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Ouarzarzate. Returning from Morocco, already I’m nostalgic for the sharp sunlight, the bustle of the souks (markets), and the tang of mint and spice compounded with dust from the desert. I have crossed the double barrier of the Atlas mountain ranges that are tipped with snow during the three months of winter. The famous walled cities of Marrakesh and Fès are far behind. Here in the northern borders of the Sahara, my imagination is captured by the endless horizons, rose pink sand dunes, and occasional oases of palm trees that may, or may not, prove to be a mirage as I drive towards them.

Morocco is romantic, and it is also the home of remarkably good food. Even in dusty one-street villages, I find thriving outdoor markets. Vegetables including peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, Swiss chard, and carrots are brought in each morning from the irrigated plots surrounding the town. Freshly killed chickens, lamb, and beef are available, and goat if I should fancy it. Fruits are seasonal, citrus in winter, melons, figs, dates and pomegranates in summer, and dried fruits all year around. With these ordinary ingredients, Moroccans have created a full-flavored, vivid cuisine that resembles no other.

First key are the spices and local cooks do not hesitate to combine half a dozen or more. The mix of ras el hanout includes cinnamon, clove, ground ginger, coriander seed, black peppercorns, hot pepper and turmeric, always with generous amounts of cumin, a potent, earthy spice that for me sums up the flavors of Morocco. Like curry powder, the formula for ras el hanout varies from cook to cook; it is easy to make at home (see below), or you’ll find it ready-mixed in North African ethnic groceries. Aromatic and hot but not fiery, the powder makes a distinctive rub for grills and it is delicious in the famous Moroccan tajines.

Here’s the second key to Moroccan cooking – the earthenware cooking pot with a tall conical lid called a tajine (food cooked in it has the same name). The saucer-shaped base is deep enough to hold a small amount of liquid, while the conical lid traps steam so the food cooks gently in its own juices, mellowing and concentrating flavors. Traditional tajines are shaped from thick, heavy clay that is glazed and sometimes crudely decorated. Sophisticated versions exist in white porcelain but to me they clash with the robust food that is cooked inside them. Best substitute for a tajine is a Mexican earthenware pot, or you can simply use a regular casserole.

Now we’re nearly ready to cook. Other essentials such as fresh coriander and mild green olives are easy to find. With the tajine, I’d suggest serving soft white bread such as good quality hamburger buns, to soak up the fragrant sauce. You could add couscous too, though in Morocco this is a separate dish, customary on Friday, the day of prayer and rest. Opener to a Moroccan meal is likely to be an array of cooked vegetable salads, spicy but light, or simply dishes of olives and salted almonds or peanuts (all of them local crops). Dessert may be flan, fruits in season such as tangerines, or the pointed almond-stuffed pastries called gazelle horns.

In the big cities beer and wine can be found, but forget alcohol here in the south. The choice is Coke, bottled water, or fresh OJ if I’m lucky. To end the meal comes sweet, pungent mint tea, the ultimate refreshment in desert conditions and a favorite with the local, mainly Berber, population. In every market the herb and spice sellers stock fresh and dried mint including spearmint and the less common peppermint. I like to select a bit of this and that, blending them together and stuffing them in the traditional pot-bellied metal teapot with a long, curving spout.
Boiling water is added and the tea is left to steep about five minutes (left longer it may be bitter). Pouring is a ceremony: the spout of the pot is held just above the small (about a half cup) tea glass. As soon as the tea flows, the pot is lifted so the liquid flows in a graceful curve, then lowered again and set upright. A light, even froth forms on the tea and the higher the pot is lifted, the more accomplished the pourer. Try it in a safe place -- training is needed to be a Berber barrista!

 CHICKEN TAJINE WITH GREEN OLIVES

Lightly brined green olives are best for this dish. To pit them, either use an olive pitter, or set them on the work surface, crack them with a heavy pan to loosen the pit, then pull it out with your fingers.

A 4-lb chicken, cut in 8 pieces
4 onions (about 1 ½ lb), finely chopped
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons ras al hanout (below)
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
juice of 1 lemon
½ cup green olives, pitted

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl mix the onions, olive oil, ras al hanout, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until well coated. Put them in a tajine or casserole (each piece should touch the base). Stir 1 cup water into any remaining onion mixture and pour it over the chicken. Cover and cook in the oven 1½-2 hours until the chicken is tender enough to fall from the bones. Turn the chicken pieces from time to time during cooking and add more water if they seem dry.

2. When the chicken is cooked, sprinkle it with the coriander, lemon juice and olives, and turn the pieces. If the sauce is thin, leave off the cover, but if the sauce is already rich, add the lid and continue cooking 5-10 minutes until very hot. Serves 3-4.

Ras el Hanout: The spice mix keeps a month or more, tightly covered in a cool place. In a small bowl stir 2 teaspoons each of ground cumin and paprika with 1 teaspoon each of ground coriander seed, ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon, ½ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and turmeric, and a large pinch each of ground cloves and hot red pepper. Makes 3 tablespoons spice, enough for 1 chicken.

© 2004, Anne Willan. Distributed by Tribune Media Services International.

Anne Willan is the founder of the famous French cooking school, LaVarenne, and has also served as president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She is the author of over a dozen internationally published cookbooks, including her latest book, A Cook’s Book of Quick Fixes & Kitchen Tips ( John Wiley & Sons, September 2005).