Jeff Koehler

Dates are revered, and much enjoyed, in Morocco. Of the more than two hundred varieties that the country produces, largemejhouldates are the ones used for special occasions and special recipes like these stuffed dates. Typically, the almond paste is much sweeter than in this recipe, and the stuffed date is rolled in sugar. I prefer to let the dates' natural and intense sweetness shine. To make the dates festive, many Moroccan cooks work some food coloring—red, green, yellow, even blue—into the almond paste before stuffing it inside the dates.

In North Africa (and Marseille!) mint tea is generally drunk enormously sweet—the kind of sweetness that makes you a bit thirsty—which is exactly how I like it. Start with 1/4 cup of sugar and add more if you want it sweeter. To avoid any bitterness, do not let the tea boil once the mint has been added. For an earthy, Tunisian touch, dry roast a handful of pine nuts and drop them in the glass just before serving.

Hot, stuffed phyllo shapes calledbriouatsare delectable appetizers. Folded into small triangles, cigar-shaped cylinders, or even rectangles, they come with an array of fillings, from spiced ground kefta to sweet milky rice. My favorite is this one with fresh unsalted cheese calledjben—especially with a brushing of honey to give the crispy rolls a pleasing sweetness. Alternatively, dust the friedbriouatswith powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Harirais Morocco's best-known, and best-loved, soup. Families eat this herb-rich, tomato-based soup year-round. During Ramadan, however, it's obligatory, and pots of the soup simmer away in kitchens across the country. Accompanied by dates and honeyed, flower-shaped cookies sprinkled with sesame seeds calledchebakia, a bowl ofharirais the traditional way to break the fast. The velvety-smooth soup—whisking in flour, or sometimes egg, at the end gives that distinct texture—is nourishing and easy on an empty stomach. I have enjoyedhariraaround numerous family tables and at street stalls—each version has been different. As a woman in Fes once said to me, "There are as many recipes forharirain Morocco as there are cooks."

Moroccans love fresh juices, and the combinations they make are eclectic and highly seasonal. This is one of my favorites. Although it is commonly prepared as a juice, it can also be a drinkable dessert, especially on warm summer days. I once had it as a "salad" served with a spoon in late fall in the eastern High Atlas. Oranges hadn't yet ripened, and instead the cook used small clementines from down the valley. Served before a communal platter of Berber Barley Couscous with Vegetables, the drink seemed closer to a light, sophisticated, vibrant green gazpacho than a rustic salad.

Although it may take a bit of effort to procure the proper pan and ingredients to make this dish, it's definitely worth the trouble. Brick-red Spanish paprika, green artichokes, and golden saffron contribute beautiful color, while browned rabbit infuses the rice with a meaty richness.