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 Niçoise, and mayonnaise were
brought by the French when they colonized the area. Thus, the food of Maghreb
became a mélange 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

Photographer(s): Sandy Ireland