Moroccan Breezes

This past week I was thinking about Morocco. Of course I have never been to Morocco, but rather than seeing this as a drawback I chose to view it as an asset. After all, who wants their fantasies clouded with grubby reality? I would much rather imagine the Souq in Marrakesh --- stalls filled with supple leather goods, fragrant spices sold by sloe eyed women, dust and dappled sunlight in the heat of midday... This is probably much more pleasant than the actual experience. The only time I have been in Africa was a stop at Tunis. The visit was difficult. The streets were filled with vendors and hustlers so that you could not take a pace without being asked to buy something, and conversation was impossible. At the same time, there were scenes of startling beauty that made me wish that I could have visited about a century ago.

This week brought my first delivery to the NNC (new New Client), so I am anxious to get their reviews. The menu was:
*Carrot and Ginger Soup
*Chicken Tagine with lemon and olives
*Couscous Pilaf with Pine Nuts
*Stir fried Green Beans with garlic slivers
*Honey Whole Wheat bread
*Molasses Spice Cookies
and blueberry pancakes as the breakfast offering.

The tagine was wonderful - fragrant and rich with deep spice notes and a subtle sweetness from the dried apricots. I especially love the interplay of flavors from the cracked green olives and the strips of lemon zest. The flavor is really indescribable - although olives and lemons are also common in the cooking of European countries around the Mediterranean, there is something utterly different in the flavors that they conjure when combined with the exotic spices of north African cuisine. The chicken is first dusted with flour and browned, then braised with carrots, olives, and a blend of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger and paprika. The finished dish is exquisite, with a slow heat that lingers. The couscous is also very good. I like to toast the grains and then add them to some minced shallots sauteed in butter and whatever liquid I am using. After the grains plump in the broth I fluff them with a long fork and toss in toasted pine nuts. The resulting pilaf makes a perfect companion to the tagine. The house smelled wonderful all day.

After making many batches of the molasses spice cookies that I usually bake, I learned something important. You can only bake one sheet at a time, otherwise the cookies will not puff and crackle correctly. With two sheets baking in the oven, even if you rotate them halfway through, the cookies spread more and are thinner and less chewy than if done one at a time. It turns out that this is an important difference because it really affects texture. (I guess I'll just have to bake a second batch to confirm the results!)

I am looking forward to next week and seeing what it will bring. I am still thinking of warming menus - maybe a Chinese inspired meal? Kung Pao or something equally spicy. Or a Spinach Lasagna with a Mushroom Barley soup... Who knows when and what inspiration will strike.