These are the most traditional, delicious barbecued brochettes you
could ever wish for in Morocco (not that I'm biased). They are very
popular brochettes all over the kingdom and widely enjoyed. These
brochettes are seasoned with black pepper, ground cumin, red paprika,
olive oil and are cooked, usually outdoors, on a majmar, which is a
Moroccan charcoal clay brazier. They have several names according to
different regions, some call them Boolfaf, some Melfoof some
Kwaa.
Traditionally, Boolfaf is served with Moroccan tea as a
beverage and usually enjoyed outdoors during Eid L'kbri or Eid-Adha,
the Islamic festival to celebrate both the end of the month of Haj
and the sacrifice that Abraham was prepared to make in the name of Allah or God.
What makes these brochettes so special is the caul fat (lace fat
or fat netting), a membranous tissue surrounding the stomach of
animals. Wrapping the liver before cooking allows the fat to insulate
it, then the fat melts and baste the liver while cooking,
transferring a lovely flavour and making the liver tastes juicy lucy.
You don't need any other ingredient to stick caul fat to the liver,
no toothpicks or egg white or flour paste, absolutely nothing,
because the fat will simply seal itself while cooking.
Go, go boys, bring some water for tea!
Ingredients:
- 1 kg lamb liver (you may use less or more)
- 1 lump of sheep caul fat (about 400g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander and parsley
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil or argan oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- First fire up majmar in the garden as the fat while melting will produce smoke. If you use a regular grill, make sure all the windows are open or the extractor fan is on .
- Peel the liver and remove the outer membrane, then you can either boil the liver in hot water with some salt for 10 to 15 minutes or you may grill the liver for 15 minutes. It's up to you. I always boil it.
- Mix all the herbs and spices, onion and oil together.
- Once the liver is boiled or grilled, remove from fire. Let cool a few minutes and cut it into 3 to 4 cm cubes.
- Put the liver pieces in mixture of spices and herbs, then stir , turning the cubes to attain even distribution.
- Stretch the fat out and cut it into 6 to 7 cm pieces. If you cut liver into 3 to 4 cm, then cut the fat into 7 to 8 cm squares, roughly.
- You need 1 square of fat for one square of liver. Place one square of liver inside the square of fat. Pull the fat up around the liver to wrap. Don't worry, it will stick to itself while cooking.
- Thread 5 to 6 fat-wrapped liver on a skewer. Repeat until all the liver has been used up
- Grill for around 5 minutes each side. Still hot, serve with bread and hot tea.
Mamatkamal
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