Vegetables
Caprese Salad with Pomegranate and Mint
Caprese salad with pomegranate and mint is a flavor explosion. The pomegranate molasses, like balsamic vinegar, lends a sweet-tart note to ripe tomatoes. I figure it was because we had such a cold and unforgiving winter last year (polar vortex, lest we’ve forgotten), but when the leaves made a full appearance last spring, I felt…
Read MoreRoasted New Potatoes with Mint
Roasted New Potatoes with Mint are par-cooked, then roasted at high heat til golden. The result is buttery, soft interior. Toss the potatoes with lemon, oil, garlic, and mint to finish. If the boiled new potato is a thing of simple, great beauty, the roasted boiled new potato is thing of extra great beauty. The…
Read MoreBasil Dipping Oil
Basil oil is the jewel of the table, and a perfect use for the profusion of herbs from gardens and markets in the heart of summer. For the most part, we don’t seek out Arabic or Mediterranean restaurants all that often. I figure this is because we eat so much of our great food at…
Read MoreCrunchy Cucumber Salad
Crunchy Cucumber Salad is made creamy–yet still healthy–with labneh, and the cukes hold their crunch with a quick drain after they are sliced. I consider this crunchy, creamy salad one of the greatest in my summer repertoire for three reasons: I always have cucumbers, labneh, and herbs. A creamy (yet healthy) salad that can be…
Read MoreKoosa Core Saute
What to do with koosa cores, the centers of summer squash scraped out when you maked stuffed koosa? There are a few great ways to put the cores to use; my favorite is a quick koosa core saute over high heat, with plenty of aromatics for flavor. It’s like winning a little victory in the…
Read MoreQuinoa Protein Salad
Quinoa Protein Salad packs a great protein punch, tastes incredibly good, and keeps hunger at bay for hours, and it’s vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free (though some findings indicate quinoa may not work for celiacs). I was in the airport in Chicago recently, and felt like I’d stepped out of a time warp from somewhere far,…
Read MoreKoosa in Yogurt Sauce
Koosa in yogurt sauce is light green squash cored and filled, then poached in a rich, savory sauce of yogurt and mint. Kibbeh is also wonderful made this same way; find that recipe here. Get the finest koosa corer made here, at MaureenAboodMarket.com. Watch my video on koosa-making here. When I think about my kitchen…
Read MoreAvocado Tahini Dip
Avocado tahini dip is a Lebanese-style Mediterranean classic…who knew? Probably plenty of people, but I was excited to discover this healthy-yet-rich dip just recently and add it to my regular rotation. A Lebanese friend of my brother’s told him that his Arabic—the effective if small grab-bag of words we learned growing up as second-generation descendants…
Read MoreBroccolini with Pine Nut Sauce
Lightly poached broccolini with pine nut sauce is full of bright, nutty flavor and texture. What a great way to get your green vegetables in, with pleasure. I consider this broccolini with pine nut sauce recipe a study in what is most exciting for me in the kitchen right now. Broccolini—baby broccoli—inspired a switch for…
Read MoreHummus with Olives, Pine Nuts and Olive Oil Crostini
Hummus with olives, pine nuts, and crostini make for a beautiful, holiday-worthy appetizer. Healthy and luscious and lovely, all in one! Get out the good china! Hummus is rightly an everyday or at least an every-week food. And sometimes the everyday gets (rightly) set aside for the special times, the feasts, the celebrations. But smooth…
Read More