Category: Sides
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Hummus – Chickpea dip
Hummus or chickpea dip has become widely available at supermarkets here in the United States. You’ll find different variations of hummus, such as hummus with roasted red peppers, toasted pin nuts, garlic or even cumin added to the spread. But here is the “real deal.” The classic traditional hummus is one with nothing but chickpeas,…
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Prawns or Shrimp Cocktail
Prawns or shrimp cocktail is probably the most popular appetizer you’ll find on a restaurant menu, at a banquet buffet, or any get-together. I prefer to use prawns because they are more flavorful and tender than their counterpart. It’s easy to make and much tastier than buying them fully cooked from the grocery store. One…
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Fried Calamari
Fried Calamari a menu item we look for when we go out to dinner. Cooking calamari is not difficult or complicated. The secret to a successful calamari is to buy frozen squid. Often, restaurants use the frozen kind even when they tell you it’s fresh. Why? because when you fry the fresh kind, it will be…
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Salad Russe | Olivier
Salad Russe, also known as Salad Olivier is perfect for holiday buffets. Carrots, peas, potatoes and corn are combined in a creamy mustard vinaigrette dressing. This salad is the absolute condiment to go along with your favorite roast. For extra tangy flavor, finely diced pickles may also be added. It’s very often garnished with sliced…
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Stuffed Cabbage Dolmas
Stuffed cabbage dolmas, also called cabbage sarmas are a personal favorite. The cabbage combined with the ground beef, garlic, tomatoes and rice renders an incredible flavor. As they cook slowly in the tomato garlic mint sauce, the leaves become extremely soft and delicate. Although they haven’t gained the same notoriety as stuffed grape leaves, these dolmas…
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Pelted Wheat with Yogurt and Dried Mint
Pelted wheat is widely used in Mediterranean cooking, both in savory dishes and desserts. The reason why it’s called “pelted” wheat is because the bran layer is removed and the grain is polished. This type of wheat cooks much faster than unpelted wheat. Mixing the wheat with the yogurt and the dried mint makes it very…
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Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh, a traditional Lebanese salad is in my opinion, is the salad of all salads. This salad has only recently gained popularity here in the United States. I found that most of the tabbouleh recipes that are posted online are “hybrids” with added ingredients. Here is the traditional way of making this delicious healthy salad.…
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Northern Beans in Tomato Sauce
Northern beans are very popular in Mediterranean cooking especially in salads and stews. They are relatively small in size and have a delicate flavor. The nutritional benefits of these beans are endless. They are low in fat, high in fiber, cholesterol free and contain protein which makes them an excellent alternative to eating red meat.…
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Jasmine Rice with Vermicelli
Aromatic Jasmine rice is a family favorite. I cook this rice often and serve it with meat, chicken fish or any vegetable dish. Although Jasmine rice is becoming more common in the United States and in Mediterranean cuisine, it is a native Thai rice, that’s slightly shorter than the long grain yet it does have…
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Baked Cheese “Beurek”
This is an amazing recipe! Once you make it, you and your family will love it. You might find it difficult to make at first if you aren’t used to making dough or pastry. But after a few attempts, you’ll get the hang of it. I get raving reviews about it whenever I make it.…