Category Archives: Middle Eastern

Hot Tomato Feta Salad & Crispy Flatbread

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Tomato Feta Salad 2
This could just as easily be an appetizer as a side dish ….tonight it was a side dish for our roasted chicken and it was delicious!  Super quick and easy, along with ingredients I love and that made it a total win.

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup chopped, pitted Kalmata olives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 8- to 10-ounce block feta
Crackers, flatbread*, pita chips, or crostini, for dipping

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.

Feel free to substitute the feta with haloumi, or goat cheese, either would be great.

On a grill: Heat your grill to medium-high. Set the feta block in the middle of a piece of foil. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the feta. Fold up the edges of the foil so that it will hold in any liquid as it cooks. Place the packet straight on a grill for 15 minutes to warm it through. Remove from grill and transfer to plate or serving dish.

In the oven: Heat oven to 400°F. Check to see that your dish is oven-proof. Place the block of feta in the middle of your dish. Pile the tomato mixture on top of the feta. Bake for 15 minutes.

Both methods: The feta will not melt, just warm and soften. Garnish with parsley and serve with crackers; eat immediately. As it cools, the feta will firm up again.

Flatbread 1

I’m guilty of poaching this recipe right off the Smitten Kitchen website, and if you haven’t visited that site, hop on over.  Deb Perelman has fantastic recipes, but even just her writing style is worth a read.

Flatbread 4

Can’t believe how good these are!  I had to use the herb I had on hand, so these are made with thyme, not rosemary.  Can’t wait to try with fresh rosemary out of my garden.

*Flatbread.  also from http://www.smittenkitchen.com

  • 1 3/4 cups (230 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary plus 2 (6-inch) sprigs (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil plus more for brushing
  • Flaky sea salt such as Maldon

Heat oven to 450°F with a heavy baking sheet on rack in middle. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with olive oil.

Stir together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a large, wide bowl. Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Use your hands to gently knead dough inside the bowl 4 or 5 times, until it comes together in a semi-smooth ball.

Divide dough into 3 large or 6 smaller pieces and roll out one piece at a time on an unfloured counter, to about 10-inch (for larger pieces of dough) or 7-inch rounds (smaller pieces) — shape can be rustic; dough should be thin. Lift flatbread onto prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. I can sometimes squeeze 6 small flatbreads on a half-sheet pan; sometimes I need to bake 1 to 2 in a second batch.

Lightly brush tops with additional oil and scatter small clusters of rosemary leaves on top (if using), pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until pale golden and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating flatbreads if needed on the pan for even color. Let cool then break into pieces.

I cut mine into triangles before baking, and they came out perfectly.  Read the full Smitten Kitchen recipe for more ideas, you will be happy you did.

Moroccan Chicken with Olives & Artichokes

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Moroccan chicken 2

Ingredients

  • 2 Meyer lemons (or sub 1 regular lemon/1 orange)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 8 – 10 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 1/2 cup quartered (canned) artichokes
  • fresh thyme sprigs (you could use whatever herb you have on hand)

Garnish

  • minced parsley
  • slivered green onions
  • lemon slice

 

Cut 1 lemon into 8 wedges. Squeeze enough juice from second lemon to measure 2 tablespoons; set wedges and juice aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Add lemon wedges.

Moroccan chicken 1

I made this with whatever was in the fridge – and that did not include Meyer lemons!  Meyer lemons are quite a bit sweeter, so if you don’t have them, use equal portions of regular lemons and oranges to get the right balance.

Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, 20 minutes (or so). Transfer chicken to platter.   Taste!!!  Every lemon could have a different acid content and you don’t want this to be more than a lovely, subtle lemon flavour.   Add olives, artichokes and (if needed) 2 tablespoons lemon juice to skillet. Increase heat to high; boil uncovered to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over chicken.

Tonight we served it with saffron rice and beautiful fresh soft handmade pita bread.

Pita bread

 

Creamiest Hummous

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Hummus 1

Drizzle the finished hummus with your best olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika.  A few toasted sesame seeds would be a great addition also. (I just didn’t think of it until I looked at my photos!)

  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) ice water
  • Dash ground paprika, for serving

UPDATE:  SINCE posting this originally, I’ve discovered a few more tricks.  

If you don’t have free hands for peeling the chickpeas, boil with 1/2 tsp baking soda per can for 20 minutes.  Drain well and rinse with cold water – ready to go.  

If you soak your garlic in the lemon juice for 10 minutes, and process that with the tahini at the first blending stage your garlic will have a much more mellow, smooth taste.  

DIRECTIONS

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.

Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.

peeled chickpeas

I know, you are thinking “what goof peels chickpeas?”  Me.  Especially after Stella raved about the creamiest hummus she’d ever had.  At 5 years old, this girl knows food.  After that, how could I not peel my hummus.  After all, even if it takes you 20 min to peel that can of chickpeas, haven’t you ever wasted 20 min on something less interesting??

Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.

Hummus 2

We served the hummus today with fresh vegetables as well as                                                            lightly seasoned and toasted pita wedges.

 

I heard a rumour that hummus made at home could be creamy, dreamy & simple, but every time I tried it I was less than satisfied.  Sure, it was tasty …. but dreamy?  No.  So I hit the blogs looking for a trick, and “inspired taste” provided it.  Look up the blog – Adam and Joanne have some amazing photos and descriptions, plus tips for cooking your own chickpeas and many other great ideas.  I’ve made this recipe a few times now, exactly as written (except that I am that weirdo that doesn’t mind a 10 minute mindless activity like skinning chickpeas).

Hummus 3

A few days later, my grand daughters Sloan and Stella were here, asking for a snack …. when I produced the vegetables I got a look ….. “Well Nana ……..do you have any of that amazing peeled chickpea hummus left?  Could we please have some of that too?”                                                       That, my friends, is how foodies are born.

Dukkha rubbed chicken satay with zucchini ribbons.

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Dukkha is an amazing blend of spices and nuts that is very useful to have on hand.  Moist  chicken with crispy bits and tender zucchini, try this chicken marinated in tahini and rubbed with dukkha seasoning.  I guarantee it won’t be the only time you try it!

Dukkah chicken 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp liquid honey

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 small zucchini, cut into long thin ribbons (use a vegetable peeler)

1 small onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup Dukkah

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Blend well, and add the chicken pieces.

Dukkah chicken 1

(This can be done ahead of time, and marinated for up to 24 hours)

When ready to assemble, remove chicken from marinade, (discard excess) and dredge in Dukkah.

Create an assembly line of zucchini ribbons, onion and chicken …..

Dukkah chicken 2

Alternately thread chicken, zucchini and onion onto skewers.  This can be done ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

dukkah chicken 3

 

Place skewers on greased grill over medium heat, close lid and grill – turning until browned.

Transfer to a serving platter, scatter more Dukkah over top and serve with lemon wedges.

If you live in a larger city, I’m sure you can pick up Dukkah seasoning in any Middle Eastern grocery store.  If not, check out my recipe for Dukkah, I like to keep it in my pantry.

 

Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Olive Sauce and Mint

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lamb meatballs

 

These meatballs are tender and delicious – the sauce is rich and that mint sauce is a perfect taste to brighten it all up. If you aren’t a big fan of lamb, then use minced pork.

You could buy lamb merguez sausage to make these meatballs, but if that isn’t available to you, this is an easy fix and tastes amazing.

1 pound lean ground lamb

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp turmeric

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp harissa

1 tbsp tomato sauce

Grind salt and fennel together until smooth, then add the rest of the spices and stir together.  Add in garlic, harissa and tomato sauce to make a paste.  Lightly toss paste with ground lamb, until well blended.

For the best flavour, allow to sit over night but they are great if made into meatballs right away too.

Form balls about 1″ in diameter.  Heat oil until shimmering, then cook meatballs until just crispy on the outside and

 

Meanwhile ….. on roasting pan in moderate oven (375) toss in olive oil:

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup black olives

 

Roast until vegetables are tender, and blend with enough olive oil to make a smooth sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss meatballs with tomato sauce and serve with mint sauce.

Mint Sauce

Blend fresh mint leaves with a drizzle of honey, freshly squeezed lemon and olive oil just until smooth – season to taste with salt.

Butternut Squash Soup – with a Mediterranean twist

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At this time of year the butternut squash is coming out of the gardens and so fresh that when you cut into it beads of moisture appear – yum yum! Butternut squash soup is a favorite of mine, but this time I felt like a little twist.

Butternut Squash Soup with a Mediterranean twist

Butternut Squash Soup with a Mediterranean twist

You will need:

roasted butternut squash
chicken stock
onions
garlic

Seasonings: Ras al Hanout, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper

Garnishes: Grated feta cheese, minced chives, crispy bacon pieces

In a soup pot cook bacon pieces (I like to cut my bacon slices in thin slivers). Remove bacon as soon as it gets crispy. Remove some bacon fat, but leave enough to sauté your cinnamon stick, onions and garlic until soft. Add chicken stock and roasted butternut squash. Remove cinnamon stick as soon as you get a hint of it in the broth, but not overwhelming. Cook until everything is steaming hot – puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender (if using a blender take care to leave an opening for the steam to escape – you do not want to end up wearing this hot soup). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The portions on this will vary greatly on the size of your squash, and the amount of soup you want! For tonight there were only 2 of us so I used 1/2 a squash (about 2 cups) to 4 cups of chicken stock.

Serve once the soup has been pureed – garnish with the chives, bacon bits and grated feta.

For a vegetarian option, leave out the bacon and use vegetable stock.

Either way – a delicious soup!

Dukka

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Ready for serving

Dukka/Dukkah?  You say Dukka?  What the heck is that???  It is a blend of Middle Eastern spices that you can use in so many ways.  I like to keep a jar of it on hand.  If you have unexpected guests get it out with some good olive oil and a chunk of bread and you have an appetizer ready.  

Use it as a rub on meats before grilling, blend it with some oil and vinegar for an instant salad dressing, mix it with good mayonnaise and you have a fantastic spread for sandwiches, burgers or a dip for vegetables – the possibilities are endless.

2/3 cup almonds

1/3 cup hazelnuts

2 tbsp sesame seeds                

4 tsp chili powder

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp onion salt

1 tsp celery salt

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

cayenne pepper to taste

Toast almonds on baking sheet until golden brown and set aside

Toast hazelnuts until golden, then rub in a dish towel to remove most of the skin

Toast sesame seeds until golden

Lightly heat cumin seeds and coriander seeds just until fragrant

When everything has roasted/toasted and been prepped allow it to cool – then pulse in food processor (or use a mortar and pestle) until you have a powdery mixture with the occasional chunk of nut left for texture.

To serve as an appetizer just cut up chunks of bread into bite size pieces and set out 2 bowls – one of oil, and one of dukka.  Dip bread into the oil, then into the spice.  

Your first taste might have you puzzled, but wanting more – next thing you know – addicted!