Tag: Sumac

Smoky Baba Ganoush

Smoky Baba Ganoush is one of those appetizers that basically any time I see it on a menu, I feel the need to order it. The eggplant-based appetizer, originating from Lebanon, uses grilled eggplant, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a smoky dip that is perfect for outdoor eating.

It’s also a great way to use up a bunch of eggplant if you happen to have a few on hand. There are a bunch of recipes out there for oven roasting the eggplant, but there really is no substitute for the flavor added to the dish by grilling.

Ingredients (serves 4 as an appetizer):

  • 2 pounds Italian eggplants (~2-4 eggplants, depending on size)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • the juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground sumac (optional)
  • chopped parsley, for garnish
  • crackers, pita, bell peppers, carrot sticks, etc., for serving

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Slow Cooker Lamb in Zesty Lemon Sauce

 Note: I was sent a copy of The Greek Slow Cooker for review. Opinions are mine alone.

It’s been quite a while since I posted. Since sheltering-in-place became our new normal in Philadelphia, I’ve been cooking a lot of my old recipes, but haven’t had the creativity (or honestly, the energy) to make many new recipes. In the hopes of having some inspiration, I started paging through some of the many cookbooks I have, and came across this recipe for Arnaki Lemonato – Slow Cooker Lamb in a Zesty Lemon Sauce.

This recipe is from The Greek Slow Cooker: Easy, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the Mediterranean.

Written by Eleni Vonissakou, the cookbook is a great source of Greek dishes adapted for slow cookers and includes 75 different Greek recipes. I adapted the recipe below a bit for what I was able to get through my local grocery delivery options.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs baby potatoes (cut the larger ones up so that the sizes of all the potatoes are similar)
  • 2 large carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • the juice and zest of 2 lemons, divided
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 garlic cloves, pressed in a garlic press, or very finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sumac (can omit if you cannot find this spice)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 lbs lamb shoulder (I used lamb shoulder chops)
  • 2 medium onions, quartered

Kitchen Tools Used:

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Sumac Scented Eggplant and Chickpeas

Have you ever used ground sumac? Ground sumac is made from dried ground berries from the sumac bush, which is native to the Middle East. The flavor is similar to lemons, sour and tangy, but less tart than lemon juice.

I purchased ground sumac a while back patiently waiting for the “right” recipe to cross my path. After receiving eggplant in my most recent Hungry Harvest, I came across this recipe for Sumac Scented Eggplant and Chickpeas, which I knew I had to make!

I ended up cooking dried chickpeas in an electric pressure cooker, made my own pomegranate molasses, but using canned chickpeas and store bought pomegranate molasses works just as well. I adapted this recipe from New York Times Cooking.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup olive oil, divided 
  • 2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
  • 4 scallions, sliced, light green and white parts separated from dark green parts
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
  • 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt, for serving (omit for dairy free/vegan)
  • Toasted pita, for serving (omit for gluten free)

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