Red Saffron Makes Red Rice

This is my my daughter's favorite rice dish. She likes the brilliant red color of the rice as well as the nutty, fragrant saffron flavor. It is a common side dish for many of our holiday feasts. In our family we look for any excuse to have a feast and this dish is an easy way to brighten it up.

To get this color you must have the right type of saffron. I got mine when I was visiting Luxor, Egypt as part of a Nile cruise.  Only the dark red saffron will give this color, however regular saffron gives a yellowish orange color which is also quite appetizing. You can probably get it in a Middle Eastern market or a gourmet shop.  

This side dish is served with many of the recipes on this site, partially for its looks, but also because we love the taste. It goes great with Middle Eastern dishes, but can be served with just about anything. Here are some dishes with which we serve this rice.

• Fet-Ta : Egyptian Lamb Feast
• Herb Crusted Dover Sole
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Honey Stung Chicken Breast Satay
• Okra with Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:

• Two Cups Jasmine Rice
• 1 Teaspoon Red Saffron 
• 2 tsp Chopped Garlic
• 1 pat butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Cups beef, chicken, turkey or lamb stock. Choose the stock to match the meal. Use water if you are vegetarian, it works fine.

Directions:

1. Heat the pan to medium-high heat and add the butter and oil. 
2. Heat until the butter melts and just begins to sizzle.
3. Add the rice and fry in the butter/oil mixture.
4. Add the saffron, salt and garlic. Mix in thoroughly.
5. Add the stock or water, stir.
6. Since the rice is hot, the stock will probably come to a boil almost immediately. Otherwise bring it to a boil.
7. Turn down the heat to low (about 2.8) and cover.
8. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice no longer makes a simmering sound. About 15 minutes.
9. Turn of the heat and let the rice stand covered for about 10 minutes to absorb the steam.
10. Stir the rice so that the red color is uniformly distributed.

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Copyright © 2007-2010 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Tasty Baked Kibbe (Kobeiba Shamy)

This is one my favorite dishes that Gedo makes. There are probably endless variations to this dish, but I love this version. Not only is it great the day you make, the leftovers freeze really well. We enjoy eating the kibbe with a little yogurt dip and hummus. It is great as a lunch leftover since it can be served at room temperature.

This dish is also very healthy because the burgul wheat is high in fiber, it is baked so it is low in fat. It is also very economical because the wheat helps to stretch the meat.

In Egypt, this dish is called Kobeiba Shamy. It is named after an ethnic population in Egypt, the Shamy people, who originated in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The Shamy people are famous for their delicious dishes, which are distinct in style and flavor from other Egyptian foods.

Now Gedo is actually from Jordan, so his style of making this dish is very authentic.

Ingredients:

The crust layers

• 1 lb of ground lean ground beef
  
• 2 cups of burghul #2 (Bulgur wheat)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 1/8 tsp of allspice
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts
  

The meat filling

• 2 lbs coarsely chopped lean beef
• 2-3 medium size onions
• 1/2 clove of garlic
• 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/2 tbsp of salt
• 1/2 tbsp of black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp of allspice
• 1 tbsp of dried oregano
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• two 9 x 12 baking dishes
  

Directions:

1. Rinse and soak the burgul wheat for about 30 minutes in lukewarm water. I like to use the #2 burgul because it is coarse giving the dish a nice texture. Gedo uses the finer burgul. This is just a matter of preference.
2. Trim and coarsely chop the lean beef. Set the beef on a paper towel which will help to soak any liquid from the beef. This will ensure that the beef brown nicely, rather than be steamed in its own juices. Set the meat aside. If you are short on time, you can substitute this ingredient with ground beef.
3. Coarsely chop the onions.Clean and trim the parsley.
   
4. Coarsely chop the parsley.
5. Finely chop the garlic.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
7. Using a large sauce pan, heat it on medium high. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and brown the coarsely chopped beef.
8. Mix in the salt and allspice.
9. Once the meat is nicely browned, add the chopped onions and garlic. Cook them for a few minutes, until fragrant.
10. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil into the beef mixture. Mix the parsley in and cook until the parsley is wilted. Remove from the heat and set it aside.

10. Drain the burgul and place in a large container. Add the ground meat and remaining ingredients for the crust. Now for some fun. You need to thoroughly incorporate the beef with the burgul. This is best done using your hands. Kneed the mixture with your hands until it is completely mixed together. It should have the consistency of dough. Divide the mixture into approximately 4 portions. Two of the portions will be used for the bottom layers and 2 will become the top crust for the dishes.
11. Drizzle about 2 tbsp of olive oil into each of the 2 baking dishes.Take 1/4 of the crust mixture and press into each of the baking dishes. Use your hands to work the mix into a nice even bottom layer. There should be no gaps in the layer.
12. Diviide the cook meat mixture between the 2 dishes. Spread it even over the dishes.

13. For each of the top crust layer, take a small quantity of the mixture and form a flat patty with your hand. Careful place it on top of the other layers. Continue until you have cover the entire dish. You will have small gaps as you cover the layers with the final crust. Repeat this process for the remaining dish.
14. Fill a small bowl with water and wet your hand. Take your wet hand and careful smooth the top layer of the dish until all the small gaps have been fill in. Do not press hard. It should be a gentle smoothing over. Continue doing this until you have a nice smooth top layer.
15. Using a sharp knife, first score the dish into 3 lengthwise sections and 4 crosswise sections. When you are satisfied with the size of your sections, Cut the sections all the way through.
16. Place a few pieces of pine nuts onto each portion. Gently press the nuts in.
17. Bake for about 30 minutes in the oven. You will know that the dish is done when the top becomes a nice golden brown.
    
18. Cool for about 10 minutes and serve with yogurt sauce and hummus.
19. One of the dishes will generously serve 4-6. The other dish can be refrigerated or frozen

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Copyright © 2009 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Simple Healthy Baked Falafel - Taameya Siheya

I have always loved falafel, or taameya as they call it in Egypt, but I wanted to find a way to make it without deep frying. Well, the last time I published the Egyptian Falafel Recipe. I had frozen several packages of falafel. So I decided to try baking one of the packages. Let me tell you I could not have been more pleased, not only does it taste the same as fried falafel, it is also much easier to make with much less mess and no frying odor. With this recipe you gain the health benefits of lower fat, the ease of cooking, and you do not give up any taste.

If you notice a similarity between the steps in this recipe and the Egyptian Falafel Recipe, it is no coincidence. I used the same batch to make both the fried recipe and the baked recipe.

Egyptian falafel, or taameya, is different from the garden variety falafel that you usually get in this country. The difference is that the Egyptian variety are made with fava beans instead of chick peas(Garbanzo beans). Fave beans have a much richer flavor and are higher in protein and fiber than chick peas. If you can't find dry fava beans, you can use dry chick peas in the same quantities as this recipe. Falafel and fava bean sandwiches are the original fast food and are available at many corner stands throughout the Middle East. They are a delicious, economical, and extremely healthy main course choice. This dish is an awesome vegetarian treat that will leave you completely satisfied. Serve it with Tahini Bagdoonisya dip, Baba Ghanouj, yogurt sauce, and cut vegetables. My favorite way to enjoy it is on Arabic bread with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and Tahini Bagdoonisya dip'

You can also freeze the uncooked mixture for 6 months and cook it as you need it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fava beans, peeled if possible. You can buy this at any Middle Eastern market. If they are not available peeled, you can peel them after soaking, or keep the peel for additional fiber.
  
• 1 fresh leek, washed and sliced.
  
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
  
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 bunch of Green Onions (6 stalks)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
  
• 1 tsp ground coriander
  
• 1 tsp cayanne pepper, double the quantity for Alexandria style.
  
• 1 tbsp baking powder
  
• 2 tsp sea salt (can be omitted or reduced for health reasons, it will still taste good)
  
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions Prep the Beans:

1. Wash the beans thoroughly in luke warm water.
   
2. Soak the beans in water for at least 2 days, changing the water about 4 times during this period. The first water changing should come when the beans form a foamy froth on the surface. Changing the water will prevent the beans' gassy effect on your GI tract.
   
3. Drain the beans when ready to make the paste.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Make the Paste:

1. Place the parsley, cilantro and garlic in the food processor, chop fine.
   
2. Add the green onions and leeks, chop fine.
   
3. Remove the vegetable paste from the food processor and set aside. Do not wash the food processor.
   
4. Add the beans to the food processor and chop until they reach the consistency of a thick peanut butter.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. In a bowl, mix the vegetable paste and chopped beans.
   
6. Add the cumin, coriander, cayanne, and salt. If you are going to freeze the mixture, leave out the salt and add it when you are going to cook the falafel.
   
7. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Mix the paste thoroughly.
   
8. Sprinkle the baking powder over the paste, evenly fold into the paste.
   
9. Let stand for at least 1 hour. You can also leave it covered in the fridge over night.
   
10. If you want to freeze the mixture
• Divide into 1 pound (1/2 Kg) portions
• Place each portion into a plastic freezer bag and flatten to a 2 inch (5 cm) thick patty. Flattening them makes them faster to thaw out later.
• Remove all air from the bag. I prefer to vacuum seal mine. If you vacuum seal them they will last at least six months in the freezer. I have have used them after 1 year in the freezer with no problem.

Bake the falafel:

1. Preheat the over to 400^oF (204^oC).
2. Brush olive oil onto a non-stick cookie sheet.
   
3. Use a small ice cream scoop (1 Tblsp size) or a spoon to form small balls of your paste. Space them evenly across the sheet.
4. Flatten the balls into disks with a fork. Be sure to pat the sides in smooth so they don't burn.
5. Brush the top of each patty with olive oil.
6. Bake at 400^oF (204^oC) for 10 minutes.
7. Slowly slide a thin spatula under each patty and flip. This is easier if you take the sheet out of the over first.
8. Bake at 400^oF (204^oC) for another 10 minutes.
9. Serve hot or cold.

I realize that it looks lengthy, but the work portion of it can be done in 45 minutes. You just need to plan ahead for the soak time for the beans and the stand time for the paste. If you freeze this mixture, you can enjoy this tasty treat anytime without too much effort, even on a week night.

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Copyright © 2009 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Gedo's/Jido's Spinach and Chicken Delight

This a much loved recipe that has been served by Gedo to many friends and over the years has become one of his signature dish.  Not only is it tasty, but it is also extremely healthy.   The combination of chicken and spinach with the zestiness of the lime is a delight to the taste buds.  Add a little red rice or any rice and you are ready for dinner. 

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of boneless chicken breast (about 2 lbs)
  
• 2 medium onion
  
• 1/2 clove of garlic
  
• 1 lime
  
• One 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
  
• 1 20 oz can of chick peas or 1 cup of dried chick peas soaked until soft - about 1 hour)
  
• 1 lb of spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
  
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup of cilantro, coarsely chopped
  
• 1/2 tsp of cumin
  
• 1 tsp of salt
  
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
  
• 1/8 tsp of allspice

Directions:

1. When making this dish, I prefer to use the dried chick peas that I soak until they are soft.  This takes about an hour.  I prefer this version of the chick peas because they have not been cooked and  they retain their firm texture which is a nice complement in the dish.  The dish is still great using the can chick peas.  To soak the chick peas, place them in a large bowl and rinse with hot tap water.  Add more hot water and soak.  The chick peas should double in size.
   
2. Clean and trim the chicken breast.  Rinse and cut into bit size.
   
3. Coarsely chop the 2 onions.
   
4. Trim and thoroughly wash the spinach.  There is nothing worse than finding gritty sand from the spinach.  Spin the spinach dry and coarsely chopped it.
   
5. Clean and trim the cilantro.  Rinse and dry.  Coarsely chop.
   
6. Finely minced the garlic
   
7. Peel 4 strips of the rind on the lime.   The best way to do this is to peel the rind lenghtwise on the lime.  What you are trying to do is to only partially peel the lime.  Then cut the lime in half.  Set one half a side for later.  With the other half, chopped it into small chunks.
   
8. Heat a large pan on medium heat.  When the bottom of the pan is hot, add the chicken and steam the pieces in its own juice.  Continue cooking until all the juices are absorbed.  It will take about 5-10 minutes.  Keep stirring the chicken during this process.
   
9. Once the chicken juices are absorbed, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the chicken until golden brown.  It should take about 3-5 minutes.
   
10. Now add the chopped onions, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook until golden brown and fragrant.  It may be necessary to add more olive oil at this point.
    

11. Stir in the dice tomatoes and the lime pieces.

12. Drain the chick peas and stir them in.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

13. Stir in the spices.
14. Stir in the spinach and cook on low heat for an additional 20-30 minutes.
15. Just prior to serving, squeeze the juice of the 1/2 remaining lime.
16. Serve over rice.  Generous serving for 4-6.

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Copyright © 2009 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Okra with Lamb Shanks : Moza b'il Bamia

Even though there are many famous Egyptian dishes, this one is truly one of the signature family meals that people really enjoy on a regular basis. The combination of vegetables, meat and tomato sauce served with rice is a recurring theme in Egyptian cuisine. Traditionally the in-season vegetables are used in dishes similar to this one, different types of meat are substituted as well. This particular dish is made with lamb shanks, but  both the meat and vegetable can be substituted based on availability. It is common to make similar dishes with green beans, turnips, peas, cauliflower, or even spinach.  For example, see our Mediterranean Home-Style Chicken which is a very similar dish, but used chicken and green beans.

In preparation for labor day, where I was going to repeat my Spring Grilled Feast; I was preparing a leg of lamb. Lizabetti wanted me to reserve the shank for another dish,  so I cut off the shank and removed the bone from the leg of lamb. We decided to make okra for a change.

We served the dish with saffron rice and a healthy tabouleh as the salad. The tabouleh and okra both have lots of fiber. The dish is loaded with anti-oxidants in the tomato, onion, and garlic. So even though it has some meat it is also very nutritious. I also used some turmeric in the dish for its anti-inflammatory benefits.

Ingredients:

• Lizabetti;s Mediterranean Dry Rub
• 2 Lamb shanks, about 2 lb's (1 Kilo) total weight before cooking.
• 1 lb (.5 kilo) of lamb leg meat, cut into cubes. You can use any lamb meat, or  any meat for that matter. There is no rule against using chicken instead.
• 2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
• 2 lb of okra. The smaller okra is better tasting and more tender. We use frozen okra from Market Basket because it is generally higher in quality than we can buy fresh in New England.
• 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped.
• 1 medium onion, chopped.
• 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, chopped.
• 1 Tbsp dry Oregano.
• 1 Tbsp cumin.
• 1 Tbsp dry parsley.
• 1/2 tsp dry coriander.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric.
• 1 cup red wine.

Directions:

1. Coat the meat with Lizabetti;s Mediterranean Dry Rub. It is best to do this 1 day in advance and keep the meat in the fridge over night. This will allow the flavor to permeate the meat.
2. Thaw the okra if frozen. Rinse with cold water and drain. You can just pull the okra out about the time you start cooking because it gets added later in the process.
3. Preheat pan. I used a heavy Croisette pan. If you use one make sure to not exceed 5 out of 10 on your stove temperature setting. If you use a regular pan, use medium-high heat.
4. Add some olive oil, once the oil is hot add the onions.
5. Cook the onions until light brown, then add the garlic. Mix in thoroughly.
6. Once the garlic is light brown, push the mixture aside and add the shanks.

5. Brown the shanks on all sides.
6. Mix the onion, garlic and shanks thoroughly.
7. Add the cubed lamb meat and brown on all sides.
8. Add the fresh parley and stir in.

9. Add the dry ingredients, mix in thoroughly.
10. Add the wine, stir in. Let the wine simmer until it changes to a nice brown color.

11. Pour in the tomato sauce.
12. Bring to a simmer, cover and turn down to low heat. If you are using a Croisette pan, set your stove to 2.5 out of 10. Otherwise set your stove to medium-low heat. 
13. Check periodically to make sure that the mixture is not boiling hard, it should just be simmering. If it is boiling, turn down the heat.
14. Cook for 1 hour or until the shanks are tender. A fork should penetrate the shank down to the bone without too much resistance. You will know because the bone starts to protrude from the bone as shown below.
15. Add the okra and mix in.
16. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the okra is tender, but not mushy.
17. Serve with white rice or saffron rice. We did it with saffron rice because our daughter loves it so much.

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Copyright © 2009 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Tasty Mediterranean Meat Pies - Fiteer Bil Lahma

These meat pies have a great Middle-Eastern flavor and are pretty easy to make. They make a great school day lunch or a perfect party hors h'oeuvres. They don't need to be served hot and can be made in a variety of sizes.
They freeze well and will easily last 6 months in the freezer.

I like to make them with lean ground lamb, but you can also make them with a mixture of lamb and beef. I just feel that lamb gives a more authentic flavor, but a little lamb goes a long way in taste, so go ahead and mix in other meats. No reason that you cannot substitute chicken or turkey for that matter.

These pies can be eaten warm or at room temperature. The meat mixture in recipe is very tasty and can also be served over rice or pasta. It also works as a vegetable stuffing. One time I even ate the stuffing in a sandwitch

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Lizabetti's Mediterranean Dry Rub
  
• 1/2 Lb. Ground lamb
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 1 Cup Toasted Pine Nuts
• 1 Medium onion, chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 Small Can of Tomato Paste
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese - Not a traditional ingredient, but it helps seal in the juices. You can omit this to reduce fat.
• 1 lb ball of pizza dough or bread dough. You can make your own dough, my local pizza parlor sells gread dough balls that I use for all kinds of dishes.
• 1/4 Cup of Sesame Seed. Substitute flax seeds for a boost of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
• 1 Tbsp Milk. Use any type you have, this is just to hold the sesame seeds to the pies.
  

Directions:

Meat Mixture:

1. Pre-Heat a fry pan to medium high and then add the olive oil.
   
2. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook until the onions are clear then push them to one side of the pan.
3. Add the meat to the empty side of the pan and spread it out. Do not mix the meat with the onions at this time.
   
4. Brown the meat to a light tan color.
5. Mix the garlic into the onions.
   
6. Add the dry rub mixture to the meat and work it in.
7. Add the onion/garlic mixture to the meat and stir.
8. Stir in the pine nuts.
9. Stir in the tomato paste. Turn down the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 minutes.
   
10. Turn off the heat and transfer the meat to a mixing bowl.
11. Mix in the cheese. Let the mixture cool. Meanwhile you can work the dough.

Build the Pies:

1. Punch down the dough and roll out with a rolling pin. Roll it into a large rectangle.
   
2. Place small piles of the meat mixture along the edge of the dough about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
3. Use a basting brush to moisten the dough just beyond the piles of meat.
   
4. Roll the edge of the dough over the meat piles
   
   
5. Cut the rolled portion of the dough off from the rest of the dough.
6. Cut the individual pies, use a fork to press down all the edges.
7. Repeat this process until you use up the dough or the meat mixture.
   
   
8. Poke each of the pies with a toothpick at least 5 times. It is important that you do this or the pies will explode in the oven.
9. Coat a cookie sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
10. Place the pies on the cookie sheet.
11. Brush the milk on the pies and quickly sprinkle with sesame seeds before the milk soaks in.
12. Bake on 375 for 30 minutes or until the pies are a golden brown.
13. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
    

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Copyright © 2007, 2008, 2009 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Grape Leaves

This is my absolute favorite middle eastern dish. It is claimed by cultures throughout the Mediterranean, but each country flavors them a little bit differently. My version is closest to the Egyptian style with some minor changes. My aunt used to make this for me when ever I visited her, and it was always a treat. The great thing about this dish is that it is a complete meal. The leaves are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins, while the stuffing contains meat and rice to make it into a nutritionally balanced food. The leaves reheat fine in the microwave and they can be eaten cold. This makes the leftovers a great workday lunch.

Most people make this dish with store bought grape leaves in a jar, which works fine because the leaves are well preserved in a brine. However, in the summer you can make these with fresh grape leaves. In making this dish I used wild grape leaves that grow in my back yard. These leaves grow wild throughout New England and other parts of the country. You should select leaves that are not too thick. For some of the leaves I used my home grown Concord grape leaves, which also work fine. This dish is quite easy to make, though most people are intimidated by the rolling of the leaves. For this reason I have broken it down to very simple steps with lots of pictures. You should be able to make this dish start to finish in less than two hours, including cooking time. If you follow my illustrated steps for rolling the leaves you will have no trouble, in fact the rolling won't take longer than 15 minutes. A great complement to this dish is Lizabetti's Yogurt Cucumber Dip.

Ingredients:

• A large bowl of fresh picked grape leaves, about 50-100 leaves depending on size and quality. You can substitute 1 jar of store bought grape leaves.
  
• 1/4 cup Lizabetti's Mediterranean dry rub
  
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts
  
• 4 tbs chopped garlic
  
• 1 lb ground lamb, substitute beef if desired, or omit for a vegetarian version
  
• 3 cups jasmine rice
  
• 1 12 oz can of tomato paste
  
• 1 quart of tomato juice
  
• 1 cup beef, lamb, or chicken stock. Omit for a vegetarian version
  
• 2 large juicy limes
  
• Fresh herbs to taste. I used parsley and chives because they were in season and growing in my herb patch.

Directions: Prep The Leaves

1. Pick the largest leaves on the vine, large leave are easier to roll. If you don't find wild leaves in your own yard, you can find them throughout the countryside in New England.
   
2. Rinse the leaves, salt and soak in cold water. This helps get rid of any outdoor grub. Leave them soaking for 15-30 minutes.
   
3. Dump the water and rinse off the salt. The leaves are now ready for rolling.
4. If you are using store bought leaves, simply rinse them to get rid of the brine.

Make The Stuffing

1. Mix the dry rub and half the garlic into the ground meat. If making vegetarian mix the dry rub right into the rice.
   
2. Pre-heat a pan and brown the meat. If you are using lamb or a fatty beef, there is no need for oil. You do not need to completely cook the meat in this step as it will be cooked further in the grape leaves. Many people use the meat without browning, but I think that it enhances the flavor especially when using lamb.
   
3. After the meat is browned, mix in the pine nuts. Drain any excess grease.
   
4. Place the meat in a mixing bow and mix in the rice and the rest of the garlic. Be sure to mix thoroughly.
   
5. Add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly.

Roll 'em Up

1. Lay some leaves down in the base of large, deep pan. This will keep your stuffed leaves from sticking.
   
2. Place the leaf shiny side down on your work surface.
   
3. The key to rolling is not to use too much stuffing in each leaf. Place 1 teaspoon of stuffing at the base of the leaf.
   
4. Fold one side of the leaf over the stuffing, then the other
   
5. roll the leaf from the bottom up. Keep it tight at all times.
   
6. Arrange the leaves in a circular pattern at the bottom of the pan. As you complete each circle, begin another circle inside it until you complete the layer. Be sure to put them seam side down so they do not fall apart.
   
7. Repeat this process for subsequent layers. Usually I end up making 3-4 layers with this recipe.

Sauce and Cook

1. Mix the tomato juice, stock, and one of the limes in a bowl. Add the fresh herbs.
   
2. Pour the mixture over the grape leaves.
   
3. Place a plate face down over the grape leaves. this will prevent them from moving.
   
4. Cover the pan. Cook over medium heat for 35-45 minutes, or until the liquid is all absorbed.
   
5. Remove the plate and squeeze the second lime over the pan.
6. Let stand covered in the pan for about 15 minutes.
7. Serve with Lizabetti's Yogurt Cucumber dip.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Mediterranean Home-Style Chicken

This is a simple one pan dish which is so rich in taste and flavor can be ready in no time at all. You can add vegetables towards end of the cooking time and you have a ready made meal. I like to use the chicken breast with the bone which I think stands up better than the boneless chicken breast. Chicken thighs and drumsticks also work well. All the poultry I use is skinless which makes the dish a great low-fat meal. For fun we like to serve the chicken with yellow rice.

Dishes of this type are popular all over the middle east. The basic meat/sauce/rice combination allows for lots of variations in flavor with the same cooking steps.

Ingredients

Dry Rub

• 1 tbsp of Hungarian paprika
• 2 tsp of dried oregano
• 2 tsp of dried parsley
• 2 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of coriander
• 2 tsp of onion powder
• 2 tsp of garlic powder
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper (optional)

Other ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb of skinless chicken breast with bone or thighs, or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp or so of fine ground cornmeal or flour
• 10 oz of sliced mushrooms such as white or crimini
• 2 tbsp of minced fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp of minced fresh oregano
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1 cup of dry red wine
• 1 pat of butter
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine all the dry rub ingredients in a small bowll and mix them thoroughly.
2. Cut each chicken breast into 3 smaller pieces. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle the dry rub all over the chicken pieces, be sure to thoroughly coat the pieces. If you don't use all the rub, the rest can be added to the sauce for added flavor.
4. Let the chicken sit for about 30 minutes.
5. Slice the mushrooms.
6. Dice the onion.
7. Using a small strainer, lightly sprinkle the cornmeal or flour over the chicken pieces. Pat the cornmeal/flour so that it sticks to the chicken.
8. Using a large heavy bottom pan, add a generous amount of olive oil. Heat the pan on medium until the oil is hot.
9. Saute the chicken until nicely brown. Each side should take about 5 minutes or so. Resist the temptation to move the chicken around. Once you start the browning process, don't touch the chicken until you are ready to turn the piece.
10. Once the chicken is brown on all sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
11. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil and a pat of butter, heat on medium.
12. When the mixture is hot, add the mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes, until the mushrooms start to wilt.
13. Add the onions and continue to saute until lightly brown.
14. Add the herbs and saute them into the mixture.
15. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Turn the heat down to medium/low.
16. Return the chicken to the pan and mix it well with the mushrooms and onions
17. Add the wine and mix it into the contents of the pan. The wine will evaporate quickly rapidly.
18. Add the tomatoes and stir them. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
19. If you have any of the dry rub left, you can add it to the sauce at this time.
20. About 15 minutes prior to serving, add the green beans and continue to cook.
21. Taste and add salt if needed.
22. When the green beans are tender, the dish is ready to be served. It can be served over rice or pasta.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Spring Grilled Feast

After a long and miserable winter I have been just itching to get out and grill. I have been craving the smokey taste of a good meal cooked in the Stone Pony, my outdoor stone oven. Easter Sunday had good weather, and my whole family was eager to have a spring feast.

This luscious dinner features a leg of lamb, turkey wings, and  natural casing franks. The side dishes are light to compensate for all the meat. We served it with arugula, radishes, Armenian cucumbers and tomatoes. We also included Tahini Dipping Sauce and Yogurt Cucumber Salad.  There are enough leftovers to make lunches for a family of four for a week.

You don't need a stone oven to make this delicious feast, a standard charcoal or gas grill will do fine. I would suggest two outstanding accessories that you can buy for your grill that open up a world of possibilities.

Get yourself a rotisserie kit for your grill, which you can buy at any hardware or home store.  These are easy to install motorized affairs which make it easy to cook meat just right because it prevents burning. Ribs, chicken, turkey, and sausage all come out perfect when you use the rotisserie.

You can also get a rotisserie basket, which is the greatest thing to have. A basket allows you to cook things like sausage, chops, or chicken drumsticks

without losing half of your food into the fire.

For this repast I marinated a leg of lamb in my Mediterranean Dry Rub. I also had some turkey wings in my freezer from Thanksgiving, and my son was craving grilled hot dogs. I won't even mention that we also made a brown sugar ham indoors, but that is a story for another day.

A leg of lamb is very easy to de-bone if you allow yourself to be sloppy. Don't worry about leaving too much meat on the bone, you can always grill the meaty bone and serve it to your guest of honor, or eat it yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium leg of lamb, de-boned
• 4 whole turkey wings
• 1 pack of high quality natural casing beef franks
• 1/2 cup Mediterranean Dry Rub
• 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic
• 6 cloves whole garlic
• Coarse sea salt to taste.

Directions:

1. You must prep your meats at least 24-48 hours in advance. Hint: I prep mine before vacuum sealing and freezing, so that I can always be ready for a party.
2. De-bone the leg of lamb by cutting away the meat around the bone. Don't worry about cutting it too close.
3. If there is a thick fat rind on the leg, peel most of it away. Again, no need to be precise, some fat helps to baste the leg during cooking. Most of the fat will drip off anyways.
4. Cut the turkey wings along the joint with a heavy, sharp knife. For each wing this will create a piece that looks like a drumstick and another that looks like a wing tip. Both will be delicious.
5. Tenderize the leg by pounding with a meat hammer and poking it all over with a fork. You can also buy a gadget full of pins that can tenderize meat.
6. With a narrow, sharp knife make incisions in the lamb and push in the cloves of garlic.
7. Lightly sprinkle both sides with sea salt.
8. coat the meat on both sides with chopped garlic.
9. Sprinkle the Mediterranean Dry Rub liberally on bot sides of the meat and pat down.
10. Salt, garlic, and dry rub the turkey wings the same way that you did the lamb.
11. Let all the meat sit covered in the fridge for at least 1 day. You should remove the meat from the fridge at least 2 hours before cooking so that it comes to room temperature.
12. Rub the inside of the grill basket with oil, or spray with cooking spray. This is to prevent meat loss through sticking.
    
13. Stuff the lamb into the basked and use the turkey wings to fill in the gaps. You want the basket to be overstuffed so that things are really tight. This is because the meat will shrink and you don't want it moving around or falling into the fire.
14. Push the rotisserie skewer through the basket only after you have stuffed the meat. The skewer will make things even more snug.
15. Install the skewered basked into your rotisserie on the grill. The picture above shows my rotisserie installed in the Stone Pony.
16. Cook over low heat for at least 2 hours, my leg was large so I cooked it for 3 hours.
17. Toward the end of the cooking time slide the hot dogs onto the grill under the rotating basket. This will cause the juices from the meat to flavor the hot dogs as they cook.
18. Cook the hot dogs about 5 minutes on each side.
19. Take your time enjoying this meal and don't eat this much meat too often.
    

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Healthy Hearty Hommus

Hommus is a delicious dip served in many Middle Eastern countries, but it is also a healthy vegetarian dish with enough flavor and protein to be served as a main course. Many variations are made, but in this recipe I stay very close to the classic style. Most recipes you will see use canned garbanzo beans(chick peas). This is fine, but the canned beans lack the naturally nutty flavor which is characteristic of the authentic version. Also, using the dry beans gives the dip a much richer texture. For this reason I make the recipe with toasted garbanzo beans. It is not much effort, and I think you will agree that the flavor is much more robust than other recipes.

A popular way to serve this dish is part of a mazza snack tray that includes hommus, baba ghanouj, labna, cucumber dip, and bakdooniseya. Put out some fresh bread and vegetables and you have enough delicious healthy snacks for a cocktail party or a football game. If you want to parley this into a vegetarian buffet dinner, just add fava beans and falafel.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry garbanzo beans (chick peas)
• 1 head of garlic
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 3 juicy limes
• 1/2 bunch of parsley
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional, add more if you like it spicy

Directions:

1. wash garbanzo beans, soak in luke warm water for 24 hours or until soft
2. drain the garbanzos and lay on a cookie sheet, lightly salt
3. Cover the cookie sheet with foil or another cookie sheet and bake at 350^o F for 30-40 minutes. You have to cover it because the garbanzos tend to pop and fly around your oven.
4. Place the beans in a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of water and pulverize until it reaches the texture of coarse peanut butter.
5. Add parsley and peeled garlic. Pulverize until smooth.
6. Add tahini, olive oil, and squeeze in lime juice.
7. Pulverize until smooth.
8. Serve with pita bread, cut vegetables and olives.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Simple and Fresh Tasting Yogurt Cucumber Dip

The simplicity of this dip takes nothing away from its delicious Mediterranean flavor. This is a taste that you may have encountered on a shawirma or gyros sandwich, but it also works great as a bread dip or a salad toping. It is a great side dish for other middle eastern dishes such as falafel, fava beans, shish kebab, or stuffed grape leaves.

If you want to make it thick enough to be used as a sandwich spread, you can substitute Lebna for the yogurt. This will also make the flavor slightly more tangy as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of plain yogurt. If you want the dip to be thicker for a sandwich spread substitute Lebna.
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mint
• 1 shake of salt
  

Directions:

1. Peel the cucumber.
2. Make a criss-cross pattern on the cucumber with a knife.
   
3. Use a vegetable peeler to slice the cucumber into a bowl. The criss-cross pattern will make the chunks small.
4. salt the cucumbers, add the mint and garlic. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add the yogurt, mix thoroughly.
6. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or let stand in the fridge for up to 2 days.
7. Serve with your favorite foods or just enjoy crispy bread or chips.
   

Copyright © 2007 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Baba Ghanouj - Eggplant Dip

Baba Ghanouj is a tasty eggplant dip that combines the tastes of eggplant, garlic and sesame for a heady favor. The eggplants taste peppery and the herbs accentuate all the other flavors.

Many people bake the eggplant for this dish, but I like to grill it to amplify the taste. I also like to keep the peel because it tastes good and contains a significant portion of the nutrients of the fruit. As long as you finely puree it, the tastes will blend nicely.

Baba Ghanouj can be enjoyed as a bread dip at a party, or as a side dish for falafel or fava beans. It can also be made into a sandwich with fresh tomatoes for a light lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized fresh eggplant
  
• 6-8 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons tahini sesame seed sauce. You can buy this now at most grocery stores, or any Middle Eastern food store.
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
  
• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Thick slice the eggplant, salt and set aside until it sheds its water.
2. Blot dry the eggplant slices, rub with olive oil and grill. I used an indoor electric grill this time, but it is even better if you can grill it on a wood fire. In the summer I would use the Stone Pony.
3. Chop the parsley, garlic, and cilantro in the food processor.
4. Add the eggplants and puree thoroughly. At this point you have a tasty eggplant relish that can be eaten on toast, but keep going, it gets better.
   
5. Add spices, tahini, and lemon/lime juice. Puree until smooth.
6. Serve with bread and cut fresh vegetables such as cucumbers, radishes, celery and carrots.
   

Copyright © 2007 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved