Bettina Nusser-Schuler and I have some mutual friends, but had never met in person. When she visited me for an interview, it was as if we had known each other forever. It was one of the few sunny days in March and Bettina and I were sitting outside the shop drinking coffee. What was originally planned as a short interview turned into a three-hour conversation about life. The two passions that connect us: good food and Morocco. While I have a Moroccan father, Bettina is Moroccan at heart. Bettina has travelled to the country over 25 times. She ended up there rather by chance for a short holiday with her husband and youngest son. But the country never let go of the architect and mother of four and she went back again and again. In 2012, she met the owner of a riad in Marrakech and four years later they decided to offer cooking courses there twice a year. Because Bettina is a passionate and gifted cook. On her instagram account she shares easy to make, yet delicious and healthy recipes for every day. With her ideas, she has saved our dinners more than once. No wonder, that her cooking retreats were always booked up quickly. This may be due on the one hand to Bettina's warm character and on the other hand to the fact that you can get to know Marrakech from its most beautiful side in the company of Bettina. She knows all the good places and shares her tips generously. Because we can't travel at the moment, Bettina shares two colorful and quick Moroccan-inspired recipes with us.
Some of Bettinas favorite herbs and spices: Cardamom, allspice, rosemary, ginger powder, tumeric. Not pictured but one of her must-haves are preserved lemons.
Easy to make, anti-inflammatory and high in vitamin c: Cauliflower with turmeric
© Bettina Nusser-Schuler
Roasted cauliflower with tumeric
Serves 2-4
1 cauliflower
oliveoil
2 garlic cloves
zest of one organic lemon
turmeric, fresh thyme, sea salt
Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat, add garlic and, as soon as it starts to sizzle and change color, cauliflower florets, some thyme and one tablespoon turmeric. Stir well and cook until the cauliflower is golden brown all over and just tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Season with sea salt and some lemon zest.
This dish is best enjoyed warm with some yoghurt with grated and drained cucumber or tahini sauce.
A feast of colors: Plums in a Tamegroute bowl
© Bettina Nusser-Schuler
Plums with white wine and hibiscus flowers
Serves 2
5 - 6 plums cut into wedges
125 ml white wine
2 hibiscus flowers
1 vanilla pod
1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Put the white wine, hibiscus flowers and vanilla seeds into a pan and bring them gently to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the plum wedges. Sweeten with maple syrup. Simmer gently for a few minutes until the plums are soft but still hold their shape. Remove the hibiscus flowers and set plums aside until cool. Enjoy the plums and the syrup with some vanilla ice cream, crème fraîche or as a topping on rice pudding. For an extra crunch add some roasted almonds or almond brittle.
Bettina in Morocco preparing the traditional tajines