All the posts on our recent trip to Morocco resulted in a craving for Moroccan food… Discovering a tube of instant harissa paste at the grocery a few days ago meant we had a “jumping off” point for a dinner with friends. We started with a citrus salad with olives, nuts and an argan oil dressing (recipe up soon). then we had a large platter of couscous, surrounded by a wonderful vegetable tagine that Mrs. MM made, aren’t the colors just incredible?
We also made a chicken with apricots and tomato tagine that turned out very, very nicely (recipe up soon as well)…
…and some tiny, rare lamb chops as the other choice of protein. Overall a nice meal that was reminiscent of Morocco, but perhaps not as heavily spiced as we would have experienced it on our recent trip… :)
17 Responses
I love couscous. I can eat them all day long! This is making me yearn for Marrakech…
I love couscous with pine nuts and cranberries!!! Yummy ! Doesn’t the chicken look pale? Waiting for you recipes… Thanks
Wow! kalami ana MM! Yum =)
Looking forward to the chicken recipe, MM. Done some Moroccan dishes and would love to expand my repertoire. Hello to Mrs. MM and the Teenager.
Just had lunch, but I’m getting hungry again!!!!
Goodness! How do you keep the pounds off, MM?!
I’m hungry!!! How bout the couscous recipe? please share that too. Thanks
Now where could we get descent lamb meat in the metro?!
Marketman–where did you find the harissa paste?! :D
The colors are so vibrant! These look really appetizing.
Very appetizing, MM!
Love that photo of the succulent lamb chops, now am craving for it!
yummy salad!
So where’s the recipe???????
I’m sorry Marketman but Harissa is actually Tunisian. I should know, I’m married to a Tunsie. :) Moroccans actually have a white couscous while Tunisians have red couscous precisely because of the Harissa. They eat Harissa with everything here, even with bread. Goodness.
But, lovely spread. :) love the food, the photos.
Ever since I googled alimango and came upon your site so many moons ago. :)
God Bless MM!
malena, yes, many thanks for that clarification. I have never been to Tunisia. And now I know better re: the origins of the chili paste harissa. But I have always associated harissa with North African food, so it is still an appropriate “jumping off” point for a Moroccan meal. On our recent trip to Morocco, harissa was quite prevalent in restaurant food… And in Moroccan cookbooks, harissa is also frequently mentioned…A quick check on a spice reference book I have desk side says, and I quote: “This chili based condiment with a definite kick is widely used in Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian cooking.” – The New Guide to Spices by Sallie Morris.
Hi! Where did you buy the harissa paste? Thanks in advance!
Mar, got the harissa at Rustan’s rockwell, but supplies there are erratic. You may also want to try Santis delicatessen’s which has it on occasion…