Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce

Serve over  (gluten) couscous or bulgur pilaf OR gluten-free quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat or any plain rice (white, brown, basmati, etc.)

(Arabic) كابلاما بي بانادورا

/kablama bi banadora/

Makes 6 zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C)

A. Filling:

2 Tbs. (30 g) organic toasted pine nuts

1 Tbs. (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound (225 g) organic ground lamb or chicken

1 1/2 cups (300 g) diced onions

1/4 tsp. (1,25 g) each: black pepper and cinnamon

1/2 tsp. (2,5 g) allspice

وا حد /waah-heet/ ١ 1. Spread the pine nuts over a foil-lined baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

إثنان /eth-naan/ ٢  2. Add the oil to la skillet over medium-high heat.

ثلاثة /theh-la-theh/ ٣  3. Add the meat and cook while breaking it into small pieces.

أربعة /ahr-uh-bah-ah/ ٤  4. Once the meat is not pink in the center, reduce the heat to medium-low.

خمسة /hahm-sah/ ٥ 5. Add the onions and spices. Sauté until onions are tender.

ستّة /siiht-tah/ ٦  6. Mix the pine nuts with the filling and transfer to a dish.

سبعة /sehib-uh-ah/ ٧ 7. Set aside to cool.

B. Zucchini:

6 organic zucchini, room temperature

1 29-ounce can (870 g) organic tomato sauce

1 cup (200 g) chopped organic tomatoes

١ Cut each zucchini into 4-inch (10 cm) length.

٢ Hold the zucchini and core the inside to about 1/2 inch (125 mm) away from the bottom.Keep a thin wall around the vegetable. 

٣ Remove and save the inside pulp to add to another dish or to a salad.

٤ Place the hollowed zucchini on a dish and seal it with paper towel.

٥ Place the dish in the microwave on high for 3 minutes.

٦ 6. Remove and set aside and let it steam for 5 minutes.

٧ 7. Remove the paper towel and turn them upside down so that the liquid can drain out. IT Will BE HOT.

ثامنية /ttihs-anh/ ٨ 8. Combine the tomato sauce and the chopped tomato in a skillet.

تعسة /tihs-anh/ ٩ 9. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, stir.

Meanwhile...

عشرة /ahsh-ahr-rah/ ١٠ 10. Pack the filling into the hollowed zucchini all the way to the bottom and up to the top. Do not press so hared that it burst.

إحدى عشر /aḥada ‘ashar/ ١١ 11. Reduce the heat of the tomato sauce to low.

 

إثنا عشر /iṯnā ‘ashar/ ١٢ 12. Stir in any leftover filling.

ثلاثة عشر /ṯālatha ‘ashar/ ١٣ 13. Place the stuffed zucchini in the skillet.

أربعة عشر /arba’a ‘ashar/ ١٤ 14. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn the zucchini every once in while. Do not bring to a boil.

خمسة عشر /ḫamsa ‘ashar/ ١٥ 15. Serve over one of the above rice/couscous etc. items.

Zucchini plant forms blossoms, which produces the zucchini. But the blossoms can be eaten by themselves either raw, fried, or cooked. 

Only the female blossoms (left) produced fruit, so harvest most of the male flowers (right).          

                       

 

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Armenian Lentil Soup

 Armenian cuisine has strong ties to cuisines of Turkey, Georgia, Persia, and Levant (once an empire in eastern Mediterranean). Flavor is based on the freshness of the ingredients rather than on the excessive use of spices.

սպ ապուր (Armenian)

/vosp apur/

Serves 4

1-2 cloves of press garlic

1 cup (910 g) dried organic lentils (black, green, or red), rinsed

4-5 cups (945-1180 ml) organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup (110 g) each: dried, chopped organic apricots & chopped onion

3 Tbs. (45 ml) olive oil

1 organic bell pepper, diced

3 1/2 cups/28-ounce (830 ml) fresh organic tomatoes

1 unpeeled organic eggplant, cut into cubes

1 Tbs. (15 g) organic own sugar, firmly packed

1 Tbs. (15 ml) vinegar

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) ground cinnamon

pinch or two: allspice or ground cloves & cayenne pepper (to taste)

4 Tbs. (60 ml) chopped parsley, mint, chives, or cilantro for garnish

optional: (dairy-free) sour cream or yogurt

մեկ /mek/ 1. Put the rinsed lentils in a pot with the broth and apricots. Bring to boil.
երկու /yerku/ 2. Then cover and reduce the heat to simmer about 20 minutes.
երեք /yerek’/ 3. Sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
չորս /ch’vors/ 4. Add the  remaining ingredients except the herbs.
հինգ /hing/ 5. Bring to a simmer, cover, cook for 10 minutes.
վեց /vets’/ 6. Add the vegetables mixture to the lentils and simmer for another 30 minutes or until  the lentils are tender.
յոթ /yot’/ 7. If the soup is too tick, add more broth.
ութ /ut’/ 8. Serve in bowls with optional sour cream or yogurt.
ինը /iny/ 9. Garnish with the herb(s)
տասը /tasy/ 10. Serve with dark bread.

Բարի ախորժակ

/bari akhorzhak/

Bon appétit

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Salmon Spaghetti

Take your pick. Do you want an Italian cuisine (tagliatelle or penne al salmone) or a Japanese dish (サーモンクリーム /sāmonkurīmu/) or 味噌スパゲッティ/miso supagetti/? Flip a coin and we'll have Italian tonight.

Spaghetti al salmone (Italian)

Serves 4

Heat the oven to 390ºF/170ºC

4 skinless wild salmon fillets

organic cherry tomatoes

organic garlic

organic spinach

1 tsp. (5 g) organic honey

1 cup (240 ml) organic lemon juiced

1 cup (240 g) organic beans: Great Northern, navy, or cannellini 

linguine, fettuccine, or a GF pasta

1 Tbs. (15 ml) olive oil

cheese: 

ricotta (creamy, mild taste)

ricotta salata (crumbly texture with salty flavor)

grated pecorino romano or parmesan (sharp savoy kick)

feta (sharp, salty, with tangy flavor)

uno 1. Except the pasta, mix everything together.

due 2. Bake for 15 minutes or until the salmon is just cooked (inside temperature 145ºF/630C)

tre 3. Cook the pastas as directed.

quattro 4. Flake the salmon into large chunks.

cinque 5. Toss in the pastas.

 

 sei 6. Top with parsley

 sette 7. Serve with an Italian salad:

Italian Salad with Wisdom

Tuscan Salad

Carrot and Apple Italian Salad

tomato & Mint Italian Salad

otto 8. Don't forget the (GF) bread and 

nove 9. the dry white wine

Buon Appetito!

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Asparagus with Shrimp

Garlic hollandaise sauce adds flavor to this German shrimp dinner. Now, if y0u can find wild garlic and white asparagus, it truly will be a German dinner.  

It takes three years of an asparagus plant to produce its first tip. It is grown surrounded by earth,  which pretexts the stalks from sunlight, hence it is white and not green. It also affects a different flavor from a green asparagus. 

Spargel mit Garnelen (German)

Serves 4

1 small baguette, cut into slices or gluten-free bread

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) rapeseed or olive oil

1 Tbs. (15 ml) organic lemon juice

1 cup (150 ml) white wine

2 organic egg yolks

7 Tbs. (100 g) (dairy-free) organic butter

1 pound (455 g) organic shrimp, (fresh peel and de-vein and clean or thaw frozen)

2 organic tomatoes, cut into wedges

bunch of (wild) garlic leaves, cut into strips 

3 pounds (white or green) orangic asparagus, peel, cut off the ends

eins 1. Melt the butter.

zwei 2. Cook the asapargus al dente in salt water with a pinch of sugar and a teaspoon (5 ml) of melted butter.

drie 3. Sauté the tomato wedges and shrimp in hot rapeseed/olive oil over medium heat.

vier 4. Whisk the egg yolks in a double boiler with the white wine until it froths.

fünf 5. Gradually add the rest of the melted butter.

sechs 6. Fold in some of the garlic and lemon juice.

sieben 7. Toast the baguette slices or GF bread.

acht 8. Arrange the asparagus on plates.

neun 9. Drizzle with the garlic hollandaise sauce.

zehn 10. Add the tomatoes and shrimp and sprinkle with the garlic mixture.

Try other asparagus dishes.

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Homemade Edamame Falafel Pita Bread

Pita is a pocket, flatbread from the Middle East. Tear and  dip in hummus, make a pocket and stuff it, or flatten it for a pizza base. It is popular street food, originated in Egypt. 

Add an Asian vegetable, gluten free edamame soybeans, which is full of vitamins and minerals.  Then top with the sauce below, and people would want seconds. 

Pita was first mentioned in English in 1936, from the Modern Green word πίτα /pita, "bread cake, pie". The ancient Green work passed to Latin as picta "pizza". 

P.S. You can buy (gluten-free) pita bead. But what fun is that, when you can make your own.

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.

falafel:

3 cups (390 g) frozen, organic shelled edamame*, thawed

1 cup (130 g) chopped parsley

2 chopped organic garlic

1/2 cup (65 g) chopped organic red onion

3 Tbs. (45 g) (gluten free) flour

2 Tbs. (30 ml) organic lemon juice

2 tsp. (4 g) each, cumin and coriander

1/4 tsp. (1,5 g) baking [powder 

~Egyptian Arabic~

وا َحـ /waahid/ ١ 1. Add the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth.

إتنين /‘itneen/ ٢ 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

تـَلا َتـَة /talaata/ ٣ 3. Use an ice cream scoop to make balls or roll small handful to make about 12 falafels.

أربـَعـَة /‘arbaAa/ ٤ 4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 15 minutes.

sauce:

about 1 cup tightly packed, soft organic tofu (200 g), press out the water

1/4 cup (30 g) tahini (is GF and DF)

chopped mint

organic lemon zest

paprika

خـَمسـَة /kamsa/ ٥ 5. Blend all together.

filling:

each sliced organic: cucumber, tomatoes, organic lettuce or spinach

Serve:

سـِتّـَة /sitta/ ٦ 6. Cut the pitas open but not all the way through.

سـَبعـَة /sabAa/ ٧ 7. Stuff with falafels and fillings.

تـَما َنيـَة /tamanya/ ٨ 8. Drizzle with the sauce.

If you enjoy Middle Eastern cuisines, try some of these dishes:

* With the leftovers, enjoy a Japanese Edamame Snack

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Grilled Fish with Vegetables à la Greek

Greece's coastline measures 8,498 miles (13 676 km), which makes seafood readily accessible. Hence, chefs have access to the freshest fish available, which means lots of creative fish dishes.

Ψάρι ψητό με λαχανικά (Greek)

/psári spit me lachaniká/

Serves 4

grill or preheat the oven to 425F (220C)

1 pound (455 g) organic fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise

olive oil

5 chopped organic cloves of garlic

fresh or thawed skinless wild salmon fillets

2 organic peppers, cut into rings (try different colors)

2 cups (260 g) organic cherry tomatoes

juice and zest of  2 organic lemons

optional spice(s):

• parsley 
• dill
• basil
• tarragon
• safe
• rosemary
• bay leaves
• thyme
• cilantro
• fennel
• oregano 

optional salmon flavor combinations:

• salty: soy sauce or gluten-free liquid aminos, capers, miso
• sweet: organic: honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice or zest
• sour: organic: lemon, lime, vinegar
• creamy: (diary-free:) cream cheese, yogurt, crème fraîche, butter
• smoky: chipotle chiles, paprika, cumin
• green: fresh herbs, cucumber, asparagus

ένα / EN-a/ 1. Place the potatoes in a bowl with 1 Tbs. (15 ml) olive oil and the garlic.

δύο /THEE-oh/ 2. Pour onto a baking sheet, cover with foil, and roast for 30 minutes 

or grill on a BBQ or on top of the stove.

τρία /TREE-a/ 3. In a bowl, add the peppers, tomatoes, parsley, olives, and any spices and/or flavor combinations (except the "creamy" apply after roasting), with 1 Tbs. (15 ml) or more olive oil. Toss.

τέσσερα /TESS-air-uh/ 4. Rinse the salmon and pat dry. 

πέντε /PEN-day/ 5. Pour the pepper mixture over the potatoes.

έξι /EX-ee/ 6. Layer the salmon on top.

εφτά /EF-TA/ 7. Roast, uncovered or gill for 10 minutes (temperature of 145F/63C)

oκτώ /oc-TOH/ 8.  Squeeze the juice over the salmon and vegetables.

εννιά /en-NAY/ 9. Sprinkle with lemon zest.

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Tomato Sauce vs. Arrabbiata Sauce

Heat and herbs make the difference. 

Tomato sauce is mild, sweet, and emphasis on garlic and basil. It is good for family meals on vegetables, seafood, or toppings on pasta, meatballs, pizza, etc.

Arrabbiata (Italian "angry") is an Italian sauce with red chili peppers. Cook with sausage, grilling chicken, or sea foods (mussels, calamari, or white fish); roasted vegetables, (cauliflower, broccoli, or eggplant); tube-shaped pasta (penne or rigatoni) so the sauce clings to the ridges.

So, take your pick.

Tomato Sauce

(used in Italian and Mexican cuisines)

2 pounds (910 g) or 1 28-ounce (800 g) organic tomatoes, chopped

3 Tbs. (45 g) (DF) organic butter

2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil

1 organic onion, cut in half

3 cut garlic cloves

1 tsp. (5 g) organic brown sugar

chopped basil

uno/uno 1. Combine the tomatoes, butter, oil, garlic, and sugar in a Dutch oven or a large sauce pan.

due/dos 2. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 1-2 hours. Stir from time to time.

tre/tres 3. /Remove the onions.

quattro/cuatro 4. Mash any large tomatoes.

cinque/cinco 5. Stir in the basil.

Arrabbiata Sauce

(used in the city of Rome, Lazio region, 

 and Italian-American cuisines.)

1 28-ounce (800 g) organic tomatoes, chopped

3 Tbs. (45 ml) olive oil

4 sliced garlic

1 diced organic onion

1-2 tsp. (2-4 g) crushed red chili flakes, or more, adjust for the heat

1/2 tsp. (1 g) black pepper 

chopped parsley and basil

1. Heat the oil over medium-heat in a saucepan.

2. Sauté the chili flakes for a few minutes.

3. Add the onions for 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the garlic for a few minutes.

5. Add the tomatoes.

6. Reduce and simmer for 25-3o minutes.

7. Stir in the basil and black pepper. Adjust the taste with chili flakes.

8. Store in the refrigerate up to 4 days.

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