Morrocan tajine with dried apricots (Tajine Marocain aux abricots secs)

Ingredients:

6to 8 pieces of chicken (tighs or legs)
4table spoons of olive oil (Iused butter)
1teaspoon of salt
1/2teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 of teaspoon of ground ginger
pinch of saffron threads (I Have not used it)
1stick of cinnamon (Iused ground cinnamon)
1small onion minced
1cup of water
125gr of pine nuts(Iused slivered almonds)


Apricot sauce
250gr of dried apricots
250ml of water
100gr of sugar
1teaspoon of cinnamon
125gr of butter
Iadded a teaspoon of orange blossom water it gives a nice taste and smell

To prepre the apricot sauce ,place them in pan with water ,cinnamon,sugar,butter then bring to a boil.(have added some orange blossom water) bring to low and let it simmer until you get a thick sauce.

Heat the oil or butter (I used butter) then roast your chicken until golden .Season and add the spices add the onions and water and simmer ,covered for 30min .

To serve arrange the chicken and the apricots on aserving platter .Drizzle withe sauce and garnish with roasted pine nuts (or almonds as I did)

Version francaise


6a 8 morceaux de poulet (cuisses ou haut de cuisses)
4Cas d`huile d`olive(jai utilise du beurre)
1 cac de sel
1/2 cac de poivre
1/4 decac de gimgembre moulu
1 pincee de saffron (je n`en ai pas mis)
1 bton de canelle (jai utilise de la canelle en poudre)
1peit oignon emince
1tasse deau
125gr de pignons de pin (jai utilise des amandes)


sauce a l`bricot:
250gr d`abricots secs
250ml d`eau
100gr de sucre
1cac de canelle en poudre
125gr beurre
Jai ajoute une cac deau de fleurs doranger (casent bon ,ca donne un tres bon gout)


Pour preparer la sauce l`abricot ,mettre les abricots dans une casserole ,ajouter la canelle ,leau ,le sucre ,le beurre etporter a ebulition jai ajoute leau de fleurs d`oranger .faire cuire a feux doux jusqua ceque la sauce reduise .

Cauffer l`huile ou le beurre (jai mis du beurre)et faire sauter le poulet jusquacequ`il soit dore ,Ajouter lesepices l`oignon couvrir dun peu d`eau et laisser mijoter pendant 30min couvert .

Au moment de servir arranger le poulet dans unplat de service ,garnir des abricots puis verser dessus la sauce .Decorer de pignons de pin grilles ou d`amandes concassees et grillees

zaalouk (Eggplant dish from Morocco),salade d`aubergines grillees du Maroc

Ingredients:

4eggplants
8tomatoes(ripe)
2or 3 cloves of gralic
olive oil
salt
pepper
1teaspoon of cumin
1teaspoon of caraway

Roast the eggplants in a pan( or under the grill) then remove the skin .Bring the tomatoes to aboil (in water) then remove the skin and cut the pulp into small pieces .
In a Pan put the olive oil then add your eggplants cut into smal pieces ,let the mixture cook a little then add your tomato pulp ,the spices and the garlic that has been minced .
Let it simmer for 20 minutes always crushing the eggplants and tomatoes with a fork until you obtain a sort of puree .
you can eat it warm or cold .

Petits fours algeriens(mchakek) ,Algerian cookies

Ces petits fours sont tres reputes dans la region d`Alger ou presque tous les gateaux sont abase de poudre d`amandes .Ils se vent en patisseries ,ils peuvent etre roses ou verts .
On les sert aux mariages par exemples ou autres ceremonies .le qualificatif mchakek signife fissure en francais car a la cuisson le petit four se fissure un peu .

This cookie is very famous in the Algiers area where all cookies are made with almond paste or powder .It is also sold in bakeries ,it can be green or pink.
It is served at wedding recptions or other type of parties .
It is called mchakek which means in Algerian dialect crackled .

Ingredients:
225 gr of almond powder
115gr of confection sugar
60 gr of butter
A very small amount of food coloring
1teaspoon of orange blossom water
1 egg
some confection sugar for the end
afew almonds (whole)


In a jar mix the almond powder the egg ,sugar and the butter (not melted but just soft).Once you obtain a paste ,make little balls (size of a whole walnut with its shell of course). Then cover each little ball in confection sugar and put in its center a whole almond .Cook for 15min at 325 degrees .
The cookis have to cook slightly as the center has t o be soft .



Ingredients:
225 gr d`amandes  en poudre
115 gr de sucre glace
1cac deau de fleurs d`oranger
1eouf
60gr de beurre mou
un peu de sucre glace pour y rouler les gateaux
quelques amandes entieres
un tout petit peu de colorant alimentaire



Dans une jarre mettre tous les ingredients ,les melanger jusqua obtenir une pate d`amande rose .Faire des petites boules de la taille d`une noix (avec son ecorce) puis rouler ces boules dans le sucre glace .Applatir chaque boule et y mettre une amande entiere au centre .Faire cuire 15min ,jusqua ce que le bas dore cest tout car le centre du gateau doit etre mou .
.

Chocolate chip and orange cookies( Biscuits a lorange confite et aux pepites de chocolat)

The recipe will come soon in both languages

Stuffed vegetables ( legumes farcis)

Ingredients:
For 4 people
4 peppers
2 big zucchinis
4 tomatoes
2 big potatoes
1lb of tomatoes for the sauce
1lb of ground meat (Ihave used chicken )
1 table spoon minced mint
1teaspoon of carvi
1teaspoon of ground cumin
1 egg
salt , pepper
3cloves or garlic
1/2 of a big onion minced
1tablespoon of olive oil
50 gr of parmesan (ground )

In a pan pour your olive oil let it boil then add the onions ,the garlic and then your diced tomatoes, stir and let simmer for 15to 20 minutes add some water .
You should get a thick tomato sauce .Put the sauce aside .
than take the ground meat and mix it to the cheese ,spices ,mint and the egg and then stuff your vegetables with the mix . put your vegetbles intoa dish that goes to the oven and pour the tomato sauce onto it ,then cook for 30to 40 minutes until vegtables are tender (i used 350 farenheit )