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Mediterranean Menu

Lentil soup
Lentil Soup

 

Serve  6-8
 

Ingredients

  • 1 Sweet onion

  • 3-4 garlic cloves

  • 1 jalapenos pepper

  • 1 carrot

  • 1 stick celery

  • 1 ,5  red lentils

  • 1 lemon

  • 1½ tsp. ground cumin

  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or more

  • 3 tsp of Vegeta Nautre seasoning or 1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more

  • 2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley for serving

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Recipe Preparation

Saute onion, garlic, 1 jalapenos pepper without seeds (all cut small) in olive oil till onion is translucent. Add shredded carrot, 1 diced stick of celery - cook few more minutes.

Add 1,5 cup of (orange color) lentils, 3 tsp of Vegeta nature, or salt to taste, pure 1 liter of boiling water over and cook on small fire till lentils are soft (30-40 min) 

Add aromatics: cumin, red pepper flakes, zest and juice of 1 lemon - taste it and add spices as needed

Serve with parsley or cilantro ( if you prefer)

Enjoy! 

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Israeli-Style Hummus
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Makes about 4 cups

Intentionally overcooking the chickpeas then whipping the mixture is key. This hummus is part of Bon Appetite's  collection of  Best essential recipes. 

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Ingredients
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  • 1 cup dried chickpeas

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda, divided

  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

  • â…“ cup (or more) fresh lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

  • â…” cup tahini

  • ¼ teaspoon (or more) ground cumin

  • Olive oil (for serving)

Preparation

  • Place chickpeas and 1 tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl and add cold water to cover by 2". Cover and let sit at room temperature until chickpeas have doubled in size, 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.

  • Combine soaked chickpeas and remaining 1 tsp. baking soda in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by at least 2". Bring to a boil, skimming surface as needed. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until chickpeas are tender and completely falling apart, 45–60 minutes. Drain; set aside.

  • Meanwhile, process garlic, lemon juice, and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor until coarsely puréed; let sit 10 minutes to allow garlic to mellow.

  • Strain garlic mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible. Return liquid to food processor; discard solids. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With motor running, add ¼ cup ice water by the tablespoonful and process (it may seize up at first) until mixture is very smooth, pale, and thick. Add chickpeas and cumin and process, occasionally scraping down sides, until mixture is extremely smooth, about 4 minutes. Thin with more water if you prefer a looser consistency; taste and season with salt, more lemon juice, and more cumin as desired.

  • Spoon hummus into a shallow bowl, making a well in the center, and drizzle liberally with oil. Top as desired.

Toppings Suggestions

  • Hot smoked Spanish paprika, fresh lemon juice, and chopped parsley

  • Fried chickpeas, hot smoked Spanish paprika, and chopped parsley

  • Breakfast radishes, fresh lemon juice, and chopped fennel fronds

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Lamb Meatballs

 

Sometime I do Half Lamb and Half Ground Turkey meatballs, if this is a case, the baking time will double.

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Ingredients

  • 1 large eg

  • ½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

  • ½ tsp. ground cumin

  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

  • ¼ tsp. ground turmeric

  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, plus 1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems

  • 2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more

  • 2 garlic cloves, divided

  • 1 lb. ground lamb

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Recipe Preparation

  • Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. Combine egg, panko, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, finely chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1½ tsp. salt in a large bowl. Finely grate 1 garlic clove into bowl. Add lamb and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.

  • Gently roll lamb mixture into 1½"-diameter balls (about the size of a golf ball; you should have about 20). Place on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake meatballs until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

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Roasted Asian Eggplants, Peppers and Zucchini

 

I like to roast my veggies on high temperature of 425° or 450° - it's help them to caramelize and make them irresistible!

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Ingredients

  • 4 Asian eggplants

  • 3 zucchini

  • 2-3 sweet peppers of different colors

  • 1-2  tsp. Turkish Baharat (spice available on Amazon)

  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper

  • 2 Tbsp. + extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more

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Recipe Preparation

Slice eggplants and zucchini in half and few more times  in quarters lengthwise.

Place on roasting pan, salt and pepper, dust generously with Turkish Baharat spice and splash olive oil all over. Roast on 425-450° for 45 min. to an hour. Keep an eye on it - it's really depends on your oven - take them out when vegetables become golden.

Mediterranian lunch
Pickled Cabbage and Califlowers

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Ingredients

  • 1 head califlower

  • 1 head green cabbage

  • 2 carrots

  • 1 beet

  • 2 celery sticks

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Brine

4 cup of water

1 cup of white winegar

4 teaspoons of salt

12 teaspoons of sugar

Recipe Preparation

Cut califlower into florets, cut cabbage into chunks, slice carrots, celery sticks into 1" pieces, slice beet thinly - place it all  in a tall pot. Pure brine over it - it should cover the veggies (double recipe if you have to), put a plate to fit the pot and top it with something heavy. Let stay in room temperature for a day or two, refrigerate and sample it in a few more days - it should be ready to eat.

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