Daring Cooks - Mezze

People adopt smug smiles for various reasons. Maybe you know something that no-one else does. A juicy secret definitely ups the smug factor (or at least it does for me!) Smug smiles can also be caused by the knowledge that you are somewhat (in some way at least) superior to someone else.



Sometimes you are not necessarily good at something, but certainly better than the average person out there. Something a whole slew of people realised in this past week with the whole facebook login fiasco. If you don't know what I'm talking about now - Daring Fireball has a great summary of the events that ensued when ReadWriteWeb wrote an article about facebook which resulted in unintentionally hilarious comments from confused facebook users.  It's one of those things that can make even the most un-savvy computer user feel like Bill Gates . Smugness on tap!

The 2010 February Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid. Our mezze had to include (but was not limited to): pita Bread (from scratch) and hummus. My hummus was a dismal FAIL, so I won't include a recipe for that. The pita bread though, was a HUGE success. I don't think I'll ever go back to buying ready made pita again.

And if you've never felt smug in your life, I can almost guarantee you that a bout of bread making will rectify that. Not because it's very complicated or even difficult. It's just that hardly anyone still does it anymore. And as such it has become quite awe-inspiring when someone does venture into the kitchen to exercise their kneading prowess.

Fast is not a word I'd use to describe making pita bread from scratch. But in the same breath, it's very low-maintenance. Mix, let rest, knead, let rest, roll out & bake for a few minutes. Active time is probably 30 minutes tops. The rest is just sitting back and waiting for the yeast to do the work. Producing perfectly fresh chewy, pillowy pita bread with (almost) no effort. Now that's something to feel smug about.

Pita Bread
Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Makes 8

2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

2 cups white bread flour

1 cup brown bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large bowl combine yeast, water and half of the flour. Stir 100 times in the same direction to activate the gluten. Cover and allow to rest for 1 1/2 hours.

2. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well, then gradually add more flour until the dough comes together. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Roll dough into a ball, lightly coat with olive oil, place in large bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise until double in volume (45 mins to 1 hour)

3. Preheat oven to 230C. Gently punch down the dough, and divide in 8 equal pieces. Flatten each piece and roll out to a circle approx 1/2 cm thick. Lay the rolled out pita dough pieces next to each other (not on top of each other) and cover with a dish towel until ready to bake. 

4. Place two pita rounds at a time (or more if you have a large enough oven) onto a rectangle of heavy duty foil (or baking sheet or pizza stone), then place on oven rack. Bake for 2 - 3 minutes, or until bread puffs up like a balloon. Remove fom oven and wrap in a large kitchen towel to keep warm and soft while you bake the remaining breads. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

 

Nutritional info (per pita): Calories 142.9, Total fat 2.3 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 436.5 mg, Potassium 21.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 26.5 g, Dietary fiber 2.3 g, Sugars 0.0 g, Protein 4.6 g

Zucchini Puree with Tomatoes

  
Boy it really must seem like I'm a negative Nellie, but lemme have just this one more gripe. And then I'll be perky & positive for a few days. Pinky swear.

So you get two types of people: 

a) go-getters
b) lazy asses



I am not afraid (but a teensy little bit ashamed) to admit that I fit neatly into the last category. Of course I sometimes kick into gear, but mostly the laziness takes over and wrestles me down. I like to call it the path of least resistance... Having said that though, I also understand that if you want to be a lazy ass, you also give up your rights to complain when things are done by someone else. You need to pick your poison I think. 

Which is why it grates me so when I have to take care of something that is actually supposed to be someone else's job (am I talking about my dear colleague again? Perhaps...), and then that person has the audacity to point out everything that is wrong with the completed task. Bite me!

*Breathe in, breathe out*

Let's move on to more pleasant subjects though, shall we? Like food. Specifically Moroccan food. More specifically Moroccan mezze. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm you know you want some. This zucchini puree is about as easy as they come. Boil/steam your babymarrows, mash them up roughly with a fork and toss with a garlicy tomato sauce. Lovely as a dip or thickly scooped onto crusty bread. Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge (covered) for a few hours or even a few days. Low maintenance. Perfect for lazy asses.

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others and created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok. 

Zucchini Puree with Tomatoes

(Slada Bil Gharaa Wal Tamatem)

Adapted from Arabesque (Claudia Roden)

Serves 3 - 4 as part of a mezze selection

250g zucchini, cut into thickish slices

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tin whole peeled tomatoes (with juice)

salt & black pepper, to taste

fresh parsley or coriander to garnish (optional)

1. Steam the zucchini until tender. Remove from heat and roughly mash with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Gently combine tomatoes and zucchini and spoon into a serving bowl. Allow to cool down, then garnish with fresh herbs and serve with crusty bread and other mezze.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 36.8, Total fat 1.9 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.1 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 43.1 mg, Potassium 443.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 4.0 g, Dietary fiber 1.2 g, Sugars 0.8 g, Protein 2.5 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 52.4 %

Sweet Potato Salad with Green Olives (Slada Batata Hilwa)

What a week! What a month to be more specific. For most people, January is a month of loafing after the (preferably) long and lazy December holidays. But if you're an accountant at a company who decided (WHY??) to have a December year end, then January is going to be a rough month for you. Especially if you have auditors descending on you within 2 weeks of your return from holiday. Oy vey. But, *wipe sweat off my forehead*, luckily, it's all over now. Now I can breath again. And catch up with my google reader subscriptions (I confess, I'm a greedy greedy reader). And cook. And of course, blog!




This has got to be one of the best ways to eat sweet potatoes. The perfect balance between sweet, spicy and salty, I suspect even my mom (a self-confessed sweet-vegetable- hater) would be convinced after just one whiff of the delicious aroma. The flavours are very reminiscent of the same author's Orange, Olive & Red Onion Salad, which as you know, is a top contender for my favourite salad of all time. This comes a very close second. *Sigh* I think I should've been born in Morocco...

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others and created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok.

Sweet Potato Salad with Green Olives
(Slada Batata Hilwa) 

Adapted from Arabesque (Claudia Roden)

Serves 4 (as side-dish)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp olive oil

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cumin seeds, ground

1/2 tsp paprika

salt to taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 green olives, pitted and quartered

a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley

1. Gently saute onion in olive oil until soft and glassy. 

2. Add sweet potatoes and spices, stirfry for a few minutes, then add water, enough to just cover the sweet potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium low heat until potatoes are fully cooked and fragrant. 

3. Season to taste with salt, add lemon juice and stir olives through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve while still hot.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 110.9, Total fat 2.4 g, Saturated fat 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 38.3 mg, Potassium 456.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 20.7 g, Dietary fiber 3.8 g, Sugars 7.4 g, Protein 2.1 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 106.2 %, Manganese 25.0 %, Vitamin C 25.8 %, Vitamin B6 18.0 %

Zhooszhed up Tabbouleh

The perfect solution for when you want an effortlessly tasty meal, full of robust flavours and a hint of the exotic: Tabbouleh. But this is (to borrow Jeremy Mansfield's phrase) a zhooszhed up rendition of the classic. And I must say I quite like this version. Feel free to add some black olives as well - they would complement the flavours beautifully.


 

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), newly hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others (one of my favourite bloggers - go and visit if you haven't been yet!) and originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok. Watch this space for more Middle-Eastern treats for the month of February - this is one cuisine I cannot get enough of!

Zhooszhed up Tabbouleh

Adapted from Taste Magazine

Serves 4 (as main dish)
Would also be delicious as a side-dish (serving 6 - 8)

1 cup couscous 

salt & pepper, to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

2 plums, sliced

2/3 cucumber, pips scooped out & sliced

2 small spring onions, finely chopped

100g feta cheese

1/4 cup fresh mint, torn

1/4 cup fresh coriander, torn

1. Soak couscous in 2 cups of water for about 6 - 8 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff up with a fork, dressing with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season to taste with salt, being careful not to over salt.

2. Add chickpeas, plums, cucumber and spring onions to the couscous, stirring gently to combine. 

3. Crumble the feta cheese over, and add the herbs to the mix. Toss again, to ensure even distribution.

4. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and add salt & pepper to taste.

5. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

Nutritional info (per main dish serving): Calories 373.0, Total fat 13.1 g, Saturated fat 4.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 6.4 g, Cholesterol 22.3 mg, Sodium 466.8 mg, Potassium 338.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 52.0 g, Dietary fiber 5.5 g, Sugars 3.8 g, Protein 12.2 g

Good source of: Selenium 59.6 %, Manganese 26.8 %, Vitamin C 26.3 %, Vitamin B6 24.8 %, Folate 19.6 %

Moroccan Lentil & Spinach Soup

Recipe from Taste.com. I really like that site - they have some amazing recipes on there, you can search by different criteria and the ingredients are usually easy to find. OH! And they promote winter recipes in our winter, unlike the other (mostly American) sites out there who live on the opposite hemisphere and leave me wanting with all their fresh salads in our coldest months. Really, when it's drizzling outside and cold as all hell, the last thing I want is a crisp leafy salad. No offense to all the Americans of course. ;-) So settle in under your duvet and read on.

Serves 4 - 6

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbs garam masala
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups red split lentils (yellow split lentils can be substituted)
8 cups boiling water
1 vegetable stock cube (or use chicken stock if you like)
1 bunch spinach, ends trimmed, washed, finely shredded
salt & pepper to taste
1 - 2 tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
plain yoghurt, to drizzle over
sprig of fresh coriander (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Add the lentils, water and stock cube. Cover halfway with lid and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
3. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the spinach just wilts. Add lemon juice and season with salt & pepper to taste.
4. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with a drizzle of plain yoghurt and a coriander sprig.

Optional - stir a spoonful of lemon atchar/lemon pickles through just before serving.

Nutrional info (per serving): Calories 129.7 Total Fat 3.4 g Saturated Fat 0.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g Cholesterol 0.8 mg Sodium 158.2 mg Potassium 642.0 mg Total Carbohydrate 18.8 g Dietary Fiber 6.6 g Sugars 1.2 g Protein 8.1 g

Moroccan picnic

Some pics I discovered of the food I made for hubby & I for a Valentine's picnic (moved indoors because of the wind & our laziness) with a Moroccan theme.

The menu was as follows:

Roasted Red Pepper & Aubergine Chunks drizzled with Balsamic syrup, olive oil & copious amounts of fresh mint.
Fried Halloumi - Halloumi coated with spicy flour (salt & pepper, paprika & a tiny bit of chilli powder)
Garlicy-Lemony Chicken Wings - 'nuff said...
Homebaked Not-so-flat Bread - I used part whole-wheat flour which made it a bit heavier than intended. You live, you learn.
Dukkah - to dip the not-so-flat bread in
Olive oil/Balsamic - to dip the not-so-flat bread in
Minted Marinated Olives - using pretty much the same flavourings as for the red pepper & aubergine, just subbing plain balsamic for the balsamic syrup.

And of course lovely chilled sparkling wine.

Oh, and my lovely hubby!

Moorish Crunch Salad

Tried out one of Jamie Oliver's salads for Sunday lunch, with the fried halloumi he suggests as one of the variations. I can really recommend this - it's light, crunchy and very more-ish (pun not intended...). 

Didn't have raisins on hand, so substituted with grapes - a very good choice, it turned out. Also couldn't find any tahini, so replaced with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce. Because of this I also replaced the vinegar with a squirt of lemon juice as I felt it would be a better match. 

Moorish Crunch Salad

Serves 4

300g carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
150g radishes, thinly sliced
2 crunchy eating apples, quartered and sliced
1 small handful of raisins
1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 handful of fresh mint, chopped
4 tablespoons of sherry or red wine vinegar
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted in the oven

Toss together all the ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, until well mixed. Adjust the seasoning if necessary & serve with the sesame seeds sprinkled over. Serve immediately.

Variations:

a) Add pan-seared chicken, prawns or scallops which have been dusted with a little paprika
b) Fry some halloumi cheese until golden and add to the salad along with some chopped fresh chilli
c) Grill some pita bread and serve stuffed with the salad. Crumble in some feta cheese too.

Moorish Crunch Salad

Tried out one of Jamie Oliver's salads for Sunday lunch, with the fried halloumi he suggests as one of the variations. I can really recommend this - it's light, crunchy and very more-ish (pun not intended...). Didn't have raisins on hand, so substituted with grapes - a very good choice, it turned out. Also couldn't find any tahini, so replaced with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce. Because of this I also replaced the vinegar with a squirt of lemon juice as I felt it would be a better match.

Serves 4

300g carrots, peeled & cut into matchsticks
150g radishes, thinly sliced
2 crunchy eating apples, quartered & sliced
1 small handful of raisins
1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 handful of fresh mint, chopped
4 tablespoons of sherry or red wine vinegar
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted in the oven

Toss together all the ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, until well mixed. Adjust the seasoning if necessary & serve with the sesame seeds sprinkled over. Serve immediately.

Variations:

a) Add pan-seared chicken, prawns or scallops which have been dusted with a little
paprika
b) Fry some halloumi cheese until golden and add to the salad along with some chopped fresh chilli
c) Grill some pita bread & serve stuffed with the salad. Crumble in some feta cheese too.