L’Hôtel Marrakech prides itself on its approach to serving delicious traditional Moroccan home cooking in the manner Italians would describe as ‘cucina della nonna’ (Grandmother’s cooking). The emphasis on dining at L’Hôtel is the use of fresh local produce, attentive service and comfortable relaxed surroundings. The food of Morocco lends itself well to vegetarian cuisine, therefore there are a variety of flavoursome salads and delicately spiced vegetable dishes on our menus. Dining for guests and non-residents at L’Hôtel Marrakech* is a truly memorable experience that celebrates the seductive nature of Moroccan cooking.
At the centre of the culinary culture of Morocco is the tagine. Those served at L’Hôtel Marrakech are prepared in the traditional way, cooked slowly in earthenware pots, bringing out naturally bright flavours and delicate aromas. This method of slow cooking results in cuisine of great succulence and depth of flavour. Among the many types of tagines prepared at L’Hôtel Marrakech is chicken with prunes and almonds. The chicken is marinated in cumin which imparts warmth and richness. The dish is then gently spiced with ginger and cinnamon. Prunes and almonds are added to create a subtle sweetness that plays against the savoury and slightly bitter golden hued turmeric.
A wonderful array of fresh herbs, aromatics and spices, such as the legendary ‘Ras el Hanout’ blend found in Marrakech, impart their special and unique flavours upon the dishes prepared by our chef Bouchra. Other key ingredients in the kitchen’s larder are preserved lemons, with their unique taste, texture and aroma and locally sourced olives in every flavour, colour and size, cured and treated in many ways with an array of seasonings. An abundance of seasonal well-known local vegetables, sun-drenched tomatoes and lesser known varieties such as cardoons enable the kitchen to create delicious vegetarian dishes. One of the most famous being couscous with ‘Sept Legumes.’ Traditionally, courgettes, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, turnips, cabbage and onions are used. The couscous is flavoured with fresh coriander, parsley, spiced with turmeric and cinnamon. Finally, an infusion of saffron gently perfumes this classic Moroccan dish which is served with the hot aromatic paste, harissa.
*Please note that all non-residents must book at least 24 hours in advance.
