fd-Morocco-msg - 9/6/08 Food of medieval Morocco. NOTE: See also the files: Africa-msg, cl-Moorish-msg, Moors-msg, Islamic-bib, Islam-msg, lamb-mutton-msg, ME-feasts-msg, fd-Mid-East-msg, presrvd-lemons-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 12:13:07 -0700 To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org From: lilinah at earthlink.net Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Greetings Aurore Gaudin wrote: >I'm new to this list and looking to doing my first feastacrat event in >September, I'm in need of advice from those that have done feast or know >about Moroccan cooking. Thank you for any information that can be given. Well, there are no SCA period Moroccan cookbooks. If you're cooking Moroccan, you're cooking modern food. For modern Moroccan, the best source of recipes is Paula Wolfert's "Couscous and other good food from Morocco", available in paperback. Other good books for modern Moroccan food are those by Kitty Morse (who is actually Moroccan) and Carriere. If you want to cook historically accurate food, something we on this list encourage (dispite much levity in our posts), the closest is the 13th century Anonymous Andalusian cookbook. Since several Berber groups had taken over by the 13th century (the Almoravids and the Almohads), there is probably some Moroccan influence in some of the recipes. The complete translation by Charles Perry can be found on Duke Cariadoc's website: http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Medieval.htm In His Miscellany, Cariadoc has some worked out Islamic recipes. I suggest testing them, as i find them to be vastly underseasoned - bland even - to my taste. However, they give a good starting point, if you're not sure how to work out a Medieval recipe. >Alot of my recipes are from the foodtv.com. Hmmm, dunno about *that*. The recipes may taste ok, but they are: -----1) not ethnically correct - not really modern Moroccan -----2) not historically correct - not really "SCA period" Since you're cooking in September, you've got plenty of time to : --1) Get some real historic recipes - either the Andalusian ones, since that's very close to Morocco geographically and in part ethnically, or from other parts of the Near East. For that i would recommend ----- a) buying "Medieval Arab Cookery", a fabulous book. This book contains the text of at least three complete "period" cookbooks. Maxime Rodinson, A. J. Arberry, and Charles Perry Medieval Arab Cookery Prospect Books, Devon UK: 2001 ISBN 0907325-91-2 Among the cookbooks contained in "Medieval Arab Cookery" are the complete texts of: -- al-Kitab al-Tabikh (The Book of Dishes) by Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Karim al-Katib al-Baghdadi, a 13th century cookbook. [complete text as "A Baghdad Cookery Book", trans. A.J. Arberry, notes by Charles Perry, Medieval Arab Cookery] and -- al-Kitab Wasf al-At'ima al-Mu'tada (The Book of the Description of Familiar Foods),1373 [complete text translated and introduced by Charles Perry] I also recommend getting the following book via ILL (Inter-Library Loan) (because it's long out of print and hard to find - i'd love to purchase a copy): David Waines In a Caliph's Kitchen Riad El-Rayyes Books Ltd., London: 1989 ISBN 1-869844-60-2 There are some recipes in "In a Caliph's Kitchen" from al-Kitab al-Tabikh (The Book of Dishes) by Abu Muhammad al-Muzaffar ibn Nasr ibn Sayyar al-Warraq. This late 10th century cookbook is a compendium of recipes from cookbooks from several centuries which are now lost to us. It includes forty recipes from the great gastronome Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi (779-839 CE), half-brother of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, as well as a number of recipes from Abu Samin, a chef to the Caliph al-Wathiq who died in 847 CE. Apparently Charles Perry is working on a translation of the complete text, but since it isn't yet available, Waines will have to do. There are also a few recipes from this book on His Grace, Duke Cariadoc's website. Do NOT, i repeat, do NOT use Waines' worked up recipes as they often do NOT follow the originals. Use the original recipes and work them up yourself. I used many of them for my Persian feast. ----- b) ordering His Grace, Duke Cariadoc's 2-Volume Cook Book Collection (about 2 dozen period cookbooks for $20) - it has the text of the 13th century Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook and a version of al-Baghdadi's book --2) Get some real modern Moroccan recipes by ordering some cookbooks. I can recommend some, as i own many (most) of those in print, just ask. I suggest Paula Wolfert (title above) first. If you enjoy cooking, you won't regret getting this book. >Just alot are lamb and poultry. I was told by someone that lamb won't go >well with alot of people, being Texas, it has to be beef, pork and chicken. Well, pork won't go over in a Muslim feast, as it's against Muslim law, and the only Muslims i know who eat pork are Central Javanese court musicians (yes, really from Central Java, really court musicians). Out here in the Kingdom of the West, lamb gets gobbled up. Now, personally, i don't like lamb - a bit of a hardship since i have a persona that is Muslim born in Morocco, now living in al-Andalus. >And I know lamb will be expensive if I don't do it right. I'm just wanting >help in figuring out what to do with some of the problematic parts. I got cheap lamb at a local hallal market (hallal is to Islam as kosher is to Judaism). MUCH cheaper than the lamb at the regular supermarket. Where do you live? Most cities in the US have Muslim populations, and getting lamb at a Muslim meat market is *waaay* cheaper than at the supermarket. Cooked right, lamb can be edible. The Persian in origin recipe i cooked for a feast last November combined chicken and lamb with fruits, nuts, and spices, and it was delicious. I have the recipe on my website along with other period Near Eastern recipes: http://witch.drak.net/lilinah/persianrecipes.html I also have some modern Moroccan recipes on my website: http://witch.drak.net/lilinah There's a Site Map on the second page to locate the URLs of the recipes Anahita half-Persian, half-Moroccan persona Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:48:30 -0400 From: ranvaig at columbus.rr.com Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] tajine? To: Cooks within the SCA <<< Very nice recipe, but what does she mean here: "Precede with an array of Moroccan salads". What is a Moroccan salad? A special salad from Marocco? >>> Salad doesn't just mean lettuce. "The majority of Moroccan salads are not served raw. They are most often cooked mixtures of vegetables that can be eaten with a fork or as a dip". http://fescooking.com/recipes/zaalouk-salad "A fresh, cool salad is often served at the start of a meal. Among the most commonly served are a tomato and green pepper salad (similar to the Spanish gazpacho), a mixed herb salad, eggplant salad or a salad redolent with oranges, which the Moroccans grow in large quantity". http://www.sallys-place.com/food/cuisines/morocco.htm Here are some others: http://www.maroque.co.uk/printme.aspx?id=24 Grilled aubergines in honey and harissa http://www.maroque.co.uk/printme.aspx?id=31 Dried broad bean dip (broad beans are favas) http://www.maroque.co.uk/printme.aspx?id=22 Carrot and orange salad http://www.maroque.co.uk/printme.aspx?id=33 giant couscous salad http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/Morocco.html#BATINJAAN%20ZALUD Eggplant Salad http://www.moroccan-recipes.com/Moroccan-Eggplant-Salad.html Eggplant Salad http://www.moroccan-recipes.com/Moroccan-Carrot-Salad.html Carrot Salad http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/af-carrotsalad.html CARROT SALAD Google found plenty more. As Amra said, recipes for tapas or meze wouldn't be too far off. Melon would work too. Ranvaig Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:10:41 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] tajine? To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org From: "Mike C. Baker" <<< Ana, off the top of my skull -- while not explicitly Moroccan -- I would suggest an array of tabouleh/tabouli, baba ganoush, hummus, and accompaniment of pita bread / toasted pita wedges. There is also a cucumber&onion cold dish (served at times in vinegar, and at others with a yogurt-based sauce similar to that often used with gyros) I would also consider as part of an "array". Personally, I might add dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) and other "mezze" / savory finger-foods to the array. >>> Let me note, Mike, that i'm not attacking you. You did specify that your suggestions are not Moroccan... And i sure like hummus bi'tahini, baba ganuj, etc. (sound of lip smacking) But this reminds me of why i do historical Middle Eastern cooking... The "default" for Middle Eastern food in the US tends to be these Levantine dishes, along with meat and vegetables on skewers. Clearly this is the default whether someone is asking about Moroccan food (which is quite different from Levantine food) or Medieval Middle Eastern food. And people are constantly seeking among the historical recipes for those same darn Levantine dishes. Anyway, i'm a huge fan of modern Moroccan food (sorry i was wrapped up in other work, so i didn't suggest a fish tagine for Ana). The classic modern Moroccan cookbook is: Paula Wolfert. "Couscous and other good food from Morocco" It's available in paperback. Wolfert lived in Morocco in the beatnik 50s, had a home in Tangier, but she traveled quite a bit. Ana, it's still in print, but you may be able to find a used copy from a book vendor in Europe - i start looking at: http://www.bookfinder.com i've bought books i found there from England, Spain, Turkey... Kitty Morse is another good author on Moroccan food, who, despite her name, is Moroccan, and was born and raised in Morocco. Her books are "flashier" than Wolfert's, with more color photos, but the recipes are good. -- "Cooking at the Kasbah - Recipes from my Moroccan Kitchen" is her best general Moroccan cookbook. -- "The Vegetarian Table: North Africa" is another good cookbook by Morse - the cuisine is so rich and varied that one can have a fabulous meal without meat. -- NOTE: her "Couscous: Fresh and Flavorful Contemporary Recipes" is NOT Moroccan, but Moroccan influenced fusion cuisine. A couple other books i have, but haven't used as much are: -- Robert Carrier. "Taste of Morocco" -- Copeland Marks. "The Great Book of Couscous: Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia" Both are in paperback and have a wide selection of dishes. And i have two books of historical interest, since they are sort of memoirs with cooking: -- Madame Guinaudeau. "Traditional Moroccan Cooking: Recipes from Fez" -- Aline Benayoun. "Casablanca Cuisine: French North African Cooking" I would NOT recommend starting with either of these two. And i've got a number of North African Jewish cookbooks, which reflect the local cuisines. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:04:40 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] tajine? To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Ana, a bit puzzled, wrote: <<< Very nice recipe, but what she mean here: "Precede with an array of Moroccan salads". What is a Moroccan salad? A special salad from Marocco? >>> From: "Mike C. Baker" <<< Ana, off the top of my skull -- while not explicitly Moroccan -- I would suggest an array of tabouleh/tabouli, baba ganoush, hummus, and accompaniment of pita bread / toasted pita wedges. There is also a cucumber&onion cold dish (served at times in vinegar, and at others with a yogurt-based sauce similar to that often used with gyros) I would also consider as part of an "array". Personally, I might add dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) and other "mezze" / savory finger-foods to the array. >>> None of that is at all Moroccan. They are all Lebanese or Syrian dishes and quite different from Moroccan food. And the Moroccans do not eat pita. While it's unlikely one can get Moroccan style bread, a nice boule will work. Moroccan salads are small dishes of various kinds of cooked and spiced vegetables served at room temperature, and sometimes some raw fruit salads. There are lots of Moroccan recipes on the web, but the ones below are from my collection of cookbooks and my personal experience cooking them. Here are a few i've enjoyed. Select about 6 for the dinner. All can be made ahead of time and kept for a couple days in the fridge. Most are served at room temperature, so take them out of the fridge a couple hours before serving. One or two are served hot - see recipes for details. --- Savory Carrot Salad Hezzou Mrqed 1 lb. carrots 5 cloves garlic 1/8 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/8 tsp. granulated sugar salt to taste 1 tsp. paprika dash of cayenne or to taste juice of 1 lemon olive oil 1/4 c. chopped parsley Wash & peel carrots, leave whole. Boil carrots (you may have to cut some in half to fit into your pan) with garlic until barely tender. Drain, reserving garlic. Cut carrots in serving pieces - you may choose sticks, cubes, coins, etc. Combine garlic, cinnamon, cumin, sugar, salt, paprika, and lemon juice. Pour over carrots. Let stand a while. To serve, sprinkle with oil and parsley. --- Orange and Radish Salad with Orange Flower Water An unusual combination to the American palate - I think it's great. The crunchy sharpness of the radishes, the moist tanginess of the oranges, the sweetness of the sugar, the pungency of the cinnamon, and the richness of the orange flower water are a palate stimulating experience. 2-3 bunches red radishes, long or round 2 Tb. granulated sugar or more to taste juice of 1 lemon 1 Tb. orange flower water Salt to taste 2 navel or blood oranges oranges Cinnamon Wash and trim radishes. Grate radishes. They can be grated in the blender by "pulsing", that is turning on and off. Be careful NOT to puree! Remove and drain. Place grated radish in serving dish and sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, flower water, and salt to taste. Toss lightly and chill. Peel oranges, remove all outside membrane carefully, so as not to break segments--if using blood oranges, remove seeds. When fruit is free of membrane, carefully lift out and place in serving dish--if orange juice comes out, pour over oranges. Mix oranges gently with grated radishes and dust lightly with cinnamon. (yes, this is a meal-opening "salad", it is not a dessert) --- Cooked Eggplant Salad Z'ahlouk 1 lb. eggplant 1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in slivers 2 Tb. chopped parsley 2 sprigs green coriander/cilantro, chopped 1/2 tsp. good flavorful paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 2 Tb. olive oil (green is tastier than yellow) 1 to 2 Tb lemon juice salt, to taste Leave eggplant whole and unpeeled. Slit skin here and there and insert garlic slivers well into the flesh. Bake in 400 F. oven until very soft - it will look collapsed and the skin will be blistery and blackened. Check periodically to see how it's going. This can take up to an hour. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Then squeeze "meat" to release bitter juices - let drain for a while in a sieve or colander. Discard brown liquid. Mash eggplant pulp and garlic. Don't use a blender - it will not have a good texture and instead will be like paste. Add chopped herbs and spices and mix well. Then fry in a skillet in oil on moderate heat. Turn eggplant often until all the liquid has evaporated and the pulp is thick and dark brown. This can take 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt and spices as desired. Serve at room temperature. Variation: Add several ripe tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped - to mixture in frying pan. Will probably take longer to reduce. --- Beet Salad 1 lb. beets 1 Tb. granulated sugar juice of 1 lemon 1 Tb. olive oil large pinch cinnamon 1 Tb. chopped parsley salt to taste Wash and clean beets well, being careful not to break their skins. Cut off the leaves, leaving stems about 1-1/2 inches long. Boil covered until just tender. Let cool in the water. When cool enough to handle, take beets out of the water, slip off their skins, trim off the tops and cut into bite-size pieces. Place in serving bowl. Mix remaining ingredients, pour over beets and marinate 1 hour before serving. Variation 1 tsp. orange flower water 1/8 tsp. cumin a pinch of good flavorful paprika a dash of water Add all these additional ingredients to the ingredients above for marinade, using enough water to moisten the powdered cumin and paprika. --- Bakoula Salad Although you probably can't get the herb/vegetable bakoula, you can make this dish with substitutes. 3 cups arugula 1/2 c. sorrel (if unavailable, increase watercress or arugula according to your taste) 1 c. parsley sprigs, tightly packed 1/2 c. tightly packed green coriander/cilantro 2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 c. watercress 3 Tb. olive oil salt to taste 1/4 tsp. good flavorful paprika dash of cayenne to taste lemon juice 1/4 preserved salted lemon black olives After washing arugula and sorrel, chop coarsely. Place in steamer over boiling water and steam 15 min., only partially covered. Remove from heat, uncover, and let cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess liquid from greens. Wash then chop parsley and cilantro. In mortar, grind the parsley, cilantro, and garlic with 1/4 tsp. salt. Wash and chop watercress. Heat oil in a skillet, add herb paste, and cook 2 or 3 minutes -- don't burn! Add arugula and sorrel and saute slowly until all liquid has evaporated, turning often to prevent burning. Add chopped watercress, stir to wilt. Remove from heat and cool. Chop finely, add salt, paprika, and cayenne and mix well. Cool. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon juice to taste, and adjust seasoning. Rinse preserved lemon, remove the pulp, and slice peel into slivers. Put greens in serving dish and garnish with preserved lemon and olives. --- Cooked Mixed Herbs and Greens Salad 8 cups/2 quarts greens, including stalks - use a mixture of greens you like (and maybe toss in a few you haven't tried), such as beet greens, celery leaves, collards, Swiss chard, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, sorrel, spinach, orache, etc... 1 or 2 small dried red chilis 10 to 12 cloves garlic salt 1 c. chopped parsley 1 c. chopped green coriander/cilantro 3 Tb. olive oil 1/4 lb. cured black olives 2 tsp. good flavorful paprika 2 tsp. ground cumin juice of 2 lemons 1/2 c. olive oil lemon wedges Wash greens, drain well, chop small. Place on a steamer in a deep pan and steam covered for 30 minutes (you may have to replenish some of the water - check occasionally so pan doesn't dry out and get ruined). Remove from heat and allow to cool uncovered. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much moisture as you can. In a large mortar, grind and pound together the chili, garlic, and salt. Gradually add parsley and coriander and keep pounding until it forms a paste. Or you could use a food processor. Heat 3 Tb. oil in a casserole. Slowly cook the olives with the paprika and cumin 2 or 3 minutes. Add herb paste and lemon juice, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Then pour in 1/2 c. oil, stir well, add the greens and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until all the water has cooked out and the mixture is very thick. Salt to taste. Serve warm or cool with lemon wedges. If you like it spicy hot, serve with harissa, a hot chili paste popular in Algeria. It is sold in squeeze tubes in France. [i don't know if you can find it where you are, Ana...] --- Moroccan Spiced Olives 1 tsp Cumin seeds 1 tsp Fennel seeds 1 tsp Coriander seeds 1/4 tsp Cardamom, ground 1 Tb Crushed red pepper flakes 1 pinch Nutmeg, ground 1 pinch Cinnamon 1 Tb Olive oil 1 1/2 cup Green olives, brought to room temperature 1 Tb Lemon juice 1 Tb Orange juice 3 Garlic cloves, minced 1/2 preserved lemon 1. Heat first 8 ingredients in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 2. Remove from heat & add olives & toss to coat. 3. Stir in remaining ingredients. 4. Let stand in an airtight container for at least 4 hours or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. The longer they marinate, the better they taste. 5. Drain & serve at room temperature. --- Bissara/Byesar serves 6 1/2 lb. dried fava beans (i cheated and used about 1 lb. canned) 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp. cumin seed best quality olive oil (green and fragrant, not mild and yellow) salt 1/4 tsp. zaatar (the herb alone, NOT the Lebanese blend with sesame and sumac) - or use a mix of marjoram and thyme 1. If starting from scratch, soak fava beans overnight in lots of water - 3 or 4 times their volume. Discard any floaters. 2. In the morning, drain. SKIN the favas (the skins are tough and need to be removed). 3. Cover with fresh water and simmer with garlic and cumin seeds for about 2 hours until tender. Drain. 4. Puree the favas - easiest in a blender or food processor. 5. Add enough olive oil and a little water so that it is somewhat thin (soupy, sez Paula Wolfert) 6. Salt to taste. 7. Heat before serving in a little more olive oil. 8. Serve sprinkled with the herbs, with bread (to dip in it) and a dish of mixed ground cumin, hot paprika, and salt. --- Roasted Bell Pepper Salad (from Paula Wolfert) 3 bell peppers - red are the best, but green will do 4 large ripe tomatoes 1 clove garlic pinch of sweet paprika 1/4 tsp. ground cumin 2 Tb. olive oil 1 Tb. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. chopped preserved salted lemon 1. Take whole bell peppers and either grill on top of an open gas flame or under a broiler, turning often, until skin is completely black and blistered. Put peppers in a plastic bag or under a towel and let stand until cool (skin should separate from flesh). Remove seeds, inner membranes, and skins. Cut into small pieces (i like them in strips) 2. Bring a small pan of water to a boil, drop in the whole tomatoes, and boil about 15 seconds. Drain, and let cool enough to handle. Cut off stem, remove seeds, and slip off skins. Cut flesh into small pieces (little dice are good) 3. Mix cooked pepper and cooked tomato in serving dish. Mix in all other ingredients, except salted lemon. Rinse off salted lemons, remove pulp, and cut rind into little cubes and sprinkle over dish. While salted lemons are yummy and very easy to make (although they take some time), leave them out if you don't have them. I've sent directions for making them to this list several times. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:51:50 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Curing a new Tajine To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Of all the books i have, only this one any directions for curing a new tajine. Most typical tajines are plain red earthenware and only glazed on the inside. There are also fancy tajines glazed inside and out in typical Moroccan colors and patterns. I suspect these are chiefly for serving, not cooking in, but i am not 100% certain. Most Moroccans cook over charcoal, some use small two-burner kerosene stoves. When i was there, the educated middle-class family hosting my daughter had a modern stove in their apartment kitchen that they never used, and a little two burner unit that sat on a counter top that they did use. I never asked why - it is possible that there was no longer gas going to the building. From "Taste of Morocco" by Robert Carrier pub: Boxtree Ltd., UK, 1996 ISBN 0 7522 1039 4 p. 161 "How to Mature a New Moroccan Tajine "Moroccan glazed earthenware tajines are 'matured' and 'flavoured' at a low temperature in the oven with aromatics before using, to (1) remove any earthenware flavour from the new tajine; (2) impregnate the tajine with aromatic flavours; (3) ensure the new tajine is introduced gently to heat before being used over charcoal (in the Moroccan manner) or (protected by an asbestos heat diffuser) on top of the stove. "In the bottom of the tajine, combine 1 peeled and sliced onion, 4 sliced carrots, 2 cloves peeled garlic, and 1 bay leaf with 1.1 liter/2 pints water and 4 tablespoons olive oil. Cover with conical lid of tajine and cook in a preheated cool oven (140-150 C / 275-300 F / Gas 1-2) for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove tajine from oven and allow to cool gradually to room temperature before removing ingredients and washing tajine." ----- Note that i have not done this myself, i'm only repeating what Carrier says. I cannot make any guarantees. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Edited by Mark S. Harris fd-Morocco-msg Page 12 of 12