Moroccan · Breakfast
Smen & Honey Breakfast Plate
Smen is Morocco's aged, fermented preserved butter, pungent and cheese-like, and a traditional country breakfast spreads a little of it on warm bread with honey poured over the top. The funky, salty depth of the smen against sweet honey is an acquired but beloved taste — a small amount goes a long way and turns plain bread into something profound.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 2 tsp smen (aged Moroccan preserved butter)
- 4 tbsp dark honey
- Warm khobz, harcha or msemen, to serve
- A small wedge of fresh cheese (optional)
- A handful of black olives (optional)
- A few whole walnuts (optional)
- Mint tea, to serve
Method
- 1
Warm the bread
Warm the bread so it is soft; the smen melts into warm bread and mellows a little.
- 2
Spread sparingly
Spread a thin scrape of smen over the warm bread — it is intensely flavoured, so a little is plenty.
- 3
Add honey
Drizzle honey generously over the smen so the sweetness balances the pungent, salty butter.
- 4
Serve
Serve at once with fresh cheese alongside if you like, and glasses of hot mint tea.
Chef's tips
- Use smen sparingly the first time — its fermented, cheesy pungency is powerful and best in small amounts.
- A darker, stronger honey holds its own against the smen better than a delicate one.
- Warm bread is essential; it softens the smen and lets it spread and melt.
Frequently asked questions
What is smen?
Smen is butter that has been salted and aged, sometimes for months or years, until it ferments to a pungent, cheese-like preserve. It is used in tiny amounts to flavour tagines, couscous and breakfasts.
Is smen an acquired taste?
For many people, yes. Its strong fermented aroma is prized in Moroccan cooking but surprising at first. Start with a very thin spread balanced by plenty of honey.