The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant›Moroccan Sampler Platter Recipe

Moroccan Sampler Platter Recipe

Name: Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurants Moroccan Sampler Platter Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1 tbs olive oil; 0.5 cups yellow onion, finely chopped; 0.25 cups celery stalk, finely diced; 0.5 cups carrot, grated; 1 tsp garlic cloves, minced; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp sweet paprika; 0.5 cups tomato purée; 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock; 0.5 cups cooked chickpeas (drained if canned); 0.25 cups red lentils, rinsed; 2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tbs lemon juice; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.5 cups water (adjust as needed); 0.5 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed; 1 cups water or vegetable stock; 1 tbs olive oil; 0.5 cups small yellow onion, thinly sliced; 0.25 cups golden raisins; 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp honey or agave; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.125 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional); 1 tbs olive oil

Inspired by Moltaqa Moroccan Restaurant

Time1h

Serves2

Ten dishes in one shareable experience — soup, lentils with sweet raisins, white-bean stew, and an array of house salads with creamy feta. Serves 1–3.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Harira (Moroccan tomato-lentil-chickpea soup)

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped

1/4 cups celery stalk, finely diced

1/2 cups Carrot, grated

1 tsp Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp Ground coriander

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 cups tomato purée

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (drained if canned)

1/4 cups red lentils, rinsed

2 tbs Fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tbs Fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbs ReaLemon lemon juice

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cups water (adjust as needed)

Sweet Raisin Lentils (mujaddara-style sweetened lentils)

1/2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed

1 cups water or vegetable stock

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cups small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cups golden raisins

1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp honey or agave

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 tsp toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)

White-Bean Stew with Preserved Lemon & Olives

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp garlic clove, minced

1/4 cups small shallot or 1/4 small onion, minced

1/2 cups canned cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cups vegetable stock or water

1 tsp preserved lemon, rind only, finely chopped (or 1 tsp lemon zest + 0.5 tsp lemon juice)

1/4 cups green olives, pitted and halved

1/4 tsp Ground cumin

1/4 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tbs Fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

House Salads & Accompaniments

1/4 cups cucumber, diced

1/4 cups tomato, diced (medium)

1/4 cups shredded carrot

1/8 cups radish, thinly sliced

3/4 cups mixed salad greens

2 tbs crumbled creamy feta

1 tbs lemon-olive oil dressing (olive oil)

1 tsp lemon-olive oil dressing (lemon juice)

1/8 tsp lemon-olive oil dressing (salt)

0.063 tsp lemon-olive oil dressing (black pepper)

1 tsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/4 cups roasted eggplant (optional) — small cube

Garnishes & Serving

1 each warm pita or flatbread, cut into triangles

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds or nigella (optional)

1 each extra lemon wedges

1 tsp extra olive oil for drizzling

Method

Harira (Moroccan tomato-lentil-chickpea soup)

Sauté aromatics

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, diced celery and grated carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Toast spices & add tomato

Stir in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander and 1/2 tsp paprika and cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add 1/2 cup tomato purée and cook 1 minute.

Simmer soup

Add 2 cups stock, 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas and 1/4 cup rinsed red lentils. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and cook 12–15 minutes until lentils are soft but not falling apart. Add up to 1/2 cup water if too thick.

Finish & season

Stir in chopped cilantro and parsley, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm for plating.

Sweet Raisin Lentils (mujaddara-style sweetened lentils)

Cook the lentils

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup rinsed brown or green lentils and 1 cup water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 18–20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.

Caramelize onion & add raisins

While lentils cook, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low. Add 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion and cook slowly until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add 1/4 cup golden raisins in the last 2 minutes to plump them; stir in 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground cumin, cook 1 minute.

Combine & finish

Fold the caramelized onion and raisins into the cooked lentils. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds on top if using. Keep warm for the platter.

White-Bean Stew with Preserved Lemon & Olives

Sauté base

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and minced shallot (or 1/4 small onion) and sauté until translucent, 2–3 minutes.

Add beans & flavor

Add 1/2 cup drained cannellini beans to the skillet along with 1/2 cup stock, 1 tsp finely chopped preserved lemon rind (or substitute zest/juice), 1/4 cup halved green olives, 1/4 tsp ground cumin and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Gently simmer 5–7 minutes to warm and let flavors meld.

Mash slightly & finish

Lightly mash about a quarter of the beans with the back of a spoon to thicken the stew. Stir in 1 tbs chopped parsley, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Keep warm.

House Salads & Accompaniments

Prepare vegetables

Combine 1/4 cup diced cucumber, 1/4 cup diced tomato, 1/4 cup shredded carrot, 2 tbsp shredded radish (or 1/8 cup thinly sliced) and 3/4 cup mixed salad greens in a small bowl.

Make dressing

Whisk together 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/8 tsp salt and a pinch (1/16 tsp) black pepper. Stir in 1 tsp chopped fresh mint.

Dress & assemble

Toss the salad mixture lightly with the dressing. Scatter 2 tbs crumbled creamy feta over the salad and add 1/4 cup roasted eggplant cubes if using. Drizzle with 1 tsp extra olive oil and sprinkle 1/2 tsp toasted sesame or nigella seeds if desired.

Garnishes & Serving

Warm bread & plate

Warm one pita or flatbread and cut into triangles. Arrange small portions of each component (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup harira, 1/4–1/3 cup sweet raisin lentils, 1/4 cup white-bean stew, and the dressed house salad) on a single platter for sharing. Use small ramekins for the soup and bean stew if you prefer a composed look.

Finish platter

Garnish each dish with a small sprinkle of chopped parsley or cilantro, a lemon wedge, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately so warm and cool elements contrast. This recipe is sized to serve 1–3 as a sampler; adjust portions upward for more guests.