Mediterranean Lamp Stew with Yogurt

Trim the lamb of most of the fat. Season the pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy oven proof casserole, add the cloves, paprika, peppers and peppercorns, then heat 2-3 minutes. Transfer the spices to a food processor.

Increase the heat to high, add the lamb to the casserole, and brown well on all sides, you may need to do 2 or 3 batches. Remove the lamb to a plate, add the onions to the casserole, and sauté until become golden and translucent, stirring constantly 5-7 minutes.

To make the coconut sauce: Heat a heavy skillet over low heat 3-5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander , coconut milk, and the halved almonds then roast it for 5 -6 min until become a gold in color. Add the roasted spices and nuts to those in food processor together with the garlic, ginger, allspice and yogurt, process until smooth.

Stir the sauce and tomato paste into the browned onions in the casserole, add the water and simmer, stirring to dissolve pan juices. Return the meat to the casserole , bring to a boil , cover, and simmer stirring occasionally on low heat, until done, 2 - 2 1/2 hours. If the casserole gets dry, add more water. 

Transfer the stew to a warmed serving bowl and serve it with white or saffron rice on the side

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 poundsI boned lamb shoulder, cut in cubs 1 in pieces
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• I teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground allspices
• 2 onions, finely chopped

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 cup blanched and halved almond
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk 
• l tablespoon minced ginger 
• I tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt 

Roast Turkey with Honey Mediterranean Spices

In a small bowl, mix the ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander , ginger and cloves with the salt and pepper. Rub both the skin and cavity of the turkey with this spice mixture. Put the onion studded with the cloves in the cavity and truss the bird. Place the bird on its back in a roasting pan and spread the skin with softened butter . Cut the giblets in pieces and add them to the pan with the cinnamon sticks. Combine the honey with the butter and 1/2 cup of water and use a brush to baste over the bird.

Roast the bird in the heated oven , turning it on one side, then the other, and then returning it to its back. until done, 21'-3 hours . Baste often and, when stock and honey begin to brown, try to bast the bird every 30 min. 

About 15 minutes before the turkey is due to be done , remove it from the roasting pan and strain the pan juices into a small saucepan. Skim off the fat and boil the juices to reduce them if necessary - add the juice to whatever left from the honey and butter, as the final basting. Return the turkey to the roasting pan, brush with the glaze, and continue roasting, basting very often, until the skin is dark golden brown and crisp. 

Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter, spoon over any remaining glaze, and leave to stand I0- 15 minutes before carving. 

Ingredients

• 1 turkey (about I2 pounds /5.5kg), with giblets
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 cup/175 g blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• I tablespoon  ground cumin 
• I tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• I teaspoon ground cloves 
• I teaspoon salt
• I teaspoon pepper
• 2 onion, studded with 8 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 
• 2 cinnamon sticks 
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 stick of butter melted

Pizza Vigan Artichoke Mushroom Recipe FoodImake

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Authentic Tabbouleh Salad Recipe

Refreshing Teboleh Salad Anytime

Called " Taboli, Teboleh or Tabouleh" however this salad became very well known lately, therefore it's easy to find it almost at all super markets and food stores. Tabouleh is a cold famous dish mainly made of parsley and bulgur, it comes from the kitchen of the Levant, including Lebanon, considered a top side and salad dish for the meals.  It is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Also the olive oil is an essential ingredient for this salad, and probably for all the Syrian Lebanese salads . Tabouleh has undeniable health benefits, basically for all it's ingredients. Therefore vegetarians are good friends of this dish, not to mention the slimming diet all well served... Great! Eating a piece of cheese with romaine lettuce at the end. Life is good!!!!

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups chopped parsley
• 4 Tablespoons bulgur, soaked in water for 30 minutes.
• 1 Cup diced onion leaves
• 2 Cups of tomatoes cut into cubes.
• 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 Tablespoons of olive oil

Method:

Soak in 1/2 cup of water the bulgur about 30 min till become really soft, add it to chipped tomato with lemon juice and other ingredient, and mix all very well. finally drizzle the olive oil on top and continue mixing.

Let it set for 15min before you serve. For the best result parsley must be chopped by hand not using any kind of processors... enjoy!

Mujadarah Vegan Recipe Lentil FoodImake

Mujadarah Lebanese Syrian Old food

This dish is one of the main diet among the the people at different parts of Syria and Lebanon. The major ingredients at the Mujadarah is the lentil and onion. The lentil may have been cultivated in the Middle East early as 4000 a.c, which certainly make it the earliest cultivated legume. It's little difficult to keep track of, because there are many varieties cultivated in many different countries.

Broadly speaking, there are five distinct groups of lentils in the marketplace. Most common are green lentils and brown lentils, the browns are little smaller then the greens and have slightly deeper taste. Whole red lentils are relatively large, deep-flavored, salmon-colored red that turn yellow when cooked. Red lentils are whole red lentil have been peeled and split, they are less earthy then green and brown lentils, but a little spicy. However the lentil used with the Mujadarah is the green or brown lentil, but not any of the peeled one.

Hot - Smoked Wild Salmon with Burgul

Hot Smoked Salmon

It's the color or it's hight fat content. The fact you don't have to deal with a lot of little bones! Whatever the reason, salmon - either fresh or smoked- has long been one of America's favorite fish. Add to this the penchant of modern American chefs for finding creative ways with salmon (both fresh and smoked).
Within the variety of Salmon you find at the fish market and stores now!! The first question you may ask, what salmon should I buy?  I've found the answer like other chefs heard and agreed, that wild salmon has more flavor and better texture than farm-raised salmon, and fortunately recently we start seeing wild salmon, at some of the retail markets. However the salmon you will find in the retail markets mow, is mostly farm-raised, the good news is that the quality of this product is uniformly acceptable.
There is tow type of smoked salmon, cold - smoked called Nova or Scotch, comes as silky translucent thin sliced, and the hot-smoked which's the fillet flaky firm textures. Cold-smoked salmon, is usually smoked on lower temperature around 80F for 4 - 6 hours and consumed clod. However the hot - smoked salmon, which our recipe included today, is smoked at higher temperature around 150 - 180F for 2 to 2 1/2  hrs. This salmon could be consumed cold or warm ( I like it cold), I intended to keep the salmon flavor by not adding too many spices, So I used small amount of black pepper only!

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound of wild salmon
• 1 Cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of salt
• Black pepper

Method:

1. Cure and rub the salmon in the sugar and salt, and keep it at the fridge for 6 - 8 hors, till you see they lost big part of there liquid.
2. Take it out  and rinse and wash the salmon in cold water.
3. Dry each piece in paper towel, add some pepper as you like, and place it on a rack ready to smoke.
4. Place few brackets or charcoal lumps in the corner of the grill, and let the heat rise till 150F and not exceeding 180. Place the salmon in the grill away from direct heat of the charcoal, and let the salmon smoke for about 2 hours... Enjoy