SHARING MOROCCO
Ruth Barnes Michael Gaskell and Jon Edwards
Greenleaf Book Group
October 7, 2014
$29.95/Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1626340978
Ruth Barnes, The Petite Gourmande, grew up in a large Moroccan family bound by food and cultural tradition. She learned to cook from the women in her family who regularly prepared meals for her large immediate and extended family, neighbors, and community members. For Barnes, cooking is nurturing, and she has made it her life’s work. ruthsinternationalkitchen.com
In SHARING MOROCCO: EXOTIC FLAVORS FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS author Ruth Barnes, known as The Petite Gourmande, brings the rich culinary history of her homeland to life, while making her recipes easy and accessible for any home cook. As a busy wife, mother and business woman, Ruth has taken the delicious and nutritious recipes that have been handed down in her family and simplified them for today’s busy home cooks. SHARING MOROCCO is filled with 111 recipes, easy-to-follow ingredient lists and instructions, beautiful food photography, tips and techniques, and plenty of information on Moroccan cuisine, culture and history. Recipes range from Salads & Soups, Tagines, and Main Courses, to Street Foods, Sides, Drinks and Desserts. Ruth has also provided a chapter on where to buy ingredients and information on the spices of Morocco.
“ SHARING MOROCCO is a reflection of my family heritage — a collection of authentic Moroccan recipes that I grew up eating and still cannot get enough of, such as chocolate baklava, savory tagines and couscous.”
Moroccan-style Lamb Lollipops with Dried Fruit Couscous
L’Kebsch bil Shikshou ul Fruit
Serves 4-6
Rack of lamb “lollipops” is an elegant and flavorful dish. The lamb is marinated in a delicious blend of spices and served with the classic Moroccan pasta. When we make these at home, the juicy, spicy lollipops are so delicious right from the oven that they almost never even make it to the serving plate.
2 racks of lamb
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ras el hanout
3 cups couscous
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
2 teaspoons olive oil
Small jar mint jelly
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Dust the rack of lamb with the salt, pepper, and ras el hanout.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat and saute the rack of lamb for 3 minutes on each side.
Lay the lamb rack in a large baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm while you prepare the dried fruit couscous.
Soak the dried fruit in water for 10 minutes, then drain.
Prepare the couscous according to the directions on the package.
When the couscous is done, fold in the dried fruit.
Cover the bottom of a serving tagine with the couscous.
Cut the lamb rack into chops (lollipops), and arrange them, rib side up, over the couscous.
Serve with a small dish of mint jelly.
Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons, Olives, and Artichokes
Tagine del Djeja bil Humd Zitoun
Serves 4-6
The tagine describes the method and preparation and, sometimes, the vessel in which the dish is cooked. Here, a covered skillet imitates the function of the lidded tagine casserole. A central focus of this meal, preserved lemons are a unique Moroccan ingredient that gives the chicken a special flavor quality in this classic Moroccan dish. My Mom used to make her own, letting them “pickle” in the salt jars for weeks and months on end.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch saffron
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 pounds cut up chicken
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4-5 cups low-sodium chicken stock, enough to cover chicken in pot
1 (8-ounce) jar artichokes with stems, drained
1 cup pitted green olives
1 preserved lemon, cut into halves, pulp removed and discarded, flesh cut into rings
In a tagine or large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium and saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until tender.
Add the ginger, turmeric, saffron, and cinnamon and mix well. Add the chicken, cilantro, parsley, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.
Add the artichokes, olives, and preserved lemon and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
Place the chicken, artichokes, lemon, and olives on a serving platter and continue cooking the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.
Pour the sauce all over the chicken and serve.
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from Sharing Morocco:Exotic Flavors from My Kitchen to Yours by Ruth Barnes. (Greenleaf Publishing Group; October 2014; $29.95/Hardcover; ISBN-13:978-1626340978). http://www.greenleafbookgroup.com
Contact: Trina Kaye
310-915-0970
TrinaKaye@tkopr.com