tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44781707079820104352024-03-06T06:03:07.556+00:00Olive Fig GrapeAdventures In New Lebanese CuisineM. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-63857561895020184322011-05-01T17:46:00.000+01:002011-05-01T17:46:06.959+01:00Za'atar Fried ChickenZa'atar, an omnipresent condiment in Middle Eastern cuisine, is regularly comprised of just three humble ingredients: thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. Often thought of for its purported medicinal qualities, this burgeoning elixir is of unassuming origins with grand designs on Levant cultural identity. On the palate, a slightly acerbic, tangy hello gives way to a subtle floral greeting. Comprising of both herb and spice this ancient mix blooms much like the flowers from where it was born, when met with protein, dough or simply a glug of olive oil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qWXjxgflOPCzOaFanfxE-ZqfcCOLxiXAxfEHROm27AOr-sFJQh6SQsNJ_bkDxXi4Kw-aYU2V8imowfJmAp3x-zGAPsQNLg_3MHdEYKt2_ZOEYZuoYHuE-SFglw5vEBiNLD3Ul9h5Yyk/s1600/IMAG0174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qWXjxgflOPCzOaFanfxE-ZqfcCOLxiXAxfEHROm27AOr-sFJQh6SQsNJ_bkDxXi4Kw-aYU2V8imowfJmAp3x-zGAPsQNLg_3MHdEYKt2_ZOEYZuoYHuE-SFglw5vEBiNLD3Ul9h5Yyk/s400/IMAG0174.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This recipe combines the tang of za'atar with deep fried poultry, a Middle Eastern fried chicken recipe if you will. Soak this in buttermilk for a few hours before dispensing of the milk and sprinkling on a seasoning made up of flour, za'atar, lemon zest, a pinch of sweet unsmoked paprika and salt. Fry at the highest temperature for 10 minutes and serve with a wedge of lemon.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-61192460982594666072010-05-09T15:18:00.006+01:002010-05-09T15:28:32.526+01:00Strawberry Risotto and Arancini<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyone who has been following this blog for some time is aware of my admiration of Italian food and the synonymous belief that a dish is encapsulated by the quality of the individual ingredients. Unfortunately, living in London means that quality of ingredients wavers between two extremes. We can get really good apples, mushrooms and often strawberries (2009's harvest was particularly good) but we also get depressingly bad flavourless and mushy April tomatoes. The key here is that we do not decide when to eat certain fruit and vegetables; seasonality is key. But this does not mean that fruit in season always tastes good (it is more likely but by no means a certainty) and we need to use ingenuity and a little creativity in that instance. Sour strawberries can be remedied with a good amount of sugar (or sweet cream) but re-imagining their potential use allows the versatility of the fruit to shine through. This strawberry risotto is by no means a new idea but I've taken the crux of the original recipe and edited ever so slightly. Make more risotto than you need so you'll be left with enough risotto to make some strawberry risotto arancini!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueuCDQa8WHZdH-Yc1hki-ZsXEdEMzEm9DHD76offj4bCw26SmRKp8dUk5pieOOZMKd7Wy_qrnjE4thWmDRKx_DGNanWpYlC6g3fem82NRV82w18gpUhw2Ql0dY4tLnlO7WBklB32wPIA/s1600/arancini2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueuCDQa8WHZdH-Yc1hki-ZsXEdEMzEm9DHD76offj4bCw26SmRKp8dUk5pieOOZMKd7Wy_qrnjE4thWmDRKx_DGNanWpYlC6g3fem82NRV82w18gpUhw2Ql0dY4tLnlO7WBklB32wPIA/s400/arancini2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Strawberry Risotto</i> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup Egyptian short grain rice (or Carnaroli)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2-2 1/2 cups of chicken stock</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 stalk celery</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 large onion</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 a leek </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 dessert spoon olive oil</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a splash of cyder vinegar </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a handful of strawberries (however much you want!)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 sprig of fresh thyme</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 tablespoons of parmesan</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon of good quality butter</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">salt and pepper (careful on the salt, there's stock and parmesan in this)</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Strawberry Risotto Arancini</i></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">however much risotto is left</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a good white cheese (mozzarella works but provola is best) </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 egg</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4-5 teaspoons of flour</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4-5 teaspoons of panko</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />
<div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Strawberry Risotto</i> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">Sweat the diced onion, celery and leek in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the rice and make sure that every grain is coated in oil and fry for a minute. Add the cyder vinegar until cooked out. Add the chopped strawberries and the sprig of thyme and stir in and then ladle on the first spoonful of stock. Try to stir this as few times as possible. You only want to stir to stop it from sticking. Add a ladle-ful of stock at a time until the rice has increased in size and is tender to the bite. You want to make sure not to dry out the rice too much so it's best to add a little more stock after your rice is cooked to your liking. Add the grated parmesan and butter and stir. Cover and leave to rest for one minute. Then it's time to eat!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Strawberry Risotto Arancini</i></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">Once the risotto has cooled down completely you can start to form the rice into balls. Prod a hole in the middle of the ball and stuff with diced cheese before encasing it once more. You can stuff the arancini with anything you like. Dip the ball into the flour, the egg and then into the panko. I did this twice to add a good crunch to the exterior.<i> </i>Preheat the oil to 170 C and deep fry until golden brown. Hopefully the cheese you've chosen has melted! You can add ragu on the side or eat them as they are. </span></div></div>M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-66692432821804492322010-04-26T20:03:00.000+01:002010-04-26T20:03:03.438+01:00Salted Butterscotch Granola BarsRecently I've been brainstorming ideas of things I would make to sell if I started up a food business. This is something I've been considering for quite some time as I find my feet in the working world. One of the experimental successes were these bars so I thought I'd share some photos with you lovely people.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O-A-458c-jcvRZNzajLW2Mp8GRVP4vFs7G8S_Z9NzVWoLU_TAGPcgf9ZiZsFsjjhPQ3Ov5uO1P2m66YqccUpHvXnpvHBjZpb9DaiZ21w6cYXsonzb46SQpve-iigO-k7lBS8J29ZYKw/s1600/saltedbutterscotchbar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O-A-458c-jcvRZNzajLW2Mp8GRVP4vFs7G8S_Z9NzVWoLU_TAGPcgf9ZiZsFsjjhPQ3Ov5uO1P2m66YqccUpHvXnpvHBjZpb9DaiZ21w6cYXsonzb46SQpve-iigO-k7lBS8J29ZYKw/s400/saltedbutterscotchbar2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm not posting a comprehensive recipe for the simple fact that this is open to interpretation! I put in a range of delicious things in these bars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvSyb6YXmxL4R2Rqiw8aHNi31XxGS93CFFPJtwikNJFa6aNilAYg_GP7jBvjxv3FSOBqInN_uV5yR66CZvHuQmtEWYZLA3iAiNPka1BmI9HLjjTZQSW3A8fbZUV-6GVn1FrL3Oz6MU0M/s1600/saltedbutterscotchbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvSyb6YXmxL4R2Rqiw8aHNi31XxGS93CFFPJtwikNJFa6aNilAYg_GP7jBvjxv3FSOBqInN_uV5yR66CZvHuQmtEWYZLA3iAiNPka1BmI9HLjjTZQSW3A8fbZUV-6GVn1FrL3Oz6MU0M/s400/saltedbutterscotchbar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The important thing is to use oats, salted butterscotch and something crunchy in the bars. These were premium bars (Scotch oats, French butter, fleur de sel, etc) and cost 35p each to make for ten 50g bars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH6old3kFP_JxWzs5GAFKJSJqL2sz5qgTzcFN8wEo1Y6LzFIE_ofzGxXyi92vxiLNwrPYIb_7bN7ghECIaviiafL82FVdDlbQm0bexUOtQMCgh6PaIRL_5_-SCGYd84lKhoOjITBuIk4/s1600/saltedbutterscotchbar3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH6old3kFP_JxWzs5GAFKJSJqL2sz5qgTzcFN8wEo1Y6LzFIE_ofzGxXyi92vxiLNwrPYIb_7bN7ghECIaviiafL82FVdDlbQm0bexUOtQMCgh6PaIRL_5_-SCGYd84lKhoOjITBuIk4/s400/saltedbutterscotchbar3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Let me know if you try these!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-69260932099071301042010-04-22T13:07:00.000+01:002010-04-22T13:07:08.176+01:00Green Almonds and LabnehThey say that Italian food is the presentation of the unadulterated work of mother nature whereas French food is the work of the chef transforming ingredients through technique. I think Lebanese food occupies a space on the continuum closer to the Italian gastronomic philosophy than the French equivalent. Although many Lebanese align culturally with the French ideal, it is truer to find similarities within cuisines who share a similar climate, crop and everyday culinary ethos. But there are a multitude of pertinent characterising traits that differentiate the essence of Lebanese and Italian cuisine but one thing is omnipresent - the love of food in its pure form. That is to say that each ingredient is consistent with it's taste throughout the process of 'cooking' requiring very little coaxing out. Ideally, the simpler the better - few processes and few additional ingredients.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoszqA23jQFVPuTOHfjxbVF5KEnhziWmp71jxo0Qn_miFo6BVxAOQ-Lr5c7pGgmIT7cVpMxP132qklL3qfTAYdiAUD2whxrJVMpbPUvzZXDq3-o9zdsoW5o0aJVgZy1gHFBR-oOKD_ih4/s1600/greenalmondlabneh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoszqA23jQFVPuTOHfjxbVF5KEnhziWmp71jxo0Qn_miFo6BVxAOQ-Lr5c7pGgmIT7cVpMxP132qklL3qfTAYdiAUD2whxrJVMpbPUvzZXDq3-o9zdsoW5o0aJVgZy1gHFBR-oOKD_ih4/s400/greenalmondlabneh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With that notion I delved into an assembly of some basic but homely Lebanese springtime favourites. Green almonds are seasonal treat (early April until the beginning of June) that are much underused in Europe but much loved by the Lebanese. Labneh is something I've discussed <a href="http://olivefiggrape.blogspot.com/2009/07/labneh-love-letter.html">before</a> but this version is slightly different. There is no real recipe here - proceed to make the labneh as indicated in the link above but make sure the straining period is even longer. You want to be able to form balls out of the labneh with dry hands. Once the balls are formed you should leave them in a humid place for a few hours so they dry out even more before immersing them in olive oil. Alternatively, to make shankleesh you should let the formed balls dry out even longer before rolling them in za'atar. The longer you leave to dry the stronger the taste. You can eat the labneh balls straight away but it's best to leave them to mature for a week. All I added to the final dish was a sprinkle of fleur de sel and some extra virgin olive oil. This is my taste of early spring.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-1422281451213714352010-04-14T23:44:00.009+01:002010-04-15T11:16:58.288+01:00Malfouf (Cabbage Rolls)Any fan of Lebanese cuisine will be familiar with the word <i>mihshy </i>(Levantine Arabic for 'stuffed') as it appears in an extensive array of vegetable centric dishes. The Lebanese know no bounds when it comes to stuffing things - you give us a vegetable and we'll stuff it, we'll roll it into fingers and we'll have a ball doing so. The art of putting something inside of something else isn't lost on us, my friend. Mihshy's are comfortable and homely and you'll hardly ever see them on restaurant menus (aside from stuffed vine leaves!) which is such a shame. One of Lebanon's greatest exports is its cuisine and many people have come to fall in love with it but not many obsessive eaters know about the other face of Lebanese food. So it came to my surprise when upon meeting someone for the first time they expressed their absolute love of all things Lebanese cuisine and in particular Malfouf Mihshy. According to him Lebanese immigrants to Yucatan, Mexico didn't just inspire tacos al pastor but also passed on some home-cooked classics. Along with your tripe soup you can eat delicate cabbage rolls all prepared lovingly. His description made me crave a taste of home so I just had to go back and cook this up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiH_BS6oFPmSqzBQrhZ4Iw8AvH0x5PVIAjJj58FE0rkGhWKtsQ8tyeHnKjo0bOMxZYnc1las9xGsfpx9f0xwSt0JaJHBQfCfcsGJWyPB5lDgubmcRf9MopScVV4HWpMR5Pqfm5-YL9GhE/s1600/malfouf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiH_BS6oFPmSqzBQrhZ4Iw8AvH0x5PVIAjJj58FE0rkGhWKtsQ8tyeHnKjo0bOMxZYnc1las9xGsfpx9f0xwSt0JaJHBQfCfcsGJWyPB5lDgubmcRf9MopScVV4HWpMR5Pqfm5-YL9GhE/s400/malfouf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 large green cabbage (you can use several varieties depending on desired texture, taste and colour)<br />
160g minced lamb<br />
100g short-grain rice<br />
a pinch of Lebanese seven spice <br />
1 tsp sweet paprika<br />
4-6 cloves of garlic<br />
1 tsp dried mint <br />
1 beef tomato<br />
100ml of lemon juice<br />
300ml water <br />
salt and pepper to taste <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv9RgSDVCUBL1vztzjS1MZ69_G8_zwq_P7_OCvKnuEp1pI9zleT3jg-u9kehfzlRzV8knCaEL-Tai2PqN-xtntWxn71eD-loRhmKCOH17T_GuMq6AQM2AT6A_qTT4iyVcAsBEqPWm1QA/s1600/malfouf2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbv9RgSDVCUBL1vztzjS1MZ69_G8_zwq_P7_OCvKnuEp1pI9zleT3jg-u9kehfzlRzV8knCaEL-Tai2PqN-xtntWxn71eD-loRhmKCOH17T_GuMq6AQM2AT6A_qTT4iyVcAsBEqPWm1QA/s400/malfouf2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
Trim cabbage head and core. Cut leaves into triangles of your desired size. Blanch the leaves in boiling water until tender. Mix the rice, lamb and Lebanese seven spice together. Place a teaspoon of the rice mixture at the bottom of each cabbage triangle, fold in the sides and roll. Place each completed roll in a large pan. Once completed, add the water, lemon juice, tomato, paprika and seasoning. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and add the mint and crushed garlic cloves and cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve with thick Greek style yoghurt and a sprinkle of dried mint.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-36786671935419226712010-03-11T23:53:00.001+00:002010-03-11T23:55:27.504+00:00A Banh Mi Photoblog SpecialYou guys are probably wondering why I've been blogging considerably less than last year and the simple answer is that I've been stuck in a foodie rut. I've been cooking (and probably cooking better than ever before) but a great deal of it is not blog worthy. My inner critic forces me to only want to upload the best of the best and so most of my meals will go unaccounted for even though I have solid recipes to back them up. Is there a market for recipe only (no photo) blogs? I'm genuinely interested in this question. Joel Robuchon's latest cookbook has no pictures yet I find it to be the most consistent cookbook on my shelf in terms of results. But on the other side of the spectrum, food blogs exist to inspire and most people look exclusively at the pictures (you have to say fair enough, not everything needs explaining). Whilst I continue to think of ways to reinvent this blog (ever so slightly) I will keep updating you guys with a range of posts to inspire. Hopefully you find inspiration in my wordless photoblog (photos courtesy of <a href="http://willeatformoney.blogspot.com/">Ibzo</a>) below.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMHbIXndDuzyMqsmACMo2NA7Lq6I1Hn7DIBjwbnHoeIcJKT0xLrikRdxzS5mC3bWXhiG4gLZhUHNv-TTyyOUVf88EDXweFSrFpKSlUw9Gh068McgahHE1kAkXwJqorfg_YGVY08Goooo/s1600-h/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMHbIXndDuzyMqsmACMo2NA7Lq6I1Hn7DIBjwbnHoeIcJKT0xLrikRdxzS5mC3bWXhiG4gLZhUHNv-TTyyOUVf88EDXweFSrFpKSlUw9Gh068McgahHE1kAkXwJqorfg_YGVY08Goooo/s400/IMG_0540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNPiZbxBpL5UO75ME_d_9DsdbuoM3SYJNa00BGTmjjheLvCLxDaQgXX9E0V96HkNUvEjUhejIUCt-gBoVKLqadK1L8Lp2wR2_uEw7pGJabf1t5ZtjMZCE2Og_z1l7CUpN03bRaCdY-P0/s1600-h/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNPiZbxBpL5UO75ME_d_9DsdbuoM3SYJNa00BGTmjjheLvCLxDaQgXX9E0V96HkNUvEjUhejIUCt-gBoVKLqadK1L8Lp2wR2_uEw7pGJabf1t5ZtjMZCE2Og_z1l7CUpN03bRaCdY-P0/s400/IMG_0542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYlavdn0xmk7rvaXi9YpmgpbZZxMtXKTyGTGys2Xaqy9LggOqqGvbyzQjJJzkLEMpeKPieyM30kG8AxPoi1Q3rMgsWXyu1oTrlL3SC5446jw2wr2TlPYdDRak_2kOVDGDLwNPT4-Ihfw/s1600-h/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYlavdn0xmk7rvaXi9YpmgpbZZxMtXKTyGTGys2Xaqy9LggOqqGvbyzQjJJzkLEMpeKPieyM30kG8AxPoi1Q3rMgsWXyu1oTrlL3SC5446jw2wr2TlPYdDRak_2kOVDGDLwNPT4-Ihfw/s400/IMG_0544.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Ru9zqVF9Y0sdAdnDeqJ45x_dczYpWAJQwcOyFMi6HahQdaFdrPSKy-2YLaHurTM8dSXt362uzgmqB7p6gWD7yiiaX6Yzg4xK2ipyS0f3Q7mLS-V38UiPs2TwZTG5ZHjKAODlZQYikA/s1600-h/IMG_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-Ru9zqVF9Y0sdAdnDeqJ45x_dczYpWAJQwcOyFMi6HahQdaFdrPSKy-2YLaHurTM8dSXt362uzgmqB7p6gWD7yiiaX6Yzg4xK2ipyS0f3Q7mLS-V38UiPs2TwZTG5ZHjKAODlZQYikA/s400/IMG_0546.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-7711965732721512202010-02-10T23:00:00.001+00:002010-02-10T23:01:00.247+00:00Olive Oil CakeThere's a magic potion that we keep in our house. A potion with uses in many arenas from the bathroom to the kitchen (and some would say the bedroom; but I wouldn't listen to those guys). It can nourish, add complexity and add flavour without too much trouble. It can revitalise and it can heal and it tastes great! Of course this elixir is non-other than the much-valued and much-utilised olive oil. A commodity that has been used for thousands of years in the Levant, it is older than Lebanon itself. The best way I could describe the value of olive oil to Lebanese people is that it holds the same place in our hearts that butter does to the French. With the added caveat that olive oil is the broody, more complex older brother to butter - it adds something completely different to dishes and well...it's good for you. I love olive oil in all sorts of recipes but something that has been on my mind lately has been its use in desserts - on ice cream, in biscuits and in cakes. This recipe is ridiculously simple and the olive oil taste subtle. It is a great introduction to the use of olive oil in sweets but complex enough for those who love a good olive oil cake. The olive oil 'buttercream' is rich and decadent and elevates this dessert but you should use it sparingly! Anyway, here is the recipe...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMYaXYtA1kVwXfVDtvf8c5wy3iU-dfrQ9JG0uHh2_VK_Fz3pTUpqQbDq1zwbzrTbC_CBY-u6lUuRTHLv72jD0rSl2QoltDHEqbWo0Bo1j68PZdUAJXHh5aIPgsTVjGd2jVz1I0L4cLMg/s1600-h/OliveOilCake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMYaXYtA1kVwXfVDtvf8c5wy3iU-dfrQ9JG0uHh2_VK_Fz3pTUpqQbDq1zwbzrTbC_CBY-u6lUuRTHLv72jD0rSl2QoltDHEqbWo0Bo1j68PZdUAJXHh5aIPgsTVjGd2jVz1I0L4cLMg/s400/OliveOilCake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<i>Cake</i> <br />
125ml great quality extra-virgin olive oil<br />
300g icing sugar<br />
300g self-raising extra-fine flour<br />
Zest and juice of 2 clementines (or 1 orange) and 1 lemon<br />
3 medium free-range eggs<br />
100ml milk<br />
<br />
<i>Olive 'Buttercream'</i><br />
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil<br />
6 tablespoons of icing sugar<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease and line a large cake tin. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the olive oil and beat rapidly. Add the zest and juice of the citrus fruits. Add the milk and whisk again. Sift the flour into the mixture in three parts, folding in after ever third of flour. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Pour into cake tin and cook for 45 minutes until browned and then turn down the heat to 160C and cook for a further 10 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre yields a 'dry' crumb. Cool in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack. To make the olive 'buttercream' mix the icing sugar into the olive oil and it should form a thick pasta akin to buttercream. The flavour is intense so you only need one 'quenelle' of the stuff per slice in my estimations. Slice the cake and serve with the 'buttercream'.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-29141642168101599622010-01-28T00:18:00.002+00:002010-01-28T00:18:37.090+00:00Rice PuddingJanuary is waving goodbye. Christmas and New Years Day are a distant memory. Diets and to-dos are dissolving. Winter is still here. There is an upside to this all - it's still cold enough to overindulge and rationalise that the excess is necessary. Sometimes you just need that comfort from something. We each have our own little secrets. Mine is this rice pudding. I guess it's no longer a secret. Creamy, rich and totally comforting. This is one of those desserts that's simple and decadent. You can serve this with whatever topping you'd like. I opted for caramel but I also really like this with fresh berries. For someone who claims to not have a sweet tooth I seem to be blogging exclusively about desserts. I guess the blog reflects how our diets change over time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx9qY_rTSWDmXE17OeKIGmmMcJtKE2e5IRx4q7NzLQYQpCw868fjnqCkmD6GrnpNCNJs6gvNMfTY_NpdVKYkxNEhu_XR99U3GoXDP1Mx9ReQFhL48YVqWd4Mic-LXKB8JoNgaGDoEEPc/s1600-h/ricepudding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx9qY_rTSWDmXE17OeKIGmmMcJtKE2e5IRx4q7NzLQYQpCw868fjnqCkmD6GrnpNCNJs6gvNMfTY_NpdVKYkxNEhu_XR99U3GoXDP1Mx9ReQFhL48YVqWd4Mic-LXKB8JoNgaGDoEEPc/s400/ricepudding2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
125g short-grain rice (I used arborio)<br />
100g caster sugar<br />
1 litre full-fat milk<br />
1 vanilla pod<br />
150-200ml double or whipping cream<br />
3-4 tablespoons icing sugar <br />
dulce de leche<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
Pour the milk and sugar into a saucepan and heat up. Add the split and scraped vanilla pod/beans to the milk and continue to heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rice and simmer for up to 30 minutes or until the rice has expanded and completely cooked through. Take off the heat and let it cool down completely. Take out the vanilla pod. Whisk the double cream with the icing sugar. Fold the cream into the cooled rice. Spoon into bowls and add as much dulce de leche you would like to each serving. You could add bananas if you want but it's not necessary.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-70127458917613795602010-01-08T19:48:00.002+00:002010-01-08T19:49:44.426+00:00MeghliThe Lebanese way of living dictates that food plays a central part in everyday life, social occasions and revelry. Celebrations are especially grand affairs where families, friends and neighbours come together to not only salute the happening of a certain event but to also indulge by eating lovingly prepared food. Something in the Lebanese psyche equates food and love and nowhere is that better shown than during a celebratory event, be it a wedding or otherwise.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgxb4mwJgsLCvjmySyFxnLiAZv-tHYi61qNwWiZEisX7oBHu9jJgzXarBQiKxqiv16FgRUGf61wtHxDRXWdsXCI2D9tBn88Pyq8iLP1_PwNoogDmoTST5JNreLdpPMgfu4cS565viC9Y/s1600-h/meghli3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgxb4mwJgsLCvjmySyFxnLiAZv-tHYi61qNwWiZEisX7oBHu9jJgzXarBQiKxqiv16FgRUGf61wtHxDRXWdsXCI2D9tBn88Pyq8iLP1_PwNoogDmoTST5JNreLdpPMgfu4cS565viC9Y/s400/meghli3.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the most elusive but enticing celebratory dishes is something known as <i>meghli</i>, a spiced rice-based dessert made to commemorate the birth of a new child. It is one of the things I most look forward to during family gatherings and on occasion have made it as a dessert on a regular week-night. Some things are special and as such are reserved for befitting occasions but I believe we can elevate <i>meghli</i> into becoming a quintessential Lebanese dessert. Flavoured with caraway, anise and cinnamon and topped with a multitude of optional extras, <i>meghli</i> is a real show stopper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1s89YGS9fCWiSi-mI1MduUgwBYU3DvFksRwpy0w5qVmuWPusGzU9J5CI8F82SmV0UWpq4EVxBS0Acj1tM8rBD-zQzJ9ENrDnZFTZQHPYEzgbmxW91BSVu7QFkTVKZz3g2M62prabYNU/s1600-h/meghli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1s89YGS9fCWiSi-mI1MduUgwBYU3DvFksRwpy0w5qVmuWPusGzU9J5CI8F82SmV0UWpq4EVxBS0Acj1tM8rBD-zQzJ9ENrDnZFTZQHPYEzgbmxW91BSVu7QFkTVKZz3g2M62prabYNU/s400/meghli.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
200g rice flour<br />
2.5l of water <br />
200g of sugar<br />
20g caraway seeds (ground)<br />
10g aniseed (ground)<br />
10g cinnamon (ground)<br />
<br />
<i>optional extras: dessicated coconut, blanched almonds, pine nuts, pistachios and sultanas.</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR18OR5FBdCTHkDt_t-DYb07erNj-8DuyJX0uDlPfvVNHZdiWNbEMn07uikwv9BYuIt7ralrH1yTgU1Bdw4Z_aaHJDlU6g_hyAjdmmucGFSIuqmJSOHDxiM7GrWPc-ktOzRBvsIZ8477g/s1600-h/meghli2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR18OR5FBdCTHkDt_t-DYb07erNj-8DuyJX0uDlPfvVNHZdiWNbEMn07uikwv9BYuIt7ralrH1yTgU1Bdw4Z_aaHJDlU6g_hyAjdmmucGFSIuqmJSOHDxiM7GrWPc-ktOzRBvsIZ8477g/s400/meghli2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Methods</b><br />
Pour two litres of water in an adequate saucepan, reserving 500ml in a glass jug. Add the sugar to the pan and heat up to boiling point (making sure the sugar has dissolved). Mix the remaining ingredients into the reserved water making sure to mix through thoroughly. Add the mixture to the sauce pan and once again bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and let the pan simmer, whisking as it cooks. This will keep bubbling for 30-45mins until the rice flour has thickened the <i>meghli</i> considerably. It sounds like hard work and I guess it is but it'll be so worth it. The cooked mixture will yield twelve small bowls/pots which you should fill as soon as you turn the heat off. Cover the tops with cling film to avoid the <i>meghli</i> forming a skin. You can eat it warm but generally it's eaten colder. Sprinkle with any of the optional extras and tuck in! Addictive, isn't it?M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-59125392160249541642010-01-01T13:07:00.000+00:002010-01-01T13:07:33.963+00:00Happy New Year!Hey guys, just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year and say a big thank you to everyone who read this blog. 2010 is going to be amazing so I hope you keep checking back to see how I get on in my adventures. Follow me on twitter if you want additional recipes or tips! Thanks!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-24397929656105655732009-12-15T18:35:00.000+00:002009-12-15T18:35:20.941+00:00Bread and Butter PuddingI think I could live off bread. What a peculiar sentence. I mean I think I could continue to live/subsist/scrape through (delete as appropriate) if I limited myself to only eating bread everyday. Bread in all its lovely mutant forms. I like pasta, I like noodles, I like rice and I like potatoes but I could substitute all those to live in eternal bread happiness. No more ravioli, no more ramen, no more paella and no more chip...Okay maybe I overstated the point but bread makes up a sizeable part of my diet (and there's nothing diet about it). I dream about crispy, pillowy (still going with this adjective), light and airy bread. The intense savoury bubbles and the comforting texture of a good loaf is my idea of simple undemanding bliss.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Zx-oogoiybAe6CO4uB7sZfu8cd6w6F09AqgmE27NASdcGEIdSpTAIymyGxSJQsGumfLaHMkyjjmUwh4MAhmSoooxpMRLUgbi9kvaY1WHH3yTlfWl3-BLuDCFWs8biHf3RaZUiy3lrM/s1600-h/breadandbutterpudding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9Zx-oogoiybAe6CO4uB7sZfu8cd6w6F09AqgmE27NASdcGEIdSpTAIymyGxSJQsGumfLaHMkyjjmUwh4MAhmSoooxpMRLUgbi9kvaY1WHH3yTlfWl3-BLuDCFWs8biHf3RaZUiy3lrM/s400/breadandbutterpudding2.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of my favourite breads is the sweet egg-yolk-enriched French classic: brioche. One of the best examples I've ever had was at the renowned Po<em></em><span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><em></em></span></span>ilane boulangerie in Paris. It was a thing of simple design which excelled in the smaller details (beautifully darkened crust, buttery smooth crumb). Although brioche is hard to resist I often get left with half a loaf (maybe more) going stale and in need of quick use and one of my favourite ways to use it up is in my bread and butter pudding. There are three essential components to elevating a bread and butter pudding into a top-class dessert and they are: 1) the 'custard' that sets this has to have an intense vanilla flavour and have a smooth mouth feel; 2) the pudding needs a crispy sugar-covered top to give a different texture to what's underneath and an added sweetness (I haven't included too much sugar in the milk mixture); 3) a personal touch - mine is soaking the sultanas with rose water (amaretto works too, especially if you elect to use ground almonds in the recipe). Check these three things off and you have your own delicious dessert that you can show off this Christmas.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUagkYiwIZb931iWQFCRSKbWqKJUjm_OiyeIhvHcDI46AYBqMLO3Jk0VCfIEm9gTX2Z9Dvvx3NsvI2a83o5skrZPtAOvt0cng7LSHC7Ps4mEc1mWNREeXtTwXJqSPtV0f-q5MSoEY40Q/s1600-h/breadandbutterpudding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUagkYiwIZb931iWQFCRSKbWqKJUjm_OiyeIhvHcDI46AYBqMLO3Jk0VCfIEm9gTX2Z9Dvvx3NsvI2a83o5skrZPtAOvt0cng7LSHC7Ps4mEc1mWNREeXtTwXJqSPtV0f-q5MSoEY40Q/s400/breadandbutterpudding.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
300g brioche<br />
<b> </b>100g butter<br />
75g sultanas<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
3 tablespoons rose water<br />
100g caster sugar<br />
25g soft brown sugar<br />
25g ground almonds<br />
600g milk<br />
2 large eggs<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32_32pplqqEGlQucjgUFpqrRi-lPTU-eOMFWCkLxvtSpIL2Or6BpLHOcB-QMbCW9q-m3DKfgfgjNgDPSh7DEcaPm38GOv3symp1_ZUUO4ojpEWRagodhI_xgMSvdg3FBBhKIhpWgLZHA/s1600-h/breadandbutterpudding3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32_32pplqqEGlQucjgUFpqrRi-lPTU-eOMFWCkLxvtSpIL2Or6BpLHOcB-QMbCW9q-m3DKfgfgjNgDPSh7DEcaPm38GOv3symp1_ZUUO4ojpEWRagodhI_xgMSvdg3FBBhKIhpWgLZHA/s400/breadandbutterpudding3.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
Butter a baking dish and preheat your oven to 200C. Soak the sultanas in the rose water and a little sugar for 15-20 minutes. Slice your brioche into 1cm slices and butter both sides. Drain the sultanas and place them at the bottom of the baking tray before layering on the brioche slices. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy and then add the milk. Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly before pouring over the layered bread (make sure to get all the top slices of brioche wet). Mix the brown sugar and ground almonds together and scatter on the surface. Dot any remaining butter on top. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the 'custard' has set and the pudding has expanded. Take off the foil and brown under a grill. Let it cool down and serve it warm with ice cream. This is a perfect alternative Christmas dessert.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-72115805727940758712009-12-10T21:56:00.000+00:002009-12-10T21:56:10.439+00:00Lebanese Cuisine Basics: MutabbalHere is the second part of the Lebanese Cuisine Basics series and this is another of my personal favourites. Mutabbal (or what is better known as Baba Ghanoush) is a smoky aubergine dip that is the grander, more interesting sibling of that well-known but ubiquitous chickpea dip. Mutabbal relies on the interplay between smoky aubergine, creamy tahini and the citric acidity of lemon and is more pronounced than hummus bi tahina. If the ratio and preparation are right, this simple dish is elevated into more than just something to sink a few pita chips into. Top with paprika, pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint and you have a great salad. I guess you could cut the aubergines into chunks (once smoked) instead of turning them into pulp, which could produce an interesting texture. This recipe is one my mum has used for decades so it's stood the test of time. It's too easy to not try once! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGY4WLhEvKCVa5sW_wY-Yc6Pd4qesbivpZzZkfwyZ2nTZKfZGpmrLAhpsnVUP29Pu8OzeBIpK-rwYKoR3SfU29VraSp8-ohefE3jYshdRaA-PaD3lqVrAIy5PU4kyqvbIIT318v0gd0I/s1600-h/mutabbal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGY4WLhEvKCVa5sW_wY-Yc6Pd4qesbivpZzZkfwyZ2nTZKfZGpmrLAhpsnVUP29Pu8OzeBIpK-rwYKoR3SfU29VraSp8-ohefE3jYshdRaA-PaD3lqVrAIy5PU4kyqvbIIT318v0gd0I/s400/mutabbal.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 large aubergine<br />
3 teaspoons of tahini<br />
2 tablespoons of yoghurt<br />
5 teaspoons of lemon juice<br />
1 clove of garlic<br />
a good few glugs of olive oil <br />
a sprinkling of salt<br />
<br />
handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)<br />
dusting of sweet or smoked paprika (optional)<br />
sprig of fresh mint to garnish<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
Pierce your aubergine a few times with a fork (to let out steam) and place it on an open flame on your hob. Use tongs to avoid burning yourself. Your aubergine should start to smoke up, blister and wrinkle (so turn on your extractor fan). Keep turning the aubergine until completely tender and charred and set aside until cooled. Peel off the skin and chop up the aubergine. Add to a bowl along with the tahini, yoghurt and lemon juice. Add the crushed garlic and however much olive oil you fancy. Season to taste and then do actually taste to check whether the ratio between the tahini and lemon juice is right. Add tahini if the mutabbal is too acidic or add lemon juice if it lacks a sharpness. Spoon onto a serving plate and dust with paprika. Cut a pomegranate in half and tap the skin with the back of the spoon to release the seeds and scatter on the mutabbal. Add a spring of mint and some more olive oil. Toast some bread and tuck in.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-47654830037538107022009-12-07T21:59:00.002+00:002009-12-07T22:00:16.814+00:00Lebanese Cuisine Basics: MuhammaraWow, that took a long time! Sorry for the delay, folks, but here it is - the all new Olive Fig Grape layout! I went through a number of templates before I arrived at the one that seemed to fit best. Now we can finally get back to talking about Lebanese cuisine. A particular issue for me in my first 50 posts is that I didn't blog about enough of the basics. I don't mean how to hold a knife and how not to squeeze lemon juice in your eye but rather what constitutes the basic layout of a Lebanese table at dinner time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMI7F1olt23rSeabqQfJxU_RszUr6cVD1gN73RVarHquRcPNJ1D1oE2r9dBwiDUZoJtd-RBWJfMJgo8sYPa_Z8N8vGiP9gqUmGME51vOuIp_i_eGPtOP4dVTV4UoxjpF2bCKcuZMw1f8/s1600-h/muhammara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMI7F1olt23rSeabqQfJxU_RszUr6cVD1gN73RVarHquRcPNJ1D1oE2r9dBwiDUZoJtd-RBWJfMJgo8sYPa_Z8N8vGiP9gqUmGME51vOuIp_i_eGPtOP4dVTV4UoxjpF2bCKcuZMw1f8/s400/muhammara.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A concept closely related to Lebanese cuisine is the idea of Mezze - a range of shared dishes served with the aim of inspiring congeniality and allowing for multiple tastes and sensations to be experienced (not unlike tapas, pintxos and all their long-lost cousins). Mezze is a quintessentially Lebanese concept - open your home and (more accurately) kitchen to friends, family, neighbours and whoever else because that is the essence of hospitality and the height of social interaction. Mezze platters usually consist of dishes such as <i>batata harra, hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh </i>and the like. Sometimes it strays into something more adventurous including things like <i>bastirma, sujuk </i>and one of my personal favourites <i>muhammara.</i> Sure, <i>muhammara</i> isn't technically a Lebanese creation but like much of the cuisine of the Levant, culture and identity overlap. <i>Ful Medamas </i>has about four million variations in the area between Cairo and Damascus and <i>muhamarra</i> is no different. If you didn't know, <i>Muhammara</i> is a hot pepper and nut dip that is great paired with hummus or simply spread on <i>khubz</i>. I love to eat it with grilled merguez. Mmm. The recipe below comes from my dad so any angry letters from any Syrians should be addressed to him.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 red chilli<br />
<b> </b>1 bell pepper<br />
30g pine nuts<br />
30g walnuts<br />
30g pistachio nuts<br />
30g almonds<br />
a pinch of cumin<br />
50g or so of breadcrumbs<br />
1/2 a cup of olive oil<br />
salt and pepper <br />
juice of half a lemon (optional)<br />
<br />
<b>Method</b><br />
The trick here is to break up the nuts by hand (I don't mean using your bare hands, read on). You can chop them if you're confident enough or more traditionally use a pestle and mortar to crush the nuts. Don't crush them too fine. Blitz the de-seeded chilli and red pepper in a food processor and mix with the crushed nuts. Add the remaining ingredients minus the olive oil. You want to work the mixture whilst pouring the olive oil in (don't do this in a processor, the olive oil will get bitter). The mixture might need more olive oil (it should moist but not too wet). The olive oil will help preserve it and it will keep for up to 10 days. Season it and then add the lemon juice if that's your preference. Serve with <i>khobz </i>or pitta bread and some hummus.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-33162313489184093312009-11-18T23:04:00.011+00:002009-11-19T00:02:39.535+00:00Chocolate Cake (and 50 posts!)Oh yeah! It's a celebration, all right. I'm celebrating achieving what I set out to accomplish at the beginning of the year - namely to start a food blog (check!) and to get to fifty posts before the year is up! Looks like I made it! We still have a month and a bit of the year to go but I'm proud of myself for getting there so quickly. This was just the beginning of my journey and I hope you all follow me whilst this blog grows and evolves. Now I've reached 50 posts I've activated another thing on my to-do list but this one's a bit of a secret. Once it's completed I'll let you lovely people in on it. Also this site WILL be changing soon enough with a <a href="http://twitpic.com/l8vmd">new logo</a> and hopefully a new design.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJaaklUHv7-jQSzebpftPDA-8084EISifC8UjCYTt3ZCIXpiZAoaiOXTnYQPomzneVqHk3t5-vI6h6G99JLbZ7LDqLBkJI7bc6eJek0z5gcezCIEwKEbmPvwdofiV7BYdGM8ein9BiZU/s1600/chocolatecake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJaaklUHv7-jQSzebpftPDA-8084EISifC8UjCYTt3ZCIXpiZAoaiOXTnYQPomzneVqHk3t5-vI6h6G99JLbZ7LDqLBkJI7bc6eJek0z5gcezCIEwKEbmPvwdofiV7BYdGM8ein9BiZU/s400/chocolatecake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405597645505058834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I had hoped to bring you the new design today (and that's partly the reason for the delay) but it's taking longer than I anticipated. To make up for it, I've included a chocolate cake recipe in this post. I made this for my dad's birthday and it went down really well. It's pure chocolate bliss. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIvkCj7GlXt5bzS1rE61z_JiIFD_PzUIpZZh9LrlNV3ZSgBz9fUy2GtufjuICyDw-07Tlz5INyU1uIHvr6v1SE8nVW98IwPPUZLJaVtx4s_7Rbm8B_W4-uDL12lIrrn3rSddC_EEccZM/s1600/chocolatecake2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIvkCj7GlXt5bzS1rE61z_JiIFD_PzUIpZZh9LrlNV3ZSgBz9fUy2GtufjuICyDw-07Tlz5INyU1uIHvr6v1SE8nVW98IwPPUZLJaVtx4s_7Rbm8B_W4-uDL12lIrrn3rSddC_EEccZM/s400/chocolatecake2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405597588214793138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chocolate Cake<br /></span>200g dark chocolate (I used 76%)<br />200g butter<br />1 shot of espresso<br />175g type '00' pastry flour<br />2 teaspoons baking power<br />250g light Muscovado sugar<br />50g golden caster sugar (optional)<br />25-50g cocoa<br />3 eggs<br />75ml creme fraiche<br />125ml water<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chocolate Ganache</span><br />200g dark chocolate<br />300ml double cream<br />4 tbsp caster sugar (optional)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Preheat oven to 140C. Butter and line a 8'' cake tin. Melt 200g of chocolate, the butter and 125ml of water in a pan on a low heat. When fully melted add the shot of espresso to the mixture. In a bowl whisk the eggs until pale and fluffy and beat in the creme fraiche. Add the melted chocolate mixture slowly to the egg mixture mixing constantly. Add the dry ingredients in steps (sugar then flour then baking powder then cocoa) making sure to beat thoroughly so everything is fully incorporated. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1hr 15mins - 1hr 25mins or when a toothpick inserted into the deepest part of the cake yields dryish crumbs. Cool on a wire rack.<br /><br />To make the ganache: break up the remaining pieces of chocolate into smallish bits and place in a bowl. Heat up the cream and the sugar in a pan on a medium heat and take off just before it reaches boiling point (it starts to froth but not bubble over). Pour the cream onto the chocolate pieces and whisk until the chocolate melts. Wait for the ganache to cool down slightly before placing in the fridge for half an hour. In the meantime split the chocolate cake horizontally into two. Also make some flakes or curls of chocolate using a sharp knife. Take out the ganache from the fridge and spread 1/4 of it in between the two layers of cake. Sandwich down and spread the remaining 3/4 of ganache onto the surface of the cake with a pallet knife. Place the cake into the fridge for an hour for the ganache to set slightly and serve. Although it might be a bit of overkill some thick cream might be a good contrast to the pure chocolateyness of this cake.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-12847842526404560442009-11-08T14:43:00.013+00:002009-11-08T15:48:57.902+00:00Roast Quail with a Cannellini Bean Stew and ChestnutsIt's the 8th of November already? Where the hell did all that time go? By my estimations this year has been only six months long. Am I feeling the effects of time and ageing? Is global warming making the autumnal weather colder or am I just getting...old...er? I mean, I actually hurt my hip last week! My hip! I might as well put my name down on the NHS waiting list for a hip replacement because by the time my turn comes around I'll bloody well need it. Nursing my faulty hip, I took solace in writing absolute garbage for NaNoWriMo this past week. It's great emptying the cache of blunted creativity lurking around in my mind but I'm not sure how viable my 'novel' actually is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZuMLTuiCCSRyrIvY6TxQVsU_52VHTsohyZL5FAFCiBgQGoLj2PkZLtHeVpBpB30xblteHWiuDVufIdASVhrrrpdtqrKq5lLU2fgHVfHlnlrV5i3H_rpNIwvTNQH7uT1AitSvwBb9rOM/s1600-h/roastquailcannellinibean2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZuMLTuiCCSRyrIvY6TxQVsU_52VHTsohyZL5FAFCiBgQGoLj2PkZLtHeVpBpB30xblteHWiuDVufIdASVhrrrpdtqrKq5lLU2fgHVfHlnlrV5i3H_rpNIwvTNQH7uT1AitSvwBb9rOM/s400/roastquailcannellinibean2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401759691481279026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So I took my creativity and went back to the kitchen where I had a few disasters and one or two successes. This is one of those successes. I love quail but I usually have it barbecued so I went in search of a new recipe. I consulted <span style="font-style: italic;">The Complete Robuchon</span> by (surprise, surprise) Joel Robuchon and came away with a great recipe for roasted quail but I needed something to pair it with. One epiphany later and I was making Roast Quail with a Cannellini Bean Stew and Chestnuts. I'm not sure where I got the idea from but this definitely went down as a success.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXSzb1Ev6WaTHuJoWgF2Uovg1uuBoknZrYcNPO7TFAA9Cg-vGB0_71mxmw2noFE85cNlK7INPd3vygHB3WT5XQDjqogaSrLloQQI479HdYNWHa1HIbapAlN3VAc_itxhh4L9QA1fI2Zw/s1600-h/fleurdesel2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXSzb1Ev6WaTHuJoWgF2Uovg1uuBoknZrYcNPO7TFAA9Cg-vGB0_71mxmw2noFE85cNlK7INPd3vygHB3WT5XQDjqogaSrLloQQI479HdYNWHa1HIbapAlN3VAc_itxhh4L9QA1fI2Zw/s400/fleurdesel2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401759397957672402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Roast Quail</span><br />4 quail<br />4 dessert spoons of butter<br />4 sprigs of thyme<br />4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped<br />a good amount of fleur de sel<br />a sprinkle of white pepper<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cannellini Bean Stew</span><br />1 can cannellini beans - drained<br />2 spring onions<br />4-5 Chantenay carrots - diced finely<br />1 stalk of celery - diced finely<br />1 dessert spoon of butter mixed with 1 teaspoon rapeseed oil<br />1 cup of chicken stock<br />1 teaspoon freshly picked marjoram<br />a splash of white wine vinegar<br />seasoning<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chestnuts</span><br />a handful of Italian chestnuts - oven roasted, peeled and diced*<br /><br />* To cook chestnuts: pierce the skin and cook for 10 mins on full heat in the oven (the skin will split when they're cooked). Alternatively roast your chestnuts on the barbecue!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YWWKqYD6SanswIedrb9HOuuzj5zS2cMGAE7eVAwYinMkqFnZcRO5yZcbXJcbYuuRfoJwenw5DKXTzw6PeazKLdNnD2yP5WONHGxtEsgaOmwrodDVTb7C2z2zsoJRxrKsw2ZE91MtSow/s1600-h/roastquailcannellinibean.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YWWKqYD6SanswIedrb9HOuuzj5zS2cMGAE7eVAwYinMkqFnZcRO5yZcbXJcbYuuRfoJwenw5DKXTzw6PeazKLdNnD2yP5WONHGxtEsgaOmwrodDVTb7C2z2zsoJRxrKsw2ZE91MtSow/s400/roastquailcannellinibean.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401759552198072082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Preheat your oven to 250C/475F and lightly grease a deep baking tray.Trim and clean your quail. Combine butter, thyme, garlic and half of the fleur de sel and spread on the quail (in the cavity and on top of the breast and legs). Rub the remaining fleur de sel and pepper on the skin of the quail and place them in the baking tray on their sides. Cook for five minutes and turn the birds so the breasts are facing down. Turn onto the other side after another five minutes and then complete the rotation and cook for another five minutes. After twenty minutes of cooking (in total after every rotation has taken place) sit the quail on their backs and spoon over the juices and roast for a few more minutes until the skin has browned. Cover with foil and let the birds rest for 5 or so minutes.<br /><br />The stew takes 20 minutes to cook so you want to be prepared to start cooking the beans when the birds go in to the oven. Sauté the onions, celery and carrots in the butter and oil mixture until softened. Add the beans, the marjoram and the chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes (stirring occasionally). Add a splash of vinegar and season to taste. Spoon the bean stew onto a plate, place one quail on each plate and scatter with the chopped chestnuts. Top with the juices from the roasted quail and/or truffle oil if you fancy it. Eat and be happy!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-63361468010737198302009-11-01T22:53:00.041+00:002009-11-02T00:15:03.930+00:00Kishk SoupAnother week, another soup. I can't believe it has actually been a whole week since I last posted. I've had one of the strangest weeks of my life but I think I'll save that story for my autobiography (yeah, right). However, something that kept me going through the past seven days was the promise of good simple autumnal food. This time of year is great for richer, more filling foods and nothing fulfils more than a good bowl of soup and some crusty bread.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogHDdrLJVSomw2LIJCPYMe415skXG3vesNI7eXsGdKnYemqXVNAY6UiM4HbRPBZGS5Rogl2kuFcIm6dO_tf2Wjb_70aen8I7gX8ZSGCKCc6omD2L_LnpNmov58aDbz4TCbzuiL5rA-Wg/s1600-h/kishksoup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 398px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogHDdrLJVSomw2LIJCPYMe415skXG3vesNI7eXsGdKnYemqXVNAY6UiM4HbRPBZGS5Rogl2kuFcIm6dO_tf2Wjb_70aen8I7gX8ZSGCKCc6omD2L_LnpNmov58aDbz4TCbzuiL5rA-Wg/s400/kishksoup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399292506120541506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />One of the things I really associate with this time of year is this version of <span style="font-style: italic;">kishk </span>soup. <span style="font-style: italic;">Kishk</span> is a fermented mixture of dried yoghurt and cracked wheat which is a very popular staple in the mountainous regions of central Lebanon. When I was younger we usually ate <span style="font-style: italic;">kishk </span>as a topping on mana'eesh and even then it was on special occasions. Although my parents made it at home, I always savoured our trips to the local Lebanese bakery where they would make the most exquisite kishk mana'eesh. It wasn't until I was in my teenage years that I started to appreciate kishk soup and how good my parents use of it was. My dad's version in particular is the one that inspired me to have a go and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />2 beef tomatoes - diced<br />1 medium onion - diced<br />2 cloves of garlic - crushed<br />1 tablespoon of butter<br />1 cup of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kishk"><span style="font-style: italic;">kishk</span></a><br />2-1/2 cups of water<br />seasoning (if needed)<br />1 tablespoon of pine nuts<br />1 tablespoon of almonds<br />a few parsley leaves<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Fry the onions in butter and a little olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook gently for five minutes. Pour in the dried kishk and water into the pan and raise the temperature. You want the soup to be at a gentle boil (a bit further than a simmer). Cook for 10-15 minutes (the soup should get thicker and will continue to do so as you take it off the heat). Taste the soup and season if necessary. In another pan fry the almonds and pine nuts in a little oil until golden brown. Fill a bowl with the soup, scatter on a few of the nuts and top with a few parsley leaves. Serve with crusty bread.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-10446732206925980862009-10-25T19:24:00.006+00:002009-10-25T21:06:27.457+00:00Almond and Strawberry CakeIf I knew you were coming, I'd have baked a cake. But what use is waiting when I could have the cake all to myself? Luckily my gluttony is negated by the level of which my hunger is sated when I eat a slice of this cake. This is a cake that looks much more difficult to make than it actually is and is perfect as a dessert or as a part of an afternoon tea. Unfortunately by using fresh fruit the cake doesn't last beyond 2-3 days at room temperature but that shouldn't be a worry. I had a moment of inspiration a week or so ago after I posted on my twitter account that I had found frozen strawberries and ground almonds in my freezer. I asked my followers (that sounds ridiculous) for ideas but it seems they're much more shy and retiring than they make out! That wasn't a worry though as I soon had a flash of creativity. This is not a million miles away from a classic Lebanese cake known as <span style="font-style: italic;">sfouf</span> that I made before (click <a href="http://olivefiggrape.blogspot.com/2009/08/fig-sfouf.html">here</a>) but the emphasis here is less on spice and more on the interaction between a crumbly almond base and moist fruit pieces. This is definitely a crowd pleaser :-)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIlmHoeclW2OlFlZxPSyN3UfSA5iIf3WXhVxS5dXh07q7Z2Timby22isjLZl_oSuncrlETS_5fV_e2bjwz02o9GQNPCtvghcTeexKy3WlPwYc9omLUCDpObZ1Q4i5wzX15ovvtsKgs_M/s1600-h/almondandstrawberrycake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIlmHoeclW2OlFlZxPSyN3UfSA5iIf3WXhVxS5dXh07q7Z2Timby22isjLZl_oSuncrlETS_5fV_e2bjwz02o9GQNPCtvghcTeexKy3WlPwYc9omLUCDpObZ1Q4i5wzX15ovvtsKgs_M/s400/almondandstrawberrycake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396633094407400706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />a handful or so of strawberries (approx. 300g)<br />150g ground almonds<br />150g butter<br />125g caster sugar<br />125g self-raising flour<br />1 tsp vanilla extract<br />2 large eggs<br />50g Marcona almonds (flaked)<br />icing sugar for dusting<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Heat your oven to 180C. Grease and line a 13'' cake tin. Mix all the ingredients minus the strawberries and the flaked almonds. The cake mixture should be quite thick but that's okay. Scoop half of the cake mixture into the cake tin and then layer with the whole strawberries. Pour on the remaining half of the cake mixture on top of the strawberries (you can use a moistened spatula to spread evenly). Top with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or so or until the surface of the cake is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve with a dusting of icing sugar. If you want to spoil yourself serve with clotted cream ice cream.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-62120972252770476582009-10-20T22:34:00.000+01:002009-10-21T00:52:33.748+01:00Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley SaladOh yeah! Giving it to you Fergus Henderson style! This dish comes to you straight from the kitchens of one of the saviours of British cuisine. This is a dish that Anthony Bourdain considers his ultimate comfort food. This is a dish so warming, unctuous and decadent that it'll brighten up those idle Autumn evenings. This is a dish...that my mum really likes! Yeah! Oh.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_fWvDdx9-PGMOvV0SWkQpNgOdtVp5YvyVFXfiBgZrk22OKVb3D9hQSD0A3D5X04e8z9zCWUB221hFio8HxnySkA7mflKXjSSXzfLKPhUtJgYBG99jLG-uYuSyDNgrvNXiU31h1Uk7Tc/s1600-h/bonemarrow2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_fWvDdx9-PGMOvV0SWkQpNgOdtVp5YvyVFXfiBgZrk22OKVb3D9hQSD0A3D5X04e8z9zCWUB221hFio8HxnySkA7mflKXjSSXzfLKPhUtJgYBG99jLG-uYuSyDNgrvNXiU31h1Uk7Tc/s400/bonemarrow2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394833050639036690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So, anyway, I went to the Ginger Pig and bought some really nice looking veal marrow bones and followed one of the simplest recipes ever for one of the most delicious things ever. This is so rich and filling that I wouldn't recommend eating too much of it but it's a great autumnal treat. The only change I'd include (for personal taste) is the addition of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac">sumac</a> to the parsley salad to give it an even bigger zing and cutting through more of the fat. Oh and I used sel gris! Good salt is a must.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG_fC91G0G9AOzk-izeHXx8YqzGQHkgwt12jLDctaTi2wrWbQvDKUTyotMqkPXFyrSfdmLZifNsLsY1WuOPzerBTRO5IJeDDczgkbtbnzP1TCal4hBWWGBHGo6EnfuemhzO50WXWMNNw/s1600-h/bonemarrow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG_fC91G0G9AOzk-izeHXx8YqzGQHkgwt12jLDctaTi2wrWbQvDKUTyotMqkPXFyrSfdmLZifNsLsY1WuOPzerBTRO5IJeDDczgkbtbnzP1TCal4hBWWGBHGo6EnfuemhzO50WXWMNNw/s400/bonemarrow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394832527961241362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />To make this dish follow the recipe <a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/512153">here</a>. :-)M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-61168060786866537782009-10-19T18:09:00.014+01:002009-10-19T18:43:22.760+01:00Rose and Pistachio PotsSo at last here is the dessert from the underground restaurant event I held last month! It's a continuation of a recipe I posted when I first started this blog and it has slowly evolved into the dessert below. Anyway, enough babbling, here it is!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDswJfKMS5ZeT-w-cdDPk1mLYkVPfcg0KAl1Xnm4wOoDYtaEv8ykhrHIOsorG7rFCMC0d_4P9JiD2YIpFG3YQSFxA6oAkRyQ1e04BmNQdGuXrvunBLl7VFVp7VhWXqSBxQpD49ShlQFI/s1600-h/rose+and+pistachio+pot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDswJfKMS5ZeT-w-cdDPk1mLYkVPfcg0KAl1Xnm4wOoDYtaEv8ykhrHIOsorG7rFCMC0d_4P9JiD2YIpFG3YQSFxA6oAkRyQ1e04BmNQdGuXrvunBLl7VFVp7VhWXqSBxQpD49ShlQFI/s400/rose+and+pistachio+pot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394367323285079762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Strawberry and Rose Jelly</span><br />1 sachet of powdered gelatine or vegetarian equivalent<br />500ml moderately hot, but not boiling, water<br />100g sugar<br />3 tablespoons good quality rose water<br />two handfuls of strawberries<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pistachio Cream</span><br />A small carton of double cream (or low fat equivalent)<br />a handful of roasted, unshelled, unsalted pistachio nuts<br />3 tablespoons of sugar<br />1-2 tablespoons of water<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cake Layer</span><br />1 small Madeira cake <span style="text-decoration: underline;">(</span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/madeiracake_73878.shtml">recipe)</a><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/madeiracake_73878.shtml"><br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />You'll need to prepare the jellies and Madeira cake 3-4 hours (or even the night) before serving so plan ahead. The Madeira cake should be cooked and cooled (or bought from the shop!) by this point and cut into rounds encompassing the entire circumference of your chosen ramekins (there should be enough to make 6 pots). Put the water, sugar and 3/4 of the strawberries in a pan and make sure the water doesn't boil. Take the pan off the heat after 2-3 minutes. Mix the rose water in and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Strain the liquid into a measuring jug and vigorously mix in the gelatine making sure it is fully dissolved. Cool the mixture at room temperature. Place the Madeira cake rounds at the bottom of your ramekins and press down. Pour the liquid into the ramekins and let it cool down for 20 or so minutes. Place a few remaining strawberries in the jelly and use a toothpick to make sure they go into the position you want (presentation is important!). When the jelly has completely cooled down place the ramekins in the fridge.<br /><br />Crush the pistachio nuts in a plastic bag until quite fine (make sure they're not all powdered - texture is important) and place them into a pan with the water and sugar. Heat together for a minute to so and leave to cool down whilst you whisk the cream. When the cream is fluffy add the pistachios making sure to fold them in. You might need to whisk the cream to get some more air into the mixture. Layer a teaspoon or so of the cream onto the jellies and top with extra crushed pistachios. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and then serve. Note: If you wanted to go all the way and make this into a trifle you could just add a custard layer!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-2188374668663382872009-10-14T18:42:00.016+01:002009-10-15T00:05:44.245+01:00Kabocha Squash, Oxtail and Ox Cheek SoupThis is one of those really comforting recipes. A really cheap but wonderful autumnal soup that you can leave on the stove for a few hours whilst you get on with your day. It combines the sweetness of Kabocha squash with an umami-rich stock made from oxtail and root vegetables. But that's not all! This dish also has pieces of stewed ox cheek in it and is finished with a zesty garlic and lemon panko pangrattato. This dish was in fact not made by me, so credit must go to my brother for this! We ate this a week or so ago when everyone in our family was ill and we needed something comforting to eat. This definitely helped. Sorry I don't have a pic of the final dish. My camera failed me on this occasion!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXwmbwQoWjN-Cf_38epN75fNsO0hi6DjecyUxmUedFyeocnHoI_XCKba55Otmufz4p9wpArrMEntO2glWiEt_wfYhBqLDo-eVQ_UoRjQ4RD9IiLsLhtDOUwNcvu6pPMM7IXtmJ0V2vA0/s1600-h/oxtail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXwmbwQoWjN-Cf_38epN75fNsO0hi6DjecyUxmUedFyeocnHoI_XCKba55Otmufz4p9wpArrMEntO2glWiEt_wfYhBqLDo-eVQ_UoRjQ4RD9IiLsLhtDOUwNcvu6pPMM7IXtmJ0V2vA0/s400/oxtail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392594100984740434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />1 kabocha squash<br />1 echaliom shallot<br />1 medium onion<br />2 carrots<br />1 swede<br />1 parsnip<br />1 leek<br />2 bay leaves<br />6 cloves of garlic<br />1/2 kilo ox tail<br />1/2 kilo ox cheek<br />1 litre chicken stock<br />10 peppercorns<br />5 teaspoons of panko<br />half a lemon zested and juiced<br />a glug of olive oil<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV7BJSq5mysM9x2JTtlCHSkBbhZKbQ1JwIZE5r_A3wzMcCoKaZoIUo5zWWdjPgkjlgbGtM8OHMxqiQ3OYQogbL-8Ct_sT6HM5SEmwBKbPI0uFBaBiSMhZvfBHB3qnPJU-rhbYt8qU-F8/s1600-h/soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV7BJSq5mysM9x2JTtlCHSkBbhZKbQ1JwIZE5r_A3wzMcCoKaZoIUo5zWWdjPgkjlgbGtM8OHMxqiQ3OYQogbL-8Ct_sT6HM5SEmwBKbPI0uFBaBiSMhZvfBHB3qnPJU-rhbYt8qU-F8/s400/soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392594247978868162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Brown the meat in batches in a large pot and set aside. Dice the shallot and onion and fry until translucent. Crush four of the garlic gloves, add to the onions and fry off for half a minute. Cut the rest of the vegetables roughly and add to the pot. Add the meat once again and then cover with the chicken stock. Add the peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Turn to a low heat and simmer for two to three hours. The soup is done when the stock is thick and the meat is tender to the touch and falling off the bone (in the case of the oxtail). 10 minutes before serving the soup you can make the pangrattato. You need to fry off 2 cloves of crushed garlic in a little olive oil for half a minute. Add the panko breadcrumbs, the lemon zest, a little seasoning and a squirt of lemon juice. Sprinkle on top of the soup before serving.<br /><br />Also, before I forget, I'm sorry about my irregular posting. I'm currently reworking the site and new things should start to appear in the near future. It'll be worth it. I promise!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-35384790748622618262009-10-09T08:32:00.000+01:002009-10-09T14:52:13.500+01:00Banana CakeThere's something amiss in the dining room. There are five places set but only four of us are present. I look around and shrug my shoulders. My father is always late. He spends hours doing something that should take half an hour. The scary thing is that I'm pretty sure I'm inheriting that trait. The more I realise how similar I am to my parents and the more I push to be different, the more aware I become of how all the paths in front of me are leading to the same destination. But that's okay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbc5y-cKZsICHxpsPE2ZU9O-sDZDVpWjWcufQXJNxhSPjCeKcWkFjw0n-t9zFxIRApmG-2w5Txt8bx0k0NLtQ0_3I9R692rFK3RiFbKMoW7jN6wrqVmREdLBB5p_CgI2As4B5epzhA1s/s1600-h/bananacake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbc5y-cKZsICHxpsPE2ZU9O-sDZDVpWjWcufQXJNxhSPjCeKcWkFjw0n-t9zFxIRApmG-2w5Txt8bx0k0NLtQ0_3I9R692rFK3RiFbKMoW7jN6wrqVmREdLBB5p_CgI2As4B5epzhA1s/s400/bananacake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390596135368800642" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sometimes you can't rush things. I like spending time mulling things over but I think that my dad could represent Lebanon in the Olympic mulling-things-over team. Not that there is such a thing. Sorry to disappoint. It takes another twenty or so minutes before he's back. He was at the supermarket, he says. He didn't buy much, he adds. My dad has a habit where he sticks by a simple set of essentials that he buys on every trip to the supermarket. This hasn't changed for years. Bread, eggs, milk, cheese and bananas. The thing is, those are all staple food items but he has one extra issue to contend with - he always buys far too much. In his mind it's better to have too much than to have too little. Not that I necessarily agree with that theory but he'd grown up in a country during a long civil war - you had to always stock up <span style="font-style: italic;">just in case.</span><br /><br />The bread, eggs, milk and cheese all get eaten before their expiry date but the bananas always linger. As banana connoisseurs know, there's nothing wrong with a browned banana, but when they turn that unappealing colour the collective mindset changes and bananas get left to rot. Herein lies the problem. We always have too many bananas going off at the same time. So over the years we've had to find a way to use them. Aside from smoothies or milkshakes, this is probably the simplest and tastiest recipe you could make. I've layered it with crunchy peanut butter and nutella to make this really difficult to resist but having it naked (the cake, not you) is just as rewarding.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />3 overripe bananas - mashed<br />130g of butter + more for greasing<br />250g plain flour<br />2 large eggs - lightly beaten<br />150g soft brown sugar<br />2 teaspoons of baking powder<br />a sprinkle of cinnamon + nutmeg<br />peanut butter (optional)<br />nutella (optional)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and flour a cake tin (1kg capacity). Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the bananas. Sift the other ingredients into the mixture and work until fully incorporated. Pour into the baking tin and bake for 45minutes -1 hour or until browned and a toothpick comes out of the deepest part clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut up into big portions and serve up with peanut butter and the nutella or a vanilla cream. This is no-nonsense and decadent in a different way. It'll keep at room temperature for four days (covered in cling-film).M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-35665850536076883912009-10-06T10:49:00.025+01:002009-10-06T12:41:48.943+01:00Griddled Tuna Steaks with Curried ChickpeasA couple of days ago I was having a conversation with a friend when a dreaded question popped up. It was a question that I'd constantly batted away because it always put me in an awkward situation. But there was no way I was going to escape it this time. I just had to brace myself, listen up and answer it without making too much of a fuss. <span style="font-style: italic;">If you found out you only had one hour left on Earth, what would be the last thing you would eat?</span> She asked. That question niggles away and always seems to activate my inner Larry David...I just don't know what I'd eat. I'd want to eat everything - like I was in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, I'd take a bite out of the lamppost...take a bite out of an...Oompa-Loompa. But people like real answers and I didn't know what to say so I went through a list of things I wanted to eat. <span style="font-style: italic;">Mum's kibbeh, the biggest steak in the world, chips, labneh, nutty gelato, a really greasy burger/kebab/hot dog, pizza, a croissant made out of too much butter, cheese, otoro sashimi...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVIJUlRhHea2lpj_MLR7lDsFvkGJ9Ie63WGE3782DCuTMlvPLlUfqd0Temb8OTBPBHUg-IykVkt2YdMizddBem3Yu_UTt_6YApdrYHwybudCnSiD1GNNLKbddxCCJoavfwQy31n_PWX8/s1600-h/chickpeatuna2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVIJUlRhHea2lpj_MLR7lDsFvkGJ9Ie63WGE3782DCuTMlvPLlUfqd0Temb8OTBPBHUg-IykVkt2YdMizddBem3Yu_UTt_6YApdrYHwybudCnSiD1GNNLKbddxCCJoavfwQy31n_PWX8/s400/chickpeatuna2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389438152552830690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm pretty sure at this moment it had been 3 or 4 minutes since I'd said a word but my friend knew better than to wake me from my moment. Mmm. Fatty tuna. There's something so luxurious about eating tuna belly fat (clearly it's not inherent in the description) that to me is more rewarding than a great steak or a greasy kebab. I guess it's a pure and relatively guilt-free mouthfeel that also activates ancient synaptic connections that associate animal fat with pleasure and satiety. That and the fact it costs an arm and a leg and I hardly ever get to eat it...It would definitely be a fine way to say goodbye to the world. And the Bluefin species. I joke.<br /><br />Tuna is way and beyond one of my favourite things to eat and overfishing is definitely a massive issue for responsible eaters. Ethically sourced tuna is without a doubt one of the better things to have in your fridge and I find it much more rewarding than chicken. I think we should be eating less chicken and more fish. Chicken is the meat world's pasta - so ubiquitous and so easy to cook that you wouldn't serve it for a special occasion (unless you had an amazing recipe). One of my favourite lunches is this griddled tuna steak recipe which I pair with curried chickpeas and a medium boiled egg. A boiled egg on top makes everything better. Serve it on the weekend with some rosé if you want to pretend that summer is still here. Oh, yeah, and one question: <span style="font-style: italic;">If you found out you only had one hour left on Earth, what would be the last thing you would eat?<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />2 tuna steaks<br />1 can of chickpeas<br />1 medium onion<br />2 tomatoes<br />1 teaspoon tomato puree<br />a small handful of chopped coriander<br />2 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds<br />a pinch of garam masala<br />a pinch of dried chilli flakes<br />zest of 1 lemon and the juice of half<br />2 eggs<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCDlXpVGstq1aQCnkBxm7WomRQAMwZ4_BULsP1b4wFPWpvA-H6Dk8jjMp2CTJkyTM9otKXgJYKK_eu1qjIgui-w8bq27rPM0EWa1VslB2aJG5Gxj067NHNFWW_I4bp9KievOcPUykQq4/s1600-h/chickpeatuna.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCDlXpVGstq1aQCnkBxm7WomRQAMwZ4_BULsP1b4wFPWpvA-H6Dk8jjMp2CTJkyTM9otKXgJYKK_eu1qjIgui-w8bq27rPM0EWa1VslB2aJG5Gxj067NHNFWW_I4bp9KievOcPUykQq4/s400/chickpeatuna.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389437864289395442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br />Dice the onion and fry in a little sunflower oil until translucent. In another pan dry roast half the cumin and the mustard seeds until you can smell the essential oils of the spices in the air. Crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar and then add the seeds, the chilli flakes and the garam masala to the onions. Fry for 20 seconds and then add the tomato puree and cook out for half a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and seasoning and let simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Add the coriander to chickpea mixture when you've turned the heat off. Dry roast the other half of the cumin seeds before crushing and massaging into the tuna steaks. Add the zest and the lemon juice and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Boil the eggs at this point to medium (you could also poach them). Heat up your griddle until it's smoking and sear the tuna steaks (making sure not to overcook). Dish up the chickpeas, add the tuna on top and the egg on top of the tuna steak. Sprinkle a little salt onto the egg and garnish with coriander. Easy peasy.<br /><br />PS - Sorry I didn't update for a while. I didn't have access to the internet on my computer for a few days!M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-75399234842716990182009-09-30T15:00:00.033+01:002009-09-30T17:09:12.452+01:00Saffron and Orange Lamb Shanks (with Robuchon Mash)So it was approaching the big night of my first underground restaurant event and I still didn't have a main course. I had sent out the invites three weeks ago. 21 days. 504 hours. 30, 240 minutes ago. How was I not panicking? I should have been panicking! Something inside me was ignoring the warning signs with an assured calm. I guess by chipping away at the expectations of my guests by suggesting in the invitations that a successful night was one in which I didn't make anyone ill and one in which I provide three moderately edible courses. It became my self-fulfilling prophecy and up until the day before the event I was walking blindly into failure. And what did I do when I knew I was gravitating towards failure? I went off and made a cup of coffee and put my internal alarm on snooze. Somewhere between making and consuming the coffee an idea hit me. Lamb! Yes! Lamb! That's kind of Lebanese, isn't it? I couldn't get the word lamb out of my head. I was just sitting there, tapping my fingers muttering the word lamb under my breath. I guess I was making lamb. What kind of lamb and how wasn't apparent just yet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uyT1uANAIOx2AvLfK_JayXQKeMYlP8ieb5zSwYbRm9jAC8eomDFbkoAEyqw4mOzZBvYs3qk4S4MfHII9PumitBwQYNqEq2RL1q3n4gw-FmEMPlIvlCw-jcQfArmxmIlPc9Qc4I7qDiY/s1600-h/saffron+and+orange+lamb+shank.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uyT1uANAIOx2AvLfK_JayXQKeMYlP8ieb5zSwYbRm9jAC8eomDFbkoAEyqw4mOzZBvYs3qk4S4MfHII9PumitBwQYNqEq2RL1q3n4gw-FmEMPlIvlCw-jcQfArmxmIlPc9Qc4I7qDiY/s400/saffron+and+orange+lamb+shank.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387292637805725234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The haze of procrastination started to wear off about lunchtime when some internal resilience actually saw me make some steady progress. I typed the word lamb into google and realised I was being silly. I typed in lamb recipes and I managed to get to page three of the search results before deciding I had to actually figure out what kind of dish I wanted to make. I got up to have a breather (after two or so minutes of actual thought) and then inspiration struck. I don't know why or how but I suddenly had a vivid idea of what to make (I was even aware of the ingredients). Saffron and Orange Lamb Shanks...how did I even know how to make that? Maybe wasting your days away reading cookery books, blogs and magazines pays off! I wrote down the ingredients I thought I needed and went off to the butchers. Suddenly everything was okay. Melodrama was replaced by a real assured calm and I was happy with my main course selection. I decided to pair it with a mashed potato recipe inspired by Joel Robuchon's famous pommes purée. This is how I made it!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Saffron and Orange Lamb Shanks</span><br />6 lamb shanks<br />1 1/2 tbsp olive oil<br />1 1/2 onions diced<br />4 carrots roughly chopped<br />4 cloves of garlic<br />1/2 teaspoon of cumin<br />1 teaspoon of saffron<br />3 bay leaves<br />4 1/2 cups of chicken stock<br />1 can of diced tomatoes<br />a splash of Worcestershire sauce<br />zest and juice of 1 orange<br />salt and pepper<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Robuchon Mash</span><br />900g - 1kg of a floury variety of potato<br />300g butter<br />150ml milk<br />salt and pepper<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lamb Shanks</span><br />Brown the lamb shanks in olive oil and set aside. Heat up your stock in another pan and add the saffron to it. Fry the onion until translucent and then add the girl. Add the canned tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add the cumin, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce. Place the lamb shanks back into the pan and top with the stock. Heat till boiling and then cover the pot before turning it all the way down. Cook for 3 and a 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and add the zest and juice of an orange. Check seasoning and adjust.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mashed Potatoes</span><br />Bake the washed and unpeeled potatoes at 180C until soft (this takes quite a while...like over an hour). Scoop out the insides of the potato into a ricer. Set aside the riced potatoes (hah) and then work through a sieve (this is quite difficult). Add the potato to a pan with the butter and heat up until the butter has melted. Add the milk in slowly until it reaches a consistency of your liking. Add the seasoning and then serve with the lamb shanks and a little bit of the cooking juices.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-34730617398370068942009-09-28T00:52:00.001+01:002009-09-28T00:52:13.120+01:00Warak Einab and LabnehWarak Einab. Dolma. Dolmades. Vine Leaves. Aren't they just the most delicious? I was thinking about how peculiar it was to a person who'd never eaten vine leaves to be served vine leaves for the first time. The texture may not suit some but the taste is universally delicious. Garlic, mint, lemon, rice and lamb? Yes, please! However, I opted for a really old fashioned recipe. This version contains no rice and no meat whatsoever. I've also paired it with a thick Labneh (click <a href="http://olivefiggrape.blogspot.com/2009/07/labneh-love-letter.html">here</a> for recipe) because it adds a much needed cool creaminess to the dish. I'm sorry that I only have one photo and that the recipe may not be exact but I think it's definitely worth the hassle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXB9TioDPuBDkv4O8XX8A9rVtBcXqHhfyMdhTrSm87cWMTKrQVmhuc6yjTm-a_S-XM9kAOFvztV2hLBEwxSsmxfg2EMvqVKpeuRz601SmIK2uRCPM5Jhc-8ckqCYmrsLiSKyhoRq1kbI/s1600-h/warak+einab.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXB9TioDPuBDkv4O8XX8A9rVtBcXqHhfyMdhTrSm87cWMTKrQVmhuc6yjTm-a_S-XM9kAOFvztV2hLBEwxSsmxfg2EMvqVKpeuRz601SmIK2uRCPM5Jhc-8ckqCYmrsLiSKyhoRq1kbI/s400/warak+einab.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386298068404701282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />1 pack vacuum packed vine leaves (around 80 but you only need half)<br />3 beef tomatoes<br />2 medium sized potatoes<br />2 medium sized onions<br />1 1/4 cups bulghur wheat<br />4 spring onions<br />1/2 cup of parsley<br />2 tbsp chopped mint<br />1 tsp unsmoked sweet paprika<br />2 tbsp tomato concentrate<br />4 cups of water<br />juice of 1/2 a lemon<br />1 -2 tbsp olive oil<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Method</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Technique</span><br />Okay, first up you need to the know the technique for rolling these bad boys. You need to place each leaf completely flat on a chopping board (rougher side facing down) before proceeding to cut off the stem at the bottom of the leaf (if it's still there). You need to spoon one to two teaspoons of mixture into the centre (just a tiny bit below dead-on) before rolling the right and left hand sides of the leaf inwards. You then roll the bottom up (not too tight) making sure to keep the opening at the bottom (so it doesn't unroll). Now onto the stuffing...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Stuffing and Cooking</span><br />Chop the spring onions and 2 beef tomatoes really finely before adding to the bulghur wheat. Add half the tomato paste, half the paprika, the parsley, the mint and seasoning to the wheat before making sure to mix well so everything is distributed evenly. You can add a splash of water or olive oil to give the mixture a better feel. Roll the vine leaves as above. This should make 40. Slice the potatoes, onions and the remaining tomato and add to the bottom of a large pan. Gently place each of the stuffed vine leaves on top of the potatoes, onions and tomato in the pan. Add the rest of the paprika and tomato paste, olive oil, lemon juice, water and some seasoning (the vine leaves should be 3/4 immersed). Bring to a slow simmer and place a cover on and cook for 25 - 30 minutes on a low heat. Some of the vine leaves may have torn but that's okay. Leave the vine leaves to cool slightly before serving with a spoonful of Labneh. Mmm.M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4478170707982010435.post-86271136761161745832009-09-27T23:07:00.019+01:002009-09-27T23:51:24.669+01:00Going UndergroundUnderground restaurants are everywhere right now. Every blog, magazine, newspaper and television channel has been underground restaurant crazy this past year and I thought I'd join the party before the clock struck midnight. One of the things I set out to do this year was to hold an underground restaurant (or supper club) event in my living room and this past Saturday (26th September) I did just that! I'd been planning the event for a month but being part of the Google generation my ability to concentrate was severely tested. Luckily I managed to get my stuff together and hold a pretty successful event (no one was poisoned; no expensive plates were broken).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkOCilkSqiN4VgwPypN0TIBE92gnDgINOxzGvAILASv6BPSNy7gq3X7CNEZlQTqd1DaeCV4SnWSUBziqZ2QpcCy7k1g0uzIMYPHf6QTVUdlMpV1PiuttAsWjS9k7V2k2KGeVjvhTG8iA/s1600-h/table+setting.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkOCilkSqiN4VgwPypN0TIBE92gnDgINOxzGvAILASv6BPSNy7gq3X7CNEZlQTqd1DaeCV4SnWSUBziqZ2QpcCy7k1g0uzIMYPHf6QTVUdlMpV1PiuttAsWjS9k7V2k2KGeVjvhTG8iA/s400/table+setting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386282083881044850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This, being my first foray into the underground restaurant game, was limited to friends who were keen and supportive of the idea (and looking forward to getting a 3 course meal for less than the price of a mojito). This was me testing the water; I needed to challenge myself and this was the perfect environment. Having friends over made the atmosphere comfortable and I think overall it was a very good night. I'll be publishing the recipes for each course right here for you lovely people but to tide you over until then, here is the menu:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Olive Fig Grape</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Menu 26/09/09</span><br /><br />Warak Einab and Labneh<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Stuffed Vine Leaves with a Thick Yoghurt</span><br /><br />Saffron and Orange Lamb Shanks<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Served with 'Robuchon' Mash</span><br /><br />Rose and Pistachio Pots<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rose Jelly and a Pistachio Cream</span><br /><br /><br /><br />I went for a Lebanese theme to tie-in with my blog and one of the courses was a reworking of an old recipe I'd already published. We had Fairuz playing in the background and plenty of Jalab drink to go round to push some of the Middle-Eastern vibe. The atmosphere created by sharing with friends and interacting between meals made this a distinctly social event and for me this was one of the best food-related experiences of my life. I'll definitely be doing this again. Thanks to everyone who came! And a special thanks to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8769083@N06/">Sam</a> for taking the pics :-)M. A. Salhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02838310455555522216noreply@blogger.com2