Misir Wot (Ethiopian Lentil Stew)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 2 qts. lightly salted water
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 2 Tbs. berbere spice (see additional ingredients)
• 1/4 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 tsp onion salt
• Additional water as needed

Berbere spice:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp onion salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp each, ground: cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, fenugreek, and tumeric

How to Prepare:
1) Cook lentils in boiling water for 35 to 40 minutes, until soft and tender

 

2) Meanwhile, cook shallots in a dry pan until soft and light brown, stirring frequently to prevent burning

 

3) Add garlic and continue stirring. Add 1/4 cup water, berbere spice and olive oil.

4) Drain and mash lentils and add to shallot mixture, then stir in onion salt. Simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may need to add more water to keep a consistency similar to oatmeal. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Moroccan Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried European soldier beans, sorted and rinsed
• 6 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups richly flavored vegetable stock
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup uncooked couscous
• 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 slices red onion, finely diced
• 8 large bell peppers of your color choice, whole

Helpful hints: If you can't find European soldier beans, try mail-ordering them from The Bean Bag in Oakland, California () or Dean and Deluca in New York City ().

Substitute small white beans, such as cannellini or navy beans, for the European soldier beans.

For a super-quick supper, use canned beans.
How to Prepare:
1) For the stuffing, place beans in a large saucepan. Pour boiling water over the beans, cover with lid and allow to soak for 1 hr. (Or soak beans overnight in water.)

2) Drain beans, rinse well, then add fresh water to cover by 1". Simmer until tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes. Drain liquid.

3) In a small saucepan, heat vegetable stock with 1 teaspoon oil until simmering. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cook and allow to stand for 5 minutes, until broth is absorbed.

4) In a large bowl, whisk together remaining oil, vinegar, cumin, black pepper, lemon zest and garlic. Add diced green and red peppers and onion. Stir in cooled couscous and drained beans, and toss lightly. Set aside.

5) Slice tops off peppers, scoop out insides, and place on platter. Stuff each pepper with bean mixture and serve.

Lamb Stew with Eggplant Sauce

Ingredients:
For the Stew:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 pounds boned leg or neck fillet of lamb
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
• salt and black pepper

For the Eggplant Sauce:

• 3 pounds eggplants
• 3/4 sticks (6 tablespoons) butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• salt
• good pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (guyere or a mature chedder)

How to Prepare:
For the stew, fry the onion in the oil until soft. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, add them to the pan, and cook, turning to brown lightly all over. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover with water and simmer, with the lid on, for 1 hour, until the meat is very tender, adding water if it becomes dry, but letting the sauce reduce at the end.

For the eggplant sauce, prick the eggplants with a pointed knife to prevent them from bursting in the oven. Place them on a large piece of foil on a baking sheet and roast them in a hot oven preheated to 475 F for about 45-55 minutes, or until they feel very soft when you press them and the skins are wrinkled. When cool enough to handle, peel and drop them into a strainer or colander with small holes. Press out as much of the water and juices as possible. Still in the colander, chop the flesh with a pointed knife, then mash it into a puree with a fork or wooden spoon, letting the juices escape through the holes.

Make a bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir over low heat for about 2 minutes, until it is well blended. Take the pan off the heat and add the milk gradually, beating vigorously all the time to avoid lumps forming. Add salt and nutmeg, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Off the heat, mix the eggplant puree into the bechamel sauce, then return to the heat, beating vigorously until it is well blended. Add the grated cheese and stir until it has melted. Add a little salt if necessary.

Serve the stew meat in a wide shallow dish with the eggplant sauce in a circle around it.

Lemon Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup lemon snap cookie crumbs (or graham cracker)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tbsp
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

How to Prepare:
1) Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, grind up enough lemon snap (or graham cracker) cookies to get 1/3 cup of crumbs. Pour melted butter in and mix until well mixed. Spoon a tightly packed tablespoon in each cup of a well greased/buttered mini muffin tray.

2) In the food processor, combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, sugar, half of the lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour into each muffin cup.

3) Place muffin tray in a large baking dish (I use a 9x13 pyrex dish). Fill the larger dish with water so that it reaches halfway up the muffin tray.

4) Bake for 25 minutes, then remove and place tin on wire racks to cool for 30 minutes. Then place in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes. Combine the remaining lemon zest with sugar (I use about 2 tbsp) to garnish each bite with. Use a knife along the edges to get the cheesecake bits out, and enjoy!

Coconut Curried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 or 4 breasts), cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp canned tomato paste
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

How to Prepare:
In a 2-quart microwave-safe dish, stir the chicken with the oil until good and greasy. Stir in the curry powder, garlic, onion, ginger, and cayenne. Nuke for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until the spices are fragrant and the chicken is almost cooked through.

Spread the chicken to the sides of the dish and mix the coconut milk and tomato paste in the middle. Mix thoroughly into the chicken and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Nuke for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring a few times, until the sauce thickens and the flavors are blended. Stir in the salt and serve.

Sante Fe Turkey Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 lb turkey breast tenderloins, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 10-oz cans enchilada sauce (any combination of mild or hot)
• 20 oz-can hominy, well rinsed- and drained
• 4 oz-jar chopped mild green chilies, drained
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 3 sliced scallions
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried cumin

How to Prepare:
In a 2-quarter microwave-safe bowl, stir the turkey and bell pepper with the oil until good and greasy. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Nuke for 4-6 minutes, stirring once, until the turkey is almost white in the middle. Mix the rest of the ingredients. With the dish uncovered, nuke for 25-30 minutes (stirrin ga few times), until the sauce is bubbly and slightly thickened.

Extra credit: Serve with tortilla chips.

Where to find the fixin's: Since hominy consists of dried corn kernels without the hull and germ, most supermarkets- logically- stock it in the same aisle with the other canned veggies. The canned kernels come packed in a thick liquid that you can rinse off.

Kefta Ghan’ Mi Bel’ (Lamb Kefta)

Meatballs:

• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) minced (ground) lamb
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 x 425g (15 oz) cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons harissa*
• 4 tablespoons fresh coriander (coriander) leaves

How to Prepare:
1) Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Lightly grease two baking trays. Place the lamb, onion, garlic, herbs, and spices in a bowl and mix together well. Season to taste. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place them on the prepared trays. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until browned.

2) Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika, and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.

3) Stir in the tomato and harissa, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Stir in the coriander, season well and serve.

4) I served this dish atop a bed of garlic and olive oil flavored couscous, but it could also be served with flat bread as a side dish.

*Harissa is a hot chili paste that is commonly found in North African cooking, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisine. It is added to couscous, soups, pastas and other recipes. It can also be purchased in Middle Eastern stores in a can.

For a very spicy harissa: use a blend of cayenne, chile de arbol, or cayenne with a milder chile like ancho chilies.

For a medium spiciness: use a blend of New Mexico chilies with guajillo chilies.

Harissa ingredients:

• 10-12 dried red chili peppers
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:
Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds.

In a food processor combine chili peppers, garlic, salt and olive oil. Blend.

Add remaining spices and blend to form a smooth paste.

Store in airtight container. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top to keep fresh. Will keep for a month in the refrigerator.

What I did for Harissa was use a chili garlic sauce I used in Chinese cooking and threw in some cumin, paprika, cardamom, and coriander. I think I only added 2 tablespoons, but this is a flavor-to-taste sort of situation.

Moussaka

Ingredients:

• 30ml/2 tbsp olive oil
• 30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 675g/1.5lb lean lamb, minced (ground)
• 1 large aubergine (eggplant) sliced
• 2 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes
• 45ml/3 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
• 1 lamb stock cube, crumbled
• 2 floury main crop potatoes, halved
• 115g/4oz/1 cup chedder cheese, grated
• 150ml/.25 pint/ 2/3 cup single (light) cream
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Fresh bread, to serve

How to Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a large deep-sided frying pan. Fry the oregano and onions over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the onions have softened.

2. Stir in the lamb and cook for 10 minutes until browned. Meanwhile, grill the aubergine slices for 5 minutes until browned, turning once.

3. Stir the tomatoes and puree into the mince mixture, and crumble the stock cube over it, stir well, season with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for a further 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 5-10 minutes until just tender. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, cut into thin slices.

5. Layer the aubergine, mince and potatos in a 1.75 litre/3 pint/7.5 cup oval ovenproof dish, finishing with a layer of potatoes.

6. Mix the cheese and cream together in a bowl and pour over the top of the other ingredients in the dish. Cook for 45-50 minutes until bubbling and golden on the top. Serve straight from the dish, while hot, with plenty of fresh, crusty bread.

Tips: I added a whole bunch of garlic to this, and put in about 4 oz of crumbled feta between the layers. I also couldn't find a lamb stock cube, so I replaced it with vegetable stock cubes instead.