Middle Eastern 4 RECIPES: Baba Ghanoush/Havoc Köftesi/ Hummus/Couscous
Middle Eastern RECIPES
Baba Ghanoush
Bread and Hummus
Carrot, Apricot, and Pine Nut Fritters With Pistachio Sauce (Havoc Köftesi)
Couscous
1___Baba Ghanoush http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eByaqzcrkg4
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt, to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. olive oil
•Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant directly on the rack and bake for 45 minutes to one hour, until soft. Remove from the oven and place the eggplant in a plastic bag (seal or twist closed) for about 10 minutes, then remove and gently peel away the skin.
•Transfer the eggplant to a blender or food processor. Add the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice and pulse until combined. This method will leave it slightly chunky. For a smoother texture, blend instead of pulsing.
•Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a small bowl and top with olive oil and fresh parsley.
FRANCAIS :
Préparation : 15 min
Cuisson : 45 min
Ingrédients (pour 4 personnes) :
- 3 petites aubergines
- 2 citrons
- 1 grosse gousse d'ail par aubergine
- 125 ml de tahini (pâte de graines de sésame)
- huile d'olive
Préparation :
Préchauffer le grill.
Piquez les aubergines avec une fourchette. Déposez les sur une plaque recouverte d'aluminium huilé.
Mettre au grill à 10 cm environ de la résistance. Les tourner toutes les 15 min pendant 45 min ou jusqu'à ce que la peau soit ramollie. Les sortir du four.
Une fois refroidies, couper les en deux et séparer la chair de la peau avec une petite cuillère (on récupère ainsi la partie la plus parfumée du fruit).
Mettre la pulpe dans une passoire et laisser égoutter 20 min.
Dans un mixeur, mettre ensemble le jus des citrons, l'ail et le tahini et du sel au goût. Mixer quelques secondes. Ajouter la pulpe et transformer en purée jusqu'à une consistance tartinable.
Transférer le baba ghanoush dans un bol et ajouter un filet d'huile d'olive.
Servir le baba ghanoush avec des accompagnements tels que pain grillé, pitas et pain libanais...
2 __ Bread and Hummus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_O1BmWyvE
This is a vegan staple. Either grab one of the many delicious ready-made varieties of hummus from the supermarket or make your own.
3 Tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt, optional
• Place all the ingredients into a blender (or do the ‘chunky’ version by mashing them with a potato masher or fork) and mix until smooth.
• Top your snack with avocado, fake meat or anything else that takes your fancy
Inspired by Chef Mike Isabella
4 cups Italian breadcrumbs
2 cups chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 1/2 cups pine nuts
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup salt
2 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup chopped dill
1 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup soft tofu, mashed Flour
Oil for frying
Pistachio sauce for garnish (see recipe below)
5 mint leaves for garnish
***Pistachio Sauce
6 cups lightly toasted pistachios
2 cups roasted onions
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup salt
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 cups minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups lemon juice
6 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 cups water (optional)
• Steam the carrots until soft. Drain well and mash with a fork.
• Add the breadcrumbs, apricots, scallions, pine nuts, garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, parsley, dill, mint, and tofu and knead well. (The mixture should be moist but not too wet and should bind together well.)
• Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, spoon out 80 balls of the carrot mixture and roll smooth. Place on sheet pans, cover, and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours.
• Roll the balls in flour and then deep-fry at 350°F for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.
• Spoon 1 1/2 ounces of the pistachio sauce onto a small dish and top with 4 carrot fritters. Top with a mint leaf.
Makes 20 servings
• Place the pistachios, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley in a blender and pulse until well blended. Add the lemon juice and continue to pulse.
• Slowly add the oil to emulsify the sauce. If necessary, add water until the preferred consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Refrigerate until serving.
Makes 3 1/2 quarts
4__Couscous *** Saffron-spiced couscous is a wonderful combination of flavors, colors, and smells of Northwest African cuisine.
2 onions, cut into big chunks
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. grated ginger
2-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken into bits
1 Tbsp. cumin powder
1 Tbsp. coriander powder
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup cooked chickpeas
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup freshly chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp. saffron strands soaked in 2 Tbsp. warm water for half an hour
1 1/2 cups couscous
***Couscous: A nutty-flavored, quick-cooking grain that can be used in place of rice. Found in grocery stores.5 cups boiling water
1 Tbsp. margarine
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped coriander leaves
A few fresh sprigs coriander
• Heat the oil. Add the onions, carrots, eggplant, and zucchini. Stir for 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. Stir for 5 minutes.
• Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, and vegetable stock. Stir and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables become tender.
• Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste. Stir for 2 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas, salt, and chili powder. Stir and add the coriander leaves and saffron.
• Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.
• Put the couscous in the boiling water and cover for 2 minutes. Drain the excess water. Stir in the margarine and coriander leaves. To serve, spoon some couscous onto each plate, ladle the vegetable stew over it, and garnish with coriander sprigs.
Makes 4 servings