This is a very colorful salad that’s great with so many things! I like it with french or pita bread, but it’s also a wonderful side salad to any meal that adds a beautiful touch of color. This delicious recipe is in my book, Sharing Morocco, along with 110 other delicious Moroccan dishes, is available now at major retailers everywhere.
Here’s an interesting bit of science: most peppers start of green, and as they ripen they change colors and some become sweeter.
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Chocolate Baklava with Hazelnuts,
Orange Blossom Water and Honey
Serves 24
For Nut Filling: 1 lb. unsalted and roasted hazelnuts, chopped 1 lb. semi sweet mini chocolate chips 1 tbsp. orange blossom water 2/3 cup granulated sugar ½ cup ground hazelnuts (for garnish)
Clarifying Butter: 1 lb. unsalted butter In a saucepan, melt the butter on low heat, until it begins to boil, skim the foam and remove from heat.
For Phyllo Dough: 24 sheets Phyllo dough 3” pastry brush kitchen towel 9” by 14” baking dish
For Syrup: ¾ cup water 1 cup sugar 1 cup honey Juice of ½ lemon 2 tbsp. orange blossom water
1. Combine hazelnuts, orange blossom water, and sugar and put in a food processor, chop coarsely add in chocolate, mix and set aside. 2. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel to prevent the phyllo dough from drying out. 3. Coat the baking pan with butter and place a layer of phyllo dough then brush with butter one at a time. Continue brushing and layering until the 6th layer. Spread a third of the nut mixture all over the phyllo. Continue layering and brushing another 6 layers of phyllo with butter one at a time. Then spread another third of the nut mixture all over the phyllo. Continue layering and brushing another 6 layers, add the remaining third layer of nuts and butter the remaining 6 phyllo sheets. 4. Make 3 cuts across dough approximately 3 ½ inches lengthwise and 2 cuts 3 ¼ inches across the width. Cut diagonally across each square, making 24 individual triangular sections (optional- cut lengthwise and widthwise diagonally to make diamond shapes). Pour the remaining butter all over the pastry and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. 5. While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. 6. In a sauce pan put water, sugar, lemon juice and bring to a boil, occasionally stirring for about 5 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat add honey, orange blossom water and mix well, place syrup in the refrigerator until baklava is ready. 7. After 1 hour remove the baklava from the oven and pour the cold syrup all over it. Sprinkle pinches of hazelnuts in the middle of each section. Let it cool and serve. Copyright © Ruth Barnes
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(Kebab del Kebsch ul Chudra)
Lamb has a reputation for being a celebrations-only meat,
but the simple preparation here is perfect for a backyard barbecue or potluck meal in the park. Like other kinds of Moroccan kebabs, they are enhanced by hummus, harissa, and tahini served alongside.
Serves 4 to 6
2 pounds boneless leg of lamb or beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced 2 yellow squash
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 2 zucchini
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika
1 medium white onion, cut in large wedges 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon ground allspice or baharat, if available 1 orange bell pepper, cubed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 package pita bread or Moroccan bread with za’atar
Hummus, for serving
Tahini sauce, for serving
1. Preheat a grill on medium heat. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 1 hour to keep them from burning on the grill.
2. In a large bowl, toss the lamb with the parsley, cilantro, garlic, allspice, olive oil, cumin, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Thread cubes of lamb onto skewers and alternate with vegetables, using 4 cubes of meat per skewer.
3. Brush the grill with olive oil and cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning skewers over to grill evenly, until the lamb is cooked through. Remove the skewers and set aside, covered to keep warm.
4. Brush the pita bread with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar seasoning. Grill the pita on both sides, until toasted with light grill marks, then slice into quarters and serve alongside the skewers with the hummus and tahini.
Copyright © Ruth Barnes
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