“There are as many couscous recipes as there are people who eat couscous.” Faced with such statements, Rashid Aghoureh, 50, smiles skeptically, hesitates, and wholeheartedly denies it. ”.
Mr. Agoulay is the executive chef of the Moroccan restaurant La Mamounia and the second-generation chef of the Marrakech Palace. Marrakech Palace just celebrated its 100th anniversary and was ranked 6th on this year’s list of the world’s 50 best hotels. King Mohammed VI often asks Rachid to lead official events, and Rachid represents Morocco in the elite Chef des Chefs Club, which brings together chefs to heads of state.
This guy probably makes the best couscous in Morocco. With a generous smile, he allowed us into the kitchen to fondle the pans and stick our noses in the spices. La Mamounia’s signature refined scent of oranges and ripe dates lingers on the second floor. The kitchen has low ceilings, is hot, and people work hard and quickly. It has aromas of cumin, harissa, cinnamon, saffron, and black pepper. Not necessarily in that order. When work becomes particularly stressful, Rashid applies anti-stress therapy. Escape to the vegetable garden and walk to the edge of the field. There he finds the peace he needs to return to the kitchen.
Rashid came to La Mamounia at the age of 16 and has just turned 50. He trained under Boujemar Maas, a former hotel chef who was his father-in-law and kind of a spiritual parent. His team is made up of 96% women and he learns local recipes from his mother and grandmother. The chef’s mission is a delicate one: respecting and preserving tradition while creating contemporary and sophisticated dishes that bring the flavors of Morocco to life.
We’re in the kitchen because Rashid is preparing one of his signature recipes, EL PAÍS, couscous with seven different vegetables. This is a Berber dish prepared in large quantities to feed the whole family, and he arranged it so that he could serve it to his 10 customers. “The secret of Moroccan cooking is knowing how to use spices and not letting them use them. Each recipe has its own combination, they are not interchangeable. Use turmeric, saffron and cinnamon in order and proportions There are also sweet and salty dishes.” On one side, a tray with small jars of colored powders guards this mystery. Another of his commandments is to respect timing. “Many recipes are prepared the night before, marinated, and take time, and you have to give it a pass. If you’re in a hurry, don’t start making couscous,” he says.
Mixing the semolina, aerating it, and lifting pieces with his fingers, the chef insists this is not a laissez-faire process. There are rules, ratios, specific blends of spices, and techniques to cooking semolina. “If you add garlic and cumin, no matter how well you do the rest, it’s definitely going to be a disaster.” According to a recipe he later sent us in writing, this version of couscous The only spices that can be used are ground ginger, saffron, parsley, coriander, and cayenne pepper.
Cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, and saffron are some of the spices unique to Moroccan cuisine.When it comes to their blends, Morocco’s best known is ras el hanout, you can use over 18 different spices. According to Rashid, Berber women have been preparing Berber spices. ras el hanout For 11 centuries, including his own grandmother and mother. He says each family has their own version and never shares recipes. No two mixes of his are the same. The Agolay family uses cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, cumin, walnuts…and he didn’t say anything else. This is not information that leaves the house. He shares the finished blend, but never the recipe.
His mission is to create a Mediterranean gastronomy concept that preserves Moroccan cuisine and flavors. Many of these recipes can be sampled at his La Mamounia restaurant. There he brings international experience gained working in fine restaurants around the world, from Lucas Carton to Cipriani to Biarritz’s Hotel du Palais. “I have been able to incorporate some ingredients from other cultures, but they are always prepared our way, with our spices, and the right balance of flavors is achieved.” he says.
During his years at La Mamounia, he learned to be “patient” and “generous.” “I share what I know and what I have because they treated me that way everywhere else. It’s a way of life.”
For more than 30 years, he has watched customers become increasingly demanding and fickle. “Their tastes haven’t changed, but their habits have,” he summarizes. “Before, it was enough if the food was good, but now presentation is very important and the plate has to come from the kitchen perfectly and it has to be delicious. One out of two is not enough. ”
Rashid says customers are “increasingly difficult to wow” and have very specific and rigid expectations about what constitutes a luxury experience. “I would say they are also very specific about their needs, very aware of their wants, and even willing to challenge the chefs about intolerances and allergies.” The most extravagant example? “Well, there was a guy who didn’t want salt, spices, or olive oil in his meals, but he still wanted to try Moroccan food.”
material
For 10 people
Medium ground seminola 800g
250g carrots
Turnip 250g
250g zucchini
250g white cabbage
Eggplant 200g
250 g fresh crushed tomatoes
250g onion
50 g cooked chickpeas
Raisins 50g
10ml olive oil
edible oil 5ml
Powdered ginger 10g
saffron 1g
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch coriander
cayenne 25g
Instructions
1. This is a basic recipe for couscous, you can also add meat. Designed to be used in conjunction with couscousier. Rashid recommends always cooking vegetables in the compartment closest to the heat source and using steam to cook couscous in the upper compartment.
2. Preparation: In the lower compartment of the couscous (the pot in which you prepare the steamed couscous), fry the sliced onions, parsley, and coriander. Add spices.
3. Cut the vegetables lengthwise, pour water over them, and boil the carrots and turnips in that order. Once halfway done, add the tomatoes, remaining vegetables, and chickpeas. Set the soup aside.
4. Place the seminolas in a tray, add a pinch of salt, a little olive oil, and sprinkle with water. Place in a couscous strainer (above the couscous) and let the steam from the vegetables absorb the moisture. He repeats this step three times.
5. Serve with couscous. Serve hot sauce in a separate container.
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