The Best Ever Shawarma White Sauce

We needed to make ten times this for our dinner tonight for fifty people- we ended up with over seventy and it was the first food item to run out!  Very tasty!

Serves: ½ cup

Ingredients

½ cup Greek Yogurt (sour-cream can also be used but we did not.)

Juice of half a lime

1 tablespoon Tahini (The recipe says optional but we used it)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (1 teaspoon dry can also be used)

5 mint leaves (dry can also be used)

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.

Let this sauce sit for at least four hours in your fridge to blend together!

 Store in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs

This was also used at our Islamic inspired dinner.  It will now be one of my families go-to chicken dinners!  

By Jennifer Segal

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if you don't like heat)

Zest from one lemon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon

1-3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 garlic cloves, minced

2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts), trimmed of any excess fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces

1 large red onion, cut into wedges

Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic.

Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating occasionally with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kebabs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Spoon or brush the marinade all over the meat, coating well.

Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve.

Basmati Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Almonds

I used this recipe for an Islamic Inspired dinner at Southminster Presbyterian Church.  It was very well received!

By Jennifer Segal, adapted and modified from Cooks Illustrated

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups basmati  rice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-1/4 cups water

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup dried fruit, such as currants, raisins or finely chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted until golden

Instructions

Place rice in medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat four to five times, until water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain water from rice. Place strainer over bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic to sautéed onions and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add rice to pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add water, salt and pepper to rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid, and sprinkle dried fruit over rice (do not mix in). Place lid loosely over pot and let stand 10 minutes. Toss in toasted almonds, fluff rice with a fork, then serve.

Kugel

From of Dave Lieberman

Ingredients

1/2 pound wide kosher for Passover egg noodles

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 pound cottage cheese

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

6 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Boil the noodles in salted water for about 4 minutes.

Strain noodles from water.

Combine all ingredients besides cooked noodles in a large mixing bowl.

 Then combine noodles with remaining ingredients and pour into a greased, approximately 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bake until custard is set and top is golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon Tiramisu

I made this for Dinner group and then for French night at SPC for about fifty people.  It multiplies well and I bet you could use Mascarpone instead of cream cheese!  Make lots, it is very tasty!

Ingredients

• 1 block 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup lemon curd
• 1- 12 ounce can frozen lemonade
• 1/4 cup Limoncello
• 1 cup water
• Lady fingers (16 per layer) x 3 layers

Directions/Steps

1. In bowl with hand mixer add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat them till creamy.
2. Add the whipping cream and beat till stiff.
3. Fold in the lemon curd.
4. In separate bowl
5. Separate bowl, add the lemonade, water and Limoncello.
6. In 9x9 pan, add 1/3 of the cream mixture
7. Dip the ladyfingers in the Limoncello mixture and start your first layer.
8. Top with another 1/3 of cream mixture.
9. This should be repeated so you have three layers of lady fingers ending with the last layer of cream.
10. Freeze for about 4 hours.
11. Enjoy!

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

We recently made this for 50 people by doubling it twice and besides having to add some thickener at the end, it turned out to be very tasty and well received. 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut apple-wood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:

Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 DEGREES F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the SEARED cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

We served our version over baked mashed potatoes.  Very tasty!

Dutch Baby Pancake (Baked German Pancake)

Dutch Baby Pancake (Baked German Pancake)

This recipe was given to us before we were married by Karin and Ellen Chassman’s mom while we were wandering around the states.

3 Eggs

1/2 cup Flour

½ tsp salt

½ cup Milk

2 Tbsp Melted Butter

Beat eggs till blended.

Sift flour and salt together.

Add flour mixture, to eggs in four additions, beating each time.

Add milk and butter in two additions, beating each time.

Generously butter pie pan and pour in.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes till mixture has grown up the sides and is golden brown.

Serve with powdered sugar and lemon juice or with caramelized apples!