I grew up eating pasta of every shape and size.  From the time I could stand on a chair and see over the kitchen counter my grandma had me by her side rolling pasta and gnocchi. Meals of fresh noodles coated in butter and asiago cheese were common. Chicken noodle soup was chock full of rolled linguine noodles. Leftover mashed potatoes were combined with flour and eggs to make gnocchi, delicious potato dumplings topped with my grandma’s tomato sauce.  There was always rows of canned tomato sauce from the previous summer lining the basement wall waiting to meet hot noodles. If one food defined my childhood it was pasta.

One evening when I was visiting my brother and sister in law I volunteered to make dinner.  I set to work mixing and rolling the dough for pasta noodles.  A pot simmered on the stove with tomato sauce.  I proudly presented the meal that had met many smiles on my families table. The room went flat. They politely ate it but no one asked for seconds or sang my praises.

I was heart broken.

I found out that it wasn’t that the food was bad, it was that spaghetti (and pasta in general) just wasn’t something they ate. It had never really crossed my mind! In the back of my head I still wondered how I would get along with a spouse who didn’t share my love of pasta.  It took years until finally a meal of lasagna or fettucini alfredo was safe to place on the dinner table. Then we got the diagnosis that my husband had celiac disease. My pasta dreams were dashed again.  I prepared to mourn the passing of noodles again – until I discovered rice noodles!

As I sat down to contemplate a dish to make with Saffron Road Foods Lemongrass Basil Simmer Sauce, pasta jumped in my head.  I wanted to make something that had a mix of Thai and Italian flavors – I know it’s not a common combination but I knew it would work.  The best part of this dish is that it’s versatile.  I used the vegetables I had on hand.  If you have others feel free to substitute.  Tofu, shrimp or a thicker fish like cubed salmon or tuna could also work in this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast cut in cubes
• 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 cup Saffron Road Chicken Broth
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup sliced zucchini
• 8 oz rice noodles
• 1 package Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Simmer Sauce
• chopped nuts (any nut works)

Directions

In a large pan heat 2 Tbsp of grapeseed oil.  Once hot add the cubed chicken and brown on all sides. Toss the chicken with 1cup of chopped carrots and 1 cup of chicken broth.  Simmer on medium heat for 5-8 minutes. Follow the directions on the package of rice noodles to prepare them.

When the carrots have softened a little, add the zucchini and simmer sauce to the pan.  Stir to combine and coat everything in the pan.  Cook to the tenderness you prefer.  If you like soft vegetables, allow to simmer 15-20 minutes.  If you like a crisper taste 10 minutes.  When the chicken and vegetables are cooked to your taste, toss in the rice noodles, making sure they are coated in the sauce.  Be aware that rice noodles break down quickly so do not add until the last moment.

Before serving sprinkle nuts on top.  You can also serve with a wedge of lime on the side for an added burst of acid.

I would love to know what your ideas are for this simmer sauce.  What would you make?

Disclaimer: I was compensated for writing this post, however all recipe ideas and other opinions expressed are my own.

Pin It]]> http://marocmama.com/2012/05/lemongrass-basil-chicken-pasta.html/feed 1 http://marocmama.com/2012/05/eat-write-retreat-2012.html http://marocmama.com/2012/05/eat-write-retreat-2012.html#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000 marocmama http://marocmama.com/?p=4245 Last year when I went to my first blogging conference.  I wasn’t sure what to expect and was intimidated at the thought of bringing my little blog to such a public forum.  I had jitters about meeting new people, sharing a room with someone I had never met (I’d only had one room mate for a few months my entire life!), and simply being in over my head. This year I went back for two major reasons – connections and friendships. This post is heavy on pictures but I really hope you’ll enjoy the event through them.

photo by Daphne Domingo

The beautifully remodeled Madison Hotel housed and hosted the event again this year.  I love my husband dearly but there is something about having a big soft bed full of fluffy pillows all to yourself that is exciting.  Tell me I’m not alone on this one!

photo by Daphne Domingo

The event kicked off Friday night with registration.  It was full of hugs from old friends and a bag stuffed with goodies. With a little extra downtime I grabbed a bite to eat and a shower.  An introductory social with sponsor snacks and samples began the evening.  Soon we all shuffled into the dining room for a Cinco de Mayo buffet meal.  It was good, really good!

Photo by Daphne Domingo

Things you don’t expect to do at a food blogging conference….square dancing.  That’s right square dancing. I’ll admit I was being a bit negative about this at first but it turned out to be really fun and a good way to break down some of those uncomfortable walls.

Photo by Daphne Domingo

Saturday was a long day of workshops and activities.  My favorite part was the writing workshop with Monica Bhide.  We were encouraged to find the ONE word that summed up what we do on our blogs and then to expand our mission from this.  It was hard.  That being said it did give me a lot of thought and focus that I’m still working to digest.  I’m going to be giving away an item from Eat, Write, Retreat at the end of this post – to enter I’m asking you to leave me a comment describing your ONE word for this website.  Don’t worry I’ll remind you again at the end.

As I mentioned before there were a lot of friends that I made during last years’ event that were back again this year.  There were also new friendships forged. I’ve been a long time reader of Yvonne at My Halal Kitchen – we were able to connect during this weekend and it truly was a major highlight for me.  My roommate Liza of (a)Musing Foodie was also great, we shared many conversations and reflections throughout the weekend. I also shared great conversations with Beth of Cooking by Design and Laura of Mother Would Know as we learned photography tricks and techniques.  Old friends like Olga of Mango & Tomato, Betty Ann of Asian American Mag, Daphne the super talented photographer whose images I’m sharing here, and Laura of The Spiced Life were great to catch up with.

Photo by Daphne Domingo

We ate a raw lunch on Saturday at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw.  I’ve experimented some with raw foods however frankly I just don’t think it’s for us.  I really didn’t find it very satisfying and while it makes for an interesting hors d’ouvres service I’m afraid if I fed this to my husband and kids as a meal there would be a mutiny.

Photo by Daphne Domingo

As with last year Renee Comet and Lisa Cherkasky provided tips and tricks on food styling and photography.  It’s always interesting to see how different people set up and shoot their images.  Ultimately the food I photograph is going to be eaten within seconds of the picture being taken.  In fact if you could see behind me when I’m taking a picture you would find two small people looking up whining “Mom are you done yet? Can we eat this now?”  Suffice to say I don’t use a ton of props, or have big lights, nor am I adding things to make the food “look better.”  My food is made to be eaten, sort of a what you see is what you get!

Photo by Daphne Domingo

Sunday morning we walked to CulinAerie a great DC cooking school. We had been grouped into teams before the event and my partners were Lara of Good Cook Doris and Valerie of Feastie.  We decided to make a saag Jarlsberg (instead of paneer – Jarlsberg was a sponsor), along with a watermelon salsa/chutney and roti bread. A watermelon lassi ended up making it’s way to the final presentation as well.

Photo by Daphne Domingo

I’m a little embarrassed to admit I didn’t know who Michael Natkin was before this conference.  It seemed that everyone else who was there knew this man.  I was excited to see his book Herbivoracious as I’ve enjoyed cooking vegetarian dishes in the last few years.  I was even more excited to find that many of his recipes are of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin (double score in my book!).  There are also many great Southeast Asian recipes that I had long written off for their use of pork or strange fish that simply isn’t found in the Midwest US.  I have already made a few recipes to much success.

Overall this weekend was fun.  It was very different from last year but I wouldn’t have wanted the exact same thing.  If you’re an up and coming or established blogger I highly recommend attend Eat, Write, Retreat 2013!

Now, I’ve got one extra Herbivoracious cookbook to give to a lucky reader!  

Here’s how to enter.

Leave me a comment below sharing the word you think describes this blog.  I’d love if you explained why you chose this word. Not only will you get a shot at winning this book but you’ll also help make MarocMama even better. 

Contest will end on May 23rd at midnight.  Good luck!

I first heard about corn grit couscous from Paula Wolfert (trust me she’s my catalyst to so many uncovered corners of Moroccan cooking).  I was apprehensive.  I was puzzled. I really didn’t think it would be good – at all. The image I have of grits is a gooey sticky mess with some butter and salt and pepper, certainly not the fluffy tender consistency I associate with a good couscous. But, we can’t eat regular couscous anymore because it’s made of wheat. I surrendered to my fear of lumpy corn grits and trusted that this would turn out.  It did.  The best part, I actually like the taste of the corn couscous as much, and maybe even more than traditional couscous.

I used Bob’s Red Mill corn grits (also known as polenta).  You will notice that the grains are smaller than couscous.  This immediately worried me because the holes in my couscousierre are way too big.  I knew that 50% of this would fall through the holes.  So instead of just adding it to the top of the pot I lined the top of the couscousierre with a thin dish towel that would allow the steam to get through keep the corn grains from falling below.

Before steaming the first time, I spread the grits out into a large bowl and added 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt water and separated the grains as much as possible.  You may need to add more water, they really should be quite damp but not dripping liquid. Fill the bottom of the couscousierre half-full of water. Transfer the corn grits to the top of the vessel and turn the stove temperature to high.  Traditionally, the vegetables and meat that go on top of the couscous simmer in the pot below the steaming couscous, but because I was using shrimp this wouldn’t work.  Boiling water beneath will work fine for this recipe. Cover the top of the pot with a lid and leave alone for about 20 minutes.  At this point check the grains. If they feel dry then remove and pour back into the bowl you originally used.  Add more of the salt water and continue the process the same way you did the first time, taking care to separate the grains as much as possible.  Just as with traditional couscous you will steam the grits 3 times.

During the third and final steaming prepare the shrimp. What you’ll need;

• 1 lb fresh shrimp, veins removed and tails off
• 1 tsp harissa
• 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
• 2 tomatoes pureed
• 2 Tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
• 2 cup fish or vegetable stock
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
•  palmful of chopped parsley and cilantro (mixed)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

The sauce for this couscous is really very simple.  In a large skillet heat the oil and add the garlic.  Once softened, pour the pureed tomato, cumin, salt, and harissa, parsley and cilantro to the pan and mix well.  Slowly pour the stock into the tomato sauce and bring the heat up.  Once the sauce is bubbling the shrimp and peas can be added. It will only take a few minutes for the shrimp to cook and peas to warm through.  The sauce should have a thinner consistency.

Remove your corn grits once their final steaming is done, and pour into a large serving dish.  Use your fingers or a fork to separate the grains as much as possible.  Top with the shrimp and sauce.  Serve immediately with a large spoon for each diner.  You can also have extra harissa at the table for an added zing!

I am really looking forward to making other couscous dishes with corn grits, and think that it also would make a great side dish with other meals.

Have you ever eaten corn couscous?  What else would you make with this ingredient?

Pin It]]> http://marocmama.com/2012/05/corn-couscous-with-spicy-shrimp-and-peas.html/feed 1 http://marocmama.com/2012/05/1950s-morocco-independence.html http://marocmama.com/2012/05/1950s-morocco-independence.html#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000 marocmama http://marocmama.com/?p=4065

As World War Two ended many Moroccans hoped that foreign powers would leave Morocco to their independence however this was far from the reality of what was to happen next. Sultan Mohammed V had ruled Morocco as judiciously as possible during the war however once hostilities were over the French attempted to tighten control and reign the government in. After the end of the war the Istiqlal (nationalist) party was created and the sultan was forced to push against them in public to appease the French but was known to support and encourage them in private. In 1944 they released a manifesto that had been approved and supported by the sultan. This document demanded full independence, national reunification, and a democratic constitution. The sultan had approved the manifesto before its submission to the French resident general, who answered that no basic change in the protectorate status was being considered. The harder the French pushed back, the more the people of Morocco supported the sultan.

In December 1952, a riot broke out in Casablanca over the murder of a Tunisian labor leader; this event marked a watershed in relations between Moroccan political parties and French authorities. In the aftermath of the rioting, the residency outlawed the new Moroccan Communist Party and the Istiqlal. By 1953 the French had pushed Sultan Mohammed V into exile in Madagascar. He was replaced by Mohammed Ben Aarafa who was extremely unpopular with the people who demanded a return of the sultan and increased the level of violence against the colonists.

Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco with his children in exile Madagascar 1954

The French were able to gain support for the deposition of Sultan Mohammed V by gaining support of the Glaoui tribe of southern Morocco (Marrakech region).  However by 1955 they had rallied in support of the sultan and the French realized the game was up. On November 16, 1955 the sultan returned and on April 7th, 1956 France relinquished its protectorate over Morocco. Not all areas of Morocco were independent and separate agreements and arrangements were made with Spain (and later fought over).

After independence was achieved thousands and thousands of Moroccan Jews left the country for Israel. I haven’t been able to discover if they weren’t allowed to leave prior to this or what caused the mass exodus to occur after independence. This undoubtedly left a cultural void.

I think this decade evoked a lot of emotions for me.  My mother-in-law and I can’t converse freely but I remember sitting in the salon one evening with her as she shared parts of her life (I really want to write her story into a book!) One of the stories she told was of being a young girl in Marrakech, around this time as she was born in the 40′s, and the boots of the French African soldiers coming down the street.

 The French enlisted thousands of their colonial citizens from west Africa to fight in WWI and WWII.  These same soldiers carried over to try and secure the Moroccan and Algerian lands. Of everything my mother in law remembers it was the boots of these soldiers and how tall they were.  This period was of major upheaval and nationalism.  Transportation was difficult, curfews were enforced and fighting popped up often. The food scene was limited by these issues.  It’s safe to say that more rural inhabitants in agrarian areas fared well, while city dwellers had to rely on stores of preserved goods such as khlii, pickled vegetables and dry goods like beans.

I’ve written about khlii here in its most common use.  Essentially it’s preserved meat that has been dried and is then stored in the rendered fat.  Beef and mutton are used for this.  It is similar to a beef jerky but with a heavier taste (due to the preservation in fat vs. dehydration).

Christina of Moroccan Food at about.com has shared a recipe for an express version of this recipe.   If you don’t want to make it yourself you can order it from Moroccan Khlii - I have ordered from here and have been impressed.  Dafina.net also has a recipe for khlii from the Jewish kitchens of Morocco (it’s very similar).

If you’ve missed the other parts of this series please be sure to visit the 1910′s, 1920′s, 1930′s and 1940′s.  Join me next week to talk about “The New King, The New Morocco 1960′s”

Last month MarocBaba and I celebrated our wedding anniversary.  Some days it feels like we have spent decades together, while other days it seems that we met just days ago. At this point we’ve spent 1/4 of our lives together – kind of amazing isn’t it? Rarely do we do anything special to celebrate but I have been wanting to do a little more exploring closer to home. When most people think about the Midwest they don’t think of it as a destination, a place to go.  But there are so many fun and interesting things here (I swear!). So with that in mind I set out to plan a fun weekend in the Windy City! (by the way – did you know that Chicago acquired that moniker not because of the weather but because of all the “hot air” Chicago politicians were known for?  Thank you to our guide James for sharing that!)

Instead of driving (as we normally might) we took the Amtrak to Chicago.  I packed a picnic lunch for us to enjoy and we really relaxed on our trip there.  So many people overlook rail transport in the US but it’s an easy, affordable and relaxing way to travel.  The train took us right to downtown Chicago and with a less than $10 cab fare we were at our hotel.

from Hyatt Regency Chicago website

We were graciously hosted by the Hyatt Regency Chicago during our stay. Their downtown location was perfect for exploring the city and the central location allowed us access to everything.  I’ve often felt that hotels in this area placed business travelers much higher on their priority list than leisure travelers but was pleasantly surprised by the fantastic service everyone in the hotel provided. Our check-in was quick and before we knew it we were in our junior suite. 

I took lots of Instagram pictures on this trip.  It was easy to just flip out my camera and take a few shots and it reminded me of Polaroids.  Why not!  Our room was beautiful with a very comfortable bed and spacious sitting area and there was even a desk (which came in handy when I had to spend a few hours working). We couldn’t have been happier with our room. For dinner on the night we arrived, the Hyatt provided us dinner in their onsite restaurant Stetson’s Chop House .  I can’t comment on the wine and drink offerings as we don’t imbibe however the food, now that is a different story!

You will have to forgive my pictures a little. The lighting was low and I was shooting on my cell phone.  I didn’t think shooting with my DSLR would be appropriate in this setting.  First, for an appetizer we ordered crab cakes as it is one of our favorites.  Crab cakes in the Midwest are generally awful. These were so good.  Really I could have just eaten plates of these for dinner.

MarocBaba ordered a Chilean Sea Bass on potatoes and a fava bean side dish.  He was very happy with this choice and I even was allowed to sneak a few bites – very tasty!

I ordered a steak.  There was no way to come to a steakhouse without ordering a steak! I always order mine medium well (no blood for this girl) which usually means some of the tenderness is lost.  Not so here.  My T-bone was incredibly tender.  The mushrooms were delicious and I even liked the onion crisps.

I couldn’t have asked for a better dinner!  As much as we wanted to order dessert, we were both way too full to enjoy it so we passed.  The next day we were scheduled for a tour of Chicago at 10am so instead of hitting up the sites we went back to our comfortable room to enjoy the cable TV!  Watch for more about our trip coming soon!

Last week when I was playing with my Bombay Potato idea I knew it needed some type of protein to add to the meal.  Thankfully the spurt of cold weather following our March heatwave has gone and it was warm enough to grill outside (again). I thought of a recipe similar to tandoori chicken which I really enjoy.  This grilled yogurt chicken recipe was born.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of chicken – your choice of cuts
• 1c Greek Yogurt
• 1/4c olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 minced onion
• 2 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or smoky paprika

Directions

Clean chicken pieces and poke a few times with a fork (to allow marinade in).  In a large mixing bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Add the chicken to the marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours and overnight if possible.

When you’re ready to grill.

Preheat your grill so that it’s hot before you put your chicken on.  Once the grill has been preheated add the chicken making sure to keep as much of the marinade on as possible.  Cook each side until chicken is cooked through but moist.  Cooking time will depend on the cut and if you use bone-in or bone-less.  Use a meat thermometer to check the interior temperature in the thickest part of the meat is 165.  If using bone in make sure the thermometer does not touch the bone.

Serve with Bombay Potatoes and a green salad for a great dinner!

In the small town I live in there is one Indian restaurant and it’s on the verge of going out of business. It’s not the best, and certainly not the most authentic but they have a decent lunch buffet that includes as much naan as you can eat and I can’t pass that up. I’ve learned that it’s really not that hard to make most Indian foods at home and for the most part they are healthy. With the threat looming of losing the one and only Indian restaurant within 100 miles (yes really), it has become apparent that I need to start flexing my Indian cooking powers.

 Last week I introduced you to Saffron Road’s new line of Simmer Sauces that include a Tikka Masala sauce.  The sauces come completely ready to use, just cut open the package and heat up. Really can it get any simpler?  Instead of using the sauce in a traditional way, I decided it would be a great sauce for potatoes. I was a little apprehensive and after making these I left them on the stove as I ran to pick up M from a friend’s house.  I knew it was a great idea after receiving a call from MarocBaba while I was on the road.

Him “Babe what’s on the stove?”

Me: “Oh it’s a new potato recipe I tried.”

Him “Well you better get home soon because I don’t think there will be any left if you’re gone too long.”

Needless to say 1/2 the original contents were missing by the time I returned.

This recipe isn’t complicated in the least and is a fabulous side dish to go with any number of main course ideas.  I made a yogurt chicken (post forthcoming).  To begin simply peel 5 medium size potatoes and cut into cubes or rounds between 1/4″ and 1/2″ thick.  The size doesn’t matter – just be consistent so that they all cook in the same amount of time.

Isn’t the color of the Tikka Masala simmer sauce lovely?  I really think the best part is that when you read the ingredient list you WILL be able to recognize every item listed.  There’s no bicarbocrappola and monoglutanimanmoomoo. It’s real ingredients like tomatoes, spices, garlic etc. Love that.

Once the potatoes are cut, simply boil in water until they are fork tender. You do not want them to fall apart when you poke them but your fork should go in easily. Drain the water very well.  Return the potatoes (gently!) to the pan.  Pour the contents of the Saffron Road Tikka Masala sauce on top. Stir with a soft spatula or very gently with a spoon to coat the potatoes.  Turn the burner heat to low and allow the temperature to increase.  You can also add frozen (or fresh) peas at this point.  If you like peas add a lot – the amount is up to you.  Within 5-10 minutes your Bombay potatoes are ready to eat!

I made a yogurt chicken recipe to serve with the potatoes – watch for that post in the next few days.

In other exciting news who wants to try these simmer sauces?  I hope you’ll join me next Thursday May 10th at 8pm Eastern for a Simmer Sauce inspired Tweetchat!!  Please be sure to RSVP below to join me. We’ll be chatting on hastag #SRFSS (Saffron Road Foods Simmer Sauce. Only those who have RSVP’d will be eligible to win.  Bring your cooking questions and I’ll be giving away Saffron Road goodies.

Before I go, what are some of your ideas for using this simmer sauce in your kitchen?

 
During the 1940′s Morocco was under control of France and from 1940-1944 the Vichy government aligned with Nazi Germany. King Mohamed V (seen above) remained the ceremonial head of state and did whatever he could in his power to protect all of the citizens of Morocco.  At this time Morocco had more Jewish citizens than  any other Muslim majority country, totaling over 300,000.  The Vichy/Nazis government had demanded from the sultan a list of all of the Jews in the country and his response was, “We have no Jews in Morocco, only Moroccan citizens.” An excerpt from “Among the Righteous: Lost Stories from the Holocaust’s Long Reach Into Arab Lands” by Robert Satloff reveals the kings attempts to keep all of Morocco’s citizens, and especially the Jewish citizens safe;

When French authorities ordered a census of all Jewish-owned property in the country, the Jewish leadership feared this was the precursor to a general confiscation. Secretly, the sultan arranged for a group of prominent Jews to sneak into the palace, hidden in a covered wagon so he could meet them away from the prying eyes of the French. According to one of those present, he promised the Jews that he would protect them and assured them that the census was not the first step in a plan to seize their goods and property. (After the Anglo-American invasion of Morocco, the sultan arranged for the destruction of the census documents.)
 
As important as these private statements were, public statements the sultan made on behalf on his Jewish subjects burnished his reputation even more. At the annual Throne Day ceremony, with the elite of Moroccan and Vichy officialdom gathered at the royal palace, the sultan made a point of welcoming the leaders of the Jewish community in attendance. “I must inform you that, just as in the past, the Israelites will remain under my protection,” he said in a voice loud enough for Vichy officers and at least one French journalist to get the message. “I refuse to make any distinction between my subjects.”

 
There is a great series of photos and background information on the Jewish population of Morocco from Vincent Elkaim – really worth a look. King Mohamed V could only do so much because to some degree he was in place at the mercy of the French controllers.  Measures did pass that restricted Jewish citizens and deported some to work camps in the Sahara.  All Moroccans were mitigated in some way during this time and seen as second class citizens (in their own country!)
 
By 1942 the American and British forces were preparing to launch the North African campaign.  Their first foray into the region was Operation Torch.  This was also the Americans first battle in World War Two.  The plan was to land forces in Morocco via Casablanca and Algeria to cut off the Germans that had been chased across Libya towards Tunisia by the British 8th Army. After eliminating the Germans from North Africa it would open up the Mediterranean for further invasions in coming months without having to worry about German forces.
 

 
If you like visuals here is a good video detailing what Operation Torch was about. Ultimately the Americans and British won, giving Germany her first defeat in the Second World War.  This also opened up Morocco, creating the atmosphere it was best known for during WWII.  In 1943 the Casablanca Conference brought together allied leaders to strategize for the coming battles.  There was a reception held when Churchill and Roosevelt came to Casablanca to meet (ahead of the conference). Information about the meeting got to Hitler but due to a translation issue he assumed they were meeting at the White House (Casablanca translated from Spanish = white house).  After the diplomatic business was complete Churchill wanted to show Roosevelt the beauty of the Atlas mountains and the famous visit to the legendary Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech took place.  This image was shot during that trip.
 

 
Churchill was a gifted artist who came back many times to Marrakech to paint the landscape that has captivated so many (including me!)
 
As the WWII drew to a close Morocco remained a protectorate of France, however President Roosevelt before his death had confided in King Mohamed V to pursue independence for the Kingdom.  The next decade however would be anything but smooth.
 
I imagine food during this time to be rationed like much of the world.  Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find much to validate this opinion however with shipping tied up and most of the world under a crunch for resources there is reason to suggest Morocco would be no different.  In her book about harem life in the 1940′s Fatima Mernissi mentions pastilla (or b’stila) – in the pigeon version she states;
 

 ”at once a pastry and a meal, pastilla is sweet and salty, made of pigeon meat and nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Oh! Pastillacrunches when you munch on it, and you have to eat it with delicate gestures, no rushing please or else you get sugar and cinnamon all over your face. Pastilla takes days to prepare because it is made of layers of sheer, almost transparent crust, stuffed with roasted and slightly crushed almonds, along with a lot of surprises.”

 
Suffice to say I’ve never made or eaten the pigeon version.  If you have access to pigeons who have a healthy diet and not one of soggy french fries I encourage you to swap out the chicken for pigeon in this recipe!
 

Ingredients

Directions

I have a feeling that this will be my next video post.  I am wanting to do more videos but am changing things so that I can give you the best experience possible instead of my one handed attempts to film!
 
If you’ve missed the other posts in this series please stop by and visit the 1910′s, 1920′s and 1930′s 

“I give you Chicago. It is not London and Harvard. It is not Paris and buttermilk. It is American in every chitling and sparerib. It is alive from snout to tail.” H. L. Mencken

What does this mean for you?

• More giveaways!!  There will be several more opportunities to win Saffron Road products.
• A first look at new product lines.  That’s right, Saffron Road has many more great things up their sleeves.  As a MarocMama reader you will be one of the first to find out as I will be sharing those products as soon as they’re ready.
• Twitter parties – everyone loves a good party!  Watch for chances to Tweetchat with me about @SaffronRoadFood and kitchen/cooking questions and conversations.  (There will be a tweetchat coming next month so stay tuned!)
• Recipes and meal ideas – as always I’ll have some fabulous recipes and meal ideas for you using Saffron Road products.
• Conferences – if you’re heading to Eat, Write, Retreat; BlogHer Food, BlogHer or Niche Mommy I’ll be there as an attendee.  If you connect with me I’d love to talk more about Saffron Road and maybe even have a coupon or two for you!
• And more!  Who knows what the next few months will bring but I promise to bring you some great new things!

I am really exciting about this partnership with Saffron Road.  As a team they are a fantastic group of people that are really committed to bringing the best products not only to the halal consumer but the consumer who is simply concerned with purchasing and consuming the best quality food.  For example did you know Saffron Road:

As I’ve shared before Saffron Road has a full line of frozen entrees and broths that are all delicious.  But now Saffron Road also is offering Simmer Sauces that will be a great meal starter and flavor boost for your own recipes!  These sauces’ come in single-use pouches that are easier to ship, save on fuel and reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 50%. (Yay for this!) I am really looking forward to digging in and creating some great recipes using these.