This is a different version of the mutabbal eggplant dip, which contains tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. The mayonnaise provides the creaminess, the kefir or yogurt gives the tanginess, and you need the garlic no matter which version you use. You can call this one “Mama Ghanouj”…or should that be, mama ghanouja ? 🙂 You might have noticed … [Read more…]
Meatless Monday- Egg In A Rabbit Hole (Egg with Kale & Spinach, Topped With Cracked Pepper & Sumac)
Eggs In A Hole typically place the egg in the middle of a slice of bread. I like to place mine in the middle of a bed of greens, the kind that would make any rabbit (and veggie-loving human) happy. It’s a fast and easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and pretty healthy, too. You get 2 cups of leafy greens in this meal, heart-healthy olive oil, and a … [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…]
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…]
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…]
Musakhan – Chicken with lemon, onions, olive oil, and sumac, over pita or flatbread
My sister is here visiting and requested that I make Musakhan. My brother frequently asks me to make it as well. In fact, if he is here, I don’t bother asking him what he would like me to make, since the answer is invariably Musakhan. It is a favorite of friends and family, for sure. Musakhan, literally meaning “heated”, is a traditional … [Read more…]
Simple Salad
When you have very fresh summer produce, it is a shame to cover the flavor with heavy, creamy dressing. I prefer the light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and the bright accent of lemon juice. The sumac adds another tangy layer of flavor. While the typical Levantine salad is finely chopped, being lazy every once in a while is perfectly fine. … [Read more…]