What Can I Eat Today ?

Chicoree et Volaille a la Bruxelloise – (Stuffed Chicory)

Ingredients

4 chicory heads

salt
2 tb lemon juice
6 tb butter
1 chicken breast, boned, diced
2 tb flour
1/2 c chicken stock or broth
1/2 c half and half
1 pn nutmeg – grated
pepper, white
4 sl ham – cooked
1 egg yolk
1/4 c cheese, Gouda – grated (1oz)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter small covered baking dish. Remove and discard core from chicory heads. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt, lemon juice and 2 tb butter. Cover and bake 1 hour.
Melt 2 tb butter in large skillet – add chicken and saute 10 minutes.
Melt remaining 2 tb butter in small saucepan – add flour, Stir 1-2 minutes. Stir in stock, simmer 5 minutes. Stir in half and half, nutmeg, pinch of salt and white pepper. Stir in sauteed chicken and juices.
Cut baked chicory heads in half lengthwise. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce on 4 halves – top with remain halves. Wrap bacon slice around each filled chicory head – place in baking dish.
Stir egg yolk and cheese into remaining sauce – spoon over filled heads. Bake until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Belgian Waffles

Ingredients

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cups milk
non-stick cooking spray
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Directions

Preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions. In 1 medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a second bowl use the wooden spoon to beat together the egg yolks and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine. Combine the egg-milk mixture with the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. Do not over mix. In third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter. Do not overmix! Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid. Close and cook as per manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Khoubz, or Khubz, Araby

INGREDIENTS

3¾ cups (500g) all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons (1 packet or 7g) active dry yeast (instant dry yeast can also be used)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons warm water
a pinch of sugar
Cornmeal for sprinkling (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. Set aside for 10 minutes until the yeast is foamy. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is dead and you should discard it. If you are using instant dry yeast, you can just mix it with water and sugar and use without waiting the additional minutes. It doesn't require proofing.
In a large bowl, sift in the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and gradually pour in the water and yeast mixture. Form the dough into a ball. Put on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into two even pieces and shape into slightly flattened balls. Dust lightly with flour. Cover with a kitchen cloth and let rest for about 10 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the loaves to the sheet, leaving at least 2 inches (5cm) between them. Flatten to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick with your hand. Cover with a plastic wrap, and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour. The dough should rise.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prick the loaves 4-5 times using a fork or a knife. Sprinkle with cornmeal, if desired. Bake until golden, for about 25 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Store wrapped in plastic wrap. Enjoy!

Lahlou

Lham lahlou, Arabic for "sweet meat," is a very popular dish in Algeria, especially during the month of Ramadan. The daylong fast is broken first with dates, then with mouthfuls of this unctuous and fragrant tagine of tender lamb simmered with sweet fruits.

Normally, no salt is added to the dish so as not to cause thirst during the next day's fast. But you can add a little if you like. Other common spellings: l'ham lahlou; el ham lalou.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Stewing lamb, cubed -- 2 pounds
Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric -- 1/2 teaspoon
Ground ginger -- 1/2 teaspoon
Oil or butter -- 1/4 cup
Water -- 2 cups
Saffron (optional) -- a few strands
Prunes -- 1 cup
Raisins -- 1/4 cup
Sugar -- 1/4 cup
Orange blossom water (optional) -- 1 to 2 tablespoons
Blanched, sliced almonds, toasted -- 1/2 cup

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger. Heat the oil or butter in a large pot over medium-high flame and brown the lamb in batches, removing each batch to a plate before adding the next.
Return all the browned meat to the pot and add the water and saffron. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the meat starts to get tender.
While the meat is simmering, cover the prunes and raisins with hot water and set aside to let them plump up for at least 30 minutes.
After the meat has been simmering for 45 minutes, drain the fruit and add it to the meat along with the sugar and the orange blossom water. Add a little more water if needed and simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes.
Garnish with toasted almonds and serve with couscous, khoubz araby or rice.

Lahm Lhalou Variations

Meats: Beef can be substituted for the lamb. Or try using chicken instead.
Dried Fruit: Use dried apricots instead of prunes, or try a mix of the two.
The orange blossom water can be omitted, but it really adds a beautiful fragrance to the dish. It can be found in many Middle Eastern or Latino markets.

Harira

Harira is a soup from the Maghreb region of North Africa that is especially popular as an iftar meal to break the daily fast during Ramadan. There are innumerable variations of this hearty, healthy soup, but most recipes are for chunks of lamb slow simmered with tomatoes, chickpeas, spices and herbs.

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Olive oil or butter -- 1/4 cup
Lamb, cubed for stews -- 1 pound
Onion, chopped -- 1 large
Celery, chopped -- 2 stalks
Turmeric -- 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon -- 1 teaspoon
Ground ginger -- 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg -- 1/4 teaspoon
Saffron -- big pinch
Tomatoes, chopped -- 2 cups
Water or stock -- 2 quarts
Chickpeas, cooked and drained -- 2 cups
Lentils -- 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Cilantro, chopped -- 1/2 cup
Parsley, chopped -- 1/2 cup
Lemons, cut into wedges -- 2

Method

Heat the oil or butter in a large pot over medium-high flame. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and celery. Sauté until the onions are translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the spices and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Finally pour in the stock and return the meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, lentils, salt and pepper and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the lentils cooked through and tender.
Adjust seasoning, stir in the cilantro and parsley and serve with lemon wedges for each diner to squeeze into their stew as desired.

Harira Variations

Tedouira as a Thickener: Harira is traditionally thickened with a type of sourdough starter called a tedouira. Water, flour, tomato paste and herbs are mixed together and sometimes left to ferment overnight. This mixture is then stirred into simmering soups and stews to give them a velvety consistency. To make your own tedouira, whisk 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup of tomato paste together until smooth. Whisk into the simmering stew after the lentils have simmered for about 15 minutes and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes to thicken the harira.
Meats: Substitute cubed chicken or beef for the lamb. Or eliminate the meat altogether for a delicious vegetarian version.
Sometimes 2 or 3 beaten eggs are stirred into the stew at the end to make ribbons of egg in the broth.
Add 1 cup soup pasta toward the end. Or add 1 cup of rice along with the lentils. You may need to add a little more water.
Moroccans remove the skins from the chickpeas before adding them to the stew. You are forgiven if you forgo this step.

Makroud el Louse

These easy-to-make, flourless cookies are excellent served with tea or coffee. They will keep for over a month stored in a well sealed container.

Makes 20 to 24 cookies

Ingredients

Almonds, whole, blanched -- 1 1/4 pound
Sugar -- 1 cup
Eggs, beaten lightly -- 2
Water -- 2 cups
Sugar -- 1/2 cup
Orange flower water -- 1 tablespoons
Powdered (confectioner's) sugar -- 3 cups

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the almonds and sugar in a food processor and process until the almonds are finely pulverized. Remove to a bowl.
Make a well in the center of the almonds and stir in the eggs with a wooden spoon until the dough starts to come together. Then knead the dough with clean hands until smooth.
Cut the dough into 4 equal portions and remove to a floured work surface. Roll one portion out into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. Press down with your palm to flatten the rope to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the rope on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces and remove to an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake cookies for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned on top. Remove to racks and cool completely.
While the cookies bake, bring the water and 1/2 cup sugar to a rapid boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and let boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature. Stir in the orange flower water.
Put powdered sugar in a large bowl. To finish, dip each cookie first in the sugar syrup to wet. Then toss each cookie in the confectioner's sugar to coat well. Shake off the extra sugar, place on a rack to dry and repeat with the rest of the cookies.

Makroud el Louse Variations

Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the almond dough if you like.
If you are unable to find orange flower water to flavor the syrup, try using 1 teaspoon of lemon essence instead.

Chakchouka

This dish, with many variations, is a popular breakfast in North Africa, especially in Algeria and Tunisia. Most recipes include the eggs, but they can actually be left out if you like. Jewish immigrants from the Maghreb have made this a popular breakfast dish in Israel.

Also spelled chakchouk, shakshouka, shakshuka.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Olive oil -- 3 tablespoons
Paprika -- 1 to 2 tablespoons
Onion, thinly sliced -- 1
Garlic, minced -- 2 to 3 cloves
Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced -- 3
Green and red bell peppers, diced -- 2 to 3
Water -- 1 cup
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Eggs (optional) -- 4

Method

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Stir in the paprika and cook slighly to color the oil, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent and wilted but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce down a little bit. Add the peppers, water and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep it from drying out.
Using a spoon, form four small indentations in the simmering peppers to hold the eggs. One by one, crack the eggs into a small bowl and slip each from the bowl into an indentation. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so until eggs are cooked through.
Serve with crusty bread, pita or rice.

Chakchouka Variations

Add 1 teaspoon of cuminseed to the hot oil for about 15 seconds before you add the paprika. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground coriander along with the onions.
For a little spice, sauté 1 tablespoon of harissa paste or a minced chile pepper with the onions.
Sometimes fresh shrimp or a spicy lamb sausage called merguez is added to the simmering peppers along with the eggs.
Add 1 small, diced eggplant along with the peppers.
Add 1 potato, cut in a small dice, along with the peppers.
Sprinkle the top of the cooked dish with chopped parsley or cilantro.
Add a few olives and capers and eliminate the eggs. Chill and serve garnished with hard-boiled eggs or tuna.