Hummus and Baba Ghanoush

Hummus

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3 to 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Drain the chickpeas and set aside the liquid.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Add chickpea liquid while blending for about 3 to 5 minutes until thoroughly mixed and very smooth.

Baba Ghanoush

• 1 large eggplant
• 1/4 cup tahini, plus more if needed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat a grill to medium-high.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Score the eggplant in several places with a fork and place it on the grill, about four to five inches from the fire.
4. Grill the eggplant, turning frequently, until the outer skin is blackened and blistered and the flesh feels soft to the touch, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and cook until very soft, another 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Remove eggplant from oven, cool and peel off skin.
7. In a large bowl mash the eggplant with a potato masher or a fork.
8. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice and cumin and mix well until smooth.
9. Season with salt and pepper and taste, adding more tahini or lemon juice depending on your palette.

Chicken Patty Pockets + lentil salad + hummus sauce

Yogurt Mint Sauce

8 oz greek style yogurt
3T fine chopped fresh mint
1.5 t fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
store 1 day.

Foul Mudammas Breakfast Spread

"A deliciously seasoned fava bean, onion, and tomato dip recipe! Traditionally served with pita bread for breakfast in Egypt."

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can fava/lima/butter beans 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large tomato, diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste ground red pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.

Pour the beans into a pot and bring to a boil. Mix them well and add onion, tomato, olive oil, cumin, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture cook 5 minutes. Serve warm with grilled pita. *Usually, we sautee the onion and tomato in some olive oil first... then add the garlic... then add in the rinsed, canned beans. Mash them with a fork. And let cook. Add salt & pepper, cumin, and 1 T or so of tahini. A little lemon and parsley to finish. Divine. Really good served with eggs too... hard boiled are more traditional, but we also do sunny-side up and poached. The yolky-bean mixture is yummy.

Homemade Pita Bread

Homemade Pita Bread
(from The Baking Sheet)

1 packet active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm (105-115F) water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Combine sugar, water and yeast. Let stand for 15 minutes, until foaming. Stir in salt and flour until fully incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Allow to rise in a lightly oiled bowl until doubled in size, 1 1/2 hours. Turn on your broiler and lightly oil a baking sheet. Punch the dough down, divide it into 10 pieces, and gather each piece into a ball; keeping all of them lightly floured and covered while you work. Allow the balls of dough to rest, covered, for 15 minutes so they will be easier to roll out. Roll out until balls form circles about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick. (I used my Tortilla Baker to flatten them). Place on baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Flip over and broil again for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. You just have to keep an eye on these guys depending on how hot your broiler gets.
Remove from oven and cool between kitchen towels to keep the pitas moist. Store in an airtight container.

Menu: Middle Eastern Tapas

Yellow Pepper Rollmops (italian)
Spiced Carrot Salad w feta + olives (tunisian)
Grilled Eggplant, Country Style (italian)
Tunisian Mixed Veg Salad w apple + mint (tunisian)
Couscous with Greens (tunisian)
Double Marinated Quail/Chicken (portuguese)

All recipes are in big black notebook under "Mediterranean"

Turkish Dinner

from wondertime.com

Fat Free Baba Ganoush

This baba ganoush (eggplant dip) recipe has no oil and no tahini, making it a fat free vegetarian and vegan appetizer or dip that you can enjoy any time! I like to spread a little baba ganoush on a flour tortilla with some lettuce and veggies for a quick and healthy low-fat vegetarian lunch. For a more hummus-like recipe, try this baba ganoush hummus¹, or, for a spicier version, try this chili lime baba ganoush².

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 cloves minced garlic, preferably roasted
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp parsley

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice eggplants in half and pierce with a fork in several places. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until soft. Allow to cool slightly, then scoop out inside of eggplant, leaving skin behind.

In a blender or food processor, process eggplant with remaining ingredients until smooth.

Braised Lebanese Eggplant w Chickpeas (Whole Foods)

Slow cook in tomato sauce - tender and silky.

2 T EVOO
1 large onion diced
6 med japanese eggplants, halved and in 2" pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t allspice
1/4 t cumin
1 c marinara sauce
1 T red wine vinegar
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large mint sprigs + 2 T chopped mint

Preheat oven 325. Heat oil in dutch oven over med-high. Add onion, saute 7 mins til soft. Add eggplants, cook 5 mins til starting to brown. Add garlic, allspice, cumin, cook 1 min. Stir in marinara, vinegar and 2/3 c water. Bring to simmer 5 mins. Remove from heat, stir in chickpeas. Season with s/p. Lay min on top, cover and tansfer to oven. Cook 45 mins til tender. Remove sprigs, stir in chopped mint. Serve hot or room temp.

Kabobs Paul Loves *****

1 chicken breast

1 sweet onion

1/2 red pepper

1/2 zucchini

10 mushrooms

Trader Joe's lemon dill sauce

orzo + frozen spinach + feta + olive oil + vinegar + lemon juice