Batata harra (Lebanese potatoes with garlic and coriander)

Batata harra - Lebanese

Can you feel the Holidays approaching?! I guess this year theres no way for me to contain my excitement :) 17 days to be on vacation, in Lebanon.

So in d spirit of Lebanese food, here is a simple mezze, crowd pleaser, apt for vegetarians & potato lovers :) (like the man of the house!)

Ingredients:

- 500 gr Potato* (diced medium)

- 1 handful Coriander (fresh; largely chopped)

- 6 Garlic cloves (diced small)

*First of all, let us talk potatoes. You want to get potatoes to use for "French fries" (yes, there are different potato kinds). You want your potatoes crispy outside (not soggy..). In Doha I have learnt to get the young/hard frying potatoes, light yellow color, smooth skin (they should be hard to the touch).*

So, once that is out of the way :)



Fried potato dices



Peel and dice your potatoes; rinse them with water and drain them.



Olive oil & chopped garlic



Set a platter with kitchen napkin (to soak off the excess oil - after frying).

Heat generous vegetable oil on a pan (at highest heat) and once hot, deep fry until golden. Remove from pan and place into platter to soak off some oil. Salt them.

On the same pan, heat some Olive oil (2-3 Tbsp), add the chopped garlic, and fry until it starts turning slightly yellow/golden. Then add the coarsely chopped coriander and fry until soft (just a minute or two).

If you fry it for too long it will turn brownish (you don't want that).

Once soft, add in the fried potato dices and toss/incorporate well.

Serve hot :)

For those that like spicy/hot food, you can add some chopped chilly peppers, or 1/4 tsp of Cayenne pepper (I would suggest, since you're going the Middle Eastern route, to add some Harissa paste to give it some hotness :) (just make sure you are aware how spicy Harissa paste really is.. )

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Lebanese vegetarian)



If you have been by the Middle East you surely know stuffed grape leaves! When these mezze/tapas (of fairly debatable origin... Turkish? Lebanese? Greek?) when displayed at a table cause everyone to reach out for them like covetable goods! ;) Maybe it is because it is slightly time-consuming to roll & let them cook.. that everybody goes so crazy/is impressed when you serve them Lol

Anyway, as a good geek that I am (seen that my Lebanese friends had not tried to make these before) I launched on a mission to get the authentic recipe with the collaboration of my favorite program: Excel.

Bottom of pan lining

(In short: Google authentic looking recipes > Apply Excel to work out the proportions :P > triple test cooking method and timing > Tasting > Blogging).

So after several times, and approval from the toughest Lebanese critics ;P here is the 'authentic' tasting recipe!

 

Lebanese Grape Leaves:		Spices:
- 1 jar Grape Leaves		- 1/2 Tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups White Rice (Melrose)		- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 cup Parsley (chopped)		- 1 Tsp All Spice
- 1 cup Tomato (chopped)
- 1 cup Onion (finely chopped)		Seasoning:
- 1 Tbsp Mint chopped		- 1 cup Lemon juice (split in 1/2 and 1/2 cup)
- 6 Large carrots		- 1 cup Olive Oil (split 1/2 and 1/2 cup)

Boil water, and introduce in a deep pan. Open grape leave jar, and separate the leaves, introduce into the water and let soak off for 10 minutes. Change the water, repeating the process 1 or 2 times. Then let drain.


Rice filling mix

In the meantime, peel & cut carrots in slices, and set to line the bottom of the pot.

In a large bowl wash the rice several times. Chop the tomato, onion, parsley & mint, and add to the rice. Add spiced, 1/2 cup of lemons juice and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Mix.

Take a grape leaf, placing the shiny part facing the tabletop. (Cut the stem if needed).

Step 1: Place 1 Tbsp of mix in the mid-section of the leaf

Step 2: fold the right and left sides over the mix

Step 1 - Place mix in center of leaf

Step 2 - Fold inwards the sides

Step 3: starting from the bottom, roll tightly all the way to the top.

Step 3 - Roll from bottom to top



Rolled & placed tightly in pan



Introduce in the pan aligning them tightly (so they will not move while cooking).  Add water and 1/2 cup left of lemon juice (it should just reach the rim of the leaves).



Once all done, place a plate (or 2) on top, and a heavy object (so that the grape leaves do not move).

Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let simmer for 2 hrs at low heat (2-3/6).

Plates & weight over arranged leaves

Halfway through, after 1 hr, add the additional 1/2 cup of olive oil. Cook until the 2hrs mark.

Remove from the heat, and let cool down.

Serve! The carrots are an edible plus! :)



Paella (simple)

Spanish Paella (simple)

Paella is one of the most well known Spanish dishes. It truly can be one of the most simple, friendly, budget-friendly main courses :) Foreigners identify paella as a variety of seafood cooked over yellow rice with sometimes cheek peas and chiken pieces; however this dish has many variants and elements (black paella made with squid ink, chicken or vegetable paella) it all depends on what part of Spain you are in! (Or what is available in your kitchen cabinets).

In my family we generally eat paella on Sundays (like most families in Asturias, my region) because it is a kind of food that you share and gather around. The other occasion in which we like to have paella is cooked in one of those black huge pans over a beach fire in summer :)

This recipe comes from my grandmother, it is extremely simple, healthy and budget-friendly (as I realize most of her recipes are). The key to getting paella to tasting authentic is getting authentic Spanish ingredients, particularly the olives! (trust me.. those organic Wholefoods' olives that you love are gonna make your paella taste like rubbish.. been there..).

Ingredients

 

Paella (simple):

- 1 cup Rice (preferably Calrose type)

- 1 can Tuna (in olive oil)

- 1 small can Baby cheek peas

- 1/2 can Spanish Olives (manzanilla type)

- 1/2 Avecrem/chicken stock cube

- 3 stems Saffron

- Olive oil

Fried/browned rice

Take the cup that you used to measure the rice and fill it with water. Place the saffron strands (or powder) and let dissolve.

Place a deep pan over medium heat (3 or 4/6), introduce a splash of olive oil & the rice. Stir until rice turns brownish (yes you are sort of pre-frying it, so it won't be sticky later).

Ready to cook/boil

Add the saffron water, plus an additional 2 cups of water. Continue by adding the chicken stock, cheek peas, tuna, olives and salt. Mix into the rice. Place the pepper stripes as decoration over the rice mixture, and let cook.

Once all the water has been absorbed/evaporated you are done! The rice should be soft and edible (if it's hard just add more water and let cook further. You are done! :)

Albondigas (Spanish meatballs)

Albondigas - Spanish meatballs

Albondigas - Spanish meatballs:

- 1/2 cup Parsley

- 1 Onion (medium)

- 1 clove Garlic

- 0.5 to 1 Kg Minced Meat

- 2 Eggs

- 3 pinches Salt

- Flour

- White Wine/Bier

- Avecrem

Finely chop the onion, garlic and parsley. Beat separate 1 1/2 eggs on a bowl, and 1/2 egg.
Mix minced meat & chopped onion mix, add 1/2 of a beaten egg.

Roll into balls > Roll over beaten egg > Roll into Flour

In the meantime heat a pan at high heat (5/6) with olive oil (2mm).
Fry meatballs in hot olive oil until golden.

Once done, add a spoon of flour to the used oil and fry until flour is golden color. Add Avecrem, white wine & water until achieving the desired consistency. Put meatballs in gravy and let simmer for some minutes.

Croquetas (Spanish croquettes)

Croquetas:

- 1 tbsp Butter

- 2 tbsp Flour

- 2 glass Milk

- 2 Eggs

- Cheese pieces / Cooked meat / Ham

- Bread crumbs

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat, add butter and cook until golden.
Add milk & keep stirring under low (2-3/6) heat, preferably with a whip, until desired consistency. Mix should be lifting off the pan, sticking together.

Once done, immediately add cheese or desired mix, and a lightly beaten egg.
Spread over a large tray to let cool. In the meantime prepare 1 plate with beaten egg, and 1 plate with bread crumbs.

Once bechamel mixture has cooled down, roll into balls/cilinders, pass through egg, then into bread crumbs. *At this point the croquetas can be put in the freezer until needed. You must let them unfreeze prior to frying them (or you will have icy centers :P )*

Heat pan with frying oil until hot (6/6), fry croquetas turning them to achieve a nice golden brown color. Remove and set over a plate covered with kitchen towel paper (to absorve the excess oil). Serve hot :)

Fetta, Parmesan & Spinach Rolls

Feta & Parmesan puff-pastry rolls

Ingredients:
- 1 sheet Puff Pastry
- 150 gr Feta cheese
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 2-3 cubes Spinach (chopped, frozen)

- 1 Egg (beaten lightly)

Pat-dried Spinach

Pre-heat oven at 180C (top & bottom).
Line tray with baking mat or baking paper. *

De-frost the spinach cubes in the microwave, then put over sheets of kitchen paper to absorb the excess moisture.

Mix feta and parmesan in a bowl, making it crumbles.

Feta & Parmesan mixture

Roll out the puff-pastry over a well floured counter-top, thin it out a bit.

Sprinkle the mixed feta onto the puff-pastry evenly; then sprinkle the spinach. Roll tightly leaving the last 3 cm unrolled.

Lightly beat the egg. Brush the 3cm left and finish rolling the dough.

Press and make sure the roll is tight. Then cut into rounds (about 2 cm wide), and place onto pan.

Brush the top and sides of each piece with beaten egg (so that it takes a golden brown when baked).

Rolled-out dough

All ingredients, cut edges

Rolling dough (tightly)

Tchin! Easy sophistication ;)

Place into the oven and let cook until rounds begin to have a light golden color (about 15 min).

Serve hot! :) This is definitely a crowd-pleaser!

* I would definitely recommend to invest in an AirBake tray :) you can use it for baking, cookies, or even pizza or manakish!

Tefal has a fairly affordable 15-25 USD option, Lakeland has a very durable option too! 24 USD. Its a good Christmas gift also ;)

Empanadillas de Atun (Spanish tuna turnovers)



Empanadillas de Atun



 This recipe is my grandmother's :) a really simple appetizer!

I can only think of praises for this dish: tasty, can be prepared in advanced, frozen, fried or baked! Also great for when you are running short on kitchen supplies ;)

Let's get into the rocket-science of the making! Lol


Tuna turnovers





Empanadillas Atun:

- 1 sheet of Short-crust dough

- 1 can Tuna (med/large in olive oil)

- 1 Onion (medium)

- 1 can Tomato sauce

- 1 egg (lightly beaten)



Onion, Tuna, Tomato mix



Pre-heat oven at 180C (top & bottom). You can also fry these, but this way you get crunchy healthy turnovers ;)



Chop the onion in small cubes, and sweat in a pan over low/med heat (3-4/6).

Once done, set aside to cool over kitchen paper (to soak off excess oil).

Drain oil from the tuna can, cut in small pieces and place inside a bowl. Add sweat onions & tomato sauce, let tuna soak (while you prepare the rest).

 

Turnovers baking

Roll out the short-crust dough (do not thin out) over a lightly floured counter-top. Cut small circles, with the help of a medium bowl.

Step 1: Place a tablespoon of tuna mixture in one half of the circle's center
Step 2: Brush exterior edge with egg
Step 3: Fold dough over (in half to create a half-moon)
Step 4: With the fork, press to seal the half-moon edge*.

*(At this point you can put the turnovers into a container to freeze. If you do, I would suggest layering cling-film or paper in between so they don't stick together, and can be unfrozen in pieces, as needed).

Finished turnovers

Place the desired turnover on to a baking tray lined with baking paper/mat (or directly onto your AirBake ;) tray <3). Brush turnovers with egg, arrange on tray, and place in the oven.

Bake until light golden color. Serve hot! Another crowd-pleaser than can be prepared in advance ;)

If your guests are not into tuna, you can always to a meat bolognese filling! (just remember to to make the mix too runny)