Explore the unique Mediterranean flavors of the Maghreb region with over 100 authentic recipes!
The Arabic word Maghreb means
"land where the sun sets." The Maghreb is a multicultural Mediterranean region
of North Africa which includes Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and
Libya. It is bordered by the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, and in ancient times,
the Maghreb included Spain, Sicily, and Malta. The history of this region is
completely different from that of the rest of Africa, and today's cuisine
reflects those differences. It's an inviting cuisine, made with fresh local and
seasonal ingredients, that carries a diversity of flavors and time-honored
traditions to the Maghreb table.
Before the Arab conquest, the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans,
Byzantines, and later the Italians and French, colonized the Maghreb. Each new
culture that entered the region left unique influences and together they
created a multicultural cuisine using aromatic spices, fresh herbs, citrus,
dried fruits, nuts, fresh fish, lamb, chicken, pasta, rice, and copious fresh
vegetables. Ancient civilizations such as Phoenicians and Romans spread the
cultivation of wheat. The Moors brought citrus and olives from Spain. The
Berbers gave birth to couscous. Fennel, peas, and artichokes arrived with the
Italian settlement, and the baguette, salad Nicoise, and mayonnaise were
brought by the French when they colonized the area. Thus, the food of Maghreb
became a melange of Sicilian, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Berber cuisine.
Three generations ago, Alba Carbonaro Johnson's family
emigrated from Sicily to Tunisia. With this unique cultural vantage point, she
learned to cook traditional Maghrebi dishes as well as the southern Italian
specialties of her family. This book brings the best of both these
Mediterranean cuisines together in simple, delicious recipes that readers will
turn to again and again.
Sample recipes:
Crostini with Dill and Pecorino
Spicy Cauliflower Minestra
Couscous for Festive Occasions (Seffa)
Lamb Chops in Dried Fig Sauce
Baked Whole Bass with Chermoula
Shrimp Speidini with Golden Breadcrumbs and Pistachios
Rustic Pizza Stuffed with Red Onions, Pine Nuts, and Golden Raisins
Broccoli Affogati
Marzipan-Stuffed Dates
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"Bring on the brochettes and couscous! With the warmth
of a Mediterranean sun, the authors infuse the true spirit and abundance of the
Maghreb region in their 'Flavors.' This is food to nourish body and soul.
Alba's memories of place and history-plus Paula's and Sheilah's expert hand in
crafting inviting, accessible recipes-stir up a powerful incentive to dive in
and cook!"
- Bonnie S. Benwick, former deputy editor, Washington Post Food "This
cookbook is a wonderful introduction to Chef Alba's family recipes and to the
Maghreb region which is one of the more underrepresented culinary regions in
the world. The Maghreb is a specific part of the Mediterranean that
displays its own unique traditions, recipes, and culture. I'm happy to
see Chef Alba shine some well-deserved light on the Maghreb and offer recipes
that are very approachable for the home cook."
-Chef
Ron Oliver, San Diego Chef of The Year 2017, and author of Flying Pans, Two Chefs One World (IACP cookbook of the Year),
Two Chefs, One Catch, and The
Great Gatsby Cookbook "As I went through the
colorful pages of Flavors of Maghreb & Southern Italy and read about Alba's life and
experiences as a chef, I became emotional and nostalgic, and immediately wanted
to cook from the book.
I
made 'Roasted Garlic, Capers, and Sesame Dipping Oil' and used it to garnish my
baked sweet potatoes-heavenly. I also made the 'Grilled Fennel in Balsamic
Dressing' and absolutely loved it.
These dishes were easy to
make and affordable, and they were delicious. Alba's passion and love of
cooking comes through every page of the book-a truly terrific, accessible,
multicultural cookbook with plenty of good tips to help the cook. Thank you,
Alba for sharing your cultural heritage and your tasty recipes with us."
-Najmieh Batmanglij, author of Food of Life: Ancient
Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies
Alba
Carbonaro Johnson was born in Naples, Italy and raised
in Tunisia where she became an expert on regional Italian, Moroccan,
Tunisian, Algerian, Greek, and Turkish cuisines. She has worked for over 16
years as a personal chef, culinary instructor, and editor, and has also made
numerous television appearances, conducting
live cooking demonstrations. In addition, she also annually conducts culinary
trips to Umbria and Tuscany. Visit her at https://easycookingwithalba.blogspot.com/. She
resides in the Annapolis, Maryland area.
Paula Miller Jacobson has been working in cookbook editing and recipe development, as
well as teaching cooking classes for over 20 years. She has edited and tested
recipes for Italian, Turkish, Iraqi, kosher, Greek, Sephardic, Azerbaijani, and
Maghrebi chefs. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International,
International Association of Culinary Professionals, and Culinary Historians of
Washington. Paula and Sheilah are partners in Cookbook
Construction Crew. Paula resides in Rockville, Maryland.
Sheilah
Kaufman is author of twenty-seven cookbooks and has been a food editor
and writer, culinary lecturer, and cooking instructor for more than 45 years. She is author of Sephardic Israeli Cuisine (Hippocrene Books) and co-author with Nur Ilken of A Taste of Turkish Cuisine (Hippocrene Books) and The
Turkish Cookbook (Interlink). Sheilah
trained at L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, MD and travels around the U.S.
teaching Turkish, French, international, and Mediterranean cooking. She is a
founding member of International Association of Culinary Professionals and an
active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and Culinary Historians of Washington.
She resides in Potomac, MDnit. Visit her at www.cookingwithsheilah.com.
