BULGUR-TOMATO SALAD WITH HERBS AND POMEGRANATE MOLASSES (EETCH)

 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 6 scallions (4 finely chopped, 2 thinly sliced, reserved separately)
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup coarse bulgur
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, plus more if needed
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint or flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, whisk together 1⅓ cups water and the tomato paste. Set aside. In a 10-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the bell pepper, chopped scallions and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pepper is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin and Aleppo pepper, then cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the bulgur, the tomato paste mixture and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover, reduce to low and simmer until the bulgur has absorbed the liquid, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Transfer the bulgur to a wide, shallow bowl and let cool until warm, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the bulgur, then fold until combined. Fold in the tomatoes, mint and the sliced scallions. Taste and season with salt, pepper and additional molasses.

MXF

Mediterranean Turkey Burger

From The Modern Proper

 

Serves 6

Ingredients

Patties

2 lbs ground turkey 2 tsp oregano 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 small onion, grated ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp pepper 2 tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup Greek yogurt ½ English cucumber, grated 1 tbsp dried dill or 2 tbsp fresh dill 2 tsp za’atar, optional 1-2 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper
The Rest
6 romaine lettuce leaves 2 tomatoes, sliced 4 oz feta, crumbled 6 hamburger buns, toasted 1 cup tzatziki sauce In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the tzatziki sauce. Cover and place in the fridge for a 1 hour to allow flavors to meld (optional). To make the burger patties, mix the ground turkey, oregano, garlic, onion, parsley, cumin, pepper and salt in a bowl with your hands until fully combined. Divide the mixture into 6 evenly sized burger patties, slightly larger than the hamburger buns. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet set over medium heat. Season the outside of the patties with a little sprinkle of salt. Cook the patty for 4 minutes on each side. Use a food thermometer to be sure they have reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F. To assemble the burgers, layer them with tzatziki sauce, the patty, tomato, lettuce more tzatziki sauce and feta. Enjoy. MXF

Stuck Pot Rice with Lentils and Yogurt

Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4 generously (a main dish) and 6 as a side

• Salt
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, washed and picked over
• 1 1/2 cups white basmati rice, rinsed well
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk though low-fat will work, plus additional for serving
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus additional lemon wedges for serving
• 1/3 cup water [edited]
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
• Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, cilantro or mint for garnish (optional)

Bring a medium-sized heavy pot with a tight fitting lid (so you can use one pot for all the steps) of salted water to a boil. [Updated direction.] Add lentils and boil for 5 minutes, then add rice boil for 5 minutes more, without stirring. Drain mixture and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat the same pot over medium-high heat. Once heated, add 2 tablespoons oil; one oil is warm, add onions and a couple pinches of salt and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add onions to bowl with rice and lentils. Stir in yogurt, lemon juice, water [edited], cumin and pepper, plus additional salt to taste.

Heat pot again over medium-high heat. Once fully hot, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Once that is hot, return rice mixture to pot, pressing it in. (It will sizzle.) Wrap clean kitchen towel around lid of pot so it completely covers inside of lid; gather corners on top so they do not fall anywhere near stove. Place lid on pot, sealing tightly. Reduce heat to very low. Cook undisturbed about 30 minutes; rice should smell toasty but not burned and you might need to check on it once or twice if you’re making it for the first time. Remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes more.

Carefully remove lid and cloth, and turn pot upside down over a platter. If rice comes out in a single crust, terrific. If not, use a spatula to scrape crisp pieces out of pan and onto remaining rice. Garnish with chopped parsley and cilantro, and serve with lemon wedges and additional plain yogurt. Dig in.

Greek Mac and Cheese

Saveur

Serves 8–10

• 3 slices crustless white bread, torn into small pieces
• 9 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 8 oz. hollow pasta, preferably elbow macaroni 
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 4 cups grated graviera or kefalotyri cheese (about 12 oz.)
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 large shallots, finely chopped
• 16 oz. baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 scallions cut into ¼"-thick rounds
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh dill
• 1¾ cups crumbled feta (about 8 oz.)

Put bread into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Put bread crumbs and 3 tbsp. butter into a small bowl and combine; set aside. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until cooked halfway through, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

Heat remaining butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Still whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in milk and cook until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10–15 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in graviera, cinnamon, and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper; set béchamel sauce aside.

Heat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a 5-qt. pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until soft, 3–4 minutes. Add spinach and scallions and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved béchamel sauce, the dill, and the reserved pasta and transfer mixture to a 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs and the feta. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Smoked Paprika

Giada de Laurentiis

6 servings 

   

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

COUSCOUS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cups (8 ounces) Israeli couscous, sometimes called pearl couscous
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 12 ounces grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or baby heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors, halved
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) feta, coarsely crumbled or chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup jarred red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¼ tsp Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Cook the couscous, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 9 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Mix together the spinach, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, parsley, almonds and mint in a large bowl. Add the couscous and the dressing. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve.

My Notes: Wow, this was so good! Instead of jarred peppers, I used gardeniere. I also used less oil--1/4 cup.

MXF

Moroccan Hand Pies with Eggplant and Apricots

Martha Stewart

FILLING:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
Coarse salt
1/2 recipe Ground-Meat Mix (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons harissa

CRUST:
1 disk Pate Brisee
All-purpose flour, for surface
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

Prep Time:  1 hour / Total Time:  3 hours, 20 minutes


Make the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

Mix together eggplant, meat, apricots, and harissa until just combined. Divide into 8 portions (about 1/2 cup each). Form each into a plump half-moon shape.

Make the crust: Roll out pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out eight 6-inch circles, rerolling scraps if needed. Refrigerate on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush edges of 1 dough circle with egg wash. Top with 1 portion of meat. Fold dough to encase filling, forming a half-moon. Carefully press around edges to seal. Pleat edges using your fingers, or press with a fork. Make a vent in the top using a skewer or a knife. Repeat with remaining dough and meat, transferring pies to parchment-lined baking sheets (4 to 6 per sheet). Refrigerate until dough is very firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.

Brush tops with egg wash. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden and filling is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Cook's Note: Uncooked hand pies can be frozen, wrapped in plastic, for up to 1 month. Proceed with step 5 (no extra baking time needed).

Eggplant Caponata with Golden Raisins

Food & Wine

SERVINGS: 10

3/4 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Salt
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons chopped pitted green olives
1/2 tablespoon capers
1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
30 baguette slices, brushed with olive oil and toasted


ACTIVE: 30 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

In a colander, sprinkle the eggplant with 1 teaspoon of salt and toss; let stand for 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the raisins in hot water until softened and plump, about 10 minutes. Drain.

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and celery, cover and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until shiny, about 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook over moderately high heat, stirring a few times, until it begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the drained eggplant and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very tender, about 3 minutes longer.

Transfer the eggplant to the bowl and add the olives, capers, raisins and sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Let the caponata cool to room temperature and serve with the baguette toasts.
Make Ahead The caponata can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Feta and Cucumber Dip

Martha Stewart Living, 2004

MAKES 3 1/2  CUPS

    4 med. cucumbers peeled                                        
    16 ounces feta cheese crumbled, preferably French              
    Salt and pepper                                                
    2 cups plain yogurt preferably Greek                           
    1/2 cup finely chop fresh mint leaves                          
    1/2 cup heavy cream                                            
    5 tablespoons lemon juice                                      
    Crudites                                                       

Grate cucumbers lengthwise on large holes of a box grater until you reach the seeds. Remove and discard seeds; continue grating. Transfer the grated cucumber to a colander set over a bowl or set in the sink. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and let the cucumber mixture stand 10 minutes to drain.

Rinse cucumber; shake out excess liquid. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 

Stir together cucumber, yogurt, feta, chopped mint, cream, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. If desired for serving, transfer dip to a bowl lined with cabbage leaves. Garnish dip with mint sprig; serve with crudites.

MY NOTE: I halved this recipe and it still made plenty of dip. The Greek feta is pretty strong, so maybe French is milder. I pulsed in a food processor instead of using a box grater. I also added 1 tbsp. of cayenne which gave it a nice lingering heat. This actually tasted a lot better on the second day, so I'd recommend making it the night before. This also tastes a lot like tsatziki so it would work as a condiment on Greek-style meat. My own photo.

MXF

Basmati Rice with Duck Confit and Dried Cherries

Martha Stewart Living, 2010

Serves 6-8

    3 quarts water
    2 cinnamon sticks
    Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
    2 cups basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
    2 legs duck confit, skin removed, shredded (igourmet.com)
    3/4 cup dried cherries
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons
    1 pound russet potatoes (about 2)
    1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

A crisp edge is essential to the appeal of tah-dig, a Persian dish in which the bottom layer forms a golden crust (basmati rice is ideal because it turns crunchy quickly); ours is topped with a layer of perfectly browned potatoes.

Bring water, cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons salt to a boil in a medium pot. Gradually add rice, stir, and cook until grains are tender but slightly firm in centers, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain rice; discard cinnamon sticks. Mix in duck confit, dried cherries, and melted butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Peel potatoes, and slice about 1/8 inch thick using a mandoline. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a large (10-inch) pot or heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat, swirling to coat. Arrange 3 layers of potatoes in pot in a circular pattern, overlapping slightly, working from the outside.

Sprinkle cilantro over potatoes, and top with rice mixture, pressing down lightly to form an even layer. Place a cotton kitchen towel or a piece of cheesecloth directly on surface of rice, covering completely. Cover pot, and cook for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until potatoes are crisp and golden brown around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove towel. Run a rubber spatula around edge of pot, and invert onto a serving platter.

Cook's Note: Duck pairs well with cherries, but you can substitute shredded chicken or leave out the meat entirely.

Moroccan-style Stuffed Acorn Squashes

Martha Stewart Living, 2009

Serves 4

    2 medium acorn squashes (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded
    2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    3/4 pound ground chuck (95 percent lean)
    Ground cinnamon
    Ground nutmeg
    2 teaspoons coarse salt
    1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    3/4 cup bulgur wheat
    2 cups water
    1/4 cup golden raisins
    1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
    2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squashes, cut sides down, in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, a pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl or plate using a slotted spoon, keeping as much cooking liquid in the pot as possible.

Add onion, and cook until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and add reserved beef, the raisins, parsley, and pine nuts.

Scrape out baked squashes, forming 1/4-inch-thick bowls, and fold flesh into bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return to oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, 12 to 14 minutes.

My Notes: One reviewer said it need more cinnamon and nutmeg.

Greek Gazpacho

Food Network, Ina Garten

Makes 8-10 servings

    2 slices thick day-old ciabatta                                
    6 cloves garlic                                                
    2 tablespoons fresh oregano                                    
    2 tablespoons fresh parsley                                    
    5 tablespoons red wine vinegar                                 
    5 tablespoons olive oil                                        
    1 red bell pepper seeded, de-rib                               
    1 yellow bell pepper seeded, de-rib                            
    2 red onions chop                                              
    4 lg. tomatoes ripe, chop                                      
    3/4 cup kalamata olives pit, chop                              
    46 ounces tomato juice                                         
    4 teaspoons salt                                               
    2 teaspoons pepper                                             
    8 ounces feta cheese       
                                 
Prep Time:  15 minutes/Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours

Place the bread, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped. Add the vinegar and olive oil and process again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Place the peppers, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives separately in the food processor and process until very coarsely chopped. Add to the mixing bowl. Add the tomato juice, salt, and pepper and stir well. Taste for seasoning, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Fold in the feta and serve cold.

MY NOTE:  Really easy to make and quite tasty.  Nice to serve some crunchy toast with it.  6 cloves is a bit too much garlic.  Def. down to 4.5-5 next time.  Also, the feta was a little too mild to impact the soup.  May want to try something with more tang (still semi-soft) or maybe salt the cheese before folding in?  I only used about 38 oz. of juice, which seemed about right.

MXF