Middle-Eastern cheesecake
This is a recipe from one of my favorite Lebanese chefs, Chef Marlene Matar. I had tried it several years ago, and this time tried it again, albeit with some minor modifications. The semolina cooks in the milk, and provides a sturdy support for the cheese. This cheesecake is made...
Read More »
Lentils with herbs stew
This lentil dish is made using a combination of techniques and flavors from the Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian kitchens. I had a bag of ghormeh sabzi mix in my pantry and used it; I had leftover pomegranate molasses and used it; I had some rice and used it. I used...
Read More »
Armenian/Turkish meat pies
This is my version of the Armenian meat pies I used to get in Burj Hammoud (the Armenian neighborhood) in Beirut. A quick and easy version; I used refrigerated biscuits for the dough instead of making my own (laziness) and it worked great. The most time-consuming part is getting the...
Read More »
Fish and rice pilaf
A glorious dish my grandmother used to make on some Fridays or special occasions whenever she’d spot a freshly-caught grouper from the fishmonger. This recipe is from Beirut, whereas it can be made differently in other coastal cities like Saida. The Beirut version flavors the rice pilaf with caramelized onions...
Read More »
Moghrabiyeh (Lebanese couscous)
Definitely a party dish, meant to showcase the hostess skills; its also frequently a Sunday get-together for the extended-family type of dish. Its name, moghrabiyeh, is rooted in maghreb (North Africa) to describe it as a Levantine version of the North African couscous. The deluxe version contains both lamb shanks...
Read More »
Pistachio cream pudding
An easy and quick dessert (ashtaliyyeh in Lebanese) for a busy day; once made, the little cups can sit for a few days in the fridge and be grabbed at will. I used a pistachio cream sold in a Middle-Eastern market made with Turkish pistachios, but am including a recipe...
Read More »
Sesame seed candy
These were my favorite candies growing-up (called semsemeeyyeh from semsem for sesame) ; we used to buy them from street vendors who kept their carts right in front of the one and only public park in Beirut. Shaped into tiny bars or thin circles, wrapped in cellophane, shiny and crispy and...
Read More »
One bowl chocolate cake
I made this cake to use-up some stuff laying around, without a mixer, just using a wire whisk and a bowl; it came out delicious so I figured I should share the “recipe”. I was out of vanilla, so I added cardamom powder instead, and a dollop of tahini. Hope...
Read More »
Rice Kibbeh (Kibbet Halab)
I love this kibbeh, which hails from Aleppo but is also very popular in Iraq. It distinguishes itself by its rice shell, which gets crunchy after frying, but soft inside. It is a traditional dish; I veered away from tradition slightly by sprinkling the kibbeh with toasted sesame seeds, and...
Read More »
