Lamb & Prune Tagine

 

So today we made our way to the roundabout at the entrance to the old medina to await our driver to take us out into the country to do today spices adventure and to cook a

Lamb & Prune Tagine.

 

 

  To start we got to do a blind tasting on Moroccan spices, with my sense of smell after our time here I went to the top of the class and was even able to get the Smen correct, hey it smells like blue cheese and as we had tasted it ... that smell stays with you.

The teacher was impressed but when I said that we have been here for 2 and 1/2 weeks and have cooked most days he was more impressed that we were so committed to Moroccan cuisine.
Nope just a piglet and love food.

 

 

The offending table of spices and the trendy blackened out copy Ray Ban glasses in purple!
 

  

Got to learn how to identify a true saffron and not a copy!, really a copy ... well after all we are in Morocco and they even
copy, copies. Nothing is as it seams here.... 

All you need is a glass of warm water when shopping in the local markets, drop in a couple of grains in and if it does what it should do buy it!.

Water turns yellow and the fibres start to float.
The Argo Oil copies are a bit harder to do, one needs to carry their own little freezer into the local markets and sit with the oil in it for 4 hours and if the oil does not separate than its ok to buy.
Watch that bottle as they are so good at the old switch-a-roo tricks.
Pete you are becoming so syndical ... after nearly 3 weeks with the locals I have seen most of the tricksters and then their is another one working there magic on you.
You start to feel very handled.
Got one guy back as when I bought some perfumed wax bar (paying full price ... was not a barterer THEN) on the first week in Marrakesh. The little man never thought that he would see me Aussie face again as we blessed each other as I left, so what ended in the bag was a perfumed "sprayed" bar and not a perfumed infused bar. Really why would they bother but he had too bother when I reappeared in his shop with my Aussie chest puffed up the size of a African elephant.
Oh sir ... I'm so sorry sometimes this happens that an inferior one somehow passes through the system and these things happen hmmmmm.
Anyway with my real perfumed bar in hand and not in a bag I leave the shop with the threat that I'm still here in Morocco for another month (little fib) and I will come back and string you up like a thief if you do me wrong ... again!!!!!
Karma I said to him ... then we blessed each other with a smile.
Got back to Raid Jona and what I now have is the real deal, and it smell so nice in the suitcases. 
So back to the cooking class
 

  

To our Tagine work stations.

 

 

Checking out how to build one of these work stations back at The Retreat. Will have to install real gas bottle and not copies ones or dodgy ones!!

 

Start with onion, no oil just some water to start the cooking process

 

 

Add some spices

 

and some lamb

 

 Cook
 

 
add prunes that are stuffed almonds and sesame seeds and a dressing of reduces prune juices

Make 3 traditional Moroccan salads and more bread
Cucumber and orange cold soup
Spiced Eggplant
Tomato and Cucumber

 

   Remind me later about this one with green peppers, had it as a starter with some bread hot and spicy delish.

than sat under the oranges trees and well you can imagine the ending.
Wonderfull