Zaalouk-Moroccan Cooked Salad.

richard-in-cincy

Well-known member
I ate at a Moroccan restaurant this weekend and had this as an appetizer. I looked up some recipes and made this version. Think of it as Moroccan Salsa. It is absolutely amazing. We're inhaling this and will have to make more it's that good.

Zaalouk

Roasting vegetables: • 1 large eggplant • 6 roma tomatoes • 1 red bell pepper • 12 cloves of garlic • 1 onion

• 1/3 cup chopped each fresh cilantro and parsley • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika • 1 tablespoon cumin • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt • 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo or cayenne pepper • 1/4 cup olive oil • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

Roast vegetables until tender, then blister and blacken under the broiler. Let cool. Peel and roughly chop and place into a bowl with all of the other ingredients. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over, stir, and let sit for 1/2 hour to let the flavors develop. Serve with hot pita bread and/or crackers.

 
I just used what I had on hand...

But I usually buy a good quality Mediterranean region olive oil. Currently using Trader Joe's Moroccan olive oil, so I guess that was a good choice! The flavors are so robust, not sure using a really pricy high end olive oil would be a good use for it. But let me know if you experiment with it.

 
Moroccamole!

I bought some perfectly ripe avocados for $ .05/each at the grocery yesterday that they were getting ready to throw out (they "had" to charge me something to go through the register). Amazing they have to throw the ripe ones out because no one will buy them and they'll just lay there and eventually spoil. But I digress..

I mashed up a bunch of avocados, threw in copious amounts of chopped cilantro and a zaalouk, and it's Moroccan Gaucamole!

 
Thanks Richard. I usually use Costco/Kirkland OO, but I also have the TJs on hand.

I notice the flavor of the oil more in salads and dressings, so like to use similar the first time trying a dish.

 
Cool riff on briami - I always put eggplant in mine

I can imagine how wonderful the zaalouk would taste mixed with avocado, hummus, goat cheese or a bit of Middle Eastern garlic sauce. Colleen

 
eggplants were affordable this week, so I too made briami with eggplant. love it, but the spices

in Richard's dish would make is something quite special, even though I love it just the way it is---especially cold or room temp on bread(my dinner last night)

 
Back
Top