Lamb Chops with White Wine & Pomegranate Sauce

Though not a traditional Arab or Middle Eastern dish because of the unorthodox use of wine, I decided to rework this original recipe (called for veal) and substitute with what I had on hand. Thankfully, the results turned out okay.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1/2 lbs. lamb shoulder blade chops
salt & pepper
All-purpose flour , for dredging
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. tamari sauce
1/2 c white wine
2 Tbsp. pomegranate syrup
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Sprinkle lamb chops with salt & pepper and dredge both
     sides with flour.
2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the lamb chops and cook
     them on both sides for a total of 10-15 minutes. Transfer the lamb chops to an oven-proof
     plate and keep warm in the oven.
3. Add the chopped garlic, tamari sauce, white wine, pomegranate syrup and rosemary leaves
     to the skillet. Stir for 10 minutes and adjust seasonings , if needed.
4. Return lamb chops to skillet for 5 minutes, just to take the flavor of the sauce and transfer to
    them to a serving dish.
5. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, if using. Serve immediately with rice.

Lamb Kebabs (Kofta)

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
a handful of fresh cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
salt & pepper
canola oil, for frying
flat bread and fresh vegetables , to serve


1. Put the minced lamb, bread crumbs,cilantro, garlic, onion, lemon juice and remaining spices in a bowl and mix till evenly combined. Add more bread crumbs or a little water if mixture does not bind well.

2. Heat a frying pan and add the canola oil.Meanwhile, shape the lamb mixture into 4 large or 8 small patties.

3. Add the lamb patties to the frying pan and cook until evenly browned on both sides.

4.Remove from pan and serve immediately with flat bread and vegetables.

Pickled Garlic (Torshi Toum)

Pickling vegetables is an easy and affordable way of preserving excess produce and enjoying it year round. Pickled dishes usually make up part of the mezze meal or can be enjoyed as an accompaniment to a corresponding dish as is popular in Iraq.All manner of vegetables and fruits can be pickled.I decided start simple by pickling garlic.These can be added to meats or stews as a flavor enhancer.

Ingredients:

1 clean(12 oz) glass jar
7 heads of garlic,peeled, separated into cloves
1 1/4 c apple cider vinegar


1. Fill the glass jar with the peeled garlic cloves.Make sure to pack them tightly in the jar.

2. Pour the apple cider in the jar until it completely covers the rim of the jar.Put the lid on the jar and
     close tightly.

3. Store jar in warm spot,preferably in a sunny place like the kitchen window sill and let it sit for 3-4
     weeks.

Bulger Salad with Mushrooms (Burghul bi Futr)

Mushrooms aren't a very common ingredient in Middle Easter cuisine.A better substitute for this recipe would have been to use kamaa, saudi truffles but since they're not widely available,mushrooms will have to do.Baharat rounds out the flavor of this simple grain dish.

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. olive oil plus more
1 small white onion, peeled, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Baharat
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
2c water
1c bulgur


1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until lightly translucent(about 5 minutes).Add the salt and baharat and continue sauteing for an additional minute.

2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue sauteing until they begin to brown.Add more olive oil if the vegetables begin to dry out. Remove from the heat when mushrooms are completely browned.

3. Meanwhile, fill a saucepan with 2 cups of water and add the bulger.Bring to a boil.Cover.Then bring heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes or all the water is absorbed.

 4.Remove bulger from heat and add the mushroom/onion mixture.Mix together until evenly combined.

 5.Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Bulgur with Tomatoes (Burghul bi Tomatim)

Yield:4

Ingredients:

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

4 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 c bulgur

1/2 lbs. tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tsp. tomato paste (opt.)

1 tsp. sugar

salt & pepper

1/2 tsp. baharat

1 c water

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.Add the onion and keep stirring till they turn opaque.

2. Add the remaining ingredients slowly one by one and keep stirring till they are evenly

combined throughout the bulgur.

3. Cook until all the water has evaporated.Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Stovetop Chicken Kebab

Don't have a grill? Looking for an easy, quick way to prepare chicken kebab.This recipe can be
put together and be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts , cut into chunks
4-5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. turmeric powder
salt & pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chicken breast chunks and cook, stirring every few minutes.After 5 minutes , add the
remaining ingredients.
3. Continue cooking chicken for an additional 15-20 minutes until chicken begins to brown.
4.Remove from heat and serve immediately with basmati rice.

Middle Eastern Cucumber & Mint Salad (Salata Khiar bi Na'na)

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:
2 large cucumbers, cut into small cubes
1 handful fresh mint leaves, thinly chopped

For the dressing:
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. orange-blossom water
dash of salt & pepper

1. To make the salad, place both the cucumber and the mint in a serving bowl..Toss till evenly
combined.
2. To make the dressing, place all dressing ingredients a blender and blend for 1 minute.
3. Add the salad dressing to the salad just before serving .Toss and serve.

Arab Salad (Salata Arabi)

Yield: 6 Ingredients

Ingredients:
1/2 head romaine lettuce, shredded into bite-size pieces
1/2 red onion, peeled, finely diced
1 large cucumber, cubed into bite-size pieces
1 large tomato, cubed into bite-size pieces
6 radishes, thinly sliced, then cubed
5 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped


For the Dressing:
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt & pepper to taste
1 large garlic clove, peeled, crushed


1. In a large serving bowl, combine all the salad ingredients together and toss evenly to combine.


2. In a small bowl pour the extra-virgin olive oil and slowly add the remaining ingredients one by

by one, slowly mixing after each one.


3. Pour the salad dressing over the salad greens when ready to serve and mix well before serving.

quince preserve (murabba safarjal)

Photo courtesy of Najmieh's Kitchen


Native to the Caucasus, the quince is much beloved for providing tartness and a delicate fragrance to dishes.It is commonly used in dishes from Iran, Turkey, Armenia and the Levant.Quince resembles a large pear and its taste is a cross between an apple and a pear.It cannot be consumed raw.It must first be cooked to remove its astringent taste.Once it has been prepared, it emits a floral fragrance and a delicate sweet and sour taste which lends a lovely flavor to a wide range of dishes from stews, braises, stuffings to syrups, desserts and preserves.Quince preserves being one of the first preserves to be enjoyed in the Arab world.

Yield:48 oz.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. quinces
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 1/2c sugar

Equipment:
2-(24oz) clean glass jars


1. Cut the quinces in half and remove the seeds and black stem and discard.
2. Put quinces in a pot and cover them with water and add the lemon juice.
3.Bring quinces to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes until they are tender.Remove them from
the pot with a slotted spoon and set them aside to cool.
4.Meanwhile, bring water in pot to a boil and add the sugar and stir till evenly dissolved.Bring
down the heat and continue simmering till the water becomes syrupy.
5.Cut the cooled quinces into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot and stir.Cook for an additional
30 minutes.
6.Remove pot from heat and allow to cool completely.Pour preserves into 2 (24oz.) clean glass
jars and refrigerate.

Zaatar Pita Bites

This recipe is so easy and quick to put together that it takes just under 20 minutes to put together and be ready.Perfect for when unexpected guests arrive.

Yield:24 zaatar bites

Ingredients:
6 pita breads, cut into fourths
7 Tbsp. zaatar spice
6 Tbsp. olive oil


1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place spice and olive oil in separate bowls.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3. Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of the pita pieces and dip one side of it onto the zaatar spice bowl. Set aside on the aluminum foil and repeat with the remaining pieces.

4. Place in the broiler for 3 minutes and remove.Serve immediately.

Iraqi Cucumber and Garlic Salad (Salata Kyhiar wa Toum)

I came across this salad in an Iraqi-Jewish cookbook and was intrigued by it because I've never seen a salad which included raw garlic cloves as an ingredient.I was skeptical at first because of the amount of garlic used but after marinating it for the allotted time, which mellows the garlicky taste and tweaking some of the ingredients, the salad has a very cooling and refreshing taste and similar to the other salads of the Middle East.

Yield:

8 Servings

Ingredients:

8 large cucumbers, peeled and diced

10 small to medium sized garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 c fresh cilantro, thinly chopped

1/2 c fresh mint, thinly chopped

juice of 3 large lemons

3 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dill

3/4 tsp. sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl, mix together till evenly combined, and chill for about 1 hour.

Mamounia (Semolina Pudding)

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
3 c water
1/2 c superfine sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/2 c semolina
1 Tbsp. rose water
1 Tbsp. orange blossom water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds, to garnish

1. To make the sugar syrup, place the water and sugar in a saucepan , stirring continuously till the sugar dissolves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.Remove from heat and set aside.
2.In a separate pan, melt the butter, then add the semolina, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until all the butter is absorbed. Slowly stir in the sugar syrup and continue stirring until the mixture has thickened.
3.Remove mamounia from heat and add the rose and orange blossom water. Stir to evenly combine.
4. Pour mamounia into 4 serving dishes and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and slivered almonds.

Orange-Blossom Scented Chicken(Dajaj Mai Qedda)

Orange-blossom water (mai qedda) is a popular flavoring derived from the blossoms of the sour orange tree. It is used in middle-eastern and arabic cooking. to give a delicate perfume flavoring mostly to pastries, syrups, and puddings.This recipe combines essence of orange-blossom with chicken to create a fragrant and flavorful dish perfect for a quick mid-week meal.

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
For the Marinade:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. ground cardamom
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1/2 an orange
1 oz. orange juice
2 Tbsp. orange-blossom water

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.Oil a baking dish with the olive oil, set aside.
2. To make the marinade, in a small bowl, combine together the cardamom, minced garlic cloves, salt, freshly ground pepper, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice and the orange-blossom water.Stir together till evenly combined and a paste is formed.
3.Put the marinade in a resealable plastic bag and add the chicken breasts one by one and shake making sure the marinade completely covers each breast.
4. Put each chicken breast in the oiled baking dish and bake for 45-50 minutes.Serve with basmati rice.

Simple Middle Eastern Hummus Salad (Salata Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat)

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3/4 c fresh cilantro, thinly chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

2 c canned low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzos)

1/2 medium red onion, thinly chopped

1. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, red wine vinegar,cilantro, salt and pepper until evenly combined.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together the chickpeas and onions.Add the dressing and toss gently till evenly coated.

3.Place chickpea salad in refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.Serve chilled.

Khoresht-e Badenjan (Persian Eggplant Stew)

Picture courtesy of TurmericSaffron

A quintisential Persian dish, Khoresht-e Badenjan is one of the most well-known and loved of the Persian stews.Slight variations of this recipe can be found throughout the Middle East like some calling for the addition of grapes, golden raisins, or loomi (dried limes) for adding a sour note.Just keep in mind that preparing this dish takes some time and requires about 1 hour cooking time, but it is well worth it.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

3-4 Tbsp. olive oil plus more if necessary

2 1/2 lbs. small eggplants, cut into strips

1 onion, halved and sliced

8 oz. lamb, trimmed of visible fat, cut into small cubes

1 tsp. ground turmeric

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c small, unripe grapes or golden raisins (optional)

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the eggplants until they are soft.Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.

2. Add the onion and fry until translucent.Add the lamb cubes and cook till browned. Add the turmeric, tomato paste,chopped tomatoes, grapes or golden raisins (if using)and lemon juice and enough water to cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add the eggplants to the simmering stew with a little more water, season with salt and pepper, cover, and continue simmering further for another 20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Buza al-Halib (Sahlab Ice Cream)

When one thinks of Middle Eastern desserts, ice cream is not the first thing that comes to mind. Buza al-halib (Sahlab ice cream) aka buza bi mistiki (mastic ice cream) is just one of many iced desserts available throughout this region.Buza al-halib is a snowy white ice cream that is thickened with sahlab,powdered orchid root and flavored with mastic, not to be confused with gum arabic,a resin taken from the lentisk tree which is native to the Mediterranean.


Mastic gives this ice cream a consistency that is smooth, elastic, while at the same time chewy.Mastic is usually available from middle eastern grocers or you can try My Amazon Store.It looks like small, hard translucent crystal-like lumps that must be ground to a fine powder before using.Here's a recipe for authentic arab ice cream,buza al-halib, if you cannot find mastic , don't worry about it,the ice cream tastes just as good without it.



Yield:6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. sahlab
5 c whole milk
1 c sugar
small piece of mastic, size of half a fingernail, pounded till powdered (optional)
1 tbsp. rose water
chopped pistachios,for garnish (optional)



1. In a small bowl, mix the sahlab with a little milk to create a loose paste.Put the remainder of the milk with the sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly till the sugar dissolves.

2. Reduce the heat. Add the sahlab/milk mixture to thee warmed milk, stirring vigorously.Add the mastic and continue stirring vigorously until it has dissolved.

3. Simmer milk for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the rose water. Remove saucepan from heat.

4. Pour milk mixture into a ceramic bowl and allow it to cool before freezing. Freeze for 4 1/2 -5hours,stirring every 30 minutes to break up the ice crystals.*

5.When ready to serve, spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, if desired.

*Pour ice cream mixture into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturers instructions.

Ka'k or Kahk (Middle Eastern Spice Bracelets)

Who would have thought that Middle Eastern bakers would find a culinary gem right in the pit of a cherry, that when dried in the sun and ground to a powder produces a spice,mahlab which gives breads an almond-like flavor.Mahlab comes from a tree called St.Lucy's cherry(Prunus Mahaleb).It is a large shrub-like tree that grows primarily in the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean and is used exclusively for mahlab production.To make mahlab, the pits of this cherry are dried in the sun till golden-brown then pounded to a powder form.Mahlab is used to give a sweet almond flavor to candies, cookies, pastries, and breads throughout the Middle East.

The following recipe is mentioned in the medieval cooking manual,Kittab al-Wulsa Illa' L-Habib and is still being used today.Ka'k or Kahk are bracelet-shaped breads that are flavored with coriander and sprinkled with mahlab.They can eaten for breakfast or as a snack.They are perfect the next day heated a little and dipped in olive oil.

Yield:14-17 (varies depending on the size & thickness)
Ingredients:
4 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 c butter(melted) or ghee
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 c white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. mahlab

1. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.Add the coriander, cumin, and salt and mix with the flour.
2. In a small dish, combine the yeast and the sugar and add a little lukewarm water, enough to cover.Allow it to bubble ( maybe 3-5 minutes).
3. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast and butter or ghee, if using.Using your hands work the mixture into a dough.Add a little more lukewarm water if dough is a little dry to help it bind.Knead dough for 10-15 minutes.
4. Take a walnut size piece of dough and roll into a thin "cigar"shape about 4 inches long, then bring the ends together and press them firmly to make a bracelet and set aside.Repeat with the remaining dough.If they are not even don't worry about it, different sizes make them more interesting.
5. Lightly oil a baking sheet.Place the spice bracelets on it and lightly brush them with the beaten egg.Sprinkle spice bracelets with the sesame seeds.Leave in a warm place for 2 hours to rise.
6.Preheat oven to 350F. Sprinkle spice bracelets with mahlab and place in the oven for 4o minutes.
7.After removing the spice bracelets from the heat, leave them to cool and become slightly hard or you can eat them right away after slightly cooled.

Halva Kharrub (Carob Halvah)

Most of the halvah available in Middle Eastern markets is either hard, brittle, frozen and lacking any taste.Traditional middle eastern halvah should be light and soft.The following recipe uses carob, a pod that is used primarily in Middle Eastern cooking.This carob halvah can be put together in a few minutes and can be ready to eat immediately and is the perfect dessert for when company shows up unexpectedly.


Yield:6 small servings
Ingredients:
1 c raw sesame seeds
1 tbsp. raw carob powder
dash of ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1/4 c raw honey
2 tbsp. raw tahini
1 tsp. vanilla extract


1. Put sesame seeds in a food processor and process for 60-90 seconds.Put sesame seeds in a large bowl.

2. Add the carob powder, cinnamon, and the salt to the sesame seeds and blend together.

3. Add the honey, tahini, and vanilla extract to the sesame seeds mix and blend together to form a stiff dough and shape.

4. Store halvah in the fridge prior to serving.Will keep in a sealed container for 3 weeks.Bring to room temperature before serving.

Tajin Samak (Baked Fish with Bay Leaves)

Pic courtesy of Habeeb.com

The following recipe is popular throughout the Middle East.It is preferable to use whole fish but fillets work as well.

Yield:2-4 Servings

Ingredients:

1(3-4lbs.) whole fish such as red snapper,cod, or trout,gutted, rinsed

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 garlic cloves,mashed

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

4-5 bay leaves, crushed

salt & pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Make about four incisions on the top of the fish an rub the olive oil and mashed garlic allover and inside the fish.

3.Put half the bay leaves and cumin seeds inside the fish and the other half on top.Bake fish for 45-50 minutes.Serve with lemon wedges.

Bouza al Karaz (Cherry & Goat's Milk Ice Cream)

Goat's milk is so under appreciated.Try searching for recipes online and in cookbooks and they are hard to come by, which is a shame since it has a slightly sweet, full creamy taste not "goaty" like commonly believed.Plus, goat's milk is the perfect alternative for those individuals that are lactose intolerant.Here's a recipe for ice cream I developed using goat's milk.You can usually find it in Middle Eastern or Armenian grocers if not you can try My Amazon Store

Yield:2 qts.
Ingredients:
1/2 c honey
3 eggs
6 c goats' milk
1/2 tsp. rose water essence
2 c cherries, pit removed, pureed in blender or food processor

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the honey, eggs and 2 cups of the goat milk and beat with an electric mixer until well-blended and smooth.
2. Pour honey-egg mixture in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (5-8 minutes).Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
3.When completely cool, pour mixture into a ceramic bowl,add remaining ingredients, stir, and chill thoroughly in a freezer.*Every hour mix to break apart ice crystals.Ice cream will be ready in 4 1/2-5 hours.

*Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.