The cooking of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt is influenced by other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, they have elements in common with each other that are distinctively North African. Here are my favourite North African recipes.
Hamin Eggs with Cumin Salt I first tasted this dish in the mid ‘90s at Middle Eastern restaurant Fez in Darlinghurst, and it became my go-to breakfast dish. Years later I discovered that it’s the long slow cooking that gives hamin eggs their creamy texture and brown onion skins that add the beautiful colour. Find […]
Guinea Fowl Bisteeya Variously written as bisteeya, bastilla, bestela, bastila, pastilla or pastila, this Moroccan pie has many variations but is traditionally an elaborately spiced preparation of pigeon, egg, almonds and warqa pastry, which is similar to Greek fillo pastry. It works well with almost any birds, including quail, chicken and guinea fowl, and is […]
Poussin with Preserved Lemon Salata Poussins, French for chicks, are young chickens, sometimes called spatchcocks. They’re a good size to serve whole or halved, but you can also make this dish with a regular-size chicken and just increase the cooking time. I love the flavour of preserved lemon, and this delicious salata (Arabic for salad) […]
Preserved Lemons Preserved lemons, a Moroccan specialty, are super easy to make, a great pantry staple to spice up many dishes and a wonderful homemade gift. It’s a great way to use excess fruit from a backyard lemon tree; or wait until lemons are in season (and inexpensive) then make a big jar to keep […]
Chopped Salad Of course we all love to cook – but occasionally, there just isn’t time. That’s when I whip up a big bowl of this delicious chopped salad which keeps well for days in the fridge. Found all over the Middle East, it makes an interesting alternative to a leafy green salad (which doesn’t […]
Lamb Kefta & Egg Tagine My lamb kefta and egg tagine recipe is inspired by a dish from Moroccan chef Hassan M’Souli who served a his version at Manly restaurant Out of Africa. I love eggs and I love the way this dish looks with them cooking in the sauce as it arrives at the […]
Harrisa-rubbed Quail For a long time, i thought quail would be too fiddly to cook – but when I finally tackled it I was surprised at how simple it is. Brining is a great way to add flavour to meat and poultry, it’s the original ‘marinade’, a word that derives from the Latin ‘mare’, meaning […]
Spice-rubbed Lamb Backstrap This quick spice rub adds real punch to any red meat. I sometimes serve spice-rubbed lamb backstrap with instant couscous tossed with slivered almonds, finely diced preserved lemon, chopped green olives, chives, salt and olive oil, but if I’m short on time plain steamed rice is good too. And in the glass, […]
