Romanian Eggplant Salad

No meal in my household can be had without the absolute basic - our eggplant salad! It's like bread and water, you just have to have it! It consists of nothing other than roasted eggplants with some oil and salt, but the taste is divine and one serving is never ever enough! The directions might seem a bit confusing so I added a few pictures so you can realize they're not as intimidating as they might sound.. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggplants

Vegetable oil

Salt

Tomatos (optional, to garnish)

Green onion (optional, to garnish)

METHOD

1.     Broil the eggplants for 40minutes, turning them over after half the time. You may broil using the broil function of your oven or use an open flame to roast them stove top. 

2.     Place a colander in a large bowl, peel the eggplants (careful, they'll be very hot), and place the meat in the colander.

3.     At this point the eggplants have to drain for at least an hour otherwise they will be very bitter. In order for all the juice to drain well we maintain pressure on the eggplant during this hour. A simple way that we use to do it is to place something heavy directly on top of the eggplants. Start by placing a plate over the eggplants and hand pressing it to get some of the juice out. When most of the major juice has sifted out, place a heavy bowl full of water to maintain the plate pressed down and leave for an hour. It may look something like this:

4.     When all the juices have drained place the eggplants in a food processor and mix, adding oil and salt to taste. Make sure you only pulse and don't let it run too much, you want to still be able to see most of the seeds. Be somewhat generous on the oil and salt until you reach a smooth texture, but once it's chopped you can take it out of the processor and add the oil and salt by hand mixing until it tastes good.
If you don't have a processor or just want to make it like in "the good ole-days," place the meat on a large cutting board and use a large knife to chop the eggplants until they reach a smooth, even texture. Then place in a bowl and add salt and oil until it tastes good! 

5.    Garnish with slices of tomato and green onion and serve!

Avocado & Egg Salad

Extremely easy, perfect for last minute prep, and absolutely delicious! A creamy texture with a slightly citrucey and salty twist makes for a perfect avocado salad! Serve it as part of a brunch, as a dip, or simply as another salad on the table as part of any meal, which is what we typically do. Use the 1 avocado to 2 eggs ratio as a guide to prepare the desired amount.

INGREDIENTS

1 Avocado

2 eggs

Mayonnaise

Lemon

Salt

METHOD

1.     Boil the eggs

2.     Clean the avocado and mash it together with the eggs using a fork. 

3.   Mix in mayo, lemon juice, and salt to taste and serve. 

Javaher Polow (Jeweled Rice)

Mixture prior to adding it to the rice

Javaher Polow is a very festive Persian rice served on very important and celebratory occasions. If you're looking for something original that's meant to impress, search no more! This rice is not only beautiful but also sweet yet sour, crunchy yet soft, and simply a perfect combination of very distinct flavors that you simply can't go wrong with! The rice itself is prepared according to the Persian Polow recipe with Saffron and is accompanied by an assortment of orange peel, carrots, barberries, raisins, pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts. With this impressive list, how can you possibly resist making this dish? The only challenging ingredient in this list might be the barberries. Barberries are a common ingredient in persian cuisine and you might find them in an ethnic store near you; they are called "zereshk" in Persian in case you have to find them by their original name. They are somewhat sour tiny dried berries, most closely resembling cranberries if you absolutely had to substitute. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2.5 cups basmati rice

1 medium onion thinly sliced

½ cup sliced pistachios

½ cup slivered almonds

½ cup chopped hazelnuts

1 cup barberries (zereshk)

½ cup raisins (red and white)

2 medium carrots, julienned

2 large oranges

½ cup sugar

½ tsp saffron

½ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp crushed rose petals

½ tsp turmeric

2 tbsp butter

vegetable oil

METHOD

1.     Create ½ cup julienne cut orange skin. This can be easily done by using a "julienne cutter" found in many household item stores, or by peeling the skin with a peeler and cutting it into long thin pieces. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, drain and repeat 2-3 times.

2.     Soak the crushed pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts in cold water while prepping to allow them to soften.

3.     In a saucepan boil over medium heat ½ cup sugar with 1 cup water until sugar dissolves. Add ½ cup julienned oranges and ½ cup julienned carrots and cook on low heat for 15-20minutes.

4.     In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp vegetable oil.

5.     In the skillet, saute the onion until golden brown, then add turmeric and mix well. Add the barberries and sauté for 5min on medium-low heat.

6.     Add the raisins (1/2 cup of a combination of red and white raisins) and 1 tbsp of sugar. 

7.   Add the carrot and orange mix, the spices, and the nuts.

8.   Separately, in a large non stick pot boil roughly 8 cups of water, add 2tbsp salt, and add 2.5 cups of basmati rice.

9.   Boil the rice for about 10-15 minutes until it is soft on the outside but still hard in the middle. When it reaches this state drain the rice through a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. 
10.   In the large non stick pot (or persian rice cooker) add some vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pot and add 1/4 cup water.
12.   Put the half cooked rice in the pot, sprinkle some water on top (~1/4 cup), cover the lid with a kitchen towel to absorb the moisture, cover the pot well and set on medium-high heat for about 10minutes until you see that steam is starting to rise. Then lower the heat to low and let steam for 40min-1hr. Don't open the lid during the cooking process as the steam is essential for the rice to cook. 
13.   When ready, remove the rice from the pot until you reach a more solid layer. Leave the solid layer, place a large plate on top of the pot, and turn the pot upside down along with the plate so that the crunchy part (the tah-dig) falls right onto the plate.
14.   Mix 1/2tsp saffron with 1/2 cup boiling water and let set in a warm place for 10 minutes at least (do this while the rice is cooking). Pour the saffron mixture on the ready rice in the plate. It will cover some, not all of the rice. 
15.  Mix in the mixture of ingredients from step #7 into the rice.
16.   Serve!

Empanadas de Humita (Corn Filled Pastry)

After studying abroad in Argentina I've been looking for corn empanadas (stuffed pastry) everywhere I go, and of course never is it the same as it was back there in the little street bars, with the Argentine atmosphere all around. However, when you can't find something outside, I figured why not try to make it at home... This recipe has tons of variations so feel free to play around with it, but this is a basic and simple way to make these delicious corn empanadas.

INGREDIENTS

30 empanada cover sheets

2 chopped onions

500g yellow corn

500g creamy corn

200g grated mozarella

Salt

6 tbsp heavy cream

1 egg

METHOD

1.  Fry the onion, mix with remaining ingredients and refrigerate.

2.  Put some in the center of each cover sheet, close in half, and fold from one point little pinches inward all the way around to form the braided appearance.

3.  Paint empanadas with egg and water mixture.

4.  Bake in 220C (428F), 15-20min, until golden.

5.  To avoid empanadas opening, assure that there is no air trapped when closing them, and don’t over bake. 

Radish Salad

Simple and elegant, this salad makes a wonderful accompaniment to any meal!

INGREDIENTS

Daikon radish

Carrots

Apple

Olive oil

METHOD

1. Grate all ingredients coarsely and mix.

Mushroom Risotto

Delicious risotto made from scratch, but so worth it!

INGREDIENTS

6 cups chicken broth, divided

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 lb Portobello mushrooms,
    thinly sliced

1 lb white mushrooms,
    thinly sliced

2 shallots, diced

1.5 cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons chopped chives

4 tbsps butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

METHOD

1.       In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat and maintain warm.

2.       In a large saucepan, warm 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.

3.       Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft.

4.        Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

5.       In a medium size pot, add 1 tbsp olive oil and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute.

6.       Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes.

7.       When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed.

8.       Add ½ cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed.

9.       Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 mins.

10.  Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Crêpes

One of the most famous foods in the whole world, French Crêpes are a common street food in many countries. It's fillings can be sweet or salty, light or heavy, and the way it is folded varies just as much. The ways to make crêpes at home also vary and are simply based on your preference. You can purchase crêpe pans of various sizes on which you pour the batter and with a motion of your wrist spread the batter to a thin layer. You can also purchase a crêpe maker onto which you pour the batter and spread with a special crêpe spreader that is usually sold together, and that is the way most street vendors make it. But none of this is essential, if you're just starting out - just use your regular pan! 

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs

3.5 tbsp butter (50g)

2 tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

METHOD

1.   Mix dry and liquid ingredients separately, then combine.

2.   Let stand for 30min.

3.  Fry on medium heat and turn when the amount of steam lessens and edges start to set.

4. Serving suggestion: Spread nutella on half the crepe, top it with slices bananas, fold it in half, then fold one third to the middle and the other third over it, creating a pie shaped folded crepe.

Maast-o-Khiar (Yogurt and Cucumber dip)

This is a Persian yogurt and cucumber dip or sauce, as you may wish to use it. Light, healthy, perfect accompaniment to almost any meal!

INGREDIENTS

500g yogurt

½ grated cucumber

1 small grated onion

2 tsp chopped mint

Salt and pepper

METHOD

Mix and serve

Kashk-e-Bademjaan (Eggplant Salad)

Based on eggplant and a whey (kashk), which can be found in specialty stores, this dip is minty, smooth, and brings excitement to the palate! If you cannot find Kashk around you, you may substitute for yogurt and the result is somewhat similar.

INGREDIENTS

6 small eggplants

1 cup kashk

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 medium onions

2 tbsp dried mint or 200g fresh mint

Salt and pepper

METHOD

1.       Peel and slice eggplants lengthwise to 1cm thickness, add salt and pepper and fry in oil on both sides until eggplant softens.

2.       Mix tomato paste with 1 cup hot water, add eggplants and cook on medium heat for 4-5mins. Remove from heat.

3.     Fry onion and mint separately, add to eggplant, along with kashk.

Borani Esfenaaj (Spinach and Yogurt Dip)

You might want to think of it as a spinach dip, but this Persian dish brings in the distinct flavors unique to this kitchen. It is smooth, delicate, and leaves you wanting more!

INGREDIENTS

1 kg spinach

2 onions

4 garlic cloves

250g yogurt

Salt and pepper

METHOD

1.       Sauté onion and garlic.

2.       Add spinach and sauté until wilted.

3.       Let spinach cool.

4.       Mix yogurt with salt and pepper, beat it a little for it to become less solid.

5.     Mix the yogurt with the spinach.

Adas Polow (Lentil and Raisin Rice)

One of my favorite Persian rices, this rice contains lentils, dates, and raisins. It is somewhat sweet and crunchy, and a big party hit as well. This recipe has ground lamb but you can easily leave it out and make it a lighter, vegetarian rice dish. Follow the general guidelines for Polow & Tah-dig when making this dish.

INGREDIENTS

400g lentils

500g rice

400g ground lamb/beef

100g dates

120g raisins

½ tsp saffron

2 large onions

Salt and pepper

Cinnamon

Turmeric

Cumin

METHOD

1.       Cook rice in salted water 10-15min, drain when slightly soft, but not ready yet.

2.       Cook lentils in 2-3 cups of boiling water 15-20mins.

3.       Fry meat with onions, salt and pepper for 10mins, and 1 cup water and cook until absorbed.

4.       In rice cooker or non-stick pot, place ½ cup water, a bit oil, then rice, meat, lentils, raisins, dates, raisins, rice. If cooking on stove, cover lid with kitchen towel to seal tightly, cook initially on high for tah-dig (crunch layer of rice), then lower and cook on low heat for 40mins. 

5.       Cover with saffron when ready.

Four Cheese Risotto

Simple, cheesy risotto. Enough said!

INGREDIENTS

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp olive oil

8 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1.5 cups risotto rice
 ½ cup White wine

1.5 cups grated parmesan

2 oz gorgonzola, cubed

2 oz fontina cheese, cubed

2 oz taleggio cheese, rind removed and cubed

Handful flat leaved parsley coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper


METHOD

1.       Heat the stock until almost boiling, reduce to barely simmer.

2.       Heat butter and oil over medium heat, add shallots and cook 1-2mins until softened but not browned. Add garlic.

3.       Add rice (vialone, nano, carnaroli, arborio)and stir with wooden spoon until grains are coated and glistening, 1min. Add wine and stir until absorbed.

4.       Add 1 ladle of hot stock and simmer, stirring to absorption.

5.       Continue to add stock in intervals and cook as before until rice is tender but still firm, about 18-20mins. Reserve the last ladle of stock.

6.     Add the reserved stock, the cheeses, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well, remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 2mins. Serve sprinkled with parmesan.

Polow and Tah-dig (White Persian Rice)

Polow: the most basic and important part of Persian cuisine is white long grain rice. The rice is sprinkled with saffron, a very expensive but incomparable spice, and when preparing it, the bottom layer turns out crunchy and is everyone's favorite part of the rice called Tah-dig. Many variations exist to the tah-dig which can either be plain rice, contain potatoes, or other home made inventions. This rice is often served with kebabs or stews and makes for a perfect companion to many dishes. Check out the "Persian" or "Stew" sections of this website for things to pair your rice with.  

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Basmati Rice

½ tbsp Saffron in 2tbsp water

Oil

Salt

1-2 Potatoes (optional)

METHOD

1.       Wash rice with cool water a few times, soak in 4 cups of water, add 2-3 tablespoons salt and set aside for couple of hours (this step can be skipped).

2.       In a large non-stick pot that has a tight fitting lid, bring 4 cups of water to a rapid boil. Add the rice and boil for about 10 minutes, until rice is firm in the center and soft on the outside.

3.       Strain and rinse with cool water.

4.       Wash the pot and return to heat, add 2-3 tablespoons oil and a bit of water. Make sure entire bottom of pot is covered, if not, add some more. Add a couple of drops of saffron, any other spices you might like in the tah-dig, and if using potatoes, places several slices on bottom of pot.

5.       With a large spatula place the rice into the non-stick pot, building it into a pyramid shape. In order to release the steam make 2-3 holes in the rice with the bottom of the spatula.

6.       Place small glass recipient with saffron and water mix in the top of the rice, stabilize it so it will steam along with the rice and you will get maximal flavor from the saffron.

7.       Cover the lid with a kitchen towel, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes on medium-high heat until rice is steaming. Kitchen towel is essential as it helps trap the steam if you are not using a rice cooker.

8.        When the steam starts to come out lower heat and steam the rice for another 40 min - 1 hr.

9.       Serve rice on a platter; sprinkle the saffron on top.

10.   Turn pot over to remove the crusty bottom (tah-dig) and serve on a separate plate as seen in picture.

Potato, Portabella, and Goat Cheese Salad

Created, again, when there was nothing else around, this salad turned out quite pleasant. Portabella mushrooms and goat cheese are among my favorite ingredients in the kitchen, so needless to say their combination is always a winning one! I haven't made this salad in a while so I don't have a picture available, but I'll get one up here next time. As far as quantities, I never made it the same way twice, so I'll leave the judgment up to you!

INGREDIENTS

Red potatos

Portabello mushrooms

Onions

Black olives

Hearts of palm

Goat cheese

Olive oil

Oregano

Salt

Pepper 

METHOD

1.   Cook/microwave potatoes and cut to cubes.

2.   Chop onions and cut mushrooms into strips/squares, fry them together in olive oil.

3.   Add spices and potatoes to the pan.

4.   Remove from stove and add hearts of palm and black olives.

5.  Mix in goat cheese while warm to allow it to evenly cover ingredients.

Traditional Couscous Soup

Couscous, to those unfamiliar with it, is a traditional Moroccan dish that is made of semolina wheat. It is typically eaten with this vegetable soup or other types of stew-like sauces. Today couscous has become quite popular around the world and in most supermarkets you can buy a box of instant couscous without a problem, all it takes is covering it with boiling water and waiting a few minutes. The lengthier part is this soup, but couscous can be eaten simply with salt as a side dish next to just about anything, so if you've never tried couscous before you can start out light!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chickpeas soaked in cold water overnight and rinsed

4 carrots cut into 2-3 pieces

4 medium potatoes, quartered

1 large onion, quartered

Salt

Pepper

Small pinch of saffron or 1.5 tsp turmeric

200g pumpkin into 4-5 chunks

½ of a green cabbage, quartered

4-5 stalks celery, peeled and cut coarsely, save the leaves

½ kg couscous

METHOD

1.   Put the chickpeas in a large saucepan, cover with water and cook for 30min until tender.

2.  Add the carrots, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, saffron or turmeric, and cook for 45min until vegetables are tender.

3.   Add remaining vegetables, except celery leaves, cook 15mins, until tender.

4.   Taste and adjust seasoning, add the celery leaves and cook 15mins.

5.  Prepare couscous and serve soup on top of cous cous.

Mushroom Pashtida (Crustless Pie)

This is another delicious type of pashtida (crustless pie) containing the classic ingredient - mushrooms.

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream (שמנת מתוקה)

1.25 tbsp chicken soup powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp oil

6-7 tbsp self rising flour

1 medium mushroom can

Grated swiss cheese

METHOD

1.  Spread mushrooms in a baking dish (13x9).

2.  Beat all the ingredients (except grated cheese) together.

3.  Pour batter over mushrooms and top off with grated cheese.

4.  Bake at 180C (350F) for 40mins or until golden.