Spicy Moroccan Butter Food

MOROCCAN SPICE RUB (FOR LAMB & OTHER MEAT)

Steps:

• Mix the cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and cayenne thoroughly. Rub on the surface of the meat. Rub the garlic over the spices and refrigerate overnight. Without the garlic the spices will keep for months in a tightly covered, air-tight covered container.

MOROCCAN SPICED PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Dry fry the seeds briefly in a small pan over a medium heat until toasty - don't let them burn. Grind coarsely using a pestle and mortar (or a bowl and the end of a rolling pin), then mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 4 tbsp oil. Tip the squash into a roasting tin, pour over the spiced oil and toss. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the ginger and 100g/4oz each almonds and pistachios.When brown, toss in the cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, and the spinach so it wilts. Take off the heat and stir into the squash, when it comes out of the oven. Set aside.
• In a food processor, whizz the chickpeas with the garlic, cumin, remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and salt and pepper to make houmous. Stir in the coriander.
• Melt the butter in a small pan. Put a loose-bottomed 28cm quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some butter. Keeping the filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 10cm. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with butter. Lay two more filo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more butter.
• Build up two more layers in this way, so you use a total of eight sheets of filo. Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Spread over the houmous and then the rest of the squash mixture.One at a time, bring the edge of each filo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more butter. (If making a day ahead, cover now with cling film and chill. To reheat, remove the pie from the fridge, heat the oven, then bake for 35-40 minutes.)
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining butter in the pan, tip in the rest of the nuts and fry until golden. Spoon in the 4 remaining tbsps of honey and, when it melts, take off the heat and pour over the pie. Serve with Harissa yogurt sauce (mix the yogurt and milk together to make a thin sauce, stir in the herbs and season. Swirl in harissa to taste) and lemon wedges.

SPICY MOROCCAN RICE

Steps:

• Coat chicken with the Moroccan spice. Fry the onion in butter until soft.
• Tip in the chicken, then cook for a few mins more. Stir in the rice and apricots, then pour in the stock cube with 700ml boiling water and the chickpeas.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 10 mins until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Toss in the chopped flat leaf parsley and serve.

MOROCCAN-SPICED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Butterfly the pork loin by cutting almost all the way through, starting on the thinnest side, keeping your knife flat and parallel to the cutting board. Stop about 1 inch from the opposite edge you started, so that the meat opens up like a book. A few more shallow cuts can be made if the pork is not opening up enough to flatten out, but do not cut all the way through, otherwise you'll end up with two pieces.
• Season the butterflied pork on both sides with kosher salt and let sit out at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a roasting pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel.
• Mix cumin, coriander, ginger, black pepper, smoked paprika,cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and honey together in a bowl with a spoon. Spread about half of the spice mixture inside the butterflied pork, fold it back together, and spread the remaining mixture all over the surface. Use 3 or 4 pieces of kitchen string to tie the loin up every few inches, cutting off extra string.
• Toss potatoes, carrots, chile peppers, and onion with olive oil and salt in a bowl.
• Place the pork into the prepared roasting pan and surround with vegetable mixture.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin reads at least 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn roast over with tongs in pan drippings. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Toss vegetable mixture in pan drippings and return to the oven to crisp up, about 10 minutes.
• Combine yogurt, mint, and garlic in a small bowl for sauce.
• Remove strings on roast. Slice, spoon pan drippings over, and serve with vegetables and yogurt sauce.

MOROCCAN SPICE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients except the butter into the food processor and give it a good blitz.
• Use a spatula to push the sides down, add the butter and pulse blitz until you have a well combined butter.
• Lay a large strip of cling film out on the bench , spoon the butter into a rough log onto the long edge of the cling film. (It will take up the centre 3rd of the the cling film. Carefully roll the cling film around the butter, then pinch the ends together and keep rolling it tight until you have a nice tight log.
• Tie a quick knot in the ends of the cling film and store it in the fridge.

SPICY MOROCCAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the scallions, garlic, ground spices, herbs, and 1/8 teaspoons salt in a food processor and process to form a slightly rough paste.
• Stir paste into the butter with the lime juice.
• Add to pasta, beans, rice, soup, vegetables, etc. Enjoy!

SPICY MOROCCAN YOGURT MARINADE OR DIP

Steps:

• Mix well and pour over salmon (or tuna). Let marinate overnight, and oven-bake or grill. Serve over cous cous of a rice pilaf.

SPICY MOROCCAN STEW

Steps:

• In 10-inch skillet, heat 1 inch water to boiling over high heat. Add carrots; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until carrots are just tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain carrots; set aside.
• Meanwhile, in large ziptight plastic bag, combine flour, cumin, coriander, ground red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken and toss until evenly coated.
• In a nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicke and cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes per side. With tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, zucchini, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add carrots and 1/4 cup water, and cook 5 minutes longer.
• To vegetables in skillet, add tomatoes with puree, garbanzo beans, and chicken; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with knife, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare couscous as label directs.
• To serve, spoon couscous onto large platter; top with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

MOROCCAN SPICED PIE

Steps:

• First, make the harissa yoghurt sauce. Mix the yoghurt and the milk together to make a thin sauce. Stir in the mint and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly stir in the harissa paste, and set the sauce aside.
• Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
• Heat a small skillet over medium heat and dry-roast the coriander and cumin seeds, taking care not to burn them. Grind them coarsely with a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder, then transfer to a small bowl. Mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• Place the winter squash in a roasting tin, then pour over the spiced oil and toss well to ensure each piece of squash is coated with the oil. Roast for 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven, then set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet, then add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the chopped ginger and 3 1/2 oz each of the almonds and pistachios, reserving the remainder. When the nuts are golden brown, add the craisins, 2 tablespoons of honey, and the spinach. When the spinach wilts, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the roasted winter squash. Set aside.
• Process the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, the remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water, and salt and pepper to taste, in a processor or with a stick blender. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
• Melt the butter in a small pan. Place a loose-bottomed 11 inch quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some butter. Keeping the phyllo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 4 inches. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with butter. Lay two more phyllo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more butter. Build up two more layers in this way, so there is a total of eight sheets of phyllo.
• Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Cover with the chickpea mixture, then top with the rest of the squash mixture.
• One at a time, bring the edge of each phyllo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more butter.
• Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Cover loosely with foil if browning, too quickly, near the end of cooking time.
• Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining butter, in the pan, add the remainder of the nuts and saute until golden. Spoon in the remainder of the honey and, when it melts, remove from heat and pour over the pie.
• Serve with harissa yoghurt sauce and lemon wedges, and a large tossed green salad.