Recipes

Chermoula Mussels: 

Ingredients:
1 kg mussels
2 knobs of butter
1 tspn chermoula*
Salt & Pepper
100ml white wine
100ml soda water
1 medium tomato diced
¼ cup coriander chopped
¼ cup shallots chopped

Method:
Place mussels in a small pot with butter, chermoula, salt & pepper, sauté for 5 minutes then add wine and soda water. Bring to the boil, when mussels open add tomato, shallots, coriander and serve immediately.

*Chermoula:
1 bunch coriander, washed and chopped (including stalks and roots)
½ bunch of continental parsley leaves, washed
2 tsp of ground cumin
2 tsp of ground coriander
2 tsp of paprika
Knob of fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic
100 ml olive oil
100 ml lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Method:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to form a paste. Note This is a wonderful marinade for meat and poultry, brilliant with seafood and can be used as a dressing by adding extra olive oil or lemon juice. Keeps in fridge for a month, store in air-tight container.

Hummus: 

Ingredients:
1½ cups dried chickpeas (or 3 cups tinned chickpeas)
1 tsp bi-carb soda
1½ cups tahini
2/3 cup of lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Paprika for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Method:
Soak chickpeas in water and bi-carb overnight, then rinse and boil until soft, place ingredients in a food processor and blend to form a smooth paste. Sprinkle with paprika to garnish and olive oil (optional).

Lamb Shank Tagine with Prunes & Carrots, served with Steamed Couscous: 

Lamb:
4 lamb shanks
1 brown onion diced
3 cloves garlic-crushed
1 litre chicken stock
1 tbsp honey
10 prunes
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses*
2 carrots cut into batons
Salt & pepper to taste
Sprig of coriander to garnish

Spices:
1 tsp ras el hanout*
3 cardamom pods
2 star anise
1 cinnamon Stick
3 cloves whole
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
10-15 threads saffron

Steamed couscous:
500gm couscous
½ litre carrot juice or chicken stock
100g butter
2 sprigs of parsley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Method for the Lamb Shanks:
On a medium flame using a tagine, seal shanks until brown using a little oil, then remove and set aside. Add all spices (dry and seeds) and roast in the tagine, then add onions and garlic to spices and fry until golden brown. Add the stock, shanks, honey, pomegranate molasses and salt & pepper to taste, bring to boil then cover with tagine lid and simmer on a very low flame or in the oven on 160 C for 1.5-2 hours. Prunes and carrots should be added in the last 30 mins of cooking.

Method for the Carrot Couscous:
Place couscous in a bowl and set aside, put the rest of ingredients in a deep pan except for parsley. Bring to the boil and pour over couscous, stir to distribute liquid evenly then cover in plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes giving time for the couscous to absorb all the liquid. Uncover and add parsley and fluff the mixture with a fork.

*Pomegranate Molasses & Ras el Hanout can be found in some supermarkets and specialty food outlets.

Rocket Tabouli: 

Ingredients:
2 cups of finely chopped rocket
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 large diced tomato
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons burghul*
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 leaves fresh mint, finely chopped
Sea salt & black pepper

Method:
Place burghul in strainer and wash under running water, tip in a cup, add lemon juice to soak and put aside. Place the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, add olive oil, soaked burghul and season to taste with salt and pepper.

*Burghul, also known as bulghur wheat, is a “rice staple” used in meals from the middle-east in ways similar to couscous. It can found in supermarkets and also in specialty food stores