MOROCCAN SPICED PUMPKIN SOUP WITH POACHED COD & ARGAN OIL

-->Ingredients:            serves 6

1kl pumpkin, peeled & diced

1 large potato, peeled & diced

1 medium onion, peeled & diced

800ml chicken stock

400ml milk

½ a stick of cinnamon 
juice of one lime

1tspn *ras el hanout

1tsp freshly grated ginger

1tbsp chopped coriander

 Seasoning

To Garnish:

3tbsp Argan Oil

Coriander leaves

Place the diced pumpkin, potato, ginger, onion and cinnamon in a large saucepan and cover with the chicken stock and milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.

Remove the cinnamon stick, then add the ras el hanout, lime juice and seasoning. Puree in a food processor and return to the saucepan. Add and chopped coriander. Serve immediately with poached cod flakes and drizzle with argan oil and coriander leaves.

OLIVE OIL POACHED COD

2 fillets of cod, 170g each

300ml Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 160C

Season the cod with a good pinch of salt and rub over the flesh. Place in a small deep baking tray and pour over the olive oil. Cover the tray tightly with tin foil and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the cod is opaque and the flesh flakes easily.

*RAS EL HANOUT

A Moroccan spice mixture that can contain up to 100 different spices and is used in couscous, rice, meat and vegetable dishes; like garam masala, the mixture of spices in ras el hanout depends on the maker and the spices available, but usually includes cardamom, cayenne, aniseed, nutmeg, mace, ginger, galangal or even dried ground rosebuds.

ARGAN OIL

ARGAN OIL comes from the nuts of the Argan tree (Argania spinosa).
This tree is unknown for many people since it grows only in the South Western part of Morocco in an area covering 700,000-800,000 hectares.
The argan tree produces nuts from which is extracted a very nutritious oil.
The remaining is used to feed the cattle and nuts shells for heating. Nothing is lost. For centuries, Berber women of this region have produced argan oil, which was used for their consumption and traditional Moroccan medicine.