Sunday Lunch – Unique flavours of North Africa
These aren’t just any lunches – they are a celebration of sustainable farming and ethical eating.
Experience our unique interpretation of some of North Africa’s timeless dishes, made using Wickedfood Earth Farm’s very own Pedi sheep mutton. For this 4-course Sunday lunch banquet at Wickedfood Earth Farm we take you on a culinary journey through Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, where rich Berber and Arabic traditions meet.
Start with a delicious spread of North Africa’s iconic mezza dips and breads, followed by hearty, spicy, flavourful soup perfect for cool desert nights. Our main course features slow-cooked mutton and vegetable tagines, paired with spicy couscous – North Africa’s most iconic dish. We finish with indulgent sweet pastries that will leave you craving more.
Where – Wickedfood Earth Farm Country Cooking School, Hekpoort, ±60km from Fourways and Pretoria;
When – Sunday 3 November @ 12:00;
To book – contact Cilla – 076 236-2345 or cilla@wickedfood.co.za
Cost – R350pp, booking essential, limited space. Please note we are not licensed so you are welcome to bring your own drinks and ice.
Background – North Africa is referred to as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. These 3 countries have a strong link, being the major staging point for Muslim armies of the 7th century, when they invaded Spain and Sicily.
North Africa, although still regarded as part of the Muslim world, has a separate identity referred to as the Muslim West. The region has its own rich distinctive cuisine, different to the rest of the Muslim world, with a blend of Arabic and Berber flavours. It is most probably one of the oldest preserved cuisines of the Mediterranean world, with still today very few outside influences.
Earliest records show that North Africa was already cultivating fruit and olive trees, and cereal crops in the 5th century BC. The Romans built extensive irrigation canals to irrigate cultivated lands and North Africa quickly became Rome’s granary.
With the Arab conquest of North Africa in the 7th century, irrigation canals were extended, and the foundations of the present cuisines were laid. The irrigation changed the character of the gastronomic well-being of North Africa. By increasing the area of arable land and thus allowing cultivation of new crops, as well as creating city states which developed strong regional styles in cuisine. Most of the regions’ best known dishes contain both Berber and Arabic elements.
Couscous is no doubt the single most important contribution that North Africa has made to world cuisine. These semolina granules are not only the name of the ingredient, but also refer to the completed dish. The basic dish originates fro the Berbers, flavoured only with butter. With the arrival of the Arabs however, first chickpeas, then pumpkins and other grounds were added for flavour. This was followed with more elaborate vegetables and meat stews. Today the more elaborate of couscous dishes in Morocco contains chicken and lamb with 7 vegetables and 7 spices as well as nuts and raisins. In Tunisia, by contrast, fish is often substituted for the chicken and lamb. The pinnacle couscous dish is no doubt the Berber originated ceremonial presentation of stuffed pigeons embedded in couscous, layered with butter.
As an accompaniment to couscous, harissa has no equal. This hot sauce, with red chillies, is a relatively new inclusion into the cuisine, and showcases the fusion of the regional cuisines, with the chillies coming from the New World, via Spain, and the remaining preparation possibly originating in India.
Tagines are also typically North African, originating from Iran. They are a mix of sweet/sour tastes, combining a wide range of fruits, vegetables and meat, now all are the hallmark of the African table.
The crowning glory of North African cuisine is however, no doubt its flaky pastries. On the meat side is the pigeon or chicken pie, with a strong fruity sweet spiced sauce, cooked in butter and saffron, originating from the kitchens of Persia. On the sweet side, the coiled almond pastries.
Despite colonisation, North Africa retained its Arabic table, and not even the French who colonised Algeria for over 130 years, left any culinary influence of note.