Faceromance

Cracked Wheat and Parsley Salad (Tabooley, Tabuleh)

3/4 cup bulgur (cracked wheat)
1 1/2 cups minced parsley
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions (with tops)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint leaves or
2 teaspoons crushed dried mint leaves
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cover bulgur with cold water; let stand 30 minutes; Drain; press
out as much water as possible.
Place bulgur, parsley, tomatoes,
scallions and mint in nonreactive bowl.
Mix remaining ingredients;
pour over bulgur mixture.
Toss.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1
hour.
Garnish with ripe olives if desired.

Yields 6 servings.

NOTE: If you desire a softer texture, cover bulgur with boiling
water; let stand 1 hour.

Mulhammar (Sweet Rice)

This recipe uses fragrant exotic Basmati rice.

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3 cardamom pods, cracked
2 tablespoons rose water
2 cups Basmati rice
6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup ghee (butter may be substituted)

In a small bowl put saffron, rose water and the cardamom.

Sort rice and wash until the water runs clear.

In a large heavy pan boil the 6 cups of water.

Stir in the salt and the rice.
Return water to a boil, stirring
occasionally.
Boil uncovered for 8 minutes.
Drain.
Pour sugar onto
the hot rice and mix well.

Melt the ghee in the same pan in which the rice was cooked.
Add
the rice with sugar.
Sprinkle the rose water and spices on top of
the rice.
Using the end of a wooden spoon, make 3 small holes in
the rice.

Cover the pan with a paper towel and place lid tightly on
top.

Cook over low heat about 20 minutes, until done.

Yields 6 servings.

Nammoura (Arabian)

A traditional sweet treat that everyone enjoys, especially
kids.

14 ounces Cream of Wheat
1/4 pound butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 whole raw shelled almonds
3 cups cold Atter (syrup)

Mix well all ingredients except almonds.
Pour into a 13 x 9-inch
pan.
Top with almonds (1 per serving, on center).
Bake at 350
degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes until golden.
Pour atter syrup over
namoura immediately.

Yields 1 tray.

NOTE: It is important to keep namoura covered to prevent
dryness.

Turkish Roasted Eggplant Salad (Baba Ganouj)

A little olive oil (for the baking sheet)
1 medium eggplant (7 inches)
2 to 4 medium cloves garlic (to taste), minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sesame paste (tahini)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
A little more olive oil and some freshly
Minced parsley (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (or for more authentic taste,
roast directly over hot coals, wrapped in foil).
Lightly oil a
baking sheet or foil.

Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and place face down on
the foil or baking sheet.
Bake or roast for about 30 minutes, until
very tender.
Remove from cooking source and allow to cool until it
is comfortable to handle.
Scoop out the eggplant pulp, and discard
the skin.
Place the pulp in a bowl or food processor or blender.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt.
Purée or
mash until almost smooth.
Transfer to serving dish, cover tightly,
and chill.

Drizzle the top with olive oil and fresh parsley before serving.
Serve with pita or flat bread or endive for dipping.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or side dish.

Seneyat Macarona bel-Laban (Spaghetti with Yogurt)

Source: Saudi Arabia Magazine (an official publication of
the Information Office of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia),
Summer 1997

3 cups spaghetti (break into 2-inch lengths)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons corn oil
3 onions, finely grated
3/4 pound minced meat
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 cups yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt to taste
1/2 bundle fresh parsley

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
Strain.
Hard-boil the eggs, then peel and slice into rings.
Heat the oil
and the onions, minced meat, cumin and black pepper with a little
water.
Cook over medium heat.
Put spaghetti in a saucepan.
Add
butter and stir over heat for five minutes.
Put spaghetti in a
baking dish.
After mixing yogurt with garlic and salt, pour over
the spaghetti.
Cover this with minced meat, egg rings and parsley.
Put dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for five minutes.

Serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6 persons.

Sharaab al Ward (Red Rosewater Cordial)

Often served cold to guests when tea or coffee are not
desired.

3 drops red food coloring
4 cups atter syrup
Iced water

Add food coloring to atter syrup; mix well.
Cover airtight and
store in refrigerator.

To serve, dilute 2 tablespoons of syrup in a glass of iced
water.
The best way to drink it is to serve this as a cold cordial
drink.

Yields 4 cups.

Spicy Moroccan Cigars

Source: Lior (Israel)

This is very famous.
We have it in Israel, too, but it’s a
Morrocan original!

Version 1

1/2 pound butter, cut into bits and clarified
14 sheets phyllo pastry, each about 14 inches long
and 12 inches wide, thoroughly defrosted if
frozen

Preheat the oven to Mark 6: 400 degrees F.
Grease 2 baking
sheets with 1 ounce of the butter, using a pastry brush.

Assemble each “cigar” in the following way: Brush one sheet of
phyllo evenly with 3/4 teaspoon of the butter.
Fold the sheet in
half crosswise to make a two-layered rectangle about 12 inches long
and 7 inches wide.
Brush the top with about 1/2 teaspoon of the
butter.
Make a 1-inch-wide fold on the closed side of the pastry
and brush the fold lightly with butter.
Sprinkle a teaspoon or so
of the mixture in an even row along its length, and roll the phyllo
into a tight cylinder, about 1 inch in diameter.

Assemble the remaining sheets of phyllo in the same way.
Gently
transfer the rolls to the baking sheet, and brush the tops lightly
with the rest of the butter.
Bake in the top part of the oven for
about 20 minutes, until the rolls are crisp and a delicate golden
brown.
Then slide them carefully onto a large serving dish.

To serve, cut the rolls into 2-inch lengths and arrange them
attractively on a serving plate.

Version 2 - cigar plus filling

1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
15 ounces ground beef/lamb
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley
5 eggs
1 pound filo pastry
6 ounces melted butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

To make filling: Cook onion in the olive oil until soft.
Add
beef or lamb, crushing it with a fork.
Add seasonings and spices.
Cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until meat is
well cooked and lump-free.
Add parsley

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and pour over the meat.
Cook for
1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until egg mixture sets to creamy
consistency.
Add more spices and seasonings, if desired.
Allow the
filling to cool.
Cut each sheet of filo pastry into three
equal-size rectangles.
Place one on top of the other and cover with
a damp dish towel.

Brush one of the rectangles lightly with melted butter.
Place a
teaspoon of filling along one of the short edges.
Tuck the edge and
ends of pastry around the filling, and roll into a cigar shape.
Repeat with other rectangles.
Place cigars side by side on a
greased baking sheet.
Brush with melted butter and bake for 25 to
30 minutes until the cigars are golden.

Roast Pepper Peach Salad

Serves 4.

This is a dish from traditional Turkish cuisine, which
frequently combines fruit with meat or vegetables.
With local
peppers and peaches both now on-stream, it’s a perfect, cooling
dish for late summer.

2 sweet green peppers
2 sweet red peppers
3 ripe peaches
3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (25 mL) olive oil
2 teaspoons (10 mL) good Balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 small lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) granulated sugar
Generous pinch mild paprika
Generous pinch hot cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons (25 mL) chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon (5 mL) chopped fresh dill

Char the peppers all over on a stove burner or barbecue.
Seal
them in a paper bag for 20 minutes, then slip off the skins, drain
the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into strips.

You can skin the peaches, if desired, or leave them as is.
Remove the pits and slice the peaches.
Add them to the peppers,
then dress with the remaining ingredients.

Toss gently, then cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the
flavors combine.
Let the salad warm for 15 minutes at room
temperature, and serve.

Bulgur Pilaf with Tomatoes (Burghul bi Banadoura)

1 large onion, chopped
5 tablespoons vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups coarse-ground bulgur, washed in cold
water and drained
1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 cups water

Fry onion in 2 tablespoons of oil until golden.
Add bulgur and
stir well.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, allspice and
water.
Stir and cook, covered, over very low heat for 15 minutes,
adding a little water if too dry, or letting it evaporate uncovered
if too wet.
Leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes, or until grain
is plump and tender, then stir in remaining oil.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Variation: Fry 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes, in
shallow oil until lightly browned all over and soft inside.
Drain
on paper towels and fold gently into the bulgur.

Moroccan Tomato Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and pureed or
1 (28 ounce) can pureed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cups water
1/4 cup minced fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dill weed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fromage blanc or low-fat yogurt

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and sauté
the onion and salt over medium heat until the onion is translucent,
about 5 minutes.

Add the honey and cinnamon.
Sauté, stirring, until
the onion is glazed, about 4 minutes.

Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, water and 3 tablespoons
of the dill.
Stir well to blend.
Bring to a rapid boil and cook,
uncovered, until the contents are reduced by half, about 30
minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the soup from heat and add the balsamic vinegar.
Puree
the mixture in a blender or food processor (you may have to do this
in batches).
Return the soup to the kettle and reheat gently.
Ladle
the soup into individual soup bowls and top with the Fromage Blanc
or yogurt.

Serves 4.