Welcome to Lafafa catering’s new website where you can savour some of the delicious Middle Eastern food we can prepare for your weddings, parties and other events.

We can provide a wide range of contemporary Middle Eastern dishes and cater for many of your dietary requirements.

Get in touch with us on 01736 366515 to discuss your event or send us an email.

Happy 2013 to all our customers and followers. Go to our facebook page to find the recipes for these delicious dips.Middle Eastern food is becoming ever more popular in the UK with popular TV programmes like Ottolenghi’s Mediterranean Feast.Why not let Lafafa catering spice up your weddings, parties and other events with their contemporary take on Middle Eastern food.

Middle Eastern restaurants dot the Bay Area dining scene, like parsley sprinkled over a plate of hummus. A recent discovery, Albany’s Zaki Kabob House, intrigued me for two reasons: the menu, featuring Palestinian dishes not commonly found at other shawarma-falafel spots, and the compelling story of Zaki’s determined owners, the Ayyad family.

Sitting on the patio of their modest green building on San Pablo Avenue, I spoke with Fayza, Kameem, Ramzy and Layla about their journey to opening Zaki (which means ‘delicious’ in Arabic) and some of their Palestinian specialties. (Palestinian cuisine includes foods prepared and eaten by Palestinians, whether living in the Palestinian Diaspora, West Bank and Gaza, Israel, Jordan, or refugee camps. It traces Persian, Turkish and Greek influences and shares features of other Levantine cuisines, such as Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian.)

Fayza, the matriarch and recipe developer, recently returned from an annual trip to her native Jerusalem for inspiration. A gracious hostess, every time I inquired about an unfamiliar dish on the menu, she made sure I got a taste, adding, “Hospitality is part of our culture.”

As I munched on spheeha (also spelled sfiha) a mini-pizza with moist turmeric-scented dough topped by lamb, tomato and tahini (veggie version features spinach), Fayza’s husband, Kameem told me that after moving to California 30 years ago, his first job was in a cardboard-tube factory, making $3.50 an hour.

Later he owned a liquor store, but Fayza admits she was always uncomfortable with that, since Islam prohibits alcohol — and it is not served in their restaurant. When Kameem owned and ran the Halal Meat Market in Berkeley, Fayza worked as a butcher, carving up goats and sides of beef. Then medical problems and the economic downturn hit the family hard. They lost everything. “But,” said Kameem, “ you can’t give up. There is always opportunity. When one door closes another opens.”

The door leading into their dream restaurant did not swing open without a lot of faith and hard work. This spot on the Berkeley-Albany border was a KFC when the family first noticed it, which was then replaced by a string of other eateries that all went belly up. The jinxed spot has been variously, a donut shop, Chinese, Korean and African restaurants.

The day in 2008 that Naiem found a tiny “For Sale” note taped on the door, the abandoned property was dark, damp, littered, and an impromptu, open-air dorm for homeless people. “The place was in such bad shape,” Kameem recounted, “that everyone told me I was a fool to buy it.” But the challenge appealed to Kameem and he and his family toiled everyday for 8 months to clean and remodel it. “We filled dumpsters the size of elephants with trash,” he recalled.

Neighbors first tried to discourage them, saying that given the spot’s history, they would be too afraid to frequent the new cafe. But as the Ayyads installed patterned tile walls that reminded them of home, and made the space cozy and inviting, local residents started rooting for them.

One day when it looked like the remodeling was complete, the neighbors couldn’t wait any longer and lined up at the front door for lunch, even before there was an official opening. Fayza wasn’t quite ready yet and just made them salad, chicken and pot after pot of rice, since she had no idea how much people were going to eat. Slowly, she started adding dishes to the menu, familiar Middle Eastern fare, like hummus, falafel and shawarma, but with Fayza’s special spin. Their standout dish has always been the organic, rotisserie chicken, marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar and rubbed with Fayza’s secret blend of spices.

All this talk of chicken made me hungry and I asked about maklouba, one of the daily specials. “This is a Jordanian-Palestinian dish that we eat at home every Friday. It literally means upside-down,” Fayza said as she invited me into the kitchen where she and daughter Layla, who serves as kitchen manager and cook, took a huge pan layered with chicken, vegetables and rice out of the oven and gently turned it over onto a giant platter to offer me a bite of the warm mélange.

Fayza, who had a Moroccan father and Palestinian mother, explains that this dish is usually eaten with the hands. Since I just wrote a post about eating with the hands, in which I got a lesson in Moroccan right-handed dining, I felt prepared. But Fayza says that common practice in her culture is to wash the hands, but leave them wet (perhaps because this avoids any worry about unclean towels?)

The maklouba, like the spheeha and other nightly specials I tasted in the next few days are homey, hearty, unfussy, satisfying dishes. Besides familiar salads of cucumbers and tomatoes (with feta, tahini, or red onions) dressed in olive oil and lemon, a few salad items were new to me: mudamus, creamy poached fava beans with stewed tomatoes, which Layla informed me is a breakfast staple.

And mashweeya, a grilled vegetable salad that Layla explained is usually a summer dish, enjoyed by the family standing around the hot grill. The plate of smoky eggplant, tomatoes and garlic with olive oil was so flavorful, that I tasted a hint of summer, even on a rainy March evening.

The nightly specials are a big draw at Zaki, even with the ninety-five percent non-Middle Eastern clientele. Son and business manager, Ramzy, says,

“Many of our customers are well-traveled people who have tasted these foods on trips. We also get fourth or fifth generation Lebanese, for example, or someone who remembers the way their Persian grandma made lentils.”

Lamb is a key ingredient in dishes traditionally served on special occasions and at Zaki, the lamb is so tender it falls apart if you but glance at it. In fasoulia, the Tuesday night special, it is cooked with green beans stewed with garlic and tomato sauce.

In mensaf, the Saturday night special–that always sells out–the lamb comes in a bowl of creamy sauce of yogurt, sautéed onions and lemon juice that one pours over a dome of Jasmine rice and yogurt-soaked bread.

As she brought me a plate of her zesty, spiced falafel to try, Fayza confided that the headscarf she wears seems to attract cultural projections. When she attended Contra Costa College 20 years ago, she was the only student with such a head covering.

“They called me Mother Teresa,” she recalled. “And they wanted me to change my name to Liza, and my husband to change his to Dan. Can you imagine us, ‘Liza and Dan?’ But no way, I’m not changing. I stay true to myself,” she said as she graciously poured me another cup of mint tea.

Zaki Kabob House
Address: Map
1101 San Pablo Avenue (at Dartmouth St.) Albany, 94706
Phone: (510) 527-5452
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11-3, 5-9 Friday & Saturday, 11-3, 5-10 (Saturday night live music)
Twitter: @ZakiKabobHouse
Facebook: Zaki Delectable Mediterranean Cuisine

A version of this post first appeared on KQED’s Bay Area Bites

The crystal clear water was about 50 feet deep and as I swam around I could look down on a dazzling display of sea life, including thousands of colorful fish and swaying sea plants. Then I saw the sharks.

There were three of them and they were about the same length as me. I watched as they swam along the bottom minding their own business. I wasn’t afraid of being attacked. Instead, I was fascinated by how menacing they looked and how incredible it was to be actually swimming among sharks.

Then it struck me: On some days the shark eats you. On other days, you eat the shark.

I was reminded of that experience when I saw shark meat on sale at the one of the local produce marts I visit regularly. It was extremely affordable — $3.99/lb — so I snapped it up.

I have cooked shark before and I remembered that it was a firm-fleshed fish, sort of like tuna but not as flavorful. When I brought it home, I decided to use it in shark kabobs.

Shark meat should not be eaten too frequently because it can have high levels of mercury. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends not eating shark meat more than twice per month, and pregnant women should avoid it altogether.

The meat is quite tasteless and dry, so you probably will want to marinate shark meat before cooking it. You can use a commercial salad dressing or make your own marinade, but you definitely will want to add flavor and moisture to shark.

Shark Kabobs

1 lb shark meat

1 bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into large peices

4 button mushrooms

Fresh pineapple, cut into large chunks

Red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 tomatoes, cored and halved

1/2 leek, cleaned and cut into large chunks

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

For the marinade

1/2 cup pineapple juice (or orange juice)

2 TBS Extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1. Combine pineapple juice, EVOO and garlic in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Don’t use a metal mixing bowl or acid could react with the metal and affect the way the meat tastes. Cut shark into large chunks and mix around in the mariade. Cover with plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove from marinade.

2. Submerge wooden shish kabob spears in water about 10 minutes prior to assembling your shish kabobs. This will help prevent them from burning up on the grill.

3. Assemble your shark kabobs in any order that you like. I always make sure each kabob is exactly the same because when I worked in restaurants customers would complain if somebody else’s kabob had more of one particular item than their kabob. As you assemble the kabobs, lay them out in a baking pan and brush them with the marinade.

4. Preheat grill. When hot, scrape down the grill with a metal brush to remove any debris, then lubricate the grill using a clean rag dipped in oil. Spray the kabobs with pan spray then season them with salt and pepper. Place the kabobs on the grill for about a minute just to mark them, then careful flip over to mark the other side. Remove kabobs to a cooler part of the grill not directly over the heat, brush them again with marinade and let them cook through, about 7 minutes.

I served my shark kabobs on a bed of brown rice and garnished them with fresh cilantro.

Have you ever tried shark meat? What did you think? Share your story in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

By Tom Mueller

Mueller in his book bravely exposes the corruption and greed behind this commodity. He describes how producers take rotten olives, or worse, soybean or hazelnut oil and add chlorophyll or beta carotene to make the oil green—or how they deodorize (or heat at mild temps) the oil to erase any bad smells or flavors. He exposes how the mafia or big producers try to control the many aspects of oil production in Italy–even when whistleblowers expose them and win in court. He demonstrates how even our own FDA cannot monitor whether the oil you buy in the United States is truly organic or not. Our tastes have been eroded by the glut of mediocre olive oils, where consumers have been guided to value a mild smoothness of flavor versus the robust, rich, fruity and peppery taste of good quality oil. I had the privilege of meeting Mueller at his book signing at Purcell Murray in California.  He made the excellent point that olives are a fruit, and just like we value the quality of fresh fruit juice, the same applies to olive oil. Not only that, I learned that good olive oil is very difficult and expensive to produce. When asked how the average consumer can spot a good quality oil, he said to pay attention to the harvest date on the label. He also said it was a good sign when the label defines when the olives were harvested, and where the oil was produced, not just bottled or packed. Another good omen is approval of the COOC, otherwise known as the California Olive Oil Commission. Olive oils with this certification have passed chemical and taste tests set for California and have passed as 100% real extra virgin olive oil. Most of all, follow your own senses and take the time to smell and taste the oil. If you take your olive oil seriously, if you want to spend your money on real evoo and not the counterfeit imitations, and if you want to support the true producers who put their sweat, passion, and tears into making this liquid gold—educate yourself with this olive oil buying bible: http://www.extravirginity.com/extra-virginity/

Tasted six excellent varietals of extra virgin olive oil

After the discussion with the author, we began the olive oil tasting, which truly was a sensory awakening experience. From the six cups placed before us of olive oils from Australia, Spain, Italy, California, and the West Bank in Palestine, we were instructed to swirl, sniff, sip, and smell from each cup. We cleansed our palates in between with green apple wedges and water. This made me realize how in our busy American culture, we never really take the time to smell our food. Even in ordering takeout we omit the olfactory experience of filling our kitchens with cooking aromas prior to eating. I know it sounds gross to drink straight oil, but the point was to coat the tongue and gurgle just slightly to get the full flavor.

Instantly transported to my grandmother's kitchen in Bethlehem

I was dumbfounded by the smells of the olive oils: in one, I smelled the combo of tomatoes and grass, in another, artichoke and mint. I particularly enjoyed the one from Italy called Crudo, which had a buttery flavor and a peppery finish. Then lastly I tried the Daskara olive oil from the West Bank, featuring Nabali olives—and the oil not only talked to me, but sang music to me as well. Instantly I was transported to my childhood, where I spent summers in Bethlehem with my grandmother. We would dip her fresh baked pita bread in olive oil just like this, followed by the nutty and fragrant za’atar spice. I almost cried from the memory. Is this what olive oil was supposed to do?  How could a condiment bring out all of these emotions? I had brought along my mother, and as she tried the West bank oil she began to  excitedly dip every piece of bread she had on her plate until she finished it all.

Savoring every last drop

She recounted how her mother in Palestine would make her drink ¼ cup of the elixir every morning to make her bones stronger. She recalled how they would rub olive oil on their skin to cure everything from swollen glands to stomach pain. No surprise that in Mueller’s book he mentioned olive oil was first domesticated thousands of years ago in Ekron, Palestine. Now I understood Mueller’s book completely. I understood why the cast of colorful people in his book felt so strongly about preserving the art of making true olive oil–from the passionate De Carlo family in Puglia Italy to the scientific Andreas Martz in Germany. I understand now why Mueller took the time to paint a picture of the landscapes for the readers mind, and how the environment affects the flavor of the olives on the ancient trees. After the tasting we were treated to a satisfying lunch featuring recipes from London based Lebanese chef Anissa Helou. Her latest books, “Mediterranean Street Food,” and “Savory Baking from the Mediterranean” feature authentic, fun, and accessible recipes from the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. While many renowned chefs seem to neglect the delicate nuances of olive oil in their cuisine, Helou embraces the olive oil differences and structured her cuisine around the strengths of each bottle. In the delectable plates set before us, olive oil was not just a condiment, but the star of the show.

Feta Cheese Salad, Turkish Meat Borek,Carrots and Lentils with Greek Yogurt, Smoked Wheat Risotto (Frikeh)

The robust and rustic Daskara olive oil was a perfect compliment to her zesty feta salad. The nutty and buttery nuances of the California Olive Ranch olive oil brought out the sweetness of the meat wrapped with rich crispy puff pastry in the Turkish meat boreks. A simple carrot and lentil salad tasted like a rich dessert when paired with the Bozzano oil from Stockton–which to me had a sweet tomato smell. You can learn more about Helou, her story, books and recipes at : http://anissahelou.com/  The ultimate test though was when I got home. I reached for the cold pressed, organic, extra virgin olive oil I bought from the supermarket a week ago and poured some in a glass. I sniffed it, and it smelled like nothing. No grass, no tomato, no straw, no artichoke…..nothing. I tasted it, and it actually tasted a bit rancid. No peppery or floral notes–just an acrid amalgam of indiscernible flavors. What the heck have I been cooking with this whole time? Thankfully now I know better. To make your olive oil shopping journey a bit easier, here is a list of the excellent oils that we tried at the tasting. Do a taste comparison yourself and come back and share your findings!

Bozzano Olive Ranch,Stockton,California

CaliforniaOlive Ranch,Oroville,California

Daskara Palastina Prima, West Bank,Palestine

Crudo, Puglia,Italy

Cobram, Victoria,Australia

Corto Olive Oil, Stockton,California

Marchesi De Frescibaldi Laudemio,Tuscany,Italy

Marques de Valdueza, Extremadura,Spain

The Olive Press, Sonoma,California

Hummus is also highly adaptable in that you can give it any flavor you want. In past blogs, I’ve written about plain hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, Kalamata olive hummus, and roasted garlic hummus.

This time, I decided to try a hummus made with roasted tomatillas, poblano chiles and jalapenos; a hummus made with chipotle salsa; and a hummus made with carmelized onions.

I started with a big batch of plain hummus, triple the amount I normally make. Then, I removed the hummus from the food processor, cleaned it out, added back one third of the hummus, then added one of the three flavorings. Then I repeated the whole process twice more with the remaining two flavorings.

The result was a trio of delicious hummus that can be enjoyed right away, or kept in the refrigerator and sampled for up to three or four days with some delightful whole wheat pita. We ate ours with some shish-ka-bobs and couscous the first night, but there was plenty left over for lunches and snacks.

Hummus usually is served with flatbread, such as pita, or with fresh vegetables like celery or carrot sticks, or green or red pepper slices. It’s 100 percent natural and is high in iron and Vitamin C.

I always use my food processer to make hummus because it’s super easy, but you also can make it in a blender. Or, if you are adventurous, people have been mashing it by hand for thousands of years.

Basic Hummus

1 can chickpeas, drained (save the can)

¼ cup tahini

1-2 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

3 TBS EVOO

1 tsp honey

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne or a couple drops of hot sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Use the can from the chickpeas to pour a little tap water into the mixture as it blends until the hummus has the consistency of cream of wheat.

2. Transfer to an airtight container and let rest in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld. The hummus will also thicken a little during this time. Serve the pita whole and let your guests tear it up with their hands (fun!) or cut it  into wedges for a nice presentation.

Triple this recipe if you are super ambitious and want to try all three!

Roasted Tomatilla, Poblano Chiles and Jalapeno Hummus – Peel the papery wrapper off 6 to 8 tomatillas and rinse off the sticky residue. Chop them in half and throw them in a mixing bowl. Cut two poblanos and two jalapenos in half and remove the seeds, ribs and stems and discard, then throw the peppers in the bowl. Drizzle about 2 TBS EVOO into the bowl, toss so everything is coated evenly, then pour out onto a baking pan and roast at 375F for about 45-50 minutes so they get a nice char, stirring once during cooking. Allow to cool completely. This can even be done the day before. Add to the hummus recipe listed above and puree completely.

Chipotle Hummus — Add about 4 oz of chipotle salsa to of the hummus mixture and puree completely. Or you can use canned chipotles, which are smoked jalapenos, but be aware that these are quite hot and spicy.

Carmelized Onion Hummus — Put your cast iron pan on the fire. When hot, add 2 TBS of EVOO. When smoking, add 1 medium white onion, julienned. Toss to cook evenly, then cook until brown, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. At the very end, stir in 1/2 cup water and cover, and the onions will get super brown and sweet.

The roasted tomatilla hummus turned out quite spicy – I must have left too many jalapeno seeds in it — but it was still tasty with the smoky flavor of the charred tomatillos and peppers. The chipotle was not all that spicy, but also had a great smoky flavor. The carmelized onion was very sweet, so you might want to cut back or eliminate the honey if you are not into super sweet hummus.

Happily, I was wrong. This was probably the best vegetarian dish I’ve made since I began participating in Meat Free Mondays last summer. Quite simply, it was amazing!

The success of this dish can be attributed to two of its ingredients: Kalamata olives and Feta cheese.

Kalamatas are my favorite olives. I buy them from this little Greek grocery store I like. It’s not close, but I’m willing to make the trip just to buy the olives. They marinate them in a little EVOO and some Greek herbs, so the flavor is just explosive.

Kalamatas usually come with pits in them, so be aware of that when you’re eating them. But, man, are they delicious! They have so much more flavor than your everyday black or green olives, which to me mostly taste like salt.

Feta cheese is a crumbly, white, slightly salty cheese made of goat’s milk, but it tastes nothing like goat cheese. You can buy either domestic or imported, but the imported is about double the price.

I know this is a budget cooking blog, but if you can afford it, the imported is 1000% better than the domestic. The feta cheese I buy is imported from Bulgaria, but you can often find it imported from Greece. While domestic Feta’s flavor is mild, the imported is so flavorful, creamy and delicious that it can be eaten by itself, but it is most commonly found sprinkled on salads.

Mediterranean Bulgur and Lentils

1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat or cracked wheat

1/2 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

2 14-oz cans vegetable broth

1 15.5-oz can Italian-style tomatoes with olive oil and herbs

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted, rough chop

1 cup crumbed imported Feta cheese

1 or 2 whole wheat pitas

1. In crock pot, mix all ingredients except tomatoes, olives and cheese.

2. Cover and cook on low 3 to 4 hours or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally because most of the liquid will be absorbed.

3. About 30 minutes before service, turn crock pot to warm setting (or just turn it off if yours doesn’t have a warm setting), and stir in tomatoes and olives. To serve, pile in center of bowl and garnish with Feta. Serve with whole wheat pita on the side.

Have you every been pleasantly surprised by a recipe you weren’t sure about? If so, share your experience in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

No, not Nyquil. I’m talking, of course, about Matzo Ball Soup.

Matzo Ball Soup

I first discovered this miracle cure back in the late 1980s, when a single bowl of this magical stew at Mort’s Deli under the L tracks on Wabash Avenue in the Loop almost immediately cleared up lingering cold symptoms I had been battling for a couple of days.

From that moment on, I was a believer.

Sadly, Mort’s has not survived. The spot is currently occupied by a Popeye’s Chicken. Some people call it progress!

(A quick side story: One Sunday morning back in the late ’80s, I was walking into the building where I worked as a news reporter when I heard gunshots coming from the parking garage that also housed Mort’s. Intrepid cub reporter that I was, I ran to the scene and called my city desk from a pay phone. Then I saw that the actor Robert DeNiro was firing a gun at a bunch of policemen. Holy smokes, I told my editor, this is a huge story! It was only then that I noticed the movie cameras and lights. They happened to be filming “Midnight Run” that morning. So much for my scoop!)

Some people claim the curative powers reside in the matzo ball itself, with its pinch of schmaltz, or chicken fat, and the seltzer water that gives this dumpling its lightness. Others argue that the rich vitamin and nutrient content of the chicken stock is responsible. I think it’s a perfect combination of both.

Chicken Stock

Which is not to say you have to be sick to enjoy Matzo Ball Soup. It’s light, delicate flavor is delicious anytime.

Making Matzo Ball Soup doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, whenever I make chicken stock I will freeze it for whatever cooking needs I have. It’s way cheaper than buying canned chicken broth. Making the matzo balls is simple and they also can be frozen.

Combine the two and it’s like chanting a magic spell. You will be healed. Also, sated with a delicious and inexpensive soup.

So this cold and flu season, don’t get caught off guard. Prep your chicken stock while you still feel well, and keep a lookout for a cannister of matzo meal at your local grocer. A lot of places will stock it only this time of year.

And if you see Robert DeNiro in a shootout with police, don’t call it in to your city desk. Unless you want to be made fun of. A lot. Forever.

Matzo Balls

Matzo Ball Soup

For the Chicken Broth

3-4 chicken backs, or 3 lb necks backs and wings

3 celery stalks, rough chop

3 carrots, rough chop

2 parsnips, rough chop

2 white or yellow onions, quartered

1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally

1-2 bay leafs

TBS whole black pepper corns

TBS sea salt

About 1-1/2 gallon water

Place chicken in stock pot and cover with about 4″ water. Bring to boil. Add remaining ingredients, being careful not to splash yourself with boiling water. Return to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook 3-4 hours, uncovered, occasionally skimming the scum off the top.

Remove chicken and vegetables by pouring through a colander and cheesecloth (or a clean dish towel) into another large pot. Cool completely and skim fat before refrigerating or freezing.

For the Matzo Balls

1/2 cup matzo meal

2 beaten eggs

2 TBS schmaltz (rendered chicken fat, or you can use vegetable oil)

TBS sea salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

2 TBS seltzer water (or chicken stock)

Mix ingredients together in bowl until moist. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and refigerate 30 minutes to make dough more workable.

Fill large pot with water and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer.

Wet your hands under the faucet to make it easier to handle the dough. Form 1″ balls in the palm of your hand and roll into ball shape. Drop them one at a time into the simmering water. Cover the pot tightly and cook for about 35 minutes. The balls will expand to more than double their size as they cook. Remove and cool.

Assembling the Soup

Heat a little chicken stock in a sauce pan. Drop in 2-3 matzoh balls and cook about 5 minutes until heated through. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with a little chopped parsley or dill, if you have some lying around.

Feel better.

What other comfort foods do you crave when you are feeling under the weather? Share your ideas in the comments section below. And thanks for reading my blog!

Whether it’s at the the grocery store or the Farmer’s Market, I’m always seduced by their dark, beautiful purple skin, their plump waistline and that sassy little hat they wear. My first impulse is always the same: “Buy it!”

You sexy thing!

Then there’s white eggplants. Even baby eggplants. Aww, so cute!

But when you get them home, then what? A lot of people, most I would argue, believe they don’t like eggplant. But that’s only because they don’t know what to do with one.

You can make ratatouille out of them. But no matter how you make it, French people will always say it’s not authentic. Am I right?!

How about eggplant parmesan? It’s made the same way as chicken parmesan or veal parmesan. That’s delicious, right? Bread just about anything with parmesan cheese, fry it, then cover it in tomato sauce and mozzarella and it’s going to taste great. Baseball cap parmesan would probably sell.

But that doesn’t capture the essence of the eggplant. What should eggplant taste like?

The answer may surprise you: Baba Ghanoush.

Baba Ghanoush (ba-buh guh-NOOSH) is a Middle Eastern appetizer made much the same way as hummus, except with roasted eggplant rather than chickpeas. Usually it is served chilled with pita bread or a Middle Eastern flatbread known as lavash.

Baba Ghanoush

It’s most often associated with Lebanese cuisine, but variations also can be found in Turkey, Greece, Egypt, even Pakistan. In Israel, it is sometimes made with mayonnaise.

“Baba” means “father” in Arabic. “Ghanoush” probably means eggplant, but I’m not 100 percent sure on that.

Baba Ghanoush, an excellent vegetarian dish, has a slightly sweet, smoky flavor. Eggplant itself has a neutral, mild flavor, so most of the flavorings come from the roasting and the other ingredients.

In my experience, most people are initially intimidated by Baba Ghanoush because it has a funny name and is too “weird”. Middle Eastern food? Eggplants? No, thanks!

But once they taste it, they will fall in love with the subtle, smooth flavor of Baba Ghanoush.

It’s also a very economical dish because eggplants — which are also known as aubergines and are native to India – are available and inexpensive almost year round. You get a lot for your money because they are nearly 100 percent edible and have a large amount of “meat”. You usually only need one, regardless of what you are making with it.

So bring something exotic to your next gathering. All we are saying is give Baba Ghanoush a chance!

Baba Ghanoush

1 large eggplant

TBS EVOO

1 clove garlic

2 TBS Tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425F. Rub eggplant with EVOO, place on sheet pan, prick with fork a couple of times and roast until fully softened, about 25 minutes.

When cool, cut in half, scoop pulp into food processer and add tahini, lemon, garlic, parsley, and remaining EVOO. Pulse untl smooth. Season with S&P to taste.

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes so flavors can meld. Mound into bowl, drizzle with a little additional EVO and garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with pita bread cut into triangles or squares of lavash.

Do you have a recipe that initially intimidates people, but eventually wins them over? Share your ideas in the comments section below. And thanks for looking at my blog!

Meanwhile, in America, you open a box, pour it into boiling water and cover and it’s ready five minutes later. What a country!

Couscous – which is part grain, part pasta – has been food staple for more than a
thousand years. It  is most commonly associated with the Middle East, but in fact is also widely used throughout Africa, Europe and Asia.

Couscous with Shish Kabob

The coucous most commonly available in the United States is pre-steamed then dehydrated, just like instant rice. It can be served hot as the starch portion of a dish, or cold as a salad.

Israeli couscous, which has much larger pearls, is actually more of a pasta like the
Italian orzo.

Around where I live, you typically see a brand called Near East couscous, which comes plain or a variety of flavors. Each box comes with an envelope of powdered flavoring
agents, which I always throw away.

I’ve also bought it in larger packages, usually in Arabic groceries. A word of advice: transfer it immediately to  an airtight plastic container with a lid. The tiny pellets tend to get everywhere.

Couscous has a much different taste and texture than pasta or rice. It is obviously smaller, but to me the flavor is more velvety and nuttier. If I’m serving it hot, I toss it in a little butter then season it with salt and pepper. It is great for a vegetarian entrée, or it pairs well with just about any meat or seafood. I think it has a little more versatility than rice or pasta.

Try substituting couscous where you would use rice or pasta. It can transform an ordinary midweek meal into something more exotic. It’s also relatively inexpensive. I paid $2.64 for a 10 oz box of couscous – which makes enough for at least four people as an accompaniment. But you can find it for less in an Arabic grocery.

I almost always use it as a base for Shish-Ka-Bob because of the cultural thematic unity. In Libya, it is commonly served with braised camel: I’d like to try that!

Add some diced steamed or sautéed vegetables, such as onion, carrot, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, or even broccoli or cauliflower. Pitted and chopped kalamata olives also work nicely.

Here’s a recipe for an easy  couscous salad I like to make. It will stay fresh refrigerated for several days and is great for an on-the-go lunch. Like most grain salads, it tastes even better the second day after the flavors have had time to meld together.

Couscous Salad

1-1/2 cups water or chicken stock

1 cup couscous

2 TBS EVOO

2-3 leaves fresh basil, chopped

6-7 Marinated Kalamata Olives, pitted and rough chop

½ red onion, small dice

½ carrot, small dice

½ red pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 small tomato, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced

½ cup flatleaf Italian or curly parsley, chopped

Salt and Cracked Black Pepper to taste

Couscous Salad

Bring water or chicken stock to a boil, then stir in couscous and cover. Wait five minutes then fluff with fork. Fold in EVOO, onion, carrot, red pepper, tomato, jalapeno and parsley. Season with S&P to taste. Garnish with sliced basil.

What more exotic grains do you use to spice up a meal? Share your ideas in the comments section.

Almost everyone who has tried it loves hummus. It’s yummy, it’s fun because you eat it with your hands, and although it’s slightly exotic, it is also eminently approachable. It doesn’t taste at all weird. What I love about it is that it’s super easy to make, and you can add any flavors you want. You can even change out some of the key ingredients and it’s still amazing.

Hummus usually is served with flatbread, such as pita, or with fresh vegetables like celery or carrot sticks, or green or red pepper slices. It’s 100 percent natural and is high in iron and Vitamin C. It will stay fresh in your refrigerator for at least a couple of days. If the liquid starts to separate, just  give it a stir.

Bring it to a party and your friends will be amazed. Serve it at your family’s table, perhaps with grilled shish-kabobs and couscous, and they will be impressed how multi-cultural you are.

It’s easiest if you have a food processer, but you can make it in a blender, or people have been mashing it by hand for thousands of years. I prefer the food processer, though.

The main ingredients of hummus are available almost anywhere. Chick peas, also known as garbanzo beans, can be bought fresh, dried, canned or frozen. For me, canned is easiest and cheap. With a little searching, I can usually find them for $.75/can or less.

Tahini, or a beige-colored paste made out of ground sesame seeds, is available in a surprising number of mainstream chain grocery stores. A 12 oz jar – enough for several batches of hummus – is usually about $4.00, and will keep in your refrigerator for months. It tends to settle, however, so be prepared to stir it up if you haven’t used it in awhile.

Garlic, EVOO, honey and lemon, of course, are cheap and available year round anywhere. I’m going to give you the standard recipe, then some amazing variations. For bonus points, serve three or four different kinds of hummus at the same time.

Getting ready to make hummus

Basic Hummus

1 can chickpeas, drained (save the can)

¼ cup tahini

1-2 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

3 TBS EVOO

1 tsp honey

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne or a couple drops of hot sauce

Complicated? Not. Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Use the can from the chickpeas to pour a little tap water into the mixture as it blends (preserving any residual flavor) to thin the hummus out to a smooth consistency, about that of like cream of wheat.

That’s it. Transfer to an airtight container and let rest in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld. The hummus will also thicken a little during this time. Serve the pita whole and let your guests tear it up with their hands, or cut it  into wedges for a nice presentation.

For an extra visual pop, you can serve with a lemon wedge dipped in paprika (Hey, color!). I’ve also seen the hummus piped onto the plate to form a ring, forming a little pool in the middle, which is then filled with EVOO for dipping.

Okay, here are some cool variations:

Charring a red pepper

Roasted Garlic Hummus – For a sweet, succulent hummus, use the same recipe as above, except substitute one head of roasted garlic for the raw garlic. For roasted head of garlic, cut off the top of a whole head of garlic, drizzle with EVOO, place inside foil and roast for about 35 minutes at 350F. Or alternately, peel all the cloves from a head of garlic and cook in a saucepan in a shallow pool of EVOO over a low flame for about 15 minutes or until light brown, stirring once or twice. This will fill your kitchen with sweet, nutty aroma. Also you can save the cooled leftover EVOO and use it as a garlic-infused oil in future recipes. Bonus points for also using it in the hummus.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus – For a brilliant-hued, nuanced variation, add a few slices of roasted red pepper to the recipe above. Jars of roasted red pepper are available in most chain supermarkets, and certainly in ethnic markets or produce stores. They are handy to have around and will keep in your refrigerator for several weeks. Or, if you are really ambitious, roast your own red peppers by placing fresh red bell peppers directly onto the flames of burners of your stove, turning them frequently until all sides are charred black. Then put into a small mixing bowl and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Allow them to cool, about 25 minutes, then use a paring knife to gently scrape off the charred skin, ribs and the seeds under cold running water.

Kalamata Olive Hummus – Add a handful of pitted, marinated kalamata olives to the recipe above for a great tasting variation. You will need to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe since kalamatas already are pretty salty. Don’t forget to take out the pits, very important. I buy marinated kalamatas at a local ethnic deli, and they are pretty inexpensive and delicious in salads or even to eat on their own.

This is one of those dishes where you can really make it pop with the plating. Try making the basic recipe, then divide it into thirds, then make 1/3 of the Roasted Red Pepper, and 1/3 of the Kalamata variations. Serve all three side-by-side in little bowls with any kind of garnish (a couple whole kalamatas work well), surrounded by the pita wedges
pointy-side up. Sprinkle a little paprika and green chopped parsley or cilantro over it and you got yourself a standing ovation at your next get-together.

I’ve also made this with white beans instead of chickpeas, a little French twist, served with toast points. Also very good. Bon appétit (That’s French)!

Traditional, Roasted Red Pepper, and Kalamata Olive Hummus

As I discover more and more shwarma around the world, unfortunately I find that it’s not always as delicious as it should be (and delicious shwarma is a thing of pure beauty). So, in honor of my political research methods class, I put forth this theory to be tested:

The further away that a given shwarma stand is from the original epicenter of shwarma goodness, the worse it will taste.

Definitions – The epicenter of shwarma is, as a known and accepted fact, the Middle East. But we have to get specific. Farrell claims Istanbul has the best, while I would peg it to the Levant. So, for the purposes of our study, we’re considering the general bubble surrounding Istanbul, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

Examples: Cafeteria Reem, Amman, Jordan. Recognized by the New York Times for its awesome shwarma. Observation and testing, performed by yours truly, prove that this shwarma is juicy, scant on unnecessary toppings, cheap, and popular. A popular shwarma stand is one of the most important traits of good shwarma. Otherwise, the cone of meat is just sitting on its spool, exposed to city smog and flies. Lots of customers ensures the freshness of your shwarma.

Damascus, Syria – some random stand in the old city, behind the Ummayyad Mosque. Kirstin’s seal of approval.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – I had high hopes, considering the extensive Middle Eastern influence on the city, but by the time Farrell and I arrived at a park to sit down and enjoy our shwarma, the copious amounts of bland, red sauce had completely integrated with the hot dog bun that the shwarma man so incorrectly insisted on encasing the meat in. I was left with a puddle of mushy bread. I couldn’t even bring myself to photograph the disappointment, let alone eat it.

And, most recently, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – Farrell and I were wandering around one day, desperately hunting for lunch and only finding places with Russian menus (a translating task we were too hungry to deal with). Eventually we came up to a (mostly deserted) food stand that had three things on the menu: gamboorger, khod dog (hot dog), and shwarma. Cheap food that we could point to, and hey, I love shwarma, right?

A flimsy, bland tortilla stuffed mostly with sliced carrots and cucumber, tough french fries, and about a bucket each of mayo and some Kyrgyz version of ketchup. There were little chips of dry meat thrown in every few bites.

Ugh, all I can say is, “COME ON!” I’m sure we didn’t stop by the best place in town for shwarma, but is it really so difficult to leave a couple liters of mayo off of anything?

The Coca-Cola was the best part of the meal… and it was lukewarm.

The study will continue at some Turkish restaurants in town that I’ve heard wonderful things about. Upon completion of that case study, special care will be taken considering its shwarma-core origins in a shwarma-periphery location.