Morocco Unplugged.

 

Yes, we’ve officially unleashed Morocco and our 2 brand new culinary vacations - Exotic Morocco and A Moroccan Culinary Adventure.  They are now live on the site, with more vacations to follow! 

 

This month we’ll focus on Exotic Morocco, one of the most luxurious culinary destinations that we offer.  Spend a week at your exotic Moroccan cooking school located just outside the ancient imperial city of Marrakech, a walled garden city of tall graceful palms set beneath the snow-capped Atlas Mountain range. About ten minutes from the walled garden city (medina), you will find the Palmeraie, an oasis of over 150,000 towering palm trees. It is here you will find your luxury villa, aptly named the ‘house of green mint’ (even though it's pink)!

 

It is in this oasis and in your customized kitchen that you will join other cooking enthusiasts for a unique culinary vacation. The local staff will pamper you and escort you to the market, lead you on a trek in the nearby Atlas Mountains or take you camel riding. During the hands-on cooking lessons the expert chef will introduce you to the exotic combination of ingredients and techniques that exemplify traditional Moroccan cuisine. You will learn first-hand how the fascinating history of this country has influenced its cuisine, and you will also be introduced to some fusion recipes.

Foodie’s Corner.

 

Recipe(s) of the Month:
The Moroccan cuisine is so incredibly delicious that we just had to share these two authentic recipes from our Exotic Morocco culinary vacation kitchen.

Carrot Salad with Chilli Pepper and Cumin
Khizü M’rqed
Serves 4-6
750 g/l lb oz carrots, cut in half and quartered lengthways
3 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 ½ teaspoon each paprika and ground cumin
30 g/l oz each flat-leaf parsley and coriander, most of the bottom stalks discarded, finely chopped
½ lemon juice
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste

 

Put the carrot pieces and peeled garlic cloves into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat and cook covered for 10 min., or until the carrots are tender. Drain and leave to cool. Discard the garlic cloves. Combine the remaining ingredients in a salad bowl and mix well together. Add the carrots. Toss carefully and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

Lamb Kebabs.
Qotbane L’ham
Serve 4-6
1 kg/2 lb 2 oz lamb fillet cut into 2 cm/1 in. cubes
2 medium onions thinly sliced
55 g/2 oz parsley finely chopped
1 tsp cumin
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

 

Put the cubed meat in a mixing bowl. Add the onions, parsley, cumin sea salt to taste and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix well together, coating all the cubes of meat. Leave to marinate at least 2 hours. Thread the meat into 8 or 12 long skewers, (2 skewers per person). Grill over a charcoal fire or under a preheated hot grill for 2 or 3 min. on each side, or until the meat is done to your liking. Serve immediately with a small bowl of salt and cumin mixed together, bread and mint tea. Another delicious side dish is couscous blended with harissa hot sauce (read on)!

 

Food for Thought.
A Moroccan Pantry…(some) of what you really need:
Couscous: 
Couscous is made with the finest French durum wheat and prepared according to a unique process that brings out the best flavour and gives it a golden colour. 100% natural, quick & easy to prepare. Add a splash of olive oil and some veggies! 
Harissa Hot Sauce:
This traditional North African condiment is a must for couscous.  This fiery hot sauce is made from hot chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway and olive oil. It is also used to flavour stews, soups and sauces.

Market Tip:
Look for these Moroccan pantry items at most gourmet stores throughout the world and from Epicureal.com (in Canada) and Tienda.com (in the US).  At Epicureal you’ll find a complete range of gourmet products at the click of a mouse, and delivered right to your doorstep (good old-fashioned service).

UNCORKED!
No...it’s not wine this month, but it's the most popular Moroccan beverage - Moroccan Mint Tea (compliments of the Tea Caravan’s Veronika Lyde).

 

Spectacular, charming, Moroccan Mint Tea.
Atay Bi Nahna is the national drink of Morocco.  Shopkeepers and even street vendors carting their portable urns are more than happy to invite you to savour a glass of tea with them.  Commonly served at the end of a meal, sharing the splendors of tea with friends, family members and even total strangers is one of the most important rituals of the day. 

 

In 1854, British merchants seeking alternate markets due to the Baltic Sea blockade caused by the Crimean War introduced tea to both Tangiers and Mogador. Once they had made their presentation to the sultan and his entourage, it was love at first taste! They were instantly seduced.

Tea service sets for the Moroccan tea ceremony are easily identifiable by their elaborately engraved sterling silver pots with their unique long, elegant pouring spouts.  These curvaceous teapots are perfect for allowing the tea to flow into equally beautiful hand-painted glasses, called a rabat, from heights of half a meter or more.

 

Be sure to treat your guests to three glasses each: the first represents life, bitter; the second is like love, sweet; and the third is like death; gentle.

Sipping a fragrant glass (never porcelain) of this exquisite elixir will whisk your senses to sultrier climes ensuring you shake off once and for all those final vestiges of winter.

 

To Prepare.
Boil some water.
Place about a tablespoon of gunpowder tea into a silver or enameled teapot.
Cover the leaves with a first pouring of water that you will immediately pour back out.
Add a large quantity of mint leaves, removing the stems to avoid bitterness.

Pour water on the tea.

Put in five to seven sugar cubes (per two cups).
Pour into a small Moroccan glass before pouring the contents back into the teapot to mix the ingredients well.
Repeat this procedure three times. Steep for four to five minutes, and then pour from a height to aerate the tea.
If you wish, you may garnish with fresh mint, and jasmine or orange blossom flowers.(©Recipe adapted from The Tea Box)
Veronika from the Tea Caravan can be contacted via email at theteacaravan@yahoo.com.

One Last Thing.
I just had to mention that we now have a fantastic SPA and food culinary vacation as part of our Southern France Gourmet Route culinary vacation. Pamper yourself at the SPA for a half day during your 4-day food adventure, at a fantastic price!  Contact us today to find out more about this fabulous combination of food, wine and relaxation. Bon Appetit!

 

To find out more about any of our culinary vacations please feel free to call me at 416.238.9987 or 1.800.839.5795.  Email works well too at jackie@gourmetsafari.com.

 

Gourmet Safari supports BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING – proceeds from every culinary vacation go to this special charity.

 

Wishing you a Happy Easter, Passover or whatever special occasion you will  celebrate this weekend.

 

Gastronomically, Jackie

PS: Please help save the environment by recycling this email -- help spread the word and forward it to all your friends!