FOOD FOR CHRISTMAS FROM MIDDLE EAST

CHAPEL OF THE MANGER IN THE NATIVITY GROTTO

 BETLEHEM

BABA GANOUSH

 

Original Recipe Yield 1 1/2 cups  12 PEOPLE

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
3. Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

HUMMUS

1 can chickpeas ( garbanzo beans ), drained ( 14.5 oz. )

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini sesame paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup vegetable bouillon

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

    roasted peppers ( diced) for decoration

5 tablespoons lemon juice

     pita bread or pita bread wedges

1 cup kalamata black olives, pitted ( optional )

1 cup fresh italian parsley ( optional )

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and grind into a smooth paste ( except the roasted peppers

Transfer to a small dip dish,create a shallow well in the center of hummus and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Garnish with fresh parsley and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper Top with diced roasted peppers.

Tabbouleh

 

Original Recipe Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup bulgur
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 5 tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Place the bulgur in a small mixing bowl. Add the boiling water, mix and cover with a towel; Let stand for 1 hour. Drain any excess water.
2. Combine the parsley, mint, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Add the bulgur; mix well and serve.

Koushari (Lentils, Macaroni, Rice, and Chickpeas)

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 cup rice
• 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (also called ceci)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

S AUCE :

• 1 cup canned tomato puree
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 onions
• 1 garlic clove, or to taste

Procedure

1. Prepare lentils: Place the lentils in a sieve and rinse thoroughly. Place them in a large saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Heat until the water begins to boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for about 1 hour until lentils are tender. Drain and set the lentils aside.
3. Prepare the macaroni: Fill the same saucepan with water (add salt if desired). Heat until the water begins to boil.
4. Add the macaroni and boil about 12 to 15 minutes, until macaroni is tender. Drain and set the macaroni aside. (It is okay to combine the macaroni and lentils.)
5. Prepare the rice: Heat the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the same saucepan. Add the rice and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, thoroughly coating the rice with oil.
6. Add 2 cups of water and heat until the water begins to boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
8. Assemble koushari: Drain chickpeas and rinse. Add chickpeas, lentils, and macaroni to cooked rice and toss very gently with a fork.
9. Make sauce: Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each half crosswise into thin slices.
10. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until onions are golden brown.
11. Add garlic clove and cook 1 or 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato puree and heat until bubbly.
12. Now pour the sauce over the lentil mixture and heat over very low heat for about 5 minutes, until completely warm.
13. Serve with pita bread.

Serves 4 to 6. 

Soup For Couscous

US Metric Calculate

 

Original Recipe Yield 3 - 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 large carrot
• 1 baking potato
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 3 Eggs ( 1 for each guest )
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cube vegetable bouillon
• 8 cups water

Directions

1. Chop all the vegetables into medium chunks.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pan, and saute the vegetables together with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add water, garbanzo beans, coriander, turmeric, and bouillon cube. Bring soup to the boil. Wash the eggs thoroughly, and add to the pan. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Remove eggs, now hard-cooked; peel, slice, and add to the soup. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over steamed couscous.

COUSCOUS

1cup pre-cooked couscous

1 ½ cup of boiling vegetable soup

1/2 tbsp butter

Pinch of salt

Add to boiling bouillon salt and butter; when dissolved stir in couscous, mix one time cover and move from heat.

Uncover after 5 minutes and fluff 

Moroccan Roasted Lamb of Leg - Mechoui

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours, 10 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb
• 3/4 cup ghee or melted butter
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons rosemary
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Trim off excess fat from lamb cut and discard. Sprinkle kosher salt over meat. Place in roasting pan.

Combine remaining ingredients to make a baste. Lightly baste the leg of lamb. Cover with aluminum foil, like a tent. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30-45 minutes.

Increase temperature to 375 degrees, remove foil, baste, and allow leg of lamb to cook for 3 hours, or until skin is golden brown. Continue to baste each hour.

Remove from oven and serve! 

Green Beans with Pine Nuts

• 2 lbs fresh green beans
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Preparation:

Trim the stems of green beans and discard stems.

Steam green beans for 5-8 minutes. Do not allow to overcook!

Place green beans in large pan with butter. Allow butter to melt and stir green beans to coat. Sprinkle garlic salt and top with toasted pine nuts.

Serve immediately.

Toasting Pine Nuts

Toasting pine nuts is simple! Place nuts on baking sheet and cook on 400 degrees for about 15 minutes turning once. You can coat your baking sheet with cooking spray if desired. 

Easy Lebanese Baklava

Ingredients

• 2 cans (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 3 to 4 cups pistachio nuts (or pecans), chopped
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups honey
• 2 Tablespoons margarine or butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

The honey, poured over the pastry before baking, creates a sweet, sticky glaze over the baklava. The baklava may be cut into bars before serving.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Unroll one can of dough into an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan.
3. Press over bottom and ½-inch up sides to form crust, pressing perforations to seal.
4. Bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven.
5. In a large bowl, combine nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over baked crust.
6. Unroll the second crescent roll dough and spread over top.
7. With a sharp knife tip, score top dough to form a diamond pattern.
8. In a small saucepan, combine honey, butter or margarine, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil.
9. Remove from heat and pour half of the honey mixture evenly over top of dough.
10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Drizzle remaining honey mixture over top of the hot baklava. Cool completely and cut into diamond-shaped pieces.

Makes 18 to 24 pastries

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 CHURCH OF NATIVITY - BETLEHEM

MERRY CHRISTMAS