Moroccan Spencer Roast Recipes

MOROCCAN-SPICED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Butterfly the pork loin by cutting almost all the way through, starting on the thinnest side, keeping your knife flat and parallel to the cutting board. Stop about 1 inch from the opposite edge you started, so that the meat opens up like a book. A few more shallow cuts can be made if the pork is not opening up enough to flatten out, but do not cut all the way through, otherwise you'll end up with two pieces.
• Season the butterflied pork on both sides with kosher salt and let sit out at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a roasting pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel.
• Mix cumin, coriander, ginger, black pepper, smoked paprika,cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and honey together in a bowl with a spoon. Spread about half of the spice mixture inside the butterflied pork, fold it back together, and spread the remaining mixture all over the surface. Use 3 or 4 pieces of kitchen string to tie the loin up every few inches, cutting off extra string.
• Toss potatoes, carrots, chile peppers, and onion with olive oil and salt in a bowl.
• Place the pork into the prepared roasting pan and surround with vegetable mixture.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin reads at least 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn roast over with tongs in pan drippings. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Toss vegetable mixture in pan drippings and return to the oven to crisp up, about 10 minutes.
• Combine yogurt, mint, and garlic in a small bowl for sauce.
• Remove strings on roast. Slice, spoon pan drippings over, and serve with vegetables and yogurt sauce.

MOROCCAN POT ROAST

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; saute onions with paprika, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cayenne until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in chickpeas and broth; transfer to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker., Mix pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and 3/4 teaspoon salt; rub over roast. Place in slow cooker. Add carrots and eggplant. Cook, covered, until meat and vegetables are tender, 7-9 hours., Remove roast from slow cooker; break into pieces. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon; skim fat from cooking juices. Stir in honey. Return beef and vegetables to slow cooker and heat through. Sprinkle with mint. If desired, serve with couscous. Freeze option: Freeze cooled beef and vegetable mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring gently.

ALMOST-SPIT-ROASTED MOROCCAN LAMB

Steps:

• Trim lamb of extraneous fat, but leave a thin layer of fat covering the meat (or ask your butcher to do this). Use a sharp paring knife to cut slits all over the lamb. Lightly salt meat on both sides and place in a large roasting pan. Mix together butter, cumin, coriander, paprika, pimentón and garlic. Smear butter mixture over surface of meat. Allow meat to come to room temperature. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Roast lamb, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until it shows signs of beginning to brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue roasting for 3 to 4 hours, basting generously every 15 minutes or so with buttery pan juices, until meat is soft and tender enough to pull away easily from bones and skin is crisp. If surface seems to be browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil and reduce heat slightly. In this case, remove foil, baste lamb and allow skin to crisp before removing from oven.
• Transfer lamb to a large platter or cutting board and serve piping hot. Encourage guests to tear pieces of lamb with fingers; alternatively, carve meat from bones and chop into rough pieces. Serve with cumin-flavored salt, harissa and warm chickpeas if desired.

MOROCCAN-SPICE BURGERS

Steps:

• Bake the sweet potato fries as the label directs; season with salt and 1/4 teaspoon ras el hanout. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and keep the fries warm in the oven. Meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise, harissa and 1 grated garlic clove in a small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Combine the ground beef, parsley and the remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and 11/2 teaspoons ras el hanout in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick patties; season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare.
• Serve the burgers on the buns with a spoonful of the harissa mayonnaise and some sliced tomatoes, arugula and olives. Serve with the sweet potato fries and remaining harissa mayonnaise.

MOROCCAN ROAST LAMB WITH ROASTED ROOTS & CORIANDER

Steps:

• Take the lamb out of the fridge while you chop the onions, squash and celeriac. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Trim any excess fat off the leg of lamb, then cut a few slashes into the meat. Rub ½ tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ras el hanout over the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Put the onion, celeriac, butternut squash into a large roasting tin with the garlic. Toss with the remaining ras el hanout, remaining oil and some salt and pepper. Nestle the lamb into the tin and put in the oven to roast for 40 mins.
• Take the lamb out of the oven and leave to rest. Put the veg back in the oven for 20 mins. Meanwhile, blitz the coriander, cumin seeds, lemon zest, lemon juice and green chilli together in a mini food processor until finely chopped and vivid green.
• Carve the lamb, put on a platter, then pile on the veg. Sprinkle over some of the coriander mixture before taking the platter to the table for everyone to help themselves.

MOROCCAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chickens - see tip, below, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Put the olive oil, coriander, sumac, cumin, fennel, chilli, garlic, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses and some ground black pepper into a food processor or blender, and whizz to a paste. Divide between 2 large food bags, add a chicken to each, then squeeze out the air and seal before giving everything a good squelch to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 24-48 hrs in the fridge, turning and squishing every so often.
• Fire up a barbecue and let the flames die down, or heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lift the chicken out of the bags and season well with salt. Barbecue or roast the chicken for 25-30 mins on each side until crisp and cooked through. Set aside on a platter, loosely cover with foil, to rest while you do the apricots. If you roasted rather than barbecued, keep the tin juices warm for serving.
• Put the apricots in a small, snug roasting tin. Whisk the preserved lemon, honey, orange blossom and vinegar with some seasoning. Pour over the apricots and roast, or sit on the barbecue, for 20 mins until soft.
• Serve the chicken with any cooking juices, the apricots and saffron yogurt.