Monthly Archives: January 2011

Stuffed greens with lamb chops

This dish would be considered an event in a Lebanese household. Served with a bowl of yogurt and some lamb chops it is a meal fit for royalty or your most favorite people. One word about the greens. In Lebanese cuisine, swiss chard is always used interchangeably with grape leaves; the reason is that grape [...]
42 Comments

Egyptian Ful Mudammas (with poached eggs)

With this national  Egyptian dish, ful mudammas, I am expressing my solidarity with the long-suffering people of Egypt and wishing them courage and fortitude. Ful (pronounced fool) is Egypt‘s food of the common folk, prepared by street vendors who cook it in huge cauldrons overnight until it becomes meltingly tender. Foul is the Arabic word [...]
48 Comments

Lamb chops on polenta

I don’t know about you, but my tastes are fairly straightforward when it comes to food. Take these lamb chops, grill or pan-fry them and serve them with any starch (polenta today) and there you go. What do you think? Should we fancy things up a bit? So, the only thing needed here is good [...]
26 Comments

Beet mousse

A French chef, Tiphaine Campet, created a beet mousse in a verrine. I got inspired (plus I love beets) and came up with my own version. Hers uses a cheese that would not be available here and some garlic granules and chives. She dressed her mousse with beet leaves unadorned. The result is light, with [...]
45 Comments

Kafta with sun-dried tomatoes in pita

…Or how to feed  hungry folks  on a budget; this mezze (appetizer) is ideal  since one pound of meat will feed six people easily. The meat paste cooks  in five minutes, so bake them as soon as  your guests arrive. However, you can prepare the kafta paste earlier that day and coat the pitas with [...]
30 Comments