Tuscan Navy Bean Soup

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 14-oz or 15-oz cans Navy beans, drained and rinsed.
• 1 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 32-oz chicken broth
• 2 T dried oregano (do not be tempted to skimp on these herbs. Yes, there is a lot in there. That is what makes the soup Tuscan.)
  
• 2 T dried basil
• dash pepper
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• parmesan cheese, grated

1. In large stock pot, add olive oil and onion. Cook 4-5 minutes.
   
2. add all ingredients. Cook med-low 30 minutes.
3. Blend/puree in blender or food processor. (hint: work in portions, using another bowl to hold the already processed soup. If you try to do it all at once, you get a huge mess.)
4. Return to pot. Heat and serve.
5. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
   

Enjoy!!!

Ground lamb (or in this case elk) and feta Fatayer

This small Lebanese pastry is often stuffed with spinach, but almost anything can be used. One suggestion is fresh mackerel or red snapper. A suggested accompaniment is yogurt flavored with mint or sumac (which is a lemon-tasting red berry, dried and ground). I think they are also delicious hot and all on their own! The original recipe is from The World in Bite Size: Tapas, Mezze, and Other Tasty Morsels by Paul Gayler, but I altered a few things. Great source for international hor deurves, if you are ever looking.

• 4 T virgin olive oil
• 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/4 in cubes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ripe firm tomatoes, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 C cooked spinach, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 t sumac (or use lemon juice if you don't want to buy exotic sumac)
• 2 T pine nuts
• 12 oz pie dough (You can save time and just buy this in the frozen foods section, or make your own for a fraction of the cost. I like the Crisco recipe.)
• a little beaten egg
• 3-5 oz package of feta cheese
• 1/2- 1 lb burger, browned on the stove.

1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
   
2. heat 3 T of oil in a large frying pan, add eggplant cubes and fry 8-10 min until golden. Add onion and cumin and cook for another 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool.
   
3. brown burger, if you haven't done it already. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
   
4. Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the tomatoes, spinach, garlic, sumac (or lemon juice), and pine nuts. Cook until almost dry in texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
5. Roll out the dough to 1/8 in thick and cut out 12 3-inch circles with a cookie cutter or glass. (I found that I could get more than 12 out of my dough. More power to ya. There is plenty of filling to go round, I promise. You could probably even fill 24 of these guys without having to double the filling ingredients, I think.) Brush the edges with beaten egg.
   
6. Place a heaped spoonful of eggplant mixture, then a spoonful of the spinach/tomato mixture, then a spoonful of meat, and a small amount of feta cheese in each one, working 1 at a time. Roll up the stuffed pastry, seal, then gently twist and press each end using your thumb and index finger. (I found they are easiest to fold and seal if you don't overfill them. Be especially light on the "wet" ingredients like the spinach/tomato mixture and the cheese).
   
7. Place the pies on a greased baking sheet and brush the exterior surfaces with more beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
   

Enjoy!!!!

Lebanese Orange Cookies

What you will need:

1/3 c. cooking oil
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. finely chopped walnuts (didn't use because Scottie is allergic)

In mixer bowl, beat cooking oil into butter until blended, beat in sugar. Add orange juice, baking powder and baking soda, mix well. Add flour, a little at a time, to make a soft dough. Shape dough into 2-inch ovals and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Cool pastries on rack.

(I did 20 Minutes, you want them a little hard so they aren't too soft when you dip them in the honey)

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup sugar, honey and 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, boil gently, uncovered for 5 minutes. Dip cooled pastries into the warm syrup. Sprinkle immediately with nuts. Dry on wire rack. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies.
- recipe from Cooks.com


Enjoy, and see you all on the 22nd of November at my house for ITALIAN NIGHT! -Angie

hey all!!

I know this is extremely late - and I'm so sorry - but better late than never, right?  

So the culinary challenge this month is {insert drum roll}...

~~~ Lebanese ~~~

Hope you are as excited as we are!  If not, we can change it!

Let me know when will work best for everyone.  We are open {so far, anyway!} to times, but probably better sooner than later in the month?  Let me know what days and times work best for you.  Friday or Saturday evenings are probably best for us {maybe the 23rd or 24th} - but we are open.  

Green Curry Paste- makes about 1 C

adapted from the best, most complete and delicious Asian cookbook I've ever seen or used: The Complete Asian Cooking Companion: the Indispensible Reference Guide to Asian Ingredients, Equipment, Recipes, Tips, and Techniques by Vicky Liley

• 2 t coriander seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 1 t black peppercorn
• 1 t salt
• 6 thin slices fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, peeled and chopped (or substitute 2 T lemon peel)
• 2 t chopped kaffir lime zest (or regular lime zest)
• 15 cilantro stems, pull off and keep the leaves--or about 1/4 C cilantro leaves
• 1/4 C shallots, preferably pink
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 2 t dried shrimp paste
• 1 t ground turmeric
• 40 fresh, small green chilies, stems removed, seeds NOT removed for proper spice (if you insist upon a mild curry, then remove the seeds. But you're missing out, really.)
• 2 C loosely packed fresh sweet Thai basil leaves (or other basil leaves)

1. In a small dry frying pan over med heat, separately toast each spice, stirring constantly, until fragrant (no more than 90 seconds). Dry spices are easily burned, so be careful. If you burn, throw away. It will make the entire paste bitter.
2. All ingredients go into a food processor. Pulverize til a nice paste. Keeps in the fridge for fresh for 3-4 days. Fry the paste in oil til color slightly changes (3-5 min), store the paste in cooking oil, and cover tightly; keep for up to 2 months in fridge or freeze indefinitely.

Oh, ps. Most recipes only call for a few T or 1/4 C of curry paste. This obviously makes much more than that. Either half the recipe or prepare to store it properly for later use.

Thai Sweet Sticky Rice with Mangos - Serves 8-10

adapted from the best, most complete and delicious Asian cookbook I've ever seen or used: The Complete Asian Cooking Companion: the Indispensible Reference Guide to Asian Ingredients, Equipment, Recipes, Tips, and Techniques by Vicky Liley

4 C sticky (glutinous) rice-- I like to use the small grain sweet rice available at Asian markets
2 C coconut cream (not milk)
1 C granulated white sugar plus 2 T extra
1/2 t salt plus pinch extra
1/2 C coconut milk
2-3 fresh mangoes (I like more since they are so awesome), peeled, cut from pit, and thinly sliced
1 T sesame seeds, optionally lightly toasted to enhance flavor (careful not to burn if toasting)

1. Put rice in a large, deep bowl and add water to cover by 2 inches. Soak over night (or for a minimum of 3 hours).
2. Drain. Pour rice into a conical bamboo steamer or steamer basket lined with cheesecloth (optional--I don't think it always makes things easier. I prefer not to use it, actually, but they recommend it, so I'll put it here). Set basket over a steamer pot filled with boiling water. Basket should fit snugly deep inside the pot, but not touch the water. Cover rice, then steam until grains are tender, about 20 minutes.
Halfway through the cooking, toss the rice so it is upended (not as easy as it sounds). It should already be forming into a cohesive ball at this point.
3. In a large bowl, stir coconut cream, sugar, and 1/2 t salt. Add hot rice, stirring until grains are well coated. Let cool to room temperature (do not refrigerate. the rice will harden). The rice will absorb all the coconut liquid. stir occasionally. Alternatively, you can eat the hot rice as soon as it is mixed in the liquid before it "sets" and absorbs completely. This is my husband's favorite way to eat it.
4. Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine coconut milk, extra sugar and a pinch of salt.
5. When ready to serve, divide sticky rice among individual serving bowls. Lay mango slices on top of sticky rice. Pour coconut milk mixture over mangoes and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

note: if fresh mango is unavailable, use canned mango, drained, or slices of banana.

Vegetarian Green Curry

This recipe came from Elisa's cookbook, so when she posts her recipe, I'll repost with the credits of creation! And thanks again to Elisa for supplying the green curry paste. You're incredible, girl. Oh, but just for the record - I saw green curry paste at the Asian market, so you don't have to make it from scratch :)

Vegetarian Green Curry

5 oz. (150g) firm tofu, drained then cut into ¾ inch cubes

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups coconut milk

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)

¼ cup green curry paste

½ cup chopped eggplant

½ cup pea eggplants (optional)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained

6 ears fresh or canned baby corn, rinsed and drained, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons palm sugar

2 kaffir lime leaves, stemmed

1 cup loosely packed fresh sweet Thai basil leaves

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 fresh long green chili, cut into large pieces

1 fresh long red chili, cut into large pieces

Pat tofu dry with a paper towel. Heat oil in a large frying pan and working in batches, fry tofu cubes until golden. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside. Let coconut milk stand, allowing the thick coconut milk to rise to the top. Spoon thick coconut milk into a small bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

In a wok or large, heavy frying pan, heat thick coconut milk over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it separates. If it does not separate, add optional oil. Add green curry paste and fry, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add vegetables and fried tofu and stir until well coated. Add remaining thin coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are slightly soft, about 4 minutes.

Add palm sugar – if using a wok, add it along the edge of the wok so that it melts before stirring into curry; if using a standard frying pan, add directly to the curry. Tear kaffir lime leaves and basil into pieces. Stir in soy sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and half the basil.

Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle over reserved 2 tablespoons thick coconut milk. Garnish with green and red chilies, and remaining basil leaves and serve.

Pineapple Fried Rice

As usual I had so much fun with you all! The food was amazing, I loved it all! Here is my recipe I found online.

You may have noticed my recipe made more than 4 servings, it was because I used 4 cups of uncooked rice, when cooked and and used all of it....way too much rice! But you will did a great job of eating it, we only had a few leftovers!

First the ingredients:

1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup peanut oil
1 lb. black tiger shrimp(peeled and deveined) ( just used normal shrimp-whatever was on sale)
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced onion ( I used a yellow onion)
1 egg (beaten) ( I used 2 eggs because I had so much rice)
4 cups cooked jasmine rice ( you noticed I had a lot more than that!)
1 tablespoon butter (I used 2 T)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/3 cup sweet peas
1/3 cup raisin
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 fresh pineapple (cut in half,remove fruit, cut into chunks) ( FYI I read online how to make a pineapple boat)
1/3 cup roasted cashews ( didn't use because Scottie is allergic)

Directions:

1. In a wok at medium-high heat, add the garlic and oil and stir until golden brown. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Follow with carrot and onion, stirring for 2 minutes
2. Add the beaten egg and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add rice, butter, salt, sugar, white pepper, sweet pea, raisin, soy sauce and fresh pineapple and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, approximately 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, place in hollowed-out pineapple halves and top with cashews before serving.
Yield: 4 servings

Recipe taken from "Crying Tiger: Thai Recipes from the Heart" by Supatra Johnson.

Thai BBQ Pork

Here is the recipe I made for our Thai dinner. It was given to me by a good friend from High School who is Thai.

Thai BBQ Chicken or Pork
By Bea Robinson

Ingredients

6-8 Chicken breasts or pork chops (the thinner the better)
1/2 - 3/4 heads of garlic (I like lots of garlic.)1 bunch Cilantro (only use the stems, just trim off 1/4" at the roots and then use the rest of the remaining stems; chop them small before putting it in the food processor)
1 Tbps. olive oil
½ t. Sugar
4 t. Soy sauce
¼ t. Salt
2 t. Black pepper
7 Tbps. Oyster sauce

1. Put garlic, cilantro, and olive oil in food processor. Blend it to paste (approx. 2 mins.)2. Put paste into a big bowl and add a few cilantro leaves (chop finely) 3. Add the rest of the ingredients into the paste 4. Add meat and let it marinade OVERNIGHT! (crazy I know but it's better overnight.) Make sure to rub the marinade into the meat.5. Brush vegetable oil on the grill. This prevents th meat from sticking to the grill. Grill meat until done. You can even save the marinade and keep basting until done. 6. Slice meat approx. ½ inch wide or leave it whole.

Bastilla

Recipe taken from Moroccan Modern by Hassan M'Souli
I have included the recipe as given in the book with my alterations in parenthesis.

Ingredients

Chicken
3 lb whole chicken (in the future I would just use chicken breast to save time)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, diced (yellow)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon saffron threads (1/2 teaspoon turmeric)
2 bay leaves
1 preserved Lemon (some lemon juice)
3 cups water (I used only two)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Creamy eggs
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup orange blossom water (watered down orange juice)

Glazed onion
1/2 orange blossom water
1 brown onion, halved and finely sliced
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup toasted flaked almonds
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

7 tablespoons butter (I used only 3 or 4)
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
Filo pastry
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, to dust
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
orange segments and strawberries, to garnish

Cut the chicken into quarters. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, garlic, and ginger, fry for a minute then add the saffron, bay leaves and lemon. Fry for about 3 minutes, until softened slightly.

Add the chicken and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 20 minutes, until coked. Remove the chicken from the pan. Allow to cool, then pull the meat off the bones and slice it into strips.

Boil the sauce until reduced by half. Take out half and reserve for later.

To make the creamy eggs, add the eggs, cilantro, salt and orange water to the remaining sauce in the saucepan. Stir over low heat until creamy, taking care not to over cook. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the glazed onion, place the reserved sauce and the orange blossom water into a frying pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced further. Add the onion, confectioners' sugar, and cinnamon and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the almonds, stir through, and set aside.

Preheat over to 350. Melt the butter and combine with orange juice. Brush two trays with some of the orange butter. Layer 9 sheets of filo pastry in a fan pattern covering the tray and overhanging the sides. Fold another sheet in half and place in the center. Spoon on the glazed onion mixture, fold over 3 sheets of the overhanging filo to cover, place another folded sheet in the center and brush with orange butter.

Spoon on the creamy eggs to make another layer. Fold over 3 more sheets of overhanging filo, place another folded sheet in the center and brush with orange butter.

Add the chicken to make another layer and cover with folded remaining filo sheets. Fold over remaining 3 sheets of overhanging filo and brush with orange butter.

Bake in the oven until the pastry has browned on the top. Turn on the other tray, brush with orange butter and cook to brown the underside. ( I did not do this because mine was not flat more dome-ish. It seemed to brown fine on the bottom.)

Transfer to a serving tray and duct with sugar and cinnamon and garnish with orange and strawberry segments.

Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes and Potatoes

1 pkg chicken (3 or 4 boneless breasts or a selection of bone-in breasts and/or thighs)
3-4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed (I didn't peel)
1 can diced tomatoes (or 2-3 large fresh tomatoes)
3-5 carrots diced
1 large onion quartered
1-2 cloves garlic diced
1/2-1 red bell pepper diced (I used green)
1 cup peas
1/4 cup olive oil
parsley (1/4 cup fresh or 2 tbs. dried)
1 1/2 tsp. paprikaa
few pinches of saffron, if you've got it
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic. Add chicken, tomatoes, red pepper, parsley, paprika, saffron, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook about an hour (until chicken is thoroughly cooked and just beginning to shred when handled much), stirring occasionally.

Add water as necessary to keep mixture wet and saucy (maybe 2 cups total by the end of the process). Add potatoes, carrots/parsnips, and peas and cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are completely cooked. Salt and pepper as you like.


Now, if you want to eat in authentic Moroccan style, dish onto a large plate and serve with lots of bread (something crusty like French works well).
Using the bread as the only untensil, everyone eats out of their section of the plate (using the right hand only). Wow, a culture where playing in your food is the norm!

Ok there is all is....hope you enjoy. Looking forward to next months challenge!!!
Angie

Rose Petal Ice Cream

1 3/4 hours freeze time - about 1 hour prep time

Ingredients:

• rose petal, from 3 fragrant roses (organic)
• 1/2 cup milk (whole is best, but any works!)
• 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup rose water
• rose oil essence to taste

1. Wash the rose petals in cold water and pat dry. Trim off the white base of the roses (it is really bitter). In a heavy (non-reactive) saucepan, place petals of 2 roses, the rose water, milk, cream, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Place over medium heat and bring mixture to just under boiling. Let the mixture steep for about 1/2 hour to infuse the flavor out of the roses.

2. Combine the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until it becomes think and a pale yellow color (this usually takes too much muscle for me - so I use a hand mixer). Bring the rose/cream mixture back to a near boil and whisk 1/4 of the warm mixture into the egg and sugar mixture to temper (I usually add an additional 1/4 cup to really make sure the eggs won't scramble). Then, pour all of the egg mixture into the rose milk and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Strain the mixture into a bowl and chill on ice or in the refrigerator. Pour into the ice cream maker and freeze.

4. Just before serving, add the remaining petals (tear them into smaller pieces) to the ice cream and fold together.

Voila! Rose Petal Ice Cream!

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs (Brochette)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. chicken or turkey breast, cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional) - I used tumeric.
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsely
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except the chicken. Add the chicken, and mix well to fully coat the meat. Cover with plastic, and leave the chicken to marinate for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Transfer the chicken to skewers and grill or broil about 4 or 5 minutes on each side, or until the meat is done. Serve immediately.

Yields 8 to 10 large skewers.

Morocco: Side Dish: 7 Veggie Couscous with Harissa paste

For the couscous:

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), minced
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned broth
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
• 1 large yellow crookneck squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch (generous) of cayenne pepper
• 1 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) couscous
• optional lemon wedges for garnish
  

For the harissa paste:

• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

To make the couscous:
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over low heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add stock and next 8 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, peas, cilantro, then couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Fluff couscous with fork. Transfer to large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve, passing Chunky Onion Harissa separately.

To make the harissa
Combine tomato paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in vinegar. Mix in onions and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir harissa well before using.)

Sorry I couldn't come up with a cuter layout. I just found the first one that I thought could work. If anyone wants to change things, feel free. But in order to do that, I need your email addresses that you use for blogging. Go ahead and post them in the comments and we'll get things rolling!