Traditional Moroccan “charmoula,” a herb and spice marinade widely used in seafood and vegetable dishes, was featured this week by American broadcaster 6abc Action News as part of a television segment highlighting Moroccan cuisine in Philadelphia.
The report, aired on July 16 in the station’s “The Dish” series, visited Soufiane at the Morris, a newly opened Moroccan restaurant in Center City Philadelphia owned by Moroccan chef Soufiane Boutliliss.
During the segment, Boutliliss prepared charmoula, describing it as a traditional Moroccan herb and spice marinade commonly used with seafood and vegetables. The recipe, passed down from his grandmother, was demonstrated on air as the chef prepared scallops cooked in a tagine.
The appearance follows an earlier 6abc Action News feature in which Boutliliss prepared his grandmother’s “Melouza,” traditional Moroccan walnut cookies. Reflecting on that segment, he explained that his grandmother shared additional family recipes with him after the television feature. “She’s happy she’s famous, and she gave me more recipes,” Boutliliss said.
The report also highlighted the restaurant’s French-Moroccan menu, which features both Moroccan specialties and French classics. “It’s a French Moroccan experience,” Boutliliss said. Speaking about the atmosphere he hopes to create, he added, “I don’t want you to feel like you are in a restaurant. We are in my family home.”
The television feature included a video demonstration of the preparation of “charmoula” and published the complete recipe on the station’s website as part of its regular food segment.
Based in Philadelphia, 6abc Action News is the local television station owned by ABC, one of the largest broadcast networks in the United States. Its long-running “The Dish” series regularly showcases restaurants, chefs, and culinary traditions from around the region.
