June 27, 2012

Do You Know How to Make Moroccan Bisteeya?

Last Friday evening, I hosted a dinner party at my farm for about thirty people.  Having recently returned from an excursion to Morocco, I was in the mood to treat my guests to some of the tantalizing food preparations that I had enjoyed on the trip.  Morocco is an exciting and colorful land and that is true of its cuisine, as well.  There are so many fabulous flavors, colors, and textures and it really makes for wonderful and unexpected party fare.  I was first introduced to the foods of Morocco many years ago when I attended, what is probably, my one and only cooking class.  Paula Wolfert, the doyenne of Mediterranean cooking, came to the Greens Farms Bookstore when I was living in Westport, Connecticut, and taught a group of us how to make bisteeya, a savory and sweet meat pie, traditionally made of squab, and served as a first course to a special meal.  I simply loved it and went on to experiment with other Moroccan fare, which became a regularly suggested menu in my catering business.  I was even more intrigued after my first visit to that fascinating North African country, where I bargained in the souks for traditional Moroccan cooking vessels and ingredients.  My friend, Chef Pierre Schaedelin and I came up with a menu for the party using plenty of produce from my vegetable garden and eggs from the chickens.  I hope this blog will inspire you to try cooking Moroccan food.  It’s really delicious and not too difficult, at all!

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