Red Lentil Soup With Teklai

I can’t get through Winter without soup and this red lentil soup is what I often crave when I’m looking for comfort food. It’s flavorful and easy to put together, don’t you love to hear that? This is not your ordinary lentil soup. Besides having enticing elements like curry and coconut milk, this soup is perfumed with teklai. Teklai is basically garlic cooked in olive oil and coriander (I also like to add cumin) and finish off with lemon juice. This sauce is often used in the Middle East to garnish soups and stews and it’s particularly  famous in a soup called “Moloukhiya” (a childhood favorite).

Thanksgiving with NYshuk

Today I have a really exciting post for you, I'm pleased to introduce two super talented chefs and also very dear friends, Ron and Leetal Arazi. They moved from Israel to New York and in less than a year they created a company called NYSHUK, which has caught the attention of several media channels including The New York Times (front page of their dinning section), Serious Eats and most recently, Wall Street Journal, to name a few. But what is NYSHUK all about you ask? They are rocking middle eastern and north african cooking their way. 

Ron with his Moroccan influences, has mastered the art of couscous making, which I have drawn a lot of inspiration from, you might remember THIS post. Leetal, a pastry chef, puts her own spin on classic desserts inspired by her own family heritage. She is also a talented food photographer and stylist. 

Photo by Leetal Arazi

Both have started a line of products "NYSHUK Pantry" which are an essential part of middle eastern cooking. Ron and Leetal have put together several Thanksgiving inspired side dishes using their product which includes: Harissa, sun dried chili pepper spread. L'ekama, a spiced blend in chili and garlic oil. Last but not least, Tanzeya, slow cooked dried fruit and spices medley. 

This past Sunday, we did a collaboration photo shoot with Leetal and after that, we had a "pre-thanksgiving" celebration. All the dishes were so good, I'm making them again on Thanksgiving. 

Photo by Leetal Arazi

The passion they put into everything they create is truly inspiring, and they would love for people to be able to cook at home using the essence of middle eastern and north african flavors, in one spoon from their jars.

Ingredients:

All recipes courtesy of  NYSHUK

Slow cooked wheat berry & harissa

1 1/2 cups wheat berry

3 1/ 2 cups boiling water

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp harissa

2 tbsp olive oil 

Preheat the oven to 300˚F. In a bowl, mix the boiling water, oil, salt and harissa. Inside an oven bag, place the wheat berry and pour in the water mixture then tie the bag. Fill an ovenproof pot with boiling water (1/3 of a pot). Place the bag inside the pot, cover with a lid and bring to a boil on a stovetop. Once the water has boiled place the pot in the oven for 4 hours. Remove the wheat berry from the bag and serve.

Lemon yogurt & sautéed cauliflower:

1 head of cauliflower

½ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. canola oil

1 ½ tbsp. L’ekama

For the yogurt sauce:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

4 tbsp. water

Place the yogurt, water, salt, lemon juice and zest in a bowl and whisk until combined. Cut the cauliflower into small flowerets. Make sure to dice the stem as well. Heat a large non-stick frying pan to high heat. Add the cauliflower (make sure not to over-crowd the pan, if you can't fit everything at once, sauté them in 2 batches) add the salt. Stir. After 2 minutes of cooking add the oil. Stir. Keep cooking for 4- 5 minutes. Add 1 ½ tbsp of the L’ekama (make sure to shake the jar well) mix well and cook for 2 more minutes or until the cauliflower is tender yet has a nice ‘bite’ to it. On a serving plate, place the yogurt, top with the cauliflower and garnish with chopped parsley.

Roasted Butternut squash with caramelized onion and Tanzeya

1 medium butternut squash

3 yellow onions

4oz NYSHUK Tanzeya

½ cup roasted sliced almonds

Canola oil

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Peel and cut the squash in half (lengthwise) remove the seeds and cut to ½-inch thick slice. Lay the squash on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt. Roast for 30- 40 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a knife into the squash and there is no resistance. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Heat a pan to medium heat and add the onions. Start with a dry pan, and then add 1/3 cup of water and 1 tsp. salt, cover and simmer until the onion are tender. Once the onions are tender, remove the lid and maximize the heat, add 2-3 tbsp. oil. Keep cooking for a few more minutes until the water evaporates and the onions start getting a nice caramelized color. Using your hands break up the roasted butternut squash to large chunks and place on a serving dish with the caramelized onions and tanzeya. Carefully mix everything and top with the almonds before serving.

Popletas  (Harissa flavored potato dumpling filled with meat)

3 large Idaho potatoes peeled and cut to 6

2 tbsp Harissa

250g lean ground beef

4 tbsp. flour

4-5 eggs

salt

canola oil 

Cook the meat until it's brown and thoroughly cooked. Add 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp harissa. Lower the heat and keep stirring for another 5 minutes, set aside to cool. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, add 1 tbsp salt and cook on medium heat until the potatoes are tender and can easily fall apart when you poked them with a fork. Drain the water and in the same pot, on low heat start to dry the cooked potatoes, mixing gently every other minute, making sure it does not scorch or brown, it should take around 4 to 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher. Taste for salt and if necessary add a little more. Add 1 ½ tbsp of harissa and mix gently. Do not let the mash cool down. In a small mixing bowl crack 1 egg and mix it using a fork. Add 1 tbsp. of potato mash and mix well. Repeat that 3 times to make the egg slowly heat and not to turn into a scrambled egg at once. Add it to the rest of the potatoes and mix until the mixture is uniformly bright red.

To form the patties, oil your hands and take about 2½ tbsp of  harissa mashed potato and spread it in the palm of your hand to about 3-inch round and about ½ inch thick. Place in the center 1 tsp of the filling, form the mashed potato into a ball, making sure the filling is well covered. Gently press the ball into a patty, set aside.

Heat up a frying pan with canola oil, 1½ inch deep on high heat but do not let the oil smoke. Roll the popletas in flour and shake the excess off of it. Roll all the popletas before moving to the next step. Break 2 eggs in a shallow bowl and mix well. Deep 1 popleta in the egg and put it straight in the hot oil. Repeat that 3 times. Once they have browned, and it should be very quickly, turn them around to brown from the other side. Drain them on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm. 

Hummus with Chickpea Stew

If you asked me, what is that one thing I could never live without, I would answer, hummus. You will alway find hummus in my fridge. With it, I can put together a nice healthy meal in no time. It's not just a dip, you can top it with many things, fava beans, chickpeas stew, falafel, meats, you can really dress it up. By the way, "hummus" is the Arabic word for chickpea, with that said, there is no hummus without chickpeas ;)

Falafel and Pickled Onions from Balaboosta Cookbook

Balaboosta, "Bold mediterranean recipes to feed the people you love". For those of you who don't know Einat Admony, she is the chef and owner of  "Taim Falafel & Smoothie Bar (she has two locations) and the restaurant Balaboosta." All three located downtown Manhattan. 

When I found out Einat Admony had written a cookbook, I became interested right away. Not only do I love her restaurants but also, being Middle Eastern myself, some recipes hit close to home. Her book is filled with easy-to-follow recipes, hearty dishes that brings people together. Also, plenty of kids friendly recipes, grilling, quick meals, comfort food and much more. 

I picked two recipes I know and love to share with you, pickled red onions and falafel (with a twist). Both recipes were really good, the falafel mixture had Kalamata olives and no parsley or cilantro as accustomed, although she does offer it as an alternative. It was a very interesting twist to a classic falafel. The pickled onions were spot on, the only discrepancy was in the quantities, the recipe calls for 8 medium onions and I had enough with 4 for 1 quart. This did not affect the taste. Overall, a really good cookbook to have on hand if you want to experiment with Middle Eastern cuisine. 

You can buy Balaboosta HERE

Ingredients:

For the falafel

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight

Canola oil for deep frying

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Drain the chickpeas into colander. Heat a medium pot filled with enough oil for deep frying. Combine 

the onion and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground. Crush the coriander seeds with the back of a metal spoon. Add them and the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse just until the chickpeas are broken into smaller chunks.

Add the olive oil, salt, cumin and pepper. Process until the mixture in finely chopped but not pureed, scraping down the sides of the container as needed. You're looking for the mixture to resemble coarse meal and not hummus! If the mixture is a little too wet, simply drain off any excess liquid after you pulse it in the food processor. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and set aside.

When the oil in the pot reaches 375˚F, cook 3 or 4 falafel balls at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Make sure to work in small batches to keep your oil nice and hot, which keeps your falafel tender and crispy.

For the pickled onions:

Makes about 1 quart

8 medium red onions, thinly sliced

(I used 4 and it was enough for 1 quart)

1 small red beet, sliced into paper-thin rounds

1 bay leaf

1 small star anise 

1 small cinnamon stick

2 cups white vinegar

1 cup sugar

Place the onions, beet, bay leaf, star anise, and cinnamon stick in a 1-quart glass jar. Whisk together the vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and pour it over the red onions. Allow to ferment for at least 1 week in the refrigerator. 

For the rest of the recipes on the first photo:

Pita

Matbucha

Hummus

Tabouli salad

Tahini sauce

Brioche Buns, Lamb Burgers and Sweets Potato Oven Fries with Harissa Yogurt

I don't eat Burger very often but when I do, I make sure it's a good one from the meat to the bun. And you tell me, what a better bun that a brioche bun? Rich, soft and buttery, a real treat. These buns also go amazingly with fish, particularly salmon. If you have left overs rolls, just eat them for breakfast the next day, they are brioche after all. 

This lamb burger is very lightly seasoned, salt and pepper to be precise. When you are working with good quality meat, not much seasoning is required to make it taste good. When I do lamb burgers, my sauce of choice is always tahini with yogurt. To me, a match made in haven. 

The best complement to this burger are sweet potato oven fries with harissa yogurt. They came out perfectly crispy and absolutely great amazing. So, if you were looking for something to grill this weekend, consider this burger, it won't disappoint! 

p.s: Complement this whole meal with THIS refreshing iced tea and while you at it, watch my first video if you haven't :) 

Ingredients:

For the buns

(makes 12 buns)

441 grams bread flour

97 grams warm water

44 grams warm milk

3 eggs, cold

9 grams instant dry yeast

50 grams sugar

9 grams salt

141 grams cold butter, cut into

tbsp sizes pieces 

Egg wash

Sesame seeds

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a bowl of a mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix together the bread flour, eggs, water and yeast for 5 minutes on low speed. Add the salt and, little by little, the sugar. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 5 minutes or until the dough comes together. Turn the speed to low and start adding the butter, one piece at a time. Mix for another 5 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the bowl and is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic film. Let the dough ferment undisturbed for 45 minutes. In a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough in 12 pieces (about 75 grams a piece). Shape the pieces into rounds, place them on the prepared baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Cover and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour or until double in size. Preheat the oven to 375 ˚F. When the brioche is ready, bush it again with egg wash and sprinkle them with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let the brioche cool on a wire rack. 

Find Tahini sauce HERE

For the sweet potato fries

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into fries

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1 tsp paprika

Preheat the oven to 450 ˚F. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or aluminum foil and set aside. In a bowl, Toss the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper, make sure they are well coated. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes  or until cooked and crispy (cooking time depends on how thick you cut the potatoes). Sprinkle the paprika and serve right away.

For the harissa yogurt. 

I make my own harissa, I'll post the recipe soon but you can use any harissa you like. 

½ cup Greek yogurt

4 tbsp harissa

Mix well until smooth.

For the burger 

(Makes 5)

2 pounds ground lamb 

salt and pepper

Form lamb patties and season both sides with salt and pepper, grill them to your desired doneness. When they are done, let them rest for 5 minutes. Place the lamb burger on the bun, top with the tahini sauce, a thick slice of tomato, onions and greens. You can also crumble some feta directly on top of the meat first to warm it up a little then put the rest of the thing. Enjoy with fries.

Grilled Chicken Kebabs, Herbed Jasmine Rice, Salad, Lemony Chickpeas and Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Grilling season how I love you. Outdoor grilling makes me really happy, you can grill anything you want without saturating your house with smoke. Kebabs are my favorite thing to grill, I put anything on a skewer for a quick lunch or dinner. The key to a successful chicken skewer is to cut same size pieces (or at least try). That will ensure everything cooks evenly.  

When I make kebabs, I also make yogurt-tahini sauce. This is a wonderful sauce that goes excellent with anything grilled. It's just fantastic. Herbed jasmine rice is also a great complement to this meal. I like to put onions and red peppers in between the chicken, you can try other veggies like zucchini or grape tomatoes, just don't over crowd the skewer. If you are having a party, you can make the sauce, salad and marinate the chicken the day before and it will actually taste better. With this platter, you will impress your guest effortlessly. 

Ingredients:

makes 8 to 10 skewers 

For the chicken

2 ½ pounds skinless-boneless 

chicken breast, cut in 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp dijon mustard

the juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1 red bell pepper, cut into pieces

1 large red onion, cut into wedges 

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the chicken, red bell pepper and onion) whisk until smooth. Add the chicken and mix well making sure every piece is coated with the marinade. Thread the chicken, red bell pepper and onions onto the skewers. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them 15 minutes in water first (I used metal skewers). Let the chicken marinade at least for 30 minutes or over night. Grill the for about 4 minutes on each side. 

For the rice:

1 ½ cup jasmine rice

3 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

boiling water

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Soak the rise in cold water for 15 minutes then strain well. Heat the olive oil and sauté the rise for 2 minutes, or until well coated and slightly translucent. Stir in the salt. Add enough boiling water to come about ½ inch above the rise, Let it boil vigorously for 2 minutes then cover it and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for 20 minutes or until rice is cook through. Take it of the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the herbs.

For the Chickpeas

2 cups cooked chickpeas

the juice and zest of a lemon

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

½ tsp cumin powder

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl making sure all the chickpeas are well coated.

For the salad

2  tomatoes, diced  

1 Persian cucumber, seeded and diced 

1 medium onion, finely chopped 

1 cup parsley, chopped

the juice of a lemon

1/4 olive oil

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper

In a bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well. 

Homemade Pita

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great time during the holidays, now it's time to recuperate from all the eating and set some goals. I'm grateful for all the good things 2012 brought me but i'm so ready for 2013. I am eager to start new projects and try different thing, overall, just get out of my "comfort zone" and experiment other possibilities. I guess that's my New Year's resolution. 

I like to start this year with a long-overdue pita recipe. This bread is so essential in my house, I don't know what took me so long to share it with you. It really is simple to make and I think it's a perfect beginners bread. 

I like to cook them over the stove top instead of baking it. I try baking them but I really like the way they come out over the stove top. They puff up so beautifully creating the classic "pockets" to stuff them with anything you like. Besides, they cook much faster  there for you eat sooner and who doesn't like that? 

Ingredients:

(makes 10 pitas)

440 grams bread flour

264 grams warm water (80 F.)

9 grams salt

8 grams instant dry yeast 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously flour it, set aside. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until the dough comes together. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for 8 minutes or until the dough turns smooth and cleans out the bowl. It should not be sticky. Turn the dough into a working surface and knead the dough with your hands for a minute more. Divide the dough into 75 grams pieces and roll into balls. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough relax for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough into a 1/4-inch thick circle and place it on to the prepared trays. Cover with plastic film and let it proof for 40 minutes. When ready, heat up a pan (I used a crepe pan but a cast iron pan will work great too) and lightly oil it with olive oil. Cook the pita for a couple of minutes on each side. Wrap the warm bread in a large kitchen towel to keep the bread soft until ready to eat.

Note: Be really careful when handling the already proofed dough as it can affect the "puffing" process if the dough is pulled. 

Shakshuka with Feta Cheese and Free Holiday Greeting Cards

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. We had a blast. Our house was filled with family and friends. This year, I decided to eliminate the turkey altogether. I know what you are thinking but relax, I broke "the rule" just for this year. The turkey was replaced by an Italian-style dinner: The creamiest polenta ever, meat sauce packed with flavor, salads, antipastos, a signature drink and different types of desserts. Why Italian? I don't know, it could have been French or Greek but we went for the simplicity of the Italian cuisine. 

This week's recipe is packed with flavor too. If you have been following this blog for a while, you probably know about my love for this dish. Shakshuka. (read more about it HERE) I call this dish "a perfect egg recipe" because it's substantial, super flavorful and healthy. Give this a try if you are looking for something different for brunch or even for dinner. I could eat this anytime of the day. 

And to celebrate that we officially started this holiday season, I designed this greeting card that you can download for free!!

Just click HERE to download!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1/4 cup of onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 15oz cans whole peeled tomatoes

6 eggs

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

feta cheese

chopped parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.

In a 12-inch cast iron pan, heat the olive oil, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the tomatoes with their liquid, salt and pepper to taste, water, cumin and paprika. Cover, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Break down the tomatoes with the help of a potato masher and cook the sauce for another 10 minutes. Crack the eggs directly over the tomato sauce, make sure to space them out evenly over the sauce. Crumble the feta cheese on top and place it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the egg whites are set but the yolk is still runny. Finish it off with chopped parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and black pepper. 

Note: If you want individual servings, just divide the sauce into ovenproof serving plate. Serve with bread warm.

My Kind of Breakfast

I think I've mentioned before I'm not a big breakfast person. A simple cup of coffee or tea would do it for me even though I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. 

This Middle Eastern breakfast however, changes my mind in heart beat. This nourishing meal has all the components to get your day started with a happy belly. In a typical breakfast like this you will often find hummus, labneh, a light salad, olives, dates and the list goes on. All served in a big platter or several small plates best enjoyed with the whole family. Oh yes, lets not forget the aroma of freshly baked flat bread  that perfumes the whole house and makes your morning that much better. 

    

For a complete Middle Eastern experience, sage tea or cardamon flavored coffee is a must have.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the platter:

Labneh

Hummus

Salad

Sunny side-up eggs

Dates

Pickled Cucumbers

or olives

Sumac and za'atar (for sprinkle) 

For the Naan Bread

Recipe makes 10 pieces

3/4 cup warm water

1/4 oz dry yeast (1 envelope) 

1/2 tsp sugar

2 1/4 cup flour plus more as needed

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil plus more 

1/4 cup milk 

1 egg

3 tbsp clarified butter

Put the warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the yeast and sugar, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until mixture becomes foamy. In the meantime, sift together the flour and salt. In a separated bowl, lightly whisk together the milk, olive oil and the egg. When the yeast is ready, add the milk mixture. With the mixer in low speed, slowly add the flour and salt. Mix for 5 minutes. Flour a working surface and knead the dough with your hands adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking, knead for 5 minutes more. Oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat, cover and let it rest for one and half hour or until the dough has double in size. Divide the dough in 60g pieces, roll into balls. Let them rest for 20 minutes. In the meantime, heat a cast iron skillet and lightly oil it. Flour a working surface and roll the dough with a rolling pin. Cook the bread in the skillet (about a minute on each side). Immediately, brush each bread (both sides) with butter and wrap them with a kitchen towel to keep it warm ad soft.