Paella! ole

Paella!
To make a kosher version of paella, simply use chicken and any spicy sausage that is available.

For vegetarian paella, try any mixture of beans, asparagus, mushrooms, squash, and parboiled new potatoes.


Ingredients
2 chicken breast fillets
3 tablespoons smoked spanish paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2  chorizo  or other sausages of your choice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Spanish (yellow) onion, diced
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
2 cups Spanish rice, BOMBA if you can find it- its the best or Goya Medium
1 teaspoon saffron threads
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup green beans
one red pepper sliced in thick wedges


Fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Spanish olives for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Mix the paprika with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pieces of chicken; marinate for 30 minutes so the flavor can sink in a bit.

Heat the olive oil in a paella pan or wide shallow skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly cook pepper wedges and green beans, remove to plate.
Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add the sausage and continue to cook until the oil is a vibrant red color. Remove the chicken and sausage to a platter lined with paper towels.


Return the pan to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Make a sofrito by sauteing the garlic, onion, and tomatoes; cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld; season with salt and pepper, and more smoked paprika. Fold in the rice, stirring to coat the grains. Stir the saffron into the rice. Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Do not cover or constantly stir like risotto.

Arrange  the reserved chicken and the chorizo on the rice. Give the paella a couple of good stirs to tuck in all the pieces and just let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes. Scatter the green beans on top and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the paella looks fluffy and moist. The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat. Allow to rest, off the heat for 5 minutes, and garnish with parsley and olives. Serve with lemon wedges.

The Best Latke Recipe, and Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Time For Hanukkah Treats! Decorate with abandon! Stave off mid winter blues with Empty Carbs!
  Of Course, there are those who would object to the kinds of decorations I have come to love: but hey, why shouldn't Hanukkah be pretty? Like this Coconut Cake with a tiny Menorah, and blue M&Ms

Ina Garten Coconut Cake, Hanukkah Version

Hanukkah Cookies

Time for Fun and Family, Friends, and FOOD!

The Best Latkes
Under the influence of GG and Grandpa we learned, decadently, to love eating masses of them with creme fraiche and gravlax and caviar.

Under the influence of GG and Grandpa we learned, decadently, to love eating masses of them with creme fraiche and gravlax and caviar.




6 medium potatoes, scrubbed, peeled
1 onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour or cup-for-cup gluten free "flour"
1 tsp. salt
fresh pepper.
(serves about 6)
Using the shredding blade of a food processor, shred the potatoes. Set colander lined with a dish cloth in the sink to drain. Place the potatoes in the cloth lined colander, and squeeze out all the liquid you can.
Grate or finely chop onion, mix in eggs, salt and pepper.
Continue squeezing out as much liquid as you can, put half the shredded potatoes in with the onions and eggs, and return the other half to the food processor with the steel blade, and pulse a few times.
Mix the chopped potatoes in with the rest, add flour, and mix well.

You cannot really make this mixture too far in advance, as you probably know, the potato mixture will darken. However, if you cover it tightly with plastic (right on the surface of the potatoes), and cover with a dish towel, you can get about 45 minutes grace time, before the mixture turns unappealingly gray.

Heat about 2 1/2 inches of wesson oil in a large frying pan, and heat the oil till smoking. Drop a bit of the mixture in, it should sizzle like crazy. Using a deep-fry thermometer will give you the best idea of the temperature of the oil--- aim for 350 degrees for best results.

Add tablespoons of the mixture into the pan, allowing the oil to come back to temperature. Turn occasionally with a slotted spoon, and cook until they are nut-brown.

Drain on brown paper bags over a rack, and sprinkle liberally with Kosher Salt. Keep latkes warm until the batch is done on baking pans, lined with paper towels in a 225 degree oven.
Serve with Creme Fraiche, Applesauce, and Gravlax (make your own with this recipe).

"Salted Caramel" Rice Krispie Treats

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats (Vegetarian)
One of the blogs that I avidly follow is called Smitten Kitchen, and I remembered seeing a recipe for these there. I have adapted it substituting Vegan Marshmallows, and Brown Rice breakfast cereal, but I invite you to try it. If you have blue sanding sugar and want to decorate with it, shake it on top of the pan while the "treats" are still warm.




1 stick unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag vegan marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal or Puffed Brown Rice Cereal
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square "brownie pan"

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.
As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with Colored Sugar if desired

What to serve with Latkes? FLANKENBERRY! Braised Flanken with Pomegranate.

Pomegranate Short Ribs

Everyone has a different idea of what they want to put into their stomach before the fast day of Yom Kippur. Henry, for example liked a big steak and baked potato, and our friend Peter requested boiled beef. Now, boiled beef is not something I have included in my repertoire, so searching for a recipe, I found this one, from Melissa Clark in the NY Times. I especially liked the idea of the pomegranate in this one, because it has a symbolic meaning to Jews, for whom the many juicy seeds represent the 613 commandments in the Torah. I love the idea of serving this dish before The Day of Atonement. I wish all my readers a meaningful fast, and, the wish that we all be sealed in the book of life.

 Braised Flanken with Pomegranate
4 pounds flanken ribs
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 medium celery stalks, diced
2 leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned, quartered lengthwise and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock, or as needed
3 thyme branches (see note)
1 rosemary branch
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (optional)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season meat generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meat in batches until dark golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer meat to a platter.
2. Add oil to pan and sauté carrots, celery, leeks, garlic and shallot until vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes; season lightly with salt and pepper. Add pomegranate juice and wine, and cook, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return meat to pot. Liquid should reach halfway up sides of meat. If not, add a little more stock or water.
3. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning meat every 30 minutes until fork tender, about 2 hours.
4. If you have time, let meat cool and chill overnight. The next day, remove fat from surface, then reheat over low heat. Stir in the pomegranate molasses if using, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and cilantro just before serving.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Note: You may wrap herbs and cloves in cheesecloth before adding to pot; remove before chilling or serving.

Serve with

Herb Mashed Potatoes

Scrub a couple of pounds of new potatoes, fingerling, or yukon gold potatoes, put in a pan with water to cover and cook until a knife pierces the potato easily.
Reserve about a cup of the cooking water.
Mash the potatoes roughly and add a good drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Continue mashing, adding the cooking water (or milk, cream, or soy milk) till smooth. Before serving, stir in a handful of chopped fresh herbs like parsley, chives, lovage, thyme, or celery tops. Keep warm until serving.

Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf from bonappetit.com

Here is a tasty Passover side dish idea:
Quinoa and Spring Vegetable Pilaf Quick Recipes: bonappetit.com

Here is Amanda's version, without peas, as appropriate for passover.
At least by our in-house Rabbinic authorities... wow... "raging debate"... who knew?
Raging Debate about Quinoa

Winter Minestrone Soup Blizzard Heaven

MMMMMM-minestrone

Minestrone Soup needs little discussion.

The biggest problem with it is that the idea sounds dull. Trust me, whatever bland or canned vegetable soups of your past will be wiped away by the taste of a fresh hot vegetable soup.

Perfect for improvisation, you can use many different mixtures and amounts of seasonal vegetables. Let this just be a guide. You can use any of the ones I mentioned, or any you like or have on hand. The important thing is to not cook it too long after the beans and peas and pasta are in. If you want to make it ahead, add these before serving, or cook until they are done, cool, and reheat before serving.

If you are not vegetarian or kosher use butter, bacon, beef or chicken stock. Personally I like to make it vegetarian, with vegetable stock and olive oil, and then have the option of topping it with some hot pepper, and a generous sprinking of parmesan. (Henry loves smoked cheese on top).

A good loaf of bread, and you are set—make a ton, it gets better with age.

After dinner, put any leftovers in individual containers and take the next day for lunch, or freeze.

MINESTRONE (FOR 4-5 people)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped 

1 leek, cleaned and sliced
1 lb greens: any or a mixture (swiss chard, kale, cabbage, or baby spinach stems trimmed, chopped)
1 russet potato, peeled, diced
4 plum tomatoes chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 quarts vegetable stock (or chicken stock or half chicken and half beef)

3 tablespoons tomato paste
(1 ounce parmesan cheese, rind) optional 

handful small pasta (orzo, Israeli couscous etc)

½ cup cleaned green beans, in 1 inch pieces

1 cup fresh peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper 

4 cloves garlic,chopped

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic.
Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the greens and potato; saute for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig, sauté briefly and add stock, tomato paste, and seasonings.

Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. 
Stir in the beans and parsley.
Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. 10 minutes before serving add pasta.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Discard Parmesan rind if used and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.) Correct seasoning.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Happy Thanksgivukkah! Hanukkah+Thanksgiving. How about Sweet Potato Latkes with Cranberry Chutney?

Here is the best recipe for latkes, you will just love them.

For Sweet potato Latkes- Perfect for Thanksgivukkah, 
just use 6 small sweet potatoes, and instead of the onion, use 3 shallots, and a quarter cup of fresh parsley.

The World's Best Latkes

6 medium potatoes, scrubbed, peeled

1 onion

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

fresh pepper.

(serves about 6)

Using the shredding blade of a food processor, shred the potatoes. Set colander in the sink to drain.

Grate or finely chop onion, mix in eggs, salt and pepper.

Squeezing out as much liquid as you can, put half the shredded potatoes in with the onions and eggs, and return the other half to the food processor with the steel blade, and pulse a few times.

Mix the chopped potatoes in with the rest, add flour, and mix well.

Heat about 2 1/2 inches of wesson oil in a large frying pan, and heat the oil till smoking. Drop a bit of the mixture in, it should sizzle like crazy.

Add tablespoons of the mixture into the pan, allowing the oil to come back to temperature. Turn occasionally with a slotted spoon, and cook until they are nut-brown.

Drain on brown paper bags over a rack, and sprinkle liberally with Kosher Salt. Keep latkes warm until the batch is done on baking pans, lined with paper towels in a 225 degree oven.
Serve with Creme Fraiche, Applesauce, and Gravlax.

or Cranberry Chutney:

1. 2 large organic navel oranges
2. 2 bags fresh cranberries
3. 1/2 cup water
4. 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
5. 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6. 3/4 cup granulated sugar
7. 3/4 cup brown sugar
8. 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger
9. Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Wash the oranges well, cut off about 1/4 inch from both the stem and blossom end, and chop roughly in a food processor.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries and water with 1/4 cup of Grand Marnier  and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the chopped oranges, cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, both sugars, the ginger and orange pieces and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 The chutney can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

More Thanksgiving Recipes Here
and of course the all important STUFFING recipe here
The Best Pecan Pie, and Praline Sweet Potatoes Here
Cranberry Orange Sauce with Agave in case you want to cut down on white sugar

Butternut Squash Rainbow Chard Barley "Risotto"

Butternut Squash and Chard...Meet Barley

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks (pierce with a knife and bake for 15 minutes to make it easier)
• 1 large chopped onion 
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups pearled barley 
• 1/2 cup white or rose wine
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch of chard, stemmed and shredded (or substitute spinach, kale, or other green)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. 
2. Add the squash, onion, salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring untli the onion gets soft but not browned. 
3. Add the barley to the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, about 1 minute. 
4. Add the broth allow to boil, cover the pot and transfer it to oven. Bake until the barley is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. (can do ahead up to here).
5. Return the pot to the stovetop, stir in the shredded kale, and cook briefly, stir in cheese Parmesan, and butter. Using a microplane grater, grate in fresh nutmeg.
6. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Untraditional but GOOD Tabouli salad with Zucchini and Olives

Untraditional Tabouli Salad with grated zucchini and olives

Tabouli, couscous, Israeli Couscous, Quinoa

these grain-based salads are a summer staple, always good with almost everything, and provide a palette for improvisation.

Today I grated more of my abundant garden-zucchini into the usual mixture, and threw in some chopped calamata olives. Delicious for packing up for tonight's beach picnic (praying it doesn't rain).

• 2 cups whole wheat couscous
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 green onions, sliced finely
• 1 small onion, chopped finely2 small cucumbers peeled and chopped
• 1 handful parsley,chopped finely
• 1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped 
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
  1/2 cup pitted olives chopped
  1 small zucchini grated
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 lemons rind grated, juiced
• salt and pepper (cayenne or aleppo if you like it a bit spicy)
• 
  

Directions

1. Place couscous in a large mixing bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, then fluff grains with a wooden spoon.
2. Add onions, parsley, mint, zucchini, cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes and mix well.
3. Finally, add the rest of the ingredients . Mix thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator and toss once again before serving.

Milk and Honey and Noodle Kugel.

For Shavuot: Nancy Snell's Noodle Kugel  

aka: Its No Secret Why Your Grandfather Died of Heart Disease

Ah, Shavuot, most inconvenient holiday- coming at that time of year when many of us are swamped with finals, graduations, allergic headaches, revamping our putt, transplanting tomato seedlings, and whatever else we do at the end of May.
There is at least one good thing about the "chag", though- the custom of eating dairy foods. Why?
Ask Moses! (Or your favorite Rabbi).
Time to whip up a batch of that Jewish Comfort-Food Classic, Noodle Kugel. There are plenty of low fat versions, be my guest.... I'm sticking with Nancy Snell's caloric classic. Please pass the Lipitor.

1 12 oz. Bag Egg Noodles, cooked

2 sticks butter

4 beaten eggs

2/3 cups sugar

1 pound cottage cheese

1/2 pint sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

raisins if you wish (of course we HATE raisins in anything)

Topping:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp cinnamon

1Tbs sugar

Cook and drain noodles, melt butter, beat eggs, mix all together (not topping) and pour into rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle topping. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 15 minutes.

note: since I had half a (pint) container of Mascarpone ripening in the fridge, I threw it in. Might be a definite keeper, if Mascarpone is something you have access to. I found it near that creme fraiche that I love from,Vermont Butter and Cheese Company.. Don't make a special trip tho.

Healthy, Hearty, Simple and Delicious Vegetarian Stews and Soups

Ok, time to get a little back to normal. Like, no french fries for lunch AND dinner. These recipes were part of our Hanukkah Party menu... I was looking for some vegetarian dishes that would be great with latkas, and make good leftovers. Warning: these are yummy, healthy and delicious. They are also incredibly filling, so think of whipping up a double batch for a football-watching party, and then pack the leftovers in lunch-size containers. PLUS..these would all be great to bring for any kind of potluck. Enjoy.. and Happy New Year!

Chick pea stew

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, stems removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch thick rounds
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
8 sprigs cilantro, stems discarded, leaves chopped
8 sprigs parsley, stems discarded, leaves chopped
Harissa, to taste

1. Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large skillet set over high heat. When just starting smoke, add the eggplant cubes. Immediately, reduce heat to medium, and stir well. Cook until eggplant pieces are golden and tender, about 10 minutes. When done, turn off heat and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until onion is starting to brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the paprika, turmeric, and garlic. Stir well, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Then add the tomato sauce and water. Scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Add the eggplants, chickpeas, and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
   
   

   Moroccan Vegetable Stew

   
   1 tablespoon unsalted butter
   1 tablespoon olive oil
   1 medium yellow onion, small dice
   4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
   2 teaspoons ground cumin
   1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, or 2 cinnamon sticks
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
   1 pound butternut squash, large dice
   2 cups vegetable stock
   2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
   1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
   Pinch saffron
   1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
   1 cup brined green olives
   Steamed couscous, for serving
   
   garnish:
   chopped cilantro or parsley. chopped raw almonds, or any nut you have
   Harissa or hot sauce
   
   Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy saucepan with a lid.  When oil is hot, add onion, garlic, spices,  salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
   Add squash (and potatoes), season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.
   Remove from heat and stir in preserved lemon and olives. Serve over couscous garnished with cilantro, almonds, and yogurt.
   
   
   

   AFRICAN CURRIED CHICKPEA SOUP

   2 tablespoons canola oil
   1 medium onion (about 6 ounces), chopped
   1 medium red bell pepper (about 6 ounces), chopped
   1 jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
   2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
   2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
   1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
   1 cup chopped tomatoes, seeded and peeled, fresh or canned
   1 teaspoon mild curry powder or more if you LOVE curry
   1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
   Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
   1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
   3/4 cup cooked white or brown rice
   2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
   

   • In a medium stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chili; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add the broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, curry powder, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.
     
     

   
   
   

Herb Garden Gazpacho & Authentic Wood Fired Paella

Happy 4th of July!

Artisinal treasures brought from foreign lands

Paella, which you, my loyal followers know, is a passion of mine, was originally a peasant meal, cooked over a campfire. Although my kitchen paella (check left sidebar) is delicious, cooking it over wood is AMAZING.

Smokin' Paella!

The process is the same. The only change I made was grilling the veggies a bit before they were added to to pan. It takes a bit longer to cook, but hey, who ever complained about spending too much time around a campfire on a gorgeous summer evening with people you love? Cook it over a hot, flaming fire, and after you add the rice, don't stir it. You want to develop the crusty bottom called "socarrat:, the best part. When the rice seems almost done (bite a grain, you should feel a tiny bit of hardness at the very core), remove from the fire, and place a clean kitchen towel over the pan to allow steam to complete the cooking process. (The Spanish farmers use newspaper. but, I'm not in Spain, and I prefer my printing ink on my fingers, not on my lips.)
You will find this Paella Primer to be as useful as I did. (don't ask me about the "naked whiz" part, I just do the research, I don't invent it.)

Whenever we travel I buy local ingredients in the markets.  This is the market in Istanbul where I bought the Bahranian Saffron. The Bomba rice was purchased in the Born Area of Barcelona, during a fabulous half day walking tour we arranged with Marta Laurent, a wonderful foodie-guide. Check her blog. You can read about this hand milled, rare product here. The wonderful shop, Casa Gispert, is a MUST for food fetishists (like me). In a pinch, you can use any Bomba rice or Goya short grain "Valencia" rice. Look in your local gourmet shop (Balducci's locally here in Westport.)

So we started with some sangria, slice up some oranges (a blood orange is a nice touch) lemons, cube up an apple, stir in a bottle of wine. Let the fruit get to know the wine.

Gazpacho seemed the perfect first course. Here is my favorite recipe, I love it because you get to use all those yummy herbs you have been growing:

 (serves 6-8)
1 small bunch of celery
1 cucumber, peeled
3 carrots
1 small red pepper
1 small green pepper
1 small onion
4 cups tomato juice (bottled, or fresh tomatoes, pureed and strained)
fresh basil, fresh tarragon, fresh dill, fresh mint fresh parsley - about 1 Tbs. of each
1 Tbs. fresh or dried oregano
2 fat cloves fresh garlic
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. sugar
1Tbs. worcestershire sauce or Balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
fresh pepper

• Process the cucumber, celery, carrots, peppers, onion, garlic and herbs in batches in a food processor until well chopped but not completely mush.
• Add  remaining ingredients
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste
• Allow to rest and chill in the refrigerator until serving. 
• Keeps 2 days

A Middle Eastern Feast for Fall: Persian, Moroccan, Syrian, and Israeli Delights

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Israeli Salad, Celery Salad

Lamb Kofte

Table with Persian Eggplant and other Salads

Fall is a wonderful time to enjoy planning and eating meals with heartier, earthier tastes, more complex spices, and lengthier preparations that still take advantage of the relatively wide array of vegetables in the markets. The other thing about this menu that is worth noting, is that it does not use terribly expensive or arcane ingredients, and though it is very tasty, its not too spicy, and it will produce very tasty leftovers.
I love making dinners that are very veggie based, with lots of small plates that allow personalizing by taste/predilection of my guests. In this kind of spread vegetarians can be as happy as carnivores, and depending on your time, talents, and the availability of take-out, this menu outline can suit cooks of all levels. Supplement with bowls of homemade or store-bought hummus, tahina, babaganoush, olives, stuffed grape leaves, harissa, and lots of fresh pita. If you really feel energetic, consider making the super-duper easy homemade pita at the end of the post.
     A wonderful addition to this meal is the famous chicken, pomegranate, walnut dish that is a classic of the Persian kitchen Koresht Fesenjen here.
     The first thing to do is take stock of your fridge. Pull out all those veggies and plan your salads around what you have. Onions, mushrooms, beans, rice, carrots, celery, squash, whatever--
then choose from the salads below depending on what you have. The more fresh herbs the better, as far as I am concerned- you will definitely want big bunches of parsley, cilantro, mint, chives etc...
Use the internet or a cookbook to enhance the selection below. This one is an all-time favorite of mine:
Claudia Roden, A New Book of Middle Eastern Food
The recipes below are just the framework. you can add or subtract any number of dishes, this is the basis of a REALLY GREAT potluck,  have your friends bring any tabouli, quinoa, rice salad, or potato salad they want.

MORROCCAN CARROT SALAD 

 4-5 large Carrots

half a cup of pitted black olives

a handful of fresh chives, scallions, mint, parsley as desired coarsly chopped

1 lemon

3 Tbs. good olive oil

cumin, salt and pepper to taste

Wash and grate 4-5 large carrots into a mixing bowl.  Mix in slivered black olives, and chives or cilantro.
Wash lemon, and grate the yellow part of the rind into the salad. Then squeeze the juice into the mixture. (Did you know that if you microwave a lemon for about 20 seconds, it makes it easier to juice? Ditto, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand). Add in the olive oil, and about 1/2 tsp cumin (more if you love cumin) and salt and pepper.

• You can also add in grated radish for a spicier touch
• sprinkle in a teaspoon or so of honey or agave syrup and some raisins if you like a sweeter version
• mix in a can of chick peas, rinsed if you suddenly have extra guests

PERSIAN EGGPLANT- serves 4 Adapted from Marcella Hazan
 This one takes a little bit of time, and clean-up, but they are so delicious, it really is worth it.
The process of slicing, salting, soaking, and rinsing is the key to success. The bigger the eggplant you use, the more benefit you will derive from the process. If you can find tiny, tangerine-sized eggplants, you can skip this step, and just fry the thin slices.

2 medium eggplants
kosher Salt
Olive oil, (not Extra-Virgin) enough to come up a 1/2 inch on the side of a pan, plus refills if necessary
Fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
Fresh parsley chopped
2 lemons, sliced thinly
1.  slice eggplants into 1/4-inch rounds. Layer the slices in a colander salting each layer liberally. Put paper towels between layers. Put in the sink let stand for at least 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse the slices to remove excess salt, and put onto a kitchen towel and dry very well. You will notice that the eggplants are kind of leathery, or papery.
2. Put oil to a large skillet to come up a 1/2 inch on the side of the pan. Don’t let the amount of oil scare you. Cooked at the right temperature, the eggplant will absorb very little of the oil. Turn the heat to high and as the oil is heating,
3. When the oil is hot (read: immediate sizzle and bubble when you dip in a slice), slide eggplant slices in a couple at a time, in a  single layer, not too crowded. Brown gently on both sides, turning as necessary and transfer to brown paper grocery bags to drain as they are done.
4. When cool layer decoratively on platter, sprinkle with chopped garlic and parsley, coarse salt, and intersperse with thinly sliced lemon.
5. Cover and keep at room temperature to preserve crispness. Can do several hours ahead.

LAMB KOFTA These yummy bites will be familiar to anyone who has travelled in the middle east. There are many variations, and you can make them as spicy as you like by increasing the measurements of the spices. You can nestle them in pita (like falafel) and garnish with salad, tahini, or tsadziki. I like them with a good dose of spicy Harissa. This recipe makes enough for 4 if you have a lot of side dishes. You can also do it with ground turkey.

1 pound ground lamb
1 onion, chopped fine
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 pinch cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or 1/2 tsp harissa
4 tbsp cilantro or parsley chopped plus more for garnish if desired
black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mint
1 lemon cut into wedges

Mix the lamb in a large bowl with the onion, garlic, spices and cilantro and season well with salt and pepper. Mix well, until they are very soft, and the seasonings are well incorporated.
Shape walnut size lumps into oval shapes (if you will be grilling them, shape around small skewers) and arrange on broiler pan or plate. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. The mixture will firm up when chilled.
The kofta can then be broiled, grilled, or pan-fried in a bit of olive oil until done, about 12 minutes.
Arrange koftas on plate. Scatter with the mint and serve with the lemon wedges and your choice of accompaniments.
note: If you can find it at your local market a good shortcut is available: Sadaf Kabob Seasoning
You can order it online, (as well as an amazing array of ethnic delights) from Kalustyan's, one of my absolute favorite markets. If you are in the NYC area you HAVE to go there sometime.

Ok. Now for the 
EASY HOMEMADE PITA
2-1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for sprinkling while kneading
2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 packet yeast or 2 tsp. (bread machine yeast or saf is best)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees)

 8-inch squares of aluminum foil for baking 
 

Combine 1 cup flour with the salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the oil and water. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for three minutes, then stir in the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. The dough will be a rough, shaggy mass that pulls away from the bowl. If the dough  feels very wet, add a Tbs. of additional flour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 500°.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.

Roll into balls, dust lightly with flour, and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Flatten each ball into a disk, by pressing with your palm, and roll out with a rolling pin, into  6" rounds. Its more important to get them thin than perfectly round.

Place each round on a square of foil, and carefully place 4 at a time, directly on the oven rack. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are puffed. (They may not all puff, but they will still taste amazing)

If not using immediately, stack  and wrap them in a large piece of foil. This will keep the dough soft while the tops fall, leaving a pocket in the center. 
To reheat, stack several in a pile, wrap with foil, and place in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.