Moroccan-Style Preserved Lemons
adapted from Gourmet, May 2007

You can certainly buy preserved lemons, but it’s very easy to make your own. They have a rich, clean taste, and are a wonderful way to use lemons when you have them in abundance (my co-worker has a lemon tree, so was giving away bags full!). Once preserved, you can experiment with using them in salads, soups, or even cocktails. You may wish to rinse them (or don’t add more salt to your dish). You can use or discard the pulp according to the dish and your personal preference.
6 lemons
2/3 cup kosher salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from 5 to 6 additional lemons)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Note: Olive oil is used in Moroccan recipes. Other cuisines, such as Israeli and Middle Eastern, prepare these without the oil.

6-cup jar with a tight-fitting lid (I got a large, cheap “cracker jar” from Wal-Mart.)

Blanch lemons in boiling water 5 minutes, then drain. When cool enough to handle, cut each lemon from top to stem end into quarters, leaving stem end in tact. Discard seeds. Sprinkle interior of lemons with salt, then press sections back together. Pack lemons, along with salt, tightly into jar. Add enough lemon juice to jar to cover. Close lid tightly and let lemons stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, for 5 days. Add oil to jar and refrigerate. Preserved lemons can be chilled, covered in their juices, up to 1 year.

Hummus
Adapted from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman.
Why spend $4.99 for a small container of hummus when you can make it yourself cheaper, and control all the ingredients that go into it? This is an excellent use for canned chick peas, which are inexpensive, and easy to keep on hand so you can whip this up quickly for impromptu guests. You can make hummus without tahini; it will be a little looser and less complex tasting but still taste good.
Makes 8-10 servings as a dip/spread
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
½ cup tahini (sesame paste), or a little less, with some of its oil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, peeled, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika, plus a sprinkling for garnish
Juice of 2 lemons, plus more as needed
12 teaspoons of lemon zest (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Put everything except the parsley in a food processor and begin to process; add chickpea liquid or water as needed to allow the machine to produce a smooth puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Some like more lemon juice; others like more garlic. (You could even add Kalamata olives or roasted red pepper and pulse a few times, to change the flavor profile.). Serve, drizzled with the olive oil and sprinkled with a bit more cumin or paprika and some parsley. Great with a veggie tray or pita chips.

Za'atar
Gourmet, July 2002
This Middle Eastern spice mixture is so delicious we suggest doubling the recipe and using the extra for a snack: Dunk some bread (such as pita) in flavorful olive oil and then in the za'atar. Or sprinkle za'atar over plain yogurt and drizzle with olive oil, and you've got a terrific dip (which is what we did).
Active time: 15 min. Start to finish: 15 min.
Makes about 5 tablespoons of spice mix.
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons ground sumac*
½ teaspoon coarse salt

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Keeps, chilled in a sealed plastic bag, 1 week.
*Available at Middle Eastern markets or from Penzey’s.
We poured a Pouilly-Fuissé, a delicate white wine from central France, with the appetizers. I chose that wine because from 1912-1956, Morocco was under French rule before gaining its independence. No doubt French wines were drunk there at some point.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Moroccan Spices
adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2005
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ras-el-hanout*
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 3-pound whole Cornish game hens
3 small whole lemons, pierced all over with fork (use preserved lemons if you have many)
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Blend first 9 ingredients in blender to make a moist paste.
Remove giblets and excess fat from main cavities of hens. Rinse inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Cut each hen in half lengthwise through the breast and rib bones, to make 6 halves. Rub the spice paste all over outside and underside of hens, pushing some under the skin. Place half a lemon and 1 garlic clove under each bird half in a large baking dish**. Roast 45 minutes; tent with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 45 minutes. Transfer hen halves to platter; let stand 10 minutes before serving.
*Literally, ras-el-hanout means “head of the store and consists of the best spices a seller has to offer. It may contan 12-25 or even 100 ingredients, including cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, paprika, coriander, cumin, mace, peppercorns and turmeric. Other unusual ingredients might include ash berry, grains of paradise, belladonna (poison), and even Spanish fly (banned in markets in 1990s, but explains why the blend has a reputation of being an aphrodisiac). Available at some specialty foods stores, Middle Eastern markets, and by mail from The Spice House (312-274-0378; thespicehouse.com). We doctored up a Moroccan spice blend from AJ’s since I was unable to find true ras-el-hanout.
**Use a tagine if you have one and the birds will fit comfortably. Otherwise, any baking dish with/without a cover will do.

Couscous with Preserved Lemons, Dried Apricots, and Pistachios
adapted from Bon Appétit, June 1996
Sweet and savory flavors give this couscous a complex flavor. Serves 10.
3 cups water
4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup preserved lemons, rinsed and finely chopped
1 ½ 10-ounce boxes couscous (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 ¼ cups (about 7 ounces) dried apricots, thinly sliced
2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 ¼ cups (about 4 ounces) unsalted pistachios, toasted, chopped
¾ cup chopped green onions
6 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Combine water and oil in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Combine couscous, apricots, lemons, and spices in large bowl. Add boiling liquid. Cover immediately; let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Uncover; fluff with fork. Cool. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
Mix nuts, green onions and basil into couscous. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Fennel and Carrot Slaw with Olive Dressing
adapted from Gourmet February 2008
Ingredients are considered 'spices' in Algerian cooking, and this slaw illustrates that point, with olives contributing saltiness, carrots and sun-dried tomatoes adding sweetness, and fennel and parsley lending an incredible freshness. Even in the dead of winter, when vegetables are scarce, the clean flavors of this salad are as close as you're likely to get to a summertime farmer’s market.
Makes 6 servings.
2 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
5 carrots, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
¾ teaspoon dried Aleppo chile or Espelette pepper flakes (optional), or to taste
6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Chop enough fennel fronds to measure 3 tablespoons and reserve. Discard remaining fronds and stalks (or reserve to make a stock). Cut bulbs into thin matchsticks and toss with carrots in a bowl.
Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, olives, Aleppo chile, and salt to taste and toss with vegetables. Chill, covered, at least 30 minutes for flavors to develop. Just before serving, stir in reserved fronds and sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes and parsley over slaw.
Cooks' note: Slaw, without fronds, tomatoes, and parsley, can be chilled up to 4 hours.

We served the main course with a red from southern France, a blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache, which was peppery but fruity and complemented the strongly-flavored dishes quite well.

Almond Baklava with Rose Water
adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2002
The fragrant secrets to this recipe are rose water and mahlab, a Turkish spice made from the pits of sour cherries. It lends a subtle cherry almond flavor o the pastry and you will really smell it as it is baking. Makes 12 servings.
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 ½ cups water
2/3 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
8 2x½ -inch strips orange peel
2 teaspoons rose water*
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 cups coarsely chopped almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ tsp mahlab, ground in spice grinder**
15 fresh phyllo pastry sheets or frozen, thawed (1/2 a typical 17 oz. box )
Plain yogurt for serving
Stir 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1½ cups water, honey, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in rose water. Chill until cold.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with some of melted butter. Mix almonds, ground cinnamon, allspice, and 1/3 cup sugar in medium bowl.
Fold 1 sheet of phyllo in half to form 12x9-inch rectangle. Place folded sheet in prepared pan. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with 4 more folded sheets, brushing top of each folded sheet with butter. Sprinkle half of nut mixture over. Top with 1 folded pastry sheet and brush with butter. Repeat with 4 more folded sheets, brushing top of each with butter. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture over. Repeat with 5 more folded sheets, brushing top of each with butter.
Note: Depending on how many sheets you actually have, just divide them and nut topping into enough equal sets for layers. Mine actually made 3 nut layers and 4 pastry layers.
Using sharp knife, make 5 diagonal cuts across phyllo, cutting through top layers only and spacing cuts evenly. Repeat in opposite direction to form diamond pattern. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
Strain rose syrup. Spoon 1 cup syrup over hot baklava; cover and chill remaining syrup. Recut baklava along lines through all layers. Let stand 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Serve baklava with yogurt and remaining syrup.
*Available at Middle Eastern markets and specialty foods stores like AJ’s.
**Available at Penzey’s.

We served dessert with a Sauternes from southwest France. While also sweet, it did not overpower the delicate dessert.

Recipes from Asian-inspired Sunday Dinner

Here are the recipes we enjoyed at this past Sunday's dinner. Everything was light and refreshing - even the cheesecake was not too heavy. If anyone else experiments with these, let us know!
Note: If you can't find some of these ingredients at your local market, try Ranch Market at the Chinese Cultural Center downtown. It may take a while to locate some items, as most of the packaging is not in English, but it will be well worth it for the authenticity (and most things are cheaper here, too).

Vegetable Summer Rolls
Active time: 50 min. Approx. 1 hr. Doubles or triples easily, and rolling goes quickly with some practice. We served this with a semi-dry Alsatian Riesling.

For peanut sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (adjust to taste ? sauce gets stronger as it sits and flavors develop)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste

For summer rolls
3 oz. bean thread noodles (aka cellophane or glass noodles)
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
4 (8-inch) rice-paper rounds, plus additional in case of casualties
2 red-leaf lettuce leaves, ribs cut out and discarded and leaves halved
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh Thai purple basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup coarsely shredded carrot (1 medium)

Make sauce: Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer, whisking, 1 minute, then cool.

Make summer rolls: Cover noodles with boiling-hot water and soak 15 minutes, then drain well in a sieve. Pat dry between paper towels and toss with vinegar and salt to taste.
Fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Soak 1 rice-paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until just pliable, 15-30 seconds, then transfer to work surface (cutting board worked fine). Rice paper will continue to soften as you work with it.
Arrange 1 piece of lettuce on bottom half of soaked rice paper, folding or tearing to fit and leaving a 1-inch border along edge.
Top with one fourth each of mint, basil, cabbage, and noodles. Roll up rice paper tightly around filling and, after rolling halfway, arrange one fourth of cilantro and carrot along crease. Then fold in sides and continue rolling. Transfer summer roll to a plate. Cover with damp paper towels if they will not be served immediately.
Make 3 more rolls in same manner. Serve rolls halved on the diagonal with peanut sauce for dipping.

Can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in dampened paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Bring rolls to room temperature before halving and serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Adapted from Gourmet, May 2001

Miso-Marinated Salmon with Cucumber-Daikon Relish
Buy wild Alaskan salmon, if possible. Costco has good prices on salmon, but not all of it is wild. We served this with a Russian River Valley Pinot Muenier, at Blake's suggestion. Very light and went exceedingly well with the gently-spiced fish.

1/4 cup white miso (fermented soybean paste)
1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
6 6-ounce Alaskan salmon fillets

Jasmine Rice w/Edamame (recipe follows)
Cucumber-Daikon Relish (recipe follows)
1 1/2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
1/2 cup radish or pea sprouts
1/2 8x8-inch sheets dried nori, cut with scissors into matchstick-size strips

Whisk first 6 ingredients in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish to blend for marinade. Add salmon; turn to coat. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Preheat broiler. Line heavy large baking sheet with foil. Remove salmon fillets from miso marinade and arrange on prepared baking sheet. (If salmon has skin, put skin side up first.) Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat source, about 4 minutes. Using metal spatula, turn salmon over. Broil until salmon is just cooked through and golden brown on top, about 4 minutes.
Mound about ½ cup of rice onto plate. Place fish diagonally against rice, skin side down (if skin). Spoon cucumber relish over fish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then sprouts and nori. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.
Adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2006

Jasmine Rice w/Edamame

2 cups Jasmine rice
3 cups water
1 12 oz. bag shelled Edamame (in the frozen foods section)
Sea salt to taste

Cook rice according to package directions. In separate pan, roast the Edamame over medium heat with the salt until a few of the beans begin to blister and just begin to brown. Mix beans into rice when rice is finished cooking.
Pack rice mixture into a small ramekin and unmold onto plate for serving.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Cucumber-Daikon Relish

2 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (a Mandolin or other slicing tool will cut time considerably)
2 teaspoons sea salt
8 ounces daikon (Japanese white radish), peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch slices
2/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toss cucumbers with sea salt in colander. Place colander over sink and let stand 15 minutes. Rinse cucumbers. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Place radishes in medium bowl. Cover with cold water. Soak 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Stir vinegar and next 3 ingredients in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumbers and radishes; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Drain marinade from salad and pass at the table to moisten rice, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Green Tea Cheesecake with Lychee and Raspberries
We served this with a sweet (though not syrupy) plum wine.

1 1/2 cups (generous) ground shortbread cookies
3 T. butter
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) fromage blanc (available at Costco and probably AJ?s)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons Japanese green tea powder or 2 teaspoons finely ground green tea from several tea bags (you can grind it in a spice grinder or coffee mill)
Lychees and raspberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt butter and mix with crumbs. Press crumbs firmly onto bottom (not sides) of 10-inch-diameter spring form pan. Wrap outside of pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Bake 10 minutes and remove from oven.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, fromage blanc, and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in green tea powder until smooth. Pour batter over prepared crust in pan. Place cake in roasting pan; add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of pan.
Bake cake until set but center moves very slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 45 min. Remove cake from roasting pan; cool 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove sides. Place cake on platter. Cut lychees so they open up into a flower shape. Place 4-5 of them on cake. Place a raspberry in the center of each, and decorate with additional raspberries around edge of cake.
Cut cake into wedges to serve.

Makes 8 servings.
Adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2006