Simple Moroccan Spiced Butter 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 SPICED PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Dry fry the seeds briefly in a small pan over a medium heat until toasty - don't let them burn. Grind coarsely using a pestle and mortar (or a bowl and the end of a rolling pin), then mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 4 tbsp oil. Tip the squash into a roasting tin, pour over the spiced oil and toss. Roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the ginger and 100g/4oz each almonds and pistachios.When brown, toss in the cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, and the spinach so it wilts. Take off the heat and stir into the squash, when it comes out of the oven. Set aside.
• In a food processor, whizz the chickpeas with the garlic, cumin, remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and salt and pepper to make houmous. Stir in the coriander.
• Melt the butter in a small pan. Put a loose-bottomed 28cm quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some butter. Keeping the filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 10cm. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with butter. Lay two more filo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more butter.
• Build up two more layers in this way, so you use a total of eight sheets of filo. Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Spread over the houmous and then the rest of the squash mixture.One at a time, bring the edge of each filo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more butter. (If making a day ahead, cover now with cling film and chill. To reheat, remove the pie from the fridge, heat the oven, then bake for 35-40 minutes.)
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining butter in the pan, tip in the rest of the nuts and fry until golden. Spoon in the 4 remaining tbsps of honey and, when it melts, take off the heat and pour over the pie. Serve with Harissa yogurt sauce (mix the yogurt and milk together to make a thin sauce, stir in the herbs and season. Swirl in harissa to taste) and lemon wedges.

SPICY MOROCCAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the scallions, garlic, ground spices, herbs, and 1/8 teaspoons salt in a food processor and process to form a slightly rough paste.
• Stir paste into the butter with the lime juice.
• Add to pasta, beans, rice, soup, vegetables, etc. Enjoy!

MOROCCAN SPICED SALMON

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, combine the coriander, fennel, cumin and cardamom seeds with the.
• cloves. Toast the spices over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Finely grind the spices in a spice grinder or mortar.
• In a medium non-reactive saucepan, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil over moderately low heat.
• Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the harissa and 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and increase the heat to moderate. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the flavours are well blended, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to each skillet. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and coat them on both sides with the remaining spice mixture. When the oil is very hot, add 3 salmon fillets to each pan, skin side down.
• Put 1 piece of the butter next to each fillet and shake the pans to incorporate the butter into the oil. Sauté the salmon fillets for 3 minutes. Transfer the.
• skillets to the oven without turning the fillets and roast the salmon for about 6 minutes, or until the skin is very crisp and the fish is just cooked through.
• Serve with fruit and nut rice (rice with chopped apricots, chopped dates and toasted slivered almonds) setting the salmon fillets on top of the rice, skin side up.
• Spoon the tomato sauce on top and serve at once.

MOROCCAN SPICED FRUIT & NUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine apricots, dates and orange juice; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 10 minutes., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, salt and spices. In a another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter and orange zest until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in coconut, pecans and apricot mixture., Transfer to a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool., In a small bowl, beat remaining ingredients until blended. Serve bread with orange butter.

MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.

MOROCCAN SPICED BEEF

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• In a shallow bowl stir together all ingredients except steaks. Add steaks and rub with spice mixture. Let steaks stand, covered, at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Grill steaks on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals about 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (Alternatively, broil steaks under a preheated broiler 3 to 4 inches from heat.)
• Serve steaks with chutney.

MOROCCAN-SPICED RACK OF LAMB

Steps:

• Combine mint, olive oil, parsley, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, paprika, coriander, salt, cayenne, and cloves in a small bowl until paste-like.
• Place rack into a large glass or ceramic dish; rub herb paste all over the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Remove rack from the refrigerator and place in a heavy, oven-proof skillet with the meat side facing up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 125 degrees F (51 degrees C) for rare or 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, carve by cutting down between the ribs.

MOROCCAN-SPICED ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat 375°. Mix shallots with 1 tablespoon oil and roast in a shallow baking pan in lower third of oven 25 minutes.
• Mix together squash, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, salt, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Add roasted shallots and divide between 2 large shallow baking pans.
• Dot vegetables in each pan with half of butter and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes total.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.
• Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin. Toss with spiced butter and cilantro.