Tuna Tartar

Here’s an appetizer to please a crowd. I buy grade A tuna frozen  for sushi. My family and guests always request it. It will sure impress even the non raw fish eaters!!!! Enjoy.




1 bag of good quality chips

1-pound fresh tuna cut into small cubes ¼ in

1 teaspoon of wasabi

3 Tablespoons oriental sesame oil

2 Tablespoons chives minced

5 Tablespoons of soy sauce or more

3 to 4 dashes Tabasco

Coarse salt and fresh black pepper



Mix tuna with sesame oil, chives, wasabi and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Spinach and Rice with Yogurt (Spinach Fatte)

This is a meatless dinner that everyone I know enjoys. You can also make it with lamb or beef stew added to the spinach. The Fatte is assembled last minute and serve immediately otherwise the bread becomes soggy. Thanks for Tommy for taking a great picture!



Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh baby spinach rinsed

1 onion chopped

¼ cup oil

1 bunch of cilantro rinsed

1 tsp salt

Freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp allspice

½ tsp red chili pepper (optional)

½ tsp cinnamon

1 juice of lemon

2 cups of long grain rice

Pita bread

½ cup Pine nuts fried with oil

1 pound yogurt



In a large pot sauté onion in oil till translucent. Add spinach and sauté add salt pepper and nutmeg until leaves are wilted. Chop cilantro and add to the spinach. Add ½ cup water and the lemon juice over cover and cook for 10 – 15 minutes.

Meanwhile make the rice with three cups of water.

Cut pita into ½ inch squares toast in oven till gold in color. Put in a bowl and sprinkle olive oil and set aside. In a small pan sauté pine nuts in a bit of oil or butter, set aside.

Mix the yogurt together with ½ tsp salt and ½ cup water.

In a large serving bowl layer the rice then the spinach and the yogurt over. Add the toasted bread and pine nuts over, and sprinkle with red chili pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Creamy Asparagus Soup

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Gourmet magazine. I changed it a bit added some spice to it to give it a kick. It’s great for this time of year all you need is a pot and hand held blender and you will have a fancy restaurant style soup.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs fresh asparagus

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter or 3 swirls of olive oil

• 5 cups chicken broth preferably home made

• Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

• Tabasco to taste

• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

Method

Cut asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve some of the tops for garnish.

Cook onion in butter in a 4 quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth, thyme, and simmer covered until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove aspargus tips and set aside.

Purée soup with the hand held blender away from the heat, until smooth. Return to heat and stir in cream, Tabasco and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and fresh pepper.

Garnish with asparagus tips.

Serves 4-6.

Pickled Turnips

Very easy to make these turnips (kabiss lift) they are good with lentil dish Moujadara and with falafel, they are also good as appetizer. I like to eat them right out of the jar. The reason I make my own is because they are much better than store bought and they have a great crunch to them!

Ingredients:

2 pounds Turnips peeled and sliced thinly

½ beets for coloring

1 part (cup) boiling water

1part (cup) vinegar

1 Tablespoon kosher salt



Fill the turnips in jars add water and empty in a measuring cup. With a half the amount fill a pot with the kosher salt and let boil to dissolve, let cool. Add the rest of amount with vinegar. When cool add it to the jar seal and keep refrigerated for at least one week.

Baked Chicken and Potatoes

Easy chicken in the oven prep time 10 -15 minutes, bake and ready in no time. You can change seasonings omit or add vegetables to make it your own. Enjoy!



Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic and salt made a paste.

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or oregano leaves.

• 1 tablespoons grated lemon zest.

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes.

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

• 1 (3-pound) whole chicken, cut up into 4 pieces.

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• Juice of 1 or 2 lemons freshly squeezed.

• 3 baking potatoes peeled and sliced into ½ inch slices

Whisk together the oil, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest and salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon juice in a large baking dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the oil. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Pre-heat medium size pan and with 1 Tablespoon of oil and brown potatoes and layer in a baking dish, add pepper and salt. Brown chicken on both sides and place over potatoes along with the marinade. Bake for 35-40 minutes until chicken is done. Serve.

Serves 4

Mouhamara, Walnut Spicy Spread

Last night went to dinner and had a great mezza at “Halabi”. Great food like always. One of their dishes that I like is Mouhamara, great for appetizer served with toasted pita. I make it every time I have a crowd and its always a success! Good to make for the superbowl.



Ingredients:



1-cup ground walnuts

1 teaspoon red pepper paste

½ teaspoon red pepper

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (if needed)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 jar red bell pepper roasted drained and crushed

Dash of salt

1-T pomegranate syrup





In a food processor finely grind walnuts. Remove from food processor to a bowl. Back in the food processor add pimentos, pepper paste, lemon juice, and salt. Pour over the walnuts and blend; if the mixture is runny add some breadcrumbs.

Spread on a platter garnish with halved walnuts, jalapeno slices and drizzle with olive oil.



You can use mouhamara on pies and sprinkle with sesame seeds, bake and serve.

Black Bean Salad

Try this great salad it’s so refreshing. You can also add some mango juice from the mango to the dressing it will enhance the flavors. Enjoy!





Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans, drained

• 1 can corn, drained

• 1 red bell pepper diced

• 1 red onion diced

• 1 green onion diced

• 1 mango diced

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• 1/2 tablespoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• ¼ cup vinaigrette dressing 

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

Itch Salad - Pomegranate Tabboule

This Armenian salad is so good. Make it your own by adding or omitting any ingredient. I had this idea I will make it next time with quinoa instead of burgul. Thanks to my lovely niece Eliana who helped with the recipe. Love you J

Serves 8

2 cups fine burgul

1 bunch parsley chopped

1 red onion chopped

3 scallions chopped

3 tomatoes chopped

½ bunch mint stemmed and chopped or 1 teaspoon dried mint

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

4 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup

1 ½ cup tomato puree

Salt to taste

1 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon red pepper paste

1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped (optional)



Rinse burgul and place in a salad bowl, add warm water, tomato puree, red pepper paste and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Prepare and chop parsley, tomatoes, mint, green onion, red onion add salt lemon juice, pomegranate syrup, olive oil, jalapeno if using and mix with the burgul an adjust seasonings.

Note if you don’t have red onion on hand use yellow onion and fry with a little of olive oil before adding.