Tagine cooking

Moroccan Whiskey

2009-04-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

Moroccan Tea, lovingly refered to as Moroccan whiskey

Mastering the art of making Moroccan tea is well worth the effort it involves. To make about a litre of tea, first heat the teapot. Add about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of green tea, a handful of fresh whole mint leaves with their sprigs intact, and between 150 - 180 grams of lump sugar. Swirl the liquids around and then quickly pour out the water, taking care not to lose any of the leaves or undisolved sugar. (Moroccans swear this takes the bitterness out of the tea). Add the mint and and more sugar to taste and pour in about 1 litre of boiling water. Let the mixture brew for about 6 - 8 minutes.

The technique of pouring the tea is almost as crucial to the success of hosts as the quality of the tea they use. This becomes easier to understand when one realizes that all Moroccan tea pots have long, curved pouring spouts and this allow the tea to be poured into even the tiniest of glasses from a height of half a metre or more. Practice is definitely advised before trying this with your guests. Moroccans like their tea lightly flavored by herbs, only rarely is it served "neat". The most popular herb added to tea is mint

The origin of tea in Morocco is much debated. Several theories attribute it to various sources. One claims that Morocco's taste for green tea evolved from the first Phoenicians who visited the area. Another asserts it originates from Andalusia at the time of the Spanish reconquest. Yet another hypothesis extends further back in time to the Berbers, the first inhabitants of North Africa, who originally came from Central Asia.

Lamb tagine

2009-03-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Lamb tagine serves 4

Ingredients
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground black pepper
1½ tbsp paprika
1½ tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 x shoulder of lamb, trimmed and cut into 5cm/2in chunks (about
1.1kg/2½lb meat in total)
2 large onions, grated
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp argan oil (see note)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
570ml/1 pinttomato juice
2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
115g/4oz dried apricots, cut in half
55g/2oz dates, cut in half
55g/2oz sultanas or raisins
85g/3oz flaked almonds
1 tsp saffron stamens, soaked in cold water
600ml/1 pint lamb stock
1 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Place the cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mix. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of argan oil in a large tagine. Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mix and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.
In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides then add the browned meat to the tagine. De-glaze the frying pan with ¼ pint of tomato juice and add these juices to the tagine.
Add the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, apricots, dates, raisins or sultanas, flaked almonds, saffron, lamb stock and honey to the casserole dish. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender, sprinkle over the chopped herbs. Serve.

Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons

2009-03-07T02:48:00.000-08:00

For 2-3 people

* 1 small chicken around 1 kg, quartered
* 2 large sliced onions
* 1 tsp. powdered ginger
* one pinch of saffron (best if pistils)
* 2 preserved lemons
* 1 cup green olives
* 1 cup lemon juice
* sea salt
* pepper
* 1 cup water
* olive oil

One hour before preparation, marinate chicken with sea salt, lemon juice and a cup of water in a large bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large pot or tagine. Cook sliced onions until they start to change color. Add ginger, pepper, saffron and chicken. Add water. Remove the pulp of the preserved lemon and mix it in the Cuisinart. Add to the pot. Cut the skin into quarters. Add to the Tagine. Cook on a low flame until the chicken is soft and easily falls off of the bone. You don’t want it to be too dry, or too chewy. Add olives before serving.
And Enjoy!

Go Morocco

2009-02-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

What ever you want to know about Morocco, you can find it here!

Moroccan Meat Stew

2009-02-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

This is a nice menue for 1 -2

1 lg chicken -- jointed
1 1/4 lb mutton (or lamb),Cubed
2 lg onions -- finely,Chopped
1 bn parsley --,Chopped
1/2 t ginger --,Ground
1 salt
1 black pepper
1 paprika pepper
3 oz butter
1 lb quinces (or more ),To Taste
Put meat into a medium sized tagine with the onions and parsley. Just cover
with water and season with ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and
simmer about an hour, until cooked. Slice and core the quinces (leave
peel on), brown them very lightly in the extra butter and add them to
the stew half an hour before the end of cooking.
Visit Shop Morocco for a full range of Tagines and Accesories

Moroccan Chicken Stew

2009-01-29T08:23:00.000-08:00

1 sm to medium chicken
1 pn saffron
1/2 t ginger,Ground
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t turmeric
3 cloves garlic
1 3 cinnamon stick
1/2 c coarsely parsley,Chopped
1/2 c coarsely coriander,Chopped
1 chicken flavoring (if needed)
1/2 lemon
1 filo dough
1 butter,Melted
1 c toasted -- coarsely,Chopped
1 alm
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t cloves,Ground
1 t brown sugar
1 eggs
1/3 c powdered sugar
Place chicken (include the gizzards, etc) in a pot, add water to cover. Season
with saffron, ginger, cloves turmeric, garlic, cinnamon stick, parsley,
coriander and several cubes chicken flavoring if needed. Simmer for 1 - 2
hours, until fowl is meltingly tender.
Strain the stock, reserve the chicken (including gizzards) and discard any
whole spices. Boil the strained stock until it's reduced to 1 cup. Add the
lemon juice. Bone the chicken and cut into 1 inch pieces.
Brush the inside of a square or round baking dish approx. 12" x 12" x 3" with
melted butter. Fit a sheet of filo dough into the dish so that its ends hang
over the edge a bit. Brush with melted butter and repeat 5 or 6 times.
Scatter the almonds on top of the 6th layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon,
cloves and sugar. Beat eggs and combine with 1/2 cup stock. Cook slowly
until creamy and forming soft curds. Layer 2/3 egg mixture over the almonds
and spices. Top with 4 - 5 more layers of filo dough, buttering each sheet.
Now, arrange the boned chicken pieces and the rest of the eggs. Dribble
several tbsp. of the remaining stock over this. Top with another 5--6 sheets
of buttered filo dough, tucking the overhanging edges from the bottom layers
in between. Bake in a 350 degree oven (mark 4--5) 40 minutes until golden
brown. Turn onto a platter and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/3 cup
sifted powdered sugar.

Moroccan Beef Stew

2008-11-29T01:27:00.000-08:00

2 lb chuck roast (bite-size)
1/4 t cumin
3 T flour
1/4 t ginger
2 t salt
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 T vegetable oil
1 c celery,Chopped
20 oz pineapple chunks
1/2 c onion,Chopped
2 c juice/water
2 cloves garlic,Minced
1/2 t paprika
1 c carrots,Sliced
1/4 t coriander
3 sm tomatoes,wedged
1/4 t turmeric parsley flakes
Dredge beef in flour and salt and brown in oil. Pour off drippings.
Add spices, celery, onion and garlic. Stir in juice and water. Cook
slowly 1 hour. Add carrots and cook 30 minutes more. Add pineapple
and tomatoes and heat through. Garning with parsley. Makes 8
servings.we recommend using a Large Tagine or simular cooking pot.

Enjoy your Meal, Esteve.

Spread the Word

2008-11-26T13:54:00.000-08:00

Buy a Shop Morocco T-shirt

Spread the word, Buy a Shop morocco T-Shirt and get a 10% discount voucher on you next order FREE!

Our Price: £12.50

Shop Morocco

2008-09-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

Shop Morocco was created in 2007 by Esteve.
Having very close relations with morocco for many years,It seemed to obvious step to take.
We are based in Tarifa,Spain,on the southern coast of Spain, the most southern point of europe. Although in Spain,Tarifa's closest city is Tangiers, Morocco.
With only 14k of water (the Straits of Gibraltar) between them.
Trade between the two towns and the rest of europe as existed since the start of time.
Many of our items are shiped direct from our warehouse in Morocco,keeping our prices as low and competitive as possible.
All our products are Handcrafted by traditional moroccan craftsmen,
Artisan starts in the mind of the craftsman therefore every carpet, rug or piece of pottery is slightly different,making everyone unique.

Shop Morocco is quickly becoming the #1 seller of Tagines on the internet.
The Tagine is our #1 product.Closely followed by Carpets and Rugs.
Tagines come in many different shapes and sizes,Cooking Tagines,Serving Tagines and Decorative Tagines.The Tagine as become a specialist product for Shop Morocco, We are continually adding Tagines to our stock.
Moroccan Carpets and Rugs come in many sizes and colours.Every Carpet a unique in itself.Hand woven on wooden looms or laboriously knotted by hand.Every Carpet a unique creation using basic or intricate designs,passed down from the start of time.
It can take several months to make a Carpet, A Item to enjoy in your home for many years.
We also sell a lot of Hookahs(sheshas) and wooden pipes, Our clothing department is becoming very popular and we are constantly adding new products.

We have some great products on offer.Shop Morocco is the only online shop,directly related with Morocco. We buy all our products directly from the source in Morocco.
This not only keeps us in touch with the Moroccan people, but gives us a very special relationship buying direct, enables us to keep our prices competitive and more importantly help the Moroccan people. When you buy from Shop Morocco you are shopping in Morocco and providing much needed work to the Moroccan People.If you can't find what you're looking for, Please don't hesitate to contact us. We travel to morocco on a regular basis.Almost anything can be aquired or made to order.

Mediterranean Chicken Tagine

2008-08-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

If you like chicken your going to love this,
serves 6

1 T olive oil
1 lg onion(s),finely chopped
3 garlic clove(s) (1,Minced
-tbs)
2 T ginger,minced
1 1/2 t turmeric
1 1/2 t cumin seeds,Ground
1 1/2 t coriander seeds,Ground
1 cinnamon stick
6 c chicken stock
2 T lemon juice
1/2 lb turnips,peeled cut into 3/4
- dice
1/2 lb carrots,peeled cut into 3/4
- dice
1/2 lb celery (or fennel),peeled
-cut
- into 3,/4 dice
1 T lemon juice
2 T lime chutney
1/2 c raisins
1 salt and pepper
2 lb chicken breasts skinned and
-boned c,ut into 2 pieces
1 c chick-peas,Cooked
1/3 c cilantro or,Chopped
-flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a large Tagine or casserole dish. Add the onion, garlic,
ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon stick. Cover over
medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is soft but not brown.
Add 6 cups of stock and the lemon juice, root vegetables, lime
chutney, raisins, salt and pepper, and chicken pieces. Simmer for 20
minutes, or until the root vegetables are almost tender. Add stock as
necessary to keep the stew from drying out.
Just before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the
chick-peas. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked. Correct the
seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Garnish
with cilantro or parsley and serve at once.

Lentil Tagine

2008-08-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

If you like lentils,then this is the recipe for you.

Serves 4 people and is really easy to cook.

1 lb lentils,picked over
4 lg tomatoes,vine-ripe, chopped
1 lg onion,chopped fine
1/4 c olive oil
2 cl garlic,chopped
1 t paprika
1/2 t white pepper
1 t salt
3 1/2 c water,plus more if needed
1 c parsley,fresh
1 c fresh coriander sprigs
-chopped
In a medium sized tagine (30cm) combine lentils, tomatoes, onion, oil,
garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, and water, making sure that water
covers lentils and adding more if needed. Simmer lentil mixture,
covered, over moderately low heat 45 minutes, or until lentils are
tender. Stir in parsley and coriander and cook 1 minute more.
Let me know how you get on all comments are welcome.

Morocco

2008-08-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

For most westerners,Morocco holds an immediate and enduring fascination.
Just 1/2 hours ferry ride from the Tarifa port of Spain,it seems at once very far from Europe.With a deeply traditional Islamic culture - that is almost wholly unfamiliar.Throughout the country,despite the years of French and Spanish colonial rule and the presence of modern and cosmopolitan cities like Rabat or Casablanca,a more distant past constantly makes its presence felt.
Fes, perhaps the most beautiful of all Arab cities, maintains a life still rooted in medieval times,when the Moroccan empire stretched from the Senegal to northern Spain,while in the mountains of the Atlas and the Rif, it's still possible to draw up tribal maps of the Berber population.As a backdrop of all this ,the country's physical make-up is also extraordinary.From the Mediterranean coast to the empty sand and scrub of the Sahara.
All of which makes Morocco an intense and rewarding experience.

Lamb And Pear Tagine

2008-08-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe Lamb and Pear Tagine serves up to 6 people,and tastes as good as it sounds.

2 lg onions,peeled & sliced
1 Kg lean lamb,leg or shoulder
-cut into,4cm cubes.
4 pears,peeled cored & cut
-into 4cm,chunks
1/2 c sultanas
1/2 c silvered almonds
1 T olive oil
1 t cumin
1 t coriander,Ground
1 t ginger,Ground
1 t cinnamon
1 t black pepper
1 water,to cover the meat
1 salt,to taste
1. In a large Tagine gently fry the onion in the olive oil until
soft, add the meat to the tagine and cook until it changes color, then
add the spices. Add water to just cover the meat and salt to taste.
Cover and simmer gently until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 - 2
hours. (Displace the lid a little after an hour if there appears to
be too much liquid.)
2. Add the pears to the meat together with the sultanas & almonds.
Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the pears are soft. Serve with
rice.

Basic cafe food

2008-08-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Basic Moroccan meals normally begin with a thick very filling soup-most often the spicy bean snd pasta harira.Alternativly you might start with a salad,or have this as a side dish with your main meal.Typically a plate of kebabs(small pieces or chopped/minced lamb on a skewer).Some places offer fried fish, a stew of beans,or a plate or kebab of offal such as liver or brain.
A few hole in the wall places specialize soup,which they sell by the bowlful all day long.There is a thick pea soup called bisara topped with green olive oil.
Alternatively you could go for the Tagine,which is essentially a stew, steam-cooked in a earthenware dish ,with a conical lid.Classic tagines include lamb/mutton,prunes,almonds.or chicken with olives and lemon.Or you could have a tagine with fish or just vegetables.Kefa is popular , meatballs topped with eggs.A Tagine is to Moroccan cuisine what a cury is to Indian.And the variety is endless.

Moroccan artisan and Tourism

2008-08-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

Morocco is one of the great craft producing countries of the world, the traditional crafts sector contributes more than 10% of the national income, and employs more than two million people and has a large share of Morocco's export trade. Tourism in Morocco is enormously important economically and also key to preservation of such fabled cities as Fez,Marrakech and Tangiers.Many visitors are so taken with the way of life in Morocco,They return year after year, some even become part-time residents whose renovated houses require the services of the many expert traditional craftsmen, tile-makers, painters, lantern-makers, rug weavers, furniture makers.Tourisum is an important factor in the way of life for the inhabitants of Morocco, providing a neccessary income in a otherwise poor situation.Without tourism many trades would be lost,many skills that have been passed down through the centuries could be gone forever.

Couscous

2008-08-10T06:51:00.000-07:00

Couscous is the national dish of Morocco. It is made with water and flour that is hand rolled, so it is actually rolled pasta. Traditionally it is steamed over a pan of stewing vegetables, spices, garbanzo beans, and your choice of meat. The word couscous refers to the wheat pasta as well as to the prepared dish with sauce and vegetables. There are numerous ways to make couscous that vary from region to region. This is one of my favorite recipes.

2/3 c chickpeas,Dried
3 T olive oil
2 lb lean,boneless lamb shoulder
1/2 c white onions,Chopped
5 c water,Boiling
3 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 c ripe tomatoes
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg,Freshly Grated
1 bay leaf
2 t dried mint,Crushed
1 t (scant) salt (or),To Taste
1/4 t black pepper,Freshly Ground
4 medium-sized carrots
3 sm turnips
2 c couscous
3 sm zucchini
2 italian sweet peppers
1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in four times their volume of water in a
noncorrisble bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 5- to 7-quart pot.
3. Cut the lamb into 1-inch cubes. Brown them (in batches, if necessary) on all
sides over moderate heat. Transfer the meat to a warm platter.
4. Reduce the temperature to low and saute the onions for 2 minutes, stirring
frequently.
5. Add the lamb, boiling water, lemon juice, tomatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay
leaf, mint, salt, and pepper. Stir, cover, and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
6. Drain the chickpeas and stir them into the lamb mixture. Simmer the
ingredients, covered, for 45 minutes.
7. Begin this step 5 minutes before step 6 is completed. Peel the carrots and
turnips. Cut the carrots into 3/4-inch long segments and the turnips into 3/4-
inch cubes. When step 6 is completed, stir these ingredients into the pot
containing the lamb. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
8. Begin this step as soon as the carrots and turnips start simmering in step 7.
Put the couscous pellets in a 2- to 3-quart pan. Pour cold tap water into the pan
until it reaches a depth of 1 inch above the pellets. Soak the pellets for 10
minutes.
9. Pour the couscous into a sieve, discarding the water. Return the couscous to
its soaking pan. Slowly strain two cups of the broth from the large pot into the
couscous. Bring this mixture to a simmer. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes over
low heat.
10. Slice the zucchini into 3-inch cuves and the peppers into ¼ inch-thick rings.
When step 7 is completed, stir in both ingredients and simmer the mixture,
covered, for 10 minutes.
11. It should be time to turn off the heat under the simmering
couscous pellets as soon as the zucchini-and-pepper mixture starts
simmering in step 10. Fluff the pellets, cover the pan, and let it
stand for 8 minutes. Then pour off any remaining liquid.
12. Mound the couscous pellets in the center of a warm, large serving
platter. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and vegetables from
the pot and neatly arrange them around the mound.
Serves 6 to 8.

Chicken Tagine

2008-08-10T00:10:00.000-07:00

1 T olive oil1 lg onion(s),finely chopped
3 garlic clove(s) (1,Minced
-tbs)
2 T ginger,minced
1 1/2 t turmeric
1 1/2 t cumin seeds,Ground
1 1/2 t coriander seeds,Ground
1 cinnamon stick
6 c (to 8 cups) chicken stock
2 T lemon juice
1/2 lb turnips,peeled cut into 3/4
- dice
1/2 lb carrots,peeled cut into 3/4
- dice
1/2 lb parsnips,peeled cut into
-3/4 dice
1/2 lb celeriac peeled cut into
-3/4 dice,sprinkled with
1 T lemon juice
1 T pickled lemons (opt),Chopped
1/2 c raisins
1 salt and pepper
2 lb chicken breasts skinned and
-boned cut into 2 pieces
1/2 c chick-peas (opt),Cooked
1/3 c cilantro or,Chopped
-flat-leaf parsley for gar
Heat the oil in a large Tagine. Add the onion, garlic, ginger,
turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon stick. Cover over medium
heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is soft but not brown. Add 6
cups of stock and the lemon juice, root vegetables, Pickled Lemons
(if using), raisins, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until
the root vegetables are almost tender. Add stock as necessary to keep
the stew from drying out.
Just before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the
chicken and chick-peas. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked.
Correct the seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve at once.

Tangiers

2008-06-28T00:48:00.000-07:00

Tangier or Tanger as refered to by the spanish lies on the northern tip of Africa nearly touching Tarifa in the most southern tip of spain.In the early 20s Tangier was one of the top resorts of the mediterranean.The town sitting on the meeting point like tarifa of the mediterranean and the atlaniic oceans.It was a international city with its own laws and administration.
Legand says Tangier was founded by Sophax the son of the Greek god Hercules and Tingus. When Sophax founded the city he named it after his mother Tingus.
Tangiers has always been a international city. With agreements as early as the 1905, in 1923 an area of 380 square kilometers, with over 150'000 inhabitants formed the international zone which was finalised by treaty. In its peak in the 1950s, Tangiers international comunities numbered over 60,000,nearly half the population.This foreign influence as remained to present date.
Tangiers is made up of 3 parts the Medina; the origional moroccan town with its classic web of passages. The Ville Nouvelle,The new town built buy european colonist. And The Avenue d'Espagne, The beach front. This is the newist area for development and as escalated dramaticly in recent years. Tangiers is pushing itself once again to be the most stylish resort on the mediterranean.
For me I prefer the Medina with its classic allyways,stepped passages and years of history.The original Moroccan town.
The Medina is full of interesting shops and stalls,the main theme being Artisan.Although nowadays it seems to be moving more towards leather goods and fashion items such as handbags etc.Which is a real shame as Morocco is famous for its artisan.And even more for it's Carpets.These woven treasures are a representation of centuries of exquisite artistry and meticulous craftsmanship. Moroccan carpets are famous for the quality of wool,cotton and silk used in there weavings.
And for their striking colors produced by natural dyes. These woven treasures are a representation of centuries of exquisite artistry and meticulous craftsmanship. Moroccan carpets are famous for the quality of wool,cotton and silk used in there weavings.And for their striking colors produced by natural dyes.

Tanger can easily be reached from Europe, Tangier has a international airport 15k outside the city, and a large port with fast ferry connections to Tarifa, Algeciras and Gibralta.Tarifa being the closest with a 35min connection. The ferry port is only 10mins walk from the Medina.

Tagines

2008-03-03T01:50:00.000-08:00

Tagines were traditionally used by moroccan nomads as portable ovens over charcoal braziers, a tagine is made from glazed earthenware (clay) with a conical lid. The base is both a cooking and serving dish. The cone shaped cover acts like an oven and the entire lid is totally sealed to retain heat and moisture, which not only prevents it from drying out during the long cooking process, but also allows the slow infusion of flavors throughout the dish. The lid has an extended knob at the top which is designed to remain cooler and thereby act as a handle.
Tagines come in a large variety of shapes sizes and colors and nowadays are used as much for decor as cooking.