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Baba Ghanoush
This creamy mixture is made with smoky, fire-roasted eggplant, tahini (sesame-seed paste), lemon juice and plenty of minced garlic. Serve with warmed pita wedges or crackers.
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini, plus more as needed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
Large pinch of ground cumin
Salt, to taste
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata
Directions:
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill. Preheat an oven to 375°F.
Prick the eggplant with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack 4 to 5 inches from the fire. Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and peel off and discard the skin. Place the eggplant flesh in a bowl.
Using a fork, mash the eggplant to a paste. Add the 1/4 cup tahini, the garlic, the 1/4 cup lemon juice and the cumin and mix well. Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley. Place the olives around the sides. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Small Plates, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1998).
Balsamic Tomato Salad
This simple salad of tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil absolutely bursts with flavor. It's a good way to rescue lackluster supermarket tomatoes, though it's best when made with succulent vine-ripe summer tomatoes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Ingredients:
8 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and herbs (if using). Toss well.
Transfer to a serving dish and finish with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Sicilian Calamari Salad
Ingredients:
2 lb squid cleaned
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves peeled, whole
1/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh parsley
Vinaigrette Dressing:
2 tsp finely-minced garlic
3 tbsp finely-chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely-chopped red onion
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
Prepare squid by cutting the tube into strips about 1/2-inch wide and tentacles into bite-sized pieces. There should be about 3 1/2 cups.
Put the squid into a saucepan or small kettle and add the wine, salt, pepper, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and parsley sprigs and enough water to cover the squid.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and let the squid cook about 1 minute or just until the squid gets firm.
Mix vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and toss the cooked squid with the vinaigrette.
Serve warm or cold. Serves 4.
If you don't want to go to the trouble of making the calamari buy already prepared squid or octopus salad from the deli.
Check out Sahadi's in Brooklyn for prepared foods, dried fruits and nuts, olives, hummus, coffee, etc.
Here's Sahadi's olive bar:
Some of the finds at Sahadi's:
Moroccan oil-cured olives, camembert, pita bread, hummus, greek yogurt with garlic, candied kiwi, turkish apricots, figs. Not to mention the Bulgarian Feta Cheese.
Oh yeah, Sahadi's has a really good Seafood Salad too (made with calamari and octopus).
Arnabeet Mekleh (Lebanese Fried Cauliflower)
Arnabeet mekleh is fried cauliflower. The deep frying really brings out the flavor of the vegetable. Arnabeet mekleh can be served as a side dish or alone with pita for a snack or appetizer.
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
One head of caulifower cut into florets
oil for deep frying
Preparation:
Deep fry cauliflower florets in oil for 7-8 minutes, or until brown.
Serve warm, with cumin, salt, pepper and lemon juice. If desired serve with tahini sauce, lettuce, parsley and tomatoes, on pita bread or sliced bread.
Phyllo Custard Pie
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup semolina flour*
3 cups whole milk
11 tablespoons (about) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 fresh phyllo pastry sheets or frozen, thawed
*Available at specialty foods stores, Italian markets and some supermarkets.
PHYLLO CUSTARD PIE:
Stir 1 1/4 cups sugar and 2/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add cinnamon sticks and 1/2 teaspoon orange peel and simmer 2 minutes. Set syrup aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350�F. Mix semolina and 1/2 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and 4 tablespoons melted butter; bring to boil, whisking occasionally. Boil until mixture is thick and creamy, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk eggs and 1/2 teaspoon orange peel in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in semolina mixture. Mix in vanilla. Cool filling completely.
Lightly butter 10-inch glass pie dish. Place 1 phyllo sheet in bottom of dish. Brush with melted butter. Top with second sheet. Continue layering with 3 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Spoon filling into dish. Top with 5 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Using scissors, trim excess phyllo from sides of dish. With very sharp knife, score tip of phyllo sheets, forming diamond pattern.
Bake pie until phyllo is golden brown and filling is set, about 45 minutes. Transfer pie to rack. Immediately strain 1 cup cooled syrup over pastry. Cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.
Sahadi's is located at:
187 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, NY
Shopping Hours
Mon - Saturday
9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Closed Sundays
718-624-4550
Fax 718-643-4415
http://www.sahadis.com/
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