Friday, January 23, 2015

CHRISTMAS WITH FRIENDS

This year we decided to have a different format to celebrate Christmas with friends. Our guests gave us a rather wide window for their arrival, it went from an hour to two hours. We couldn't plan for a sit in dinner, because with people coming early and others after two hours, we couldn't keep the first having drinks and appetizers for that long, then rush the whole group into dinner as soon as the late comers would arrive. So I opted for an open buffet of robust appetizers and drinks for everybody. Also since most of our guests were not very fond of meat and preferred fish, the menu had to consist mainly of what they liked most, making sure that I also serve a meat dish for the exceptions that don't eat fish.
I got the idea when I last went to Costco: they had the seafood display that my husband loves, so we bought something to eat that day and the main ingredients for my Christmas menu.It turned out to be the easiest Christmas dinner I ever had to prepare.
                                       
                                          
      
SEAFOOD SALAD

                           
                           
               
This is a very easy dish to make. The only things that need cooking are the lobster tails  and the  mussels, and these don't need much. You only have to assemble the ingredients, because the short cut in this particular dish is highly recommended. For this dish to serve about 20 people, bearing in mind that you are not serving a main course, you'll need:

3 lobster tails, about 6 to 7 inches long each
5 to 6 crab legs, I got the cooked ones
2 lbs cooked shrimp, 31 to 40 count
2 fillets of cod, or any other thick fillet, salmon or tuna are OK, about 3 x 5 inches
2 nets, about 2 to 3 lb each, mussels and clams
2 containers of cooked baby octopus in oil, about 1 lb, it's sold in Greek delis
1 cup cooked wild rice
Heart of celery, finely chopped
1/4 bunch dill, finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 medium endives, or 1 heart of lettuce
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, more juice to taste
Salt, pepper, cumin, onion and garlic powder, Bay seasoning, all to taste.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the spices and some lemon juice to taste, a tsp of each, add the lobster tails, cover and let cook for about 25 minutes. to check for donness, try to pull a piece of meat from the tail. If it comes easily in your hand it's done; if you encounter some resistance, give it 5 to 10 minutes more. 
Remove the lobster from the pot and add the mussels. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the mussels from the pot with a slotted spoon. Add the clams to the pot and cook them for another 10 minutes or so. Drain the clams and discard any one that did not open in cooking. Do the same with the mussels, then remove the meat from both and keep in a large bowl. You have probably heard a lot of advise about how to choose and clean mussels and clams, but personally I find that now they come already cleaned in a small net or loose. The only thing you should do is to make sure that you discard any one that is already opened before you cook them.
Cut the fish fillets into cubes about the size of the shrimp, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dash of lemon juice, then cook them in a drop of oil in a non stick skillet until opaque. Remove from heat, let it cool, then add to the bowl.
With the help of kitchen shears, open the lobster tails and the crab legs to remove the meat. cut them in cubes and add to the bowl. For the shrimp, make sure that it is well drained. you can keep or remove the tail. I usually do, I don't like my guests to have to "spit" it while eating. Remove the octopus from its container and cut it in bites the size of everything else, and add it to the bowl. Add the celery, dill and onion, wild rice, zest and lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder to taste. Toss. You may add some oil to the salad, not too much, because the octopus was already in oil, even if you drained it. Toss again and adjust seasoning if you need. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, arrange some endive leaves around a large platter, slice the remaining endives and toss with the salad before you transfer it to the plate.

TUNA SALAD WITH PARSLEY VINAIGRETTE

                            
This is one of the easiest dishes you can serve on many occasions. It doesn't need any cooking, and it's a very good item to include in a lunch or light dinner menu. I like it mainly because it is not your typical tuna salad heavy with mayo, and it is always light and nutritious. You'll need:

4 cans of solid white tuna in water, drained
1/4 medium red onion very finely chopped, more if you like
1 heart of celery, very finely chopped
1 (15 oz) can canellini, rinsed and drained
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
2 tbsp mustard
3 tbsp oil
lemon juice, to taste
1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped and divided into 1/3 and 2/3
1 small head radicchio

In a small bowl mix the mustard, 2/3 parsley, oil, lemon juice, plus salt and pepper to make the dressing.
Add the other ingredients, except the radicchio, to a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss, making sure that you break the largest pieces of tuna, but not making it mushy. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, arrange radicchio leaves around the platter and transfer the tuna salad over it. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley.

FLAG PLATTER

                                       
                               

Another easy platter to serve your guests. It only requires some assembly, and it's ready in 10 to 15 minutes. It doesn't even need a recipe. All you need are some toothpicks, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella bites, black and green olives. I found these exquisite Italian green olives, they are vivid green and have a creamy taste. The perfect element for an Italian flag.
So you only have to get the fancy bamboo toothpicks, skewer one tomato, a piece of cheese and an olive to make a flag. I used the black olives to make the Egyptian flag. It was fun to hear my guests say "I'll have an Italian flag this time", or "Can you pass an Egyptian flag please?"

The last dish is the easiest you can make. Just assemble different cheese slices, you can even find them in one package, good olives, some cold cuts. Today I used smoked salmon and dried beef slices, basterma. Just make sure that it looks good.
                             

Sunday, November 30, 2014

THANKING FRIENDS

When your friends become family, it's only natural that on days like Thanksgiving you should get together, all as family, and celebrate together. 
This has more or less become our new tradition. The children, all grown up now, want to start their own tradition in their own homes with their growing families. So we decided to let them have fun their own way while we prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for our friends. It so happened that many of our friends live here in New York because of their work and it would be very difficult for them to go back home for the occasion. So what better opportunity for all of us to be together, have a nice evening while nibbling on different dishes, most of them out of the ordinary? You may have noticed from previous posts on Thanksgiving that I usually don't prepare the classical American thanksgiving dinner, and this year is not going to be an exception. Our menu was very eclectic this year. We had turkey of course and by popular demand my famous rice with nuts. I added an old favorite with a twist of course, beef stew with prunes, moussaka and stuffed hearts of artichoke.
Since we were expecting a large number of guests, I decided to double the buffet, meaning instead of making one large dish, I made two smaller ones. This way people would find the same items in both rooms, living room, where I set up a table, and the dining room, where people can sit around the table if they wanted to. Both rooms being open to each other, no one would feel left out. After dinner, all leftovers were transferred to the dining room and we gathered in the living room for dessert. This way, and with everything being prepared well in advance, I got to enjoy the evening with my friends, an nobody was left out.

BEEF STEW WITH PRUNES
                                           
                                             
You might remember this dish from a previous blog. It's a dish that I first had during a trip to Algeria. I tried to get the recipe, but somehow all I got from the ladies was a vague "oh it's so easy" with no details. So I improvised and improvised, until I perfected my own recipe.
It might not be the original one, but it's delicious. You'll need:

30 to 35 cubes of beef, 2 X 2 inches (I used tip sirloin)
1 and 1/2 cups of dried, pitted prunes
3 stalks celery
5 to 6 baby carrots or one medium carrot
1/3 onion
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp tomato paste
3 tbsp toasted sesame
Flour
Salt and pepper

Make sure that the meat cubes are all red, no fat or tendons. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. In a heavy iron pot heat the oil, add the meat cubes and brown on all sides, turning only when necessary. Don't crowd the pot and work in batches. Remove the browned cubes to a platter, until they are all browned. 
While the meat is browning, chop the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the chop chop until almost pulverized. Add them to the pot and cook them in the remaining oil scraping the bottom to release all the brown bits from the beef. You may add a sprinkle of salt, but not too much, you don't know yet how salty is the meat. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to incorporate, on medium heat. 
Add the meat cubes, with their juices accumulated in the platter, and stir until completely coated by the sauce. Add water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes.
Check if you need to add more liquid, but the meat should be tender by now. Add the prunes, stir. Check and adjust the seasoning. Cover and let cook for another 10 to 15 minutes then remove from heat. Plate the meat and sprinkle with toasted sesame.


Sunday, August 31, 2014

EMPTY YOUR FREEZER MEALS

Summer is almost over. Today was really hot in New York, we had a thunderstorm that started early in the afternoon, and the whole day was grey, hot and humid. After two weeks of a vacation spent at home, tidying things up around the house, I decided it was time to clear up the freezer to get it ready for the new season. Since I was going back to work on Tuesday, after Labor Day, I thought that the chances of grilling outside were rather limited, it is getting dark earlier in the day, and during the week-ends I will have other duties to take care of for the coming week. So, before retiring for the day, I asked my husband to check the downstairs freezer for any summer leftover meats. He found a couple of Cornish hens and got me a package of chicken pieces. When I asked what pieces he found, he just said "it's one of those five piece pouches". That was not very helpful of course to prepare a menu, but I was going to use whatever I had in the pantry to cook the chicken anyway, so I didn't push it further. We'll see tomorrow when I go into the kitchen, I thought.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS, ARTICHOKE AND OLIVES

                                         

When I looked at the chicken my husband had defrosting, I was really disappointed. From what he told me the night before, I was expecting skinless boneless thighs. I was already thinking of making something close to a chicken stroganoff. I knew I had canned mushrooms and sour cream in the fridge. But I was surprised to find that he defrosted a package of chicken drumsticks. I didn't let it get to me. We are still having chicken tonight. But I have to change the menu. You'll need:

5 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
1 (7 oz) can sliced mushrooms
6 to 8 artichoke hearts cut in half, I used the ones that come in a jar preserved in water, drained
5 sprigs fresh thyme, and one rosemary, whole
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 (15.5 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tbsp oil
A sprinkle of flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and flour to lightly coat. In a deep non stick skillet heat the oil, then add the chicken to brown on high heat. Turn the chicken pieces once or twice to brown on all sides and make sure that there is no more blood coming out of the joint. Add the tomato sauce, rinse the can with water and add it to the pan. Add the herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the mushrooms and olives, cover and let simmer. If you are using a different kind of artichoke, frozen for example, you can add it now with the other ingredients. Since the artichokes I was using were almost done and didn't need cooking, I kept them for last. When the sauce is thick enough and the chicken pieces are done, fold in the artichoke hearts. Stir once or twice in incorporate, cover the pan, then remove from heat after a couple of minutes. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Serve over some cooked pasta.

                                 
.

Monday, August 18, 2014

MAKE AHEAD EASY DISHES

Today I am giving you some ideas about very easy dishes that you can prepare in advance, a day in advance of a dinner party, so that you can enjoy the company of your guests, or even days ahead of a busy working week. They are also a crowd pleaser, if you have young children you are sure that they are going to gobble them up. You can also consider them your go to dishes when you have little time to cook dinner. I made the chicken dish for the same event I made the mahshi, stuffed vegetables. I even made it the same day, after I started cooking the veggies that were stuffed the day before. But as I said, it helps if you cook it the day before and be ready to enjoy yourself with your guests.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

                                                 

This particular dish was easier than expected. It also was very well liked by the kids, even those who try to be finicky and make their moms miserable. Yes, every family has those. I used thighs, they are more tender and if cooked without adding fat, oil or butter, they don't become as dry as the breasts. Still you can use breasts if you want, or if your kids really don't eat thighs. But trust me, if you simply say it's chicken, they will not even notice which part of the chicken they are eating. I made a lot, since I had to feed 10 people, but you can make half the quantity, or even less, for just two. You'll need: 

15 skinless, boneless chicken thighs fat trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 mushroom containers (24 oz each), white and brown
3 to 4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp poultry gravy powder
1 tbsp lemon juice

In a large bowl mix the chicken, onion/garlic mixture, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let stand until you clean and slice the mushrooms. I usually don't rinse the mushrooms, but simply wipe them with a damp paper towel, then slice them. This prevent them to become mushy from excessive water.
Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat. Heat a non stick skillet large enough to hold the chicken almost in one layer. Add the chicken and let brown on one side before you start stirring. Each time you do that, give the chicken some time to brown. Add the mushrooms, and don't worry if they seem too much for the skillet, they will wilt down. When they start to do, stir the contents of the skillet once or twice, until all the mushrooms are browned too. At this point the chicken is done, but we need to add some sauce to the dish. Dissolve the gravy powder in a cup of hot water and add it to the skillet. Stir to incorporate, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced and you have a thick brown sauce. You're done.

RABBIT CACCIATORE 

                                                
Last week, I went to the butcher's and my husband insisted on coming along. There, he can be like a child in a toy store: he wants to buy everything in huge quantities even though he doesn't eat as much any more. It took me effort and time to convince him that what I was ordering was more than enough, and we somehow managed to compromise. At the end I asked for rabbit, so he said " but I don't eat rabbit", I do, I answered quietly. Needless to say that he was waiting to see how I will handle this rabbit thing. It is too big for me to eat alone, and too little to invite someone over to share it with, let alone the fact that not everyone eats rabbit. Once at home, I started dividing our loot into portions for two. I also divided the rabbit in portions of two pieces each. That will be more than enough for me. When I decided to cook it, I didn't need any more stock, we had just made it with veal neck. I thought of making it with veggies in white sauce, but I had celery and no carrots. Luckily I had some leftover veggies from the mahshi party: two small peppers and some mushrooms. So I thought can I make rabbit cacciatore? Sure I can. You'll need:

2 pieces of rabbit, a thigh and a waist
1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
A sprinkle of flour
2 small peppers, yellow and orange, (or 1/4 bell pepper) cut into strips
12 to 15 mushrooms, depending on the size, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup green olives with pimento, sliced
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the rabbit pieces, remove the membrane that you may find on it. It will come out easily if you just pull it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and flour over the rabbit to lightly coat. Heat the oil in a non stick skillet, and add the rabbit pieces. Let brown undisturbed on one side, then turn to brown on the other side.
Add the onion/garlic mixture and stir for a couple of minutes til fragrant. Add the mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt. Let cook stirring from time to time, to let the mushroom wilt and brown. Add the pepper strips, a dash of salt, stir until tender. Add the olives, the tomatoes and the herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let it simmer. Check on the rabbit, and keep adding water or stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rabbit is tender and the sauce reduced. Remove the sprigs of the herbs if you used them whole. Serve with a side of pasta or rice. I served it over cooked orzo. 
                                            

STUFFING VEGETABLES

This Sunday the whole family gathered at our place to celebrate two birthdays. It was just in time before the kids would go back to school or leave for college.  I had to feed 10 people ages from 3 to us! The kids going to college asked for "mahshi", stuffed vegetables. I promised I would make it for them, depending of course of the vegetables I could find in the market. Why did I say that? Well, lately I couldn't find the right eggplants to stuff. I usually use the white ones, they sometimes come with some light color, but mainly white. They said I could do it with the dark ones. They seemed determined to have their mahshi.

                                                   

STUFFED EGGPLANTS, PEPPERS and GRAPE LEAVES

I found these beautiful small black eggplants fresh in the local market. I had never seen them before. I am used to the long black ones, but these were new to me, so I decided to try them. It was a very good decision. Their size was just right, short and almost round, so they were easy to carve and stuff. I got 15 eggplants. I thought it would be enough with the small cute peppers I had and a whole jar of grape leaves. It is easy to make stuff vegetables, but it is very time consuming. I prepared everything the day before, so that I could be free and enjoy the company. So be prepared and don't say I didn't warn you. The black eggplants I got were about 2 inches, the perfect size. If you find the long white ones, they usually are much longer, so try to get them straight as much as possible and cut them in half. In this case, don't cut the stem, but peel it off and leave the solid tip, it will be the base of the stuffed eggplant. For the whole batch, you'll need:

15 small black eggplants, or white if you can find them
1 lb small peppers, different colors
1 (16 oz) jar grape leaves
2 large tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 bunch each: flat leaf parsley and dill, finely chopped
4 cups rice
1 onion finely chopped
4 garlic cloves finely chopped, more sliced, optional for the grape leaves
1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef
4 tbsp butter, ghee or clarified butter (this time I used ghee)
2 tbsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preparing the veggies:
Cut off the top of the peppers and remove the seeds and white membranes inside. Set aside.
Cut off the top of the eggplants. Fill a big bowl with tap water and add some salt and lemon juice to it.
On the surface of the counter roll each eggplant with the palm of you hand, and put some pressure with the heel of your hand on the eggplant while you roll. You will feel the flesh breaking inside under pressure. Do not push hard or you'll risk breaking it. With a small peeler, make small incisions  around the cut top, then insert the peeler, turn it around and remove the first part of the flesh. Continue carving the inside with the peeler, removing all the seeds and flesh, but being careful not to pierce the skin. Transfer the cleaned eggplant to the bowl filled with water and salt. It will keep them fresh until you are ready to stuff them.

                                        
In the mean time, brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the onion, garlic salt and pepper. No need to add butter or oil. The fat in the meat is enough. Stir from time to time, making sure that you don't get big lumps of meat. Turn off the heat when all the liquid in the pan has been absorbed. Set aside to cool, until you are ready to prepare the stuffing.
To prepare the grape leaves, remove the leaves from the jar, dip them for a minute or two in boiling water, then rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer to a colander until you stuff them.
For the stuffing use a large pan, where you combine rice, browned beef, chopped parsley, dill and tomato. Add cumin, salt,pepper and ghee. Mix to combine. 

                                  
To stuff the veggies, start with the easiest, the peppers, followed by the eggplants. Make sure you are using your regular rice. You will know how much liquid it will need and how big it will be when fully cooked. Don't fill the veggies to the rim, exactly because the rice will grow in size when cooked, and might break the skin of your vegetables. Use small pans or sauce pans to arrange the stuffed vegetables, and cook them separately. Each vegetable has its own taste. When you roll the grape leaves make sure that you don't roll them too tight, or else they will explode. Actually today I was tired towards the end and I did just that, so some rolls were torn. They were delicious nonetheless and were devoured without anyone even noticing the mistake. When you arrange the stuffed grape leaves in the pan, you may sprinkle some garlic slices 
between rows, some people do that, I don't.

Add water, or stock, to the pans to fill them up to half the height of the vegetables. If the rice you are using needs 2 cups of liquid for each cup of rice, still add less liquid because the veggies will render their liquid too. Also you can always add liquid if need be. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer covered until the rice is done and all the liquid absorbed. Of course you have to check from time to time in case you have to add some more liquid.
Arrange each vegetable on a separate serving dish. I prefer to serve them like that, it keeps each taste separate and if someone doesn't like one vegetable, he doesn't need to have it close to what he's eating. If you have a large round platter, put it over the pot with the grape leaves and turn it upside down. It will come out like a cake. I managed to take the picture after someone got to grab a couple of mahshis! But you get the idea.
For a detailed "how to stuff grape leaves" go to my previous blog dated 3/8/12.

                             

Saturday, April 26, 2014

ARE YOU READY FOR SPRING?

Officially spring has sprung, but until now nothing happened: it's still cold and rainy, and even if we have a sunny day, we always end up having rain at night. But don't let these details stop you from getting ready for spring. I didn't. I already invited friends to come celebrate Easter Sunday with us. This year it coincides with our traditional celebration of Sham El Nessim, that comes on Easter Monday.
I haven't finalized the guest list yet, so the menu will also be amended accordingly. It will probably change only in terms of quantities, but the items will be the same. I thought of serving a roast, chicken cacciatore, smoked salmon, smoked herrings, white fish salad, taramo salata, boussara for my vegetarian guests, and an assortment of salads and vegetables. That was last week. I started my shopping early to make sure that I have all the ingredients I need. Meat, chicken and fish can be kept in the freezer or refrigerator until I need them, so I started by visiting the butcher. I had first thought of buying a whole beef tenderloin, but at the butcher's I found this beautiful veal shoulder cut that made me change my mind. I also found quail, so I got two packages, just in case I would change my mind about the chicken dish. I had already bought chicken breasts and thighs, so no problem if I wanted to cook a chicken dish after all. With the list of guests finalized, the final menu came as follows, from left to right: 
Boussara, herrings, white fish salad, veal shoulder with twice cooked potatoes, roasted quail, freekeh, shrimp and beans salad, red couscous salad with green beans, beets and corn, smoked salmon, carrot salad and cauliflower salad. For dessert I just prepared a bowl of mixed berries, knowing that guests will bring other desserts.

                                         
Most of the dishes are already in previous blogs, the new recipes are very easy and are all to taste. You can adjust the quantity according to the number of guests or people you are serving.

VEAL SHOULDER WITH TWICE COOKED POTATOES
                                                    
I chose two cuts of veal shoulder totaling about 9 pounds. I thought that was enough for 20 guests. It was, and I was happy to give some to take home. You can use the same concept to make a smaller piece, with or without the bone. You'll need:

9 lb of veal shoulder, fat removed
1 onion plus 7 to 9 garlic cloves very finely chopped in the food processor
4 to 6 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste, or use Adobo as I did

Rinse and pat dry the meat. Put it in a large oven proof pan, rub it with the onion/garlic mixture and salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature. About three hours before the guests arrive, preheat the oven at 375 degrees, then put the meat pan in, covered. Let it cook undisturbed for an hour, then remove the cover, continue cooking for 30 minutes, then turn the meat to the other side and let it cook for another 30 minutes, until you get a beautiful color. Remove the pan from the oven, cover the meat with foil and let it rest before you carve it. Remove the bay leaves and slice the meat, arrange on the serving platter with the potatoes.

EASY ROASTED QUAIL
                                            

This dish couldn't be easier. Cut the quail in half lengthwise, toss with onion/garlic mixture, salt, pepper, rosemary and a drop of lemon juice and oil. Let stand for about 30 minutes, then brown in a non stick skillet that can be used in the oven. Cook first on the skin side, for about 4 minutes, turn and brown on the other side. Add some stock, or even water. Bring to a boil, then put in the oven until the liquid is all absorbed and the birds well browned. To serve arrange on a platter with the freekeh in the center. I was going to do that, but my vegetarian friend insisted that I serve it separately, so I did, in the first available platter. It was a bit crowded, but was delicious nonetheless.

RED COUSCOUS SALAD WITH BEETS, GREEN BEANS AND CORN
                          
                                                
This is a very satisfying salad that you can serve on many occasions. It's colorful, full of vitamins, and with a little effort can be a beautiful centerpiece for your table. The main idea here is to cook the couscous in the beets liquid. So, measure the liquid from a 14.5 oz can of beets to use it to cook the couscous. I used 3 cans of beets to get 2 cups of liquid to make 2 cups of couscous. Don't add butter or salt to the liquid, you'll season the salad later. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the grains, cover and remove from heat. Fluff with a fork and the couscous is done. Make a very light vinaigrette with oil, lemon juice and salt all to taste and toss it with the couscous. Blanch the green beans in boiling water, I used 2 bags of cut beans each of 1 lb. Drain and transfer them to a bowl. Chop the beets from the cans and add them to the green beans. Make it a 1/3 beets to 2/3 beans. Use the same vinaigrette as the couscous to season the mixture. Leave some vinaigrette for the corn. I used two 14.5 oz cans of corn, drained, mixed them with chopped parsley and cilantro and tossed with the vinaigrette. Arrange some mixed greens on a large serving platter, transfer the couscous in a mound in the middle, spoon the beans around it, followed by the corn. You can also add some chopped feta to the corn. You'll have a colorful healthy dish that everyone will love.

FREEKEH

I have already posted this dish before under its Egyptian-Arabic name, Freek. It's usually sold under the label "bulgur", but try to get the biggest cut of the grain. Today I added something extra: instead of just using onions in the pan, I chopped some carrots and celery too, all almost liquefied. Cook them in a tbsp of oil, then add the freekeh. Stir for a couple of minutes then add stock, or water, to barely cover the grains. Add salt and let cook covered until all the liquid is absorbed. Uncover, stir and continue cooking on very low heat until tender. You may need to add some more liquid depending on the grains you have.

SHRIMP AND BEANS SALAD

                                                    

This is the easiest dish you can make to please a crowd. Just chop a small red onion, a couple of celery stalks, transfer them to a big bowl. Open a can of chick peas, black beans, corn and cannellini, rinse and drain. Add them to the bowl. Add cooked shrimp, and toss. Make a simple vinaigrette with oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cumin, and if you like a tsp of mustard. Toss and refrigerate for about 2 hours. When ready to serve, arrange some greens on a platter, add the salad and voila, a nutritious beautiful salad.

CARROT AND CAULIFLOWER SALADS

Another crowd pleaser. Just grate 4 to 5 carrots, transfer to a bowl. Make a vinaigrette with a tbsp or two of light mayo, salt, pepper, cumin and a dash of curry. Add some raisins and toss.
For the cauliflower, cook the florets in boiling salted water until crispy tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add chopped green olives with pimento, some raisins, and some of the red onion and celery that you used in the previous salad. Toss with the same vinaigrette as the carrots and serve. You can also sprinkle both salad with some roasted chopped nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts.

                                                  

Thursday, April 3, 2014

COLLECTIVE BIRTHDAYS

March and June are two busy months for our family. We celebrate many birthdays during these two months. This year we decided to combine the most important two, our daughter's and mine, in one single event. A dear friend of mine also is celebrating her birthday the week in between, so I decided to throw a big collective birthday party for all of us. I made sure that we make it a surprise for our friend, she thought we are just having one of our now regular tea parties.
As usual, I had everything ready the night before, but our grand daughter fell sick on that day, so her mom couldn't come. A small change of plans. I had prepared my menu for a larger number of people, so I had to scale things down a little bit. The original menu was as follows:
- leg of lamb with mushroom gravy, served with potatoes
- chicken bites over yellow rice
- lots of vegetables and a separate dish of peperonata
- salsa with avocado
- yogurt salad

                                                     

The meat was already marinating in the fridge, the rice cooked, the veggies cleaned and ready, the peperonata almost done. So, the first thing I did was to freeze the peperonata. I can finish cooking it later when I need it. I also scaled back on the veggies. I can keep them cleaned and trimmed for a couple more days and cook them fresh later on. As for the meats, it was better to cook them anyway and give dogie bags to all who will come. 

LEG OF LAMB WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY AND TWICE COOKED POTATOES
                                             
                                                  

I might have posted this recipe before, but as I always say, you never cook the same dish the same way every time. Today I bought 2 boneless legs of lamb. When I started removing all the fat, I realized that it was too much, so I retained a good chunk of it, and it turned out to be a good decision. You'll need:
A whole leg of lamb, bone and all visible fat removed, about 6 pounds
3 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
2 to 3 cups plain yogurt
1 tsp each cumin, cinnamon, ground clove
1/2 tsp each ginger, coriander
A pinch of nutmeg
3 to 4 garlic cloves sliced 
About 10 whole cloves
Salt and pepper

In a small bowl mix the onion/garlic mixture with all the spices. Put the meat in a large bowl. Rub the mixture onto the meat. Add salt and pepper to the yogurt and slather it all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, transfer the meat to the cooking pan, making sure that it is not overwhelmed by the yogurt. Discard all remaining marinade. Insert a slice of garlic and a clove in the folds of the meat. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature until ready to put in the oven. My guests were coming at 5 pm, so I turned on the oven at 2:30, at 375 degrees. Give the meat about 30 minutes, then remove the foil. Let cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, then turn it and give it another 15 to 20 minutes. It should have a nice brown crust and the sauce should still be liquid. Remove the meat from the pan and keep it covered with foil.
MUSHROOM SAUCE:
                                                        

2 lb white mushrooms
1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp flour or brown gravy powder (we can cheat a little)
Clean and slice the mushrooms. Cook the onion/garlic mixture in the oil until translucent, then add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until wilted down. Dissolve the gravy powder in some water and add it to the mushrooms. Stir. Remove the cloves and garlic slices from the meat pan and add the liquids to the mushroom pan. Stir and let cook until the gravy thickens. Transfer to a serving bowl.
TWICE COOKED POTATOES:
The night before your party, while you are preparing other dishes, put some potatoes in a large pot with salted water and boil them. When they are done, drain the potatoes and keep them covered for the next day. When you are ready, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Fry the potatoes in vegetable oil until golden brown, drain over paper towels, sprinkle some salt. 
Just before your guests arrive, slice the meat, arrange the slices on a large serving dish, and put the potatoes in the middle or to the side. 

MIXED VEGETABLES
                                                        

I have been saying this forever: don't boil your veggies. You'll loose all the vitamins and nutrients. The best way to sautee vegetables is to cook some onion/garlic mixture in a drop of oil in a large skillet until translucent, add the veggies and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or some granules if you prefer, stir, then add a drop of boiling water. Not too much, just enough to wet the vegetables and help them cook until tender or al dente (asparagus), depending on your taste and the veggies. 

YOGURT SALAD
                                                  

Some call it tzatziki, but this is Greek for the same salad. It's the easiest dip or salad you can make. I stopped using Greek yogurt since I discovered the creamier, smoother Indian plain yogurt. Just peel and chop a seedless cucumber, add it to the yogurt in a bowl, add some chopped dill and stir. Season the salad with salt, pepper and garlic powder. You can of course use very finely chopped fresh garlic, if you are sure that you can chop it so fine that no one will end up with a chunk of garlic under his tooth. If you don't have dill, you can use mint, fresh or dried. Or both.

INDIAN INSPIRED CHICKEN AND YELLOW RICE
                                          


I posted the recipe for this dish before (6/6/12). Today I tweaked the recipe a bit, using the Indian yogurt and some of the spices I had at hand to marinate the lamb. I added some ginger, coriander, cumin and celery salt. You can experiment with different spices, but stay in the same palette, meaning use spices used in that particular kitchen and don't go overboard. Just make sure that you keep the thighs and breast pieces separate, in case you guests have preferences.

SALSA WITH AVOCADO

You can find this recipe in a blog dated 3/1/14. People loved it so much that I made again with great success. This time I added some chopped cucumber.