Moroccan Grilled Salmon ( Samak al Maghreb)

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 c plain Greek-style plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
dash of salt & pepper
4 (6oz.) skinless salmon fillets

1. In a food processor, place the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, coriander, cumin and
salt and pepper and process until evenly combined.Pour the yogurt marinade into a
resealable plastic bag and place the salmon in the bag.Coat the salmon with the marinade
and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat grill.Lightly coat with some olive oil and place the salmon fillets on it.
Grill the fillets for about 5-6 minutes per side or until they begin to flake.

3. Remove salmon fillets from the grill and serve immediately.

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.

Libyan Spicy Fish (Haraimi)

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
6 cloves, peeled, crushed
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
salt, to taste
juice of 1 lemon
2 lbs. fillet of red snapper, grouper or cod
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato puree
2 tomatoes , roughly chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. caraway seeds

1. Mix together the crushed garlic, cumin, salt and lemon in a small mixing bowl.Pour into a
resealable plastic bag and place the fish fillets in it .Shake the bag until the fish fillets are
evenly coated.Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion, tomato puree,
chili powder, turmeric and caraway seeds.Stir for about 5-6 minutes .Add 1 cup of water
then add the fish to the pan along with the marinade.Cover and cook fish for an additional 10
to 12 minutes or until fish begins to flake.

3. Remove fish from pan and serve immediately.

Moroccan Fish Bastilla (Bastila maal Samak)

Yield:4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 c cilantro, finely chopped
1 c parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. any firm white fish fillets(pollock, halibut, sole)
3 1/2 oz. soy vermicelli
6 Tbsp. butter
6 sheets filo pastry

1. Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic cloves, lemon juice, paprika, salt, cumin, red wine vinegar and olive oil to a food processor and mix till you have an evenly combined puree.Divide in half and set aside.

2. Place the fish fillets in a dish and evenly coat with half the cilantro-parsley puree.Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil.Add the vermicelli and turn off heat and remove from stove top.Drain and set aside.

4. In a medium skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and place the fish fillets in it.Cook fish for 7-8 minutes.Add the vermicelli to the skillet and continue cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes breaking the fish into pieces.

5. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.Preheat oven to 400F.

6. In a 9"pie dish, grease well with olive oil.Stack 3-4 filo sheets overlapping each other and brush with the melted butter.Add the fish/vermicelli mixture then top with the remaining cilantro-parsley puree to the pan and cover with remaining filo sheets making sure the top is fully covered.Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle some water on top.

7. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.Allow to slightly cool before serving.

Shanklish (Syrian Mezze Salad)

Photo courtesy of SyrianFoodie

Shanklish is an aromatic, zaatar-coated cheese from Tartous, a port Northwest of Damascus.It is traditionally made at home from either cow, sheep or goat's milk. Shanklish is usually eaten as part of a mezze dish where it is usually served crumbled in a salad of finely chopped tomatoes, onions and olive oil.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. shanklish, crumbled

1 medium red onion, peeled, finely minced

3 tomatoes, finely diced

4-5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a medium serving bowl add all the ingredients together and mix thoroughly.

2. Chill for 1/2 hour and serve.

Hamour Ceviche

I've had the idea for this recipe for a while because it requires no cooking, is quick to prepare and makes use of the local fish available in the waters off the Persian Gulf.Plus, it's well suited for the hot weather of the Middle East.

Yield:6 Servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. skinless hamour or other white fish fillets, cut into small pieces
1/2 c fresh lime or lemon juice
2 large tomatoes,cut into small cubes
2 chilies, seeded and minced (optional)
1/2 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 ripe avocado,cut into small pieces (optional)



1. Put all ingredients in a glass bowl and mix thoroughly until evenly combined.Place in refrigerator and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

2. When ready to serve, add the pieces of avocado and mix, if using. Serve immediately.