Mouttabal Al-Yaqteen (Pumpkin Tahini Dip)

As an intro to my Falafel Soiree, I wanted something that fit the theme, but that was new and refreshing.  This Syrian pumpkin dip is as old as time, but it was a discovery to me.  I had no idea pumpkin or squash was that popular anywhere else but in the Americas.  It is quite simple to put together once everything is prepped.. it really only takes a few minutes.  The longest part would be roasting the pumpkin and letting it cool.
Fortunately, I must have seen this discovery in my near future the day I brought home a nice plump Delica Moratti pumpkin and roasted it whole for my pumpkin pie urge of the moment.  Since one pumpkin yields quite a bit of flesh, I froze the roasted flesh pound by pound.. you know, just in case.  I was probably preparing for more pie urges.. or some sort of creamy chili, but bless my soul.. that was the perfect amount for this lovely Mouttabal Al-Yaqteen!
Recipe from Desert Candy

Ingredients

450g (1lb) roasted pumpkin flesh (mine was Delica Moratti)

1 large clove garlic, smashed

75g (3/8 cup) tahini

juice from 1 lime

1/2 tsp cumin

pinch salt

toppings:

handful fresh pomegranate seeds

drizzle pomegranate molasses

Directions

1.  Blend everything together until it has a smooth homogenous consistency.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
2.  Serve topped with fresh pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

I served mine for happy hour with some Luques olives and some turkish cheese stuffed chiles.
I also had some Man'Ouché bread for dipping.
The fresh tart beads of pomegranate are really what take this over the top.  The pumpkin is lightly sweet with the nutty creaminess of the tahini, making it a perfect dippable texture.. but those little beads of sweet juiciness that explode as you bite into them give so much dimension it seems they were made to be paired together.  The molasses evens out the flavors as well.
As long as you have roasted pumpkin handy.. Mouttabal should be on your mind...

Koosa with Pomegranate

When I did not live in France, I would always want to eat stuffed tomatoes and zucchini when I came on vacation (tomates farcies).  That was before I tried it the Syrian way.
The mix of cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander (from the five spice) and hint of cayenne takes both the zucchini and the stuffing to an entire different height of serotonin inducing happiness.
The only acceptable addition was pomegranate seeds as garnish.  The sour/sweet crunch of the little seeds pair incredibly with the lamb/beef flavor and helps keep the spices in balance.
Balance is good.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

5 zucchini or kusa squash, halved and cored, pulp scooped out
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 cube lamb bouillon (or whatever you have on hand)

water to level
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme

fleur de sel for garnish

cooked basmati rice for serving
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (mine were dried)
chopped mint to garnish (I did not have)

stuffing:

450g (1 lb) ground beef or lamb (I used beef)

2 Tbsp uncooked basmati rice, soaked and rinsed

4 garlic cloves, grated

1 red onion, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp fivespice (or allspice)

1 carrot, peeled and finely grated

many grinds black pepper

juice from 1 lime

1 Tbsp olive oil

pulp from 1 zucchini

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch salt
Directions
1.  Make the stuffing by mixing all the ingredients with your hands until homogenous.  Stuff the zucchini or squash halves with the mixture.
2.  Heat the olive oil in a very wide heavy based pan (wide enough for all the zucchini to lay in one layer).. otherwise, use 2 pans as I did.  Add the onions and cook until translucent.
3.  Add the thyme, crushed tomatoes, cayenne, and the bouillon cube.  Bring to a boil, then reduce for about 5 minutes.
4.  Add the stuffed zucchini halves along with the garlic cloves.  Add water to level (do not completely submerge).  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, rotating the zucchini halfway through.
5.  Add the dried pomegranate seeds to the sauce before serving.  If using fresh, just add to each plate.

I served over hot basmati rice, which was the perfect vehicle for that exquisitely spiced tomato sauce.
Syrian and Lebanese cuisine will always hold a special place in my heart.. and this recipe totally dethrones the French version.  I feel like that was a confession I should be ashamed of, but I'm not...

Arugula Fig Salad with Roasted Eggplant and Feta

I wasn't sure where I was going with dinner tonight...

I have all these amazing figs I want to caresse in all sorts of ways.  I want to make them into stuffing, eat them plain, just cut open to expose their glistening flesh and let my tongue explore all their little internal nerve endings.

I want to make pie.  Why don't I just do that?

I want to eat them with feta and watermelon.

I want to eat them grilled on the plancha.

I want to eat them with a soft boiled egg and chile.

With all these desires, I need to focus because I don't have an unlimited supply and they are the most precious possessions I have right at this moment.

All these different desires and priorities eventually developed into this salad.  Arugula, quartered figs, feta, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of fleur de sel, and a few pepperocinis is really all I need to feel refreshed and happy.

And then I needed a warm creamy salty element.

In comes the roasted eggplant.

I'm not sure life can get any better than carawayy sprinkled roasted eggplant halves with feta, figs, and arugula.

My life has just entered the next level.

Thank you...

Chile Cumin Meatballs

So in case you were wondering, here is how I function:

While writing about one recipe, I may need to link back to a different one, which is a good way for me to reread or to just not forget some of my concoctions of the past.  This leads me into rediscovery mode and urges start sprouting up here and there.  I become fixated on making that fixation become reality and my mind races through all the delicious things I'll be preparing.

Then, at the last minute, while still fixating on the initial idea, I completely change directions and do a whole different thing and it ends up bringing out of me things I had forgotten.

This recipe is the different thing.

The other day, while I was going on and on about black cardamom and how it's crazy different from green cardamom, I searched for that one other time I had used it.  Chole Masala became my fixation and I prepared some chickpeas that I would let soak overnight.  Since that moment I've been hallucinating the taste of chickpeas cooked in a tea and spice broth with an almost smokey flavor all Indian style.  As I changed the chickpea soaking water, I imagined crushing one with my tongue and the roof of my mouth and letting its creamy goodness explode.

Up until the moment I placed them in my crockpot, I thought I was making Chole... and then I decided I wanted to make Lebanese style meatballs and have hummus on my plate.

I didn't actually search for this recipe.  I must have seen it peripherally while scrolling through my blog feed which had mostly Chinese recipes on it and my brain must have captured that one non-Asian recipe of the list and tricked me into soaking those chickpeas for this exact purpose.

Thank you brain, but I'm not completely forgetting about Chole, ok?

Adapted from Seamus Mullen via Lottie+Doof

Yields 27-30 meatballs

Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb ground lamb (I used a mixture of veal and beef)

1/4 onion, minced

8 cloves garlic, grated

1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sage

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp rice flour

2-3 Tbsp olive oil to cook

Directions:

1.  Mix together with your hands or a food processor.  I always use my hands..

 2.  Shape meatballs into 1 1/2 inch balls, then cook in olive oil until brown.  You may want to do this in batches.

Chile Sauce

Ingredients:

3 dried pasilla chiles

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1/4 cup mix of red and white balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp paprika

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Directions:

1.  Dry roast the pasillas, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper until fragrant, then grind.

2.  Blend everything together while streaming in the olive oil a little at a time.  You may not use all the oil.  Bring it to desired thickness.

Plate Assembly

Sexy Salad:
1 sliced cucumber

chopped mint and parsley

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 chopped tomato

1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
juice from 1 lime
drizzle olive oil
few cracks black pepper

feta (Gazi)

Additional Ingredients:

beaten yogurt stirred with 1 clove grated garlic to sit under the meatballs

red pepper flakes

hummus with extra virgin olive oil

That one on the far right is Falafel.. you mix your Mezze however you want, right?
Things I didn't do but would work well:

romaine lettuce and/or man'ouche for wrapping

These were as much a pleasure to eat as they were to conceive..

NYE Falafel

I have a falafel urge I nursed for 2 days.  If it wasn't for the 12 hour minimum soaking time, there would have been no nursing of urges and I would have acted upon my deepest desire right then and there the second the idea popped into my head, but as it happens, chickpeas need to soak.

They weren't really part of the meal plan, but when the voice speaks to me, I can all but ignore it.

They will be perfect with my Beetroot Tahini Dip that was part of the plan, so I really had no excuse not to make them...
This time around, I decided to make them a bit differently.  I added a green chile (because, well, I don't need any reason to do so) and a grated carrot.  The carrot appeared at the last minute and I decided it was a good idea.
It was.
I also added panko hoping for the nice crunch on the outside airy and soft on the inside.
That was also a good idea.  I will now be using panko in my falafel.
Yield 25-30 falafel
Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked at least 12 hours
5 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch parsley
if I had cilantro, I would have added a bunch as well
1 green chile, seeded
1/2 large red onion or 1 small, diced
1 carrot, finely grated
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp za'atar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
salt + fresh cracked pepper
2 Tbsp panko + more for rolling
2 tsp baking soda
oil for deep frying

Directions:
1.  Wash the soaked chickpeas well.  I soaked them for over 24 hours and I didn't peel the skin off.  I think it depends on the quality of the chickpeas because these ones really don't need that extra work.  The people that are usually sensitive to that type of thing have no issues with these chickpeas.  I used Wassila brand.
2.  In a food processor, mix the garlic, green chile, and parsley into a paste.  Add the drained chickpeas and a bit of water if too dry to blend.
3.  Stir everything else but the baking soda.  Knead a bit and let rest for 30 minutes.  At this point I clean the kitchen and went on a long walk with my dog.  I have these little ways of building up suspense for myself.  There's nothing more gratifying than coming home after a long sunny but cold walk with your best furry little friend to a clean kitchen, ready to fry up some falafel.
4.  Taste and add adjust the seasoning.  Knead in the baking soda, and make small golf sized balls with your hands.  Roll the balls in some of the extra panko.
5.  Make sure the oil is hot, but not boiling.  Drop the balls in the oil and cook until nice and golden brown.. about 3 minutes.
6.  Remove onto paper towels.

As I fried up my Falafel listening to A Day at the Races, tears streaked down my cheeks..
I may have been going through a hormone imbalance, but I was weeping in part from the onions, in part from the deeply romantic act I was performing which grasped my heart and squeezed all the composure out of my body that I had captured throughout the year...

Chana Dal and Split Fava Lazy Hummus

Hummus = Love
Served with its special man'ouché Lebanese bread and local olive oil, it becomes the most sublime mezze you can possibly be served.
The thing about making very good quality hummus is that it can be very time consuming.  Ok ok.. while the chickpeas are soaking overnight, you are (presumably) sleeping.  While they are simmering away in the crockpot, you are going about your day as usual.  Technically, those are the longest parts, but they are not the most bothersome.  The part I dislike the most about making hummus from scratch is the unsheathing of each and every chickpea.  I usually make big batches and freeze portions, so I end up with many many chickpeas (or favas) to peel.  I once spent about 2 hours just peeling chickpeas!  Don't get me wrong.. I'll do it, and I never regret it, but its not quite as indulging as.. say.. kneading dough, or rolling rotis, or filling samosas or dumplings.  It just feels like work you would give to an intern to free up your skilled little fingers for more important tasks.
For those of you who feel the same way as I do, and don't have an interne to keep busy, I've found the miracle solution to the hummus dilemma!
Use split chickpeas!
Yes!
Chana dal is just that: a sheathed, split chickpea.  Split favas are sheathed (and split as the name implies) fava beans.
I call this a "lazy" version of Hummus-Ful Bi Tahini  only because the cooking time is reduced and the peeling time is no longer part of the deal.
yield about 3 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried chana dal, soaked
1/2 cup dried split fava beans, soaked
4 cups water (for cooking)
150g excellent tahini (Al Wadi if you want it to be perfect)
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves
Enough cooking water for the hummus to be of desired consistency
some excellent EVOO for drizzling
black sesame seeds for garnish (I chose black to go with the black salt on my eggplant caviar)
Directions
1.  Place the soaked chana dal and split favas in a pot with the water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the chana are tender.  You may want to regularly scoop the foam off the top.  I'm not sure that does anything, but that is the traditional way and that is how the best hummus is made in its mother land.
2.  Remove the cooked chana and favas into a blender and pulse a few times to break them apart.  Add in the lime juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and tahini and blend, adding some of the cooking water to smooth it out if too dry.
How much water should you add?  Well, at this point it is still hot, so you want it to be a little more "wet" than you expect the finished product to be.  As it cools down, it will thicken, and you don't want your hummus to be dry now do you?
3.  Actually, warm hummus is delicious too.
Serve by making a small well in the middle of your serving dish and drizzling a small pool of olive oil into the center.  Sprinkle some sesame seeds all around and contemplate the beauty.

The hummus is on the left, the eggplant caviar on the right.

So does it taste different than the traditional lengthy hummus making business?

Call me crazy, but I found it to be creamier and more addicting than usual!  

I would have to taste them side by side to really give an honest opinion, but this is one of the best outcomes I've produced so far.  

In terms of time vs quality, this version is the ultimate hummus, even if they call you "lazy" after hearing your secret.

Works well with piment d'espelette olive oil as well.

Roasted Eggplant vs Gazi Feta

Having all of this on my plate was too much for me to handle as a sane "normal" person.

I'm not saying it was too much food, but I couldn't help going back and forth from the salad to the eggplant and saying "you win me over each time" and "how interesting I'm so happy I finally met you" and then trying not to mix the two but then happily mixing them while contemplating the other plates at the table, hoping there would be more eggplant... err I mean Gazi feta.. no I mean eggplant..

aaaahhhh!

This amazing duel make an exquisite duo.
So Gazi feta is Turkish and comes from a refrigerated can..

.. but don't let that fool you!  This feta is tender, not too salty, almost sweet, and extra tangy.  It is the most incredible feta I've ever had, and I can't stop putting it everywhere.  Eggs, asparagus, salad (well, that's standard) and then I sprinkled it all over the grilled chicken and roasted eggplant.

I had a similar thing going on with the eggplant.  First I scraped it out of its skin, then quickly retrieved the skin and cut it up and sprinkled it over the feta.  It was like a tug of war between the two hemispheres of my brain.

Here is the composition of my insanely delicious plate:

half of a Roasted Eggplant with Za'atar

handful home fries tossed with olive oil, fleur de sel, and za'atar

griddled chicken rubbed with olive oil and za'atar

salad of chopped bok choy with sliced tomatoes, scallions, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, some fresh pepper, that addicting Gazi Feta and a drizzle of olive oil

I may have gone a bit over the top putting Za'atar in everything, but it really connected everybody in a way that was so simple yet almost spiritual...

Oven Roasted Eggplant with Za'atar

Eggplant is so sexy I just can't get over it!

The purple skin, the firmness of the raw flesh.

It's so "coquin" the way it becomes a creamy delight when cooked, and the way it pairs so hand in hand with quality olive oil and a minimum of fuss.

Here is somewhat of a recreation of something I ate at an Armenian fast food place in Gap.  It was a very large half eggplant, roasted, and topped with kebab meat and a tahini yogurt sauce accompanied with bulgur wheat.  The whole thing was good, but the texture of that roasted eggplant has been lingering in my mind ever since.

Tonight, I kept it simple, but again, that sexy purple vegetable just shines through and makes the whole world smile..

well, that's my perception of life right now.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise 

1 tsp thyme

sprinkle fleur de sel

a few cracks of black pepper

2 tsp za'atar

4-6 tbsp excellent quality olive oil (mine was homemade by a friend)

Directions

1.  Cut diamond shapes into the eggplant halves without slicing through the skin.

2.  Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, thyme, and za'atar and rub it all into the crevices.

3.  Brush the olive oil onto each half.  It should absorb it, but its good stuff, so don't worry.

4.  Roast for 40-50 minutes at 200°C 400°F.

Optional (and not pictured)

Serve with some tahini garlic yogurt sauce.  The photo was ugly, so I didn't post it, but it was really mind-blowing for something so simple.

I served with some eggs sunny side up and some roasted carrots.

I don't know what my deal is with roasted carrots these days, but I can't get over how delicious they are.. plus, I can't get over that orange color!!

Man'ouché Lebanese Bread with Sumac

I felt unusually inspired today.
While gazing distantly at my Saha cookbook, p 232 and 246.

I felt slightly saddened not to have any pita or Lebanese bread to eat with my hummus and falafels.
The answer was staring at me in the face with eloquent words and delicious descriptions… Man'ouché. A quick inventory of my pantry and yes, I have all the necessary ingredients!
(little did I know I would end up peeling chickpeas for almost 3 hours..)
These work best cooked in a stone oven.  The closest thing you can get to recreating a stone oven is with a pizza stone at the top rack of the oven at the highest temperature.  I suppose this would work on a cast iron skillet, but I have not tried so I cannot attest to the results.
Makes 12
Ingredients
12 oz (355g) flour (I used a mix of white and wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
7 oz (200 mL) warm water
3/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast
1 Tbsp EVOO
well oiled bowl
Topping:
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp sumac
Directions
1.  Stir the sugar into the water and add the yeast.  Let sit for at least 5 minutes.  The mixture should foam.
2.  Meanwhile sift the flour and salt together.
3.  Pour the water mixture into the flour and knead.
4.  As it starts coming together, add 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Knead for at least a good 10 minutes until the ball is nice, firm and elastic.
5.  Place the ball in a well oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at least 2 hours.  I let mine rise for much much longer.
6.  Punch down the dough and separate into 12 equal pieces.  Mine were about 45g each.  Lightly flour the balls and cover with a towel.  Let rest again another 10 minutes (while you preheat the oven).
7.  Roll out each piece to a 15cm diameter circle.  My circles are never perfectly round.. but you get the idea.  Brush with a mixture of olive oil and sumac.  I was supposed to have some zahatar in the mix, but I ran out while making my falafels.
8.  Place on the pizza stone and cook for approximately 2 minutes.  It should puff up a bit, but not harden.

Serve with hummus or baba ganoush or whatever you want, but the combination pictured below was simply divine.

Hummus, cucumbers, halved yellow cherry tomatoes, falafels with tahini yogurt sauce.
This time I made my falafels without adding bread crumbs or flour.  They were just simply the most perfect falafels I've ever imagined.. and they materialized.
Maybe it was the hours of labor peeling each individual chickpea with cramped hand muscles and raisin fingers.
Maybe it was just the love….

Tahini

I always wondered how they got that tahini into a lushious white sauce.. I always thought they added yogurt

It's just tahini stirred with water and a squeeze of lime juice.

Who knew it would turn white?

I recently learned that I detain the 2 best tahini brands you can get outside of Israel/Palestine.

Achva from Israel

Al Wadi from Lebanon

Lucky me!
And the winner is..... Al Wadi by far!! I just did a raw tablespoonful taste test and Al Wadi is like nectar.  Achva is good too, but really not the same.
This is going to make life so much sexier!
Here is the "Real" hummus ingredients according to the Hummus Blog:
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked long long time, then cooked and peeled
1/2 cup (130g) excellent tahini
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt (or more)
2 garlic cloves
Enough cooking water for the hummus to be of desired consistency

Oh and if I had an ice cream maker I would totally make Tahini ice cream!  I just tasted some and it is seriously out of this world!!!!

Falafel

Why do I crave such things?  I've been thinking about doing this for a few days.   Why don't I just do it? Or buy ready made falafel mix?
Because I want GOOD falafel.. and I want it in a pita or on some bulgur so I can eat it with my hands.. and I want it alongside some yogurt tahini sauce with shredded cabbage and cucumbers...and I want it to be my Friday night concert meal do I don't have to buy a flimsy sandwich once I'm there.
Did I mention I'm seeing Johnny Winter, Ben Harper, and Robert Cray?
So during my research, I stumbled upon a blog entirely dedicated to the Hummus by an Israeli blogger.  My recipe is adapted from theirs.
So making falafel from scratch is quite easy... mine turned out crispy on the outside and tender and warm on the inside..hmm reminds me of something.
Yield 25-30 falafel depending on the size of your hands...
Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked at least 12 hours
5 large cloves garlic
1/2 large red onion or 1 small
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp za'atar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
salt + fresh cracked pepper
2 tsp baking soda
oil for deep frying
Directions:
1.  Wash the soaked chickpeas well, then peel the skins off.  Seriously, it takes forever, but your insides will thank you.  Mix in a food processor with the garlic and onion.  Add a bit of water if too dry to blend.
2.  Stir everything else but the baking soda.  Knead a bit and let rest for 30 minutes.  You can heat the oil while you wait.. or make the salad or bulgur or tahini yogurt sauce...whatever.
3.  Taste and add adjust the seasoning.  Knead in the baking soda, and make apricot sized balls with your hands.  I have small hands...so they are small apricots.
3.  Make sure the oil is hot, but not boiling.  Drop the balls in the oil and cook until nice and golden brown.. about 3 minutes.
4.  Remove onto paper towels.

Serve warm or at room temperature with some tahini yogurt sauce in a pita or over bulgur...
I've never had better falafel in my life.  This hit the spot.
Nobody noticed the vegetarianism of this meal...and I still haven't leaked the secret.  I was even asked to make this for company.
I win again!

So as I was in line for my concert, I was equally excited about eating my falafel sandwich as I was about seeing Ben Harper!  My sandwich was the sexiest one there and yes I'm proud of that.

*if you have fragile intestines, it would be best to take the skins off the chickpeas before grinding them.  I had no issues, but some people do.

Baba Ganoush

A perfect balance between the bitter taste of sesame, the creaminess of eggplant pulp, and the smokiness of the charred skin...

makes this mezze something I could eat by the spoonful.

Every bite I take, I close my eyes and let myself be transported to Lebanon, or at least my imagination of Lebanon.

 Ingredients:

3 medium eggplants

3 cloves garlic, skin on

1 clove garlic, naked

125g tahini (1 1/4 cup)

juice from 2 lemons

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

garnish:

1 Tbsp EVOO per serving

some fresh parsley

some black and white sesame seeds

a sprinkle of za'tar

Directions:

1.  Grill the eggplants about 5 minutes on an open flame.  If you don't have a gas stove (I don't) use the oven broiler until the skin blisters and blackens.  It took me about 15 minutes and I flipped them once.

2.  Lower the oven heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 20 minutes with the skin on garlic.  The eggplants should be soft when poked with no resistance whatsoever.   Then let cool as to not burn yourself.

3.  Scrape the flesh out of the eggplant and blend with tahini, lemon juice, salt, and chili powder.  It will taste like heaven warm, but try to hold out until the next day (or at least a few hours) so it has time to sit in the fridge.

Serve by making a pool of EVOO in the center and sprinkling the rest of the garnish around the pool.

Use as a dip for pita, cucumber, and various other veggies or dippable items.  I think I'm going to have it for breakfast tomorrow... or as a spread in a chicken sandwich.  Or just sneak into the fridge and finish it off by itself....

Laban Immor

Have roast lamb leftovers?  Have a sensual Lebanese cookbook just waiting to be tapped into with the correct vigor and motivation?

Well, I do.

The smell of this is even more appetizing than last night's Equinox dinner.  It must be the spices that run through my veins.

Ingredients:

250g lamb

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, grated

1 carrot, cut into chunks

1 handful chopped celery

1/4 cup sherry or Xeres vinegar

1 red chili, sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp allspice (quatre epices)

3-4 cups lamb stock (mine was homemade)

1/2 cup rinsed kamut or rice

1 beaten egg

2 plain yogurts (250g)

Handful frozen peas

Handful chopped cilantro or mint

Salt/fresh cracked pepper

Some EVOO

Directions:

1.  Heat the EVOO in a heavy based pan.  Brown the pieces of lamb.  Remove and reserve.

2.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring about 5 minutes.

3.  Cut the lamb into cubes, then add back into the pot with the vinegar and stock to level.  Boil then lower heat to simmer.

4.  Add the cinnamon, allspice, red chili, and cumin and simmer approx. 10 minutes.

5.  Add the kamut (or rice if you don't have any) and simmer 45 minutes or until your grain is cooked.
6.  While waiting, add the yogurt to the beaten egg and beat some more.  Add the mixture along with the frozen peas to the soup and cook, stirring for 10 minutes.

Serve with chopped cilantro (or mint...I just didn't have any) and a drizzle of olive oil.
Close your eyes, inhale, smile, and exhale.
Welcome to Mediterannean Heaven.

*don't use kamut if you're GF

Naked Hummus

Chickpeas are odd little beings.
The bumpy texture paired with the way they melt in your mouth makes eating them and preparing them a sensual experience.

Pair that with Tahini and this little gingerbread cookie starts to crumble!
Hummus usually is a guest at my happy hour festivities, but this is the first time I make it myself.  The store bought one I buy is very good, however I needed to feel the power within.

I got his recipe from a real Lebanese cookbook.  I stayed true to the recipe (for once) except for the baking soda.  I couldn't find any so I used levure chimique instead, which is similar.  I was very happy with the results and so were my tasters.
makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas

juice from 1 lemon

3/4 cup tahini, well mixed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp baking soda (or levure chimique)

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup reserved cooking water

Garnish:

some Za'tar

EVOO

Directions:
1.  After washing them thoroughly, soak the chickpeas in a large volume of water for at least 15 hours with most of the tbsp of baking soda.  They will double in size.  Drain and wash again very thoroughly.
2.  In a large pot, cook the chickpeas in double their volume of water and the pinch of baking soda that's left.  Once the water starts boiling, reduce heat and let simmer about 1 hour, skimming off the foam from time to time and adding water if needed.  Check to see if they are done by squeezing one between your fingers.  It should show little to no resistance.
3.  Reserve some of the cooking liquid before draining.  Rinse the chickpeas again and let cool.  You need to let cool to avoid burning your fingers, because now you are going to get intimate with each chickpea.  The skins need to come off.  (I wonder why it's so popular in Israel)

 The little fellows should easily slip out of their suits, you just need to take the time to get all those boys ready for the next step.
4.  Place the naked chickpeas in a food processor with the lemon juice, salt, cumin, garlic and tahini.  Blend and add some of the cooking water for texture.  You want it to be smooth and creamy.  Be careful not to make it too thick since it will harden as it cools.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve sprinkled with spices and a touch of EVOO alongside other happy hour fare and dippable items.

 

I have done this with raw beet as a dippable item and was very pleasantly surprised.  It's just that your fingers will be stained red and so will your morning output the next day.

Falafel Craving

Why am I craving Falafel?


I didn't get Falafel, but I used my mango chile jam (sexy smell) as a vinegarette while listening to Elvis: He Touched Me

Craving fulfilled.. for now.

Hummus Happy Hour

Is that hummus with Lebanese spices and olive oil in the center?

O yes it is!

I didn't really invent anything here, but hummus is not as popular in France as it is in the US, so I was very happy to find some that was not too bad.  I was also very happy to try it out on guests at happy hour and watch the positive reactions.

I'm going to make my own soon from scratch using dried chickpeas.
I just need to find the correct Tahini somewhere..