MEDFOUNA

After a night in the dessert we cooked this for our breakfast a bit of comfort food, it’s a bit like a cross between a stuffed Nan bread and a toasted sandwich on steroids. Go on give it a go you’ll love it.

Ingredients:

For The Dough:
250g of Plain Flour
½ x Packet of Dried Yeast
125ml Blood Warm Water
1 x Teaspoons of Caraway
½ x Teaspoon of Salt

For the top of the bread prior to it going in the oven brush the dough with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt flakes.

For The Filling:
500g of Fillet Steak
1 x Onion Finely Diced
½ Large Stick of Celery Finely Diced
2 x Tablespoons of Chopped Thyme
4 x Tablespoons of Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
1 x Teaspoon of Ground Coriander Seed
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:
Place flour in a bowl

Then add the yeast to the warm water and mix to dissolve

Add the caraway and salt to the flour and mix in to distribute the seeds

Add the yeast water to the flour and caraway mixture and mix to form a dough

On a floured work surface knead the dough for a good 10 minutes (there is no better way to make yourself feel good than to make bread and it’s not just for the ladies either so get stuck in lads, it’s great)

Then divide the dough into two and place in bowls cover the bowls with a tea towel or cling film and leave to rise in a warm draft free place for ½ an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Then get cracking with the filling while your masterpiece is rising.

The Filling:
Finely chop your fillet steak into very small-diced pieces but don’t mince it.

Then add the finely chopped onion, celery, thyme, parsley and coriander and mix through the meat.

Add Salt and pepper to taste and set aside to wait for your dough

The Construction:
Once your dough has risen roll out both portions into large rounds the size of a dinner plate or you can make any shape you want really.

Then place one of the rounds on a baking tray add your filling and spread evenly leaving a 2cm edge then brush the edge with a little water, place the second round on the top and press the edges gently together to seal the bread.

Brush the top with some olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt flakes take care not to over salt the bread.

Place in a pre-heated oven (180 Gas Mark 4) for 20 – 25 minutes.

This Rock n Roll Beef Sandwich is perfect to take on a pic nic – go on make it you won’t be disappointed.

HAKE WITH TAPENADE AND CARAMALISED PEARS

This is a wonderful seafood dish which is great with Cod or any other white fish, we like to use hake steaks. You forget that Morocco has a huge coastline, so as well as mountains, cities and the Sahara there is a seaside with all the attached food and culture. Take nice bit of Fish throw in some Eastern promise and a bit of Mediterranean Tapenade and Voila, Moorish Magic. ( Serves 4 )

Ingredients:

Tapenade:
150 gms black olives
25 gms Capers
6 anchovies
6 cloves Garlic (chopped roughly)
1 tea spoon fresh thyme
3 desert spoons extra virgin olive oil.
Black pepper to taste

Puree all the ingredients  in a food processor and set aside.

Fish and caramelised pears:
4 nice hake steaks (massaged with a little olive oil and Lemon juice)
6 ripe pears peeled, cored and quartered.
50 gms butter
2 dessertspoons balsamic vinegar
                
1 dessertspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
250 ml natural yoghurt
2 Tbs shredded Basil
Lemon to Garnish
Season to taste.

Method:
In a large frying pan heat up the oil and butter, the oil is to stop the butter burning. Add the Sugar, cinnamon, Cumin and balsamic Vinegar. You could add a sprinkle of black pepper at this stage, When the sugar has dissolved add the pears. Cook until golden and the pears are soft.. About 15 minutes and set aside.
 
Place the oiled and lemony fish into a hot dry non stick frying pan. The oil  and the lemon will colour the fish. Cook for about one minute, each side, on a high heat then reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes  minutes on each side until browned. But not burnt, you know a burnt fish is an unhappy fish. But if it happens just call it Cajun.

Bring the pears back to a simmer and add the yoghurt, cook for minute, take care not to overcook or the sauce will split. At the last minute add the Basil.

To serve divide the pears onto four plates, top with a  steak of the fish and surmount with a quenelle of Tapenade, That’s a dessertspoon full of Tapenade to you and me. It’s a really good sweet and sour mixture, with the lovely fresh tasting fish in the middle. The Tapenade is really important to balance the sweetness of the pears