and cook for 45 minutes, or until the poussins are cooked through and the broth has become very concentrated, and reduced down to about a quarter.
3. Add the lemon juice, preserved lemon peel, and olives. Carefully turn the poussins in the sauce. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
4. Transfer the poussins to a serving dish. Spoon the sauce and olives all over. Serve very hot with Moroccan bread.
Poussin Tagine with Carrots, Olives, and Preserved Lemon
D’JAJ BKHIZÜ
MOROCCO
This tagine made with baby carrots is delightful served with a Moroccan Bread variation made with anise and sesame seeds. The sweet flavor of the carrots is exquisitely offset by the tart preserved lemons and salty olives, and the added flavoring in the bread makes it even more delicious when dipped in the sauce. Instead of the poussins or Cornish hens suggested here, you can also make this tagine with quail (use 4) or squab (use 2), or simply with a whole chicken.
SERVES 2 TO 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), grated on the fine side of a grater
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
A good pinch of saffron threads
Sea salt
2 poussins or Cornish hens
1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) Chantenay or baby carrots, trimmed and brushed clean
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
3½ ounces (100 g) unpitted Kalamata olives
½ preserved lemon, peel only, sliced into thin julienne
Moroccan Bread variation, for serving
1. Put the olive oil, onion, garlic, parsley, spices, and a little sea salt in a large pot. Mix and spread all over the bottom. Lay the poussins on their backs over the oil-parsley mixture. Add 2 cups (500 ml) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let bubble gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the poussins are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the carrots, cilantro (reserving some for garnish), lemon juice, olives, and preserved lemon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 15 more minutes, or until both poussins and carrots are done and the sauce has thickened.
3. Transfer the poussins to a serving dish. If the sauce is still too liquid, increase the heat and let it bubble uncovered until it thickens and becomes somewhat silky. Arrange the carrots and olives around the poussins and spoon the sauce all over. Garnish with the reserved chopped cilantro and serve hot with Moroccan bread.
Lamb Tagine with Potatoes and Peas
L’HAM BEL B’TATA WA JEBLANA
MOROCCO
Tagines are typical street food in Morocco, and this is the one that is most commonly found, except that street vendors cut the potatoes into small dice and I prefer to use new potatoes, which I leave whole if they are very small or halve if they are medium. I also use frozen petits pois, which I blanch in boiling water and then add to the tagine at the very end so that they stay a bright green color.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 lamb shanks (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
2 medium onions (10½ ounces/300 g total), halved and cut
into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Good pinch of saffron threads
Sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¼ bunch cilantro (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) new potatoes, scrubbed clean and left whole if very small or halved if medium
9 ounces (250 g) fresh or thawed frozen petits pois (see Note)
Moroccan Bread, for serving
1. Put the shanks, onions, garlic, spices, and a little salt in a large pot. Add water to barely cover, about 4 cups (1 liter) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Turn the shanks over in the sauce and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn the meat again and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the meat is tender. If the shanks are not tender after an hour, cook for 15 to 30 minutes longer, adding a little more water.
2. When the meat is tender, add the herbs (reserving a little cilantro for garnish) and potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just done. Add the peas and cook uncovered for another few minutes, until the peas are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If the sauce is still runny, let it bubble hard uncovered until the sauce has thickened.
3. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving dish. Garnish with the reserved cilantro and serve very hot with Moroccan bread.
NOTE: Quick-thaw the frozen petits pois by plunging them into boiling water.
Lamb Tagine with Eggplant
L’HAM B’BOUDENJAL
MOROCCO
Eggplants are ubiquitous in Morocco but they are not indigenous, at least not until the Arabs brought them there in the eighth century, which is when they began to be incorporated into the cuisine. As for the Arabs, they were introduced to eggplants by the Persians who in turn found them in India. For this tagine, you can mash the eggplants into the sauce, in which case use large globe eggplants and chop them into chunks; or you can use Japanese eggplants and keep them whole—a prettier presentation. If you choose the latter, be careful when you stir them, and when you transfer them to a serving dish, so as not to mash them up.
SERVES 4
1 small leg of lamb on the bone (about 4½ pounds/2 kg)
1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), grated on the fine side of a grater
¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
¼ bunch cilantro (2 ounces/50 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Good pinch of saffron threads
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
Sea salt
1 pound 5 ounces (600 g) small Japanese eggplants or 2 large globe eggplants
Moroccan Bread, for serving
1. Put the leg of lamb in a wide pot. Add the onion, herbs (reserving a little cilantro for garnish), oil, spices, and a little sea salt. Add 4 cups (1 liter) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is completely done and the cooking broth has reduced to a thick sauce.
2. Meanwhile, peel the caps off the tops of the eggplants, keeping the stems on. Peel the eggplant in vertical stripes, leaving some of the skin on. If you are using globe eggplants, trim the top off, cut in half lengthwise, then quarter the halves lengthwise and slice crosswise into medium chunks. Sprinkle with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes before rinsing under cold water and patting dry.
3. When the meat is done, discard the cinnamon stick. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the eggplants and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are very soft.
4. Carefully remove the leg of lamb to a large serving platter, then gently remove the eggplants and arrange them around the meat. If the sauce is still too runny, boil it hard uncovered until reduced. Spoon the sauce all over and garnish with the reserved cilantro. Serve very hot with Moroccan bread.
Moroccan Meatballs with Rice
KEFTA BIL REZZ
MOROCCO
When I was first given this recipe by a lovely Moroccan lady I met while shopping in the medina in Tangiers many years ago, I was doubtful about how raw rice mixed with minced meat would cook given that I wasn’t going to be boiling the meatballs. Still, I liked the sound of the recipe and decided to give it a go, and to my surprise, it worked perfectly, with the rice expanding properly as it absorbed the cooking sauce, making the meatballs moister than they would have been if made plain.
SERVES 4 TO 6
¾ of the kefta mixture from Moroccan Kefta
½ cup (100 g) short-grain rice
1 medium onion (about 5 ounces/150 g), thinly sliced
Good pinch of saffron threads
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1. Prepare the kefta mixture as directed.
2. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water, then add to the kefta and mix with the meat using your hand to make sure the rice is evenly blended.
3. Put 3 cups (750 ml) water in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, saffron, pepper flakes, and parsley and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Add the butter and let bubble for a few minutes. Take off the heat.
4. Shape the kefta and rice mixture into small balls, moistening your hands with lightly salted water every now and then. Return the pan to the heat and drop the meatballs into the broth. Cook covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally toward the end, until they are cooked through with the rice completely tender. If the sauce is still too runny, increase the heat and let bubble hard for a few minutes, gently stirring occasionally until it thickens.
5. Add the cilantro (reserving some for garnish) and lemon juice and let bubble uncovered for a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately garnished with the reserved cilantro.
Lamb Stewed with Cumin
TANGIA
MOROCCO
Tangia is a supremely simple dish in which you put meat and seasonings in a pot, without any liquid, to simmer on very low heat until done. It takes just a few minutes to prepare but the whole night to cook, at least the traditional way in the ashes of the hammam (communal baths). The dish is a specialty of Marrakesh, and it is named after the tall earthenware jar in which it is cooked. It is probably the only dish that is specifically cooked by men in Morocco. Tradition has it that men prepare their tangia at home on Thursday afternoon, then take it to their local hammam where the man in charge of the fire will bury the jars in the hot ashes until it is time to move them to the cooler ashes, where they will stay warm until the owners are ready to pick them up to take to their Friday picnic. I was given the recipe below by the late Boujemaa Mars, who was head chef at the Mamounia, one of Marrakesh’s fanciest hotels. Initially, I wondered if the meat would cook without any added water or broth, but lamb releases a fair amount of liquid during slow-cooking, and the end result is among the most succulent, flavorful stewed meats I have ever tasted. Don’t skip on adding the preserved lemon to the pot, even though the recipe asks for a small amount. Adding it makes all the difference to the flavor and if you cannot find it in the stores, it’s easy to make your own (see Note). Traditionally, the preserved lemons used in
tangia are aged for at least 6 months in a cool, dark place.
SERVES 4
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Good pinch of saffron threads
Sea salt
2 pounds 10 ounces (1.2 kg) lamb meat from the shanks or shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into big chunks
¼ preserved lemon, preferably a well-aged one, rind only
Moroccan Bread, for serving
Put the oil, garlic, spices, and a little salt in a heavy pot. Mix well, then add the meat. Stir the meat with the seasoned oil, then add the preserved lemon rind. Cover and place over low heat. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If the sauce is runny, increase the heat to high and boil for a few minutes until the excess liquid has evaporated. Serve very hot with good bread, preferably Moroccan bread.
NOTE: To make preserved lemons, quarter unwaxed lemons lengthwise without cutting all the way through, leaving them attached at one end. Spread 1 teaspoon sea salt inside each of 2 quarters for a total of 2 teaspoons per lemon. Pack the lemons tightly in a canning jar and seal tight. Let sit for at least 3 to 4 weeks.
Sweet-Savory Lamb Tagine for Eid El-Kbir
M’RUZIYAH
MOROCCO
M’ruziyah is the Moroccan dish for Eid el-Kbir, when all those who can afford it will slaughter one or more sheep to use for their festive meal. They will also distribute some to family and friends as well as to those less fortunate. The traditional division is one-third for the household, one-third for relatives and friends, and one-third for the needy. In Morocco, meat is generally cooked on the bone, and for this specific recipe, the cut used is the shoulder. I have also used shanks, and I have used neck fillets, but when I want the dish to look really impressive, I use a whole leg of lamb. You can use beef if you want, but it is rare for Moroccans to do this. They normally use lamb or goat.