One for the Library: "Olives, Lemons & Za'atar"
Because you likely find most of your recipes online, you can be choosy when it comes to your bookshelf. These are the cookbooks with the recipes we’re most excited about; they’re beautiful, accessible, and prove the printed word isn’t dead after all.
All photos credit: Peter Cassidy
The Book: "Olives, Lemons & Za’atar”
The Cuisine: Middle Eastern
The Author: Rawia Bishara is chef and co-owner of the Michelin-rated Palestinian restaurant Tanoreen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Bishara grew up in the Palestinian-Arab town of Nazareth in northern Israel, and her restaurant’s dishes are a reflection of the traditional home cooking of her childhood.
Why It’s Worthy: “Originally when I first came [to this country], everyone had the idea that Middle Eastern food was all about hummus and falafel and shish kebab,” Bishara told us. “People did not know that we really have a healthy, fantastic kitchen.”
Even the book’s most impressive-looking dishes are relatively easy to execute, she stressed. “People are always afraid to try and cook new things; it’s really much easier than they think,” Bishara said. You won’t have to run here, there and everywhere in search of exotic ingredients, either; Bishara said you can find them at any good-sized supermarket.
The Show-Stopper Recipes:
Tanoreen’s Specialty Fava Beans (Foul)
(Makes 4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 cups dried fava beans, soaked and boiled
3 shallots or 1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 chile pepper, preferably poblano, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Directions:
In a large skillet, combine 1/4 cup olive oil with the beans and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in another large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium until hot. Toss in the shallots and sauté until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chile pepper and sauté, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cilantro and cook, stirring, until darkened and wilted, about 2 minutes. Toss in the tomatoes and cook until they soften and release their juices, about 3 minutes.
Add 4 cups of the fava beans to the tomato mixture, along with the lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper, if using. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and, using the back of a spoon, make a moat in the foul and drizzle some olive oil into it. Garnish with parsley.
Grilled Red Snapper in Grape Leaves
(Makes 4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients:
4 to 6 whole red snapper or branzino (1 pound each), boned or bone-in
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 5 lemons
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded, if desired, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (20-once) jar grape leaves or 6 to 8 grape leaves per fish, rinsed
Lemon wedges for garnish
Directions:
Using a sharp kitchen knife, make three 1/8-inch crosswise slits along the length of both sides of each fish. Set aside.
In a large baking dish, combine the oil and lemon juice with the garlic, shallots, tomatoes, sesame oil, jalapeño, oregano, cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Arrange the fish in the dish and, using your hands, rub the marinade into the slits and into the cavity of each fish. Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate overnight, turning the fish once or twice.
Prepare a charcoal grill. On a clean work surface, spread out a piece of foil several inches larger and wider than one fish. Place a piece of waxed paper of equal size on top of it. Arrange 6 to 8 grape leaves on the waxed paper, overlapping them to form a rectangular shape. Reserving the marinade, place a fish in the center of the grape leaves and fold the grape leaves onto it like an envelope. Fold up the fish in the waxed paper and then the aluminum foil, wrapping it tightly. Place the packets on the grill and grill 7 to 10 minutes per side.
In a medium pot, head the marinade over high heat to reduce to a sauce. Using kitchen scissors, cut through the foil and waxed paper to open the packets, then transfer each wrapped fish to a dinner plate and serve with the marinade and lemon wedges.
Coconut Semolina Cake
(Makes 12 servings, or one 12 x 17-inch cake)
Ingredients:
4 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 (28-ounce box) white farina such as Cream of Wheat
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Simple syrup (see below), at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream and baking powder and let stand for 1 minute, or until the sour cream begins to rise. In a small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons of the sour cream and baking powder mixture with 4 tablespoons melted butter and set aside.
In another large bowl, combine the farina with the remaining melted butter and the coconut, sugar, baking soda and vanilla extract. Blend with a rubber spatula or your hands until thoroughly incorporated, about 5 minutes. Alternately, combine the ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated. Add the sour cream mixture to the farina batter and mix thoroughly until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Spread half of the reserved sour cream and butter mixture in the bottom of a 12 by 17-inch baking sheet. Spread the remaining sour cream and butter mixture evenly on top. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, pour the simple syrup over the cake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
Cut the cake into 12 squares, garnish each piece with the pistachio nuts and serve. The cake will keep, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature, up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Reheat in a low oven before serving.
Simple Syrup
In a saucepan, stir 5 cups sugar into 8 cups water over medium heat until it boils. Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons orange water and 2 tablespoons rose water. Lower the heat slightly, but continue to boil for 30 minutes. For thicker syrup, allow to simmer longer until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool.
