Cooking in:Moroccan meals are mini banquets
Think of Moroccan cooking and couscous is probably the first dish to spring to mind - those straw-coloured grains perfect for soaking up delicious meat or fish juices. Healthy Mediterranean ingredients such as tomatoes, olive oil and peppers abound. The added twist is the use of spices, primarily cumin and paprika, and herbs, particularly parsley and coriander.
Moroccan food is based on the achievement of shaban, or total satisfaction. Good hosts don't want their guests to leave their table until they reach this point, so traditional Moroccan meals tend to begin with an abundance of warm and cold salads, which are left on the table, as accompaniments, for those who might want a little top-up, when the main dishes - often tagines - are brought in.
A tagine is both a slow-cooked stew and the conical dish in which it is traditionally cooked, but many Moroccan households now use saucepans or casserole dishes, so don't feel you need to rush out to buy one.
Recipes serve four
AUBERGINE SALAD
3 medium aubergines
olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp each paprika, ground cumin and ground coriander
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 dsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 dsp white-wine vinegar
Cut the aubergines into one-centimetre slices, brush lightly with olive oil and cook under a preheated grill until brown on both sides. While still hot, transfer to a bowl containing the garlic, four tablespoons of olive oil, the paprika, cumin, coriander and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, toss well and cover with cling film. Leave under the cling film until cooled to room temperature. Stir in the parsley, coriander and vinegar. Check seasoning and serve with bread.
MOROCCAN SALAD WITH
SPICED DRESSING
1 garlic clove
½ tsp ground cumin
100ml olive oil
2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 tomatoes, quartered, seeded and cored
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
6 cooked baby new potatoes, halved
4 baby beetroot, halved and sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and halved
Roughly chop the garlic and combine on a chopping board with a little salt and black pepper. Using the back of a large knife, mash to a paste, leaving no lumps. Whisk this together with the cumin, olive oil, vinegar and a spoonful of cold water (which helps to bind it all together). Place all the vegetables in a large bowl with the herbs, pour in the dressing and toss well. Arrange the eggs on top and serve with lots of bread.
LAMB TAGINE
1kg cubed shoulder of lamb
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 unpeeled cloves garlic, flattened with the back of a knife
2 tbsp each chopped parsley and coriander
2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
olive oil
450g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
Combine the lamb, onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, ginger, cumin and paprika, plus salt and pepper and enough olive oil to coat the meat. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge. The next day, place the meat and marinade in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked, adding the potatoes after the first 10 minutes. Remove the meat and potatoes to a warm serving plate and discard the garlic (although it is rather delicious if you don't mind spitting out the skin). Reduce the sauce by half and serve with couscous (rice also works well).