The Modern Tagine Cookbook: Delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot meals E-Book

Ghillie Basan

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 109

Beschreibung

These hearty one-pot meals, flavoured with fragrant spices, are cooked and served from an elegant, specially designed cooking vessel, also called a tagine. In Ghillie Basan's collection of deliciously authentic recipes you will find some of the best-loved classics of the Moroccan kitchen.

Leseprobe

the moderntagine cookbook

the moderntagine cookbook

Delicious recipes for Moroccan one-pot meals

Ghillie Başan

Designer Paul Stradling

Production David Hearn

Art Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2019 by

Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Recipe collection compiled by

Julia Charles

Text copyright © Ghillie Basan 2019

The recipes in this book have been previously published in Flavours of Morocco, Tagine, Tagines and Couscous and Vegetarian Tagines and Couscous.

Design and photographs copyright

© Ryland Peters & Small 2019 (see page 144 for a full list of picture credits)

ISBN: 978-1-78879-143-4

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-320-9

Printed in China

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

Notes

• Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cups) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience; however it is important to work with only one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

• To sterilize preserving jars, wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse in boiling water. Place in a large saucepan and cover with hot water. With the saucepan lid on, bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the hot water until just before they are to be filled. Invert the jars onto a clean dish towel to dry. Sterilize the lids for 5 minutes, by boiling or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Jars should be filled and sealed while they are still hot.

Contents

Introduction

Basic Recipes

MEAT & POULTRY

FISH & SHELLFISH

BEANS & PULSES

VEGETABLES

FRUITS & NUTS

COUSCOUS & SALADS

Index

Picture credits

Introduction

A tagine is an attractive and practical earthenware pot as well as the name of an aromatic casserole dish. Rooted in the traditional Berber communities of Morocco, tagine cooking lends itself well to modern eating. You can be bold and inventive and, as the ingredients cook gently in the steam that builds up inside the conical lid, ensured of succulent results. There is a little magic to a tagine, too, as you lift off the lid and release the aroma of herbs and spices, honey and fruit, and perhaps a hint of citrus, it is a feast for the senses.

Moroccan cooking is regarded as the most exquisite and refined of the Maghreb, the North African region comprising Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Known as ‘the land where the sun sets’, the Maghreb provides a stunning geographical and culinary door to the rest of Africa, as well as a lively mix of the European and Middle Eastern influences that have shaped its culinary history. A traditional Moroccan tagine can reflect the fascinating mix of cultures that have left their mark on the cuisine: the indigenous Berbers who created the tagine cooking style; the nomadic Bedouins from the desert who brought dates and grains; the Moors expelled from Spain who relied heavily on olives and olive oil and brought with them the Andalucian flavours of paprika and herbs; the Sephardic Jews with their preserving techniques employing salt; the Arabs and Ottomans who introduced the sophisticated cuisine from the Middle East; and the culinary finesse and wine-making of the French.

Traditionally a tagine would be served as a course on its own with chunks of bread to mop up the delicious buttery, syrupy and spicy sauce, but in many modern homes it is served with couscous. On festive occasions, the classic way of serving a tagine and couscous together is to pile a huge mound of the grains in the shape of a high pyramid and to hollow out the peak to form a dip into which the tagine can be spooned. Couscous is Morocco’s national dish and is of fundamental value to Moroccan culture for dietary, religious and symbolic reasons. Light and easy to digest, couscous is simple to prepare and can add to your enjoyment of a modern tagine.

Harissa

This rich, fiery paste is wonderful stuff and is essential to every kitchen in the Maghreb. It is worth making a small batch of your own (a little goes a long way!) to keep handy in the refrigerator as it is a very versatile ingredient. It can be added to many tagines and couscous dishes; it can be served as a condiment to accompany just about anything; it can be stirred into sauces and marinades; and it can be transformed into a dip for warm crusty bread by combining it with oil or yogurt. Prepared by pounding spices and fresh coriander/cilantro with dried red chillies/chiles that have been soaked in water, or chillies/chiles that have been roasted in oil, harissa imparts a distinct taste to many Moroccan dishes. Jars of ready-prepared harissa are available in North African and Middle Eastern stores, as well as in some larger supermarkets and delicatessens, or you can make your own version based on this recipe. Try varying it with fennel or caraway seeds, fresh or dried mint, ground black pepper and roasted chillies/chiles instead of dried.

12 dried red chillies/chiles (Horn or New Mexico), deseeded

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

3–4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

a small bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

a small sterilized jar (see page 4)

MAKES 1 SMALL JAR

Put the chillies/chiles in a bowl and pour over enough warm water to cover them. Leave them to soak for 2–3 hours, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the cumin and coriander seeds to a coarse paste with the salt. Add the garlic and pound until creamy, then add the chillies and pound to a thick paste. Stir in the fresh coriander/ cilantro and bind with most of the olive oil.

Transfer the paste to a small sterilized jar and pour in the remaining oil so that there is a thin layer floating on top. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Chermoula

Prepared predominantly with fresh coriander/cilantro, lemon and chillies, chermoula lends its distinct hot, citrus flavour to many marinades, grilled dishes and vegetable tagines. Unlike the deep, fiery notes of harissa, chermoula is light and lemony with a mild burst of chilli/chile and is best prepared on the day that it will be used. Variations of this basic recipe can be found alongside some of the tagine dishes in the chapters that follow.

2–3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 red chilli/chile, deseeded and roughly chopped

1–2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

a big bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped

a pinch of saffron threads, soaked in a little water

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

3–4 tablespoons olive oil

MAKES A BOWL

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the chilli/ chile, cumin seeds and salt to a coarse paste. Add the chopped coriander/cilantro and pound again to as smooth a paste as you can get. Stir in the saffron, along with its soaking water, and the lemon juice and olive oil.

Ras el hanout

This traditional spice mix is so wonderfully pungent and eloquent, it could be described as poetry in a powder. Full of character, reflecting centuries of trade, war, diverse cultures and the geographical spread of Morocco’s culinary history, this synthesis of spices is fiery, aromatic and warming all at the same time. Packed with strong Indian aromas of cardamom, cloves, ginger, peppercorns and mace; cinnamon from Sri Lanka; cloves from Zanzibar; local African roots and plants, such as guinea pepper from the Ivory Coast; orris root from the Atlas Mountains; and the delicate, perfumed notes of rose buds, belladonna berries, fennel flowers and lavender from Morocco and Europe, ras el hanout is as unique as the hand that makes it, as every spice merchant has his own recipe. Translated from Arabic as ‘head of the shop’ it is a delightfully complex medley of 30–40 different spices. Beyond the souks of Morocco, it is difficult to make an authentic ras el hanout, but you can create your own version by loosely following the recipe below, or you can order the aromatic ras el hanout produced by Seasoned Pioneers at www.seasonedpioneers.co.uk.

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon aniseed seeds

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

1 teaspoon allspice berries

1 teaspoon cardamom seeds

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 pieces of mace

2 pieces of cinnamon bark

2 teaspoons dried mint

1 dried red chilli/chile

1 teaspoon dried lavender

6 dried rose buds, broken up

MAKES 4–5 TABLESPOONS

Using a mortar and pestle, or an electric blender, grind together all the spices to form a coarse powder.

Stir in the dried lavender and rose petals and tip the mix into an airtight container.

You can store the spice mix for about 6 months if you keep it in a cool cupboard well away from direct sunlight.

Smen

An acquired taste, smen is an aged butter with a rancid flavour. Often flavoured with herbs and spices and set in earthenware pots, smen can be stored in a cool, dry place for months, sometimes years. It is the primary cooking fat for many Berber communities, who also enjoy this pungent butter smeared on bread. An essential component of many traditional tagines, particularly ones with a high spice content, smen can be substituted with ghee (clarified butter), which isn’t as pungent as smen but it does emit a warm, nutty aroma to the dish. Ghee (usually an Indian brand) is sold in Middle Eastern and Asian stores, as well as in some larger supermarkets, or you can try making your own version of smen.

500 g/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

a sterilized jar (see page 4)

MAKES ABOUT 500 G/1 LB.

Soften the butter in a bowl. Put the salt and dried oregano in a saucepan with 150 ml/⅔ cup water and boil to reduce it a little. Strain the water directly onto the butter and stir with a wooden spoon to make sure it is well blended, then leave to cool.

Knead the butter with your hands to bind it, squeezing out any excess water. Drain well and spoon the butter into the prepared jar. Seal the jar and store it in a cool, dry place for at least 6 weeks before using in a recipe.

Preserved lemons

Small, thin-skinned lemons native to the Maghreb are traditionally preserved in salt and lemon juice to impart a distinctive, citrus flavour to many tagines, grilled dishes and salads. Generally, it is only the rind, finely chopped or sliced, that is employed in the dishes as the flesh is too salty. The refreshing, tangy taste of these preserved lemons is unique and is essential to the cooking of many traditional tagines, particularly vegetable ones. You can buy jars of ready-preserved lemons in Middle Eastern and North African stores, as well as some supermarkets and delicatessens, but they are easy to make at home.

10 organic, unwaxed lemons, plus the juice of 3–4 lemons

about 10 tablespoons sea salt

a large sterilized jar (see page 4)

MAKES A LARGE JAR

Wash and dry the lemons and slice one of the ends off each lemon. Stand each lemon on the flattened end and make two vertical cuts three-quarters of the way through them, as if cutting them into quarters but keeping the base intact. Stuff a tablespoon of salt into each lemon and pack them into the prepared jar. Store the jar of lemons in a cool place for 3–4 days to soften the skins.

After this time, press the lemons down into the jar, so they are even more tightly packed. Pour the lemon juice over the salted lemons, until they are completely covered. Seal the jar and store it in a cool place for at least a month.

To use, rinse the salt off the preserved lemons and pat them dry. Using a small sharp knife, cut the lemons into quarters lengthways and remove all the flesh and pith so that you are just left with the rind. Finely slice or chop the rind according to the recipe.