1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List (176 page)

When a whole or half lamb is cooked, the choicest morsels are the kidneys and the plump, tender nugget of meat under each shoulder blade. At Berber feasts, the guest of honor is usually presented with such a treat by the host—
often a sheikh—who literally hands it over, the right hand being the utensil with which the meat is served and eaten. In some higher-end Moroccan restaurants, rosy slices of méchoui might be presented alongside a plate of couscous, sauced with vegetables and their gravy. And while méchoui is preferably roasted outdoors, over a wood or charcoal fire, practicality has its place, and the meat is often prepared in home ovens.

Where:
In Marrakesh, Morocco
, food stalls in Méchoui Alley;
in Paris
, Le Mansouria, tel 33/1-43-710016,
mansouria.fr
; Le Méchoui du Prince, tel 33/1-40-518848,
lemechouiduprince.com
;
in Los Angeles
, Moun of Tunis, tel 323-874-3333,
mounoftunis.la
.
Mail order:
For lamb cuts, Stemple Creek Ranch, tel 415-883-8253,
stemplecreek.com
; D’Artagnan, tel 800-327-8246,
dartagnan.com
.
Further information and recipes:
A Taste of Morocco
by Robert Carrier (1997);
Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco
by Paula Wolfert (1987);
Traditional Moroccan Cooking
by Madame Z. Guinaudeau (2004);
jamieoliver.com
(search mechoui lamb);
nytimes.com
(search lamb roasted moroccan); for classes in preparing méchoui and other Moroccan dishes in Marrakesh, Souk Cuisine, tel 212/673-804-955,
soukcuisine.com
.

A Berber creation that dates back to at least the thirteenth century, merguez sausages are dense and chewy, fired with
harissa
, the hot North African chile paste, and aromatic with garlic. Usually made of fat-enriched ground veal, although lamb and beef are frequent alternatives, and eaten either fresh or dried (in the traditional, pre-refrigeration manner), the sausages are a burnished dark red and fragrant with a spice blend that might include fennel, coriander, cinnamon, and allspice.

The juicy, compact, fresh merguez are grilled over a wood fire, then slid into pita bread and topped with salad and perhaps the lemony sesame sauce, tahini; they are also fried and sliced into egg dishes, or served whole in mixed grills. The dried sausages serve as a hearty seasoning in substantial long-cooked dishes, such as couscous (see
listing
) and
tagines
(see
listing
).

Given North Africa’s proximity to France and the Iberian peninsula, and these areas’ interlocking histories, it is small wonder that merguez has become a standard item in French and Spanish markets. Going even further back, the merguez is likely to have inspired Spain’s chorizo, which has similar seasonings and characteristics (although it is made with pork, a meat forbidden to Muslims). The two sausages can in fact be used interchangeably in many Iberian dishes, as in paella (see
listing
) or the Portuguese clam and sausage specialty
cataplana.

Where:
In New York
, DBGB Kitchen and Bar, tel 212-993-5300,
dbgb.com
; Epicerie Boulud, tel 212-595-9606,
epicerieboulud.com
.
Mail order:
D’Artagnan, tel 800-327-8246,
dartagnan.com
; Marky’s, tel 800-522-8427,
markys.com
.
Further information and recipes:
The Soul of a New Cuisine
by Marcus Samuelsson (2006);
The Food of Morocco
by Paula Wolfert (2011);
Sausage
by Nichola Fletcher (2012);
seriouseats.com
(search homemade merguez);
food52.com
(search merguez ragout).

Technically, cool is not a taste, but that is the defining menthol-induced trait mint imparts to any dish or drink it seasons, whether served cold or hot. Cool is an especially marked characteristic of mint tea, a refreshing symbol of hospitality that is served (usually hot) throughout North Africa and in parts of the Middle East. The herb of choice for the brew is candy-sweet spearmint (
Mentha spicata
), with bouquets of the fresh green sprigs crammed into a prewarmed brewing pot along with boiling water, sugar, and tea leaves. In Morocco, mild green tea is preferred, and a few droplets of rosewater may be added for a romantic touch. Egyptians tend to prefer robust black teas with sugar, just a few leaves of mint, and sometimes, hints of cardamom or clove. Lemon and honey are also possibilities, and the tea is occasionally served iced, a fairly modern departure from tradition.

Typically, mint tea is brewed in a silvery pot with a long, graceful spout. To serve, the pot is held high and the tea is poured 12 to 20 inches down into tiny gold-embossed glasses set on a brass, silver, or copper tray, a high-wire act that gives the tea a nice foamy head and is a mark of showmanship at many restaurants and cafés. Mint tea is customarily offered to guests on arrival in homes, and when deals have been struck in old-fashioned shops and souks, it may be ordered in from a nearby café, as a symbol of goodwill. Favored between and after meals, it is often sipped along with nibbles of
rahat lokum
—the sugared, fruit-flavored jellies known as Turkish delight (see
listing
).

Where:
In Washington, DC
, Marrakesh, tel 202-393-9393,
marrakeshdc.com
.
Mail order:
For dried mint, Penzeys Spices, tel 800-741-7787,
penzeys.com
; Mighty Leaf, tel 877-698-5323,
mightyleaf.com
; David’s Tea, tel 888-873-0006,
davidstea.com
.
Further information and recipes:
The New Book of Middle Eastern Food
by Claudia Roden (2000);
The Food of Morocco
by Paula Wolfert (2011);
The Africa Cookbook
by Jessica B. Harris (2010);
palaisdesthes.com
(search moroccan hospitality).

Traditional Moroccan tagines.

Like the pans we call casseroles and the earthenware dishes the French call
tians
, a
tagine
is both a cooking vessel and the heady, substantial North African stew cooked in it. A combination of deep, wide terra-cotta bowl and high-peaked,
conical cover that directs and concentrates heat, the tagine may hold myriad combinations of meats, poultry, or fish with various vegetables and seasonings. Slowly cooked over direct fire or on a bed of ashen charcoal, the ingredients in the covered tagine simmer to melting richness, absorbing aromatic spices such as saffron, cinnamon, and ginger, along with onions and garlic.

Nuts such as pistachios or almonds, along with raisins or dates, go into many tagines, as do baby artichokes, cardoons, fava beans, and spring peas in season. A much-favored Moroccan version is prepared with tender pieces of young chicken, chunks of salt-preserved lemons, crumbles of spicy merguez sausage, and briny, oily cracked green olives. Lamb or mutton is the most popular red meat for tagines, and either is especially delicious under a mantle of eggplant and tomatoes, or paired with black olives and soft-cooked string beans.

Once cooked and ready to serve, the still-covered and searingly hot tagine is fitted into a specially shaped basket that is colorfully woven in geometric patterns, the better to handle the dish and present it to guests, who ladle portions out onto individual plates and mix in dashes of
harissa
as desired. Served alongside are steamed rice, fluffy mounds of couscous, or fresh, hot bread to soak up the juices and mellow the spice.

Where:
In Paris
, Le Mansouria, tel 33/1-43-710016,
mansouria.fr
; Timgad, tel 33/1-45-74-23-70,
timgad.fr
;
in New York
, Mémé, tel 646-692-8450,
memeonhudson.com
; Boulud Sud, tel 212-595-1313,
bouludsud.com
; Barbes Restaurant, tel 212-684-0215,
barbesrestaurantnyc.com
;
in Washington, DC
, Marrakesh, tel 202-393-9393,
marrakeshdc.com
;
in Boston
, Kasbah, tel 617-539-4484,
kasbahrestaurant.com
;
in San Francisco
, Café Zitouna, tel 415-673-2622,
sfcafezitouna.com
.
Mail order:
Tagines by Riado, tel 305-888-1799,
tagines.com
; for harissa and couscous, Marky’s, tel 800-522-8427,
markys.com
.
Further information and recipes:
The Food of Morocco
by Paula Wolfert (2011);
The Africa Cookbook
by Jessica B. Harris (2010);
cookstr.com
(search tunisian lamb);
bonappetit.com
(search moroccan beef meatball tagine); for classes in preparing tagines and other Moroccan dishes in Marrakesh, Souk Cuisine, tel 212/673-804-955,
soukcuisine.com
.

Great food is only one of the attractions at Andrea, a charming and entertaining outdoor farm-restaurant. Its oasis-like setting in Cairo, on the road to Giza and its pyramids, draws locals and visitors from all over Egypt, families crowding around rustic tables under grapevines and wisteria-sheltered arbors. Andrea is a particularly special treat for a Friday lunch, as part of a leisurely afternoon that starts the Muslim sabbath. This is the best time for people watching, as parents play with their children and everyone
takes in the sunshine while eating their way through a bright, fresh meal.

Andrea’s specialty is spit-roasted chicken and quail, simply seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked until lusciously well done, so the meat melts off the bones. Savory rice pilaf is the standard accompaniment. While you wait for the main course, an enticing array of mezes, or appetizers, may include olives, pickles, sautéed chicken livers, hummus (see
listing
), baba ghanoush (smoky eggplant dip, see
listing
), and
dolmas
plumped with ground lamb and rice (see
listing
).

An attraction not to be missed is the sight of bread baking in an exact reproduction of an ancient Egyptian, beehive-shaped oven. Pressed against the oven’s round walls, the bread dough curves into crisp, thin sheaves that are served at the restaurant, a reminder that it was the ancient Egyptians who first used yeast as leavening for bread, and eventually to make beer, a beverage also offered here, along with local wines. A charming, shaded retreat from the modern, ever-bustling metropolis of Cairo, and a short drive from the Great Pyramids, Andrea is the ideal spot to get an authentic taste of Egypt, old and new.

Where:
59-60 Mariouteya Canal Rd., Giza, Cairo, tel 20/2-3833-1133,
andreamariouteya.com
.

The description “creamed chicken with rice” doesn’t quite do justice to the molded, golden-crusted layer cake that is the Egyptian dish
biram ruzz.
An elegant special-occasion offering, it begins with chunks of chicken nestled between two layers of the long-grain rice Egyptians prefer, all arranged in a buttered three-to four-inch-deep casserole dish and topped with a simmering sauce of milk, sweet cream, rich chicken stock, and, for an aromatic touch, a dash of nutmeg. Baked and inverted onto a serving plate, the dish emerges as a crisp, gilded cake to be cut into wedges, revealing the fragrantly luscious interior.

Most authentically, the chicken is used in whole pieces, skin and bones and all, but nowadays, skinless and boneless meat is often substituted. Even if one forgoes the full flavor of the skin-and-bones version, dark meat is preferable, although again, white breast meat is often the choice these days.

As a time-saver and a way to use leftovers, a version of biram ruzz can be made with all manner of meat or fish, along with already-cooked rice, resulting in a somewhat looser, less-rich dish. For an even richer variation on the original, however, cheese replaces cream in the sauce to form a thicker, crunchier crust. A garnish of black olives adds a nice edge of saltiness. If you happen to find any of the deliciously flavored rice left over, it can then make a satisfying side dish.

Where:
In Cairo
, Abou Shakra, tel 20/2-2703-1444,
aboushakra.net
.
Mail order:
For Egyptian rice,
al-salamimports.com
.
Further information and recipes:
Egyptian Cuisine
by Nagwa E. Khalil (1980);
My Egyptian Grandmother’s Kitchen
by Magda Mehdawy (2006);
Egyptian Cooking and Other Middle Eastern Recipes
by Samia Abdennour (2010);
food.com
(search egyptian rice casserole).