Trip to Ceuta

This past weekend we made a trip to Ceuta which is an autonomous city of span located in the very northern tip of Africa. It is about an hour trip from Tetuan, a perfect weekend escapade. We spend the day eating tapas, drinking beers, swimming, walking around town. and shopping for food specialities to take back across the border. We love Morocco but it certainly feels good to cross the border and be in Europe for a day!

Tetuan

Tetuán or Tetouan is a city in northern Morocco, a throwback to al-Andalus overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The mountains that surround the city are gorgeous, a good reminder that we need to do some hiking soon. Here are few snapshots from some of my favorite details of a riad in the medina, and a few more of Gabo with his uncle, Eddie; these two have been doing some special bonding lately. I am in love with the original tiling and the carved designs on the ceilings of these old houses in the UNESCO Heritage Medina. I think I will be taking lots of pictures here!

Visit to Hassan

Stuffed Calamari

For the longest time I have been meaning to blog a recipe, but I am usually in a rush when I am preparing meals that I never get to it. Now that we are in Morocco we have the privilege of having Fatima, an amazing Moroccan lady who cooks for us. So this time I got to photograph (my first serious attempt at doing food photography) while she did her magic. Living in a coastal city we always try to make a point of eating fresh seafood every now and then, and this is by far my favorite version of Calamari so I had to share.

What you will need (serves 5):
1 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 to 7 whole calamaris
6 to 7 cocktail sticks
5 tomatoes
2 oninions
1 lb of rice
2-3 tbs of olive oil
1 lemon
3 tsp or turmeric
3 tsp smoked sweet paprika
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp of sea salt
1/2 cup of chopped parsley

Cooking Method:
1. Remove the tentacled heads from the squid bodies, then cut the tentacles off the heads, just below the eyes. Finely chop the tentacles and put to one side.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 chopped onions, the chopped tentacles and saute until golden.

3. In a mixing bowl place 1 lb cooked rice, add the onion and tentacles, half of all the spices, half of the shrimp and mix well.

4. Fill the calamari's body with the rice mixture, carefully so as not to break. Close the top of the bodies with a cocktail stick.

5. Cut tomatoes in half squish out some of the seeds and juices into a bowl and put aside, then grate the tomatos over your oven pan. Sprinkle the rest of of the spices and parsley, a little bit of oil and mix.

6. Place calamaris on top of the tomato sauce, sprinkle the rest of the shrimp and some lemon. Heat the oven to 350° and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. In a cooking pan saute the remaining rice until the shrimp is cooked for about 20 to 25 minutes. 

7. Place the calamari on a a serving dish, drip the tomato and shrimp sauce over them. Them serve with the sauted rice on the side and wallah!