This is a print preview of "Mafroum - Moroccan Stuffed Potatoes" recipe.

Mafroum - Moroccan Stuffed Potatoes Recipe
by Miriam Kresh

Mafroum - Moroccan Stuffed Potatoes

Potatoes stuffed delicately with meat and herbs and simmered in a rich tomato sauce.

Rating: 4.2/5
Avg. 4.2/5 5 votes
Prep time: Israel Israeli
Cook time: Servings: 6

Wine and Drink Pairings: Beer, lemonade

Ingredients

  • You’ll need 7 bowls or containers, medium sized
  • Potatoes:
  • 6 medium potatoes of uniform size, peeled
  • salt and pepper
  • flour
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • Oil for frying
  • Stuffing:
  • 1 pound - 450 grams ground beef
  • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black peppe
  • 2/3 teaspoon Baharat spice
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 Tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Chili pepper to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 potato, grated coarsely, rinsed, and drained till dry
  • Sauce:
  • 1 large, chopped onion
  • 4 crushed cloves of garlic
  • 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • One-quarter of a cabbage, cut into coarse chunks
  • Approx. 4 cups - 1 liter stock or water – I used chicken soup.
  • 3 Tablespoons each of fresh mint, parsley, and celery leaves, chopped
  • Baharat is a North African spice blend meaning "spice" in Arabic. There are many regional variations. Turkish Baharat has mint in it, while Tunisian has less ingredients but includes exotic dried rose petals. If Baharat spice mix isn’t available, mix these powdered spices to make your own (a Libyan blend). Stir it well and keep it in a tightly-lidded jar.
  • Baharat Spice Mix
  • 1 Tablespoon cardamom
  • 1 Tablespoon black pepper
  • 1/2 Tablespoon allspice
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon dry ginger
  • 1/2 Tablespoon nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander

Directions

  1. Peel the potatoes. Lay each one down lengthwise and cut it through, almost in half. Leave the bottom uncut by 1 inch – 2 cm. so that the two halves stay connected.
  2. Drop them into a bowlful of salted water. The salted water keeps the potatoes white and makes them a bit more flexible so that the "sandwich" doesn't break when you fill it with meat.
  3. Mix the meat and seasonings for stuffing.Beat it well to mix thoroughly, or mix with your hands. That's how I do it (wearing thin latex gloves).
  4. Cover the seasoned meat and put it away in the fridge for half an hour, to allow the seasonings to penetrate.
  5. In the meantime, get three bowls out. You’re going to chop the ingredients for the sauce.
  6. Chop the large onion. Put it in one bowl.
  7. In the second bowl put the chopped garlic and celery stalks.
  8. Dice the tomato and put it in the third bowl.
  9. Stuff the potatoes with the seasoned meat. Pack it in. The open side will show a thicker layer of meat than the inside. With your finger, neatly pat back any meat that spills out of the opening.
  10. In a wide pan, heat the oil for frying.
  11. Beat the eggs.
  12. Put about 1 cup of flour in yet another bowl and season it with salt and pepper.
  13. Roll the potatoes in the seasoned flour; shake them back and forth gently to cover them.
  14. Now roll them in the beaten egg.
  15. Fry the potatoes until golden, turning once. Tongs work better than a spatula for this.
  16. Remove from the frying pan and put on paper towels to drain. Pour out most of the frying oil.
  17. Sauté the onion in the remaining oil, till golden. Add the garlic and celery stalks. Fry for 4 minutes.
  18. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomato. Stir, cover, and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
  19. Season with salt and pepper again, lightly. Add the cabbage and stock or water.
  20. Put the potatoes into the sauce, in one layer. Add the chopped mint, parsley and celery leaves. Put the lid on the pan, tilted to cover it partially. Cook over low heat for 2 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
  21. Serve the potatoes over rice or couscous, with the sauce passed round separately if you wish. Mafroum goes well with a light, cool red wine, cold beer, or lemonade.