FATTOUSH SALAD (SALATA FATTOUSH)

Adapted from Arabian Delights by Amy Riolo page 75


Fattoush salad is a refreshing salad,  lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad tossed with crunchy toasted pita pieces and dressed with pomegranate molasses dressing. It’s a great way to use leftover pita bread from the Mezze DCchallenge

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, thin sliced

4 tomatoes, sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 Romaine Lettuce heart - cut to salad pieces

1/2 cup of Halloumi Cheese - diced (Feta is a good substitute)

1 pita, cut into 12 pieces

½ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) divided

4 t sumac

2 T pomegranate molasses

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste



Preparations:

Preheat broiler.

Combine  lettuce hearts, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion ang halloumi cheese in a large salad bowl.

Brush pita pieces with 2 T EVOO and sprinkle w/ sumac. Place under broiler and toast for 2 to 4 minutes, until golden on both sides. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Mix remaining olive oil, pomegranate molasses, sumac, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk vigorously to form a smooth dressing. Add pita chips to salad and toss to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss again to combine. Serve immediately.


Tips: Toss leftover morsels of lamb meat w/ Fattoush Salad for a quick lunch or dinner.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE- MY VERSION

I was craving for chicken cacciatore so i decided to use cipollini which i bought fresh along w/ the olives stuffed w/ anchovies i bought from the salad bar.

Just to remind you this is my version. This is actually one of my no recipe recipe so measurements are estimates, but i'm pretty sure you can come up w/ your own exact measurements to suit your taste. The key here is to taste as you go along and adjust if necessary.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

4 pieces of Chicken legquarters- we love dark meat (cut accdg. to size you like)
3 Sweet Bell Peppers - small size. I try to use different colors (Julienne)
1 Carrot- medium diced
3-4 stalks of Celery - diced
2 cloves Garlic- minced
2 Sweet Onions - medium size (julienne) you can use any kind but i used Cipollini for this recipe. Leave them whole.
1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes - ( i used San Marzano)
White or Red wine - start w/ 1/2 C taste then add if necessary
1/2 C Olives stuffed w/ anchovies
1/2 lbs. Mushrooms - sliced ( i had botton mushrooms)
Oregano- pinch
1/4 C Basil - julienned
1/4 C Parsley - chopped
S&P (to taste)
Oil

Brown chicken in batches. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Using the same pan/pot saute the garlic and onions.

Add carrots, celery and mushrooms. Stir.

Return the chicken in to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, wine and bring to a boil.

At this point add the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley and little of the basil for garnish. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Bring to a simmer until chicken and vegetables are cooked.

Cipollini - If you haven't tried these, you must give them a try.
Leave these onions whole.

Olives stuffed with anchovies

My Version of Chicken Cacciatore.

Arancini ala Sicilian(Sicilian Rice Croquettes)

I modified the recipe from The Silver Spoon (The Bible of Authentic Italian Cooking)

Y : 10 rice balls

For the Rice:
2 cups Arborio rice or short grain rice (washed once)
1 med sweet onions, finely minced
¼ cup butter
4 cups chicken broth
2 T parmesan cheese, freshly grated

** The recipe didn't call for salt but i suggest you add salt at this point. Mine needed salt so had to serve marinara sauce on the side to enhance the flavor

For the Ragu:
4 slices of pancetta
1 med. sweet onion, minced
1 med. carrot, minced
1 celery stick, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup ground beef
2 T tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
½ cup green peas (optional)
Mozzarella cheese ( i used bocconcini)

Breading station:
1 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used panko/Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 eggs beaten with little milk or water.

Rice:Fry the minced onion until translucent, then add the uncooked rice. Stir for few minutes.

Add the broth and a teaspoon of salt and pepper, leaving it uncovered until cooked. Watch the rice from time to time so no rice will stick to the bottom of the pot.

Let the rice cool.

Add the grated parmesan cheese and butter into the cooled rice.


Ragu (Fillings)
Fry pancetta until crisp, cut into small pieces.

Using pancetta drippings, fry minced onions and garlic until soft.

Add the bay leaf, thyme and S&P then

Add the meat and mix until it turns brown.

When all meat has been browned, add tomato paste, minced carrot and celery and fry for 5 more minutes.

Pour the wine and let cook for another 5 minutes or until alcohol has evaporated.

Cover and leave to cook on low heat for at least an hour or until all liquid has evaporated and cooked. Let cool.

Shape the cooked rice into croquettes as large as a small orange hence the name arancini w/c means little oranges in Sicily.

Make an indention and fill with a little ragu and cubed mozzarella and seal with more rice.

Dip the croquettes in the following order: Flour, Eggs, Breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or pan to 350 degrees F or until a cube of bread turns brown in 30 seconds or stick the handle of a wooden laddle into the hot oil, when bubbles starts to come out around the handle it's ready to go. Deep fry the croquettes in the hot oil until golden brown.

Drain and serve with marinara sauce or eat them as it is.

ARBORIO RICE

BOCCONCINI (2 oz. mozzarella balls)

PANCETTA(ITALIAN AND SPANISH PORK BELLY CURED MEAT)

THE RAGU

HOW TO MAKE THE ARANCINI

ARANCINI READY TO BE FRIED

BREADING STATION (FLOUR, EGGS W/ LITTLE MILK OR WATER, BREADCRUMBS) BUT I USED PANKO (JAPANESE BREADCRUMBS)

DONT FORGET TO SEASON WITH S&P HERE.

ARANCINI IS A SICILIAN WORD W/C MEANS LITTLE ORANGES

THE ANATOMY OF AN ARANCINO

THE SIDEDISH...TOMATO, BASIL AND BOCCONCINI NAPOLEON DRIZZLED W/ OLIVE OIL AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

TOMATOES AND BASIL.. FROM MY GARDEN

Mezze Part 2 (February DC Challenge)

I don't usally make Middle Eastern dishes at home, not because i don't like them, or ingredients are too hard to find, it's because I'm lucky enough to be in a city with lots of good Middle Eastern restaurants and produce market. There is this hole in the wall Lebanese restaurant that we love, for $15 you get an array of kebabs( chicken, lamb, beef), salad and rice good for 6 people, and they are really yummy...you can't bit that! Sorry, no name of the restaurant because we want it like that, secret! ha!ha!ha!

Anyways, because of the DC Challenge, i had to make homemade mezze. They were fun to make that i didn't realize i made lots of mezze. Okay, my first Official mezze spread could be found HERE . Pls. check it out.

Pls. click HERE for more Manakeesh Ideas

Pls. click for the recipe  MUHAMMARA DIP(HOT PEPPER DIP) my favorite!!

Pls. click for the recipe CUCUMBER SALAD WITH VINEGAR

Pls. click for the recipe  CACIK-YOGURT CUCUMBER SALAD

Pls. click for the recipe Calf Liver with Garlic and Cilantro

Pls. click recipe ROASTED CHICKPEAS 2  WAYS

With Cayenne and Salt   

       

With Zatar and Sumac

Pls. click for the recipe PRESERVED LEMONS

Roasted Chickpeas 2 ways

You can use canned garbanzos/chickpeas or fresh chickpeas w/c is what i used for this dish. I had extra from the hummus i made from scratch.

This is one of my no recipe recipe. Measurements will all be up to you.

Cooked chickpeas- drained
Olive oil or Canola Oil
Spices of your choice.

I used a mixture of Zatar and Sumac on one and Cayenne pepper on the other batch of chickpeas.

Combine a little of the oil w/ the spices then mix in the chickpeas until well coated.

Bake for at least 15 minutes or so. You will have to babysit the beans until  crunchy.

FOR MORE MEZZE RECIPES PLS. HERE

Roasted Chickpeas with Zatar and Sumac spices

Roasted Chickpeas with Cayenne Pepper and Salt ( I liked this better than the Zatar/Sumac Mix)

Calf Liver with Garlic and Cilantro

Calf or Beef Liver - 1 lb. (Chicken liver can be a good substitute)

1/2 C Olive oil

3 clove garlic crushed ( I used Thoom Sauce- Garlic sauce)

1 medium sweet onions (thinly sliced)

1 t pepper flakes

1/4 C cilantro chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon ( I used chopped 1 whole lemon preserved)


1. Wash the liver and dry gently on a paper towel.

2. In a pan heat 2 table spoon of olive oil, fry the liver on both sides about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside

3. Using the same pan, saute the onions, chilli, garlic and preserved lemons, cook on medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper.  Add the cilantro right before serving.

The whole cooking process should take no longer than 5 - 7 minutes. You want the liver to be just done. Cooking on high heat will seal the juices inside the liver and will come out nice and tender.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

CACIK (YOGURT AND CUCUMBER SALAD)

TURKISH SALAD
Recipe adopted from "The New Bood of Middle Eastern Foods" by Claudin Roden

 4- 6 small cucumber or 1 large diced or cut half moon slices
salt
2 1/2 plain whole milk or Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 med sweet onions thinly sliced
1 t lemon juice (adjust if you like it lemony)
sprigs of mint finely chopped
White pepper

Mix all ingredients cover and refrigerate.

Mix all the ingredients

Cucumber Salad with Vinegar

5 Persian cucumbers (with peel) (or regular cucumbers without peel or "striped")


1 small red or sweet onion

1/2 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. water

1/3 c. sugar

dash of salt and pepper

Paprika for garnish


Directions

Slice onions and cucumber very thin slices & place in shallow dish.

Stir together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper and pour over onions and cucumber.

Cover and marinate at least an hour.

The longer this sits, the tastier it gets.

This could be made a day ahead.



Makes about 6 servings.

MUHAMMARA (Hot Pepper Dip)

Baba Ganouj used to be my favorite, ever since i tasted this dip...baba ganouj now come second to this!
Makes about 2 cups


Red bell peppers -- 4 (I bought the jarred roasted peppers)
Walnuts, toasted and chopped -- 3/4 cup
Breadcrumbs -- 1/2 cup ( I used my homemade pita bread)
Garlic, crushed -- 2-3 cloves
Lemon juice -- 1-2 tablespoons
Pomegranate molasses/syrup - 2 T
Red pepper flakes -- 1 tablespoon ( I used sriracha)
Ground cumin -- 1 teaspoon
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Olive oil -- 1/2 cup

Method

1. Place the the whole peppers under a broiler or over a stovetop flame, turning frequently, until the skin on all sides has turned black. Remove to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Once the peppers have cooled, peel off the blackened skin and remove the stems and seeds. Rinse them quickly in running water and pat dry.

2. Chop the peppers roughly and place them, along with all the remaining ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor or blender. Pulse to roughly chop the ingredients. Then slowly pulse in the olive oil. Try not to puree the ingredients too much. You want the dip to have a little texture.

3. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve as a dip or spread with pita wedges, vegetables or kebabs.

 

MEZZE (DARING COOKS CHALLENGE FOR FEBRUARY)

Daring Cooks Challenge for the month of February was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. The challenge was MEZZE w/c we love. I enjoyed this challenge i didn't realize i was able to make at least 18 different kinds of mezze.  Ofcourse they were made on separate days considering how time consuming some of the dishes were, that being said, i will have to divide my blog.

This blog will be my first or let me say my official entry! I will have to blog the second mezze spread separately. Pls. visit my Mezze Part 2 blog HERE for more interesting mezze recipes. Hope to see you there.

FIRST MEZZE SPREAD

The challenge required us to make homemade pita bread, hummus and falafel if you feel like it and the rest of the mezze dishes will be up to us hence my 18 different dishes! Thanks, Michele! lol! it was fun.

PITA BREAD - THIS WAS FUN TO LOOK AT AS IT WAS GROWING IN THE OVEN!! TASTE/FLAVOR WAS SPOT ON. I EVEN MADE THEM AGAIN ON MY SECOND MEZZE SPREAD BUT I MADE MINI PITAS.

Pita Bread – Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. (I FOLLOWED THE RECIPE TO A TEE)


Prep time: 20 minutes to make, 90 minutes to rise and about 45 minutes to cook

2 teaspoons regular dry yeast (.43 ounces/12.1 grams)
2.5 cups lukewarm water (21 ounces/591 grams)
5-6 cups all-purpose flour (may use a combination of 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose, or a combination of alternative flours for gluten free pita) (17.5 -21 ounces/497-596 grams)
1 tablespoon table salt (.50 ounces/15 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil (.95 ounces/29 ml)

Directions:
1. In a large bread bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 2 hours.

2. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry, and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours.

3. Place a pizza stone, or two small baking sheets, on the bottom rack of your oven, leaving a 1-inch gap all around between the stone or sheets and the oven walls to allow heat to circulate. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).

4. Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half, and then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep the rolled-out breads covered until ready to bake, but do not stack.

5. Place 2 breads, or more if your oven is large enough, on the stone or baking sheets, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until each bread has gone into a full balloon. If for some reason your bread doesn't puff up, don't worry it should still taste delicious. Wrap the baked breads together in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you bake the remaining rolled-out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough.


HUMMUS -  THIS RECIPE WAS OKAY BUT NOT EXACTLY THE FLAVOR I WANTED, SO I ADDED A LITTLE OF THE PRESERVED LEMONS, A LITTLE MORE OF THE TAHINI AND GARLIC AND IT WAS GOOD. SUMAC ADDED A ZESTY AND TANGY FLAVOR TO THE HUMMUS AS WELL.

TAHINI AND SUMAC

I MADE THESE FROM SCRATCH. SOAKED THE DRIED GARBANZOS A DAY BEFORE THEN BOILED THEM THE FOLLOWING DAY.

Hummus – Recipe adapted from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden


Prep Time: Hummus can be made in about 15 minutes once the beans are cooked. If you’re using dried beans you need to soak them overnight and then cook them the next day which takes about 90 minutes.

1.5 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight (or substitute well drained canned chickpeas and omit the cooking) (10 ounces/301 grams)
2-2.5 lemons, juiced (3 ounces/89ml)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
a big pinch of salt
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) OR use peanut butter or any other nut butter—feel free to experiment) (1.5 ounces/45 grams)
additional flavorings (optional) I would use about 1/3 cup or a few ounces to start, and add more to taste

Directions:
1. Drain and boil the soaked chickpeas in fresh water for about 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid.
2. Puree the beans in a food processor (or you can use a potato masher) adding the cooking water as needed until you have a smooth paste.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

*Optional Recipe: Falafels - Recipe from Joan Nathan and Epicurious.com

Prep Time: Overnight for dry beans and 1 hour to make Falafels

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight OR use well canned drained chickpeas (7 ounces/100 grams)

1/2 large onion (roughly chopped, about 1 cup) THIS IS SUBJECTIVE: I USED 1 MEDIUM SWEET ONION. 

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped OR use a couple pinches of dried parsley (.2 ounces/5 grams) 1 ADDED MORE

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped OR use a couple pinches of dried cilantro (.2 ounces/5 grams) I ADDED MORE

1 teaspoon table salt (.1 ounce/5 grams)

1 teaspoon dried hot red peppers (cayenne) (.1 ounce/2 grams)

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon cumin (.1 ounce/2 grams)

1 teaspoon baking powder (.13 ounces/4 grams)

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (1 ounce/24 grams) (you may need a bit extra)

tasteless oil for frying (vegetable, canola, peanut, soybean, etc.), you will need enough so that the oil is three inches deep in whatever pan you are using for frying

THE RECIPE WAS TOO WET FOR ME SO I ADDED BULGHUR AND SOME AP FLOUR UNTIL IT WAS DRY ENOUGH TO FORM INTO BALLS.  I ALSO PLACED THE ROLLED FALAFELS IN THE REF FOR FEW MINUTES.

Directions:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, and then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.

2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed. If you don’t have a food processor, then feel free to mash this up as smooth as possible by hand.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees (190C) in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

6. Drain on paper towels.

I love my falafel w/ lots of parsley and cilantro hence the green color. I served these with Thoom (Arabic Garlic sauce)

Pls. Click for the recipe; SHISH TAOUK(CHICKEN KEBAB)

Pls. click for the recipe BABA GHANNOUJ (EGGPLANT DIP). One of our favorite.

 Please click for the recipe KABEES EL LIFT- PICKLED TURNIPS

pls. click for the recipe THOOM -ARABIC GARLIC SAUCE/DIP

This is what they serve with your pita bread in Middle Eastern restaurants.

Halloumi, you can grill or fry this cheese. Drizzle with little sumac and lemon juice. Yum!

This is my second mezze spread which i will be blogging separately. Pls. check HERE

Mini Manakeesh, Muhammara, Pickled Cucumber and onions, Roasted Chick peas, Preserved Lemons, Cacik (Yougur, Cucumber Salad) and Calf Liver with Garlic, Cilantro and Preserved Lemons.