Morocco and Tunisia
Morocco shares much with Spain in that its people are diverse and its culture varied. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Berbers all settled the land before the arrival of Islam, Almohads, Idrissides, and finally, the French either settled or occupied the land. Their wines, too, find favor with the lighter roses to very full-bodied, inland wines. The intersection of cultures and religions makes for a fascinating, colorful set of wines with an equivalent and very healthy cuisine to match. Click to see pictures of Casablanca's lively town market or Souk.
Morocco has twelve AOG (apellation d'origine garantie) regions and over 15,000ha (37,000 acres) devoted to wine-producing vineyards. The famous region of Casablanca is full of coastal vineyards that include Zenata as a premier appellation. The wine from Morocco is highly varied in taste and category with some vineyards many thousands of feet above the coastal vineyards. A small area in the east, the Berkane and Angad, produce earthy wines in stark contrast to those of the Gharb and Rabat, whose wines are rose-colored and very light.
Like Morocco, Tunisia has witnessed countless cultural arrivals over the centuries. They, too, are in large part Berbers (who today call themselves the Imazighen or Tamazight). The same peoples who settled France, Spain, Italy and Portugal (Ottomans, Greeks, Phoenicians, and many more) first settled this northern part of Africa. For many centuries, Tunisia was essentially a province of the Romans. In 800 CE it became a territory of the Ottoman Empire, and was taken over by the French in the late 19th century. Independence was declared a century and a half later in 1956. Today, a glorious amalgam of Mediterranean, 'Ottoman', and African cultures persist in Tunisia. One can imagine that the winemaking and culinary traditions of the French have a presence as well.
The Tunisian systems of classification are unique in that they are not primarily territory driven. After all, Tunisia does not boast diverse climates, micro-climates or topographical variation. Rather, the country sets its own standards for quality, borrowing French phrases to designate quality (vins de consommation courante, vins superieurs, vins de qualite superieure, and appellation d'origine controlee). The vineyards, located in the northeast of the country (west of capitol city, Tunis), were once under the control of the French. Tunisian rose was stylish for a period after World War II--today the Muscats and desert wines create the greatest stir in the world market. Muscat is one of the oldest types of wine with a vast capacity for terroir. Some experts believe that the vine migrated unchanged all the way from its original homeland in ancient Persia, and may have been the wine venerated in the poems of Omar Khayyam.
So as to best enjoy the wines of these beautiful cultures, we bring you two zesty lamb recipes. Well-selected wines will bring out the fresh mints, walnuts, cloves and coriander in these dishes. To an American or even a typically western palate, these foods are wildly exotic, but their "spiciness" is extremely balanced, even to the delicate stomach. Like other foods from far and wide across the Mediterranean, they are also healthy.
The Recipes
North African countries have dozens of ways of preparing lamb. Stewed, barbecued, or "shishkebobbed", the art is such the that meat is ever moist and tender, while the spices offer flavor and impart a texture that never dominates the pure taste of the meat. For both of these marinades, preparation and cooking times and procedures are equivalent. Only the spices and-of course---the wines, are different! Preparation time is only 10 minutes and cooking time only 20 minutes for these lamb dishes, but marinade time is a minimum of 2 hours, overnight if possible.
Wine accompaniment
In case you have a hard time finding Tunisian or Moroccan wines, we have also listed a few similar wines from Eastern Europe and Spain: From Hungary: 2001 Merlot Spatburgunder Marmorot or 2000 Merlot Edelbeerenlese. From Spain: 2001 Via Antica Tempranillo/Cabernet/Syrah. From Tunisia: a Domaine Magon (Carignane-based blend), or From Morocco: Kumala Reserve Shiraz.
Lamb
For six people, you will need 2 pounds of lean lamb and 2-3 lemons. Lamb should be cubed in pieces approximately 1.5 inches in size. Cut the lamb into cubes about 1.5 inch (40mm) in size. We recommend that you go to a Middle Eastern market for the meat if there is one nearby. With halal meats (roughly akin to kosher) you can be fairly assured of the health and quality of the animal.
Marinade #1
Marinade #1 is made by mixing 2 T of lemon juice and lemon rind with 4 T of olive oil, 3 crushed garlic cloves, and two finely sliced red chilies (more or less to suit taste), 2.5 t of ground ginger, 2 T of ground cinnamon, 1 heaping teaspoon of ground cumin, and another of ground coriander.
Cover the meat well with the marinade and let sit for at least 2 hours if not an entire night in a tightly sealed container. Onions should be precut in chunks, zucchini can be cubed. Remove the meat from the marinade keeping the marinade for basting. Thread the lamb onto the skewers, alternating with the onion, zucchini, and lemon.
Marinade #2
Marinade #2 is made by mixing ¾ C of natural Greek style (or Moroccan) yogurt, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 T of grated fresh ginger, 3/4 teaspoon of coriander, 1 T of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of walnut oil, 2 T of finely chopped mint, salt and pepper to taste. Cover the meat well with the marinade and let sit for at least 2 hours if not an entire night in a tightly sealed container.
Barbecue
For both recipes, lamb kebabs should be barbecued over hot coals for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently and basting with the reserved marinade.