Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe (Salade Cuite)

Go to any Moroccan family's home and there are two things you can always count on: 1) their warm hospitality and, 2) an assurance that their grandmother's Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe (Salade Cuite) is the world's best.

A family's Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe is serious business. First, know that the recipe has been handed down for generations. Secondly, there's never been a written version of it. There never will be. Gaining the recipe requires years of trust and hours of of observation in the kitchen. Finally, asking for the family recipe is like asking for the combination to the family safe. But if you're lucky enough to get a recipe, it will always have a key "secret" ingredient missing (as if to throw off any potential spies).

You would think that the family recipe is worth gold bars. The reality is that it all comes down to cooking a few key ingredients: tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic and spices.

The world "matbucha" means cooked in Arabic. French speaking Moroccans refer to the savory dish as "salade cuite", cooked salad.

Matbucha is very versatile. It is the Moroccan version of an Italian mama's Sunday gravy. Typically served as an appetizer or meze, the cooked salad also serves as a side dish. It can also be used as a base for an assortment of dishes, including tagines, kefta and shakshouka.

Making Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe (Salade Cuite)

Making the Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe (Salade Cuite) takes about 20 minutes to prep, and then at least an hour of simmering to bring out the deep, rich, savory flavors.

Start by flame-roasting a green bell pepper and a jalapeno pepper (optional). If you don't have a gas cooktop, you can broil the peppers directly under the element, or even use an electric glass cooktop (as I do). Turn the pepper(s) as soon as the outer skin is blackened. Do this until the all the pepper(s) are blackened. Remove and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then under a slow stream of cool water, peel the blackened outer skin. Core and seed the peppers and then slice them into strips. Set them aside.

In a small bowl, add the olive oil, paprika, chili powder and 7-10 cloves of minced garlic. Heat a deep skillet to medium and add the ingredients of the bowl. Then add the bell and jalapeno peppers. I also add guajillo and arbol peppers as they provide an richer smoky flavor and add a little spiciness. Fry the mixture until the garlic is cooked (beige color). The heat really wakes up the aromatic oils of the spices.

Now, add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes to the mixture, cover the skillet and cook for 30 minutes. Fresh tomatoes do taste better. However, it sometimes doesn't make enough of a difference to justify the cost or time and ease of just opening two cans of diced tomatoes.

Final Touches Matbucha Cooked Tomato Recipe (Salade Cuite)

I prefer a thicker, more pasty matbucha. So after the first 30 minutes, I use a potato masher to press down any chunks of tomato that are still a little firm (You don't have to worry about this step when using fresh tomatoes). Add the sugar at this point. It helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and thickens the sauce as it continues to cook. Cover and lower heat to simmer for another 30 minutes until the matbucha reduces and there is hardly any liquid remaining.

Remove the matbucha from the skillet and put it into a bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil on it to give it a shine and sprinkle the salt. Serve it at room temperature or from the refrigerator. It's delicious either way.

One last reminder: If someone asks you for your Matbucha recipe, don't forget to leave out an ingredient. Bon appetit!

See more Moroccan recipes here.

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