THE TABLE: The Kingdom of Morocco.
The full name of this country that lies in the north regions of North Africa is the Kingdom of Morocco. Actually, it is al-Mamlakah al – Maghribiyyah, which translates to King of the West.
Morocco is a const it ut iona l monarchy and has an elected parliament. But, the king holds vast executive legislative powers. The current King of Morocco is King Mohammed VI. He is considered a cautious modernizer. He has made his mark with some economic and social liberties. But, the protest continues for him to address more of these issues.
Morocco has both an Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline. Spain and French both share the same distinction of two different coastlines. Morocco is characterized by rugged mountains and deserts, as well as the water borders.
The capital of Morocco is Rabat with the largest and best known city being Casablanca. Morocco is a blend of Arabs, Berber and other African and European influences. Berber is an indigenous ethnic group that populates the area and has, almost fromthe beginning. The climate of Morocco is similar to that of southern California. The religion is Islam with the official language being Arabic and Berber with French influences.
The economy has a high growth from tourism, telecom, information technology and textiles. Tourism is most important, and it is considered a top destination for travelers. Industry and mining contribute to the economy, along with the sale of fish and seafood.
Fifty percent of Morocco’s electricity is generated by coal. A new law encourages ways for better energy sources. The government has launched a project to build solar power plants. Solar energy farms are being built with projection to exporting electricity to Europe.
Morocco hosts various forms of cultural backgrounds from paganism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. There has been a cultural success in each legacy combining their heritage.
The architecture of Morocco is of Arab, Spanish, Portuguese and French details. Cities like Rabat and Casablanca have amore modern building design.
The chief port of Morocco is Casablanca in the central-western part of the country – situated on the Atlantic Ocean. It is considered to be the economic and business center of Morocco - while the political center is Rabat the capital
as a blanca is best known to us via the movie with the same name. This tear-jerker starred Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart and Paul Henreid and was made in 1942. Most of the film was taped in a studio in Hollywood – with the exception of a few exterior shots on location. A problem within the film was Ingrid Bergman was two inches taller than Humphrey Bogart. So, during all their scenes together, he had to stand on a box or shehad to stand in a hole. A pillow was used for sit down scenes.
I did not need to go far for the recipes, today. Inmy book NEIGHBORHOOD KITCHENS, one of the featured interviews was with a gentleman, Laraki Khalid, who was from Casablanca. The youngest of many children, he came to the United States alone, looking for a new life.
I was invited to dinner in West Chester where he and his wife Shelia and children live. The following recipes were cooked especially in my honor by Laraki.
Khalid Moroccan Chicken (The longer you cook it, the better it gets)
8–12 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced (Pre-heat pot and add olive. Brown diced onion. To Taste Add Following: Ground ginger Garlic powder Onion powder (do not omit, adds great flavor) Paprika Salt Chicken bouillon 2–3 cups water (to cover chicken)
First, cook at high heat and then lower to medium for the duration of cooking. If you are using a pressure cooker make sure that the pot cools down before opening. Khalid cools the pressure cooker down by placing in the sink and allows cool water to run over the pot. If using a pressure cooker, process for 20 to 30 minutes. For stove top, cook approximately one hour. You can use a slow cooker according to directions. Of course with a pressure cooker you do not stir the ingredients, with other methods stir occasionally.
Casablanca Tomato Side Dish
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup chopped coriander, fresh 1 small chopped onion Garlic powder Cumin Salt In my opinion the best way to serve this dish is to scoop up with bread. It is wonderful with the chicken Khalid made. It is wonderful for a stuffing for a whole fish. Another combination that Khalid mentioned to stuff a fish is lemon, fresh parsley and fresh coriander.
For dessert we had a delicate treat, but I do not know how to make it. Actually, it looked like miniature pretzels, but it was some kind of dough rolled very fine and corded like a pretzel. The dough was drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It was so good and I enjoyed it so much, and I forget to ask for the recipe.
CELEBRATE LIFE EACH DAY!
Let me hear from you: banjack303@verizon.net. Search YouTube for Look Who’s Cooking as well as phoenixvillenews.com for this column. Find Bette on Facebook by searching “Bette Banjack’s Downtown Kitchen.” To celebrate 20 years in the culinary world, the limited edition of Bette’s 2 Cups of Yesterday is now available. For your copy, call 610-539-4411, send an e-mail or purchase at Gateway Pharmacy.