Chef Karim's Moroccan Restaurant
Chef Karim, himself.....in the kitchen
Not just your ordinary restaurant, not your ordinary chef.... "Food is not just for eating' says Chef Karim Chhibbane, "In Morocco we use food to come together as family. That is how we treat our customers, like family. You won't find any cans in our kitchen because all of everything from our homebaked bread to our sauces and soups are made fresh everyday." As a small boy growing up in Morocco, Karim developed a love for many Moroccan dishes. He persuaded his grandmother to teach him how to prepare his favorites. It was then that Karim developed his passion for cooking. Since those early days, Chef Karim has been creating his own dishes in five star restaurants in France, Morocco and the United States. And today this delightful man stirred it up royally, recreating some of his favorite concoctions for you, our viewers. Take a look see.....
Let's savor this set......great fun putting this together! and wait until you experience the inside of Chef Karim's restaurant! No other authentic experience quite like it in Santa Barbara. Prepare to dine, dance, libate and have fun all night long!
Exotic
Wha
xo
EESpices Rea
Exotic Spices
Hummus and other delish salads to start with
Simple Carrot Salad
INGREDIENTS and METHOD
Take 10 carrots, peeled and chopped and boil til aldente with 1/2 lemon.
Combine morrocan spices: 1/2tsp each of paprika, cinnamon, & cumin, a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, 1 squeeze from other half of lemon, 1tsp chopped cilantro, 2Tbs olive oil and 1tsp of tomatoe paste. Combine mixture with chopped carrots and chill. Serves 4.
LAMB KABOBS
INGREDIENTS and METHOD
We use lamb loin. 4 pieces at 10 oz. each.
Slice each piece in half and then slice each half in 3 equal sections crosswise. Total 12 pieces.
Take 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 a bunch of finely chopped cilantro and mix with morrocan spices of 1tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbls. olive oil. Toss with lamb.
Place 3 pieces on each skewer and let sit for 30 min. Grill or broil for 10 min. flipping once at 5 min. mark until medium to medium-rare. Remove and serve with couscous or rice.
Bastilla a la Chef Karim
INGREDIENTS and METHOD
Place one half chicken in stock pot and fill with water to cover chicken. Boil with 1chopped onion, 1 bunch of chopped cilantro, 1-2 sticks of cinnamon, a pinch of saffron,1/4tsp pepper, 1Tb salt, 1tsp ginger, fresh or powdered, and1/2tsp tumeric. Boil on med-high flame til chicken is tender and let cool.
Take 1/4lb raw almonds and roast in oven at 350 for 5-10min. until med-brown. Watch carefully as almonds can become overdone quickly. Let cool and then chop in blender or food processor to the consistency of fine grain. Set aside.
Scramble 3 eggs in 1Tb butter. Set aside.
Filling: Shred chicken, saving stock. Mix shredded chicken with eggs, almonds, 1/4c of the stock, 1/4c granulated sugar, and1T powdered cinnamom until evenly combined. Set filling aside.
Take 1/2T butter and melt in med. size frying pan. Take 3 sheets of philo dough and arrange in pan in layers that crisscoss each other at different angles. Place filling in center and cover with flaps of philo dough by folding dough over filling. Pour 1/2T melted butter over top and bake at 350 for 8-10 min. Remove and place on serving plate. Take 2T powdered sugar and sift over top, then decorate w/ cinnamon in a grided design over sugar and serve warm. Serves 2-4. 4 as appetizer. 2 as main dish.
