Cook This: 3 Moroccan recipes from Madaq, including honey-buttered pancakes

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Benkabbou was the executive chef at L’Mida Marrakech in Marrakech, Morocco, and now hosts pop-ups in London, where she’s working on opening a restaurant. Whether events or cookbooks, it all comes down to sharing the love.

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“When someone tells me they followed one of my recipes, and it was delicious, and everybody loved it, it makes me really happy. So, there’s something very selfish in sharing recipes and food. And the same way when I serve a dish in the restaurant. The joy of someone smiling or coming to me and telling me, ‘Oh, this was so good.’ There’s a lot of satisfaction that comes with that.”

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While some of the recipes in the book are Benkabbou’s takes on classic dishes, such as an artichoke and pea tagine pasta, others, including ras el hanout mushroom tacos, are decidedly untraditional. “Their core flavours, however, remain undeniably Moroccan,” she writes.

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With Madaq, Benkabbou hopes “to encourage (Canadians) to be less intimidated by Moroccan food and embrace it more and be curious and enjoy it.” For readers in the diaspora, she wants to make them feel proud of their heritage and inspired by seeing their cuisine from a different perspective. “Because usually, we’re very much focused on the way we’ve been eating at home and how our grandmas cook, which is absolutely normal. But sometimes it’s also good to broaden our horizons and think, ‘OK, why not put a Moroccan spice blend on a taco?’ Why not?”

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HONEY-BUTTERED PANCAKES WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM AND BLUEBERRY SAUCE

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“People who know a little bit about Moroccan food know them, but they don’t really know how we really eat them in Morocco,” which is with a syrup made of butter and honey, says Nargisse Benkabbou of baghrir (spongy semolina pancakes). Photo by Issy Croker

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Baghrir

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Baghrir:
1 1/3 cups (240 g) semolina flour
1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups (480 g) warm water (110F/43C)

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Blueberry sauce:
(makes about 1 3/4 cups/400 g)
1/3 cup (80 g) water
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water, or more to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups (390 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

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For serving:
8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (176 g) honey
1/3 cup (80 g) crème fraîche
Grated lemon zest (optional)

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Step 1

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Make the baghrir: Combine the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast and salt in a blender, add the warm water, and blend until the batter is smooth, with no lumps. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth.

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Step 2

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Check the consistency of the batter, as the results will depend on the coarseness of your semolina flour. The ideal consistency should be pourable but not watery, thinner than a traditional pancake batter, and slightly thicker than a traditional crêpe batter. If your batter seems too thick, add a little more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as necessary. Conversely, if it’s too runny, add a little more semolina flour, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until it thickens.

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Step 3

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Let the batter stand, covered, at room temperature for 25 minutes to allow the yeast to activate; the batter should be light and foamy, with lots of tiny bubbles. Blend or whisk again for a few seconds before cooking the pancakes.

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Step 4

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Meanwhile, make the blueberry sauce: Whisk the water, lemon juice, orange blossom water, and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan until the cornstarch has dissolved. Stir in the blueberries and sugar and bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to soften and the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more orange blossom water and/or lemon juice, if desired. Remove from the heat and set aside; if desired, reheat the sauce over low heat before serving. (The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead, cooled, and refrigerated in a sealed container. Bring to room temperature or reheat gently before serving.)