Moroccan Pesto Food

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto:
• Combine the cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds and garlic in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth.
• Prepare the vegetables for the couscous: Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the onion. Tie the reserved parsley stems and cinnamon stick together with twine; add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the parsley and cinnamon.
• Meanwhile, cook the couscous as the label directs. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Top the couscous with the vegetables and pesto.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

POACHED SALMON WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Stir the lemon juice and salt together, then add the salmon and turn to coat thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• In a large straight-sided sauté pan or a low-sided pot just wide enough to hold the salmon in a single layer, bring the broth to a slow boil over medium heat. Slide the salmon into the broth and poach for 7 to 9 minutes, just until the fish is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each fillet registers 127°F.
• Garnish each with a generous dollop of Moroccan Pesto and serve immediately.
• There are many toppings you can dollop on poached salmon, including Basil Lemon Drizzle (page 177), Olive and Caper Relish (page 186), and Parsley Basil Drizzle (page 187).
• Usually it's best to buy your fish the same day you're preparing it. However, life doesn't always work that way. If you must store the fish longer, put it in a resealable plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator, which is usually the back of the bottom shelf. It should hold for an extra two days. Put a note on the fridge to remind you that the fish is there. You know that old saying, "Out of sight, out of mind."
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• (per serving)
• Calories: 245
• Total Fat: 10.9g (1.7g saturated, 4.9g monounsaturated)
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Protein: 24g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sodium: 530mg
• Are you wondering which fish cancer experts like in terms of beneficial nutritional content? Integrative oncologist Donald Abrams, an ardent foodie, suggests the following: "I like fish from deep, cold water. Salmon, albacore tuna, black cod, herring, mackerel, sardines-those are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids."

BROILED TILAPIA AND EGGPLANT WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Bring 3/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Put the couscous in a medium heatproof bowl and stir in the boiling water. Cover the bowl and set aside until the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, puree the garlic, cilantro, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Pulse in the lemon zest, cumin, coriander, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Score the eggplant flesh in a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern and place cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the cilantro pesto and season with salt and pepper. Broil the eggplant, without turning, until browned and softened, 10 to 14 minutes.
• Lay the tilapia on another foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until the fish is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Brush each fillet with about 1 teaspoon pesto.
• Divide the fish, couscous and eggplant among plates. Mix the yogurt with 1 tablespoon water and drizzle on the eggplant. Top the fish with the remaining pesto and more cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.

MOROCCAN VEGETABLES WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot heat oil over medium high heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in spices and cook until aroma is released. Stir in carrots, potatoes and squash and toss to coat. Cook vegetables for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and water. If necessary add enough water so that all the vegetables are submerged. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in zucchini and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and season with salt and pepper, Tabasco and cilantro. Serve hot with couscous and warm pita bread.

CHERMOULA (MOROCCAN PESTO)

Steps:

• combine in blender or food processor until smooth paste forms.

MOROCCAN PESTO ROCKFISH WITH CLAM AND CHORIZO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Pesto:.
• Mortar and Pestle Method:.
• Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and salt in a large mortar with a little of the olive oil and pound into a paste with a pestle. Add the remaining olive oil. Slather mixture on the fish and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Food Processor Method:.
• Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture forms a paste. Add remainder of olive oil, a tablespoon or so at a time, and pulse to mix well. Slather on the fish and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• For the Sauce:.
• In a large pot or saute pan, heat olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook on low heat for 1 minute. Add sausage and cook through. Add tomatoes, clams, and wine. Cook until clams open. (Discard any that don't open.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• For the fish:.
• Heat a scant 1/4 inch of good olive oil in a large saute pan. Remove the rockfish fillets from the refrigerator and saute approximately 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillet (Fish should be cooked through until opaque and flaky for best flavor).
• To serve, place the cooked fillets on a platter, and place the clams around them. Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with green onion slivers.
• Note: To toast cumin seeds, heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread seeds on a baking sheet and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.

MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Do a FASS check to see whether you need to add another squeeze or two of lemon juice, and add water to achieve the desired consistency.
• Goes with poached salmon (page 121) My Family's Favorite Chicken (page 111), Triple Citrus Black Cod (page 118), and Middle Eastern Chickpea Burgers (page 112).
• Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
• (per serving)
• Calories: 35
• Total Fat: 3.6g (0.5g saturated, 2.5g monounsaturated)
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Protein: 0g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sodium: 40mg