Customer Reviews

Cooking Moroccan (Thunder Bay Cooking)

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Cooking Moroccan by Tess Mallos is a mouth-watering, menu-inspiring compendium of step-by-step recipes showcasing some of the best of Moroccan ethnic and regional cuisine. Superbly enhanced by gorgeous photography throughout, the recipes range from Fava Bean Dip; Preserved Lemon and Tomato Salad; Filled Savory Pancakes; and Lamb Tagine with Sweet Tomato Jam; to Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables; Briouats with Goat Cheese; Trout Stuffed with Dates; and Fried Honey Cakes. Thoroughly "kit-chen cook friendly", Cooking Moroccan is especially recommended for those who have a special interest in authentic ethnic cooking in general, and North African cuisines in particular.

I wanted to learn to cook Moroccan and this was a good book to start with. Everything that I have cooked has been great. The recipes are easy to follow and not everything involves curry (which I am not a great fan of). I was amazed at the diversity of the food and am anxious to try more recipes. I had a friend who once told me if she used even one recipe out of a cookbook, it was a good book. I have used several and can't decide if I want to make them again or try the others because the things I have made have been so good. Oh, by the way, I am beginning to like curry.

Tried out recipes in my tagine and found them to be delicious crowd pleasers.

I have a vast cookbook collection, multiple ones in Mexican and Italian, many more, too many to mention. But this is the only one I need for Moroccan. They are all uncomplicated and take only a few ingredients to make. I got it a few years ago and still consider it the 'one and only' book I need in this cuisine. The book tells you how to make your own preserved lemons and basic Moroccan spice mixes if you so choose, rather than buying them. I have many times over made the "vegetables (peppers are my choice) with stuffed lamb," and sometimes I swap out the lamb for other ground meats. The taste is addictive and so simple to prepare. The best chicken soup is in here too.. "Chicken soup w/Couscous." I never make the plain kind anymore. It has just the right seasonings that make it a stand out and still is very easy to do. I sometimes add chick peas to the soup. . There are so many more recipes from appetizers thru desserts. I bought a tagine that I like to use with some dishes for presentation, but you don't need it. All in all, everything you need for Moroccan is here.

I must admit that I like having a photo for every recipe "goal" that I try. It is an important feature in my purchase choice of cookbooks. This cookbook is a visual stunner. Who does not eat with their eyes first!

This book is visually stunning. Many of the recipes are shown with a lovely photograph that just whets the appetite, and the foods and spices are just as delicious. I haven't tied all the recipes, however, I'm willing to broaden my taste horizons.

The book is peppered with interesting facts about Moroccan culture and the inclusion of Mint Tea.

My only con for this and other books like it, is the lack of information on proper tagine (the crockery) preparation and cooking over coals.

This book doth rock mightily!
[....]
Bon appétit!

Tess Mallos essentially specialises in writing about the cuisines of the Mediterranean. Her expertise is revealed in this well-constructed text.

The text is divided into 4 sections:
(i) little dishes, "a tempting array of spicy dips, glistening olives, colorful salads, grilled kabaobs, crisp fried pastries and breads";
(ii) a simple feast, "the aromatic dishes that are an important part of daily life in Morocco";
(iii) dishes from the palace, "lavish banquet food"; and
(iv) sweets, pastries and drinks.
Individual dishes all tend to illustrated with good quality photographs, while individual syeps in their preparation are clearly explained.

Recipes that appealed included (i) marinated olives, lamb kabobs, kofta briouats, briouats with seafood, warm eggplant salad, and tuna brik filled savoury pancakes
(ii) kefta kabobs, spicy grilled chicken, fish soup, saffron fish balls in tomato sauce, lamb tagine with sweet tomato jam, lamb tagine with peas and lemons, meatball tagine with herbs and lemon, vegetables with lab stuffing, fish tagine with tomato and potato, and couscous with chicken and vegatbles;
(iii) briouats with goat cheese, chicken with preserved lemon and olives, chicken with apricots and honey, tagine of beef with apples and raisins, mechoui, lamb with eggs and almonds, almond-crusted fish with prunes, fish with harissa and olives, couscous with lamb and raisins, and roast chicken with couscous stuffing; as well as
(iv) gazelle's horns, almond phyllo snake and briouats with dates and figs.

Undoubtedly other people would have different preferences - I do not have the sweet tooth that seems to be required for Moroccan desserts.

In conclusion, a well written text that provides a useful introduction to the delights of Moroocan food without very time-consuming preparation.