Best Barley Morocco Recipes

BARLEY MOROCCO

Steps:

• TO COOK BARLEY: Place 1-1/3 cups regular pearl barley, 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan.
• Bring to boil.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed.
• Makes about 4 cups.
• TO COOK VEGETABLES: Heat oil in large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onions, celery and garlic.
• Saute 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients except cornstarch mixture and garnish.
• Bring to boil.
• Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened.
• Spoon barley around the edge of a deep platter.
• Pour vegetables into center.
• Garnish, if desired, and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND BARLEY + VIDEO

Steps:

• Combine the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub the chicken thighs on both sides with half of the spice mixture.

AUTHENTIC MOROCCAN BREAD

Steps:

• Add the sugar to 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. Then add the yeast and stir to soften. Let it sit in a warm place until the yeast is bubbly & doubles in volume, roughly 2 minutes.
• Mix the flours & salt in the large mixing bowl. After yeast is ready add it to the flour along with the milk. Add enough lukewarm water to the mixture to form a stiff dough.
• Note:Flours differ in their ability to absorb moisture so no precise amount can be given. Add a small amount at a time. If you have added too much the mixture will be extra sticky and it will be hard to get off your hands. The right consistency should allow the dough to pull easily off your fingers.
• Place the dough onto a lightly floured board & knead hard with closed fists, pushing outward. During the final part of kneading, add 1 tsp of cumin or sesame seeds. It will take between 10-15 minutes to knead the dough thoroughly. You will know it is ready when it achieves a smooth, elastic consistency. (If you are using an electric beater with a dough hook, knead 7-8 minutes on a slow speed.).
• Take the thoroughly kneaded dough & form it into two balls & let it stand for 5 minutes on the board.
• Sprinkle cornmeal onto two baking sheets & place to the side. Then lightly grease a mixing bowl with oil. Transfer the first ball of dough to the bowl. Roll the dough along the sides while rotating bowl with your other hand, this will make the dough into a cone shape.
• Place the dough, wide end down, onto the first baking sheet. Flatten the cone with the palm of your hand to form a disc about 5 inches in diameter with a slightly raised center. Repeat with the second ball. Lightly sprinkle the remaining seeds on top of the bread.
• Cover each disc loosely with a damp towel & let it rise for about 2 hours in a warm place. The dough will be ready when you can gently pole your finger into it & it will not spring back into place.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork, poke the bread 3 to 4 times & place in the center shelf of the oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then lower the heat to 300 degrees & make 25-30 minutes more.
• To give the bread a nice brown color, turn the oven on broil. Watch the bread carefully, once it is golden, turn it over to brown the other side. Remove from the oven & let cool.
• Note: When done, the bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN AND BARLEY PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, sauté onion and carrots in olive oil over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until onion begins to soften.
• Add garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and barley; stir to coat.
• Add chicken broth, sherry, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover pan, and reduce heat to simmer for about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.
• When barley is nearly done, heat butter in skillet. Add chicken, cherry tomatoes, apples, pecans, raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sauté 5 minutes until heated through.
• Mix with barley.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

BARLEY COUSCOUS WITH SEVEN VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Prepare the couscous in a large, round, ovenproof dish as described on page 112, leaving the final heating in the oven to be done 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
• Cut the meat into 10 pieces and the onions into quarters, then into thick slices, and put them in a large pan with the drained chickpeas. Cover with about 6 pints of water, bring to the boil, and remove the scum. Add the pepper (no salt is added at this stage since it would stop the chickpeas from softening), saffron, cinnamon, and ginger and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Now put in the tomatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, potatoes, cut in half or left whole if small, and the whole chilies, if using. Add salt, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.
• Add the celery, pumpkin, zucchini, cut into fat slices or left whole if they are baby ones, fava beans, and herbs. Add more water, if necessary, taste, and adjust the seasoning, and cook 30 minutes more.
• About 20 to 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time-when the last vegetables go in-put the couscous into the oven, preheated to 400°F, and heat through until it is steaming hot, taking it out and fluffing it with a fork after about 10 minutes. Before serving, fork the butter, cut into small pieces, into the couscous and fluff up the couscous as it melts in.
• To serve, moisten the couscous with a little broth and shape it into a cone with a crater at the top. Arrange some meat in the crater and some vegetables down the sides, then pour a little broth over the mound. Bring the remaining broth, meat, and vegetables to the table in another bowl. Alternatively, bring the couscous to the table in one dish, and the broth with the meat and vegetables in another, and serve them directly into individual bowls or soup plates.
• Use 2 chickens cut into pieces instead of the meat.
• For a peppery sauce, pass around a bowl with 3 to 4 ladles of the hot broth mixed with 1 tablespoon or more harissa or 2 tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon or more chili pepper. Although this was originally a Tunisian and Algerian custom, not Moroccan, the French like it as do some of us now.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA & BARLEY SALAD

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add the barley and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, water, and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the barley is tender, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how old the barley is.
• Strain the cooked barley through a colander or sieve and run cold water over to cool it quickly.
• In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, pistachios, apricots, green onions and parsley. Mix well. Add the lemon zest and juice and barley and mix. Sprinkle the ras el hanout spice mixture over the barley and mix well. Taste, and add salt if needed.
• Let the salad marinate for about an hour before serving. If the barley has absorbed all the olive oil, drizzle a little more on right before serving.