Rockin' Moroccan

Some people sing in the shower. I sing while I cook. When I was younger, my mom would belt it to John Denver and Carly Simon in the kitchen as she prepared dinner (actually she still does this--sorry mom!). Now I've carried on this dinnertime ritual in my own kitchen. Whilel John Denver does not frequent my playlists, Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" has made the cut a few times. Like mother, like daughter.

So while I crooned along with Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" as I prepared this Moroccan couscous, I thought this blog post would be the perfect chance to discuss my love for food and music, if not for the sole reason that I could use a rhyming title--Rockin' Moroccan ;)

My passion to perform began well before my taste buds started to develop--I used to sing and tap dance to the songs from "Annie", wearing her costume that my mom made me. My younger sister, Emma, always got stuck playing Molly--the other orphan without any solos and an ugly, raggedy dress. Seniority rules.

Someone was always singing or dancing around the house when we were growing up. Mom and her John Denver, me and Annie, Michael and the Sailor Moon soundtrack (sorry again!). So it was only natural that I wanted to be a Broadway star when I grew up.

Well college happened, reality happened, and clearly that dream has yet to come to fruition. But as I fell out of singing in college, I found food--good food. Being at NYU for a year opened my eyes (or mouth) to a whole world of tastes, smells and cultures; and my hunger to learn and try more only continues to grow now (pun intended).

Now a year out of college and still not sure what I want to do with my life, I do know that food and music will always be a part of it--whether that's singing alone in my apartment while stirring pasta, or someday having my own singing/dancing/cooking spectacular on the Food Network.

Rockin' Moroccan Couscous
Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 lb cooked chicken breast, cut into pieces
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dried couscous
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 dried cherries
3 tbs toasted pine nuts
2-3 scallions, white and some green parts, sliced

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until slightly translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add couscous, curry, cinnamon, salt and dried cherries. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Uncover and flake with a fork to keep the couscous fluffy (do not stir--this will make the couscous stick together in lumps)
3. Add chicken, pine nuts and scallions. Stir to combine. Can be served hot or cold. Would be a great side dish for summer barbecues and parties!

Please Sir, May I have some More-occan?

The answer is yes, you can definitely have some Moroccan food...and lots of it!

Moroccan food is a cuisine that I always enjoy to order at a restaurant, but rarely cook on my own. Typical Moroccan spices, such as coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and saffron, are some of my favorites out there. These spices all have such distinct, deep flavors and beautiful colors that they make any meal feel special and exotic. Well last night, my friend Elana and I took a culinary trip to the exotics in her own Manhattan kitchen...

In anticipation for Glee's "Brittany vs. Britney" episode, which I have been waiting for since early spring, we wanted to celebrate with a delicious, homemade meal. I had a recipe for Moroccan Grilled Salmon saved on my computer that I've always wanted to try, but never got around to it. So with Elana and I both being adventurous cooks and eaters, this was the perfect opportunity to try it. Also being 2 girls with insatiable appetites, we knew salmon would not be enough to satisfy us; so Elana found a recipe for Moroccon Couscous from the Barefoot

Contessa. Parfait!

Elana started by making the marinade and sauce for the salmon--yogurt, garlic, olive oil, coriander, and cumin. I was in charge of all the chopping and cutting--smashing the garlic, slicing the lemon wedges, chopping the cilantro, etc. The kitchen filled with such wonderful smells. From the freshness of the cilantro, to the warmth of the cumin, it was like we were in an authentic Moroccan kitchen (well, almost).

After covering the salmon in the marinade and sticking it under the broiler, it was onto the couscous. The couscous was also very simple. We first sautéed some shallots in butter, then added chicken stock and the couscous and allowed that to cook for 10 minutes. One little mishap, however, was my failure to realize how HOT Elana's burners get...Luckily the majority of the couscous was in good condition, but there was a nice crusty layer of burnt couscous on the bottom of her pot. I feel terrible that I ruined a perfectly good pot (I'm buying you a new one!), but I think we were both relieved that we could still eat the couscous.

In the end, it was a very successful, simple, and tasteful meal. The salmon was cooked perfectly; and the sauce had such a distinct Moroccan taste from those spices--the best way to find out what Moroccan food tastes like is just to try it yourself! Despite my little cooking faux-pas, the couscous was great too--the pine nuts added great creamy, heartiness, and the raisins added a sweet touch.

Not that I'm an expert on international cuisines, but I'd say we came pretty close to makin' Moroccan in Manhattan.

Recipe for Moroccan Grilled Salmon

Recipe for Moroccan Couscous