Like many chefs, I appreciate authenticity in food but don’t want to be restricted by it. What inspires me in other cuisines are new ingredients, techniques and flavor profiles.
I don’t claim to know very much about Moroccan food, or about North African cuisine in general. A Moroccan friend once showed me how to make a proper couscous — you hydrate the couscous with boiling water, then you place it in a couscousière, a kind of colander with a lid, and steam it above the stew that it garnishes.
Moroccan food has one of the most complex flavor profiles of any cuisine. In terms of sheer number of ingredients, it is probably matched only by Thai food. Usually, a Moroccan recipe starts with onions and garlic cooked in olive oil. Spices — often a combination of cumin, coriander, cinnamon and other contenders depending on the household and region — are roasted and added. Then some kind of dry or fresh chile. Then a little tomato. Then often honey is added, a legacy of medieval cooking. Then often preserved lemons, with a salty, acidic, bitter flavor profile. The stewing juices of a chicken or lamb add a depth of flavor.
This quick Moroccan tomato sauce can be used as a dipping sauce for shrimp or a base for a quick vegetarian fricassee. It’s excellent with chickpeas (at Olivea we serve it with our chickpea fries) and grilled chicken or lamb.
John Broening cooks at Duo and Olivea restaurants in Denver.
Moroccan Tomato Sauce
Note: Preserved lemons can be purchased at Middle Eastern groceries. They should be lightly rinsed before using. The Savory Lemon Confit recipe was featured in John Broening’s column on Jan. 26 and is available at . Makes about 3 cups.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, cut into small dice
1 bulb fennel, cut into small dice
Salt
5 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, cut into 1-inch matchsticks
1 tablespoon ground toasted cumin
2 teaspoons ground toasted coriander seed
3 small dried chiles crumbled, or 1 teaspoon tomato paste
4 tablespoons honey
1 container Pomi tomato puree (26 ounces)
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon or 4 tablespoons Savory Lemon Confit (recipe at )
Directions
In a 2-quart pot or medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel, toss to coat in the oil, and add a pinch of salt. Cook until tender and lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until lightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and chiles and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the honey, Pomi, water and preserved lemons or Lemon Confit. Simmer 8-10 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.
