Mission : "Morocco" - Recipes

Dear Chef Adam

I will narrate you my recent adventure in Morocco to help you put together your "Morocco Event"

I was hired by WAOVFB (World Association Of Very Famous Bakers) to protect their President, the famous Baker Kylie X.
According to our sources, KylieX would be the next victim of the notorious Hellenic Criminal Ethenaeus and her Associate, the Heartless Agent <Q>.
Those criminal creatures were organizing the kidnapping and imprisonment of KylieX in order to brain wash him and take off his head all his knowledge about bread making.

Ethenaeus' and <Q>' plan was very simple. They have organized a banquet , a Symposium in the desert of Morocco and they have invited the most famous chefs and bakers of the World to take part in this mysterious Symposium.
Ethenaeus is famous for her Symposiums. They immitate the famous ones by Athenaeus of Egypt.
In this symposium, Etheneus and Q were planning to perform one of the most disgraced criminal acts of the century. Steal the secret bread recipes and be the only ones in the universe that know how to knead bread.

Apart from Kylie X the guests were VIPs. I will just mention to you some names to realize the importance of this "Symposium":

The famous Cape Cook and president par excellence of the AOMOTO (Association Of Mermaids Of The Oceans)
The famous chef and fierce Diablo - lic ice hockey player Chocolate Rose Garden
The famous TBH (The Body Heat)
The Mysterious NYorker Suzanne Fass
The Chilly Queen.
The baker and runner Coco puffs
The famous Baker Pisa (Theo’s Mum)
Jimmy the Beet (the cantankerous cook),
The famous cook "Ex- cape chef wan bee".
The powerful Mezz that she would rather asks you forgiveness than permission.
The newbie Moon ( that always asks questions because she wants to know)
The activist Chef muSHROOM .
The trendy PhotoandFood .
The very famous politicalyl correct Wendy W .
Nanini the famous wedding cake maker who never mixes flour ( Or he does??? He has confused me!!!)
The sweet like a Nanini cake Nbrown.
The wired chef CchiuNet.
Rongi, the Italian chef.
The ultimate BlackTurkey maker, chefboy2002 .


Among the guests were other two chefs that I wasn't sure about their role: The humorous Tolkeen scholar AppleCreek and the Scottish Lady with a Mediterranean heart , <R>
Did they belong to the criminal gang? What was their role? Have they signed a secret Alliance with Ethenaeus and <Q> or they were there in a mission of their own, to steal Ethenaeus precious books and <Q> notebooks that they were filled with quotes...???
According to rumors, <Q> was planning to steal from <R> the secret recipe for Deep Fried Mars Bars.

I know what you will think!! How , Me, a humble but handsome Agent would sneak into the discussions of those famous cooks? What if they ask me how a tanjin was made? How would I have an opinion on flours or kneadless dough? What would I reply if they asked me about potatoes?

Notice that my cookie partner Nancy was not available to help me. She was melting like chocolate cookie while she was listening to poetry...

But...

I had a precious ally who was hiding in Canada. The Chocoholic Oyster , the famous secret agent Isabella was on my side and she would whisper to my ear using a tiny mic precious information on various culinary subjects that she would find in the Press

Who were my Bond Girls? I was hoping to find belly dancers in Morocco!

It was late evening when I rung the bell of Ethenaeus residence.

A tall and silent housekeeper opened the door and bow to the ground to welcome me.
I was there one day ahead the Symposium… I asked if Ethenaeus would accept my visit and if Lady <Q> was there.
Etheneaus would be in a minute with me…
In the mean time I was observing the house… Covered by books from the floor to the ceiling. Books with weird titles:
" The Truth about Anti-Greek conspiracies".
"How to seduce men and make them Kokoretsi afterwards"
"1001 recipes of Breezes and Winds"
" 2003 Recipes of Bread with Lamb"
"The secret Journal of an ex-mermaid"
This Ethenaeus , was a lunatic indeed...

"Excuse me" asked me a sweet voice " Would you like some Morrocan tea" ?
OMG what a dream.
A dark-hair belly dancer was smiling at me!!! I was starring like an idiot so this angel asked me again "Hello , my name is Nonoreg I am a belly dancer and pastry maker, may I offer you tea" ?

I didn't have time to reply and she offered me a glass of tea explaining me to me the recipe


MINT TEA

Into a 6 cup glass or china teapot:
Pour boiling water, rinse and throw the water away.
Put in: 3 heaping Tbs. OOLONG TEA (do not use teabags)
2 heaping Tbs. DRIED MINT LEAVES
1/2 cup SUGAR.
Fill the teapot to the brim with BOILING WATER.
Allow to steep covered for 5 minutes.
Stir up the infusion and taste the liquid to see if it is sweet enough.
Strain into juice glasses (5 to 6 oz.).
Note: Prepare second infusion while the guests are enjoying the first. Add 1 tsp. tea, 1 tsp. mint and 2 Tbs. sugar to the pot. Add boiling water to allow to steep for 5 minutes. Stir again. Taste for sweetness. Strain to serve.

Nonoreg with a sweet smile she proposed me to taste another Moroccan delicacy

MOROCCAN COCONUT CAKES

Yield: 1 1/2 Ibs. coconut fudge

In a 2-quart saucepan:
Combine: 2 cups GRATED COCONUT (moist, canned or fresh)
3/4 cup EVAPORATED MILK
2 cups SUGAR
Simmer gently to 238' or until a soft ball is formed in cold water.
Add: 1 oz. BUTTER and
2 Tbs. LEMON RIND.
Cool to room temperature in the pan.
Beat as you would fudge until thick and glossy.
Pour into a square (8 x 8-inch) pan lined with wax paper.
Chill and cut into 1-inch squares.



Oh this angel was an excellent Pastry maker . What she was doing with evil Ethenaeus ?
I asked her and her eyes were filled with fear!!! She was forced to make pastries for Ethenaeus because Ethenaeus was keeping her friend and belly-dancer colleague Mermaid, locked in the basement.
Ethenaeus was a mermaid herself but she wasn't an official member of AOMOTO that Cape Cook was their president because she was pissed off for people calling her Hellenic and not Greek.
She wanted to steal Cape Cook's presidency and give the Anglosaxones a good lesson.

As you all have understood Nonoreg was my first Bond Girl...




To Be Continued...

What was his wierd noice?

What were those sarcastic giggles?

My My...

A flying carpet was landing in the large Living Room carrying the two criminals who were laughting at a joke <Q> has said...
Ethenaeus , tall dark hair, olive green eyes with that voice, the same with the one Kathleen Turner was sending to **** poor William Heart in Body Heat, welcomed me politely with broad smile! This smile and this voice are her secret weapons against innocent people.I was prepared though...
Behind her was hiding <Q> Dark hair, dark eyes that they were carefully maked-up with Moroccan khoal and wearing a bright red lipstick . < Q> Instead of saying hello she gave me her first quote
" Beware of Greeks bearing gifts"

"Mr. Bond" said Ethenaeus with an Anglosaxonic accent, tomorrow I will have the honor to host the "Enfant gatees" of the culinary World.
We will have a Maroccan Symposium.

Would you like me to introduce you to the tradition of Morocco?

So Chef Adam this is what I learned by evil but very well educated I must admit Ethenaeus

The cuisine of Morocco

" The cuisine of Morocco is rated among the best in the world, and rightly so. There are few places where food is more carefully and artistically prepared, more delightfully served, and more enjoyed than in this country.
Cooking in Morocco falls into two specific categories. The first, intended for important guests, is the work of skilled chefs. It requires such intensive supervision that the host does not participate. He merely oversees the banquet with his sons and servants. No women are present. The men squat on mattresses or pillows around low, beautifully inlaid tables. A silver ewer of perfumed water is taken around and poured over three fingers of the right hand of each guest.
The host claps his hands and the meal begins. One course after another- each delicacy is served until Chban- complete satiation- is achieved. Again the silver ewer filled with warm water is presented to clean the mouth, lips, and hands. The meal is a feast for the gods and indeed it begins and ends with Bsmillah--God's blessing.
In the second category of cookery are the wonderful dishes prepared with loving care by the mistresses- Dadas- of the homes. Here, where time does not seem to count, she spends hours with her glazed earthenware and copper cooking dishes and her kanoun, the movable clay brazier. Her kitchen is austere, and the charcoal which perfumes the kebabs and allows the sauces to simmer is the only source of heat. There are no chairs. A folded carpet serves as a seat. The Dada is dressed in a long colorful robe tucked up in front and her wide sleeves are held in place with a twisted cord.
The scents of coriander, cumin, saffron, marjoram, and onion mingle with the pungency of olive oil and the sweetness of sandalwood, mint, and roses, delighting the senses" .


To be continued...

[Adam]

I think I need a drink.


Thank you Mr. Bond I really appreciate your help. I wait for the rest of the adventure.

As Ethenaeus was giving me the introductory speech on Moroccan Cuisine, <Q> was looking her self in the mirror, experimenting with lipsticks.

She seemed absorbed in this task but , me, as an experienced man I knew that she was giving me looks with the corner of her eye.

I knew that she would do something to attract my interest. I was expecting her to grasp my nose and say something like your nose is beeping...

But not her! This is why <Q> is considered one of the most dangerous criminals. She is very inpredictable.

So with a slow voice and with many silencies in between, she proceeded to the next Lecture...

How a Dinner is Served in Morocco

A hostess in Morocco might take a week to prepare a suitable dinner for her honored guests. The meal often consists of as many as fifty courses. It would take a full day just to make Bstilla- a crisp pastry, rolled as thin as tissue paper, filled with chicken in a mixture "sweet and peppery, soft and violent."

The dinner starts with Bstilla, followed by the typical brochette or kebab flavored with bits of beef or lamb fat. Next comes the Tajine, chicken or meat in a spicy stew which has been simmered for many hours, and it is served with a flat bread called Khubz.

In Morocco, as in most Arab lands, every household makes its own bread. It is made from semolina flour without shortening or milk. An invocation to God is made before commencing the sacred act of kneading. When the bread has been properly shaped, each family puts its own mark or stamp on it before sending it via the children to a common bakery oven. After the Tajine, a Batinjaan- eggplant salad or chopped tomato salad- is served as a separate course. Then comes Couscous, that marvelous Moroccan national dish made of semolina, cooked to perfection, each grain separate from the other. The dinner is completed with slices or wedges of peeled melon, pastries made with honey and almond like the Middle Eastern Baklava, and finally a small glass of mint tea. The dinner following is a very much simplified version, but it is delicious and will give you the "feel" of Morocco. Once you have made the Couscous, it may very well become one of your favorite dishes. This is a delightful dinner to prepare and serve.

[Rachel]

While the WAOVFB (World Association of very famous bakers) had hired 007 on a secret mission to protect super-baker KylieX from de-flouring by the deadly beautiful <E> and <Q>. <R>, the mysterious Scottish lady, and the mysterious NYorker Suzanne Fass <SF> were on a mission of their own. Not having the advantage of 007’s fame, fortune and way with martini had put them at some disadvantage, but <SF> , that most erudite of New Yorkers, had smelled something fishy already. Realising that fish in a desert are conspicuous by their absence, she had enlisted the help of the ever inquisitive<R>.
<R> sped to the dessert at once from her highland castle, riding on a pure 100% highland wool carpet, made up to the standard of the Royal Stuart Tartan. But do not think, dear reader, that <R> did such things out of pure altruism and selflessness, no, <SF> paid a heavy price for such Royal Aide. <SF> has had to divulge the deepest secrets of her innermost being. Such was the dastardly deed about to be carried out by <Q> and <E> that <SF> was willing to make this sacrifice, and she shared with <R> her recipes of African cooking, secrets bestowed to her family and passed down from generation to generation.

Ghana Jollof Rice

Serving Size : 8

* 2 cups Water
* 1 3lb chicken -- cut into 8 pcs.
* 2 16oz cans stewed tomatoes
* 2 teaspoons Salt
* 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
* 3/4 cup cooked smoked ham -- cubed
* 1 cup Uncooked rice
* 1 large Onion -- sliced
* 3 cups cabbage -- shredded
* 1/2 pound Fresh green beans -- quartered
* And stems removed OR
* 1 10oz pk frozen beans
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Pour water into a large pot. Add the chicken, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cover; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the ham, rice, onion, cabbage, green beans, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fork-tender and the rice is cooked, 25-30 minutes.

[cape chef]

WOW RACHEL !!!!!

I tell you when I post my recipes there going to sound a bit boring compared to these posts
cc

[Athenaeus]

Reading your adventure 007 I felt like knowing very well this evil Ethenaeus who wants to destroy the famous baker KylieX

So let me guess what happened as you were waiting in this big living room for Ethenaeus and <Q> to appear...

Indeed. Ethenaeus and <Q> were a bit jumpy at the idea of welcoming in their own residence their enemy. After all Bond was the one who was there to ruin their schemes...
Suprinsingly enough, Ethanaeus , however controled and reserved might appeared, she losses her temper easily.
In fact she is a notorious neurotic. <Q> on the other hand has the attitude people say in Mani. She has the cold blood.

So, while Ethenaeus was screaming we dispear " What are we going to do with this idiot- What are we going to do with this idiot-" , <Q> was taking her time testing the 20 different red lipsticks...

"Relax my dear" she said, "Bond is not our enemy".

"Our true and only enemy is this Kylie X who one of this days will erase you from the map of famous bakers..."

This phrase made Ethenaeus blood to freeze... Be deleted by the map of bakers by KylieX would be a catastrophy.
Ethenaeus would rather be destroyed by The Body Heat. She considered herself fire resistent anyway.

"After all" <Q> continued, "if Bond tries to make our life miserable we will make of him one of the official Moroccan recipes..."

M'chermal

Brains with sauce

Ingredients for 8 people

2 brains of calf
1 soup spoonful of vinger
500 peeled and crumbled tomatoes
4 crushed cloves of garlic
1 little bouquet of coriander
1 coffee spoonful of sweet red pepper
a little bit of hot red pepper
1 pinch of safran
3 soup spoonful of lemon juice
½ tea cup of olive oil
1 coffee spoonful of salt
½ glass of water
Preparation

Wash out repeatdly the brains , clear them in water with vinger for 30 mn before removing the skin and filamentr, cut them into regular pieces to 4x 2cm, put them inside a pressure cooker with tomatoes, garlic, corriander, sweet red pepper, hot rezd pepper, safran, lemon juice and salt, mix delicately, add oil mix, and add water

Cook on a little fire for 2 hours, till the sauce is smooth, serve cool, either in tagine or in saucers.

[cape chef]

A thousand tiny pellets of grain, Light, seperate and tender, doused with a tagine, arrainged into a pyramid, and then served apon a platter at the end of a meal...This is "Cous Cous" The Moroccan national dish.

The Cous cous concept is simple and brilliant. Take a container with a perferated bottom, fill it with grain, and place it above a bubbling stew. The steam from the stew will swell the grains and at the same time flavor it with it's vapors. When served together- the grain and stew- the results are extraordinary, With the possible exception of bisteeya, cous cous is the crowning achievemnt of moroccan cuisine.

recipes to follow
cc

[cape chef]

1 cup dried chic peas
4 cups cous cous
1 1/2 # lamb shank
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons fresh milled black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron mixed with turmaric
pinch of cayenne
3 1/4 medium onions
2 sprigs each parsley and coriander, tied together
1 cup sweet butter
1 large spanish onion 1/4 and sliced thin
1/2 cup raisins
************
Soak the chic peas over night.
The next day, cover the chic peas with fresh cold water and cook covered for one hour. Drain, cool and remove the skins by submerging them in cold water and rubbing them gently between your hands. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the cous cous.
to prepare the broth, place the lamb, the salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, turmaric, cayenne, the 1/4 onions, herbs and half the butter in the bottom of your Couscousiere. Melt the butter over low heat, swirl around to let the spices and meat to marry. cover with 2 1/2 quarts of water and bring to a boil, add the chic peas and simmer one hour.be sure to line the top of the couscousiere with cheese cloth as you steam it. Thirty minutes before serving, with wet hands break up the lumps of cous cous with your fingers, remove the lamb shank bone and discard. Cut the lamb into bit sized pieces, add the thinly sliced onions, chic peas, raisins, and the lamb cubes to the broth. Bring to a boil and reseal the two containers with cheese cloth, and steam the cous cous another twenty minutes, during the last five minutes dot the cous cous with the remaining butter.. Dump the cous cous into a very large serving dish, tossing to melt the butter evenly. Smooth out any lumps with a fork. spread out and forum a well in the center, Place the lamb stew in the middle and cover with a little more cous cous to give a pyramid effect, taste the broth for seasoning, then strain and moisten the grains with the broth.

No secret agent here..
Enjoy
cc

[KyleW]

The thick plottens! Aware of the attempts to save him from the allegedly dastardly Ethenaeus, Kylie X has a scheme of his own. Feeling his creativity stifled by the oppressive safety of <R> and <SF>, Kylie X kneads to break free. There is indeed the smell of fish in the desert. The fish that has his “Saviors” on their Garde (mange), is in fact a Red Herring! Whilst his protectors chase their (ox) tails, Kylie X is appearing at the residence of the evil Ethenaeus! Together they devise a plan so cunning that not even the newbie Moon could ask a question about it because she couldn’t imagine that she would need to know. They will enlist Nanini’s (kitchen)Aid . Since he does not mix well with other flours, he will be the perfect patsy. Ethenaeus, Nanini and Super Baker Kylie X are plotting to discover the perfect flour. One that works anywhere, Athens, New York… Once they have found it they will not share it with any of the guests at The Symposium!

Moroccan Anise Bread

There is really no single Moroccan bread, but there are countless variations on a theme: Almost all are flat, round and leavened. Some are made from unbleached white flour, others from whole wheat and white, and others from corn or barley or wheat. Household bread in Morocco was traditionally made with a sourdough starter -- usually soured with vinegar and then left to stand for 24 hours -- but that is now changing as commercial dry yeast becomes more widely available. This particular home-style bread is known as ksra. Flavored with anise, it is an excellent accompaniment to Berber bean puree (above).

2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups hard unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon anise seed
1/4 cup cornmeal, plus extra for dusting
2 to 2 1/2 cups hard whole-wheat flour, plus extra for kneading

You will need a bread bowl and one large or two small baking sheets.
In a bread bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the unbleached white flour a cup at a time, stirring in the same direction. Then
stir approximately 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to help the gluten develop. Let this sponge sit, covered, for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Sprinkle the salt and anise seed over the sponge. Add the cornmeal and
stir to mix. Stir in the whole-wheat flour, a cup at a time, until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured bread board, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Clean and lightly oil the bread bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and
allow to rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half. Knead each piece for about 30 seconds, working it into a ball.
Lightly grease two small baking sheets (or one large sheet), and dust lightly with cornmeal. With your palms, flatten each piece of dough into a flat round loaf approximately 9 to 10 inches in diameter. Set the loaves on the baking sheets or sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Just before baking, prick the top surface of each bread decoratively 8 to 10 times with a fork. Place in the upper third of your oven, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned on top. To test for doneness, tap with your knuckles on the bottom of each loaf. The bread should sound hollow. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes to allow bread to firm up. Ksra is most delicious when eaten warm.
Makes 2 round, slightly domed, flat loaves, about 10 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches thick.

[cape chef]

I will sit back and relax with some (Sharbat Bil Looz) Almond Milk.

I have come to love the water of a rose.
1/2 # whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Rose water
1 cup of milk.
Blend the almonds with the sugar, a dash of the intoxicating rosewater, and one cup of water until smooth. Pour through a strainer, pressing down hard with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.Pour in one more cup of water and the milk. Chill and serve in small glasses.

I will now recline and watch the show

As if I didn't know what was going on behind my back...

I knew that this Kylie X as a pure baker would be absent minded and good fellow.
A tiny piece of kneadless cake for evil Ethenaeus...

She has promised him secret recipes from the books of 6th ce and he believed her.
I knew that this would happen. I knew that Cape Cook would work on his famous recipes ignoring the real danger.
I had to act fast. The Symposiun was the next day. I didn't have much time to let KylieX know about the danger. He wouldn't believe me , he would think that The Body Heat has hired me in order that he gets Ethenaeus ancient books...

Poor Kylie X , if I don't do something fast , tomorrow you will be a...

MOROCCAN COCONUT CAKE


Yield: 1 1/2 Ibs. coconut fudge

In a 2-quart saucepan:

Combine: 2 cups GRATED COCONUT (moist, canned or fresh)
3/4 cup EVAPORATED MILK
2 cups SUGAR
Simmer gently to 238' or until a soft ball is formed in cold water.
Add: 1 oz. BUTTER and
2 Tbs. LEMON RIND.
Cool to room temperature in the pan.
Beat as you would fudge until thick and glossy.
Pour into a square (8 x 8-inch) pan lined with wax paper.
Chill and cut into 1-inch squares.


A Moroccan Coconut Cake???? Of course!!! This was the solution to my problem

[cape chef]

To compliment my Almond milk, I will crunch on some (M'hannchu) "The Snake"

This will protect me from all you villians.
Do not cross the snake in love with the almond milk.

[Athenaeus]

I don't know about Ethenaeus but none manage to steal even a printed page from Athenaeus...neither the original nor me...


But let me have one of this delicious



FEQQAS The snake cookies... I am a snake allright

1 kg 500 of flour
500 g of sugar
75 g of of bakery yeast
3 soup spoonful of seeds of sésame and of anise
1 coffee spoonful of eraser crushed with a little salt
1 glass of water of orange blossom
water
Preparation:

Knead the half of the flour with 50 g of yeast diluted in a little tepid sugary water. Once well worked add some water, the gotten dough must be a little softer that the dough to bread. Form a ball, cover it and let it to raise for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, , work it with the remainder of flour, of yeast, the melted butter, the sugar, the water of orange blossom, the eraser then add the grains of sésame and of anise. Knead.

Modele the dough in sticks of 2 cm of diameter on 30 to 40 cm of long, put them on the plate of cooking then cover warmly and start to raise 2 hours sheltered from air.

When the dough raised, it must be elastic. Prick it by places then cook it to half to soft oven. Leave the sticks in oven then remove them before they are colored.

Once well cooled, cut them up in fine small disc, place them on the oven plate so they are colored for some minutes to middle oven.

The cookies remain crunchy if they are preserved in a very well closed box.