Spinach with Black Eyed Peas

For this recipe, you could use frozen spinach. You can use lemon juice or dried lime which you can find at Persian and Middle Eastern grocery stores.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (6-ounce) bag fresh spinach

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 (15.5-ounce) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

Juice of ½ lemon or 1 teaspoon crushed dried lime

In a deep pan, sauté the onions and garlic in oil. Add salt and pepper and stir. Add the spinach, lemon juice and back eyed peas and stir. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve it with plain white rice or a side dish.

You can cook this dish with stewing lamb or beef. When the meat is cooked on top of the stove, follow the above recipe and add 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Serve it with rice.

Swiss chard Soup. شوربة السلق

For this recipe, you could add chopped carrots or chopped zucchini.

1 medium onion, chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup cooked white rice

1 teaspoon salt

1 bunch of Swiss chard, washed and chopped

3 cups of water or broth

 Juice of one lemon

1 teaspoon dried mint

Heat oil in a deep pan, and sauté the onions and garlic for three minutes. Season with salt. Add the swiss chard, rice, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add lemon juice and mint. Simmer for ten more minutes.

Serve it with toasted bread.

Bulgur with Mushrooms

 I listed Arabian spice in this recipe. It is called Seven Spices or Syrian Spice too. You can find it in the Middle Eastern grocery stores, or purchase it online from this website (www.nutsonline.com). It is very aromatic and you can use it instead of plain ground black pepper.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup onions, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Arabian Spice

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

½ sup water

1 ½ cup coarse bulgur (no.3 or 4)

In a pot, bring water to a boil and drop the bulgur. Turn off the heat and leave it in the hot water to soften for 10 minutes.

Pour the oil in another pot and sauté the onions. Add the mushrooms, and season with salt and spices. Stir for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil.

Strain the bulgur in the colander, and add it to the mushroom. Stir until well coated. Cover, the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce is absorbed by the bulgur. Check it needs more salt.

Serve it with chopped scallions, sliced pickles and tomatoes. It tastes even better at a room temperature.

Recipes for Lent

During this time of the year Christians observe Lent, and abstain from all animal, and dairy products. However, fish is allowed, and canned tuna and sardines are consumed.

Our meatless menu includes fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, jams and pickles, and a variety of breads, and halva.

The recipes are economical, delicious, and easy to prepare. You can enjoy them throughout the year.

Vegetarian Zucchini

You can use yellow squash for this recipe too.

4-5 zucchinis

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 large tomato, diced

1 (8 oz can) tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

½ tsp black pepper or Arabian spice

¼ cup olive oil

Rinse the zucchinis and place in a colander. Peel the zucchinis and slice them in ½ inch slices.

Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the onions and garlic and stir for 5 minutes. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the onions. Sprinkle the salt and spices.

Add a layer of zucchinis and pour the tomato sauce over it.

 Pour a cup of water over the zucchinis and bring to boil, covered.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the zucchinis are tender.

Serve with white plain rice.

Eggplant with Tomatoes

Eggplant with Tomatoes

1 large eggplant, sliced
1 large onion, sliced crosswise
1 tomato sliced
1 green pepper, sliced (optional)
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Arabian spices (combination of cinnamon, allspice, black pepper)
1 cup water
Rmove the stem of the eggplant. Peel the eggplant lengthwise in 1 inch strips. Cut the eggplant crosswise or lengthwise in ½ inch slices. Place the eggplant slices in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave in the sink to drain for 30 minutes.
Remove the eggplants from the colander, and dry with paper towel. Place in a bowl and drizzle olive oil over them. Arrange them on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler for 7 minutes. Turn the eggplant slices to the other side and broil until lightly browned.
Heat oil in a deep pan and sauté the onion, and add the green pepper, and sliced tomatoes. Add water and simmer for 10 minutes. Arrange the eggplant slices over the vegetables. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle salt and spices. Bring to boil; reduce heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Check if it needs more water or salt.
Serve it with plain white rice or Bulgur pilaf

Green Beans-Fasulia bil Zeit فاصوليا خضرة نباتية

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 (8-ounce can) diced tomatoes or one chopped tomato

1/2  cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Arabian Spice(cinnamon,black pepper,allspice)
1 pound frozen or fresh green beans

1 1/2 cup water

 In a deep pan, saute the onions in olive oil. Season with salt, and spices. Add the diced tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the green beans, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and leave it to simmer for 20 minutes until the green beans are cooked.

Serve with rice.

You can cook this recipe with stewing beef or lamb. First you cook the meat for 45-60 minutes. When the meat becomes tender, add the onions and follow the above recipe. This will be a main meal served with rice.

Saffron Rice with Meat Dressing الرز بالزعفران

We usually decorate rice with sautéed almonds and raisins for special occasions. The meat dressing follows the recipe.

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups basmati long grain rice
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
a pinch of saffron threads or powder
4 cardamom pods

2 tablespoons rosewater (optional)

Pre wash the rice and strain it in a colander.
Heat oil in a pot, and sauté rice for one minute. Add salt , saffron and cardamom and pour the water. Bring it to boil. When the water is almost absorbed lower the heat, add rose water and leave it to steam for 20 minutes. Stir it and serve it on a plate. Decorate with almonds and raisins.

Meat Dressing
2 tablespoons oil

1/2 pound ground lamb or ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup blanched almonds or pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon salt
In a deep pan, sauté the meat in oil and add the onions and stir for a few minutes until the meat is cooked. Add salt and spices.
In a pan, heat one tablespoon of oil and sauté the almonds. When almonds are toasted, add the raisins and sauté for one minutes and pour the mixture in a plate until ready to spread over the rice.