I have been enjoying this salad plentifully over the last month. After all, how can one resist the combination of crisp green leaves, garlicky butter beans, and a runny egg yolk with a sprinkle of sumac? And if that wasn't enough, this salad can be knocked out in no time! Okay, so you may need to use canned beans but I recommend cooking up a big batch of dried butter beans and then freezing them in individual serving sizes, making it more...
I've not posted in a while! I'm sorry! Some of you have been in contact asking me if everything is o.k? Thank you for your genuine concern and kind words. I really appreciate it! I've been really busy mainly with FBC 2010, entertaining my sisters who made an awfully quick pit stop on their way back from Lebanon to Hawaii, helping my cousin move in to her new place and well if I'm to be frank: my spirit is in fact hanging low at the moment! I'm...
I'm in love with green bean casserole! Not any green bean casserole, however. Dish me up the classic green bean casserole invented in 1955 by Campbell's Soup Company using canned ingredients and beware the dragon fire. As I've mentioned before, I like to use fresh ingredients and to build a dish from scratch. There really is nothing more satisfying, more delicious, more virtuous, more necessary. I realize that for some, the mere mention of the...
We all know what it's like when the world is spinning at two hundred miles an hour and you're standing there in a dizzy, desperately trying to remain sane and get on with your ever expanding to-do list while tackling tasteless fireballs. I feel like that all too often. In fact, I feel like that right now. But, a while ago, I promised myself to learn to enjoy the moment no matter what it is! When all goes "Pete Tong" - as the cliche goes in my...
I arrived to Lebanon over a week ago, during the "mouneh" months; pickling and preserving summer produce for the winter months. Preparing the mouneh is a practice that goes back for centuries and is an essential part of the Middle Eastern kitchen. We pickle and preserve pretty much everything. Alina, my father's girl friend, and I have been trying out some traditional recipes and some rather non-traditional recipes. We've been in the mountains...
I get a knock on my door the other day. My landlord is standing there with branches of bay leaves: "I thought you would enjoy these! I've been pruning the tree" he said. What a kind and thoughtful guy! One thing I love about summer cooking is knocking up perfectly simple and quick dishes like this one and the abundance of chilled Sauvignon Blanc, of course! I had some haddock that Chris picked up earlier that morning and thought I'd pair the...
As I begin writing this, the aromas of mloukhieh, cardamom, coriander, and garlic infuse the air, sending my stomach in mad rages. Mloukhieh, the Egyptian national dish, is extremely popular in Lebanon and is one of my favorite dishes. Mloukhieh leaves are a type of edible green similar to spinach and in the English language are called Jew's mallow. This leafy green vegetable has a mucilaginous texture, similar to okra, when cooked. The...
My first taste of a lettuce veloute, was in New York, a few weeks ago. I never thought mushy lettuce could blossom in a soup. It was velvety smooth and it felt strange that it tasted so well. And I suppose why not we use a lot of different greens we eat in salads to make soups too. So, as soon as I got home, I ventured into the kitchen in an effort to re-create something similar. With the weather finally nearing pleasant temperatures, I...
This week, I was lucky enough to pin down Arlette, a family friend of Portuguese origin, and get her cooking with me in the kitchen. She shared a delicious Portuguese fish recipe while I tried my best during the whole lovely experience to snap a picture of her, but to no avail. She said she would rather remain mysterious, like the 'dark side of the moon'. I was not prepared to argue with this tough Portuguese cookie. This is one of those...
Can yours pleeease beet for me and forgive me for being so slack over the last month, and not really being an active member of the food obsessing society?! I'm sure you will, right? After all, it's valentines and you are supposed to share love! and forgive?! Especially after sharing the recipe for the cutest and cuddliest hearts ever?! Beetroot Ravoli Ingredients Ravioli 150g cooked beetroot, pureed 300g “oo” flour 1 egg Salt...
This sumptuous meal part of the 7-course christmas tasting menu scored a 9/10 on the Mmm meter! The duck legs were marinated for over 24 hours and then slowly braised for 4 hours. The duck came served atop creamed parsnip with an onion confit. What a delectable combination this was... I can't wait to make it again, very soon! Slow-Braised Orange Glazed Duck with Creamed Parsnip Ingredients 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon...
My Lebanese grandmother would often make something very similar to this ratatouille which we knew in Arabic as mtab'a. About age 15, I finally had a "French" ratatouille in Provence, made by my French step-mom's father. I always loved my grandmother's mtab'a and so embraced ratatouille immediately. It's very satisfying served as a main meal with some rustic bread (Pain de Campagne), or goes well as an accompaniment to fish, meat or rice....
I know, I know... the name's not very appealing! But (no pun intended), I can guarantee that tasting a beer butt chicken for the first time will be one of those unforgettable culinary moments. I learned about Beer Butt Chicken (also called beer can chicken, chicken on the throne) in Houston, Texas where I lived for a short period of time. The name says it all; a can of beer up the chicken's cavity! It is not entirely known how the...