Vanilla Sables - Vanilla Crescent Cookie Recipe

Enjoy Moroccan style Vanilla Sables - Vanilla Crescent Cookie Recipe..They make a beautiful addition to a tea time table, or they can be served alongside other holiday or special occasion cookies.

Ingredients: 

 --- For the Dough --- 

• 3 1/3 cups flour (430 g) 
• 1 1/3 cups (11 oz. or 300 g) unsalted butter, softened 
• 2/3 cup (150 g) granulated sugar 
• 2 egg yolks 

--- For the Decoration --- 

• 3/4 cup (170 g) vanilla flavored sugar (see directions below) 
• 2 oz. (60 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Preparation: 

• Preheat your oven to 360° F (180° C).

• Measure the flour, butter, sugar and egg yolks into a bowl. With your hands, mix and knead the ingredients together until a smooth, homogeneous dough forms. 

• Break off small pieces of dough and roll into 1" balls. Roll each ball of dough between your palms to shape sticks of dough about the size of a small finger. Bend each stick into a c-shape or crescent shape, and place 1" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (For variety, you can leave some of the cookies in a stick or log shape.) 

• Bake the cookies, one pan at a time, until barely golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Loosen the cookies from the pan, and immediately roll the warm cookies in the vanilla sugar (see below). The cookies will be fragile, so handle them carefully. 

• Crowd the cooled, sugar-coated cookies together onto a single pan. Melt the chocolate and place it in a small plastic bag, twisting the top to close it as you would for a pastry bag. Pierce a bottom corner of the bag with a toothpick, and drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies with a back-and-forth or zigzag motion. Leave the chocolate to set before storing the cookies. 

Vanilla Sugar 

• To make the vanilla sugar instantly, combine 3/4 cup sugar with 1 to 1 1/2 packets of vanilla sugar (available in Morocco). Or, ahead of time, combine 2 cups of sugar with a whole vanilla bean, sliced down the middle and cut into several pieces. Cover and leave to sit for one to two weeks before using.

Moroccan Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad - Salade Mechouia

Every Moroccan is familiar with this salad. Enjoy Moroccan Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad - Salade Mechouia

Ingredients: 

• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
• 2 roasted green peppers, peeled and chopped 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (optional) 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped preserved lemon peel (optional) 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional) 
• 2 to 3 teaspoons vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation: 

• Place the tomatoes, roasted green peppers, garlic, preserved lemon, and parsley in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate if you won't be serving the salad right away. 

• When you're ready to serve the salad, add the salt, pepper, cumin, oil and vinegar. Toss or stir gently and serve immediately on small plates or in small bowls. 

• You can eat this salad with a spoon, but it's also delicious scooped up with a piece of crusty bread.

Moroccan Style Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Shawarma is a popular food in our country.Moroccan Style Chicken Shawarma Recipe is easy to make, but you'll need to mix the ingredients ahead of time to allow for overnight or all-day marinating.Enjoy the recipe..

Ingredients: 

1.  ----- For the Poultry -----

• 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) chicken or turkey breast fillets, very thinly sliced 
• 1/2 cup plain, unflavored yogurt 
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Ras El Hanout 
• 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 

    2. ----- Optional Yogurt Sauce ----- 

• 1 cup plain, unflavored yogurt 
• 2 tablespoons tahini 
•  2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, pressed 
• salt, to taste

   3. ----- Optional Toppings ----- 

• mayonnaise 
• shredded lettuce 
• chopped or sliced tomatoes 
• slivered red onion 
• chopped cucumber 
• chopped olives 
• minced chili peppers

Preparation: 

Ahead of Time 

• Marinate the Chicken: Cut the chicken or turkey fillets into thin strips. (Note: You could opt to leave the meat in fillets, and cut into strips after cooking, but doing so now will allow the meat to absorb more flavor from the marinade.) In a large bowl, combine the yogurt with the lemon juice, garlic and spices. Add the chicken or turkey strips and stir to ensure that all the meat is well-coated. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil (you don't want the odor of garlic transferring to other food) and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least six hours. 

• Make the Yogurt Sauce: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Cook the Chicken or Turkey 

• I prefer to grill the meat using a grill basket over very hot coals, but you can pan-fry in batches instead. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. When it begins to smoke, add a tablespoon or two of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add a generous handful of the marinated chicken strips and quickly fry, stirring several times, just until done. (Don't overcook or you'll dry out the meat). Repeat with the remaining chicken. 

Assemble the Shawarma 

• Stuff or wrap the cooked chicken in pita bread with your choice of toppings and a dollop of yogurt sauce. If desired, press the sandwich in a panini machine before serving.

Cauliflower with Moroccan Spices

Its an easy Moroccan side dish. For variation, the caulflower florets can be steamed and then added to the other ingredients. Its a good dish for winter.

Ingredients: 

• 1 large head of cauliflower 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin 
• 1 teaspoon ginger 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
• black or cayenne pepper, to taste 
• 1 onion, sliced or coarsely chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed 
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 1 preserved lemon, quartered 
• 1 handful red or violet olives 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation: 

• Break the cauliflower into small florets; wash and drain. Mix the cauliflower with the spices and set aside. 

• In a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for just a few minutes. Add the cauliflower, preserved lemon, olives and water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the cauliflower is just tender. Continue cooking, uncovered, to reduce the liquids to oil only. 

• Sprinkle the fresh cilantro over the cauliflower and serve.

Moroccan Kofta Meatballs Recipe in Butter Sauce

Kofta usually made by meat. You can make these Moroccan meatballs from beef, lamb, turkey or a combination of meats. This is really a good recipe in Moroccan style. So lets try the recipe at your home..

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. (about 1/2 kg) ground beef, lamb or turkey 
• 2 tablespoons very finely chopped onion 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste 
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper or cayenne pepper 

For the Sauce :

• 4 tablespoons butter 
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and/or cilantro 
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or more to taste 
• 2 or 3 saffron threads, crumbled (optional)

Preparation: 

• Mix the ground meat with the onion, parsley, cilantro and spices. Knead the mixture well, and if time allows set the meat aside to allow the flavors to blend for a half hour (or longer in the fridge).

• Shape the kefta into small meatballs. These can be as tiny as marbles, but I usually make mine about 3/4 inch in diameter. 

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan or frying pan over medium heat and add the meatballs. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meatballs are browned on all sides. 

• Add the lemon juice, parsley and saffron to the pan. Continue cooking the meatballs for a few minutes longer while the sauce reduces to the the consistency of melted butter. Serve immediately.

Moroccan Vegetable Soup Recipe with Chicken and Rice

Enjoy here Moroccan Vegetable Soup Recipe with Chicken and Rice.... 

Ingredients: 

• 150 g (about 5 oz.) cooked chicken, diced 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 medium onion or 2 leeks, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 large zucchini, chopped (set aside) 
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced 
• 1 or 2 celery stalks with leaves, diced 
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and/or cilantro 
• 1/4 cup uncooked rice 
• 3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or stock 
• 3 cups (700 ml) water 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste) 
• 1 teaspoon ginger 
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or black pepper to taste) 
• several saffron threads, crushed (optional)

Preparation: 

• In a 3 qt. pot, saute the onions and garlic in the butter over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the zucchini, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes.

• Add the zucchini, cover, and continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and the rice is cooked. Taste, adjust the seasoning if desired, and serve.