Zaalouk

Along with the Moroccan Lamb we cooked for our family Mother's Day feast we decided to make side dishes to suit.  I have actually been wanting eggplant (aubergine) for a while now so it was a perfect time to cook it.

I came across this recipe and just fell in love with the sound of it and could actually taste the flavours while I was reading.... a perfect mix of spices paired with the nuttiness of the eggplant and the sweetness of the tomatoes.

 

Not only was this dish devoured I have to say I was surprised with how quickly it was made and ready for eating.  The actual techniques were quite basic and easy to execute - I think it took me longer to work out how to pronounce it's name.

Zaalouk

(recipe adapted from taste.com.au)

Serves: 4
WW SmartPoints Per Serve: 3

1 large (700g) eggplant, cut into 1.5cm-thick slices

cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon harissa

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, finely chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon
salt
freshly ground black pepper 

Preheat grill to medium. Spray eggplant with cooking spray and grill for 16 minutes, turning halfway, until soft and golden. Cool slightly, then chop roughly.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Stir garlic, spices and harissa in frying pan 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Add eggplant and tomatoes, and cook for 10 minutes or until thick and well combined. Stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Moroccan Roast Lamb

Mother's Day saw many of the family get together... well Noel's family as my mam lives in Queensland.  It was great to catch up with everyone again and enjoy not only each other's company but a feast (as we all love food). We decided to break away from the traditional roast dinner that we have most times and have a Moroccan taste adventure.  I was actually quite worried how this would be received as it was outside the norm for the Murray family. 

 

To my surprise it was enjoyed by everyone and there were lots of comments about the flavour on the lamb.  I have to say there is nothing more enjoyable than making your own marinade - knowing what is in it and especially as I picked some of these herbs from my own herb pots.  Moroccan flavours are just magical - they just make your tastebuds dance with every mouthful.  The fresh herb flavour envelope with heat from the chilli and spices mixed with the sourness of lemons combined to make perfect tastebud harmony.

 

My only disappointment was the actual way the lamb looked when it came out of the weber.  To be honest I think this dish would have been better cooked in the oven as the marinade may not of charred as much.  (So apologies about the finished product picture).

 

 

Moroccan Roast Lamb

(Recipe adapted from Taste.com)

Serves: 8

SmartPoints per Serve: 7

1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander

1/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 long fresh red chilli, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

juice of 1 lemon

salt

freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 kilogram leg of lamb, trimmed
 

Process the fresh coriander, chopped parsley, garlic, chilli, cumin, ground coriander, paprika, lemon, salt, pepper and oil in a food processor until coarsely chopped.

Score the lamb crossways. Rub the coriander mixture over the lamb and into the cuts. Cover and place in fridge for 2 hours or overnight to marinate.

 

Bring to room temperature before cooking.

 

 

Light coals in Weber and when coals are ready cook lamb for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked to your liking.

 

 

Alternatively, heat oven to 220 Celsius.

 

Place lamb in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Drain fat.

 

Reduce oven to 180 Celsius. Add the water. Roast for 1 hour, adding more water if necessary, or until cooked to your liking.

 

Transfer the lamb to a platter, reserving the juices in the pan. Cover with foil. Set aside to rest.

 

Slice and serve.

 

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Moroccan Chicken Pie with Sumac Yoghurt

Its definitely not been a long time between drinks for me but it's been a long time between blogging.  To be honest time is poor for me once again with many things happening outside these website walls consuming too much of my time.  I have to sit back and decide what I need to dedicate my time to and what is just wasting my time.  One of the things that gives me the most enjoyment is this blog "my nerdy hobby" I started for fun until my family started telling others about it and word got out.

So with that in mind and tasking myself with learning the art of prioritising I am moving forward.  And one of those things to assist is to cook.....

This Morrocan Chicken Pie not only tasted great but the house was filled with an aroma, sweet and spicy, that was entising and very pleasing on the nose.  Everyone was automatically drawn to the kitchen commenting on how good this smelled.

The taste was not disappointing either - with the pie being devoured by the whole family.   The balanced spices definitely laced the chicken with a Middle Eastern flavour combined with the sweetness of the apricots.  I removed the sweet potato from the original recipe as my family don't seem to do potatoes in pies unless it's Grandma's Curry Pie (made from left over stew) and added some extra vegetasbles. 

It must have been good I have had a request to make pot pies from this recipe so the individuals (you know who you are) can have them for lunch or for a snack after school.  Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!

 

 

Moroccan Chicken Pie with Sumac Yoghurt

(recipe adapted from WW Eat Well Diabetes Cookbook)

Serves: 4

ProPoints per Serve: 9

500 grams chicken thighs, visible fat removed, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped

400 gram can diced tomatoes
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 green capsicum, diced

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped

1 sheet Pampus reduced fat puff pastry

1/2 cup low fat natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon ground sumac

Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced. Lightly spray a 1.5L (6-cup) capacity ovenproof pie dish with oil.

Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and cook, in batches, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Heat remaining oil in same pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, ginger, cumin and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Return chicken to pan with apricots, tomatoes, stock, carrots and capsicum and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir cornflour and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir cornflour mixture into chicken mixture and simmer for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in coriander.

Spoon chicken mixture into prepared dish. Cut pastry into eight 3cm-wide strips. Top chicken mixture with pastry strips in a lattice pattern. Trim excess pastry and press edges to seal. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Meanwhile, combine yoghurt and sumac in a small bowl.

Serve pie with sumac yoghurt.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Moroccan Lamb Shanks

These went down a treat last night.  We loved the decadence of the moroccan flavours - the cumin, coriander, paprika to name a few combined with the sweet tomato and sultana sauce.  The aroma was tantalising and the lamb just melted in your mouth.

Once a little prep work is done and the dish is in the oven it's just a matter of waiting a few hours before sitting down to this wonderfully morish dish that we served with couscous but would accompany mashed potato just as well.

Moroccan Lamb Shanks

Serves: 8

ProPoints per serve: 12

2 tablespoons plain flour

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 french style lamb shanks, 180 grams each, fat trimmed

3 red onions, thickly sliced

2 cups beef stock

2 cups water

2 tins 440g diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons tumeric

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 carrots, peeled, cut into batons

1 green capsicum, largely diced

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup freshly coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.

Place flour in a large snap lock bag, season with salt and pepper.  Place shanks in the bag, seal and shake to coat in seasoned flour.  Remove from bag shaking off any excess flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy based frying pan and cook 4 shanks until browned all over.  Remove to a large lidded casserole dish.  Repeat with remaining oil and shanks.  Add onions to shanks in casserole dish.

In a large jug combine beef stock, water, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, paprika, tumeric, fennel seeds, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix well and pour over lamb shanks.

Place lid on casserole and cook in oven for 2 - 3 hours, turning shanks occasionally or until tender.

Add carrots, capsicum and sultanas.  Stir gently to combine in sauce and cook for a further 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Moroccan Couscous Salad

We had barbecued marinated half chickens last night for dinner and I wanted something different to serve as a side along with a garden salad. We are becoming fonder of couscous and I thought using couscous would be perfect.

With some spices, fresh herbs and some vegetables this was better than I imagined and could have been quite easily eaten by itself.

To convert to a vegetarian meal exchange the chicken stock powder for vegetable stock powder.

Moroccan Couscous Salad
Serves: 8
Points per serve: 2.5
1 cup instant couscous

100 grams flaked almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 tablespoons currants
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 yellow capsicum, seeded and diced
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed coarsely chopped fresh coriander
2tbs fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Place the stock in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Remove from heat. Add the couscous and stir with a fork until combined. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir with a fork to separate the grains.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until onion softens. Add currants and carrot. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the tomato and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat.

Add onion mixture, coriander and lemon juice to the couscous and toss to combine. Taste and season with pepper.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chermoula Prawns

Chermoula or charmoula is a marinade used in Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. This marinade is usually used with fish or seafood, but works well with most meats. Chermoula is often made of a mixture of fresh herbs, spices, oil and lemon juice. As you can imagine there are many different recipes for this marinade.

I had never cooked with chermoula before so I was a little excited about what would come of these lovely ingedients. The aroma while they were cooking filled the kitchen And I knew just from the smell that as soon as I tried these they were going to be my new favourite prawns dish. The flavour was amazing.

We used hot paprika but you could tone down the heat of this dish by using sweet paprika if you don't like the taste hot... mmmm we do!!

Chermoula Prawns

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 5

1 small brown onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 teaspoons hot paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 kilograms peeled raw prawns, tails left intact
lemon or lime wedges, to serve

Combine onion, coriander, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika and turmeric in a large bowl. Stir in oil. Add prawns. Toss until prawns are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinate.

Coat a wok or large frying pan with cooking spray and over a very high heat add the prawns. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, tossing continuously, until prawns are pink and cooked through. Place on serving platter and serve with lemon or lime wedges.

These could be cooked on the barbecue also. Preheat a barbecue plate on medium-high heat. Place half the prawns, in a single layer, on barbecue. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until prawns turn pink. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining prawns.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Moroccan Savoury Mince

I have seen this recipe on a few forums and it has been recommended by several people now so I thought it's about time I gave it a go. This is another recipe from the Symply To Good To Be True Cookbooks.

We love experimenting with flavours, especially different herbs and spices and as this recipe called for Moroccan seasoning, fresh mint, lemon and apples I have to admit to being very intrigued. We had Lamb Tagine recently, which also used Moroccan seasoning and was nice but thinking back could have done with some more flavourings.

The recipe actually listed lean lamb mince, but I used beef as I didn't have lamb however you could use beef as I have, chicken or pork as long as it was lean of course.

Did I mention that this is another quick and easy recipe.... all cooked and served in under 30 minutes is always a blessing. The aroma while it was cooking filled the house and told us that this was going to taste wonderful and it did. The kids had seconds and thirds so it cannot have been that bad at all!

Moroccan Savoury Mince

(recipe source Symply To Good To Be True #4)

Serves: 4

Points per serve: 5

cooking spray

500g lean lamb mince

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 teaspoons Moroccan seasoning

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 x 415g can chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons chicken stock powder

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind

1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained

1 cup apple, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1/2 cup water

1/8 teaspoon chilli powder, optional

Coat a large non-stick saucepan with cooking spray and cook minced until browned and cooked through. Drain liquid from mince.

Add garlic, Moroccan seasoning and cinnamon, stirring to combine, cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add all remaining ingredients to the pot, stir well and bring to the boil. Once boiled, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Lamb Tagine

This is a recipe that I wanted try the minute I saw it's picture in the Weight Watchers Magazine (July 2009 issue) and have read many reviews about it on the Weight Watchers Forums since.

The ingredients fascinated me (especially cooking meat with fruit) and my love for exotic flavours drew me to the recipe. The morroccan seasoning and cumin smelt beautifully aromatic when preparing this and best of all once organised it went into my slow cooker for 10 hours whilst I went ahead with my day.

Lamb Tagine

(recipe source WW Magazine July 2009)

Serves: 6 large or 8 average

Points per large serve: 6

Points per average serve: 4.5

cooking spray

1 kilogram lean diced lamb

1 large brown onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3 teaspoons Moroccan Seasoning

1/2 cup water

1 large red capsicum, cut into 3 cm pieces

400 grams pumpkin, peeled and cut into 4 cm chunks

1 cup dried apricot halves

2 cups of chicken stock

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons water (extra)

3/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Cook lamb in batches for 3 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to slow cooker bowl.

To the same pan, add the onions and garlic, cooking 3 minutes or until softened. Add the cumin and Moroccan Seasoning and cook while stirring until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to the boil. Place onion mixture in the slow cooker bowl.

Add the capsicum, pumpkin, apricots and stock, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 - 10 hours or on high setting for 4 - 5 hours.

STOVE TOP: Preheat oven to 180 deg Celcius. Cook in a large covered casserole dish in the oven for 2 hours.

Blend the cornflour with 2 tablespoons water. Stir into the tagine and cook on high for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the coriander and serve.

Serve with couscous allowing 2.5 points per 1/2 cup.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)