Cooking that runs along the Mediterranean's southern coast - Algeria, Tunisia, Libya - sharing terrain and influences with Morocco and Egypt but with their own dishes. Olive oil, harissa, preserved lemon, ras el hanout, caraway and merguez sausage define the seasoning; couscous is the daily grain; brik, slata mechouia, makroud and a rich tradition of stuffed pastries and sweets fill out the table. The hot Berber-Arab-French history shows in every plate.
The filling is built in a small bowl: drained tinned tuna, finely-chopped onion, parsley, capers, harissa, salt. A square of malsouka (or two stacked sheets of filo) is laid flat. Half the filling is spread on one half of the sheet; an egg is cracked into a small well on top; the other half folds over. The seam is pinched; the brik slides into hot oil for 90 seconds, out crisp and golden, yolk still soft.
Chicken thighs poach with onion, saffron, ginger, cinnamon and orange-flower water until tender; the meat is shredded and the cooking liquid is reduced to a concentrated stock. Whisked eggs are scrambled gently into the reduced stock with the chicken, making a creamy, intensely savoury filling. Toasted blanched almonds are pulsed with sugar, cinnamon and a tablespoon of orange-flower water into a coarse sweet rubble. A round springform tin is layered with overlapping filo sheets brushed with butter; almond rubble goes down; chicken-and-egg goes on; more filo seals the top. Baked for 30 minutes at 200°C until deep gold. Dusted with icing sugar and finished with cinnamon stripes.
Chicken pieces are rubbed with a spice paste of garlic, ginger, saffron, turmeric, paprika, cumin, salt and olive oil; rest for 30 minutes. Onion sweats slowly in olive oil in a heavy tagine or casserole; the chicken nestles in skin-side-up; just enough water goes in to come halfway up the chicken. Lid on; gentle simmer for 50 minutes. Preserved lemon strips and green olives go in for the last 10 minutes. Off heat, scattered with fresh coriander and parsley.
Beef or lamb mince is mixed with grated onion, garlic, fresh parsley and coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper; shaped into small (3 cm) balls. A tomato sauce is built in the tagine: onion sweats in olive oil, garlic, cumin and paprika join, tomato passata and a stock cube simmer for 10 minutes. The meatballs are nestled in; cooked for 12 minutes turning once. Eggs are cracked into wells; lid on; 4 minutes more until the whites are just set. Scattered with parsley and served hot.
Chickpeas (pre-soaked overnight and slow-cooked, OR tinned for speed) simmer in their cooking water with crushed garlic, cumin, salt and a spoon of harissa for 20 minutes. The broth thickens slightly as a few chickpeas break down. Deep bowls are loaded with torn stale baguette. The hot broth ladles over to soften the bread. Each bowl is topped with a soft-poached or soft-boiled egg, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, a fresh spoon of harissa, a heap of canned tuna, olives, capers and a sprinkle of cumin.
Lamb shoulder is cut into large chunks. A spice paste of garlic, ginger, saffron, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt and olive oil rubs in; rests briefly. Onion sweats slowly in olive oil; the lamb goes in skin/fat-side down to brown lightly; water (or stock) covers halfway. Lid on; slow simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes until very tender. Soft pitted prunes go in for the last 20 minutes with a tablespoon of honey. Garnished with toasted whole almonds and sesame seeds. Eaten with bread or couscous.
Semolina mixes with melted butter and rests so it absorbs fully, the result is a fragrant, buttery, slightly grainy dough. Dates soften with butter, cinnamon and rosewater into a smooth filling. The dough rolls into a long log; the date paste extrudes into the centre; the cylinder rolls together and slices into diamonds. Fried briefly and dipped hot into orange-blossom syrup.
Merguez sausages are browned in a wide deep pan, lifted out and roughly cut into bite pieces. Sliced onion and red pepper sweat in the merguez fat; garlic, caraway, cumin, ground coriander and harissa go in; tinned tomatoes follow and simmer for 12 minutes until thick. The merguez returns; 4 eggs are cracked into wells in the sauce; lid on; gentle 5-minute cook until the whites are set. Sprinkled with parsley and served hot from the pan.
Peppers, tomatoes and chillies char whole on a gas flame (or under a fierce grill) until blackened and collapsed; the skins peel away and the flesh chops to a rough paste. Garlic chars too, mellowing as it does. Lemon, olive oil, capers and salt fold through; tuna and hard-boiled eggs sometimes top.
