Making Tagine in Tangier: A Memorable Moroccan Cooking Class

The sun was painting a swath of pale orange over Tangier as I stepped onto our balcony of the Seabourn Sojourn. The promenade stretching along the coastline was empty, except for a bench and two dozen or so planters lining the sea wall. We had sailed through the night from southern Spain to the shores of Morocco, a new country for Herb and me and a place of intrigue that has danced in my imagination for a long time.

Herb and I were off the ship early and heading to a cooking class that promised to offer insight into the Moroccan culture as well as the food. We would be learning how to cook using a tagine, a shallow vessel with a tall cone-shaped lid used to make traditional Moroccan fare. Eight of us piled into a small van accompanied by a guide named Ben, a serious soul with an agenda that needed to be ticked off his list before we reached the cooking school.

But First – The Grand Socco

The driver let us off outside the Grand Socco – Spanish interpretation of the Arabic word souk – near the old medina. Ben led us into the fish market, a place immediately recognizable with our noses. Groups of men preparing fish for sale stood behind high counters that towered over the walking path. It was loud. And it definitely wasn’t pretty. But these men seemed to me to be hard workers who efficiently performed their tasks with an ease and a purpose.

From the fish market, we walked through an area of meat sellers and into the fruit and vegetable market. The displays of colorful olives were especially attractive, piled high and spilling down to the edges of the vendors’ booths. A young man throwing paper-thin dough into the air like a pizza caught everyone’s attention. Like a performer who had confidently perfected his craft, he seemed to appreciate the smiles from the audience that had gathered around him.

The Medina

Our next stop was the Medina, Tangier’s old quarter. It was still early and most of the shops were shuttered, but Ben managed to find several vendors to show us. When we reached the Tangier American Legation Museum, which formerly housed the U.S. diplomatic mission to Morocco, he began waxing poetically about the close relations between our two countries.

At first Herb and I weren’t sure what to make of his effusive talk, but it turned out that we later heard similar commentary from our guide in Marrakech and Casablanca. Both guides proudly told us that Morocco was the first country to recognize the newly independent United States in 1777…one of those tidbits we never learned in our U.S. history classes!

Blue Door Cuisine

Doorman Said greeted our group and led us up the stairs of the Blue Door Cuisine. The multi-floored townhouse is home to owner Tim McTighe and his family, American expats who have lived in Morocco for seventeen years.

Four friendly young women dressed in blue uniforms welcomed us into the warm and inviting living room, complete with fireplace, seating for ten and a large coffee table. We washed our hands “the Moroccan way” – water poured from a silver pitcher over a silver bowl – and were treated to a Moroccan milk drink and dates stuffed with walnuts.

Nouhaila spoke first, serving as lead instructor for our visit. We would learn how to prepare traditional Moroccan bread, chicken tagine and mint tea, she told us. The chicken tagine recipe was courtesy of Fatima – the only non-English speaker of the group – passed down from her grandmother.

Making Moroccan Bread

Our first task was making individuals rounds of Moroccan bread. We watched as Fatima mixed white and whole grain flour in a large low-sided bowl. She kneaded the dough and then added warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and olive oil. Once the dough reached the desired consistency, she formed it into a long cylinder-like loaf and broke off eight pieces, one for each of us, that she rolled into balls.

We took turns at the baking station, flattening our loaves into large round discs. After Fatima’s nod of approval, we marked our loaves with imprinted finger designs so we could identify them after they were baked. Naila took the loaves to a community oven – a common fixture in Old Tangier neighborhoods, she told us.

Tagine in Tangier

Soon it was time to prepare the main course. We headed into the classroom kitchen where prep and cooking stations with all the necessary ingredients were set up. Herb and I got to work, taking turns at the various tasks as Nouhaila explained step-by-step instructions from her station.

First we added a small amount of water to a bowl holding a piece of saffron, a delicate and notoriously expensive spice used frequently in Moroccan cooking. Next, we chopped an onion and placed it in the bottom of the tagine, followed by the chicken. We then cut carrots into long slices and arranged them atop the chicken, forming a sort of pyramid. The final step was chopping parsley and mixing it in olive oil, along with a host of spices – including the saffron.

We spooned this mixture into the tagine, attached the lid, and turned the heat to a low flame.

And Now for Moroccan Mint Tea

While our tagine was cooking, we went back into the living room, where Nouhaila had set up a Moroccan tea service arranged on silver platters. Traditional mint tea, she explained, contains three ingredients: tea leaves, mint leaves and sugar. But if you are entertaining guests or hosting a special occasion, you will want to add spices. She had prepared a tray of nine, including cinnamon and oregano.

Nouhaila poured hot water from a kettle into a beautiful silver teapot with a dome-shaped lid and added the ingredients. She invited Herb to pour the tea into glasses. No tea cups or mugs with handles in traditional Morocco! “The higher you can pour the tea, the better the taste,” she advised.

The tea was exquisite and like nothing I’ve ever tasted. We later tried mint tea several times during our stay in Morocco. It was always tasty, but never could match this tea, with its array of spices elevating the taste.

One Final Step and a Feast

Our tagine was ready, but there were still two more items to add: olives and the “secret ingredient,” preserved lemon. Back at our kitchen station, we separated the pulp from the lemon skin, sliced the skin into narrow strips, and added all parts to the tagine. Finally, we topped our dish with the olives and headed to the dining room.

Our tagines and individual breads were waiting for us at a beautifully set table. In addition to the chicken tagine and bread – both wonderfully delicious – we were served traditional Moroccan side dishes, including cucumber and tomato salad, to share. It was one of Herb’s and my favorite food experiences in all our travels.

After our meal, we returned to the living room for some sweets. Tim stopped by to thank everyone for coming and graciously agreed to my request for a photo. He stood outside his open blue door and picked up his cat.

A welcoming scene from a most welcoming host.

One More, For Ben

Ben and his driver were waiting for us when our cooking extravaganza ended. I assumed we’d be returning to the ship, but Ben had other ideas. He wanted to show us his city, and he told us he knew a great photo spot by the coast. Part of me was hoping to simply savor our cooking experience, but Ben was persistent, and I was intrigued to see what he had to show us.

The city tour is a bit of a blur, especially when seen through the window of a van. Lots of modern buildings, lots of stories about said buildings, lots of city traffic.

But that photo spot by the sea…well, as they say, it was worth the price of admission.