Vegetarian, for a day.

For me the concept of cooking vegetarian dishes to simulate other meat dishes is totally unacceptable, because it implies a certain superiority of the latter, so that vegetarians have to imitate them to be palatable. I come from a culture where people sometimes are vegetarian by necessity, not by choice. In fact, in many regions where harsh economic conditions prevail, meat becomes a rare commodity, due mainly to high prices. So people use their ingenuity to create delicious dishes and meals based on what they have on hand, and try to make these cheap meals as nutritious as possible. In such communities, even "rich" people eat the same dishes, which, with time, become traditional dishes. I grew up eating and loving some of these vegetarian dishes based mainly on beans. In Egypt, the main bean used is Fava bean. People eat it green, fresh, dried and cooked, split, peeled and cooked..and by cooked here I mean prepared a thousand different ways! But I have to warn you: to produce something delicious from such a simple ingredient requires one main thing: a lot of work! The other day, to celebrate Sham El-Nessim, I decided to make Falafel and another dish, a kind of dip or spread, Boussara, from scratch. So I opened the kitchen door, positioned myself to be in full sun exposure, and started to work. It took me exactly 3 hours 15 to do the job, just as my grandmother used to do it, except that I used an electric food grinder instead on her manual grinder. At the end, when I started cleaning my hands with the back of my knife, I realized " Oh my God, I'm turning into my grandma!!" But in the kitchen that's not too bad!

REAL EGYPTIAN FALAFEL

You may have had commercial falafel before, the ones we find in most Mediterranean stores or restaurants. But these are rarely Egyptian falafel, because other countries of the region make falafel with chick peas and don't add any greenery to it. Once you've tried the real falafel, you'll never come near the other ones. But again I have to warn you, it's very labor intensive, so you have to be comfortable in your working space, find a place where you can sit down while working, because once you decide to do it you'd better make a big batch, freeze some of it and use it when you need it. There is no point of making this mess every time you want to have some falafel, and they keep so well in the freezer. You'll need:

10 cups of split fava beans (2 1/2 kg = 5.6 lbs)

3 large leeks

1 1/2 bunches of each: parsley, dill and cilantro

2 bunches scallions 

1 medium head of garlic 

The night before, pick the beans, rinse them several times and keep them covered with water overnight. Don't worry if some of the beans have the peel on, when they are soaked, it will be easy to remove it. Now that we are ready for work, drain the beans and check for those who still have the peel and remove it. Work the beans in your food grinder using the larger attachment (they usually have 2 one fine and the other a bit larger. If you don't have a grinder, I think the food processor will work. The first time I made falafel I used a food processor, but the one I have now is small and didn't work properly with the beans). Clean the leeks by cutting the roots first: if they have a lot of dirt, as they do sometimes, cut them lengthwise then in half moons. We'll need the white parts and the tender green parts. Discard the tough green ends. Rinse the leeks several times until the water runs clear and you have no more sand or dirt in them. Rinse all the other herbs, cut them and add them to the leeks. For the scallions you'll need also the white parts and some of the green. Peel the garlic, chop it and add it to your herbs. Now work all the herbs through the food grinder, with the same attachment. When they are all chopped, mix them with the ground beans, and give the whole thing another go in the grinder. You may use the finer attachment, but if you find that this will be hard on you, the larger one will be fine. Now you have the base of the falafel. Divide the amount that you have into smaller amounts and put them in freezer bags (I use 1 qt bags), freeze them. Make sure that you have reserved some of it for your next day. So, to the falafel you are going to cook add 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp dried coriander and salt and pepper to taste. You can also add 1 egg to better hold everything together. You can keep it refrigerated overnight or fry it immediately. To form the falafel take an amount about the size of a ping pong ball, work it between your hands and flatten it a bit to make a shape of a disc. Fry the falafel in hot vegetable oil. Don't crowd your pan. They will not need much to cook, once they become golden on one side, turn them once and keep them until they become golden brown. When you'll bite into them you'll be amazed at the explosion of flavors in your mouth, and the bright green inside of the falafel.

Most of all, don't forget to keep aside some of the ingredients for the next dish.

BOUSSARA                                        

This is a dish you can serve as a meal or as a dip if you have company. The ingredients are the same as the falafel, but it's prepared in a totally different way. It's very nutritious, with the beans and all the herbs it contains and it is not fried.  I always make it when I'm making falafel, because I already have the ingredients at hand. But of course it can be done on its own, and you'll have to make only what you need. You'll need:

3 cups split fava beans soaked (put them aside before you grind the falafel)

1 cup cleaned leeks

1 1/2 cups mixed herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro) chopped

1 onion sliced

5 garlic cloves

1 tbsp coriander 

1 tsp dry mint leaves

1 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper to taste.

In a 5 qt pot barely cover the beans with water (it should be 1/2 inch over the beans, not more) and cook them over medium high heat. Keep an eye on them, if a white foam forms and comes to the surface, remove it with a big spoon. Let cook while you prepare the herbs, if you did not do it already for the falafel. When the beans are almost done add the herbs and keep cooking, adding water little by little and stirring. We don't want to add too much water from the start or you will not get the right consistency. When the beans are cooked, you'll have a chunky mash of beans and herbs, remove from heat and let stand for a while until you're able to work them in a blender. Do so in batches to obtain a greenish smooth mash. Return to the pot. Cut the onion in half and then in medium slices. In a nonstick skillet, cook the onion slices in oil until caramelized (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile keep the pot cooking on very low heat, uncovered. Remove the onion slices from the skillet, making sure that you reserve the oil in the skillet. Crush the garlic into the skillet, add coriander and salt and pepper. Cook until browned and then pour it into the pot. Stir to mix. Take the dried mint leaves into the palms of your hands and crush them over the pot. Make sure that you keep the leftover stems in your hands and discard them. Stir and adjust seasoning. You'll notice that the pot is bubbling slightly and that its color has turned to a brighter green. Let it bubble for a while (3 to 4 minutes) and then remove from heat. Pour the boussara in a shallow serving dish: it should be about 3/4 inch high maximum. You can serve it in individual dishes, always making sure that it's 1/2 to 3/4 inches only. Let it cool, and it will have the consistency of a cooked custard when it settles. Sprinkle with the caramelized onion slices, refrigerate. Before you serve it take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Serve with toasted pita triangles : I cut the pita bread in half, then in half again and again to get 8 triangles. Then I separate the top from the bottom, put them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes.                                           

Spring has sprung, let's have a party!!

In Egypt, since the days of the Pharaohs people celebrate the coming of spring with special dishes. It's a day of festivities called Shamm El-Nessim (translated "feeling the breeze"), it's the Monday following Easter Sunday. Everybody goes out to parks, on Nile cruises, basically live outdoors for a day. They eat lots of green leaves: watercress, lettuce, green onions and scallions, green chick peas (on the branches before they are dried, delicious!). I still remember my childhood Shamm El-Nessim, when my aunt Lola would show up early in the morning, her family in tow, carrying her famous Easter braided bread encrusted with colored eggs, and her precious cargo of "Fessikh". Yes, Fessikh is the main delicacy people eat on this day. It's a pickled fish, mainly mullet, heavily salted, and somehow pickled in barrels until it is fully "cooked" or, to be more exact, putrefied and horribly stinky. I once asked my mom, who I know visited one of its most famous factories in Damietta, how it is done. Her answer was short and said it all "You don't wanna know", she said; and I really don't. They can clean it all they want, let it rest in oil and lemon juice until, as they say, it becomes really delicious, but I still don't eat it or even come near it. It's something worthy of Andrew Zimmern and his Bizarre Foods! Really..

So, instead, and to keep with tradition, I use another salted fish:

SMOKED HERRINGS

This is a very easy salted fish to handle. It used to come with the roe complete inside it, but lately, it came without it, but it still is very good. Growing up, people used to grill it before they removed the skin to prepare it, but I find that this way the salt becomes more concentrated and it's not good for you. So I thought of a different way to handle it, to minimize the salt effect, especially that on this day we are going to have a lot of salty dishes. You'll need:

2 or 3 smoked whole herrings

olive oil (or any good oil you prefer)

Lime juice, plus slices of lemon

Boiling water

Put a shallow dish long enough to hold at least one fish whole in your sink. Put the herrings in it and pour some boiling water on them. Let them stand for about 5 minutes. Discard the water and flip the herrings on the other side. Pour some more boiling water on them and let them stand in it for another couple of minutes. Discard the water. Starting from under the head, peel off the skin from the fish. It will come out almost in one piece. Start removing the flesh from the back of the fish, you'll have a good fillet. Remove the rest of the flesh and make sure that you remove any bones you may have in the fillet. Turn the fish and continue removing the flesh. Repeat with the other herrings. Place the herrings in a plastic container, drizzle with oil and lots of lime juice. You may find inside the fish a long buttery sack. Don't throw it away, it's part of the roe sack. You can put it with the herrings in oil and lime juice. Have a taste, it's not bad, it's creamy and not as salty; my mom likes it a lot. You can serve it on the side of the herring dish, and use it later, if you have leftovers. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, cut the fillets in 2 inches slices and arrange in a platter with lemon wedges or slices.

LUPINI

                                                          

It's a delicious dish to nibble on with drinks. It's very easy to make, but you have to start it at least one week before your event or party. Lupini is a dried bean, the size of a dime or a nickle (depending on the origin of the bean), with rounded corners and in one of them a small opening the shape of an eye (don't get the other lupini bean which is similar to the canellini but bigger, my husband got those once and I used them to bake pies!). Pick the beans to make sure there are no small stones or anything in them. In a large pot, at least 5.5 qt rinse the lupini once or twice. Drain. Cover with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Let stand. Drain the water. You'll notice that the lupini are plump and bright yellow. Transfer the lupini to a bowl big enough to hold them with lots of water. Leave them in water overnight. In the morning change the water and keep the lupini soaking for at least four more days, changing the water everyday. Don't try to taste them before the third day: they will be very bitter.

When the bitterness is completely gone, by day 5 or 6, depending on the kind you've got, drain the lupini, rinse them and drain them completely. Sprinkle with salt, cumin and lemon juice. The basic recipe calls for only salt, but I like them with these additions. They are all to taste. Transfer to a plastic container with lid and refrigerate. It will keep for at least a week or 10 days.. in our house they usually don't last that long !

                                                       

SPRING PARTY SPREAD                               

Now that you have prepared two dishes, let me tell you that you don't have to do everything from scratch: there is a lot of things you can buy prepared and you just have to incorporate them into your party spread:
Smoked Salmon: take each slice and roll it loosely to simulate the heart of a rose. Arrange the slices on a platter, either alone, or with some toast. I usually toast whole wheat slices of bread and cut them in triangles. You can sprinkle some chopped red onions or capers on your plate, or keep them on the side in small bowls.
Artichokes: I buy a big jar of artichoke hearts in olive oil, pick them, drain them and arrange them on a platter.
Black and green olives: that's easy, you just have to put your Kalamata olives and your preferred green olives in a nice bowl and make sure that you have something beside it to put the pits in.
White fish salad: remember the salad we made the other day? I made it again and added some dill to it. Delicious!!
Green salad or mixed salad: make the salad of your choice, make it simple, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and if you want to make it fancier add a can of chick peas, drained. Use your favorite dressing, or simply a drizzle of olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. And you can add a big plate of scallions, watercress and arugula with some lemon wedges on the side.
This year I also added some falafel and boussara, but that's for another blog.
And of course don't forget the colored eggs, that's a must.

                                            

                                                      

                                                   



Summer is coming: let's have a salad

Today we finally had a beautiful sunny day, after the long, long cruel cold days of winter...It's time to celebrate and bring out the salad!! Maybe this will be an incentive for the weather Gods to give us a break from the cold. And to think that just yesterday mom was asking for some lentil soup to keep her warm.

So, no matter what, we'll have our first summer salad. Let me correct that, we'll have the first salad bar of the season. Oh yes, around here, when it's salad day it has to be salad BAR day. We don't have just one salad, but rather a choice of different salads. For that I learned that you don't need to do everything yourself or from scratch, many elements can be bought ready made and you just have to serve them, maybe with some garnish to make them yours. So here you are:

INSALATA PRIMAVERA

                                                

                            

I call it Insalata Primavera because with all its beautiful colors, it really brings out spring on your table. It is also very nutritious with all the beans and the vegetables in it. It is easy to make and keeps well in the refrigerator. You'll need:

1 (15 oz)can each: chick peas, black beans and pitted black olives

1 small red onion, or 1/2 medium

1 heart of a celery bunch, or 5 stalks of celery

1 lb grape tomatoes

1 tbsp lime juice, more to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp good vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain, rinse and drain the chick peas and the beans. Put them in a large bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, add them to the beans. Finely chop the onion and the celery and add them to the bowl. Slice the black olives in small rings and add them to the bowl. Sprinkle with some lime juice, about a tablespoon. In a cup, mix the vinegar with 2 or 3 tbsp of oil and salt and pepper. Whisk, and taste. Add more oil if needed.

Add to the bowl and mix all together. Adjust seasoning. Keep refrigerated until serving time.You can sprinkle a pinch of crushed dry oregano on the salad just before serving.

TIP: my mom likes some crumbled feta on top of her salad. Try that too. Also if you have some cooked small shrimp in your freezer, you can defrost them beforehand, sprinkle them with lime juice and add them to the salad. It will be a complete meal.

WHITE FISH SALAD

                                                         

The other day at the store, while looking for some smoked salmon, I found a beautiful white fish I had never seen before. It looked so good, that I bought it without even knowing what to do with it. At home, not knowing what to expect, I cleaned the kitchen sink and put the package in it. I first inspected it carefully hoping to find some instructions, but the label had only some information about the origin of the fish (New York), the ingredients and the net weight (1.99 lb). So I decided to take matters into my own hands and see what will happen: I cut the pouch on the length of the fish and opened the plastic flap like a book. Starting at the head of the fish, lift the skin near the back. You'll be surprised that it will come out all in one piece revealing the beautiful plump white flesh of the fish. Piece by piece remove the flesh to a bowl. When you are done with the first side, remove the spine and the bones to uncover the second slice of the fish. Carefully remove the flesh to the bowl making sure that the lower skin remains in its place. Now all you have left in the plastic package is the skin and bones. Close the plastic flap that you had opened in the beginning, fold the package with all the remains and discard it. Check your fish pieces for any visible bones and remove them. Now wash your hand, and get ready to make the salad. You'll need:

5 stalks of celery finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

3 tsp capers, rinsed and drained

3 heaping tbsp mayo

3 tbsp lime juice

For garnish:

1 avocado thinly sliced

4 boiled potatoes sliced in1/8 inch rounds

leaves from 1 heart of romaine lettuce

 With a fork, mix the onion and the celery with the fish, in order to break the flesh. Add 1 tbsp of mayo and 1tbsp of lime juice. Mix. I learned from experience that when you use butter or mayo, you don't put a lot from the start, but just enough to give the flavor you're looking for. To best achieve this, you start with the smallest amount you can use, and gradually add up until you get the desired flavor and texture. This is a simple rule that I always follow when it comes to butter and mayo, and adding fat in general in my food. It works and it helps me use the real thing, not those "plastic" substitutes, and it helps me limit the amount I'm using. So check your salad and add mayo just some at a time, until you get a smooth texture. Add the capers, leaving some for garnish, and fold them in your salad.

For the presentation use what you have at hand. Today I had a romaine lettuce, an avocado and some boiled potatoes. So I arranged the smallest leaves of the heart of the lettuce in the shape of a fan on the side of the dish. On the other side, I layered the potato rounds and in between them the avocado slices. Scoop 2 or more tbsp of fish salad in the middle and sprinkle with some capers.

TIP: Another cool way to serve it: make an edible bowl from 2 or 3 leaves of bib (or iceberg) lettuce, even radicchio with its beautiful red color, and scoop the salad in it and arrange some toast around it. Or use some endive leaves as small "boats" and fill them with the salad, they'll make a delicious hors d'oeuvre platter.

                                       

Rabbit: the delicious white meat.

What? You never had rabbit before? Oh, you're missing a lot !! Before you dismiss it as "bizarre food", give yourself a chance to have a taste.. you'll love it. It's white meat, lean and delicious. As I said before, Mediterranean culture cooks everything found in its natural habitat, and never lets anything go to waste. We try anything at least once, we eat everything, and enjoy it. So I grew up eating rabbit, without thinking twice about it. The first time I discovered rabbit in New York, I was elated. We have a traditional Egyptian dish "Meloukheya with rabbit". They say it's the best, by comparison of course to the one made with chicken or meat. I really never saw the difference: in any case it's a delicious green soup made with special green leaves and, you guessed it, rabbit (chicken or meat) soup. But the thing about rabbit here is that they are huge. I am used to rabbit the size of a Cornish hen or a small chicken, but the ones I usually get are roughly the size of a small deer (I'm exaggerating of course, but this is how it seemed to me the first time I bought it). I thought, because of the size that they would be tough and hard to cook, but no, they were still delicious. But because of their size, I had to figure out how to best deal with a whole rabbit and get two dishes out of it.

RABBIT WITH VEGETABLES

I had this dish for the first time in Milan, Italy. I was visiting my Italian mammina, and she made it for us. We were sitting with her in the kitchen, so I guess that between drinks and chatting with all the friends, I managed to notice what she was doing. The first time I tried to replicate it was many years later, when I was looking for different ways to cook a rabbit I just bought, because, after all, how much Meloukheya can a person eat in a week? You'll need:

4 pieces of rabbit (2 legs and 2 pieces of waist)

5 celery stalks chopped

1 1/2 cups baby carrots chopped in small rings

4 to 5 tbsp flour

1 cup white wine(optional. You can use stock or even water)

1 1/2 cup skim milk or 4 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp olive oil (I use extra light)

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the rabbit pieces and remove any transparent film you may find hanging over some parts of the meat. You'll be able to do that by hand. In a shallow dish, mix 1 1/2 tbsp of flour with salt and pepper. Lightly coat the rabbit pieces with the flour mixture. In a dutch oven heat the oil, and cook the rabbit pieces on all sides, trying not to let them brown. Add the chopped vegetables, some salt and pepper and stir. Add the wine if you're using it (or stock or water). Stir to release any bits stuck to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook covered for about 15 minutes. Dissolve the remaining flour in the milk (or the sour cream with a drop of water to make it easier). When the liquid in your pot is almost absorbed, add the milk with the flour. Stir to make sure that there are no lumps. Cover, reduce the heat and let cook until fork tender. You may need to add some liquid to get the required result. But not too much or your sauce will not be thick enough.

Serve over rice pilaf or yellow rice.

RABBIT SOUP

The best thing about rabbit bought in New York is that it doesn't need much cleaning. It doesn't have those pieces of fat that I usually have to remove from chicken or meat, it comes already skinless, and all you have to do is to remove any transparent film you find over the meat and you're done. Sometimes it even comes without that tiny film, so you just wash it and pat it dry and you're good to go. This is why making rabbit stock or soup is so easy. The original recipe called for sauteing the rabbit pieces in their own juice, then discarding the liquid, then sauteing it again in butter and filling the pot with water in order to cook the rabbit again in it. With the good quality rabbit we have here, you don't have to do all that. You'll just need the remainder of the rabbit:

1 rabbit breast cut in 2 pieces

1 whole medium onion

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp celery salt

2 to 3 mastic crystals (sold in Mideastern stores, they look like small amber pieces, each piece about the size of the small pearl you find sometimes on a pin head)

Salt and pepper to taste

Fill a 5.5 qt pot with water, up to the handles. When the water comes to a boil add the rabbit pieces and cover. When it comes again to a boil check if there is any white foam or bubbles on the surface. If you find any remove them with a spoon. When there is no more bubbles coming out, add the onion, the spices, salt and pepper and the mastic. Cover and let simmer over medium heat. The rabbit will be done when the onion is done. You'll have an aromatic soup with a somewhat white color, it's the mastic that makes it white. The aroma comes from the cardamom and the celery salt. Please make sure that you don't put too much cardamom or mastic because they can make the soup bitter. Use it as soup or cook with it. The rabbit you can eat  boiled or lightly sauteed in a thin slice of butter (less than a tbsp).

Let's go fishing.

Fish is good for you!! I know, I know, everybody says that;  yet I noticed that many people find it difficult, even yukky, to cook fish and sea food at home. When I go to the fish market, I always find myself almost alone in the store or maybe with a few Latino customers.. its seems that not everyone has the courage to buy and cook sea food. But I've always seen my family cook fish at home, we even had a 'fish day' at least every 10 days, if not every week. Only lately, with the culture of fast food invading the whole world that I noticed that even in households that used to have all home cooked meals, people are starting to order fish dishes take out. They claim it's messy and the fish odor lingers around in the house. Not true. If you are well organized, and you choose fresh fish and cook it properly, you'll have a delicious meal and a nice aroma filling your house. In fact that's what happened the other day, when my mother came downstairs because of the smell of what I was cooking:

FRIED FISH AND SHRIMP

                               

This is the typical basic Egyptian recipe for fried fish, of course in a new tweaked version: I use less garlic and add new spices. But the result is equally delicious. Growing up, I watched my aunts use whole fish, at that time fillet was not that common. But now, especially when I am cooking for family, with older people and children, I prefer the fillet so that nobody would have a problem with bones. According to the original recipe you should season the fish with a lot more garlic than my own version, and you should use only flour to coat the fish. But I like a bit of crunch in the fish, so I added some bread crumbs to it. You'll need:

For the fish: 1 fillet per person (tilapia, red snapper, mahi mahi, flounder, any white fish) + 2 or 3 extra, here I used 4 tilapia fillets cut in half lengthwise = 8 pieces

2 cloves of garlic

1tbsp each: celery salt and cumin

1tsp coriander

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup bread crumbs (plain)

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

For the shrimp: 2 lb of shrimp (large, about 20 count)

1 egg

The same ingredients as above

Vegetable oil for frying

Chop the garlic as fine as you can. (If you find that difficult, you can use some garlic powder instead, about 1 tbsp, or to your taste). Mix all the spices together in a bowl, add the garlic and the lime juice. Mix. Add the fish and mix to coat well on all sides. Put aside for a while. 

In another bowl beat the egg with the spices for the shrimp. Clean the shrimp: peel it and devein it. Usually it is already deveined, but make sure that it is clean and that you remove the tail. If you chose the biggest kind of shrimp (10 count for example), with a sharp knife cut every shrimp from the back, but not all the way. Open the shrimp with your fingers to butterfly it. This way it will cook evenly easier, because if you cook the shrimp for a long time it will turn to "plastic". Put the shrimp in the bowl with the beaten egg and spices. Mix to coat. In a shallow dish, mix the flour and the bread crumbs. You should have a slightly granulated flour mixture. One by one, put the fish fillets in the flour mixture and coat on both sides. Press to make sure it sticks.

Keep the fish in a separate dish, preferably in one layer, until ready to fry. Repeat the same with the shrimp, using one hand to pick up the shrimp from the bowl, and the other to coat it with the flour mixture. That way your hands will not have a gooey paste stuck on it. When all are done start frying the fish first. I use a deep pot so that they fry on both sides simultaneously. Remove the fish to a platter lined with paper towels. You don't need to add salt to it because it's already seasoned. Repeat with the shrimp. Please note that shrimp don't need a long time to cook, remove them as soon as they turn golden brown. Serve with:

TAHINI SAUCE

We call it Tahini salad, but you can also call it sauce. It can also be used alone as a dip. You'll need:

1 cup tahini (sesame paste, sold at Middle Eastern stores, and now even at supermarkets)

1 cup water (more or less, depending on the tahini brand)

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp each cumin and garlic powder

1 tsp coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

More cumin to sprinkle on top

Before you measure the tahini, make sure that you stir it in its original container, because it has a tendency to stick to the bottom and have some of its oil separate and come to the surface. Pour the tahini in a deep bowl, add the vinegar and stir with a fork. You'll notice that the tahini has changed consistency and became somewhat granulated. Don't worry. Start adding water, tablespoon by tablespoon while stirring with the fork until all the lumps are gone and you get a smooth texture. Don't add too much water at once. You can always add more if you need. You should have a thick sauce. Add all the spices, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle some cumin on the top before serving. Some people add a sprinkle of oil, but I prefer not to add any. Sesame has enough oil in it.

BOLLITO MISTO

                        

Bollito misto basically means mixed boiled ingredients. It is the easiest way to prepare shellfish. I remember the first time a friend brought us live lobster: I was terrified to see it crawl in the sink. I've heard that it should be boiled alive, and this idea was simply not acceptable. So our friend offered to prepare it. He simply boiled it in hot water and then asked for different condiments to add to it once cooked. It seems that this is the most common way, since all restaurants serve lobster with a side of melted butter in a small bowl. I still send the butter back and try to season my lobster with something else. So I figured that the only solution to this situation is to properly cook the lobster, which means to season it before cooking it (or during). This way, you'll not need any butter afterwards (the golden rule: if you omit butter replace it with good seasoning).

Usually the Italian recipe calls for different kinds of shellfish, potatoes, artichokes and corn on the cob. But in our family, when you eat this dish you don't want to be distracted by other things, so no additions of the kind. You'll need for a group of 5 to 6 people:

3 lobster tails

2 lbs shrimp

6 crab legs

Mussels and clams cleaned

1 medium onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp each: cumin, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder

1/2 tbsp coriander

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the onion in thick slices, chop the garlic, or just cut it in 2 or 4 pieces.In a large pot (at least 5.5 qt) pour water to half its height. Add onion, garlic, lime juice and spices to the water and bring to a boil. Add the lobster tails, cover and let cook for about 10 minutes. Add the clams and mussels (the day I took this picture I didn't find any at the store). Cover and cook for some minutes more. Then add the shrimp and the crab legs. I know they are usually cooked, but I like to give them some flavor.

Cook for about 3 minutes more. Remove everything to a large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges, and serve with a big bowl of tahini sauce. To make the clean up easier, put a paper tablecloth over you table and throw it away with all the shells after the meal.