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Category Archives: Moroccan Inspired

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Spiced Almonds

1 medium head of cauliflower (cut into florets)

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, with skin

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

 

Transfer the cauliflower, onion and garlic onto a cookie sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle salt. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes until the cauliflower is golden brown. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom seeds

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup sliced almonds

Melt butter in a medium skillet. Add the spices, salt and almonds and toast on medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool and keep aside. This can be done a day before and kept in the fridge.

1 medium red skin potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup half and half (substitute with coconut milk for vegan)

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Salt

Harissa for garnish

In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the potatoes, cauliflower, onion and garlic and boil for 10 minutes till the potatoes are tender. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or in a blender till smooth. Transfer back to the large pot and bring to a boil, cook for 10 to 15 minutes on a medium heat. Check for seasonings and add more stock if needed. Strain the soup (it is optional but I prefer the smooth consistency). Serve with a sprinkle of almonds and a small dollop of harissa.

 

Moroccan Style Potato Gratin


1/3 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 cups heavy cream
2 medium garlic cloves, mined
2 tablespoons harissa
Salt
Pepper
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic and harissa to cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.
Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole. Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the excess liquid.
Cover dish tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.
I modified this recipe from NYTimes.

Moroccan Spiced Roast Turkey Breast

Spice Rub

  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Mix the spices, divide in half and keep aside.

Compound Butter

  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ½ of the spice rub
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep aside.

  • 1 7 to 10 pound turkey breast
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 orange, cut into eight pieces
  • 1 lemon, cut into eight pieces
  • 1 cup turkey or chicken broth
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • 1 medium onion, chopped roughly
  • 2 carrots, chopped roughly
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped roughly

Have your gravy ready either the day before or the morning of. Transfer it to a large saucepan and keep aside.

Preheat convection oven to 325 degreed F.

Place the turkey onto a rack in a roasting pan. Turn the turkey over and place the cut up orange and lemon inside the cavity. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally and turn it breast side facing up. Loosen the skin and carefully spread half the compound butter. Spread the rest all over the skin. Sprinkle the spice rub all over the top. Pour the broth, juice and sherry to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Keep aside.

Roast till internal temperature reaches 158 to 160 degrees F. Take out of the oven and place onto a platter and cover with foil to rest for at least 20 minutes. While the turkey is resting, take the drippings from the bottom of the pan and pour them into a small glass bowl. Let the fat separate, remove from top and pour the liquid into the prepared gravy and bring to a boil. Check for seasonings and heat the gravy through. Serve with the turkey.

 

Moroccan Inspired Cranberry Orange Sauce


2 cups organic cranberries
2 cups orange juice
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons harissa
2 navel oranges, supremed
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Transfer the washed cranberries into a medium saucepan. Add the orange juice, sugar, salt and harissa. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cook on a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or till the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Check for seasoning and cool completely. Add the orange supremes and fresh parsley and serve.

Moroccan Style Potato Salad

Potato Salad

  • 5 to 6 potatoes, skinned and cut into 1 inch squares, cooked in water till soft
  • Salt

Sprinkle some salt on the hot potatoes once they are drained well.

Dressing

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

Add the tomato paste and garlic into a small bowl. Add the boiling water and mix and let sit for 5 minutes.

  • 1 tablespoon harissa sauce
  • 1 preserved lemon, chopped (zest of one lemon can be used instead)
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice from the preserved lemons (or juice of a lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin- crushed
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Add the harissa, preserved lemon, juice, cumin, salt and honey. Drizzle the oil slowly, whisking the dressing constantly. Check for seasonings and add to the hot potatoes. Mix well and taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Top with cilantro and serve.

Moroccan Style Carrot and Orange Salad with Harissa Dressing

This is a great carrot salad to complement yesterdays’ stew or any other entree.. in fact, it will delicious with any grilled meats/seafood! I have buying the most gorgeous looking multi colored organic carrots from Trader Joes but any kind of carrots will do, in face you can buy the pack of already shredded carrots to keep things simple. Either way, this is a yummy salad!

  • 4 to 5 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 3 to 4 navel oranges, cut into segments and squeeze the juice and keep aside for dressing
  • 4 green onions, chopped

Transfer all the ingredients to a serving bowl. Keep aside.

Dressing

  • ½ cup orange juice
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Transfer all the ingredients to an airtight container. Mix well with the lid on. Taste for seasonings. Pour half of the dressing onto the salad, mix well and add some salt to adjust seasonings. Pour more dressing if needed. Let the salad sit for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.

Moroccan Style Vegetable Stew with Olive Gremolata

This is a great vegetarian stew to make for company or through the week- and a great recipe to post for meatless Monday!! It does have a whole lot of ingredients but most of them are very common and are usually in a pantry. Harissa is a Moroccan style condiment that is made with red peppers and can have some heat as well… it is commonly found in super markets…

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 large yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 14 ounces can of tomatoes (I used fire roasted with green chilies)
  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into small florets
  • 1 14 ounces can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 3 to 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • Salt

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and dates and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste, tomato paste and flour. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and pepper. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and add the water or broth. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue cooking till the consistency is of a thick stew. Check for seasonings and keep aside.

Gremolata

  • ½ cup green olives, chopped (I used olives stuffed with garlic)
  • ½ cup parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
  • Zest of one large lemon

Mix the olives, parsley, raisins and lemon zest in a small bowl. Top the stew and serve.