contact: moebouche@yahoo.com
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Moroccan cuisine is extremely diverse, thanks to Morocco's interaction with other cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine has been subject to Berber, Moorish, Mediterranean, and Arab influences. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fez, Meknes, Marrakesh, Rabat and Tetouan refined it over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.
Ingredients Morocco produces a large range of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables and even some tropical ones. Common meats include mutton and lamb, beef, chicken, camel, rabbit and seafood, which serve as a base for the cuisine. Characteristic flavorings include lemon pickle, cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil and dried fruits. It is also known for being far more heavily spiced than Middle Eastern cuisine.Spices and other flavorings Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. Although spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, like saffron from Tiliouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fez, are home-grown. Common spices include karfa (cinnamon), kamoun (cumin), kharkoum (turmeric), skinjbir (ginger), libzar (pepper), tahmira (paprika), anise seed, sesame seeds, qesbour (coriander), andzaafran beldi (saffron).Common herbs include mint and 'maadnous'(parsley.)
Structure of meals
The midday meal is the main meal, except during the holy month of Ramadan. A typical meal begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine. Bread is eaten with every meal. Often, for a formal meal, a lamb or chicken dish is next, followed by couscous topped with meat and vegetables. A cup of sweet mint tea usually ends the meal. Moroccans usually eat with their hands and use bread as a utensil. The consumption of pork and alcohol are considered Haraam, and are prohibited per Muslim dietary restrictions.
Main dishes
Moroccan Couscous
The main Moroccan dish most people are familiar with is couscous, an old delicacy probably of Berber origin.
Beef is the most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco. Lamb is preferred, but rarer due to its high price. North African sheep breeds store most fat in their tails, which means that Moroccan lamb does not have the pungent flavour that Western lamb and mutton have. Poultry is also very common, and the use of seafood is increasing in Moroccan food.
Among the most famous Moroccan dishes are Couscous, Pastilla (also spelled Bsteeya or Bestilla), Tajine, Tanjia and Harira. Although the latter is a soup, it is considered as a dish in itself and is served as such or with dates especially during the month of Ramadan.
Salads
Salads include both raw and cooked ingredients, served either hot or cold. Cold salads include zaalouk, an eggplant and tomato mixture, and taktouka (a mixture of tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and spices).
Desserts
Usually, seasonal fruits rather than cooked desserts are served at the close of a meal. A common dessert is kaab el ghzal ("gazelle's horns"), a pastry stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar. Another is " Halwa shebakia ", pretzel-shaped dough deep-fried, dipped into a hot pot of honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Halwa Shebakia are cookies eaten during the month of Ramadan. Coconut fudge cakes, 'Zucre Coco', are popular also.
Drinks
The most popular drink is green tea with mint. Traditionally, making good mint tea in Morocco is considered an art form and the drinking of it with friends and family is often a daily tradition. The pouring technique is as crucial as the quality of the tea itself.
Moroccan tea pots have long, curved pouring spouts and this allows the tea to be poured evenly into tiny glasses from a height. For the best taste, glasses are filled in two stages. The Moroccans traditionally like tea with bubbles, so while pouring they hold the teapot high above the glasses. Finally, the tea is accompanied with hard sugar cones or lumps.
My name is Mohammed Boutarbouche, and I am a professional chef and caterer based in Venice, California, and actively serving the surrounding areas.
Food is in my DNA. I hail from a city in Morocco once called Fedala (now Mohammedia, but not in honor of me) on the Atlantic between Casablanca and Rabat. My father owned a small wholesale produce company and also transported fish from coastal towns like Agadir, Asfi, and Essaouira inland to Fez, Meknes, and the Atlas Mountains.
Working the markets and shopping with my parents taught me how to recognize superior examples of seasonal and organic fruit, vegetables, and seafood. The colors and shapes, the aromas and textures: they seized my senses and imagination and never let go.
Two decades ago I came to the U.S. to continue a gastronomical journey that has taken me to all corners of the globe, including Mexico, France, Italy, Greece, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, and around the Middle East.
The irony is that while I cooked all sorts of dishes for clients through the years I reserved my North African creations for friends and neighbors. Then, an epiphany: with all the options Angelenos have for delicious food, I realized it isn’t easy to secure authentic Moroccan street and home-cooked food. I decided it’s time to share this treasure with all those who crave choice and exploration. So welcome to my newest venture: Moorish Feast.
Embark on this culinary odyssey with me by following me on Facebook and Twitter and by visiting this website regularly. I guarantee your mouth will water and your mind will expand (and perhaps your stomach too).
Enjoy!
Mohammed
