North African Flair: Bold Flavors, Less Meat


Reducing meat consumption in one’s diet can be a challenging task, but the numerous health benefits it offers make it a worthwhile pursuit. Low-meat or “flexitarian” have become increasingly popular over the last few years. By cutting back on meat, individuals may experience reduced inflammation, lower total blood cholesterol, and decreased triglyceride levels[1]. Additionally, studies suggest that a diet with less meat can lead to reduced blood glucose levels[2] and even contribute to a longer life expectancy[3], making the effort to scale back on meat consumption an appealing choice for those looking to improve their overall health and well-being.


Flavorful. Filling. Fun.

These “Three F’s” will help you pass the test in crafting a successful vegetarian or low-meat (flexitarian) meal:



Flavorful

Use vibrant spices and herbs to excite your palate.

Filling

Include satiating plant proteins to quell your hunger.

Fun

Explore new cuisines and/or add interactive components to your dish to add intrigue to your dining experience.



Exploring North African food is a great way to find new bold flavors while keeping meat to a minimum. Northwest Africa (The Maghreb) may evoke images of an endless sea of sand in the Sahara Desert; However, the vibrant Mediterranean coastline and the steep Atlas mountains offer a dynamic range of topography and climate. The wide variety of flora and fauna from its diverse landscape brings complexity to Maghrebi cuisine. Cultural influences from Berber, Arab, Mediterranean, and French peoples further enrich the culinary offerings at hand.


Inspired by the Three F’s, I have constructed a North African meal featuring:

[click a box above to jump to the associated recipe]


Garantita (or Karantika) is a unique polenta-like cake, which provides a silky, yet structural platform for the rest of the dish’s components to rest upon. A swirl of egg on the top of the batter provides a crisp topping to the creamy inside. This traditional filling for a humble Tunisian sandwich makes for a healthier and lower-carb alternative to polenta.

Harissa, a Meghrabi calling-card, takes form as a spice-blend or a paste, combining a chile-forward punch balanced by warm spices. In this meal, the harissa spice mix (or dry harissa) will be used to complement roasted carrots. as well as enrich the home-made harissa paste. Dry harissa is available in stores, but is often missing the distinctive and in my opinion, requisite - caraway seed. While you may know the spice from irish soda bread or other savory applications, its menthol like quality adds an incredibly distinctive character in contrast to the rest of the blend.

Harissa paste serves as the base of the lamb ragú. While available for purchase at most local grocery stores for an easy shortcut, the flavor is far better when made from scratch. Traditional canned harissa paste can be a bit bitter, and some of the modern sauces I have tried taste more like sambal, an Indonesian hot sauce.

Chermoula is an herb sauce which brings brightness and freshness to the dish. This is a nice contrast to the deep and spicy notes of the lamb and the harissa. Since Spring is in full force, I have included green garlic and flowering coriander in this version of the sauce. While regular garlic and cilantro suffice as a substitute, any fun spring fresh leafy herb will be at home in the sauce. Preserved lemon brings a special type of funk - the traditional Moroccan preserve is fermented in salt and sugar, which can add probiotics to the meal if the product you source has not been pasteurized.

Any and all of the components of the dish can be prepared in advance to make for less stressful execution when dinner time nears.

Harissa Spice

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cup coriander seeds
  • 1/3 Cup caraway seeds
  • 1/4 Cup cumin seeds
  • 1/3 Cup dried whole chiles
  • 3 Tbsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp salt
    NOTES: Choosing the chiles for your spice is a personal journey. Since Tunisian chiles are difficult to find, I recommend equal parts Aleppo and Calabrian chiles. Use a combo of Chile de Arbol and Guajillo if the former are unavailable - or unsmoked paprika as a last resort. I add salt to my spice blends so i can taste more accurately taste them for balance as I make them.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Toast the spices in a heavy bottomed skillet/pan on low to medium heat or in an oven at 375°F. This should take 3-5 minutes, or until you can begin to smell the spices - err on the undertoasted side to avoid burnt and bitter spices. It's best to toast the spices separately, but if expediency is important, add the coriander first for a couple minutes, then add the cumin and caraway at the same time, and add the chiles for the last minute. Stir in the mint in the hot pand and mix with the rest before transferring to a coffee grinder of blender to finely grind.



Garantita

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Cup garbanzo/chickpea flour
  • 2 Cup milk
  • 1 tsp harissa spice
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt

    NOTES: Use chicken broth or water as a milk substitute.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F
  2. Reserve 2 eggs. In a blender or with a bowl and whisk, vigorously mix the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Pour into an oiled 9x12 (or similar) baking dish.
  4. Beat the remaining eggs and drizzle onto the top of the batter.
  5. (optional) Garnish the top with additional harissa spice
  6. Bake for 45 min or until the top is crispy and the middle is no longer liquid.
  7. Let rest for 30 min before cutting. The desired consistency will be similar to cream of wheat or soft polenta.


Merguez Lamb and Harissa Ragu

INGREDIENTS

  • For the merguez lamb sausage
    • 1/3 Cup Harissa Spice, separated into two portions (see recipe above)
    • 1 lb ground lamb
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1.5 Tbsp salt, or to taste
  • For the harissa paste
    • 3 red bell peppers
    • 4 red jalapeño or fresno chiles
    • 6 cloves garlic
    • 4 cloves, peeled (for the ragú)
    • 1 Cup water, or as needed
    • 2 tsp salt

      NOTES: If using a store-bought paste, you will only need the water

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Gently mix the ground lamb, the salt, and the harissa spice. Fry a small amount in your pan to taste. Adjust for seasoning and salt.
  2. Roast the peppers and chiles in a pan under a broiler or directly over a flame. Blacken on all sides thoroughly, and reserve to a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes or until tolerably cool to the touch. Proceed to remove the skins with your (gloved if sensitive) hands. Chop the peppers open and remove the seeds and stems.
  3. In a food processor, blender, or mortar/pestle, add all of the ingredients except for the water. Add enough water to allow the blades to make a smooth paste. Reserve.
  4. Preheat a steep-walled pan or heavy bottomed pot. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the sausage in clumps. Wait 2-3 minutes for the meat to brown, and flip. Use your cooking utensil to break up the clumps of sausage into smaller pieces.
  5. Stir in the harissa paste. Allow the sauce to caramelize in the pan for a 1-2 minutes, and add the remainder of the water to your desired consistency -- It should resemble pasta sauce.




Spring Herb Chermoula Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 Cup flowering coriander/cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 Cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 green garlic shoots, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 preserved lemon, deseeded and roughly chopped (optional)
  • 1 serrano chile, deseeded, destemmed, and chopped (optional)
  • 1/3 Cup olive oil
  • 1.5 tsp salt, or to taste

    NOTES:
    Substitute equal parts cilantro stems and leaves for the flowering coriander if needed. Subsitute 3 clvoes garlic for the green garlic if you can't find it. Use the zest of the one lemon if not using the preserved lemon. If you like your food spicy, add the serrano chile. Its distinct flavor is a great addition to the sauce if you can handle the heat!

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Make a smooth paste out of all of the ingrdients using a mortar/pestle, food processor, or blender. Taste and adjust for seasoning. If using a blender, add the olive oil last to avoid turning the olive oil bitter - this only occurs at high blade speeds.





roasted Harissa Spiced Carrots

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 medium carrots
  • 1 Tbsp harissa spice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tsp salt, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Preheat an oven safe skillet on medium high heat for 3 minutes.
  2. Cut the carrots in half an into 2 inch long pieces, or to your liking.
  3. In the preheated skillet, add the olive oil and add the carrots flat side down. Sprinkle half the salt.
  4. Brown the carrots, turn over add the remaining salt.
  5. Toss with the harissa spice
  6. Transfer to oven for 5-10 minutes until barely fork tender.




Reminder:
YOU are the final arbiter of your tasting experience. If you don’t like something, take note and adjust what you dislike or remove it from future applications. don’t be bound to tradition. take recipes with a grain of salt and make them yours!


Sources

  1. Hoffman, Richard, and Mariette Gerber. "Food processing and the Mediterranean diet." Nutrients 7.9 (2015): 7925-7964.

  2. Muga, Miriam Adoyo, et al. "Association of lifestyle factors with blood lipids and inflammation in adults aged 40 years and above: a population-based cross-sectional study in Taiwan." BMC Public Health 19 (2019): 1-12.

  3. Singh, Pramil N., Joan Sabaté, and Gary E. Fraser. "Does low meat consumption increase life expectancy in humans?." The American journal of clinical nutrition 78.3 (2003): 526S-532S.


Matt Saal