Chick peas are an ancient food of Morocco. In this salad, the peas are first cooked in cumin water to infuse them with a light spicy flavor and, at the same time, render them more digestible. The chick peas are then dressed in a chili-spiked lime and scallion dressing. You can increase or decrease the amount of chilies according to your taste. For a really spicy version, add a tablespoon of Harissa.
This salad is one of my personal favorite Moroccan Salads for its simple, yet clean, fresh and bright tastes.

2 cups dried chick peas
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon minced fresh chilies
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more if needed
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 tablespoon canola oil
Coarse salt or sea salt
8 red leaf lettuce leaves or other similar lettuce leaves

Place the chick peas in a bowl and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Soak the peas for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the peas and put in a deep pot. Add 5 cups water and the cumin seeds and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the peas are soft, adding more water if the peas begin to dry out, about 2 hours.
Drain the peas and place in a bowl. Discard the liquid. Add the chilies, garlic, lime juice, scallions, parsley, oil, and salt to taste, and toss well. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Check the seasoning and add more salt or lime juice if needed. (The salad keeps for up to 8 hours at room temperature. Do not refrigerate; chilling the chick peas toughens them.) Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter, mound the chick peas in the center, and serve.

Moroccan Supper Salad

Serve it cool, but never, ever cold.

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
About 4 cups ice water
About 4 cups (1/2 loaf) leftover coarse chewy country bread cut into 1-inch pieces
7 tablespoons wine vinegar, and more as needed
1/2 cup cold water
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 small stalk celery with leaves, thinly sliced
2 sweet yellow peppers cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
Handful sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
About 18 fresh basil leaves
1 medium-hot fresh chile, seeded and chopped (optional)
12 Italian oil-cured or Greek kalamata olives, pitted
3 whole scallions
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
6 or so fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces ricotta salata or feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl, cover onions with ice water. Put bread in medium bowl, tossing with 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and the 1/2 cup water. Chill 30 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
In a large bowl, mash together anchovy, garlic, and remaining 4 tablespoons of vinegar. Let stand about 10 minutes (this mutes the anchovy). Add the celery, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, and peas.
Set aside a few whole herb leaves, then finely chop the rest with the garlic, chile (if using), olives, scallions, and capers. Add these to the bowl. Drain the onions and toss them in the bowl, too.
Squeeze the bread dry. Fold it gently into the salad along with the cheese. Taste the salad for seasoning, adding a little more vinegar if needed. Garnish with the herb leaves. Serve at room temperature with Iced Moroccan Tea.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

1 pound baby carrots
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chopped garlic
2 tsp. Moroccan hot sauce (Charmoulla Du Maroc)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbl. olive oil (extra virgin)
Salt & pepper to taste

In medium pot, cook the carrots for 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the water, add the ingredients and stir for about 5 minutes on very low heat.

Tabuli

If you feel adventurous, sprinkle some ground cayenne pepper on it before serving.

1/2 cup very fine bulgur
2 bunches parsley, large stems discarded and then chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dry mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Soak bulgur in enough fresh water to cover for 10 minutes. Drain well. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil last.
Chill well in the refrigerator. You can even chill it over night.
Serve garnished with lettuce leaves.

Moroccan Eggplant Salad

1 large eggplant
1 medium tomato, peeled & diced
1 tsp. chopped garlic
2 tsp. Moroccan hot sauce (Charmoulla Du Maroc)
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbl. olive oil (extra virgin)
Salt to taste

Peel the eggplant and dice to medium pieces. In medium pot, boil the eggplant for 10 minutes. Drain them and let them cool for few minutes. Smash them with a fork, add the ingredients and cook on very low heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve cold or room temperature with bread, warm pitas or pita chips.

Fattoush (Lebanese salad)

Granted not "exactly" Moroccan but bread salad is the same in many North African/Mediterranian countries and cuisines.

1 Tbsp wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sumak powder - can be hard to find, substitute basil
10 fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
2-3 tomatoes, diced
2 cucumber, chopped into half moons
1 green pepper, chopped
10 small radishes, chopped
1 onion, cut into wings
1 1/2 loaves pita bread, crispy broiled.

Just before eating, break the pita bread and incorporate into the salad.

Mechouia
(Tunisian Grilled Vegetable Salad)


This is a great salad from the country of Tunisia. Even though its from Tunisia rather than Morocco its too good to leave out.

2 large sweet red peppers
2 large onions
4 medium tomatoes
1 small hot pepper
3 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. olive oil
1 t oregano
1 7 oz. can of tuna
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Grill the peppers, tomatoes and onions in a hot oven approximately 400 degrees. Turn them once during this process. Grill them until they are soft. Remove from oven and cool. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Dice all of the cooked vegetables into small pieces. Place the vegetables on a flat serving platter. Stir in gently the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and the salt and pepper. Best way to eat:Spread the tuna and hard boiled eggs
over top.

Moroccan Preserved Lemon

These are lemons that have been preserved in a salty brine for one or two months.  They're a staple of Moroccan cuisine and somewhat hard to find in the U.S.
This is really good, however follow the instructions carefully.
Substitutes:   Make deep cuts into the peel of a lemon and fill the cuts with coarse salt, then wrap the lemon in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 24 hours. 

Preparation time: 1hr. Spread over 3 days
Preserving time: 3 weeks
Makes 16 lemons
Preserve in late autumn when the best lemons are more abundant

16 lemons
Water
Coarse Salt
Lemon Juice

Wash lemon well. Place in large glass, stainless steel or plastic container. Cover with cold water and allow soaking for 3-5 days, changing water daily.
Drain lemons. Insert the point of a sharp knife into peel, 6mmm from the bud end lemon and make four incisions lengthwise to within 6mm of the other end. Then cut through the incisions so that lemons are cut completely through both sides, but are still held together at both ends.
Insert 14 teaspoon coarse salt into center of each lemon, and arrange lemons in sterilized preserving jars and sprinkle with one-tablespoon coarse salt. Add strained juice of one lemon to each jar and pour in enough boiling water to cover lemons
Store in a dry place and leave for 3 weeks
To use: Rinse well under cold running water. Cut away pulp from each quarter and use peel only. Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: Preserving jars must be thoroughly clean and sterile before use. After washing and rinsing well, immerse the jars in water in a large pan and boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Another recipe for Pickled lemons:
These keep for months in the refrigerator and are
worth making in quantity.

6 lemons
vegetable oil
coarse salt

Slice the lemons about 1/4 inch thick, peel and all, put in acolander, sprinkle heavily with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and drain over a bowl for 24 hours, until limp, with most of the juice drawn out. Wash off salt.

Pack the lemon slices into a 1 quart jar, sprinkling them with about 2 Tablespoons more salt. Fill the jar with vegetable oil. Cover jar with lid and let lemons stand from 1 to 3 weeks, by which time they will be soft, mellow and not at all bitter.

The peel is delicious when cut in pieces and used in a regular green salad & other cooked Moroccan dishes.

Goat Cheese Couscous Salad

1 (8-ounce) log soft goat cheese
1 cup couscous
Vegetable oil for frying
8 ounces mesclun salad mix
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 eggs, well beaten

With your hands, fashion the goat cheese into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Coat each ball with dry couscous, then roll between the palms of your hands to impregnate the granules into the surface of the cheese. Refrigerate for 1 hour. In the meantime, in a large bowl, mix the olive oil, teriyaki sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sugar. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
Dip each chilled cheese ball into the beaten egg. Coat again with dry couscous. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat until a pinch of couscous sizzles instantly. Fry the croquettes until evenly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon,
transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Toss the mesclun with the dressing. Divide among 4 salad plates. Arrange 3 or 4 croquettes on each salad. Serve immediately.

La (Vraie) Salade Niçoise or "The Real Salade Niçoise"

A french salad you say? It has many charateristics of a good Moroccan salad. Not the least of which are probably the anchovies, as the majority of canned or tinned anchovies come from Morocco. Of course some cumin and cilantro would make it even more Moroccan.

10 medium-sized firm tomatoes, quartered salt
12 anchovy fillets or 2 6-ounce cans best-quality olive-oil packed canned tuna
1/2 pound shelled baby fava beans (about 1 pound unshelled)* 12 baby artichokes*
1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, very thinly sliced 6 small onions, very thinly sliced
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
3-1/2 ounces Niçoise olives
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
basil leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the tomatoes on a platter and lightly salt them. If using anchovies, cut each fillet into three or four pieces; if using tuna, shred it coarsely. If using favas, blanch beans in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and rinse well in cold water. Slip beans out of their skins by grasping each one by its grooved end and squeezing gently so that it pops out. If using artichokes, cut stems off, pull off tough outer leaves by hand, and trim a few more layers of leaves with a sharp knife. Scoop out the chokes and cut artichokes into thin slices. Rub bottom and sides of a large salad bowl with garlic pieces, then discard. Arrange anchovies or tuna, favas and/or artichokes (or neither), cucumber, green pepper, onion, eggs, and olives in the bowl. Drain the tomatoes, salt them again, and add them as well. Make a dressing with olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate both salad and dressing for about 1 hour before serving, then drizzle dressing over salad and serve. Serves 6.

* Medecin (author of the definitive book on Niçoise cooking, La Cuisine du comte de Nice) allows that, if the season allows, both favas and artichokes may be used -- but that it is also permissible to use one or the other or neither.

Provençal Summer Salad with a Moroccan Flair

If you added some Niçoise olives, anchovies and hard cooked eggs you would almost have a Salad Niçoise.

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
10 large basil leaves
leaves from 6 sprigs each of fresh thyme and oregano
3 whole scallions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
6 ripe and delicious tomatoes, thickly sliced vertically
1 small red onion, diced and marinated in a little vinegar
1/2 pound young green beans, steamed tender crisp and cooled
A good extra-virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar

Toast cumin in a small skillet over medium heat about 4 minutes, or until darkened and aromatic (do not burn). Cool and grind to a coarse powder. Mince together herbs and scallions. Blend all but a spoonful with the goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread each slice of tomato with cheese. Overlap on a platter, tucking small bundles of green beans between every two or three slices. Sprinkle with onion and toasted cumin and a the reserved herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and serve.