A Taste of Marrakesh...
(picture from www.longpassages.org)
Inspired by a recent post by my friend, Pistachio, I decided to put a Moroccan spin on dinner tonight. Pistachio is a huge fan of Moroccan cuisine, so I know that if she recommended a recipe, it HAD to be good.
Pistachio recently made a prawn dish she found in The Moroccan Collection by Hilaire Walden. I've never heard of this book, but the prawns looked spectacular. They are cooked, in the shell, in paprika, cumin, ginger, cayenne and garlic. FAB!
These were done in just minutes, and the end result was fantastic. Pistachio says she likes these more than cooking prawns a la plancha, and I have to agree. These are definitely special and finger licking delicious. It is wonderfully spiced without being too overbearing. The squeeze of lemon is also a welcome addition. Here is my take on Moroccan Prawns with Spices. The recipe is hyperlinked for you above. I would post it here, but I think you need to visit the Moroccan Queen's blog because she is always cooking up something gorgeous.
As a side dish, I wanted to make an Israeli couscous dish -- that is, the couscous is Israeli, not the dish. I used to love eating these tender balls of pasta when I was a kid. Even on summers, I would happily devour these, swimming in spicy ketchup. Today, my tastes are a bit more refined. But truth be told -- these are good in any which way. I made a recipe from the Food Network that I just love, and have made before, Rosemary Couscous.
These went really well with the prawns. If you haven't done so, I advise you to pick up a box of Israeli couscous (also known as maftoul or pearl couscous) because these little gems need to be experienced by everyone.
3 comments:
Ilanka, thanks for finding that recipe for me. If you go to my profile, there is a link to my e-mail address there :)
Prawns look fabulous, Pistachio will be happy for her new name ;)...the Moroccan Queen...:)
xx
Ilana - I'm so glad Moroccan is making a comeback, for its spice combinations are truly flavorful and can completely transform an otherwise blah dish (like prawns or shrimp a la plancha). Hassan M'souli, Claudia Roden (Arabesque), and Marcus Samuelsson have recently written books that include wonderful Moroccan recipes - this is from personal experience, by the way :-)
Hi Ilanakins, sooo glad you tried the Moroccan prawns, they're great aren't they. I make them quite often and just change the sides. That rice salad with avocado and olives that I served them with on my blog is fab, I recommend you try it.
Hihi, the Moroccan Queen ... like it!
hugs
pi xxx
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