Moroccan Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

600ml hot vegetable stock

400g can chopped plum tomatoes with garlic

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

100g frozen broad beans

zest and juice ½ lemon

large handful coriander or parsley and flatbread, to serve

 

Method:

 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then fry the onion and celery gently for 10 mins until softened, stirring frequently. Tip in the cumin and fry for another min.
2. Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes and chickpeas, plus a good grind of black pepper. Simmer for 8 mins. Throw in broad beans and lemon juice, cook for a further 2 mins. Season to taste, then top with a sprinkling of lemon zest and chopped herbs. Serve with flatbread.

Source: BBC Good Food

Harira (Ramadan Soup)

Ingredients

Harira (Traditional Ramadan Soup)

• 1 each large bunch fresh coriander, and, parsley
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup green or brown lentils
• 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained, and, rinsed
• 2 cans (each 19 oz) tomato, drained, and, chopped
• 2 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric, and, pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Garnish

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 lemon, thinly, sliced
• 12 pitted dates, halved

Directions

Harira (Traditional Ramadan Soup)

1. Chop 1/4 cup each of the coriander and parsley; set aside. Tie together remaining coriander and parsley and place in large saucepan. Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Add lentils; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric and pepper; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. In food processor or blender, purée 3 cups of the soup. Return to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice, oil and reserved chopped herbs.
4. GARNISH: Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon; top with lemon slices and dates.

Cucumber & Orange Juice with Oregano

Ingredients

• 2 lb/910 g medium cucumbers
• 2 1/4 cups/530 ml fresh orange or mandarin orange juice, preferably clementine
• 1 1/2 tsp superfine sugar, plus more as needed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or zaâtar, plus more as needed

Preparation

Trim the ends from the cucumbers and scrub the peels. Remove about half of the peels from each cucumber and remove the seeds if they are large. Cut the cucumber into chunks and put in a food processor or blender. Pour in the orange juice and sprinkle in the sugar and oregano. Blend for at least 1 minute or until very finely puréed. The drink should be a bit thick and slightly foamy. Taste for sweetness and seasoning and adjust as needed.

Pour into a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Serve in tall glasses or in small bowls with spoons.

Cheese Briouats

Serves 6 to 8 as a side or appetizer.

Prep Time: 30 minutesCook Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg (about 1 lb). cream cheese, chilled
• 1/2 kg (about 1 1lb.) warqa, fillo dough or large spring roll wrappers
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• vegetable oil (for frying)

Preparation:

Fold the Briouats

With scissors, cut the pastry dough into strips about two inches wide. Place a single strip of warqa or spring roll wrapper – or two layered strips of phyllo dough – on your work surface.

Lightly brush butter on the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Place a tablespoon of cream cheese towards the bottom of the strip, and fold the bottom up to enclose the filling.

Fold the bottom left corner of the enclosed dough upwards to the right, aligning it with the right edge of the strip. Then flip the bottom right corner upwards to the left, aligning it with the left edge of the dough. You should see a triangle take shape. Continue folding the triangle, flipping right and then left in this manner, until you reach the end of the dough.

Trim any excess length off the edge of the dough, dab it with a little egg yolk, and tuck the end of the dough into the "pocket" formed by the open edge of dough on the briouat. You can use the tip of a butter knife or your scissors to help tuck in the flap of dough.

Fry the Briouats

Heat one inch of oil in a deep skillet or sauce pan. Deep fry the cheese briouats in batches until light golden brown. Drain and serve.
Briouats stay warm for a long time, but if frying them well in advance of serving, you can reheat them in a 350° F (180° C) oven for five to 10 minutes.
Uncooked briouats can be covered and refrigerated for one day, or frozen for up to two months in a freezer bag or plastic storage container. They can be fried directly from the freezer, or allowed to thaw for 30 minutes to one hour before frying.

Moroccan Chickpea & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 fennel bulb, peeled, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes (with juice)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup dried lentils, picked through and rinsed
• 3 cups canned chick-peas, drained and rinsed
• 4 sprigs cilantro
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 dried bay leaves
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium sized pot heat the olive oil at medium heat and add fennel, gently cooking for a couple of minutes while the fennel releases its natural juices.
2. Add the red and white onions, cook until soft and translucent, but without turning brown, stirring mixture from time to time, about 12 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and increase heat to high until the mixture comes to a simmer (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and saffron if using, letting them infuse the mixture with their flavors for a few more minutes.
5. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, sprigs of cilantro and parsley and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
6. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, stirring the mixture a couple of times. Cover pot and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
7. Add the cooked chickpeas and cook uncovered for another 5 to 7 minutes until heated through.
8. Mix well, season again with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Remove bay leafs and sprigs of cilantro and parsley.

Source: food.com