Category Archives: Moroccan

Pan-Cooked Chicken in a Fragrant Cumin-Carrot Sauce

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Chicken_with_Carrots_and_Cumin2 (1 of 1)Last night, we felt like making something that you might see on a menu in a Parisian bistro, so I made this delicious (and apparently classic bistro) chicken dish. To me, it is a cross between Indian and Moroccan flavors, but I’m guessing the influence is mainly Moroccan for historical reasons. Anyway, all of that is good (love the ginger and lemon in it!). Paired this with a nice pinot gris, simple green beans and nice crusty fresh bread — it’s a wonderful little meal, and I hope you’ll try it tonight!

6 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated ginger
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp salt, divided
3/4 tsp ground black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Fill a medium sauce pan 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 2/3 of the carrots, and bring back to a boil. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp of the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and reduce heat to low. Sauté gently for 4 minutes. Add ginger and sauté another 1 minute. Add the remaining carrots and stir for 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, chicken stock, cumin seeds, 1 tsp of the salt and 1/4 of the pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 6 minutes. Pour contents into a food processor and process until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Pour the carrot sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl (discarding any solids) and return to sauté pan. Stir in the reserved boiled carrots and the parsley, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover and keep warm while you prepare the chicken.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Rub remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper all over chicken breasts. Add chicken to pan and cook on one side for 8 minutes. Turn breasts over and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle. Transfer chicken to the carrot sauce and turn over a few times to coat. Place each chicken breast in a bowl and ladle the sauce over each. Garnish with additional chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with fresh bread.

Serves 4.

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Tagine of Lamb Meatball Soup

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Moroccan_Meatball_Soup1 (1 of 1)This Moroccan-inspired dish is delightful on a chilly fall evening — we saw our first snow of the season here today, so this was a perfect fit! As is usual with many Moroccan dishes, this has a fantastic blend of spices, together with fresh cilantro and parsley. This finishing touch of lemon adds a great brightness to the soup! I hope you’ll try this dish!

Meatballs
1 lb ground lamb
1 tsp ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garamasala
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp harissa

Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp garamasala
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
4 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 14-oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 baguette

In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients (lamb through harissa). Mix well and shape into walnut-sized meatballs. Set aside

For the soup, heat the oil and butter in a flame-proof tagine or large Dutch oven over Moroccan_Meatball_Soup2 (1 of 1)medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, celery, red bell pepper, coriander, paprika, garamasala, salt and turmeric. Saute for 15 minutes, or until moisture has just about evaporated.

Add meatballs to tomato mixture. Cook gently for another 10 minutes, being careful not to break up the meatballs.

Add beef broth to meatball mixture. Turn heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and chick peas, and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with additional salt, if desired. Serve with fresh, crusty baguette.

Serves 4.