Our Moroccan feast....

A certain someone has been promising me that she would get me my very own tagine from Morocco.  In school, culinary school, I loved the historical aspect of the tagine in Moroccan cuisine.  For those who are wondering what I'm talking about, a tagine is conical shaped ceramic pot that is used for cooking in North Africa, including Morocco.  In the past people would prepare the ingredients in their tagine and leave it with the "tagine man" on the edge of town as they headed out to tend their herds.  The tagine man would create a pit for cooking vessel and add hot coals.  At the end of the day people would collect their tagine and their meal was ready to eat.  You could say it was their crock pot of the day.

Well needless to say I don't have my authentic tagine and therefore must improvise.  I use a large stock pot with a vegetable steamer insert.  The design of the tagine is to allow for moist cooking with the minimal use of water, which is a precious commodity in the desert region.  I cook the vegetables and chicken in a stock based liquid in the bottom of the pot and then steam the couscous above, which is held in cheese cloth, in the insert.  Everything cooks perfectly.

Just a little bit of additional information on couscous.  I have made my own just to do it, but don’t feel it breaks any rules to just buy it.  Couscous is pasta made essentially from the same dough you would make noodles or ravioli with.  Instead of rolling the dough out and cutting it, the dough is passed through a fine mesh strainer or tami.

So our Moroccan feast started with a pastilla (pronounced 'bastiy-ya') appetizer.  This is a phyllo dough pastry with chicken and almond filling.  The main course consisted of two types of couscous - one with lamb and one with chicken.  One vegetable dish combined yellow squash and zucchini, the other eggplant and tomatoes.  The garnish was cilantro and parsley, both very common to the cuisine of the region.  Mint is also very popular and could be used instead of these two.  To accompany the entrée we made fresh flat or sometimes called skillet bread; it’s a bread that doesn't really rise, so put your fears aside and go for it.

Pastilla:  Phyllo wrapped filling of chicken, almonds and herbs; finished with a light dusting of confectioners sugar.  One is usually enough, but everyone likes to go back for seconds, so I plan on two for everyone. (Left)

Couscous Morocco:  Lamb rubbed with cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper; Chicken rubbed with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt and pepper. 

Modern Zaalouk: Roasted eggplant seasoned with salt and cinnamon, combined with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and garnished with parsley.

Squash: Diced and seared yellow squash and zucchini, seasoned with salt and finished with parsley. (Right)

Dessert: We ended the meal with my version of M'Hanncha or snake cake.  No there are no snakes, insects, or other delicious creatures in the dessert.  This is a unique phyllo and almond dessert that presents beautifully to your dining companions.  Rather than make one large M'Hanncha, I prefer to make individual ones about 4" in diameter; really enough for two people to share by why when you can have your own.

Beverages:  The connection with this weeks wine evaluation may becoming clear now.  I wanted a nice rosé wine that mirrored the style of wines being produced in Morocco. The Bonny Doon Vineyard Grenache based Vin Gris de Cigare paired very nicely with the rich pastilla appetizer and would have carried nicely through the couscous course.  We moved from the Vin Gris to a interesting wine from Patit Creek Cellars located in Walla Walla, Washington.  Their Trinité, a Syrah and Grenache predominant blend was a nice surprise and merits its own complete evaluation in the near future.  The light earthiness paired well with the lamb and vegetables, as well, holding up to the power of the hearty seasonings.

Wine Suggestions -

Appetizer/Entrée:  The rich buttery flavor of the appetizer combined with the earthy filling makes for a unique challenge in pairing; however, when you follow the rules it opens ups several options.  I've also combined the pairing, as all of these suggestions could carry over from the appetizer to the  entrée.  Remember if you start with a red don't go back to a white - other than mix and match as you please.  A Loire Valley Chenin Blanc, any dry Sauvignon Blanc, or even a Sémillon.  On the red side, the Petit Creek Trinité, other Grenache based wines, Mourvedre, or even a more fruit forward Syrah.  Stay away from big barnyard/earthy reds as they will weight down the lighter aspects of the meal.  Also stay away from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or blends for this meal.  Use this as a chance to explore some wines that may be out of your comfort range.

Dessert: This is a buttery, sweet, nutty delight that needs a just a creative wine to match.  You could go with a Port on this one or even a sparkling wine; just go with at least a Sec (medium sweet) and feel free to pair even a Doux (very sweet) sparkling wine.  For me this meal was about history, the origins of modern cuisine, so I needed something that celebrated that history.  My choice was a Tokaji from Hungary.  Other choices include a later harvest Riesling or Ice Wine/Eiswein.

For my complete recipes click on the links below:

Pastilla         Moroccan Couscous         Modern Zaalouk        Flat Bread         M'Hanncha