Berber cuisine varies according to region, but traditional dishes include couscous and tagine. Couscous, a blend of steamed semolina wheat now eaten throughout the world, is thought to have originated with Berber people. Tagine is a form of stew cooked in a heavy clay pot. Berber tagines usually consist of lamb, apricots and dates, cooked with a blend of spices such as cinnamon and cumin. Pastilla is another traditional Berber dish: a complex pie, made from the meat of young pigeons and crisp pastry.
NOTES : You may use 3
pounds lamb or beef, or half meat and half chicken
Choose seven vegetables out
of those listed--onions and tomatoes
VARIATIONS:
You may add 1/2 cup raisins
or pitted dates towards the end.
Other possible flavorings are
1/2 t. ground ginger, 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon, and 1 t. ground coriander.
Morocco put in runner beans
and green peas.
Ingredients :
5 cups couscous
5 cups warm water
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter == or more oil
==FOR THE STEW==
3 KG
lamb, cubed see note
2 large onion ==cut in slices
1 1/4 cups chickpeas == soak
overnight
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
pepper ==to taste
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
salt == to taste
5 whole tomatoes ==quartered
1 pound
carrots == cut in half
1 pound
turnips ==peeled & quartered
1 small cabbage == cut into 2 chunks
1 pound
zucchini ==cut into 2 chunks
1/2 pound fava beans == shelled
2 each fennel bulbs == quartered
1 pound
pumpkin cubes == peeled
1/2 pound eggplant == cut in pieces
2 each bell peppers == cut in
ribbons
2 each chili peppers
1 cup cilantro == chopped
1 cup Italian parsley ==chopped
2 teaspoons harissa ==moroccan red
pepper sauce ==or to taste
Preparation :
Put the couscous in a wide oven
dish so that the grains are not squashed
on top of each other. Gradually
add the warm salted water, stirring all
the time so that it is absorbed
evenly. Keep fluffing up the grain with a
fork and breaking up any lumps (as
the grains stick together). After about
10-15 minutes, when the grain is
plump and tender, mix in the vegetable
oil and rub the grain between
your hands above the bowl, to air it and
break up any lumps.
Put the meats in a large pan
with the onions and the drained chickpeas.
If you are using canned ones, leave
them out now and put them in towards
the end of the cooking. Cover
with about 3 quarts
water, add the oil,
pepper and saffron, and simmer, covered,
for 1 hour. Add salt, the
tomatoes, carrots and turnips, and
cook for 1/2 hour more, or until the
meats are very tender.
Add the remaining ingredients
except the harissa and more water--you need
to have plenty of broth--and
cook a further 1/2 hour.
Make a hot, peppery sauce to
accompany. Take 3 ladles of broth from the
stew and stir in the harissa or 2
tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon
ground chili pepper, or more to
taste--enough to make it very strong and
fiery.
Put the couscous, uncovered, in
a preheated 400 degree F. oven and heat
through for 15-20 minutes, until
very hot.
To serve, pile the couscous onto
a large round dish. Add butter or more
oil and work it into the grain
as it melts. Shape it into a mound with a
pit or crater at the top. Arrange
the meat at the top and the vegetables
down the sides, and pour a
little broth all over.
Serve the broth in a separate
bowl. Pass the broth and the hot, peppery
sauce round for people to help
themselves.
A French way of serving is to
present the couscous separately, and the
meat and vegetables with the
broth in a large bowl.
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