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.
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. In Israel these eggs are called […]
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 a great way […]
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. Use a good organic bird, like the ones from Eugowra Game Birds, and a good naturally thick yoghurt, such […]
This Moroccan specialty is 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 up excess fruit from a backyard lemon tree; or wait until lemons are in season (and inexpensive) then make a big jar that will keep you supplied […]
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 keep well […]
My lamb kefta & egg tagine recipe is inspired by a dish from Moroccan chef Hassan M’Souli that I had at his 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 table. A mainstay of Moroccan cooking, […]
Quail has always seemed a bit fiddly to me – but when I finally tackled it, I was really surprised at how simple it was. Brining is a great way to add flavour to meat and poultry – it’s really the original ‘marinade’, a word that derives from the Latin ‘mare’, meaning ‘sea’, and the […]
Spice-rubbed Lamb Backstrap This quick spice rub adds real punch to any red meat. I usually serve my spice-rubbed lamb backstrap with instant couscous (quinoa works well too) tossed with slivered almonds, finely diced preserved lemon, chopped green olives, chives, salt and olive oil, but plain steamed rice is also good. Asian sambal oelek has […]
