Greek Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1 small red onion, cut into wedges
olive oil
salt
1 yukon gold potato, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
3 cloves garlic, sliced
juice of half a small lemon
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoon dill, chopped
crumbled feta (optional)

Toss potatoes in oil and salt and place on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes at 375.

Meanwhile, toss green beans, tomato, puree, garlic, lemon juice, and oregano. Add this mixture to the potatoes and bake another 20 minutes.

Add zucchini and red onion, stir and bake an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in dill. Garnish with feta if desired.

Spanish Chickpea and Spinach Stew

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
3 cups spinach
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted

Cook onion and garlic in the oil. Add spices. When aromatic, stir in tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add water if needed. Add brown sugar, chickpeas, and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted. Garnish with almonds.

Serve with long grain rice.

Armenian Vegetable Stew

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, diced and salted
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper
1 small yellow pepper
1-1/2 cup okra, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 sweet apple, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and black pepper
juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Squeeze eggplants dry with paper towel and bake at 400 for 30 minutes until golden. Set aside.

In a saucepan, cook onion in the oil and add the garlic. Add peppers and okra. Cook for 2 minutes and add apple and zucchini. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, puree, and paste. Add water if needed. Cover and cook until zucchini is tender. Stir in eggplant, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper before removing from heat. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with bulgur.

Persian Eggplant Stew

Ingredients:

3 large eggplants, diced and salted
2 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup yellow split peas, presoaked
1-1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1 persian lime

Squeeze eggplant pieces between paper towels. Toss with oil and salt in a bowl and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook onion in some oil and add the garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir until aromatic and add peas, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring to simmer, cover and cook until peas are cooked though. Add water as needed.

Stir in eggplant pieces, lime juice, and season with salt as needed.

Serve with basmati rice and herbs.

Alfajores

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1-1/2 cups flour
2 cups cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
24 ounces dulce de leche
1/2 cup desiccated coconut

Combine butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract just until uniformly combined. Add more cornstarch or some heavy cream if needed. Form into a ball and refrigerate until chilled through.

Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper into 14/18 inch thick sheet and cut with 2 inch cookie cutter. Refrigerate until firm.

Bake immediately after taking cookies out of the fridge on parchment paper at 350 for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Spread or pipe dulce de leche along edges of cookies and form into sandwiches. Roll the sides in the coconut.

Nawabi Paneer Curry

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh coconut, grated
1/4 cup cashews, soaked in water
1 inch cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin
3 green chiles
2 cups paneer, cut into triangles
2 teaspoons mustard oil
1 cup peas
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups coconut milk
salt, to taste

Combine grated coconut, cashews, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, and chili peppers in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Shallow fry the paneer pieces in the mustard oil until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

In a saucepan, cook the onions in some coconut oil. Add red bell pepper, ginger, garlic, and bay leaves then the cashew paste and turmeric.

Reduce heat and add the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and add peas, cilantro, paneer, and salt. Simmer 10 minutes.

Serve with naan or basmati rice.

Broccolini Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 cups broccolini or broccoli
1 cup chickpeas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

Heat oil in a saucepan and add garlic. Stir until aromatic and add the broccolini. Stir fry for a couple of minutes and add a splash of water and the chickpeas. Cook until heated through and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, tahini, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk and add water until smooth paste forms.

Stir the dressing into the pan with the onion, tomatoes, parsley, and cilantro. Serve warm.

Persian Samosas

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups potato, diced
1/2 tablespoon rose petals, ground
1/1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups brown lentils, cooked
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
fillo sheets
butter or olive oil
nigella seeds

Toss potatoes in half the oil, salt, and pepper. Cook in the oven until golden.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the onion in the remaining oil. Add the spices, potatoes, and lentils. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

Layer three sheets of fillo, brushing each with butter or oil and place filling mixture inside. Fold into triangles. Top with a pinch of nigella seed.

Place triangles on parchment paper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.

Tofu Hotpot

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha
3 cups vegetable stock
4 cups bok choy
10 ounces lo mein noodles
10 ounces tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 green onion, sliced

Cook garlic and ginger in the oil. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Stir in honey, soy sauce, sriracha, and the vegetable stock. Bring to simmer.

Add the noodles and cook until tender, then add the bok choy and tofu. Simmer until greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in green onion.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

12 tomatillos
2 jalapenos, seeded
3 poblano peppers (optional)
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup or more cilantro
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt, to taste

Roast or grill tomatillos, peppers, garlic, and onion until blackened. Peel garlic clove and skin off peppers.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Chill before serving.

Iraqi Biryani

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups basmati rice, presoaked
1 russet potato, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 cup peas
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup vermicelli
1 bay leaf
1 dried lemon
2 cardamoms
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
11 teaspoon turmeric
a pinch of clove
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
oil
1/4 cup sultanas, toasted
1/3 cup roasted pine nuts or almonds
salt and black pepper
imitation chicken

Toss potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the onion in some oil. Add stock, carrot, peas, bay leaf, dried lemon, and cardamom. Bring to simmer.

Fry the vermicelli in some oil until golden brown. Add some water and stir until water is absorbed and noodles are al dente.

Drain the vegetable stock from the vegetables into the rice and cook until rice is tender. Add half the turmeric and cinnamon and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, combine the vegetable mixture, potatoes, vermicelli, cinnamon, turmeric, clove, cardamom, sultanas, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes and remove from heat. Remove bay leaf and lemon.

Cook the imitation chicken according to package instructions.

To assemble, pour rice onto serving platter. Layer with the vermicelli mixture and top with the imitation chicken pieces.