Moro: The Cookbook

by Samantha Clark

The Moro menu encompasses dishes that originated in Spain and dishes from the Muslim Mediterranean, two areas linked in history by the Moors' 700-year occupation of Spain. The book is much more than a simple catalogue of recipes—the chefs also communicate the romance and tradition inherent in each dish and their writing is informed by an intimate knowledge of long-established culinary and cultural traditions. In a market saturated with impersonal restaurant cookbooks, this book has a refreshingly different feel. It oozes character and is written and designed with palpable passion and insight.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Food and Drink, Spain

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Trevor · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mate Graham lent this book to me before going away on two weeks leave, and just before Maddy’s birthday. I wasn’t sure what to cook for her birthday and so, given this book and needing to tell him I’d cooked something from it, I settled on a Spanish feast. God, some of the recipes are really fantastic. The Tortilla with sweet onions is pretty special.

I figured lots of tapas would be the go – so tried the pinchitos morunos, port skewers of the Moorish variety. I also did the Fatayer from this too – pastry stuffed with pumpkin, pinenuts and fetta cheese (yum is the word you are struggling for). I’ve done these twice now and as someone who doesn’t normally like pumpkin unless it is in soup I can heartily recommend it.

I would really like to try to grilled quail and rose petals – but must go to an Indian spice place.

This book is quite something and is fairly easy to cook, but like most things in life, does take some time to prepare. But well worth the effort.

[Naopossum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't believe they could release a cookbook with such big mistakes.
I tried to make a birthday cake from the cookbook "Truffle cake with bitter chocolate, coffee and cardamom". It ended up being a soup not a cake, because there was too much milk in the ingredients 400 ml, but i think it should have been 40 ml. Cooking it and reducing it by 1/3, as the recipe said didn't help. And amount of almonds of just 65g doesn't cover the bottom, I ended up using 120g.
It seems like they didn't test or even read the recipes they wrote.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of updated classic recipes derived from Arabic influenced Spanish cooking. By far some of the most complex (flavor wise, not preparation!) cuisine in the world the cooking of the Arab diaspora is really fascinating to me. This book does not disappoint.

[Rebecca Jelinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous and authentic. I bought this mostly for the Arabic recipes. The precision and attention to detail means your dishes leave little room for error. Beautiful book.

[Martha Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the recipes didn't use grams!!! So confusing. So for that reason I've had a difficult time with a few recipes. The falafel is fantastic. Actually every single meze in the book is fantastic!!!

[Saleris · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult finding general/culinary specific cookbooks that fit my dietary restrictions (vegetarian/no lactose). This works well.
The recipes are interesting and tasty and are not too ingredient taxing (semi-obscure ingrediants are substitutible or optional). I liked it when I initially skimmed it in Sainsburys (it was on sale).

[Peterr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encountered and vanquished a simple lentil soup with lemon. Stole Staghorn Sumac from Searsburg roadside on Sam & Sam Clark's recommendation; toasted/dried and blended the berries into a bitter salad dressing. Enjoyed cooking with this book.

[Jesse Kelly-Landes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish the recipes didn't use grams!!! So confusing. So for that reason I've had a difficult time with a few recipes. The falafel is fantastic. Actually every single meze in the book is fantastic!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

love love LOVE

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite cookbook

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book after a trip to Spain. It's challenging, not for the cook in a rush, but even just using the recipes as a base for combining flavours has yielded good and tasty results for me.

[Dave Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

useful perspective with some interesting recipe tastes selected formatted by a Arab influenced take on Spanish food.Not an inspiring book by any means, but a useful one for the odd recipe selection.

[Azem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious and simple recipes. Very inspiring. I am looking forward to trying this out on my friends.

[Michelle Goodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just beautiful...favourite restaurant, favourite cookery book

[Will Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cooking made simple, great to discover flavours of Spain, north Africa and eastern Mediteranian - Paella de credo con chorizo y espinaca is my favorite

[Degan Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book. I had owned it for quite a while before making anything from it but now I love it and refer to it often. Highly recommend.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written - just do exactly what it says and you will have wonderful food each time.