image, via flickr.



"The Baker"

Walk through the shantytown which surrounds our home and you will see children as young as six or seven hurrying forward, oversized trays balanced across their arms. Over the tray there's always a cloth, pulled down tight. Under it there’s a loaf of flat round dough, ready for the oven.

The children scamper fast through the narrow alleys which run between the shacks, with the trays. They run around the side of the bidonville, where the donkeys laze hobbled in the morning sun, and present them to the baker.

His name is Mustapha. His arms are scarred from the wood fire, his hair all singed at the top from the interminable heat. All day long he shuffles the loaves into the oven with a long wooden paddle, and then shuffles them out again.

In Morocco there is no food as sacred as bread. Indeed, it’s far more than any simple food. It’s a symbol of something far greater than a food designed for alimentary sustenance. The idea of ever throwing away a morsel of bread, however stale, is completely unthinkable.

In our home, a piece of bread that’s unfit to eat is never thrown away – not ever. Instead, it’s passed on to someone or to something who will have use for it.

I once wondered what happened to all the stale old bread that was unfit to eat. There must be tonnes of it created in Casablanca alone every day. After all, no one throws it away. They protect it, defend it at all costs from the dustbin, and ensure it is given a fitting end.

I never asked anyone where the bread landed up, but the question was always in my mind. Then, one day, I was strolling through the muddy junk yard in the nearby area of Hay Hasseni, searching for old Art Deco basins as I do, and I saw it… a sea of stale old chunks of bread. There was every shape and size, every colour from white to the darkest brown.

I went over. The stench was terrible, as a great deal of the stuff was rotten, or gnawed at by rats. It was winter, and the Atlantic winter climate is merciless... especially on bread.

Every so often someone would stumble up, hand a small coin to the bread guardian, and saunter off with a bag of the stuff. The guardian told me that people bought it for their cows, that it kept them healthy and free from illness even in the coldest weather. ‘It’s a sort of miracle food,’ he said.

In the bidonville, Mustapha the baker told me he knew of the bread dealers in Hay Hasseni. ‘They make quite good money,’ he said. ‘And I thank them for their work, they are honorable men.' He paused, shuffled another paddle of loaves into the fire.

Through a kind of alchemy, Mustapha and the other bakers transform the raw dough into the magical comestible and, as such, they are regarded with special esteem. As bakers – and they are exactly that – men who bake bread, they continue in a profession which remains unaltered since ancient times.

One mention of the history, and Mustapha holds still, rests the end of his paddle on his thigh.

‘The Prophet said never to discard a crust of bread,’ he said, ‘and that if you ever see it even the smallest piece on the ground, you must pick it up and put it on all wall. Then, if a beggar is passing and is in need of food, he will not have to stoop down. Because however poor a beggar, he has dignity too.’

http://tahir-shah.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html

The first time I went to Morocco and was served a savory tagine topped with dried stewed fruits I was nauseated by the thought of just putting that in my mouth. Little did I know the dish would become one of my all time favorites. I usually top this tagine with at least 1 cup of stewed raising but being that my Mother in law is diabetic, I top it with 1/2 cup and use less sugar/honey (if any) when stewing the raisins.

ingredients
1 1/2lbs veal (may also use lamb or beef), bone in cut into large pieces.
2 large onions, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
1 tablespoon finely grated, fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon "Ras al hanout"
2 two inch pieces, cinnamon bark
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper (white or black)
salt to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons oil

Topping
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Place the tagine on a diffuser over medium low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of oil into the tagine, salt the meat and place in the tagine, cook for 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, and coriander and salt to taste. Toss the onions around with a wooden spoon until they become translucent, add the spices and cinnamon bark and mix to combine. Move the meat to the center of the tagine, making sure no onions are beneath the meat. slowly pour in 1/2 cup of hot water, evenly around the tagine (never over the meat)and cover until it reaches a simmering point. Lower the heat to low and cook cook for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced. Cook the raisins separately in a small heavy duty pan by adding at least 1 tablespoon sugar per 1/2 cup of raisins and enough water to plump up the raisins (I used approximately 1/4 cup for 1/2 cup raisins) and 1/3 teaspoon per 1/2 cup raisins. Top the tagine with the cooked raisins and cover for 15 minutes or while the sauce is thickening. Serve with crusty bread...

Here's an amazing Indian dish, perfect when served over traditional Indian basmati rice. This dish was prepared by a dear neighbor of mine, the recipe below is one I have previously used and loved. The difference between the two is that her's is much spicier, if you can see she adds whole green chili's. So if you like your food on the spicy side, feel free to add more spice by adding a few Thai green chili's, seeded and cut lengthwise.


ingredients
2lb raw prawns
1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon ground rice
2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
12 curry leaves
2 medium onions finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons finely grated ginger (fresh)
2 tablespoons "Madras curry powder" (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
Shell and de-vein prawns. Put desiccated coconut into a dry pan and toast over medium heat, shaking pan or stirring constantly until coconut is golden brown. Remove from the pan and do the same with the ground rice. Put both in a blender container with about half cup coconut milk, and blend until smooth. Heat ghee in a saucepan and fry curry leaves for 1 minute. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and fry until golden brown, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add curry powder, chili powder and paprika and fry on low heat, stir and do not let the spices burn. Add blended mixture, coconut milk, and salt, stir while bringing to a simmering point. Do not cover. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add prawns, stir to mix, simmer a further 10 to 15 minutes or until prawns are cooked and gravy thick. Stir in lemon juice and serve over rice.

Madras style curry paste
ingredients
1 cup ground coriander
1/2 cup ground cumin
1 tablespoon each ground black pepper, turmeric powder, black mustard, chili powder, and salt
2 tablespoons each crush garlic and finely grated fresh ginger
vinegar for mixing and 3/4 cup of oil

Directions
combine ground spices and salt in a bowl. Add garlic and ginger and sufficient vinegar to mix to a smooth thick puree. Heat oil in a saucepan and when very hot turn in the spice mixture and reduce the heat. Stir constantly until spices are cooked and oil separates from spices. Cool and place in a glass jar until needed.

Living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where Indian spice blends are sold in almost every corner store you would wonder why I'm creating a blend of spices of my own? Well I have a group of friends that find themselves missing the lovely fragrant Indian food sold almost everywhere in the UK but now living in countries such as Morocco were you find loads of spices sold "separately" but will almost never find a spice blend such as curry. The 1 teaspoon of curry blend is optional and can be replaced with a couple of cloves, chili powder to taste, and an extra half teaspoon of coriander powder. You can find the easy "Garam masala" recipe here.




Ingredients
4 large chicken breast cut into cubes
1 medium large onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
4 large roma tomatoes, grated or puréed
1 two inch piece cinnamon bark
4 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground curry mix (optional)
3 tablespoons oil

Directions
In a large heavy duty pan heat the oil under medium heat, add the onion and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking to the pan. Add the chicken cubes and cook until light golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and spices (whole and powder)and stir for about 5 minutes or until you can smell the spices (if the mixture is too dry, add an extra tablespoon of oil). Add the tomato purée and cook for 10 minutes or until the tomato liquid has slightly reduced. Add 1 1/2 cups hot water and cover the pan and cook under a low simmer for approximately 35 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened. Check the chicken with a fork after 20 minutes cooking time.

This is a delicious and complete meal for a family of four. Serve hot straight out of the oven to keep warm during the Winter months. If you're a fan of side dishes and have more time on hand, serve along with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and biscuits. The neat thing about this dish is the amount of vegetables used, if you have a picky eater like myself, you can simply pick out a few potatoes and serve them with a few slices of chicken breast, and please don't forget the ketchup.


ingredients
(rub)
1kg whole roasting chicken (rinsed and dried)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves (minced)
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning plus extra to sprinkle over the chicken
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons dry thyme
(for the cavity)
1/2 lemon
1 inch piece, peeled fresh ginger
a few springs of fresh thyme
4, 1inch pieces of celery
salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, to sprinkle
(Roasting pan)
2 large onions
12 garlic cloves, unpeeled
salt, pepper, poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In 18 inch by 12 inch roasting pan, place onion slices and garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the butter, olive oil, poultry seasoning, minced garlic, thyme, poultry seasoning, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cream the mixture with a fork. Rub the half of the mixture under the skin and the remainder over the exterior of the chicken

Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, lemon pepper, and place the thyme, lemon, ginger, and celery inside. Tie the legs with baking string. and sprinkle the entire chicken including the back with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and lemon pepper to taste.

Place the chicken over the onions and garlic. Roast for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is golden brown, and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before carving.


Winter vegetables
1 medium small butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cut in half cut to 4 inch pieces
3 large carrots (peeled) each cut 2-inch-long pieces
1 large onion cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 small turnips, peeled and each cut into 6 wedges
3 medium potatoes (peeled) quartered
2 celery sticks roughly chopped
6 whole garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the vegetables: Place the vegetables in a large mixing bowl, and season with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and place in a roasting pan or on a sheet pan. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning once midway during cooking to ensure even browning. Serve with the herb roasted chicken.

This sweet and moist banana bread has made it to the top of my list when it comes to banana bread, and believe me I've tried many recipes. The original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of sour cream and 1/2 cup of oil, I replaced the sour cream with 3 tablespoons plain yogurt and added 1/2 cup of olive oil plus 2 tablespoons of melted butter, it came out perfect if I may say so myself.


Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil
3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, yugurt, melted butter and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.


* Restaurant Recipe

No rising required buttermilk donuts are not only easier to make than your ordinary yeasted donuts but taste great as well. So the next time you're tight on time, give them a go. The dough is a little on the sticky side but the results will be well worth it. I topped mine with basic chocolate ganache but the topping is really up to you, cinnamon sugar, powder sugar, white chocolate, dark chocolate, sprinkles or not. The neat thing about my choice of toppings is that the ganache was not overly sweet and complimented the donuts very well, most of the sprinkles are home made. My kids loved them!

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra to work the surface
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated mace (or nutmeg)
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
6 cups vegetable shortning (or sunflower oil) for frying

Directions
Mix one cup of the flour, the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and mace, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix the buttermilk, butter, and eggs in seperate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry; beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low, add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour, and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stir the batter once or twice with a wooden spoon to ensure that all the liquid is incorporated. The dough should moist and sticky, like a cross between cake batter and cookie dough.

Heat the oil/shorting to 375* F. Meanwhile turn the dough onto a floured work surface and roll with a floured heavy rolling pin to 1/2 inch thick. Stamp out the dough rounds with a floured donut cutter, reflouring between cuts. Transfer the dough rounds onto a non stick baking sheet.

Carefully drop the dough rings into the hot oil 4 at a time, as they rise to the surface, turn the donuts with tongs. Fry the donuts until golder brown, about 50 seconds per side. Drain on a paper towel lined wire rack. Repeat frying, returning the oil to 375*f between batches.

Cover with chocolate glaze, ganache, or roll in sugar.