My husband brought home  a huge bag of spinach that our Amish neighbors at the farm were growing in a green house. He brought home enough for a couple of meals but not enough to make spinach pie, which I am not only craving but want to show you all! Anyhow, you can use frozen spinach if that is all you have around.

• 1 cup lentils (washed and soaked for at last half an hour)
• 2 onions
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups of fresh chopped spinach
• 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 7 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper (decrease or increase to taste)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin (to taste but the more the merrier in my opinion)
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil for sauteing (about 2 Tablespoons)
• Lemon juice for condiment

Saute onions, garlic and spices in olive oil until onions are soft. Keep stirring!

Add the drained lentils and 7 cups of water

Bring to a boil then lower heat to a  simmer for one hour, covered.

Add spinach and tomato.

Continue to simmer for another half an hour. Adjust seasonings to preference.

Serve with a dash of lemon juice.

I actually made a Mexican style cornbread to go with this (non vegan). Its a fantastic pairing.  I added roasted Poblano peppers to a standard recipe. If you do this, please make sure your cornmeal is organic!

Photo coming later today.

I had first heard of this dish through the blog Doves Eye View whose author Leila, has since sadly passed away. She had written that she had tasted it in a restaurant and was trying to piece the exact recipe together. She mentioned some ingredients: roasted bell peppers, burgul, pomegranate syrup, walnuts. We talked breifly about it via email and she promised to get back to me if she ever figured it out. I was not content to wait and by the time I figured it out on my own, she was gone.

Most of the information I found on this recipe does not ask for burgul (cracked wheat), but for two slices of bread instead. This does not sound appealing to me, despite the possible authenticity.  I found a few asking for lemon and tahini. Again, not sure I want the taste of hummus in a bell pepper spread. Leila described something different (or my imagination latched onto something different). Personally, I actually find red bell peppers to be tart enough as they are. So I dropped lemons and I dropped tahini.

This is what I came up with (based on all the recipes I read):

2 large roasted red bell peppers

1 cup walnuts

2 Tbsp. pomegranate syrup

2 cloves of garlic (or more)

1/4 cup cooked burgul

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili paste  (dried flakes are fine)

salt and pepper to taste

1 scant Tbsp tomato paste

The first time I made it, I eliminated the tomato paste and got an ugly color, so I added it back in, just enough to give a nice orange to the dish. You can add more if you wish. While cooking the burgul, roast your bell peppers. I do this on the stove burners. If you buy roasted peppers, make sure they are not pickled in brine!

Once the burgul is  cool enough to handle and you have removed the charred skin of your bell peppers, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until you have a spreadable paste. If you used burgul, you will not be able to pulverize it to the point of smoothness.

If you find that your muhammara is not as thick as you would like, add more burgul and walnuts.

Serve on a plate drizzled with olive oil. This dish is another appetizer that would be great for a mezza with other foods, has been wonderful as  a sandwich spread (try it over grilled eggplant and portobello mushroom)  and I have adapted leftovers  by watering it down with just a bit of vegetable broth and cream to be served over pasta. I think too that any leftovers would work very well to make a flavored cream cheese.

Tonight, the kids and I are having it with olives, french bread, cucumber, onion, tomato and mint salad. Just something simple and quick.

A bowl of hummus ready to go with my son to a rowdy teenage party hence the ugly bowl.

Some history about the true origins of the recipe can actually be found on wikipedia where there is an entire entry on the topic. You know its good when somebody deems it worthy of an entire page! Interesting stuff there. Well worth the read.

So you have your can of beans. Salt. Lemons to squeeze (one lemon or less per can) and you have your Tahini and your garlic. I cannot provide a true recipe but her are the ingredients in list form to make it easier:

1 can garbanzo beans

1 lemon

garlic

salt

tahini

Here is what you do.

Drain the can of beans. Reserve some liquid (about a quarter cup) if you prefer but you can also use water later on if you forget. I usually do.

Place the beans in a food processor along with the salt (this is to taste always), the garlic clove (also to taste) tahini (be careful to use around two tablespoons and not much more unless you love tahini!)and your lemon juice (up to 5 tablespoons but it will depend on how much tahini you use. You do not add the reserved liquid at this point.

Here is the thing. The recipe given is standard. Taste has so much to do with it which is why I have hesitated to post this recipe. Its truly a pinch of this and a pinch of that, mix taste, adjust. If you have only had this is restaurants, you most likely have had it made with less garlic and lemon but with  more tahini. That is fine. But in my mind, completely unbalanced. You should taste the lemon, the garlic and the tahini. You should taste the salt slightly.  Nothing should overwhelm anything, but again this really does depend on taste. I’m only speaking about ideals here.

So you have added all the ingredients in your food processor and you are now blending away on high. You will notice that the the mixture is very dry and grainy. It needs some liquid. Add some slowly. A good hummus is pasty, not runny. It should hold up on a spoon if you scoop it out. Add just enough liquid to achieve that but keep blending stopping only to adjust your ingredients.

My mom used to blend while she made a salad or did the dishes. Very smooth results. Blend until you can’t stand to the noise or can not wait another minute.

When ready, pour into a bowl and drizzle olive oil on top. This is about flavor but more importantly, the olive oil will prevent surface crust. If you are diligent, you will have reserve a few garbanzos for decorations as well. I never remember to do that. I then usually sprinkle a bit of paprika on top for color and there you have it. Eat immediately or chill.

One final word and that is about pronunciation of the word “tahini”. It is not actually pronounced “tahin knee”. More like taheen-eh”. The “eh” is like when you taste something bland and when asked for your opinion you say, “Eh”.

Today, I’d like to talk about a great spice called Ras Al Hanout, which is a Morrocan “baharat” or spice blend.

My first venture into this blend took me to countless Middle Eastern stores. I knew only that a good spice blend would use rose petals. I wanted it so that I could make a Bastilla. Nobody had it.

Then one day, I was asking a clerk in yet one more shop who said, “Go talk to that man over there. He is a chef and he’ll help you find it.” So off I went. He said it couldn’t be found because people make it. Would I like him to blend something like it from the stores bulk spice section? Of course!

He added a bit of this and a bit of that. I remember only the turmeric. Then he handed me the tub and said, “Make sure you add rose petals or rose water when you are ready to cook. It wouldn’t be complete without that.”

Since then, I’ve been looking around for the recipes for the most authentic Ras Al Hanout. I have asked my Moroccan friends and each one had a different version and each one says, “This is the best one!” They all agree that the meaning of the name means “Head of the shop” as  in “top shelf” for those of you who drink spirits. Is it that good. Oh yes!

So off to do research. From “The African Cookbook” by Jessica Harris, I find that the following list are all possiblities:

cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, chilis, ginger, rose petals, allspice, black pepper, lavender blossoms, turmeric, Spanish fly, belladona, cufa nuts, monks pepper, long pepper, cubeb and grains of paradise. Take your pick from this by no means exhaustive list.

I am gearing towards my own blend.

Black pepper, cinnamon, rose petals, lavender blossoms, ginger, cloves, turmeric. That is what I have so far. I might add the allspice and just maybe a tad of nutmeg which my Moroccan friend Malika encourages because it causes good feelings to those who eat it (in small quantity) and tells me that nutmeg is always added to dishes served at Moroccan weddings to help the guests enjoy themselves (remember Muslims do not touch alcohol).

Within the next few days, I’m going to try making Bastilla again.  I intend on gathering my spices and grinding them on my own. Traditional Bastilla is a pigeon pie using phyllo dough in which the pigeon (use cornish hens in the west) and a sauce are layered. I’m going to attempt it with Quorn brand faux chicken for a change.

Just as soon as I take stock of my pantry, I’ll be back with the ingredients and the process.

We should bother to change the date on the camera, don’t you think?

1 cup of cooked rice (any rice but short grain is best)

1 1/2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of sugar (you can do less if you want)

1 T. rose water (alternative would be orange blossom water)

For the topping

2 T. slivered blanched walnuts

1/2 tsp of cinnamin

1/2 tsp of crushed dried organic rose petals

1/2 T. butter

Once your rice is cooked, add the milk and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. You have to keep stirring. Once the pudding thickens remove from heat and add the rose water. If by chance your rice is not well cooked, then add milk in small increments until your rice is soft.

While this is cooking, melt the butter in a pan and on low heat, add the almonds, stirring until lightly browned. Keep an eye on it!

Have a small bowl with the cinnamon ready. Pour the almonds, butter and all, and mix with the cinnamon until the almonds are coated. You can add more cinnamon but I don’t like that spice to over power the rosewater.

Pour your pudding into a medium sized bowl and then decorate with the almonds. You will have liquid butter left over. Use that to decorate as well.

Now take your crushed rose petals and sprinkle them over the almonds.

Eat this dish while warm or chill for later.

Rice pudding is amazingly universal but I will always prefer this egg/cornstarch/flour free version over any more westernized recipes that have much too many ingredients for my taste.

Again, like many other dishes, its easy to turn this into a vegetarian dish, by replacing the milk for a creamier replacement-soy, coconut or almond for example.

Enter “The Mediterranean Feast” by Clifford A. Wright. The first question posed is “What exactly is Mediterranean food?” He doesn’t have an answer.  What the entire book is about is history of food, how it evolved in the region, how recipes happened to end up more regional rather than national and he doen’t spare history from a political or religious spectrum.

The book is about as thick as a Bible and I won’t pretend that I have read all of it at this point in time. It has recipes aplenty, covering the entire Mediterranean, including Italy, Spain and southern France. He spends a good deal of time on North Africa and the Levant.

One of the most interesting things so far ( and he tackles this issue head on, right from the start) is how Islam influenced not only agriculture but European cuisine, through agricultural improvements, botany and science.

He dispels the bias of misinformation surrounding the thought that the Moors only left destruction and enslavement  in their wake throughout Europe. And he gives credit where that credit is due. For example, European aquifers that were once credited entirely to the Roman Empire were in fact subject to Islamic improvements.I’ll talk more about this aspect another time.

The recipes are  organized unconventionally. I can’t find a dessert section as an example, yet they are there. Not a quick, “whats for dinner” kind of book. Highly intelligent, fully researched and completely edited in academia, its a book that anybody interested in the history of food should read.

Its another one that I got from the library, but I think I’ll be purchasing. It’s impossible to absorb all this information in one cycle of reading. I would go so far as to say that its an extraordinary classic which any serious cook or even political activist for that matter,  will want on their shelves.

So how do you make labneh?

Its so easy! I’ll take some time later to show how to make yogurt without any special equipement but for now, go out and get a large container of yogurt. I buy full fat more because of preference. I’m not clear if fat free will work at all, but low fat should.

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth, a linen kitchen towel or paper towels if you use them.  Place colander in a bowl to catch the whey. Pour the entire container of yogurt on the towel. And wait.

My family always had a muslin draw string bag for this and tied the bag over the kitchen faucet allowing the whey drip down the drain overnight. So thats another option.

I wanted to make yogurt balls and had read that if I let the yogurt sit longer, they would be easier to work with. I waited 3 days. For this length of time I placed the yogurt in the fridge.

I did make a small jar of balls which sit in olive oil. I added dried chili flakes for flavoring as well. But you don’t have to get that elaborate. When it’s ready, place in a covered bowl and keep refrigerated.

Serving suggestions:

When ready to serve, we pour a dash of olive oil over the cheese and dip in with pita bread.

You can use this in place of cream cheese on bagels or use as a base for other dips to replace sour cream.

I have been wanting to try this out with soy yogurt………..not sure if it will work.

As far as country of origin-I would say its probably traditional in many Arab countries.

You need:

Two bunches escarole

Sea Salt

the juice of one lemon

Olive oil

A bunch of scallions or a medium diced onion

Separate and wash  the leaves by submerging in water with a splash of vinegar for 10 minutes then in a bowl of clean rinse water for another 10 minutes.

Chop the leaves and return to a bowl. At this point, you will sprinkle about half a palm full (perhaps a tablespoon and then some) of salt onto the escarole. Then you knead the salt into the leaves to evenly distribute while at the same time, you are bruising the leaves.

Place a plate on top of the leaves and then take a tea kettle full of water and place that on the plate. Leave this alone for at least half an hour. Chop your onions and squeeze your lemon. Put these aside for now.

When you go back to the escarole, you’ll see the salad has shrunk considerably. This is what you want. Fill the bowl with water and swish the leaves around. Drain. Taste a leaf. If too salty, fill with water again and soak a few more minutes then drain again. You can always add more salt but too much is too much.

Now, grab a handful of leaves and squeeze out any excess of water. Place the drained escarole in another bowl. Make sure to separate the leaves.

Add your onion, and lemon juice. You will need about equal amounts lemon and olive oil. Add the oil and using your hands, mix the salad up. Taste. Need more salt? Add it. If you feel its too lemony, add a little more olive oil but the more oil you add, the more likely you’ll need more salt.

Serve this dish with any meat or vegetarian meal. Its a great on sandwiches too.

Pressed salads are much easier to digest for most people. I make this mostly in winter when raw food just doesn’t appeal to me at all but its wonderful chilled in summer to.

This is a Palestinian dish. I’d be interested to hear if other middle eastern cultures are familiar with it as well. I just don’t know. My grandmother has done the same process with green leaf lettuce which is much less bitter. I don’t happen to like this without its bitterness and have actually made this recipe with dandelion leaf too. If you do this, you must absolutely love a bitter taste!

And for the millionth time, I found myself frustrated at the fact that “we” don’t do measurements which is fine, until you want to teach somebody else how to make something. So without further ado, here it is. Authentic Palestinian bread, not pita, but khoubez, which simply means bread.

2.5 lbs of flour (half a bag in the U.S.0

1 full tsp yeast

salt (about 2 tsp)

lukewarm water

Olive oil

Pour flour, salt and yeast into a large bowl. Slowly add water and mix together, adding water until the dough is completely saturated. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about five minutes then add the olive oil (less than half a cup). Continue to knead the dough for another 5 minutes. It will get sticky so keep adding flour to the surface but not too much!

Place in an oiled bowl, cover and then cover again in a blanket.

While you wait for the dough to rise, place a clean sheet on a table and flour it.

When the dough rises, punch it down and pinch off dough the size of your palm.

On a floured surface roll the dough flat with a rolling pin. Place disk on floured sheet. Keep covered as you work. When you are through with this step, cover the disks and let rise again until doubled.

Back on ungreased baking sheets in a preheated oven set at 500 degrees, on middle rack. Watch for it to brown. It won’t take long. (again I feel like my mother who said, “It depends on your oven. Just watch it turn slightly brown on top.”:)

My mom reiterated the “cover your dough with a blanket” part more than once. Very important.

In the old days back home, people had their bread baked in communal brick ovens which is probably why this bread is baked in a very hot oven at a high temperature.

As I said before, this is not pita bread so don’t expect it to split after wards. It won’t. This is the same dough recipe used for making spinach and meat pies which I will get to in time if you all behave:)

At times, we have put olive oil and za’tar on top before baking for  a special treat. If you do this, everything is the same except for adding the toppings before the second rise.

If you have questions, feel free to ask.  Please do not reproduce this recipe anywhere  without asking me first.