Moroccan Spices Add Flavor To Dishes Without Adding Fat
Discovering a new seasoning mixture can do wonders for everyday menus, transforming ordinary ingredients into appealing new dishes without adding fat.
One of my favorite spice blends is a Moroccan combination of cumin, paprika and hot red pepper. Season about 4 cups of boiled and drained vegetables with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, dashes of salt and cayenne pepper and a tiny drizzle of olive oil, and they will gain immensely in flavor.
For a fresher, more pungent flavor, Moroccan cooks embellish the basic spice mixture with chopped garlic and cilantro. The resulting seasoning paste adds a marvelous taste to chicken or meat which will be grilled or roasted. With the addition of a little oil, it becomes a tasty marinade called “chermoula,” which is used for fish. You can cook the fish directly in the marinade, or you can drain it and then bake, broil, grill or fry it.
If you’re making a stew of meat, beans or vegetables, you can add the elements of the seasoning mixture individually - the garlic and spices in the course of cooking, and the cilantro at the end.
Moroccan Marinade (Chermoula)
This is a classic North African marinade for fish. It’s also a good marinade for chicken breasts that will be broiled or grilled.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Dash cayenne pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Dash salt
Mix together cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, oil and salt in small bowl.
Yield: Makes enough marinade for 4 servings of fish.
Fish Steaks With Cumin and Garlic
In this tasty entree, the fish gains an intriguing flavor from the cumin, paprika and garlic, which is used in the marinade, and again in the quick and easy sauce.
4 halibut steaks or other firm lean fish, 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 pounds)
Moroccan marinade (recipe above)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Dash salt
Place fish steaks in tray in one layer. Add marinade and rub it over both sides of fish steaks. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 3 hours, turning steaks occasionally.
Mix paprika and cumin in small dish.
Stir water into tomato paste in cup until smooth. Add lemon juice.
Heat oil in large deep skillet. Add garlic and cumin mixture and saute, stirring, 30 seconds over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add tomato paste mixture. Bring to simmer, stirring.
Add fish steaks with marinade to sauce in skillet. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook over low heat, basting fish occasionally, about 10 minutes or until fish can be flaked with fork. With slotted spoon, transfer fish to platter and keep warm. Boil sauce, stirring constantly, until it measures about 1/4 cup. Taste sauce for seasonings. Spoon over fish and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
Vegetable Stew With Moroccan Flavors
This stew is quite low in fat but if you wish to make it even leaner, substitute olive oil spray for the 2 tablespoons oil. Use a heavy nonstick pan and spray only enough to lightly moisten the pan’s bottom.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, peeled and quartered
1-1/2 cups hot water
4 large carrots, diagonally sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin Salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
2 cups small broccoli florets
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional
Heat oil in large, heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute over medium heat 2 minutes. Stir in garlic. Add potatoes and 1-1/2 cups hot water and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes.
Add carrots, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes, occasionally stirring gently. Add broccoli. Cover and cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Yield: 4 servings.