We got some local eggplant and tomatoes at the farmer’s market. In the summer, I make this dish many times, using whatever vegetable I have on hand – eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower, etc. It takes about 40 minutes, and doesn’t use a whole lot of ingredients. Fresh, seasonal vegetables taste best simply prepared. I don’t even use spices in this a … [Read more…]
Hummus
Warning – a bit of a silly rant ahead….. One of my pet peeves is the current fad of calling almost any sort of Mediterranean-looking dip “hummus”. These days, they don’t even need to contain tahini. Pinterest is FULL of pins to recipes for black bean hummus, avocado hummus, zucchini hummus – I am very particular with what I consider hummus. If … [Read more…]
Saturday Brunch – Bakdounsiya – Parsley Dip
Bakdounsiya is a common sight in a Levantine mezzeh spread. It is typically eaten with pita bread, just like hummus or any of the other mezzeh dips. It goes very well with grilled meats. If you thin this out a bit more, it would be a good sauce or dressing to drizzle on top of grilled kofta, kabobs, fish, or falafel. Bakdounsiya – Parsley … [Read more…]
Hummus with Parsley
16 ounce canned Chickpeas, drained, reserving liquid 1 small clove garlic 2 tablespoons Tahini 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil Juice of half a lemon 1/2 cup parsley salt to taste More extra virgin olive oil for serving Pour chickpeas into blender. Add reserved liquid, to half the level of the chickpeas. Add garlic, tahini, olive … [Read more…]
Saturday Morning Brunch : Potato Egg Frittata (Batata wa Beid)
We make frittatas for a brunch or light dinner often. Potato Egg Frittata in particular is one of my husband’s comfort foods, so it is one that we make most often. I consider it a pantry meal, since it is made with things I have on hand all the time. That makes it convenient for those times we have been running lots of errands and it is suddenly … [Read more…]
Saturday Brunch : Fava Bean Dip – Ful
Fava beans (both fresh and dried) are very extensively used in the Mediterranean region, in cooking, salads, and dips. In Arabic (الفول) , it is pronounced fool, and can be spelled ful/fool/foul. I am choosing to go with “ful”, because well, it isn’t confusing with another, less-tasty, meaning 🙂 It is very nutritious, and very hearty and … [Read more…]
Mini Potato Zaatar Egg Muffins
My son is not a big breakfast eater on school days, because it is simply too early for him to get a lot of food in. I do think it is important to try to get some good protein into him before school, so I made these Mini Egg Muffins, which are actually not muffins at all. They are frittatas baked in mini muffin pans. This makes it easy to reheat … [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…]
Warm Mediterranean Egg “Salad”
Today’s lunch is a warm egg salad, made with olive oil instead of the standard mayo, and spiced with zaatar and paprika. This is my favorite way to eat hard boiled eggs, and it doesn’t get easier than this. I sometimes omit the zaatar and paprika, and just add plenty of freshly cracked black pepper and salt. The fruitiness of the olive oil … [Read more…]