Shepherd’s pie is an English staple, and consists of a layer of lamb (if you’re using beef then it’s a cottage pie) and vegetables topped with a layer of fluffy mashed potato on top, then baked in the oven. It’s classic English comfort food at its best, and it’s economical for feeding a group or…
This dish came about because I have been craving mujadarrah, but it is still 100°F (38°C) outside, despite the fact that it’s technically autumn. This salad is a bit of a summery approximation, adding some fresh herbs and onion instead of caramelised ones, and adding plenty of fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts. It’s a…
Before I lived in Denver I lived in Chicago, Illinois. I’d moved there from London, and I lived in a mostly Mexican neighbourhood on the South Side – Pilsen. This time almost feels like it was another life for me – it was before I was married, or a parent, and I was a relatively…
Aubergine (or eggplant, if you’re American) is probably one of my favourite vegetables. Ever since I was a small kid I can remember being excited to see it on my plate, unlike my daughter who I still can’t convince to touch the stuff… Unless it’s ‘hidden’ in mutabbal. Mutabbal is probably what many people would…
Admittedly, I am not a big cheese person. Part of this stems from being lactose intolerant, so I didn’t grow up eating a lot of it as I always felt it made my stomach hurt. Cultured dairy, like yogurt, seems to be a bit easier on my stomach and so labneh, being made from yogurt,…
I use a lot of cherry tomatoes in salads, and I’m a pretty big fan of the multicoloured ones that come in a range of yellows, oranges, and reds. I typically buy the large box from Costco, and I’m nearly always left with a handful or two of cherry tomatoes that are starting to look…
Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur, a wheat product. While I’m definitely not gluten free (as evidenced by the bread recipes I post here) I tend to always have quinoa on hand, whereas I only buy bulgur occasionally from my local Middle Eastern supermarket. Quinoa also has relatively high protein content for a grain, and…
The fruit bowl in our house is nearly always piled sky high with lemons, particularly at this time of year when every salad needs a good squeeze of bright, fresh lemon juice. If you find yourself with extras, however – I highly recommend making this quick and super simple lemonade. I’d been intrigued by the…
As a parent, there are definitely nights after school when I simply don’t have the time to spend creating a healthy meal from scratch (or times I really just don’t feel like it). In the interest of not blowing our budget or eating junk food, I always try to keep a batch of this slow…
Namoura (or basbousa, as it is known in Egypt) is a traditional dessert made from semolina (the flour one typically thinks of for making pasta). It’s a relatively simple dessert with only a few ingredients, but it’s soaked in syrup fragranced with orange blossom water, and includes a little bit of shredded coconut, which gives…
