This is an adaptation of the recipe for Ternera con Guisantes from the amazing tome “A Mediterranean Feast” by Clifford Wright. Given that veal is all but impossible to find, I switched it to beef. We used a sirloin roast that was part of the quarter beef we bought, but I think it would also be […]
Middle Eastern
Moroccan Style Couscous
Couscous in Morocco is traditionally eaten on Fridays during lunch time, following the Friday mid-day prayers, similar to the idea of a Sunday roast after church. It’s usually a family affair, and is eaten off of a giant central platter. If you’re good, you can eat it with your hands, forming a ball of veggies, […]
Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes and Honey
My wonderful siblings got me a cookbook in Morocco that is both inspiring and idiosyncratically translated. The quantities are along the lines of “heaping coffeespoonful” and “one teaglassful”. Many of the dishes have combinations of sweet and savory, fruit and meat, which intimidate me. I should try out more of these recipes than I do, […]
Savory chicken apricot pie
There is a restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, called “Mediterranean Cafe” aka MedCaf and they have perfected how to do ‘fast food’ right. They make huge batches of homecooked food, and have such quick turnover that it’s always really fresh. Every day they have 4 specials, in addition to some standby items that are always available […]
Lamb Kufta with Eggs
These are meatballs for when your grandmother isn’t coming over. They are garlicky and full of spices, with jolly hard-boiled eggs for added satisfaction, providing a great mess of comfort food for a cold winter night. I got the recipe from Cracking Curries, and added the pressure cooker option, which makes the meatballs oh-so tender. The […]
Maqluba With Chicken, Cauliflower and Carrot مقلوبة دجاج وزهرة وجزر
So this is a very traditional, and very delicious dish from the Arab Levant. It is called “maqluba” which means “flipped over” due to the very last step of flipping the pot onto a serving platter. I always laugh because instead of being chicken on rice, it’s rice on chicken until that last step, and […]
Lillian’s Fail-proof Chicken Kebabs
I cannot believe that I have not posted this recipe, even though I have probably made it a hundred times. Now you too can know the secret of how to make killer chicken kebabs, every time. This recipe will impress friends, endear you to in-laws, please picky eaters, and perhaps even make you more attractive. […]
Couscous Salad
This is a great dish to bring bright colors and fresh (non-mayonnaisey) flavors to a potluck. I used “maftoul” (giant couscous), but you could any grain that suits your fancy and stays toothsome when cooked: barley, wheat berries, bulghur, brown rice, wild rice, etc… 1.5 c. maftoul couscous3 c. chicken broth1 red bell pepper, diced1 […]
Kufta in Yogurt Sauce كفتة باللبن
I made this not quite realizing that it was a real recipe – I was thinking of making shish barak (see Mimi’s recipe for that), which is kind of like Middle Eastern ravioli. However, I had no patience for making all those little ravioli, but I really enjoyed that sauce. Only later did I realize […]
Koshari
This is a very simple and easy recipe for when you either have lots of leftover rice, or when you have almost nothing fresh in the house but a full pantry. It’s a traditional, cheap Egyptian dish, and while I still haven’t visited Egypt, I’m told I make it pretty close to the original. It’s […]