A Taste of Morocco: From Harira Soup to Chicken Kdra

Moroccan food, with its kaleidoscopic colors, flavors and textures, can be a revelatory experience. But the chances of reproducing most of the dishes featured in Ferguson's ill-conceived collection of recipes are as slim as the book itself. A key flaw is a lack of technique explanation or instruction; many of her recipe introductions are frustratingly brief, and often devoted more to personal anecdote than the dish itself. For instance, Hut Makalli with Chermoula, a classic dish of fried fish served with a spicy paste, is accompanied by the description of a market. Meanwhile, pastry and baking-related dishes involving multiple steps and techniques (Gazelle's Horns, Snake Pastry and the ornate B'Stilla, a multilayered meat pie) scream for illustrations to aid in their construction. Those well-versed in the cuisine will likely find the book a useful resource, but novices just back from a trip to Morocco should look elsewhere.