Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat. Add 1 ¼ cups coarse-grain bulgur wheat (here, buckwheat kernels) and sauté until toasted. Add 1 medium onion (chopped) and sauté until fragrant, then add 3 cloves minced garlic. Sauté for a minute, then add 3 stalks celery (diced) and cook for… Continue reading Armenian bulgur and chickpea stew
Tag: middle eastern
Armenian tomato and bulgur soup
This is a great recipe if you’re feeling under the weather. Using a medium Dutch oven, bring 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth to a boil. Separately, using a small pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil (the recipe calls for 2 Tbsp) on medium heat then sauté 1 small chopped onion. When onion is halfway cooked,… Continue reading Armenian tomato and bulgur soup
Roasted dates with almonds and pancetta
We tried this recipe from Chef Michael Symon: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/roasted-dates-with-pancetta-almonds-and-chile-recipe.html. We used center cut bacon (cut into matchsticks) instead of pancetta. (May 2016)
Oven-roasted eggplant
Preheat oven to 450. Cut 3 baby eggplants (about 1 ½ lbs) into 2"x1" wedges. Toss with enough olive oil to lightly coat the eggplant pieces (about 2 Tbsp), making sure not to soak the eggplant. Fold in fresh herbs (here, a few sprigs each marjoram, oregano, and thyme), then place in a single layer… Continue reading Oven-roasted eggplant
Persian spicy sesame carrot salad
We tried this recipe from The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia. Peeling 1 ½ lbs carrots into ribbons was time-consuming, but the marinade was quick and easy. We found it a little too spicy, so the next time we may reduce the crushed red pepper from 1 tsp to ½ tsp. The recipe is… Continue reading Persian spicy sesame carrot salad
Lebanese roasted eggplant and chickpea stew (maghmour)
We followed this recipe: http://www.slowburningpassion.com/maghmour-the-moussaka-from-lebanon-that-will-make-you-happy/. We also used canned, drained chickpeas. Our minor modifications: instead of 1 tsp smoked paprika, we used ½ tsp each paprika and smoked chipotle pepper; we used 6 julienned fresh mint leaves in lieu of dried mint; and instead of adding water towards the end, we added ½ cup of… Continue reading Lebanese roasted eggplant and chickpea stew (maghmour)
Lebanese layered London Broil with garlic yogurt and crispy pita (fatteh ma lahm)
Garnished with pine nuts and pomegranate arils. We used Stacy’s Pita Chips (natural) and toasted them at 350 for a few minutes before drizzling with butter. We also used nutmeg in lieu of most of the cinnamon (which I find cloying) in each component. Recipe is too complicated to summarize, but it’s from Chef Kamal… Continue reading Lebanese layered London Broil with garlic yogurt and crispy pita (fatteh ma lahm)
Middle eastern-style red lentil and rice soup with spinach
We used white basmati rice and garnished with fresh lime wedges. We also used fried shallots from the Thai/Indian supermarket instead of caramelizing onions ourselves and added a dash of marash pepper. At the end of cooking, we added ¾ cup to 1 cup chicken broth to thin the soup a little. This recipe is… Continue reading Middle eastern-style red lentil and rice soup with spinach
Palestinian minced salad (salata khadra mafruma)
Chop into bite-sized pieces: 3 firm tomatoes (I removed the juicy insides), 4 Persian cucumbers (or 2/3 large English cucumber), 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, 1 cup red cabbage, and 2-3 jalapeño peppers (I used 2, cut them in vertical halves and into ¼ inch half-moons). Combine all of those vegetables in a large… Continue reading Palestinian minced salad (salata khadra mafruma)
Palestinian beef and cauliflower stew (tabikh zahra)
Recipe from The Gaza Kitchen by Laila El-Haddad and Maggie Schmitt, with some modifications. The cookbook is available on Amazon here: The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935982230/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_UmLjxbD2FAAEH This dish involves two parts: First, make the maraqa (basic spiced beef broth): Pat dry a 1 lb piece of beef (here, bone-in beef shank), sprinkle… Continue reading Palestinian beef and cauliflower stew (tabikh zahra)
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