Middle East Meets Mediterranean Sea

Dinner last night: 

Pita with hummus, babaganoush, tabouleh, cucumbers, and feta cheese accompanied by red lentil soup.

Tabouleh 

3 cups of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup of finely chopped mint

1 onion

2 tomatoes chopped into small cubes

½ cup of fine burghul or I used quinoa

1/2 cup lemon juice

4 tbs olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Soak the burghul in cold water for 1/2 an hour then drain. Mix all the ingredients together, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with lettuce leaves .

Experience?

I didn't have any burghul so I used cooked quinoa and it worked well.  Would suggest trying to chop the parsley up in the food processor because chopping it up with a knife took a long time.  Really tasty and fresh!

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped carrot

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed

1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes 

4 cups vegetable broth 

1 tablespoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon thyme

1 lime

Salt/Pepper

Directions

Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart pot and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper and lime juice and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.  Pour soup in a blender and puree to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.

Experience?

Very filling.  The dish had a good flavor but was very thick so I would suggest to add some extra liquid, either water or vegetable broth.

Babaganoush

2 large eggplants – whole

6 tablespoons lemon juice

4 heaped tablespoons tahini 

3 cloves garlic – minced

½ teaspoon salt

1 sprig Italian parsley – as garnish

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

           Pierce each side of the eggplants with a fork. Place the whole eggplants in the oven and roast them for about 25 minutes turning them over 2 or 3 times.  (The eggplants are done when the outer shell is blackened or charred, and the inside is soft.)  Allow to cool a little bit. Cut the eggplants open lengthwise with a knife, and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Put the pulp in a mixing bowl and mash it into a puree with a fork or blender. Discard the skin.  If you use a food processor, be careful not to liquidize the eggplant pulp.  Add crushed garlic, salt, sesame seeds, the lemon juice and the tahini alternately to the mix.  Garnish the baba ganoush with chopped parsley or parsley leaves.  Serve chilled or at room temperature with pita bread or crackers.

Experience?

            This was my first attempt at making babaganoush, so it definitely needs perfecting.  It was missing some flavor, but I couldn't put my finger on it.  It was good when I mixed the tabouleh, hummus, and babganoush together.