tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61988724516389310782012-01-09T13:31:23.503-08:00I have decided to try to teach myself how to cook Middle Eastern cuisine - in my tiny little 15 square foot kitchen in Edinburgh. I have no idea if this is going to be a success or a miserable failure. I'm expecting that it's going to be a mixture of both! And I'm hoping to learn something about these fascinating cultures along the way. I would love if you joined me on this adventure.Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.comBlogger141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-53868053447593832482009-10-05T07:16:00.000-07:002009-10-05T07:23:32.447-07:00

This stew is perfect for a cool evening.  It does take a bit of prep-work but the flavors are bold and it's very filling. As a side note, I am always frustrated by bean soup recipes because they always require that the beans be soaked overnight - and I'm not much of a recipe planner so this rarely works for me.  I've realized since beginning this experiment that I'm going to have to be more

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-3983859725382383032009-10-01T03:53:00.000-07:002009-10-01T03:53:59.241-07:00

I first had a version of this chicken over at Joe and Amanda's.  The great thing about it is that it is easy and the chicken turns out so flavorful and moist!  It's really basic and has traditionally Turkish ingredients so I'm posting it here - although I'm pretty sure it's not authentic. Lemon Chicken with Crushed Red Pepper boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 per person) olive oil juice

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-85165617400414243382009-09-29T07:36:00.000-07:002009-09-29T07:36:43.964-07:00

This is so yummy!  Great autumn dish that is nutritious and full of flavor.  Today I'm posting the recipe for the lentils and tomorrow I'll also post the recipe for the chicken that you see in the picture. Garlic-scented Lentils with Carrots (Printable Version) 1 cup green lentils extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, slice in half and then sliced across the grain 4 carrots, sliced 6 cloves garlic,

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-73420284718976585562009-09-25T03:30:00.000-07:002009-09-25T03:30:06.175-07:00

Meatball Soup (Printable Version) Serves 4-6 3 beef bullion cubes 6 cups water 2 stalks of fresh rosemary 500 grams (1 pound) ground lean beef 124 ml (1/3 cup) water 1/2 cup rice 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped 1 medium onion minced 3 tablespoons flour 3-4 medium potatoes, chopped 2-3 carrots, chopped 2 egg yolks juice from 1 lemon salt freshly ground pepper Bring the water to a boil and dissolve the

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-44227650224936463982009-09-24T05:19:00.000-07:002009-09-24T05:20:26.018-07:00

This salad is so fresh, healthy, and flavorful.  I think that traditional recipes only have green peppers and I've added a few other things so I'm not sure how authentic this is but it's yummy. Gypsy Salad (Printable Version) Serves 4-6 2 small red onions, thinly sliced 1 each yellow, red, and green bell peppers, thinly sliced 2-4 chillies - I like using a mix of hot red, medium orange, and

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-5325170518741776492009-09-21T02:27:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:59:51.886-07:00

This meal was delicious!  Of course I didn't take pictures of it all put together before serving it so the "final" pictures aren't that great - but this is a fun recipe and everyone enjoyed it.  I served the meatballs in warm pittas with yoghurt sauce and Gypsy salad.  The flavor combinations were perfect - the cool salad cutting through the garlic in the yoghurt sauce and bringing out the herb

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-86937888535704097182009-09-18T04:21:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:59:26.685-07:00

Today we're doing something a little different in honor of Rosh Hashanah.  Latkes are traditionally Jewish and originate in Eastern Europe and Russia.  So, while not exactly "Middle Eastern" they are at least somewhat "Eastern" and are delicious enough to include here.  My mom used to make these when I was growing up and I loved them!  They are basically potato pancakes that can be topped with

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-66164470149786064432009-09-16T06:16:00.000-07:002009-09-16T06:17:58.760-07:00

My sweet husband has been so supportive of this cooking experiment and purchased the above book for me.  It's fantastic and one I would highly recommend.  I've used several of the recipes and have been thrilled with the results.  D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s-n-e-s-s! Another thing that I like about it is the amount of information and history that Ms. Baʂan has included.  For instance due to the fact that

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-41601462781889118742009-09-15T01:37:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:58:53.734-07:00

This is a take on the classic Turkish dish güvec̹te pilic̹li bamya.  No I have no idea how to pronounce that!  Normally it contains okra but my okra was not looking so great so I skipped it.  It's delicious served with bread to mop up the sauce and yoghurt to cut through some of the spice. Chicken Sauté with Lemon (Printable Version) Adapted from Turkish Cooking by Ghillie Bas̹an Serves 4

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-91191978253270844802009-09-14T04:06:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:58:30.514-07:00

This common Greek appetizer is so easy to make - and absolutely delicious.  It's definitely on the rich side - I mean we're talking fried cheese here!  The best cheese to use is kefalotyri, a hard sheep's milk cheese that is very salty tasting. Saganaki (Printable Version) Serves 4-6 as an appetizer About 1 pound of kefalotyri (or pecorino romano, or halloumi) 1/4 cup flour oil for frying

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-27018979356816473302009-09-11T03:43:00.000-07:002009-09-11T03:48:15.336-07:00

One of the things about beginning a cooking adventure such as this one is that you need taste-testers!  Enthusiastic taste-testers make the experience all that more interesting, fun, and fulfilling.  Thankfully my husband is pretty much game for anything (with a few exceptions...fish included) and is extremely encouraging and appreciative.  And then there's my friend Ashli who is a total

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-31501237500834588062009-09-10T06:33:00.000-07:002009-09-10T08:52:05.883-07:00

While looking for recipes of this Mediterranean classic I found that most people call them "stuffed vine leaves" but usually only grape leaves are used.  There are so many different variations out there but I was really happy with this one.  The mixture of ground lamb and beef along with lemon and mint was so flavorful!  I've tried quite a few stuffed grape leaves from restaurants and deli

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-26724807187308518042009-09-08T04:02:00.000-07:002009-09-10T08:53:56.370-07:00

Bulgur is a form of wheat that is delicious, versatile, and easy to cook.  As it is highly nutritious it makes a good substitute for rice or couscous and is commonly used in Greek, Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisine.  I tried my hand at it when I made the moussaka and was so thrilled with its rich nutty flavor it may be a while before I go back to rice. I had first tasted it at

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6198872451638931078.post-87334501475826886322009-09-08T03:23:00.000-07:002009-09-08T04:05:41.485-07:00

As this blog is to be devoted to all things foodie, I thought it would be appropriate to post this link from Emily Post's Etiquette Daily. Being Fashionably Late: When and where is it okay? I first heard about this blog from my friend Ashli and have been an avid reader.  It provides clear guidance for all those etiquette conundrums that pop up in daily life.

Rebecca Manornoreply@blogger.com0