Sabra Cooking; Meshing my Israeli-Mediterranean Heritage with my Texas Roots. Fresh, Honest, Delicious Food my Kids Love
Mejadra!!!
Mejadra is the Middle East’s version of rice and beans. If you have never tried this remarkably flavorful dish, you are missing out. Meant to be a side dish, it’s so filling I ate it as awhile meal. The combination of lentils and rice makes it a complete protein and the deed spices of turmeric and cinnamon make it incredibly healthful. I love a dollop of labane (full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream will suffice) on top for a cool acidic bite.
Mejadra (lentils and rice)
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup basmati rice
1 onion sliced
Corn flour for dusting onions
Oil for frying
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
Cook lentils and rice in separate bowls according to directions.
Meanwhile slice onions thinly and toss with corn flour to remove moisture. Heat oil and test temperature by frying one onion. When it starts to bubble, the oil is ready. Fry onions in batches until golden brown, like onion rings. Remove onto paper towels to drain.
In a large mixing bowl combine rice and lentils and add the spices. Crunch up half of the fried onions and add to the bowl. Toss mixture gently (over mixing make the lentils mushy, which will make the whole dish gummy and sticky). Place in a bowl and top with the rest of the onions and dollop with labane. Enjoy!
Roasted Cauliflower Salad
My husband can polish off a whole head of cauliflower when it’s roasted. Usually I sprinkle it with Parmesan at the very end to bring out the nuttiness, but this time I mixed it up and tried Ottolenghi’s recipe from his new book, Jerusalem. It is delicious! The celery lightens it up and makes it a more filling salad.
2 heads cauliflower chopped into large bite size pieces (they shrink when roasted)
Olive oil
Salt
3 celery stalks with leafy tops
Small handful parsley
Small handful toasted hazelnuts, shelled and roughly chopped
Heat oven to roast at 375. Drizzle the cut cauliflower with olive oil and salt and put on a baking sheet (do not crowd florets). Roast for 20-30 minutes or until browned. Let cool to room temperature.
Slice celery and toss with cauliflower and hazelnuts. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of coarse salt and chopped parsley, enjoy!
This was a segment I did for Good Morning Texas. I think it would make a delicious Father’s Day dinner. So easy to prepare, plus any guy would like it. It’s fork tender, so kids can eat it easily as well! Enjoy
Beet purée
I served this as a side dish at my dinner party this past Saturday. I adapted it from my current favorite cook book, ‘Jerusalem’ by Ottolenghi. It’s got a kick and it gets more potent the second day, so go easy on the jalapeño if you’re not into heat.
3 medium red beet roots
1.5 cups low fat Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 jalapeño, ribbed and seeded
Salt and pepper to taste
Goat cheese for garnish
Wash the beets and place them on a large sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Wrap the foil tightly around the beets and roast in the oven at 375 for an hour. When they are done you should be able to easily pierce the beet all the way through with a knife. Allow to cool.
In a food processor purée beets, yogurt, garlic, jalapeño and salt until smooth paste. Scoop into a bowl and garnish with crumbled goat cheese. Serve cold.
Beet purée
I served this as a side dish at my dinner party this past Saturday. I adapted it from my current favorite cook book, ‘Jerusalem’ by Ottolenghi. It’s got a kick and it gets more potent the second day, so go easy on the jalapeño if you’re not into heat.
3 medium red beet roots
1.5 cups low fat Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 jalapeño, ribbed and seeded
Salt and pepper to taste
Goat cheese for garnish
Wash the beets and place them on a large sheet of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Wrap the foil tightly around the beets and roast in the oven at 375 for an hour. When they are done you should be able to easily pierce the beet all the way through with a knife. Allow to cool.
In a food processor purée beets, yogurt, garlic, jalapeño and salt until smooth paste. Scoop into a bowl and garnish with crumbled goat cheese. Serve cold.
‘Couscous’ with roasted veggies
A few of my friends are gluten intolerant (I’ve actually been trying it for the past several months, I’ve never felt better!) so when I wanted to make couscous I thought I’d try it with quinoa instead. The result is a nuttier, crunchier dish that pops with every bite.
Roasted vegetable couscous
1 large eggplant
3 green zucchini
3 red bell pepper
1 cup quinoa
1 handful chopped Italian parsley
Small block good sheep milk feta
Combine 2 cups of water and the 1 cup of Quinoa and bring to a boil, put a lid on and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steam with the lid still on.
Meanwhile cut all the vegetables into 2 inch cubes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss and spread on a baking sheet (make sure they are not touching and don’t overcrowd the pan). Roast at 375 for 20-30 minutes or until browned and wilted.
Fork quinoa and toss with vegetables, feta and parsley. Drizzle a good glug of olive oil on top and final sprinkle of kosher salt.
Herbed Rice Salad
I love this salad come this time of year. After cooking basmati rice, I fluff with a fork and toss in fresh chopped dill, chives and Italian parsley, along with chopped pistachios. I put it on a bed of power greens (kale, spinach and arugula), throw in half an avocado, sprinkling of feta and a few cherry tomatoes. It’s best with a light, lemony vinaigrette.
Cauliflower Gnocci
This time of year is filled with decadent foods that warm the belly. I love to indulge but need a break sometimes from heavy, rich dishes. Tonight I made cauliflower gnocci. Instead of potato I used steamed puréed cauliflower. It’s light, nutritious and quite delicious! Enjoy
Ingredients:
I large head of cauliflower
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour, plus extra for rolling pasta
Small handful grated Parmesan
Nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste
Small handful chopped fresh parsley
Cut cauliflower into large florets and Steam or boil until tender. Drain, place in food processor along with eggs and purée.
Set a medium pot with water to boil. While it heats, place cauliflower in a mixing bowl along with parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir, then add flour and mix until combined. Mixture should be slightly wet like pizza dough. If too sticky, add more flour. On a flat surface roll out dough until you have a log. Cut into bite size pieces and roll into small ovals. Drop into boiling salted water in batches and cook for 3-5 minutes.
At this point they are ready to eat. But for a treat, sauté the Gnocci in a little butter in a nonstick pan. Top with your favorite tomato sauce or just a sprinkling of Parmesan. Yum!
Za’atar Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
I combined my Israeli and Texas roots on this very easy dish. Soaking the chicken in buttermilk (like you would do for fried chicken) makes it incredibly moist and tender. Then I rub za’atar all over the breasts and roast with sweet potato wedges and carrots for a crisp, flavorful meal.
Ingredients:
4 bone in, skin on chicken beasts
2 cups lowfat buttermilk
4 garlic cloves peeled but left whole
1/2 cup za’atar
Salt and pepper
4 sweet potatoes, cut in wedges
4 large carrots peeled and sliced into large wedges
Olive oil
Combine buttermilk, garlic, salt and pepper in a large container. Add the chicken, cover and soak overnight or up to 24 hrs. Pat dry, brush with olive oil to coat and sprinkle za’atar over each breast generously. Place on a sheet pan with a rack, so fat drains (this creates a crispy skin).
In another mixing bowl, toss carrots and sweet potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place around chicken and roast in 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until chicken is browned and vegetables are fork tender and crispy.
Dill biscuits for dinner!
My favorite herb is dill. In Israel it’s used in everything from salads to fish and growing up in Texas, every southern woman is judged by her ranch dressing. So it’s a staple in my kitchen. I added them to my classic biscuit recipe (which I learned in culinary school, my textbook was ‘Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen) by folding in the chopped herb before cutting. Delic!
Ingredients:
1lb 4oz bread flour
1lb 4oz pastry flour
.75oz salt
2oz sugar
2.5oz baking powder
14oz butter
1lb 10oz milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Cut up cold butter into small cubes and mix into flour mixture with your hands until well combined. Add in milk and dill and mix, but just until it forms a sticky paste, don’t over mix.
On a floured surface knead dough until it’s not sticky and well combined. Roll out to a 1/2 inch thick and cut into biscuits. Don’t twist the biscuits or they won’t rise in the oven.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
