Moroccan Flavours

Welcome to your two-for-one deal, and my last post of November!

This weekend, Kat came over (with an AMAZING fruitcake recipe that I'll share with you tomorrow) and I whipped up (read: spent an hour and a half preparing) Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas with bulgur and Moroccan Carrot Salad.

I almost forgot to take a picture... so this was hastily done!

Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas

(Cooking Light)

Ingredients

1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
3  large garlic cloves, peeled
2  cups  thinly sliced red onion
1/2  cup  dried apricots, sliced
1  tablespoon  ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend) or garam masala
1  teaspoon  salt
3/4  teaspoon  black pepper
1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
1  (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1/2  cup  water
1 1/2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind
1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
2  (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1  (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
6  cups  escarole, torn into 1-inch pieces

1  cup  cilantro leaves
1/4  cup  mint leaves
1/2  cup  roasted whole almonds, coarsely chopped
4  cups  hot cooked bulgur or couscous

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove garlic from pan using a slotted spoon; discard or reserve for another use. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon stick) to pan; sauté for 7 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water, rind, juice, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Stir in escarole; simmer for 1 minute or until escarole wilts. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and mint; top with almonds. Serve over couscous.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

(Bon Appetit)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 pound carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
4 cups mixed baby greens
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

Whisk first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Whisk in oil, lemon juice, orange juice, and mint. Add carrots and baby greens; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top with onion and serve. Adapted from Taste.