Cousa

Cousa (stuffed squash)

In the summer, you can buy fresh cousa at the Farmer’s Market. Cousa is a Lebanese squash, not like the American squash. It is pale green with a delicate skin, best bought when the squash is small. About 3 inches long.  We buy a basket of it and prepare some of it to eat right away, but we also can it for the winter months. Some people freeze the cousa stuffed with the sauce, or just hollowed out. We have a great method developed by David’s uncle, Linda Makol’s father, Dr. Jim Makol,who wanted to eat cousa that tasted as fresh as if he had just bought it and a vegetable that didn’t lose it’s beautiful green color.

Preparing Cousa Fresh

Ingredients

Cousa
Ground Lamb Meat
Rice

Beef Broth
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Lemon Juice
Tomato Paste
Garlic


You also need a scooper that you can get in any Middle Eastern store (Samir’s in Syracuse)

Directions

To prepare the cousa, slice off stalk and shave off the tail end very gently where the flower was attached.
Place the cousa in a bowl of water, don’t dump it into the bowl, as the cousa bruises easily
Hollow cousa out by carefully scooping out the insides. There is a special scooper for this.

(If using canned cousa instead, empty liquid out of pickling jar and rinse the cousa thoroughly in cold water. The cousa is now ready to be stuffed)

Stuffing

Take a skillet and measure
1/4 cup rice

1 lb ground lamb meat                        
1 can Campbell’s beef broth
1 tablespoon salt
shake of pepper
1 teasp allspice
2 lemons squeezed

If the meat is frozen, put on stove at low heat and cook covered until the meat is browned and the rice softened.  If the meat is fresh, brown first, add cooked rice and all the rest of the ingredients and stir for a few minutes. I like the rice to be pretty much done before stuffing the cousa, this way, the cousa can remain a little crunchy rather than getting really mushy.

Stuff cousa generously, but not too tightly as the rice will expand a little

In the pan you are going to place the cousa, put six cloves garlic halved, lay the stuffed cousa close together.
Mix together 1 can beef broth and 1 can tomato paste, pour over cousa. Pour any liquid left over from skillet over cousa.

Cover and cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until just beginning to become tender. Turn the heat off and let sit until you are ready to serve. Reheat just before eating. According to your taste, don’t let the cousa become mushy, let them remain firm. Some people like a mushy cousa, so that’s up to you.

Canning Cousa

Use 2 quart pickling jar. Sterilize in dish washer
Scub cousa well with soft brush, wash thoroughly. Any dirt left on cousa can cause bacteria to grow
Slice off stalk and shave off the tail end very gently where the flower was attached. Hollow cousa out by carefully scooping out insides. You need to use a special scooper for this.
Fill pickling jar with hot water
Bring 3 quarts water to the boil in a large enamel lined pan

Drop squash in for a minute to blanch, remove and set aside in colander.
Empty water out of pickling jar
Put 2 tablespoons salicilic acid in bottom of pickling jar (you may need a prescription for this, we used to be able to get it at the pharmacy)
Stack cousa hollow ends up in pickling jar
Place pickling jar in a bowl. Pour the same water used to blanch the cousa , over the cousa in the pickling jar. So that the water used to blanch the cousa is now in the pickling jar. Keep pouring till the pickling jar is completely filled and the water spills over the top
Place lid on jar and screw tightly, turn the jar upside down to seal the lid.
Allow to cool upside down overnight.
Store in upright position for the winter.

When purchasing or picking cousa, you cannot always get the exact amount to fill the pickling jar. I you do not quite fill the pickling jar, fill the jar with boiling water is it it were filled and turn upside down to seal lid. In other words, proceed with the normal canning steps.

chili

Chili

Ingredients

3 lbs ground beef (90%)
1 lb Gianelli sweet sausage
(or if you don’t live in Syracuse,

sweet sausage meat)
2 Spanish onions
2 cloves garlic
2 cans crushed tomatoes (10 oz cans)
1 can tomato paste (small)
2 jalapeno peppers
3 stalks celery with leaves thinly chopped
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper
 1 yellow pepper
1 package frozen corn
salt
pepper
Chili powder
cayenne pepper
oregano
coriander
1 cup red wine (or a bottle beer)
4 cans red kidney beans
Oil
Sugar

Directions

Saute the onions till golden brown, add 3 cloves garlic chopped and stir a bit but don’t let the garlic burn. Put onions in a large pot.
Saute 3 lbs ground beef till browned, add to pot. Do this in 3 batches.
Saute the sweet sausage, breaking it up and making sure it is cooked through thoroughly.
Next add the crushed tomatoes, chopped peppers, (wear plastic gloves for the jalapeno, the seeds can burn) Remove the seeds from the jalapeno, and then chop. I don’t saute the peppers but add them fresh to the sauce, so now you have chopped jalapeno, green peppers, yellow and orange peppers. If you just want to use green peppers, that’s fine.
Add a tablespoon of sugar, this cuts down on the acidity of tomatoes.
2 tablespoons of salt
1 teasp. pepper
1 teasp. cayenne
1 teasp. chili powder
1 teasp. oregano
a shake of thyme
1 teasp. coriander
1 cup of red wine (or 1 bottle beer)
Mix in 1 can tomato paste

Mix together well and taste..........
Add frozen corn.
As you bring it to a slow simmer, keep tasting, if you need more heat, then add more chili powder, cayenne or whatever your favorite hot spice is. I probably eat a meal happily tasting and adding either more water because its too thick, or another can of beans because there don’t seem to be enough. Chili is great as you can throw in just about anything you like and it still tastes grand. Allow chili to cook for several hours on a low heat covered. Stir frequently to prevent mixture from sticking to bottom of pot.




This dish freezes really well.

Harisse (barley stew with lamb)

Harrise (barley stew with lamb bones)
Ingredients

1 cup barley
2 lamb bones
2 Spanish onions
2 cans Campbell’s beef broth
Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil


Directions

Use the bones from the shoulder or leg of lamb with a little meat still left on. You need 2 or 3 bones. Simmer in covered saucepan with a little water until meat comes away from the bone. If the bones were frozen, the process will take a little longer, 2 or 3 hours. I do it over a very low heat, the meat is more tender that way. Just check to make sure there is still water in the saucepan..
A good way to make this dish is to cook the bones the day before, leave overnight in the fridge and remove any congealed fat from the surface the next day.

Chop 2 large Spanish onions and saute in a tablespoon olive oil, until golden brown.

Remove onions from frying pan and add to bones, cover bones with 5 cups water.

Add 2 cans Campbell’s beef broth
1 cup barley (use pearled medium barley)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt and a good shake of pepper.

Mix a few times and then leave to simmer on low heat until barley is tender. This can take a good hour.

Consistency should be like a hearty soup, not too thick and not too much liquid.
If you find it is becoming too thick, add more water. If you keep adding water, add another can of beef broth or it will lose its flavor.

Sometimes the barley expands, especially if you eat it as a leftover, just add another can of beef broth and reheat.

You can also cut up a few carrots and add to the harisse if you like for a change.

Freezes well.

ochra

Ochra

Ingredients

Lamb bones
3 cloves Garlic
Salt
Allspice
Coriander
Tomato paste
Lemon juice
2 cans of small ochra

Directions

Use one or two lamb bones from either the leg or shoulder with a little meat still left on.
Simmer in covered saucepan with a little water until meat comes away from the bone. It may take a couple of hours. After one hour of simmering add to the meat:
3 garlic cloves
1 teasp. salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon coriander

Continue simmering the meat in a covered saucepan.

When meat is tender and falling apart, add 1 small can tomato paste. Stir for a couple of minutes to allow to thicken a little, then add the juice of l lemon. Some people add 1 tablespoon of pomegranite juice, but I prefer lemon juice.

About 1/2 hour before serving, add two cans of ochra. Let the ochra warm through on a very low heat. Only stir once at the beginning when you put ochra in pan, it is very tender and falls apart easily.

Serve over rice.

lubi bi zaaet (beans)

Lubi Bi Zaait (Green Beans with Oil)

Ingredients

2 lbs fresh green beans
Beef Broth (1 can Cambell’s Beef Broth)
Tomato Paste
2 Spanish Onions
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Oil

Directions

Chop 2 Spanish onions  and saute in 3 tablespoons olive oil until golden brown, add 1 clove garlic chopped and stir for a few minutes with onions.
Wash beans, top and tail, slice in half.
Put beans and onions in saucepan, add 1 can beef broth, a tablespoon salt, 1/2 teasp. pepper, 1 tablespoon allspice. Simmer on low heat until beans are tender.

Add one can tomato paste, do not add paste until beans are done.

Serve hot or cold.

creamed corn

Creamed Corn

Ingredients

3 Cans of Creamed Corn
3 eggs
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Cinnamon

(to every can of cream corn, beat up one egg)

Directions

Beat eggs first with a dash of salt and pepper and a very little sugar.
Gradually add corn, beating all the time.

Pour into a pyrex dish and top with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees F.

During the summer when the corn is fresh, I cut the kernels off the cob of the leftover cooked corn. Put the corn kernels in a plastic freezer bag, when making this dish I add some of the frozen corn to this dish.

classic quiche lorraine

Classic Quiche Lorraine








Quiche Pastry

Ingredients

flour

spry
water
salt
beaten egg

Directions

This is enough for a 20cm pie pan (I use pyrex).
1 cup flour in a bowl, add a half teasp. salt, mix together a bit.
Take 1/2 cup spry and rub it together with the flour so it becomes like thick breadcrumbs.
Add 1/4 cup very cold water and mix together quickly, it should all bind in a ball.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Roll out the dough into a larger circle than the pie pan, fold the dough in half and place it in half of the pan. Then unfold the top half and press the dough into the sides and bottom of the pan with your fingers. Prick with a fork all over the dough.
Place in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and paint the inside with beaten egg (use the rest for the filling)
Put pie pan back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes.




Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients

8 rashers bacon
1 cup gruyere grated cheese
5 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teasp. dry mustard
salt
pepper

Directions

Grill the bacon till crisp and chop up into small pieces. Lay on the bottom of the partially baked pie crust.
Add 1 cup gruyere grated cheese
In a bowl, combine 5 egg yolks, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 dry mustard, 1/4 teasp. salt and a shake of pepper. Pour into pie crust.

Put in oven and bake for 40 minutes.

fried eggplant with panko breadcrumbs

Fried Eggplant with Panko Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

1 Eggplant
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil or vegetable oil

Directions

Wash the eggplant and cut off the green stalk.
Slice eggplant into 1/8 inch thick pieces.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Have three bowls ready with flour in one, beaten eggs in another and Panko breadcrumbs in the third. Dip the eggplant into the flour on both sides, then the egg on both sides and finally the breadcrumbs.
Heat up olive oil in a pan that is about 1/8 inch high. Drop some of the egg plant in when it is hot, and fry on both sides until golden brown.



Place on a paper towel to drain and then on a platter.
Makes a nice starter. Best eaten right away.


Leftovers can become part of egg plant parmesan for another day.

Slice egg plant 1/8 inch thick

Tabuli

Tabuli

Ingredients
7 bunches Italian parsley
3/4 Cup Ground Cracked Wheat
10 tomatoes
5 scallions
8 mint leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
3 lemons
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
lemon zest

Directions

Cut leaves off parsley and discard stems. Wash in water at least twice. Spin parsley leaves in salad spinner to dry off excess water.
Next either chop parsley leaves by hand or spin in a food processor.
Take 3/4 cup ground wheat, pour into a bowl and fill bowl with water, slowly drain water off immediately and then squeeze the ground cracked wheat before adding to the chopped parsley. The cracked wheat will swell, so when you first mix it altogether with the parsley, it should look as though there is more parsley than cracked wheat. People make the mistake of adding too much cracked wheat and the tabuli ends up looking white.
Finely chop 10 tomatoes and add to the parsley mixture.
Chop 5 scallions and add to the bowl. If you are using fresh mint leaves, add these chopped.
Add 3/4 cup olive oil, the juice of 3 lemons, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teasp. pepper, 1/4 teasp. cayenne pepper, 1/4 lemon zest. Mix all together very well. Taste. Add more seasonings or oil and lemon juice to adjust, if you wish.

You can prepare the day before, keeping all the ingredients separate and then mix on the day and add the olive oil, lemon juice and spices. I generally wrap the parsley in paper towels.......

Eat with fresh uncooked peas, or cooked frozen peas. Scoop up the tabuli with grape leaves, or the leaves of a Romaine lettuce.

Parsley Mountain

cabbage salad

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

Head of cabbage
Marie's Poppy Seed Dressing


Directions

Chop half a cabbage
Add 4 tablespoons Poppy Seed Dressing

Mix together well and serve!

mm-jadarah

Mm-Jadarah - Lentils

Ingredients

1  cup Lentils
1/4 cup Rice
Spanish Onion
Lipton’s Beef Flavor with Mushrooms
Water
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Cinnamon
Oil

Directions

(For every cup of lentils, use 1/4 cup of rice) This is a guide if you want to make more or less than the given recipe.

Place 1 cup of lentils and 1/4 cup rice in pan and cover with 4 cups of water.
Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cumin and one tablespoon allspice.
Bring to boil over high heat.
Take 1 package of Lipton’s Beef Flavor with Mushrooms mix, dissolve in a 1 cup of water cup of water first, then add to lentils and stir well so it does not lump

Chop 1 Spanish onion and saute in oil till golden brown. Add to lentils. After the onions are done and added to the lentils, take 1 cup water, pour into skillet to gather goodness and then add to lentils.

Turn heat to low and let simmer and thicken without lid.
Stir from time to time.
Keep checking and tasting, if you feel the mixture is becoming too thick and the lentils are not soft yet, add more water.

It should have a rice pudding texture.
Serve cold with sauteed onions, fresh green onions and a salad.
Also good scooped up with cabbage leaves.

stuffed cabbage leaves

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Ingredients

   

Head of Cabbage
Lamb Meat ground
Rice
Beef Broth
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Lemon Juice
Dried Mint
Garlic

Leave a head of cabbage out at room temperature - this makes it easier to core cabbage.

To core cabbage, remove the core with a knife. Parboil cabbage in water, peeling off leaves as each leaf softens and place on plate.

You use the same stuffing as for grape leaves and stuffed cousa, as you stuff the cabbage, you will find that there are coarser parts on the leaf, cut these out before rolling the leaf, sometimes it consists of half the leaf. Do not throw these away, it makes a delicious salad.

Stuffing:
 Using 1 lb ground lamb meat. Saute meat in 1 tablespoon oil until brown, add 1/2 cup cooked rice.

Add 1 can Campbell’s Beef Broth
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
Shake of pepper
1 teasp. allspice
Juice of 2 lemons.

Cook covered over low heat and stir until mixture heats up.

To roll cabbage leaves:
Cut out any coarser parts of the leaves - place 1 - 2 teasps. of the meat mixture at one end of the leaf, form the meat into a sausage shape.

Roll the leaf and squeeze tightly at both ends to bind.

Place several cloves of garlic in bottom of pan,
Arrange a layer of rolled cabbage leaves, Sprinkle a generous layer of dried mint over rolled cabbage leaves (this is supposed to eliminate any gas in our digestive system caused by cabbage!)
 Continue to layer in this way, rolled cabbage and then dried mint.

Pour the juice of 1 lemon, a can of beef broth and water over completed layers until the level of the liquid comes up to the last  but one layer.      

Put a plate on top of the rolled cabbage leaves to keep everything in place and then bring to the boil slowly and  covered over a low heat. Continue to simmer covered until the cabbage is done,  approximately 50 minutes. Do not overcook or allow the cabbage to become soft and mushy. Test for doneness.

This can be frozen partially cooked. If freezing, simmer for 30 minutes only. When ready to use, the leaves will be perfect heated over low heat covered.

steamed lobster

Lobster

Steam 8 minutes to the pound

Maine cooks vow that lobster is best cooked in sea water, or water as salty as the sea, and as little of it as possible.
A lobster drowned in water is almost certain to lose its flavor.

To steam lobsters properly, you will need a kettle large enough so that it will be half to two thirds full when all the lobsters are in it. Put no more than 2 inches of water in empty kettle and add a good teaspoon of salt for every 2 cups water.
If you can buy fresh seaweed with the lobsters, this is even better. (Fins and Tails in Syracuse sells fresh seaweed with the lobster)  Place seaweed in the  kettle with 2 inches of water. Bring to boil.
When water is rapidly boiling, grab a lobster by its back and snap off the rubber bands that hold its claws shut. Drop the lobster head first into the water. Once all lobster are in the kettle, clap lid on, apologize to the lobsters and boil furiously for 12-15 minutes until lobsters are bright red and a sharp tug on an antenna pulls it off.
To drain lobsters, remove with tongs or turn the kettle into sink.

Put each lobster on its back on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through body and down the tail, slicing through the underbelly but not the shell. flex the lobster over the sink and drain. Crack the claws and drain them well.

Melt butter, place melted butter in bowls and let people dip the lobster in butter.

Save the shells for lobster bisque!

Baby Back Spare Ribs/Regular Spare Ribs

Baby Back Spare Ribs
______________________________________________________________________

Ingredients

1 rack baby back spare ribs
 (or regular ribs)
6 garlic cloves
Molasses
Garlic Powder
Tobasco Sauce
Worcester Sauce
Soy Sauce
Tomato Ketchup
KC Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce





Directions

Slice the ribs, place in a baking dish, add 6 garlic cloves chopped roughly, add a little water, so that the water comes half way up the ribs, do not cover ribs with water.
Cover baking dish with silver foil and bake for approximately 3 - 4 hours at 290 degrees F.
After 2 1/2 hours, check meat for tenderness, you are looking for the meat to come away from bone, if it is still firm, continue to bake covered and check again after another hour, depending on how tender, it may only take 3 hours, but most likely 4 hours.
This recipe works with regular spare ribs, cooking time varies.
I think baby back ribs don’t take as long.


Sauce

Mix 3 tablespoons molasses
a shake of garlic powder
2 shakes of tobasco sauce
1 shake of Worcester sauce
2 shakes of soy sauce
1/2 bottle ketchup
1/4 cup KC Masterpiece Sauce together in bowl.
Brush sauce over ribs.
Return to oven and bake at 350 degrees F. uncovered for 20 minutes or until bubbling.
Or barbeque outside.
Eat immediately  (can be frozen).

scalloped potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

4 or 5 russet potatoes
1 onion
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or whole milk)
butter       
salt and pepper
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
4 tablespoon flour


Directions

Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick
Chop onion

In a pan, put 3 tablespoons flour, add 1 1/2 cups cream (or milk) and keep stirring to heat.
Spray a pyrex dish, layer potatoes, chopped onion, a few dots of butter, some of the grated gruyere cheese and add a little cream. Keep layering this way, until you are close to the top. Make the gruyere cheese the last layer.

Put in oven covered at 350 degrees F and cook for one hour. It should be bubbling by then. Uncover dish and continue baking until brown on top.
I generally put a silver foil tray under the scalloped potatoes, sometimes the bubbling is a bit active and can drip into the bottom of the oven.

Greek Lemon Soup

Greek Lemon Soup

Ingredients

1 3-4lb whole chicken
12 cups water
2 carrots chopped in half skin on
2 stalks celery chopped in half
1 onion peeled and chopped in half
2 bay leaves
5 whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup rice

2 Lemons
3 eggs
salt and pepper
1 can Campbells Cream of Mushroom










Directions

In a large stockpot, bring first 7 ingredients to the boil and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours.....remove chicken, vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns by straining the broth through a colander into a bowl. Pour the strained broth back into to the saucepan.
Add 1/2 cup rice and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender.
Have 3 eggs at room temperature and whisk the eggs until they are frothy in a separate bowl. Add juice of 2 lemons in a steady stream continuing to beat. Ladle two cups of the hot broth into a measuring cup and pour slowly into egg and lemon mixture while continuing to beat. This prevents the eggs from curdling when you add them to the hot broth.
Next stir in the egg lemon mixture into the broth for 5 minutes. Do not bring the soup to a boil . . . Add salt and pepper and stir in a can of Cambells Cream of Mushroom soup. Add a pinch of lemon zest and taste.
Add chicken cut into small pieces......I don’t use all the chicken meat, but might make a chicken pot pie with the remainder.

lentil soup with Swiss Chard

Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard
(Adas bis-Silq)

I can never walk by good looking red Swiss Chard without longing to make this soup, it’s different because the lemon juice gives it a refreshing taste.

Ingredients

1 cup lentils
6 cups water
1 large potato
1 bunch Swiss Chard (red or green)
1 onion
Salt and Pepper
Cumin
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 Can Campbell’s Beef Broth
2 Lemons





Directions

In a saucepan, put 1 cup lentils and cover with 6 cups water.
Mix a package of Liptons Onion Soup with some water and add to lentils.
Add a can of beef broth.
Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and  1 tablespoon cumin.
Boil and mash a potato and add to lentils.
Chop Spanish onion and saute in 1 tablespoon oil, add to pan
Squeeze 2 lemons and add juice to lentils.
Simmer uncovered for about an hour or until the lentils are soft

While the lentils are simmering, wash and chop the Swiss Chard.
When the lentils are tender, add Swiss Chard and continue simmering until the leaves are tender. Add more lemon if needed.

Serve with cabbage leaves or pita bread

veal cutlets

Veal Cutlets

Ingredients

Veal Cutlets thinly sliced
Flour
Egg
Panko Breadcrumbs
Oil
Butter
Lemon









Directions

Cut the cutlets into thirds, dip in flour, beaten egg and then Panka bread crumbs.
Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little butter into skillet, heat up over medium heat. Drop the cutlets into skillet and saute on both sides until brown, serve with lemon wedges.

Also nice with macaroni cheese.

chicken wings

Chicken Wings (Makes 30 wings)

Ingredients

4 lbs fresh or frozen chicken wings
2 sticks butter melted
3 cups parmesan cheese
(or 2 cups parmigiano/reggiano and
s1 cup pecorino/romano blend)
1/2 cup dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon paprika


Directions

Heat oven at 350 degrees F.
Melt two sticks butter.

Cut chicken wings into three parts, slicing through the joints, discard the wing tips.
If using frozen wings, thaw first.

Mix all the other ingredients together in a big bowl.
Dip the chicken wings in butter and then roll in cheese mixture.
Place wings in a baking pan (spray with Pam first)
Bake in oven uncovered for 1 hour or until the wings start to brown.
Pour off the excess butter liquid and return wings to oven to crisp up
for 15 to 20 minutes.

Can be reheated.

Can be frozen for later.

I reheat frozen chicken wings
covered at 170 degrees F.
then when they feel soft,
I turn up the oven to 400 degrees
to crisp up.....

spinach fataya

Spinach Fataya

Dough

Ingredients
4 cups bread flour
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet or 2 tblsps yeast
1 cup spry
water
(I used to use regular flour but
since Dean gave me the Man’oushe
book from Lebanon, I prefer this recipe,
using bread flour and cake flour.
The dough is stronger and holds the
filling better. Fataya can split open
while baking.)

In a large bowl, mix together bread flour, cake flour, salt and sugar. Make sure the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
Add the spry and work into the flour mixture by rubbing the flour and spry together with your hands, make sure all the flour is mixed in well with the spry.
Take a smaller bowl, add the yeast and mix with 1/2 cup warm water to soften the yeast, mix quickly with a spoon and pour over the flour mixture. Next add another two cups warm water. (Situ Stevens used to use 1 cup milk and 1 cup water)
With your hands, mix it all in together, it will form into a ball of dough, it shouldn’t be too wet .... you can add a bit more flour if it is, or water if too dry. It can be tacky and sticky in texture. Knead the dough a few times but not excessively. Then cover the bowl with saran wrap and a blanket. Leave aside to allow the dough to rise.
I often make this in the morning and then return to make the fataya in the afternoon.
You can also keep in the fridge, but make sure the dough is at room temperature before trying to roll it out.

Spinach Fataya

4 packages frozen spinach (I now use fresh spinach, cooked beforehand)
2 or 3 lemons squeezed
2 teasps salt
1 teasp. allspice
1/2 teasp. pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 generous tablespoon pinenuts (optional)
1 Spanish onion chopped
1 teasp. lemon extract powder

You can make the spinach a day ahead, wash and chop spinach leaves, put a tablespoon olive oil and two garlic cloves chopped in bottom of saucepan, heat over medium heat, as the cloves start to sizzle in the oil, throw in spinach leaves, stir around a bit and then continue to cook on low heat covered until tender.



Filling

Squeeze out the excess water in spinach, place in bowl. Add salt, allspice, pepper, oil, lemon juice and mix really well together. Chop the onion and mix in with the spinach. TASTE! You may need to add the lemon extract or some more lemon juice.

This spinach mixture is also good as a salad with some chick peas mixed in. But we don’t used chick peas in the fataya. I just mentioned this because life takes unexpected turns and you may not be able to go on further with the fataya! So if you feel too exhausted at this point, put the dough in the freezer to use later, add the chick peas to the spinach and lie on the sofa with a good book.



To Make the Fataya

Spray a large baking pan

Cut into rounds, a cookie cutter or top of a large peanut jar works well.

with Pam or brush with a little oil.
Take the risen dough and make
into rolls, work the rolls a little in                       
some flour if they are too tacky,
cover with saran wrap and leave
to stand on board sprinkled with flour.
Take one roll and with rolling pin, roll
out into a thin layer.
Cut into rounds.

 Take a teaspoon of the filling and place in the center of the rounds.
 Next, make the dough into an envelope, sealing all edges well.                                                          

Take a teaspoon of the filling, place in the center of the rounds

                                                                             

make the dough into an envelope sealing all edges well

When closing fataya, be careful not to get juices on the edges.

Keep pressing the edges together to make sure they are firmly sealed.

When closing fataya pies, be careful not to get juices on the edges. this will make it difficult to close. If this happen, dip fingers in flour and close.

Heat oven at 380 degrees F, have rack in middle of oven.
Place each fataya on baking pan
Bake in oven until just beginning to change color, the fataya should be brown on the base.
These bake quite fast, approximately 15 to 20 minutes, but you have to keep your eye on them. Usually by the time you’ve made another batch, the fataya are ready.

If you wish, you can brush some melted butter half way through the baking process, I used to do this but have stopped doing this.

Fataya freeze really well cooked. On the day you want to eat them, take fataya out in morning, uncover and let stand most of the day. Reheat for 15 minutes in oven at 350 degrees F. just before serving.

stuffed egg plant

 Stuffed Egg Plant
(Shiekh el Mahshie)

To Prepare the Eggplant
Use baby eggplant or regular eggplant. Choose firm fruits without blemishes or bruises.

The eggplant can be prepared a day ahead and either refrigerated or frozen.

Ingredients

8 small eggplants or 5 regular eggplants
salt
olive oil



Directions

Slice off the green caps,
wash eggplants, slice eggplants

Place the eggplant in a pyrex dish

lengthwise in half and then quarters.
If using regular sized eggplants,
cut the halves into thirds and then
each length into halves so they are
not so long. Arrange eggplants on a
platter in a single layer, sprinkle with
salt and leave for up to an hour until
the moisture is beading on the eggplant.
Pat dry with paper towels. Pour olive
oil into pan, about 2 inches deep and
saute eggplant until golden brown.

Remove and place on paper towel.
This drains off any excess oil.
Place the eggplant in a pyrex dish (spray first with Pam)At this point you can cover the dish, place in the fridge and continue the next day or freeze for another day.






To Prepare the Stuffing

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef 90%

Prepare stuffing in a frying pan.

1 Spanish onion
4 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1 tablespoon allspice
1 teasp. salt
shake of pepper                                                
small can tomato paste
beef broth (Campbells)
tablespoon olive oil









In a frying pan, heat the oil, saute the chopped onion until golden brown,
add pinenuts and continue frying for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef
and stir so everything is mixed in. Add allspice, salt and pepper,
continue stirring until beef is done.



Spread the whole meat mixture over the egg plant being careful to tip the pan so the oil stays behind.

Meanwhile, mix together the tomato paste and beef broth in a mixing bowl and pour over the egg plant and meat stuffing. You may need to add a little water so that the liquid comes close to the top but doesn’t completely cover it.

Preheat oven at 300 degrees F and cook uncovered for 35 minutes or until bubbling away. Serve with rice.

This dish freezes very well, so you can make it ahead of time.
Take dish out of freezer in the morning, leave out covered, plan on cooking it in the oven  at 275 degrees F for 1 hour, check and turn the oven up to 300 degrees F. for the last half hour. We generally eat around 6 p.m. I sometimes think it’s even better as all the ingredients have blended together. My mother in law used to say it was like a marriage of tastes.

cauliflower cheese

Cauliflower Cheese

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
flour
milk
butter
salt
pepper
cheddar cheese





Directions

Cut the cauliflower in half, remove the stem and outer leaves, then cut each half into four sections. Wash and drain.
Cook in salted water until tender
Drain cauliflower in a colander, place the cauliflower in a baking dish with a lid

Meanwhile make the white sauce by putting 2 tablespoons flour in a pan, add 2 cups milk, a knob of butter, salt and pepper and mix together in pan, then heat over medium heat, stirring constantly so the flour doesn’t lump. The sauce will start to thicken and bubble, pour over the cauliflower, add grated cheddar cheese, a few knobs of butter and 
broil until golden brown on top.

You can make this ahead and put under the broiler just before eating.

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Pudding

In the old days, a roast beef was cooked at high heat on the oven rack with a pan on the shelf below to catch the drippings. It was in that pan that the batter for Yorkshire pudding was poured about forty minutes before the roast was done. Then the roast and the puffy brown pudding emerged from the oven together. But today we roast our beef at a much lower temperature. Better for the meat, impossible for the pudding. So now the Yorkshire pudding goes into a hot oven as soon as the roast comes out, and it cooks while the roast rests.

Ingredients:

flour
salt
milk
eggs
beef drippings or butter


1. Have all ingredients at room temperature or pudding will not puff up properly
2. Sift together 7/8 cup flour and 1/2 teasp. salt.
3. Add gradually: 1/2 cup milk, stirring all the time.
4. When smooth beat in, 2 eggs, beaten until fluffy and pale yellow.
5. Add 1/2 cup water. Beat vigorously until batter bubbles.
(you can make this batter in a blender, on high speed for 15 seconds with excellent results. I use a blender, put all ingredients in, blend, and then just before putting in the oven, I blend again quickly. Never fails)

6. Preheat oven to hot (400 degrees F)
7. Make this batter at least an hour before it is to be cooked. Beat it again just before baking.
8. In the hot oven heat a 9x10 baking dish. Pour about 1/2 inch beef dripping or melted butter (I melt  1 stick butter) and let fat get smoking hot.
9. Pour in batter. Bake in hot oven for 20 mins.. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and continue baking 15 mins. longer.

This recipe is from Vincent Price’s cook book, I’ve used this recipe for 35 years and it’s never failed! I also double the recipe to feed 10 people.

Pickled Turnips (Lift)

Pickled Turnips
(Lift)

The season to make these is in the
fall when the turnips are fresh and
hard. Serve as an appetizer with
olives and cheese.


Ingredients

5 Turnips
Distilled White vinegar (boiled)
Distilled Water (boiled)
1 fresh Beetroot or canned Beets
Pickling Spices
A large glass jar (mine holds 7 cups
liquid, but any size jar for pickling is
fine)
salt

Directions
Boil  water first and leave aside to cool. You are going to fill the jars with equal parts water and distilled white vinegar.

Cut off the tops and bottoms and peel the turnips.
Slice turnips in quarters, and then slice the quarters into   
bite size wedges.Fill a jar with turnip wedges, and pour water
into the jar to determine how much liquid you will need. Empty
the jar of water and turnips. Peel a fresh beetroot and cut into slices
You need equal amounts of water and vinegar that has been boiled
and cooled so that the liquid will fill the jar and cover the turnips
 Place a few turnip wedges in bottom of jar, then alternate with fresh
beet slices. When the jar is half filled, pour in one cup distilled white

vinegar and one cup boiled water (now cooled). Continue filling
the jar, alternating between turnips and beets.

Pour 1/2 pickling spice container into glass jar, the fresh beets
make the liquid red or if using canned beets, add red
beet juice,and a couple of the beets at the end.

Add 2 teaspsoons salt.

Pour the cooled water and vinegar mixture into jar and
seal with lid. Keep in fridge, can be eaten after 4 days.

Serve as an appetizer.