In Southern Morocco, this Sabbath stew was cooked first over a wood fire and then kept warm in a pot tucked under the hot sand. In Spain and northern Morocco, it was cooked in communal ovens in the Jewish quarter of cities. Called by the Jewish youth of France today “daf marocaine,” this flavorful stew, also known as skeena—meaning “hot” in northern Morocco—is preferred by many young people to ordinary cholent (see page 213) for Sabbath lunch. Today in France the meat is usually beef rather than the lamb or mutton more commonly used in North Africa. For this one-pot meal, the rice and/or wheat berries or white beans must be kept apart for cooking, so that they can be served separately. Carène Moos encloses the seasoned rice and wheat berries in pieces of gauze or cheesecloth, knotting the cloth to make two individual bundles.
*In Alsace and the south of France, prunes or dates are often substituted for the raisins.
Recipe information
Yield
8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Two days before serving, fill two bowls with warm water. Pour the chickpeas in one bowl and the wheat berries in the other. The next morning, drain both and set aside separately.
Step 2
The day before or on the day of serving, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large ovenproof casserole. Add the chickpeas, onions, raisins, and sugar, and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Make a rub of 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, and red-pepper flakes, and rub on the meat. Put the meat in the casserole, and scatter the potatoes around; then fill the pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil.
Step 4
In a separate bowl, mix the wheat berries with another 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and the cumin. Then place the berries in cheesecloth and loosely tie it up, keeping in mind that the wheat berries will expand as they cook.
Step 5
In another bowl, mix the rice with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, another teaspoon of salt, the garlic clove, and the remaining turmeric, paprika, cayenne, and red- pepper flakes. Tie the rice up in another piece of cheesecloth, as you did for the wheat berries, again leaving room to expand.
Step 6
Place the sacks in the casserole, and add the head of garlic, the sweet potatoes, and the eggs. Bring the stew to a boil, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Step 7
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Remove the casserole cover, drizzle honey over all, and cook in the oven for at least 5 hours, or until the vegetables are reddish brown. (You can also cook the adafina in a 200-degree oven overnight.)
Step 8
To serve, remove the bundles of rice and wheat berries. Spoon the meat and vegetables onto a platter with a slotted spoon, and pile the grains around them. Remove the eggs from their shells, cut in half or in quarters, and arrange them around the plattero.--
