A classic hergma, which is a hearty breakfast Moroccan people eat on the street, is usually made with calves’ feet or sheep’s trotters. I love it with trotters, but I am not sure most of my readers are too keen on their gelatinous texture, so I am replacing the trotters (see Trotters with Chickpeas and Wheat, below) with lamb shanks. And even though Moroccans have hergma for breakfast, I have never been able to sit down to it early in the morning. The sight of the huge enamelware dishes filled with greasy trotters early in the day is a bit of a turnoff. Fortunately, people also make it at home for lunch and I still remember an exquisite hergma I had with friends in Casablanca many years ago. They had used sheep’s trotters, which are more delicate than calf’s feet. Their version was supremely sophisticated and not at all greasy like that of street vendors. Serve the dish hot with good bread and a refreshing salad.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 lamb shanks (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1¼ cups (250 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (200 g) wheat berries
- 4 whole cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Put the shanks in a large pot. Add 3 quarts (3 liters) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming the froth from the surface. Then add the olive oil. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add to the pot along with the wheat berries, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat, chickpeas, and wheat are tender. By then, the broth should have reduced to a silky sauce. If the sauce is still runny, uncover the pot and boil hard for a few minutes until reduced.
- Add the paprika and salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.
TROTTERS WITH CHICKPEAS AND WHEAT:
- For those of you who like the idea of trotters, simply substitute them for the shanks: one calf’s foot or 8 sheep’s trotters for the quantities given in the recipe. Cook them for 1 hour before you add the chickpeas and wheat. You also need to add more water, possibly an extra 2 cups (500 ml), but add 1 cup (250 ml) at a time, so that you don’t end up with a sauce that is too thin.
