What's Cookin'?

The cuisine of Morocco is some of the most highly rated in the world, thanks in part to its careful preparation and artistic presentation.
Tagine, a dish which vies with couscous as Morocco’s national dish, is a spicy stew prepared with fish, chicken, lamb or other meats.

Moroccan Fish Tagine
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then diced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or broth
1 1/4 pounds red snapper or sea bass fillets cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced white mushrooms
2 Tbsp. tahini
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
1/2 tsp. salt
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin and paprika and simmer for 1 minute.
Carefully pour in the stock, raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the fish and mushrooms. When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the fish is opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the tahini, lemon, parsley, cilantro and salt. Ladle into warmed individual bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Batinjaan Zalud
(Eggplant Salad)
1-2 large eggplants, peel and cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup olive oil for frying and garnish
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 slice tomato
1 black olive
Parsley for garnish
Fry eggplant in olive oil until soft.
Mash the eggplant and add the onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar and blend thoroughly. Chill in refrigerator.
Heap 1/2 cup eggplant mixture on a 6- to 7-inch plate. Mash it down to form a circle within 1 inch of edge of plate. Dribble with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (if mixture appears dry).
Place 1 slice tomato in center of circle and 1 black olive in center of tomato. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Bread and Potato Delight
2 cups mashed potatoes, still warm
1 cup well-toasted bread, broken into very small pieces
3 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
8 black olives, pitted and quartered
Thoroughly combine all ingredients, except paprika and olives; place on a platter. Sprinkle with paprika, then spread olives evenly over top and serve immediately. Serves 4.
What’s Cookin’? will run every Wednesday in 2008. A different country’s foods will be featured each week. Next week: Nepal.