California-grown fruit has longtime fans and is winning new ones
Story by Linda DuBois • Photos by Lori Eanes
At Aicha Moroccan Cuisine in San Francisco, there’s one ingredient restaurant owner and chef Reda Bakhouya makes sure he always has in abundance—prunes. He uses them in several popular dishes, including Lamb Tagine with Prunes &Almonds and Lamb (or Chicken) Tfaya. The fruit’s sweet tanginess balances and adds pop to fragrant Moroccan spices like coriander, paprika, turmeric and cumin. “Prunes are very popular in Morocco. For example, the lamb tagine is the No. 1 dish in my place,” Bakhouya said. In fact, he says when a couple comes in, most likely one of the two is there for that entrée. “Some will even ask for some extra prunes on the side.” Because prunes cook faster than the rest of the dish, he prepares them separately, in water, with a touch of rosewater, sugar and honey. “You could also add other f lavors, like orange or cinnamon,” he said. “You add the prunes as a garnish on the top of the dish at the end. They add decoration and a good f lavor.” He acknowledges that some Moroccan restaurants substitute dried apricots or other fruits in their tagine. But he says that’s compromising the traditional Moroccan recipe.
Chef Reda Bakhouya, left, is ready to serve a plate of Lamb Tagine with Prunes & Almonds, the most popular dish at his restaurant, Aicha Moroccan Cuisine in San Francisco. The chef says prunes are an important ingredient in several traditional Moroccan dishes.
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