Photography by Sarka Babicka Who doesn’t love roasties? I wrote a post about these a few years back, but thought I’d revisit them as my recipe writing skills have since improved tremendously (thankfully!) You can season them to your heart’s desire and here I’ve chosen to go with sumac; if you like, you can also throw in a few smashed, unpeeled garlic cloves. If you’ve got large appetites, double up the recipe. Sumac...
It's hard to define Abu Kassem in a few words but genuine, humble and generous would be a good start. He is known for the za'atar he grows in the fields surrounding his home in the south of Lebanon and considered to be one of the few enterprising farmers who started domesticating the wild za'atar plant (thyme), which was previously only collected from the wild. He's since developed the brand Za'atar Zawtar which combines the fruits of his...
I'd like to thank you all so much for participating in the Lebanese Pantry Giveaway. I've really appreciated all your feedback! It's always a joy to hear what you have to say! You guys rock! I'm happy to announce and with the help of this website the lucky winner of the Lebanese Pantry Givewaway is Asha with comment # 7: "Asha@FSK 21 April 2010 at 1:55 am (Edit) # Love the new look and the Lebanese sections are fantastic!!! :) And, yes, awesome...
Roasties are what the English call roast potatoes. I had never heard of them till my early 20's when I learned the following technique from my father in-law. He's a fantastic cook. When Jim served these up, I went completely bonkers with delight or as he simply calls it-crazy Arab. The secrets to getting roasties perfectly crisp are: A) Roughen up the edges by shaking them well. B) Let them dry out a bit (which makes them great for...
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...