Mar 09, 2009 -
With a demanding schedule and a tight budget, it's only natural to develop the habit of eating the same staples for dinner each night. But getting yourself out of a cooking rut can be simple: It's about thinking outside the box with ingredients you already have in your pantry.
For instance, when you combine leftover lamb, canned tomatoes, dried fruit, and paprika with fresh ingredients like lime juice and cilantro, you'll have an exotic North African dinner on the table in no time.
- 3 Comments
Feb 15, 2009 -
After a weekend of opulence and seduction, perhaps you're craving a return to the simplicity of Winter basics. For that, turn to a stew that's soothing yet also a refreshing departure from, say, mother's pot roast.
This turkey stew, with its cumin, allspice, and dried fruits, is the ideal dinner for a casual Sunday evening.
- 5 Comments
May 30, 2008 -
Use a kaleidoscope of colors to create the look of a Moroccan dinner. Start by setting the table with an eye-catching Moroccan print tablecloth. Add ceramic plates, rustic silverware, and plain linen napkins.
- 3 Comments
May 29, 2008 -
My Moroccan dinner would not be complete without sweet mint tea. This hot concoction is a common commodity on the streets of the North African country. Although alcohol is not traditionally consumed in Islamic culture, at my party I'll offer guests an alcoholic variation of the tea in the form of a green-tea cocktail.
- 2 Comments
May 28, 2008 -
Couscous is a staple common to North African cuisine. Instead of serving it as a savory part of my dinner menu, I decided to use it to make a sweet dessert. Most people have had rice or bread pudding, but the majority of my guests have yet to experience couscous pudding.
- 6 Comments
May 27, 2008 -
This week I'm planning a Moroccan-themed dinner. All of my friends will be attending a big birthday bash on Saturday night, so I thought it would be fun to get together early and have a delicious dinner. Instead of sending invitations, I've called everyone to personally invite them to dinner.
- 4 Comments
Aug 17, 2007 -
After an exhausting day, don't be ashamed to get help from the supermarket. Especially on a Friday night. By then, the last thing you feel like doing is mixing and frying a batch of 36 meatballs.
- 6 Comments
May 31, 2007 -
Saffron
A spice often used in Mediterranean and Moroccan cooking that is the dried point of pollination of the purple crocus (a flower similar to the iris). Each flower only provides three strands of saffron that must be carefully and painstakingly hand picked and dried, making it the most expensive spice in the world. For one ounce of saffron, 14,000 tiny strands must be harvested.
- 4 Comments
May 31, 2007 -
When my friend Kari last prepared her amazing kefta with egg, she paired it with this light and simple cucumber salad. The cool crispness of the salad complemented the earthy spice of the meatballs and I found myself reaching for seconds and thirds. This dish is great as a side, but during the summer I tend to crave easy, fresh dishes, so I think I'll enjoy it on its own.
- 11 Comments
May 31, 2007 -
I don't think this is an authentic Moroccan recipe, but it certainly sounds delicious. This cocktail is made with cardamom - a slightly sweet floral spice that smells heavily of eucalyptus- infused simple syrup. Although the name may be unfamiliar, this is actually a pretty common, kosher spice that they sell at your local Safeway.
- 2 Comments
