Moroccan Pesto Recipes

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto:
• Combine the cilantro, parsley leaves, almonds and garlic in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; process until smooth.
• Prepare the vegetables for the couscous: Heat a wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the butter begins to brown. Add the onion. Tie the reserved parsley stems and cinnamon stick together with twine; add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, carrots, zucchini and/or Swiss chard, raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the parsley and cinnamon.
• Meanwhile, cook the couscous as the label directs. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. Top the couscous with the vegetables and pesto.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

CHERMOULA (MOROCCAN PESTO)

Steps:

• combine in blender or food processor until smooth paste forms.

MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Do a FASS check to see whether you need to add another squeeze or two of lemon juice, and add water to achieve the desired consistency.
• Goes with poached salmon (page 121) My Family's Favorite Chicken (page 111), Triple Citrus Black Cod (page 118), and Middle Eastern Chickpea Burgers (page 112).
• Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
• (per serving)
• Calories: 35
• Total Fat: 3.6g (0.5g saturated, 2.5g monounsaturated)
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Protein: 0g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sodium: 40mg

BROILED TILAPIA AND EGGPLANT WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Bring 3/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Put the couscous in a medium heatproof bowl and stir in the boiling water. Cover the bowl and set aside until the couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, puree the garlic, cilantro, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Pulse in the lemon zest, cumin, coriander, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Score the eggplant flesh in a 1/2-inch crosshatch pattern and place cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the cilantro pesto and season with salt and pepper. Broil the eggplant, without turning, until browned and softened, 10 to 14 minutes.
• Lay the tilapia on another foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil until the fish is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Brush each fillet with about 1 teaspoon pesto.
• Divide the fish, couscous and eggplant among plates. Mix the yogurt with 1 tablespoon water and drizzle on the eggplant. Top the fish with the remaining pesto and more cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.

POACHED SALMON WITH MOROCCAN PESTO

Steps:

• Stir the lemon juice and salt together, then add the salmon and turn to coat thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• In a large straight-sided sauté pan or a low-sided pot just wide enough to hold the salmon in a single layer, bring the broth to a slow boil over medium heat. Slide the salmon into the broth and poach for 7 to 9 minutes, just until the fish is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each fillet registers 127°F.
• Garnish each with a generous dollop of Moroccan Pesto and serve immediately.
• There are many toppings you can dollop on poached salmon, including Basil Lemon Drizzle (page 177), Olive and Caper Relish (page 186), and Parsley Basil Drizzle (page 187).
• Usually it's best to buy your fish the same day you're preparing it. However, life doesn't always work that way. If you must store the fish longer, put it in a resealable plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator, which is usually the back of the bottom shelf. It should hold for an extra two days. Put a note on the fridge to remind you that the fish is there. You know that old saying, "Out of sight, out of mind."
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• (per serving)
• Calories: 245
• Total Fat: 10.9g (1.7g saturated, 4.9g monounsaturated)
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Protein: 24g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sodium: 530mg
• Are you wondering which fish cancer experts like in terms of beneficial nutritional content? Integrative oncologist Donald Abrams, an ardent foodie, suggests the following: "I like fish from deep, cold water. Salmon, albacore tuna, black cod, herring, mackerel, sardines-those are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids."

MOROCCAN PESTO ROCKFISH WITH CLAM AND CHORIZO SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Pesto:.
• Mortar and Pestle Method:.
• Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, and salt in a large mortar with a little of the olive oil and pound into a paste with a pestle. Add the remaining olive oil. Slather mixture on the fish and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Food Processor Method:.
• Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture forms a paste. Add remainder of olive oil, a tablespoon or so at a time, and pulse to mix well. Slather on the fish and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• For the Sauce:.
• In a large pot or saute pan, heat olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook on low heat for 1 minute. Add sausage and cook through. Add tomatoes, clams, and wine. Cook until clams open. (Discard any that don't open.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• For the fish:.
• Heat a scant 1/4 inch of good olive oil in a large saute pan. Remove the rockfish fillets from the refrigerator and saute approximately 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillet (Fish should be cooked through until opaque and flaky for best flavor).
• To serve, place the cooked fillets on a platter, and place the clams around them. Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with green onion slivers.
• Note: To toast cumin seeds, heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread seeds on a baking sheet and cook until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.