Supperclub Morocco: Mourad’s Loubya

The Supperclub, satisfied, after our feast at Mourad.

Sadly, we ate this dish too quickly to photograph! This is the home cook’s version of the magical beans which are served as one of the side dishes with the La’acha (family meal) at Mourad.  In the restaurant, the feta which is rustically crumbled as a topping in this home version is molecular gastronomically transformed, elevated, into a light as air foam.  The beans, though, are the same.  These beans were one of Heather’s favorites when we dined together at the end of my brief tenure in the kitchen at Mourad.

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Mourad’s Loubya (Corona Beans, Tomato Sauce, Feta)

Adapted from Mourad: New Moroccan, Mourad Lahlou

Beans (can be cooked up to 3d in advance)

Ingredients

8 oz dried corona beans—soaked overnight at room temp with 2 inches water covering

1 lg carrot, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 celery stalk, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 garlic clove

2 T brown sugar

1 T kosher salt

 

Technique

1. Drain soaked beans and put in Dutch oven, add other ingredients EXCEPT SALT, and cover with 1 ½ inches water.  Bring to simmer on stove.
2. Cover with parchment lid and brush edges with water to prevent curling.
3. Cover with lid and put in 375 oven for 2 to 21/2 hours until tender but not fallig apart. Add salt.

 

Sauce: simmer below for about 1 hour until reduced to 2 ¾ cups; add onions below; can be made 3d in advance

11/2 c (375g) diced canned tomatoes, w juices

¾ cup  (213g) tomato puree

2 ¼ cup water

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

¼ cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

1 T sugar

1 T minced garlic

2 tsp kosher salt

1 ½ tsp sweet paprika

1 1/2tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

¾ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

 

Onions: caramelize for about 15mins, then add balsamic

1 T canola

1 ¾ cups thinly sliced onions

salt

1 tsp balsamic

 

 

Topping

4 oz dry packed feta, Mt Vikos or Redwood Hill, crumbled

1 c bread crumbs

3T evoo

1 ½ tsp dried oregano

 

To finish beans:

1. Heat oven to 400
2. Drain beans, discarding veg and liquid. Stir into tomato sauce.  Spread into a 6 cup gratin dish.
3. Sprinkle feta in an even layer over beans, bake 15-20 mins until melted.
4. Stir together bread crumbs, evoo, oregano and sprinkle over just before serving.