Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 lamb shanks (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 cup dried yellow split peas (3 ounces)
• 4 dried red chiles
• 2 teaspoons baharat spice blend or garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 8 small pita breads, warmed and torn into large pieces

Preparation

In a bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of salt in 1 quart of water. Add the eggplant, cover with a small plate to keep the slices submerged and let soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, turning once, until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 10 minutes. Add 3 quarts of water, the pomegranate molasses, split peas, dried chiles, baharat and coriander and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, skimming and stirring a few times.

Drain the eggplant and pat dry. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 11/2 tablespoons of the oil. Add one third of the eggplant and cook over moderately high heat until browned, 3 minutes per side; transfer to paper towels to drain. Brown the remaining eggplant in the 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the eggplant to the lamb and simmer over low heat, stirring, until the lamb is tender, 45 minutes.

Transfer the lamb to a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the meat from the bones and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stew over high heat, skimming, until the liquid has reduced to 3 cups, about 40 minutes.

Return the lamb to the stew and season with salt and pepper. Divide the pita among 4 bowls. Ladle the stew on top and serve.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 ounces ancho chiles (about 4) stemmed and seeded
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 large garlic cloves, 1 clove mashed to a paste
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• One 3-pound lamb shoulder roast on the bone
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Freshly ground pepper
• Lettuce leaves and warm naan, for serving

Preparation

In a spice grinder, finely grind the caraway, coriander and cumin seeds. In a microwave-safe bowl, cover the ancho chiles with water and microwave at high power for 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer the softened chiles and 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the ground spices, paprika, lemon juice, the 2 whole garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt. Puree the harissa until smooth.

Set the lamb in a medium roasting pan and rub 1/2 cup of the harissa all over the meat; let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325°. Add 1/2 cup of water to the roasting pan and cover the pan loosely with foil. Roast the lamb for 2 1/2 hours, adding water to the pan a few times to prevent scorching. Remove the foil and roast for about 2 1/2 hours longer, until the lamb is very brown and tender; occasionally spoon the pan juices on top. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt with the cilantro, mashed garlic clove and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Using forks or tongs, pull the lamb off the bone in large chunks. Using your fingers, pull the meat into smaller shreds and serve with the yogurt sauce, lettuce leaves, naan and the remaining harissa.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

For salad:

• 2 small eggplants
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tomatoes, cut in large dice
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 cucumber, cut in large dice
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 c. parsley, minced
• spinach leaves
• yogurt for topping

For dressing:

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. tahini
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• salt to taste

Preparation

Peel eggplant and slice into 1/2" rounds. Place on baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together all ingredients for dressing.

Rinse and dry eggplant. On an oiled baking sheet, broil eggplant until it browns lightly on both sides. Avoid overcooking. Eggplant should be tender enough to cut with a fork. Cut the warm eggplant into bite-size pieces. Toss with dressing and let cool for several hours, unrefrigerated.

Just before serving, toss all the other vegetables gently with the eggplant and dressing. Serve over spinach leaves, with yogurt on top.

Ingredients

• 2 15 ounce cans cooked small fava beans
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic, mashed
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Pour the cooked fava beans with the liquid into heavy saucepan. Add the mashed garlic, the cumin, the salt and the pepper. Bring to a boil. Using a potato masher, mash the fava beans partially and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, the olive oil and half of the chopped vegetables. Stir, adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat. Spoon the foul moudamas into shallow serving dish and top with the rest of the chopped vegetables.

Sanaa Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (1 pound)
• Salt
• 3 ½ pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cloves
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 ½ cups long-grain rice, rinsed well and drained
• 1 small onion, cut into large wedges
• Vegetable or olive oil, as needed
• 3 to 5 medium carrots, 2-or-3-inch pieces
• 1 medium potato, 1/2-inch slices
• ½ medium-head cauliflower, in florets
• ¾ cup broken vermicelli noodles (see note)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon Goya Sazón seasoning (optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
• Chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.

To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.

Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don’t season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)

Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.

Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.

Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.

Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

New York Times

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1½ c. water
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1½ lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped coarse
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ c. chopped parsley
• red wine vinegar

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, baking soda, and green beans and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes and their juice, salt, and pepper.

2. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened and green beans can be easily cut with side of fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with vinegar to taste. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and serve warm or at room temperature.

CI

Ingredients

Chile sauce:

• 3 pasilla chiles, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil Kosher salt

Meatballs:

• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, 7 cloves chopped, 1 clove finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon rice flour or all-purpose flour
• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain sheep’s-milk or cow’s whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving)

Preparation

Chile sauce: Toast chiles, red pepper flakes, and cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and cumin seeds are golden, about 3 minutes.

Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind in spice mill, then transfer to a blender. Add vinegar, paprika, and garlic to blender and blend until smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in oil and blend until combined. Transfer to a large bowl; season with salt.

Meatballs and assembly: Pulse onion, chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, sage, fennel seeds, coriander, cumin, and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until finely chopped. Add egg, lamb, and flour and pulse until evenly combined. Form lamb mixture into 1 1/2" balls.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in 2 batches and adding another 1 tablespoon oil to skillet if needed, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towels to drain.

Transfer all meatballs to bowl with chile sauce and toss to coat. Toss cucumber in a medium bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Spoon yogurt into bowls. Evenly divide meatballs among bowls; top with dressed cucumber and mint and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Bon Appetit, April 2015

Ingredients

• 2 pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 1/2 ounces (1 1/4 cups) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/4 cups rice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Preparation

Toss onions and salt together in large bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, transfer to paper towel–lined baking sheet, and dry well. Heat onions and oil in Dutch oven over high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Reserve 3 tbsp. of the oil from cooking the onions. Drain onions in colander set in large bowl. Transfer onions to paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain.

Whisk the next four ingredients together in bowl. Refrigerate while preparing rice and lentils.

Bring lentils, 4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until lentils are tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain and set aside. While lentils cook, place rice in medium bowl and cover by 2 inches with hot tap water; let stand for 15 minutes.

Using your hands, gently swish rice grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Add cold tap water to rice and pour off water. Repeat adding and pouring off cold tap water 4 to 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer.

Heat reserved onion oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.

Off heat, remove lid, fold dish towel in half, and place over pot; replace lid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and lentils with fork and stir in cilantro and half of crispy onions. Transfer to serving platter, top with remaining crispy onions, and serve, passing yogurt sauce separately.

CI

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. ground allspice
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. powdered ginger
• 2 large green bell peppers
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced
• 1 small orange bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced
• 1/2 small eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1/4-1 tsp. salt, to taste
• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 c. chunky tomato sauce or puree
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2-1 c. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1/2 c. plain greek yogurt, optional
• fresh lemon wedges, optional

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the first seven ingredients and set aside. Remove the tops from the green peppers, slice in half, and remove seeds and ribs. Place in an 8x8 pan, bowl up.

In a large skillet, heat oil at medium heat. Add onion, cook 5 minutes. Add the diced bell peppers, cook until onion is golden and soft. Remove and cool. Sautee the eggplant over medium-high heat until brown but still holding its shape. Add a dash of salt and the spice mix. Cook 1 minute and add to onion/pepper mix.

Brown the lamb, breaking into small pieces. At the end, add garlic, stir, and remove from heat. Cool slightly. Drain any oil or juices and stir in tomato sauce and 1/2 tbsp. spice mix. Remove from heat and cool. Add oregano to the feta, and mix.

Divide the meat/tomato mix between the peppers. Layer with the mix of peppers, onions, and eggplant. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes until the green peppers soften. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, add the feta. Serve with yogurt and lemons if desired.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425. Combine all ingredients. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until crisp (when they start to pop).

Penzey’s Spices