Chef Zohra
Bakoula (بقولة)
Mallow greens cooked soft and dark with garlic, cumin, preserved lemon, and olives, the Moroccan cooked salad that tastes of spring rain and a loaf of khobz shared warm.
Culinary Explorer
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Oranges à la Cannelle
Created by
Cold orange slices, cinnamon, and orange-flower water: the winter dessert-salad that refreshes the table after a long tagine and still feels generous enough for guests.
Salads
Moroccan
Comfort Food
Quick Meal
Special Occasion
15 min
Active Time
0 min cook•15 min total
Yield4 servings
Winter oranges are made for this plate, heavy in the hand, bright under the knife, full of juice when the rest of the market is quieter. You don't cook them. You pay attention. Peel away the bitter white pith, slice them clean, and let the cinnamon fall lightly so it perfumes without burying the fruit.
The orange-flower water is the little key. Too much and the dish tastes like perfume. Just enough and the orange tastes more like itself, fresh, cold, and alive. La balance est dans les yeux, the scale is in the eyes, but here it is also in the nose.
This is what comes after a generous meal, when everyone says they are full and still reaches for one more slice. It is quick, yes, but not careless. A table is a door you leave open, and a plate of oranges at the end keeps people sitting together a little longer.
Citrus entered Morocco in layers: bitter orange spread through medieval Islamic agriculture from about the 10th to 12th centuries, while sweet orange became more common around the western Mediterranean after Portuguese trade in the 15th and 16th centuries. Cinnamon arrived through Indian Ocean and Mediterranean trade routes, and orange-flower water became important in Andalusi and Fassi pastry and dessert traditions. The exact date of this salad is not documented; it belongs to the domestic Moroccan table, especially in winter when oranges are abundant and at their best.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
sweet oranges
Quantity
5 large
chilled
orange-flower water
Quantity
1 tbsp, or to taste
ground cinnamon
Quantity
1 tsp
preferably freshly ground
sugar or honey (optional)
Quantity
1 tbsp
only if the oranges need help
fresh mint leaves (optional)
Quantity
8
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| sweet orangeschilled | 5 large |
| orange-flower water | 1 tbsp, or to taste |
| ground cinnamonpreferably freshly ground | 1 tsp |
| sugar or honey (optional)only if the oranges need help | 1 tbsp |
| fresh mint leaves (optional) | 8 |
Equipment Needed
- •Wide shallow serving platter
- •Sharp paring knife
Instructions
- 1
Choose the oranges
Use oranges that feel heavy for their size and smell bright at the stem. This dish has nowhere to hide a tired fruit, so sourcing comes first. In Morocco I make this in winter, when oranges are cold, sweet, and full of juice.
- 2
Peel them clean
Cut away the peel and the white pith with a sharp knife, following the curve of the fruit. The pith is bitter, and bitterness would fight the orange-flower water. Slice the oranges into thin rounds and catch any juice on the board.
- 3
Season lightly
Arrange the slices on a wide plate, overlapping them a little, then spoon over the saved juice and the orange-flower water. Taste before adding sugar or honey. If the oranges are good, they may need nothing.
- 4
Dust and rest
Dust with cinnamon in a fine, even veil, not a blanket. Let the plate rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes so the juice, cinnamon, and flower water meet. Serve cold, with mint only if you want a little green freshness.
Chef Tips
- •Buy orange-flower water from a shop that turns it over quickly. If it smells flat or harsh, leave it there; this dish needs perfume, not soap.
- •Do not drown the oranges. Start with a small spoon of orange-flower water, taste, then add more only if the fruit asks for it.
- •Freshly ground cinnamon is warmer and cleaner than a tired jar. With spices, la cuisine devient alchimie, but only when the spice is alive.
- •If your oranges are sour, add a little honey. If they are dull, cook something else today. No gesture rescues a tired fruit.
Advance Preparation
- •Slice and season the oranges up to 2 hours ahead, then keep them covered and cold. Dust with a final pinch of cinnamon just before serving if the first veil has melted into the juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 225g)
Calories
110 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
2 mg
Total Carbohydrates
28 g
Dietary Fiber
6 g
Sugars
21 g
Protein
2 g
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