This is a layered baked dish of frozen artichoke bottoms, spiced ground beef, and tomatoes. I know of some people who get fresh artichokes, trim and de-choke, then get on to the recipe. However, when I get fresh artichokes, I prefer to steam them and eat them leaf by leaf . I am very happy to be able to use frozen artichoke bottoms for a dish like … [Read more…]
On Spinach pies (Fatayer/Aqrass bi Sabanekh) and Lent in the Levant
On Spinach pies (Fatayer/Aqrass bi Sabanekh) and Lent in the Levant In the Levant region, Lent started on either March 3 or March 5 this year, depending on denomination. Lent is the season leading up to Easter. It is a season of abstinence and fasting for many Christians world-wide, with different levels of abstinence. Eastern Orthodox … [Read more…]
Reshta/Rashta – Stewed Lentils and Noodles with Tangy Caramelized Onions
Reshta/Rashta – Stewed Lentils and Noodles with Tangy Caramelized Onions “The day is cold, and dark, and dreary It rains, and the wind is never weary”…. Maybe not quite as bad as that, but this is the view of my deck from my kitchen window: …and that is why it is the perfect day for this dish. Whenever the weather is cold and/or rainy, I … [Read more…]
Beef and Potato Green Bean Stew
When your son asks for green bean stew, you make green bean stew. He’s actually been asking for a couple of days in a row, but I was too sick to go shopping. Today I realized that we were too low on everything but I am still not well enough to go shopping, so I ordered grocery pick up, including…..green beans! I previously posted a vegetarian … [Read more…]
Chicken Maqlouba with Cauliflower
“Heat oil in pot; brown chicken (or beef or lamb), onions, garlic, and spices. Add water to cover and boil…” This is the start of many, many Mediterranean dishes. Once you have the cooked chicken and the richly flavored broth, you can go on create some really good meals, whether soups, stews, or grain-based dishes. I’ve added the tag “start … [Read more…]
Manakeesh – Zaatar Pizzas
One of the tastiest things to eat is warm manakeesh with some hot tea. Trust me on this. Make some nice, strong tea and sweeten generously. Enjoy it with this tangy/savory bread. I tagged this as semi-homemade, because the dough is typically home-made, but when you are short on time, frozen supermarket pizza dough is a good substitute. I … [Read more…]
Hummus with Ground Beef
Hummus is a very versatile food. You can have it for breakfast or a snack. You can top it with ground beef, and have a very hearty lunch or dinner. We often have this as part of our weekend brunch. We eat a little later in the morning, and have a good spread of several items to hold us till we eat our second meal which is later in the afternoon or … [Read more…]
Butternut Squash Dip – with garlic and yogurt
While hummus is probably the most recognized Mediterranean dip, there are countless items in the mezzeh spread that are meant to be scooped or sopped up with pita or flatbread. This is one of those dips. It can be made with pumpkin or any other winter squash, and the method is the same no matter which type you choose. You want a basic … [Read more…]
Layered Pita Eggplant Salad with Yogurt Dressing
As promised, here is the salad recipe from the previously mentioned small dinner party. This is a lovely salad where the whole is quite a lot more than the sum of it’s parts. It brings together the fresh crunchy lettuce, onions, and cucumbers, the warm fried eggplant and potatoes, the crispy bread, and the nutty chickpeas. It is very … [Read more…]
Quinoajadara – Quinoa Mujadara (Lentils and Quinoa with Caramelized Onions and Sumac)
Mujadara is a very popular Levantine dish. It is a very hearty vegetarian dish, and very healthy too. It is great hot or at room temperature, making mujadara leftovers a good work lunch option. My husband and kids all love mujadara, so we have it often, and change it up sometimes. This recipe is a marriage of mujadara and quinoa. The onions, … [Read more…]