Mediterranean

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If you haven't noticed already, I love sesame. Love might actually be an understatement, "am obsessed with" might be closer to the truth. I would rather have something with sesame in it for dessert than chocolate. In fact, when Emma and I found a sesame bar recipe in Nawal Nasrallah's book Delights from the Garden of Eden, I felt like I was in heaven. I could make sesame bars instead of brownies for the rest of my life! Anyway, though it is not a new discovery, it truly is a constant in my life and I wanted to share- Tahini Salad Dressing. In the Winter, I exchange my lettuces and salad greens for kale. I found a great salad mix at Whole Foods that is kale already chopped up and ready to eat, which is perfect for meals when you are in a time crunch. I make a tahini dressing by mixing tahini with a touch of olive oil, lemon juice, water, and salt. I don't have a direct recipe for this, because I just sort of mix it all together in a small bowl. It is usually equal parts tahini and water, then a tablespoon of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, and coarse sea salt. I also might add a teaspoon or so of Braggs Liquid Amino Acids, which is a great substitute for soy sauce. I toss together the kale, sliced avocado, fresh pomegranate seeds, chickpeas (canned or sprouted), and thinly sliced red onion, and dress with the tahini. It is also really rich, and full of healthy fats. I love the combination of flavors and textures that all of the ingredients provide, and the health benefits. Sesame is full of calcium and protein; the kale is of course a great source of vitamins A, K, and C, and is full of fiber; the pomegranates are full of powerful antioxidants; and the avocado is another great source of fiber and vitamin C, and also has lots of potassium. This is a powerful health salad that not only combats inflammation and oxidative stress, but also boosts your nutrients. You know I will be eating this all Winter long.

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December 8, 2010 | 3 comments
Tags: Avocado, Beans & Legumes, Healthy, high-fiber, Mediterranean, Salads & Dressings, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

Recipe

Chickpea Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Chickpeas and garbanzos are the same thing. These are delicious chicken cutlets that are breaded in garbanzo flour and Parmesan cheese, thus they are gluten-free. They are light and delicious and can be paired with many things. This recipe is for 2 people. If you are only one, make this recipe and save the leftover cutlet for your lunch the next day.

2 organic chicken cutlets, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons garbanzo flour, divided*
2 tablespoons mixed dried Italian herbs (Spike Seasoning 5 herb is best), divided
Salt and Pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (Locatelli Romano & Pecorino are good substitutes)
1/4 cup high heat cooking oil (sunflower seed or grapeseed)

Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons garbanzo flour, 1 tablespoon of the dried herbs, and a heavy pinch of salt and pepper over 1 large dinner plate.
Beat the egg in a shallow bowl and set to the side.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup garbanzo flour, 1 tablespoon of dried herbs, another pinch of salt and pepper, and the 3 tablespoons cheese in a separate shallow bowl.
Pass each cutlet through this 3 step process:

Turn over in the seasoned flour, and dust off excess.
Dip into the egg, and let excess drip off.
Fully coat in the garbanzo/cheese mixture. You might have to do them one at a time, depending on how much room you have in the bowls. You can leave the cutlets in this mixture while the oil heats up.

It is important that at each stage you remove excess, so as to not create large floury clumps on your chicken.
Heat up the oil in a saute pan until almost smoking. Slide the cutlets into the hot oil and let them gain color on one side, before flipping over and cooking through on the other side (about 3-5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness of cutlet). Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Serve with a wedge of lemon alongside our Celery Root Chickpea Dip or Lebanese Hummus.
Slice up left overs in strips to top a Caesar Salad.

Serves 2. * You can find garbanzo flour in health food stores, and in the organic section of conventional supermarkets.

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November 17, 2010 | 4 comments
Tags: Beans & Legumes, Chicken, Entrees, Gluten-free, Healthy, Mediterranean

Recipe

Quince Gelato

3 cups milk, divided

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup quince puree (see below)

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch of cardamom

Splash of orange blossom water

Note* You can simply flavor the gelato with 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, instead of the cardamom and orange blossom water as well.

Heat 2 1/2 cups of the milk up in a small saucepan with the cardamom and cinnamon stick, and 1/2 cup of the sugar.In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining sugar and milk.
When the milk starts to slightly bubble, pour in the cornstarch/milk mixture and whisk as it comes to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Add the splash of orange blossom water and the quince puree, and whisk until smooth. Strain into a bowl set over an ice bath and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. Once the gelato has cooled, process in an ice cream maker until thickened, transfer to a container and freeze to set.

To Serve: Scoop ice cream into bowls, and top with quince syrup (reserved from puree below), yogurt or whipped cream, toasted almonds, and pomegranate seeds.

Quince Puree:

2 quinces, quartered and cored, a few seeds reserved

1 ½ cups sugar

1 cup water

Lemon juice to taste

Bring the sugar and water to a simmer in a pot, until the sugar has dissolved. Meanwhile, Slice each quarter of the quince into quarters and transfer to the pot. Simmer the contents of the pot for about 2 hours, or until the quince turns red. Strain the quince of the syrup, and reserve both. Puree the quince, and strain through a sieve. Use the syrup for drinks and as a garnish for pies and the sundae pictured.

Reserve extra puree for other recipes.

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October 28, 2010 | 2 comments
Tags: Desserts, Fall, Fruit, Ice Cream, Mediterranean

Blog entry

Black Chickpeas- Kala Chana

The other day I was at The Foragers Market in DUMBO (a really lovely place), and I found black chickpeas. The label on the bag said Kabuli Chana, and I got even more excited, because I thought that these chickpeas were Afghan. However, when I looked into the matter, it turns out that the normal chickpeas that I always eat are actually kabuli chana, and that the black ones are called kala chana. These chickpeas have a tougher shell, and hold together well in stews, but I made a dark speckled hummus regardless. I also included some black garlic, which is a fermented garlic that has an incredible smoky/salty flavor. This detail was lost in the end result, so I would just use regular garlic next time for the pungency, and save my black garlic for crostini. I am going to play around with these black chickpeas some more, but here is a photo of the dish, which follows the same recipe as our Traditional Lebanese Hummus.

http://www.kitchencaravan.com/recipe/traditional-lebanese-hummus-recipe

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October 27, 2010 | 1 comments
Tags: Appetizers, Beans & Legumes, Food, Healthy, high-fiber, Lebanese hummus, Mediterranean, Meze & Small Plates, Middle East and North Africa, Vegan, Vegetarian

Recipe

Freekeh con Pollo

Freekeh is wheat that is harvested when it is still young and full of protein. The wheat is roasted and has a slightly nutty flavor and chewy texture. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and is full of fiber. This dish is an easy dinner for 2 any night of the week.

2 chicken legs, skin on

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 scallions, tips trimmed

1 clove garlic, peeled

½ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, and seeds removed

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon coriander

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ounce apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or white wine

1 cup freekeh, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes

1 ½ cups chicken broth, at a light simmer

Optional garnishes: 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts and/ or fresh cilantro

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside.
Roughly chop the scallions, garlic, cilantro, and poblano. Transfer to a mini blender and start to blend. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and blend to a smooth paste, along with the spices.

Heat up a medium sized pot with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and sear the chicken legs, skin side down first, about 5 minutes. When they are nice and brown, turn them over and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Drain off any excess oil and add the liquid to deglaze the pan. Rapidly scrape up any protein bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the freekeh and stir. Once the liquid has evaporated from the rice (1-2 minutes), add the herb paste and stir well. Cook for a few more minutes, then nestle the chicken pieces in the freekeh, and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until the broth has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Serves 2.

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April 24, 2010 | 2 comments
Tags: Chiles, Entrees, Food Preservation, Fusion, Healthy, high-fiber, Local, Meat, Mediterranean, Mexican, Whole grain

Recipe

Goat Kofte - Kefthedes

These kofte/kefthedes are very tasty. We love using goat meat, but you can use other types of meat to suit your liking. In Greece and Turkey, they are either made with beef or lamb, or a combination of the two. We added scallions and a touch of pepper to our recipe. We also baked them in the oven, but you can saute them on the stove top in some olive oil. Serve with potatoes, salad, and pita bread.

2 thick slices of day old bread, crusts removed

1 ½ lbs ground goat meat*

1 clove garlic, minced

½ onion, grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced (up to about 2 inches from the ends)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch paprika or dried red pepper

2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Soak the bread in a bowl with water or broth for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl with your hands.
Squeeze out the excess water from the bread, crumble, and work into the meat mixture.
Form patties that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 1-inch thick. Bake the patties on a baking tray brushed with olive oil at 375° F for 40 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
Serve with pita bread and salad.

Makes about 8-10 patties.

*We love local goat meat, but you can also use lamb or beef, or any combination of the three. Everyone has their own recipe for these, so add your own touch to the recipe.

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April 23, 2010 | 1 comments
Tags: Entrees, Goat, Meat, Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa, Union Square Greenmarket

Cooking Show Video

Foraging for Wild Greens

There are a wide variety of edible greens growing wild in Kythira (and most other places in Greece, and the world), many of them are in the wild dandelion or chicory family. This video shows some of the tastier types. There is some etiquette to foraging... when you come across a patch, don't pick it all. Maybe take one of every 3 so that the plant can continue to self seed and grow for future years.

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March 27, 2010 | 1 comments
Tags: Healthy, Local, Mediterranean, Spring, Vegetarian

Cooking Show Video

Wild Leeks

Wild leeks have been well known in Greece since antiquity, appearing in several ancient texts; in present day Greece they are still a highly valued food. They appear in late winter and early spring on widely varying terrain, the greatest concentration we've found has been in sandy soil near the sea. In this video we prepare the leeks simply, over the coals of an open fire. If you try this method, allow the leeks to blacken over the coals, and when you're ready to eat them simply peel the charred part away leaving the soft sweet center. Wild leeks are very similar to their domesticated counterpart, just smaller in size and a bit sweeter.

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March 22, 2010 | 0 comments
Tags: Local, Mediterranean, Spring, Travel, Vegetarian

Tasty Tip

How to Cook Wild Greens

Horta, as the wide array of wild greens are called in Greece are easy to prepare. Simply clean them and boil them in water; the dandelion greens and chicory need to cook for about an hour, but some of the younger and more tender shoots can be ready in ten minutes. Some varieties are extremely bitter, in this case some people prefer to change the water after boiling for awhile to take away some of this bitterness, most greeks don't do this because they like the bitter (and it's good for you!). People will often mix varieties of horta and cook them together, even adding fennel or other herbs for different flavor combinations.

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March 22, 2010 | 0 comments
Tags: Food Production, Healthy, Local, Mediterranean, Spring

Recipe

Napoleons "in Love"

This is a spin on the classic Napoleon; ours is “In Love”. The “Love” comes from the pistachio, mastic (Mastiha), and rose flavors, which are some of our favorite Love ingredients. This recipe may seem advanced, but even the novice cook will be able to take it on. You can make some of the recipe ahead of time, so as to distribute the workload in preparation of the big day. However, although there are 3 parts to its preparation, it does not take an excessive amount of time. Read through the recipe ahead of time so as to plan your cooking strategy.

For the Mastiha Pastry Cream:

2 cups half and half

½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

4 egg yolks

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon flour

1 teaspoon Mastiha, ground with a pinch of sugar

1 teaspoon rose water (optional)

For the Pistachio Praline:

1 cup raw shelled pistachios

½ cup sugar + 2 tablespoons water

To Assemble:

1 package store-bought puff pastry

Flour for dusting

¼ cup rose petal jam

1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk, whisked together

A pastry brush

Make the Mastiha pastry cream by heating up the half and half in a small saucepan along with one of the tablespoons of sugar. Just heat until steam rises from the top. Meanwhile, beat the yolks with the sugar until the yolks turn a pale yellow and the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the cornstarch and flour. Slowly pour a few spoonfuls of the milk over the yolk/sugar mixture and whisk to temper. Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan with milk, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl and get it all out. Bring the liquid to a simmer and whisk constantly, so that the mixture doesn’t form clumps, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the powdered Mastiha and rose water. Strain the pastry cream into a bowl set over an ice bath and stir to cool. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and store in the fridge until cold and set. The pastry cream will thicken slightly once it is cold, so keep that in mind when you are cooking it down.

While the pastry cream is cooling, make the Pistachio Praline. Lightly toast the pistachios and allow to cool. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Keep the pistachios close together and evenly distributed, as you will pour caramel over them. Place the sugar in a small saucepan with the 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer and allow the sugar to caramelize. Lightly brush down any sugar that gets stuck on the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization. Once the sugar is a deep, rich brown (you can test this by spooning a small amount on a white plate) pour over the toasted pistachios. It might seem like it takes a long time for the sugar to caramelize, but once it gets dark, it changes very quickly, so you must pay close attention. Once the pistachio/caramel becomes hard, you can either chop it with a sharp knife or grind in a food processor until it is a coarse crumble.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roll out the store bought pastry dough according to the instructions on the package. You will want it to be about ¼” thick when you bake it.
Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out 8 heart shaped pieces of dough. Set on a slightly greased baking sheet and lightly brush with the egg wash (1 whole egg beat with 1 tablespoon of milk). This is not necessary, but it makes the final result much more attractive. Cover the hearts with a piece of parchment or wax paper and set a baking rack or cooling rack with a ledge over the tray, so that the pastry will only rise to a certain height.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the rack and top layer of paper and return to the oven at 350°F for an additional 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the pastries, because everyone’s oven is different.

Heat the rose petal jam slightly with a tablespoon of water, and strain to remove the petals. Now you have your rose petal glaze. While the glaze is still warm, brush the top of each puff heart with it and sprinkle the pistachio praline over top. Dollop a spoonful or so of mastic pastry cream in the center of four of the hearts, and top with the remaining 4 puff hearts. Lightly press down to distribute the pastry cream, but do not break your hearts (pun intended!). Keep cool until ready to serve.

Makes 4 Napoleons “In Love”.

Note: You can make the mastic pastry cream 1 day ahead and the pistachio praline up to 2 days ahead. Bake the puff pastry the day of, so as to keep it as fresh as possible.
Assemble and serve the day of.

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February 11, 2010 | 1 comments
Tags: Desserts, Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa, Nuts, Rose

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