Have you ever travelled to a place that has completely transformed you? For the last couple weeks, my students and I have been on a culinary journey through Marrakech. This is my 8th trip to Morocco and I’m still transported by the sights, sounds, smells and of course, incredible flavors of this magical place. Exploring it again with these newcomers and immediate converts makes it all the more special!
We stayed at the beautiful Jnane Tamsna, located in the Palmeraie district, and in between camel rides and shopping at the famous "souks" (markets), we've been cooking...a lot! Moroccan cuisine is so lush and varied, and really fun to cook. Take Berber dishes like couscous, tagine and hariria, add centuries-old sweet and sour influences from Persia, a load of spices from the East, throw in olives introduced from Spain and some French influences and you've got one of the most exciting cuisines in the world!
The best part is that it’s pretty easy to create Moroccan food at home. A few tips:
- You don’t need a “tagine” pot to make a tagine recipe. Just use a Dutch oven or large sauté pan with a lid and you are all set.
- Use fresh spices. Not the stuff that’s been sitting in the cupboard since Reagan was President.
- Call your fiends and have them come over. Moroccan food should be shared!
Ready to give it a try? Here are a few of my favorite recipes from Morocco…get ready to feel transformed!
Bon Appetit!
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