Harira

The Moroccan Harira Recipe...

Harira is the traditional Maghreb soup (Morocco and Algeria). It is usually eaten during dinner in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to break the fasting day. It is considered as a meal in itself. It is also served to relatives and friends after a special celebration, such as the morning after a wedding night, and its recipe varies then slightly from the harira eaten during Ramadan. Of course, it could be prepared any time, however, some families prefer to stick to tradition and serve it on special occasions.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup dried small red or brown lentils
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup hot cooked angel hair (about 1 ounce uncooked pasta)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  

Preparation:

• Sprinkle the lamb with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add lamb; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add onion; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in water, chickpeas, cinnamon, and ground red pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

• Stir in tomato, lentils, and bell pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in pasta, cilantro, and juice; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Moroccan Fish Tagine

A Classic Moroccan Fish Tagine. Firm white fish such as mahimahi, halibut, or sea bass are particularly good in this recipe. Use more or less saffron according to your taste. Serve with basmati rice.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped whole lemon
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 pitted green olives, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds mahimahi
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion (about 1)
• 4 cups coarsely chopped seeded tomato (about 2 pounds)
• Cilantro leaves (optional)
  

Preparation:

• Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add lemon, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon oil, and sugar; cook 3 minutes or until water evaporates and mixture just begins to brown, stirring frequently. Set aside.

• Place remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons oil in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at high for 10 seconds at a time just until oil is heated. Stir in saffron; let stand 10 minutes.

• Combine lemon mixture, saffron mixture, chopped parsley, and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

• Preheat oven to 400°.

• Layer 1 cup onion slices and 2 cups tomato on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Remove fish from bag, reserving marinade. Top tomato with fish; pour remaining marinade from bag over fish. Cover with remaining 2 cups tomato and remaining 1 cup onion. Cover with foil. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven.

• Transfer fish and vegetables to a serving platter. Drizzle remaining liquid over fish. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Moroccan Duck Tagine

This Moroccan Duck Tagine with clementines goes really well with Moroccan spicing and the sweet flavors of honey and fresh fruit as you'll discover with this vibrant tagine.

Ingredients:

• 6 duck legs
• 200g shallots , peeled
• 2 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, ginger and paprika
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 2 tsp clear honey
• juice 1 lemon
• 6 small, firm clementines , peeled
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the duck legs in one layer in a large roasting tin or two smaller ones. Sprinkle with salt, then roast for 45 mins. Remove the duck legs to a dish and spoon 3 tbsp of the duck fat into a large, wide pan (reserve the remainder of the duck fat).

• Add the shallots and fry briefly until just starting to color. Sprinkle in the spices and mix well. Add the stock, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. Sit the duck legs on top, cover tightly and cook over a gentle heat for 1-1¼ hrs until the meat is very tender.

• Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the duck fat in a frying pan, add the clementines and fry all over until glistening and starting to brown. Add to the pan with the duck and cook for a further 15 mins, then sprinkle with coriander and sesame seeds. This dish goes really well with couscous.

Try: Freezing

Freeeze at the end of step 3 before adding the coriander and sesame seeds. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then return to the pan, bring slowly to the boil and simmer, covered, for 20 mins. Sprinkle with coriander and sesame seeds, and serve.