5-Hour Private Cooking Class in Fez, Morocco

Experience a fun cooking class in Fez, Morocco! Riad Anata offers two sessions a day, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dishes are prepared while learning the cultural significance of food in Moroccan life. Then, enjoy the fruit of your labor with a glass of mint tea or Moroccan wine!

The meeting point is at the Riad, and you will go straight away to the medina and learn to shop at the market like a local, choose the best ingredients, and turn them into a delicious three-course lunch (vegetarian options available).

The riad is located next to Place Batha and Riad Sheherazade. But if you prefer, they can meet you at the blue gate (Bab Boujloud). The chef Samira has a basket with "RIAD ANATA COOKING CLASS" written on it.

You and your chef will decide what to make (3-course menu): couscous, tajine, salad, soup, and dessert are all choices you can make as you see what’s on offer at the market. When you arrive back at the riad, you will unload your shopping baskets in the beautiful open-air rooftop kitchen. You’ll start by boiling water for traditional mint tea, which will keep you hydrated and refreshed as you cook your meal. You’ll quickly get to work chopping vegetables for salad, learning how to smoke aubergines on the cooktop for stew, and starting to slow-cook a meat dish with a delicious blend of spices including turmeric, cinnamon, cracked pepper, and bright orange saffron.

Recipe for Lamb M’Rouzia with Roasted Almonds

Ingredients (serves 5):

• 1.5 kg lamb shoulder, cut into pieces with the bone
• 10 g ras-el-hanout
• 3 g ground black pepper
• 3 g ground ginger
• 3 g turmeric
• 1 g saffron threads
• 200 g raisins
• 500 g finely chopped onions
• 250 g blanched white almonds
• 100 g butter
• 100 g orange blossom honey
• 5 g ground cinnamon
• 15 g cinnamon sticks

Preparation:

Grind together the ras-el-hanout, black pepper, turmeric, ground ginger, saffron threads, and ground cinnamon.

Set half of the spice mix aside and mix the other half with water to create a marinade. Place the meat in a container and add the water-spice mixture. Let the meat marinate and keep it chilled overnight.

The next day, place everything in a cooking pot, and sear the meat for a few minutes. Then add the finely chopped onions, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger (peeled and sliced), cover everything with water, and cook over very low heat.

Rinse the raisins, drain them, and set aside. When the meat is almost done cooking, add the raisins along with the honey and butter. Let it simmer for another 30 minutes.