Four Moroccan salads: candied pumpkin, mint zucchini, carrots with chamoula, candied tomatoes

Ingredients

• 500 g Pumpkin flesh (or butternut squash) (Fresh or frozen, cut into 2 cm dice)
• 30 g Butter (Unsalted)
• 1 Cinnamon stick (Whole, remove at end of cooking)
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Ground black pepper
• 100 ml Water
• 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (black and white) (For garnish)
• 2 Zucchini (Medium, preferably organic, no need to peel)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (Extra virgin)
• 30 g Fresh mint leaves (Chopped, reserved for finishing)
• 2 Garlic cloves (Crushed)
• 1 small Onion (Sliced)
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp Hot paprika or cayenne pepper (Adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp Sliced almonds (Toasted, for garnish (optional))
• 4 medium Carrots (Peeled and sliced into rounds)
• 1 Preserved lemons (Pulp only, no seeds, finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Fresh coriander (Chopped)
• 500 g Peeled and seeded tomatoes (fresh or frozen) (Diced)
• 2 tbsp Table oil (or olive oil)
• 2 Cloves (Whole)
• a pinch Chili (optional) (For a slight kick)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pumpkin

   Cut the pumpkin flesh into dice of about 2 cm. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

2. Candied pumpkin

   In a pot, melt the butter, add the cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, salt, pepper and the pumpkin dice. Lightly brown, then add 100 ml of water. Cover and simmer 20 min over medium heat until the water evaporates.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: feu moyen

3. Finish the candied pumpkin

   Remove the cinnamon stick, add the sugar and orange blossom water. Mash the pieces with the back of a wooden spoon and let reduce another 10 min, stirring regularly.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: feu moyen

4. Garnish the pumpkin

   Sprinkle black and white sesame seeds before serving.

   Time: PT2M

5. Prepare the zucchini

   Wash the zucchini, cut them into uniformly sized pieces and remove the core if necessary. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

6. Steam the zucchini

   Place the zucchini pieces in the steamer basket and cook 20 min over medium‑low heat until tender but still firm.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: feu moyen‑doux

7. Prepare the mint sauce

   In the food processor bowl, chop the mint, garlic and onion. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the cumin, sweet paprika, hot paprika, salt and pepper. Add the chopped mixture and sauté until the onion becomes translucent (≈5 min).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: feu moyen

8. Combine zucchini and sauce

   Stir the cooked zucchini into the sauce, mix gently and cook 5‑6 min so the flavors meld. Add the chopped mint at the end of cooking.

   Time: PT6M

   Temperature: feu moyen

9. Garnish the zucchini

   Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds and a few mint sprigs before serving.

   Time: PT2M

10. Prepare the carrots

    Peel the carrots and cut them into rounds about ½ cm thick.

    Time: PT5M

11. Steam the carrots

    Arrange the rounds in the steamer basket and cook 25 min over medium‑low heat until tender.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: feu moyen‑doux

12. Prepare the chamoula sauce

    In the processor, chop the preserved lemon pulp, garlic and coriander. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, add cumin, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add the chopped mixture and sauté 5 min.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: feu moyen

13. Combine carrots and sauce

    Stir the cooked carrots in, mix and cook 5‑6 min over medium heat so the carrots absorb the sauce.

    Time: PT6M

    Temperature: feu moyen

14. Garnish the carrots

    Decorate with pieces of preserved lemon and a few mint or coriander sprigs.

    Time: PT2M

15. Prepare the tomatoes

    If using fresh tomatoes, peel them, halve them, remove the seeds and coarsely chop. If using frozen tomatoes, thaw them and drain excess water.

    Time: PT5M

16. Cook the candied tomatoes

    In a sauté pan, add the tomatoes, salt, cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, cloves, chili and table oil. Cook over medium heat 20 min, stirring until fully reduced.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: feu moyen

17. Sweeten the tomatoes

    Add the granulated sugar, stir and continue cooking 10 min more until a thick jam-like consistency is reached.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: feu moyen

18. Finish the candied tomatoes

    Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves, sprinkle black and white sesame seeds. Transfer to a serving dish.

    Time: PT3M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

6 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Pumpkin flesh (or butternut squash): musquée squash
• Instead of Butter: olive oil
• Instead of Cinnamon stick: ground cinnamon (½ tsp)
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: cinnamon stick
• Instead of Granulated sugar: honey
• Instead of Orange blossom water: vanilla extract
• Instead of Sesame seeds (black and white): sunflower seeds
• Instead of Zucchini: summer squash
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Fresh mint leaves: dried mint (less aromatic)
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Ground cumin: ground coriander
• Instead of Sweet paprika: sweet pepper
• Instead of Hot paprika or cayenne pepper: Espelette pepper
• Instead of Sliced almonds: cashews
• Instead of Carrots: turnip
• Instead of Preserved lemons: lemon juice + zest
• Instead of Fresh coriander: flat parsley
• Instead of Peeled and seeded tomatoes (fresh or frozen): canned crushed tomatoes
• Instead of Table oil (or olive oil): sunflower oil
• Instead of Cloves: ground cloves (¼ tsp)
• Instead of Chili (optional): chili flakes

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Pot/saute pan with lid
• Steamer basket or steamer
• Hand blender or food processor
• Wooden spatula
• Measuring spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Serving platter or presentation dish
• Corkscrew or tablespoon (to remove the cinnamon stick) (optional)
• Fine sieve (for draining frozen tomatoes) (optional)
• Kitchen towel (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Reduce the pumpkin until a syrupy texture is achieved
• Steam the zucchini without overcooking
• Achieve a complete reduction of the tomatoes before adding sugar
• Do not burn the garlic and spices when preparing the sauces

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use semi-salted butter for better salt control in the candied pumpkin.
• Lightly toast the almonds before adding for extra crunch.
• Preserved lemon adds a unique umami note; if unavailable, add a bit of lemon zest and a pinch of salt.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store each salad in an airtight container, 3‑4 days refrigerated.

Freezer: Not recommended for salads with mint and preserved lemon (loss of freshness).

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours if served at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the sauces (mint, chamoula, candied tomato) the day before and store them separately.
• Steamed vegetables keep for 2 days in the refrigerator; reheat gently before serving.
• Candied pumpkin improves after a few hours in the fridge, flavors concentrate.