Maroque Newsletter
Welcome to the latest edition of the Maroque newsletter.
I hope you are well. I always see the Chelsea Flower Show as the beginning of summer, it inevitably rains, but hopefully it signals the start of balmier weather and more outside living.
In this newsletter I take a look at Marrakech, a city designed for outside living. Our recipe this month is lamb kebabs or shish kebab. They never taste as good as the ones served in the Jemaa-el-Fna but they are very good.
I have also added our summer living section again to inspire you when the sun does eventually decide to shine, ever the optimist!
Marrakech
My favourite city in Morocco, I leave a little bit of my heart there, every time I leave. To me it is the epitome of every thing I love about Morocco, from the stunning architecture and mysticism of the souks, to the fabulous food, friendly people and just the most enjoyable climate.
Marrakech, the imperial city which, at the dawn of its history, gave Morocco its name. It was founded around 1062 by the Berber Almoravids and soon became the capital of an Islamic empire that reached from central Spain to West Africa. The Almoravid conquest of southern Spain led to an exchange of culture, investing this remote desert enclave with the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Andalucia, something that it has retained a feel for to this day.
The Berbers and the Arabs come together here, to mingle with the nomads and the mountain people, the unchallenged capital of Southern Morocco.
The city walls were raised from the red mud of the plains giving the city its description as The Rose City. From these ancient rose-coloured city walls to the sounds and scents of the souks, Marrakech is a showcase for Morocco's past and present.
Marrakech, particularly in the Medina (old city) is a labyrinth of winding streets that open onto lush green gardens and dark alleyways leading to bustling souks.
The focal point is the central square, the Jemaa-el-Fna (Square of the Dead), an extraordinary gathering place and the social centre of the city that at dusk offers a scene little changed since medieval times. The square owes little of its fame to its own beauty, but rather to the colourful circus of performing artists where snake charmers, musicians, storytellers and healers vie with each other to be noticed by the milling crowds. Every evening food stalls take over and the competition is fierce among them for the passing trade, offering anything from boiled snails and sheep's heads, to thick vegetable soup, kebabs, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Towering over all this is the Koutoubia mosque: the tallest building in the city, and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city's residents.
Marrakech has a wealth of excellent restaurants, and a huge number of fantastic hotels. I have listed some of my favourites on our links page.
Recipe
Skewered and grilled lamb
These little kebabs are the closest thing I have come across to the little kebabs served at the many booths that set up at the Jemaa-el-Fna at dusk. These little morsels served scalding hot, sprinkled with cayenne, cumin and salt are a treat. Serve with a glass of mint tea to complete your experience.
Ingredients
750g (1.5lb) boned leg of lamb, cut into 1.5cm cubes
1 tbs olive oil
1 onion grated
2 tbs finely chopped parsley
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
cayenne
cumin
salt
Grill on highest setting or ideally a hot barbeque.
1. Place the lamb cubes in a shallow dish with all the other ingredients. Toss well and leave to stand for 2 hours. Thread the meat onto metal skewers about 6 to 8 pieces per kebab.
2. Place the kebabs about 5 to 10cm away from the heat source, either grill or barbeque.
3. Cook until browned and turn over. The lamb should be cooked through but still juicy.
4. Sprinkle each kebab with a small amount of cayenne, cumin and salt to your taste, bearing in mind the heat of the cayenne, and serve hot with bread.
Serves 6
Site Update
With warm and balmy nights just around the corner I thought it was worth dusting off the summer living page and giving it a bit of a revamp. I have pulled together some of our newer items that will bring a little Moroccan magic to your garden this year.
We have some recipes that are ideal on the barbeque, so hopefully you will discover something to inspire you.
Thank you for your continued support. If you have any comments, ideas, suggestions I would love to hear from you. Please email info@maroque.co.uk
Kind regards
Julie Woodard
Maroque