Middle Eastern chicken salad

I have no idea if this is actually Middle Eastern, but with the yogurt, mint, cumin and parsley... sure tasted like it to me!

2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pot plain yogurt
1 small tart apple, chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 small handful chopped mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Let marinate 2-3 hours before serving.

You can serve it with crackers, as sandwich wraps in tortillas, in pita bread pockets, etc....

Fancy-schmancy pigs in a blanket

2 bratwurst sausages, cooked
2-3 cups good sauerkraut
1 prepared pastry crust
Dijon mustard

Using a pizza cutter, slice the pastry crust into 8 triangles, each about the size of a small slice of pizza.

Cut the brats in half lengthwise and then again in the center to make 8 little brat-lets.

Place one brat-let on the thick end of each pastry triangle. Dot with Dijon, then put a scoop of sauerkraut (not too wet, so drain a second or two if needed) on top. Roll the brat-let and sauerkraut up in the dough, pinching the end to secure it, then place on a backing sheet.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is browned.

Jambon-beurre - the French answer to PBJ

The jambon-beurre (translated ham-butter) is the quintessential French sandwich. You know the American peanut butter and jelly? Think much more popular. According to 2009 statistics, for every hamburger consumed in France, eight jambon-beurres are eaten with contented smiles. (Okay, maybe I added that last bit.) Every day in France, 2.2 million of these forearm-length sandwiches are sold.

It's simple, elegant and delicious.

1/2 baguette (crusty French loaf)
butter
sliced ham, good quality

Voilà. If you want to go fancy, add a sprinkling of fresh thyme, sea salt and thinly sliced cornichons. Personally, I say don't mess with a good thing.

Lavash tostadas

This was the result of an attempt to clean out the fridge. I used lavash Armenian flatbread instead of tortillas - and we actually liked it better! (You can buy lavash at Bahadourian in Lyon.)

lavash bread, heated in a cast iron skillet until soft and browned
chicken breasts, sautéed and cut into bite-sized pieces
yellow squash, sautéed and cut into bite-sized pieces
refried beans (kidney beans, puréed and mixed with taco seasoning and a bit of lemon)
shredded Gouda or Colby Cheese
avocado, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
onions, chopped
crème fraîche or sour cream
cilantro, snipped
lime wedges

Baked squash spring rolls

This was idea number 2 in the series 'How to use spring roll leftover wrappers'. Definitely a keeper. So good, and quick to make for lunch, appetizers or a snack. The filling is very versatile and you could play around with it according to what you have on hand. Shredded vegetables, herb for flavor, something creamy like the cheese and crème fraîche, and a little bit of bacon, ham or sausage for flavor.

2 small yellow squash, grated
2 small zucchini, grated
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp lardons (cubes of bacon)
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 round goat cheese, crumbled
3-4 Tbsp cup crème fraîche (sour cream)
8-10 basil leaves, snipped

Frozen spring roll wrappers (egg-based, not rice), thawed

Cook the lardons with the onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the lardon have shrunk and the fat has cooked out, add the shredded zucchini. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in crumbled goat cheese, crème fraîche and basil. This is your filling. It should hold together and not be runny. If it is, drain off the liquid.

Separate one spring roll wrapper from the stack. Scoop just under 1/4 cup of the filling onto one of the corners. Roll as shown in the video. Place on a baking stone or baking sheet, being sure the end is ucked underneath. Repeat until filling is used up.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 15 minutes. The edges will brown lightly and the wrappers will become crispy. Serve hot... maybe with Dijon mustard.

Vietnamese nems (with video!)

The beauty of nems, other than their deliciousness, is that they are so versatile. You can use many combinations in the filling. We made vegetarian nems using chickpeas, lentils and tofu. (I hear mung beans are good too.) But you can also use ground pork, chicken or shrimp, add in corn, peas or tarrow root, and even season them with curry. Have fun!

Ingredients:
60-80 spring roll wrappers (egg based)
1/4 bag of vermicelli (glass) noodles
4 zucchini, shredded
4-6 carrots, shredded
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cups cooked, cooled lentils
1 lg can chickpeas, drained
1 package firm tofu, crumbled
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
salt
pepper

Serve with nem sauce, mint leaves and/or green onions, and lettuce leaves for wrapping.




Dry vermicelli noodles

Soak the dried vermicelli noodles in cold water until soft, about 15 minutes. (You can break them if too large for your bowl.)



While the vermicelli soaks, you can grate the carrots and zucchini and whop the onion, placing them in a very, very large bowl, or dividing equally among several large bowls.


Soaked vermicelli

Drain the noodles.



Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles into pieces about 4 inches long.



Using your hands, mix the noodles with the grated vegetables.



Firm organic tofu



Crumble the tofu, then mix in well. Don't be afraid to get elbow-deep!



Stir in cooked lentils, drained chickpeas, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, mixing well. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. When seasoning is good, add one egg (serves as a binder) and mix well. Fun, right? :)



These spring roll wrapper are MUCH easier to use than the rice based papers that have to be soaked individually. Plus, I think these have a much better taste and texture.



A lovely video of our expert showing us how to roll them. Once rolled, stack them on a plate. (Don't worry - they don't stick like the rice paper ones.)



Fry in batches, being careful not to crowd them in the pan. We fried ours on medium-high and it took about 10 minutes per batch. If you use meat, you need to be very careful to fry them long enough to cook through.

Place cooked nems on a plate lined with paper towels and serve hot.

If you want to freeze them, allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Use wax paper to separate them and place in a freezer bag. To reheat, place frozen nems on a baking sheet and place in the oven as it preheats to 350°. Once oven is hot, cook 5-10 minutes until crispy.

Chickpea falafel with cucumber yogurt sauce

I need to come clean up front and say that I'd never had falafel before making these, so had no idea what I was aiming to copy. I've since had falafel at an amazing Lebanese restaurant and would say that mine were close, but the shape was flatter, the consistency was smoother and more moist (less hush-puppy-ish), and the taste was more flavorful than those at the restaurant. Both were very good, but I think I'll stick with this version!

Falafel
1 large can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2-4 cloves garlic, crushed (or 1/2 tsp dried garlic)
2-4 Tbsp tahini (opt)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup flour

Purée all ingredients with stick blender/blender/food processor. Shape into balls and flatten slightly with palms.

Pour just enough oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan. Heat to med-high and cook falafel 'patties', flipping once browned. This method is much healthier than the traditional deep fried version, but the taste is still wonderful because of the garlic, lemon juice and tahini.

Serve falafel hot with:
bunch of parsley, rinsed and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
lemon slices
bunch of mint leaves
lettuce leaves
pita bread or Turkish bread

Taziki sauce
1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped finely
1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Roasted chicken & guacamole sandwich

1/2 round loaf of Turkish bread, sliced to form a pocket
roasted chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 avocado
1/2 tsp lemon juice
seasoned salt
sliced tomatoes

Mash the avocado with a fork and mix in lemon juice and a dash of seasoned salt. Spread inside the bread pocket, then add chicken and tomato.

Toasted turkacadomato sandwich

It started off as an attempt to recreate my favorite Club sandwich from Newscafé in Dakar, but moved off course over to 'let's use this yummy stuff in the fridge'. From there, it quickly made its way into my heart.

toasted sandwich bread
roasted turkey, pulled from the bone
sliced tomatoes
sliced avocado
sliced hard-boiled eggs
lettuce
mayo
mustard (I used Amora brand mild Dijon with warm spices)

Fresh spring rolls

1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1/4 head cabbage, grated finely
1/4 cup fresh herbs (basil, mint, and cilantro are great!)
5-6 green onions, chopped
1-2 cup glass Vermicelli noodles (cooked, drained, cut and cooled)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
pinch ground ginger

1 head leaf lettuce, washed
Spring roll rice papers (galettes de riz)





Toss together all ingredients together (except lettuce and wrappers) in large bowl. Submerge wrappers in hot water until pliable, about 15 seconds. Place about 2 tablespoons of vegetable mix on wrapper and roll them like a burrito.

Place on lettuce leaves to serve (and keep from sticking!). Serve with a dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce recipes

Chawarmas de Rodaïna

The other day I was craving the Lebanese chawarmas I grew up eating in West Africa. I got this recipe below from a childhood friend. this is as authentic as it gets! I've translated her recipe, and at the end of the post is the version I adapted from hers based on ingredients I had on hand.

Pour 1kg de viande de boeuf émincé:
2 tomates émincées
2 oignons émincés
1 filet de vinaigre de vin
1 filet d'huile végétale
2 cuil à café de 7 épices
du sel

Bien faire mariner la viande avec tous ces ingrédientspendant 1h avant de l'enfourner pendant 1/2 heure.

For 2.2 lbs of chopped beef:
2 chopped tomatoes
2 chopped onions
splash of red wine vinegar
splash vegetable oil
1 tsp 7 spice mix
salt

Marinate meat with the ingredients above for 1 hour before baking in the oven for 30 minutes.



Pour la sauce (le tarator):
2 cuil à soupe de Tahiné à diluer dans le jus d'1 gros citron et 1 grand verre d'eau
du sel
un peu de persil haché

For the sauce, called tarator:
2 tsp tahini diluted in the juice of a large lemon and 1 cup water. Salt to taste. Chopped parsley.


Adapted recipe



For the meat:
1 turkey leg, roasted and meat pulled off the bone
1 tsp spice mix (cloves, cinnamon, thym, black pepper and ginger)
1 tomato, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toss turkey with oil, vinegar and spices. Spread out on a baking sheet and layer onions and tomatoes on top. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.


Crushing spices

Toppings:
1 tomato, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
sliced cucumber (opt)
dill pickle (opt)
mint leaves (opt)



Tarator sauce:
1 Tbsp tahini
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Blend well.

Serve with fresh pita bread. Place turkey down the center, then add toppingss and tarator. Roll up like a burrito and go to town!

Willie Rae's fish tacos

My favorite item on the menu at Willie Rae's!

Oil for frying
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 cup water
1 pound fresh tilapia (or other white fish), cut into 8 strips
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/6 head green cabbage, shaved or very finely sliced
1 chopped tomato
Lime wedges
Chopped fresh cilantro
Cilantro jalapeño tartar sauce

Pour 1/2 inch oil in a fryer or pan and heat to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika and cayenne. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and water. Dip the tilapia pieces in the egg wash, and then roll in the cornmeal. Fry about three minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through, and then drain on paper towels.



To assemble the tacos, warm the tortillas in a dry pan or directly over the flame of a gas stove; do not let burn. In the center of each tortilla, place a dollop of the tartar sauce (about 2 teaspoons) and about 1/4 cup shaved cabbage. Top with two pieces of fried fish. Garnish with a spoonful of tomatoes, a squirt of lime juice and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.

Honeyed PB and and bananas

4 slices sandwich bread (we used buckwheat and flaxseed bread)
1-2 bananas
natural peanut butter
honey

Spread peanut butter on each piece of bread. Top with sliced bananas. Drizzle honey on top. Smush together to make a sandwich. Should probably grab a napkin.

Borders family pita sandwiches

1-2 sliced smoked or Italian sausages
1 medium carrot, cut into thin rounds
1 large zucchini, cut into thin rounds
1-2 sliced red bell peppers
1 sliced onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
¼ c Italian dressing
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
Goat cheese (or feta)
Pita bread

Heat a non-stick skillet to med-high. Cook sausage and carrot slices in Italian dressing for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining veggies and sauté until tender crisp. Sprinkle on vinegar or lemon juice. Serve in pita bread pockets with goat cheese.

Sun-dried tomato and feta foccacia

Last weekend on our regular pizza night I made up a recipe and half of the dough and saved the extra for this foccacia for lunch the next day. After rising, punch out the air and wrap in two layers of plastic wrap then refrigerate. One hour before baking, remove from fridge and place in a well-oiled bowl to come to room temperature.

4-5 sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp crumbled feta
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
3-4 sprigs fresh thym, or 1/4 tsp dried
olive oil
1/2 recipe pizza crust

Make crust as directed, omitting wheat bran, through first rise. Punch down and place on aluminum foil rubbed down with olive oil - don't be stingy! Pushing gently with fingertips, push the dough out into a rough circle or oval. The thickeness is up to you, but I find some variation makes a nice texture in the end. Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. Let the dough rise another 30 minutes as the oven heats to 400°. Top dough with tomatoes, feta, garlic and thym. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just golden.

Red pepper sloppy joes

1/2 pound ground beef
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 to one cup tomato purée
salt and pepper to taste
2 toasted buns

Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain off fat. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for five minutes. Add tomato purée and stir. Reduce heat to simmer and cook five minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over toasted buns.

Tomato bruschetta

1-2 tomatoes
1 onion
fresh basil leaves
olive oil
mozzarella
loaf of baguette (crusty French bread), sliced



Chop the tomatoes and onion and toss with drizzle of olive oil and snipped basil in a bowl.

Place the bread slices on a baking stone or cookie sheet and broil until just golden. Flip them over and top with a small slice of mozzarella and a big scoop of tomato mixture. Toast again for about two minutes. Buon appetito!

Tuna salad

I think tuna salad gets a bad rap. Sure, it can be mushy and flavorless. But it doesn't have to be. This recipe is very flexible and can be easily adapted to your tastes and preferences.

1 can tuna, packed in water, drained
2 hardboiled eggs, cooled and chopped
1/2 Granny Smith apple, chopped
2 Tbsp red or purple onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
-- OR, if you live in France: finely chopped cornichons + 1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp yellow mustard
1-2 Tbsp sweet pickle / cornichons juice
pinch of cinnamon (I know it's odd, but very good)

Optional add ins: chopped celery, chopped carrot, chopped cucumber...

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve on crackers, dry-toasted sandwich bread or wrapped in a pita. For extra crunch, layer thin slices of Granny Smith apple on the sandwich.

NOTE: I also use this same basic recipe for egg salad. Just substitute 3 more hard boiled eggs for the can of tuna.

Lentil curry wraps

The base for this recipe came from the Extending the Table cookbook recipes for Dahl (India) and Curried Split Peas (Kenya). My original plan was to make two curries: chicken curry for dinner and lentil curry for lunches. But I decided to simplify things and make a double batch of lentil and chicken curry. It was gone in two days.

We ate it wrapped in pita bread and I put a little crème fraiche on mine. It could also be served over rice. Next time I think I’ll leave out the chicken. Too time consuming, especially when it’s just as good without it. Oh, and I would top it with some chopped tart apples. Yum.

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp curry
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsp cinnamon
4-5 cloves
1 cup lentils and/or 1 cup diced, cooked chicken
1 Granny Smith apple (opt)
Crème fraiche or sour cream (opt)

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft. Add spices and stir to coat. Cook until fragrant, just a minute or so. Pour in the lentils. Add enough water to cover. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until lentils are soft, about 20 to 40 minutes depending on your lentils. Stir occasionally, adding water if needed. Taste and add salt or more curry if needed.

Serve either over rice or wrapped in pita bread (Lebanese flat bread). Top with crème fraiche and freshly chopped apple.

Sauerkraut and sausage stuffed bread

Soft yeast bread braided around sauerkraut, slice sausage and spicy Dijon mustard


Step 1:

Make 1/2 batch Morning sunrise bread or other white bread dough. Let rise once, then punch down. Let dough rest ten minutes.

Roll dough out on lightly floured surface into a long rectangle. Cut strips one inch wide along both sides, leaving about 5 inches in the center. Spread Dijon mustard down the center. Place a layer of sliced smoked sausage on mustard, then top with 2-3cups sauerkraut.



Gently pull the dough strips in, each one overlapping the last to make a 'braid'. If the dough isn't sticking well, brush it with water to help hold in place.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until browned. Slice, and serve!