Piment Limon

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Mascarene Chile Cuisine

 

By Dave DeWitt

 

Piment Limon 

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water

  • 10 lemons, thickly sliced, seeds removed (or substitute limes for a different color)

  • 8 to 10 red jalapeños, seeds and stems removed, halved

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

    • Instructions

    Place the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the lemon slices and boil for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the water.

    Place the jalapeños in a blender and add the oil. Puree to make a thick paste. Add the lemon slices, a few at a time, along with 3 cups of the reserved water, a half cup at a time. You may have to do this in batches in you don’t have a large blender. Puree to a thick sauce. Pour into bottles and label.

    Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Honey

    Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

    This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

    Moroccan Tagines

    by Nancy Gerlach 

     

    Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

    Ingredients

    2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout, either store-bought or see recipe here
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne chile
    1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    2 pounds boneless lamb, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
    1 cup coarsely grated onion
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 4-inch stick cinnamon
    3 small tomatoes, chopped
    2 tablespoons butter or margarine
    2 cups beef broth
    1 1/2 cups dried prunes
    1 1/2 cups whole blanched almonds, sauteed in butter
    2 to 3 tablespoons honey
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    In a tagine, large stockpot, or Dutch oven, whisk the ras el hanout, ginger, cayenne, saffron, salt and pepper into half of the broth. Add the lamb, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, tomatoes, and butter. Add the remaining broth and place over a high heat. When the liquid is almost boiling, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lamb is tender about 1 1/2 hours.

    Stir in the prunes, almonds, honey, and cinnamon. Cover and simmer until the meat is very tender, an additional 30 minutes.

    Uncover the pot, raise the heat and cook over a medium high heat, and stirring occasionally, until the stew has slightly thick, about 20 more minutes.

    Charmoula Spiced Fish Tagine

    Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

    This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

    Moroccan Tagines

    by Nancy Gerlach 

     

    Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

    Ingredients

    Charamoula

    1 cup lightly packed cilantro, leaves and stems
    5 cloves garlic, chopped
    3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
    3 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably fresh
    Zest of 1 lemon
    2 teaspoons ground paprika
    1 teaspoon ground coriander
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    1 teaspoon ground cayenne
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons cider vinegar
    1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
     

    Fish

    4 6-ounce white fish fillets, such as skinless halibut, cod, orange roughy, sea bass or haddock
    1 large onion, thinly sliced
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 rib celery, cut in sticks
    2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
    5 small tomatoes, sliced
    3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably fresh
    1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile
    1/4 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
    Salt and pepper
    1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed, cut in 1/4-in strips
    1/2 cup Kalmata olives, pits removed
    1 small lemon cut in wedges
    Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
     
     

    Instructions

    Place all the ingredients for the Charamoula, except the vinegar and oil, in a blender or food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. With the motor running, slowly add the vinegar and enough of the oil to make a thick paste. Allow the sauce to sit for 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors.

    Place the fish in a non-reactive dish, cover with the Charamoula, and marinate in the refrigerator, covered for two hours, turning occasionally.

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

    Heat a heavy skillet, add the oil and saute the onion until just soft.

    In the bottom of a tagine, Dutch oven, or heavy casserole layer the celery in a cris-cross pattern. Add the carrots, tomatoes and one half of the onions, and season with the lemon juice and half the pepper, cumin, salt and pepper.

    Drain the fish, reserving the marinade. Place the fish on the vegetables and add the remaining onion, and top with the lemon wedges. Season with the remaining red chile, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add the olives and arrange the bell pepper over the top. Mix the reserved marinade with 1 cup water and pour over the tagine. Cover the dish and bake for 40 minutes.

    Increase the temperature to 400 degrees F. and bake until the fish flakes easily and the vegetables are tender.

    Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve with couscous or rice.

    Harissa

    Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

    This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

    Moroccan Tagines

    by Nancy Gerlach 

     

    Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

    Ingredients

    7 dried red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed; or substitute 5 small hot chiles like piquins
    1 tablespoon ground paprika
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    5 cloves garlic, peeled
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds; or substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1 teaspoon ground coriander
    1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
    2 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably fresh
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground olive oil

    Instructions

    Place the chiles in a bowl and cover them with very hot water. Allow the chiles to steep for 15 to 20 minutes to soften. Drain the chiles and discard the water.

    Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream to form a thick sauce.

    This sauce may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Be sure to cover the top with a couple of drops of olive oil to prevent the harissa from turning brown.

    Harissa and Seven-Vegetable Couscous

    Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

    This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

    Moroccan Tagines

    by Nancy Gerlach 

     

    Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

     

    Ingredients

    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 large onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, chopped
    1/2 cup harissa, store-bought or see recipe here
    4 dried piquin chiles
    1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    1 quart vegetable broth
    1/2 teaspoon saffron or substitute ground turmeric
    1 large potato, peeled and diced
    4 medium canned tomatoes, chopped
    2 medium carrots, peeled and julienne-cut
    1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    2 small zucchini, julienne-cut
    1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed
    1 cup frozen peas
    4 cups couscous
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    1/2 cup lemon juice, preferably fresh
    Chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish
     
    Harissa and Seven-Vegetable Coucous 

    Instructions

    Heat a Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat and add the oil; when hot, reduce the heat, add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the harissa, chiles, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

    Add the broth, saffron, and potato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the stew for an hour, adding water if necessary to thin if it becomes too thick.

    Add the tomatoes, carrots, and chickpeas and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and peas, and simmer until the vegetables are done. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

    Put the couscous in a bowl and add an equal amount of boiling water; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

    Stir the lemon juice into the stew, taste and adjust the seasonings.

    To serve: mound the couscous on a platter, top with the stew and garnish with the parsley. Serve with additional harissa sauce on the side.