Thanksgiving is about the sides, right? While I fully believe in indulging from time to time, I also try to make sure that there’s healthier options on our Thanksgiving table, perhaps so I don’t feel so bad about getting seconds (or thirds?). I love cauliflower mashed ‘potatoes’, but then I love cauliflower in all its…
Tahini sauce (or what we call tahina in our house) goes with nearly everything, in my opinion. It’s perfect for roasted vegetables, for grilled meats, for sandwiches, spread on bread and topped with za’atar, as a base for hummus or mutabbal, or over a fresh salad. I’m going to show you how to make tahini…
Today (September 23rd) is actually Za’atar Day! Za’atar is a spice used throughout the Levant – made from a type of wild thyme, or hyssop. Its official name is ‘origanum syriacum’ and it’s classified as part of the oregano / marjoram family of plants. It grows wild in many places and in late summer and…
Shepherd’s pie is an English staple, and consists of a layer of lamb (if you’re using beef then it’s a cottage pie) and vegetables topped with a layer of fluffy mashed potato on top, then baked in the oven. It’s classic English comfort food at its best, and it’s economical for feeding a group or…
Fattoush is a Levantine salad (it has been said to have originated in Syria) that is, for lack of a better description, a bread salad – in the same vein as the Italian panzanella. It happens to be one of my all-time favourite salads, and it tends to pair well with just about anything –…
I use a lot of cherry tomatoes in salads, and I’m a pretty big fan of the multicoloured ones that come in a range of yellows, oranges, and reds. I typically buy the large box from Costco, and I’m nearly always left with a handful or two of cherry tomatoes that are starting to look…
Ashta is a pastry cream common throughout the Middle East and the Levant, similar to English clotted cream; it’s usually used to fill qatayef, or added into other pastries, but in summer it’s lovely just with a simple fruit tray, or topped with a little orange blossom syrup and some chopped nuts (like a pudding)….
This easy, one-pan meal is easy to throw together in the morning and put into the oven when you get home from work. The chicken is coated in toum both inside and out, then placed over seasoned potatoes. You can leave uncovered in the fridge to dry out before putting it into the oven –…
Toum is perhaps the most versatile Lebanese condiment; it consists only of fresh garlic, salt, oil, and lemon juice. When made correctly, it is light and fluffy – the consistency of a light mayonnaise – but packed with garlic flavour. It is good on meat, vegetables, in sandwiches – or even to dip French fries…
