100
Meat and Vegetable Casserole with Pomegranate 103
Stuffed Squash in Yogurt Sauce 104
Scrambled Eggs with Meat & Onion 105
Meat Sautéed with Leeks 106
Stuffed Marrow Squash 107
Lamb and Barley Soup 108
Lamb and navy Bean Stew 108
Lamb and Yogurt Soup 109
Cauliflower Meat Sauce 110
Lamb or Beef Kebabs 112
Meatballs with Potato in tomato Sauce 113
upside-Down Rice Casserole 114
CHAPTER EIGHT
Desserts 117
Date-Filled Cookies 118
Sesame Fudge 119
Layered Apricot and Milk Pudding 120
Lebanese nights 121
Sweet Cheese Pastry 122
Butter Cookies 123
Middle Eastern Pancakes, Several ways 124
Apricot Jam 125
Apple Preserves 126
Sesame Seed Brittle 126
Rose and Orange Blossom-Scented Milk Pudding 127
Pistachio Sesame Cookies 128
Rice Pudding 129
Coconut Semolina Cake 130
toasted Semolina Pudding with Cinnamon 130
Rose and Pistachio ice Cream 131
CHAPTER NINE
Drinks 133
Grape Syrup Drink with Sultanas & Pine nuts 134
Creamy hot Sahlab Drink 135
Fresh Limeade 136
Rose Syrup Punch 136
tamarind Juice Drink 137
tangy Yogurt Drink 137
Apricot Drink 138
Sage tea 138
turkish Coffee 139
white Coffee 139
Middle Eastern Grocery Stores 140
Index 142
Acknowledgments 144
Foreword by Lorraine Elliott
Ifirst met Faith a few years ago when I stumbled across her blog. And by meeting her I do mean in the online sense. I have never seen her in person; we live in two completely different and far away countries but that mattered not a jot. I felt like I knew her and that she and I had so much in common. I would read her blog and exclaim how I had felt the very same way about a topic or had the same experience.
The number of times that we both commented that we were “sisters” was innumerable and her blog stood out to me and she stood out to me as someone that I could count as a friend even though we technically hadn’ t met. It had been years since I visited New York and she has never visited Australia. The Internet and blogosphere is funny and charming like that.
Apart from the common reactions to things, I loved her recipes, many of which I have tried. Middle Eastern cuisine is one that I love to eat but have not had much experience preparing. And this is where Faith comes in, not just to me but to the many thousands of readers that she has. Knowing that she had gained all of her knowledge through the years from her mother-in-law, overriding a language barrier to prepare recipes that her Middle Eastern husband Mike (who I also feel like I know so well!) would like, makes me treasure them even more.
It’s passion for learning and passion for a culture that makes one want to learn more about its cuisine. Family recipes are like little golden wrapped treasures held together by delicate webs and gossamer. It can be a challenge to get to the core of them while traversing vague measurements and getting to know mysterious but exciting ingredients. But they are worth the time to get to know because not only are the flavors wonderful, there is also depth and gravity given to them with the family history and it is a privilege for us to have access to these recipes.
Practically speaking, I appreciate the way that she approaches Middle Eastern cuisine. Like those of us that don’ t come from the culture but appreciate it, no question is too silly or basic and she explains the basics to us much like a good friend would. I never knew that pomegranate molasses is great on a falafel sandwich but you bet I’ ll be drizzling that the next time I have one!
We all know that food is more than a source of fuel and energy and that it brings people together. It can also provide comfort for those eating and also making it a pride of place whenever there is a celebration. Faith imbues her recipes with warmth and comfort and I look at her as a good friend who imparts her most treasured secrets to those lucky enough to have found her.
Lorraine Elliott
My Passion for Middle Eastern Cooking
Middle Eastern fare isn’t the cuisine I grew up eating. Actually, until about six years ago, the only Middle Eastern foods I had ever eaten were hummus, falafel, shish kebab, and baklava...and looking back, I can tell you that everything I ate up until that point was in no way authentic. So, how did I end up with such a passion for Middle Eastern cuisine?
My husband, Mike, is Middle Eastern; actually, his father is Palestinian and his mother is Syrian; he was born in Kuwait, raised in Syria, and went to college in Jordan. Suffice to say he was raised on Middle Eastern fare and, being the picky eater he is, he doesn't care for foods unless his mom makes it. This, of course, meant that when Mike and I first got married I had to learn how to cook authentic Middle Eastern food.
Mike and I were married in the Middle East, and we lived there for the first six months of our marriage. During this time I had the opportunity to experience firsthand the magic of Middle Eastern cuisine. I saw how a spectacular dish
