Palestinian Potluck Fundraiser Recipes

Baba Ghanoush

(Middle Eastern eggplant dip)

Baba ghanoush is a very popular appetizer and dip in the Middle East. Its smoky flavor goes well with wedges of pita bread or with raw vegetables. Try using it as a sandwich spread.

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients

* Eggplant, Italian -- 3

* Garlic, minced -- 2-3 cloves

* Lemon, juice only -- 1

* Tahini (sesame paste) -- 2 tablespoons

* Salt -- 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant on a baking pan and roast in the oven until cooked through, about 45-60 minutes. The eggplant should collapse when it is removed from the oven and begins to cool.

2. Cut the eggplant in half and remove the pulp. Place the pulp, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt in a food processor or blender and and process until smooth.

3. Remove to a serving bowl, adjust seasoning and drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Variations

* Patlican Salatasi (Turkey): Eliminate the tahini. You can also stir 1/4 to 1/2 cup yogurt into the baba ghanoush to lighten it up a bit. Garnish with paprika.

 

Hummus bi Tahina

(Middle Eastern chickpea and sesame dip)

Hummus is popular appetizer, or meze, throughout the Middle East. Serve with grilled or toasted pita bread cut into wedges. Or use as a sandwich or wrap spread.

4-6 servings

* Chickpeas, cooked and drained -- 2 cups

* Tahini (sesame paste) -- 1/4 to 1/2 cup

* Lemon juice -- 1/4 cup

* Garlic, crushed -- 2-4 cloves

* Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

* Water -- as needed

* Olive oil -- 1/4 cup

* Parsley minced -- 1-2 tablespoons

Method

1. Place the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt into a food processor or blender and process until very smooth. Add water as needed to achieve a soft, spreadable consistency. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt to taste.

2. Mound the hummus in a serving bowl and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Variations

* In Egypt 1-2 teaspoons of ground cumin are usually added.

* Sprinkle with paprika for added color.

Kefta

(Middle Eastern spiced meatballs)

Spiced meatballs are common in one form or another from Morocco in the west through the Middle East (kefta or kufta), to Greece (keftedes), Turkey (köfte), Armenia (kyufta), Iran (kufteh, or koofteh) and all the way to India (kofta) in the east. All names for these little balls of wonder derive from the Persian verb kuftan, which means "to grind."

4-6 servings, or about 20 meatballs

* Ground lamb or beef, or a mixture of the two -- 2 pounds

* Onion, minced -- 1

* Fresh parsley or mint, finely chopped -- 1/2 bunch

* Ground cumin -- 1 tablespoon

* Cinnamon -- 2 teaspoons

* Allspice (optional) -- 1 teaspoon

* Salt and pepper -- to season

* Oil -- 1/4 cup

Method

1. Place the ground beef or lamb, onion, herbs, spices, salt and pepper in a large bowl and knead together well. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to mingle and make the meat easier to handle.

2. Form the meat mixture into balls, patties or ovals the size of a small egg.

3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium flame and, working in batches, sauté the meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through. Browned meatballs can also be finished in a 350ºF oven.

4. Serve as is or in pita bread as a sandwich with tzatziki sauce.

 

Maqluba

(Palestinian rice and eggplant casserole)

Maqluba is Arabic for "upside-down," which is how this popular Palestinian dish of rice, eggplant and meat is served.

4-6 servings

* Olive oil -- 1/4 cup

* Eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds -- 1

* Onion, minced -- 1

* Ground lamb or beef -- 1 pound

* Allspice -- 1 teaspoon

* Cinnamon -- 1/2 teaspoon

* Nutmeg -- big pinch

* Salt and pepper -- to taste

* Tomato, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds -- 1

* Water or stock, well seasoned with salt -- 2 cups

* Rice, soaked 1/2 hour in water to cover -- 1 1/2 cups

 

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the eggplant slices on each side to lightly brown. Remove to a plate.

2. Add more oil to the skillet if needed and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground lamb or beef, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper and sauté, breaking up the meat, until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and drain off excess oil.

3. Grease a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan well with olive oil, butter, lard or shortening. Drain the rice. Lay the tomato slices to cover the bottom of the saucepan. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the rice over the tomatoes. Spoon the meat mixture over the rice. Lay the eggplant slices to cover the meat and press down well to compact all the ingredients. Add the rest of the rice and the seasoned water or stock.

4. Bring to a boil over medium-high flame, then quickly reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Toward the end of the cooking time, check to see if more water needs to be added.

5. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove lid and invert a serving platter over the saucepan. Turn upside-down and carefully slip the saucepan off the rice. Serve hot.

Variations

* Use cubed meat or chicken pieces instead of ground meat if you like.

* For a vegetarian version, eliminate the meat and substitute a layer of sliced potato. Or double the amount of eggplant.

Notes

* Despite greasing the pot with lard or oil, the rice sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pot. Try covering the bottom with a round of greased parchment paper to eliminate this problem.

 

Musaka'a

(Palestinian eggplant baked with tomatoes and chickpeas)

Musaqa'a (moo-sa-KAH) is similar to French ratatouille. Though the pronunciation is the same, and both contain eggplant, this vegetarian dish is not the same as Greek moussaka. Also spelled musakka'a or musaqaa.

4-6 servings

* Eggplant, cubed -- 1 large

* Olive oil -- 3 tablespoons

* Salt and pepper -- to season

* Olive oil -- 1/4 cup

* Onion, chopped -- 1

* Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped -- 3

* Chickpeas, cooked and rinsed -- 2 cups

* Water or tomato juice -- 1 cup

* Salt and pepper -- to season

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant together with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened.

2. While the eggplant is roasting, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, water or tomato juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir to heat through, 3-4 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

3. Place the eggplant in a casserole dish and pour the tomato-onion mixture over it. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbling through. Remove and serve hot or at room temperature.

Variations

* The eggplant can be cut in 1/2-inch rounds and sautéed in hot oil instead of roasting it if you like.

* The chickpeas can be eliminated.

* Add some chopped parsley and/or 1 teaspoon of ground allspice to the tomato-onion mixture if you like.

 

Tabouli

(Middle Eastern bulgur and parsley salad)

An easy, refreshing and healthy salad, tabouli is made of bulgur wheat, finely chopped parsley and scallions dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. The dish goes by various spellings including tabbouleh, taboule, taboulleh, tabouleh, and tabboulleh.

4-6 servings

* Bulgur -- 3/4 cup

* Water -- 3 cups

* Flat-leafed parsley, chopped finely -- 3 bunches

* Tomatoes, seeded and chopped -- 2

* Scallions, finely chopped -- 4-6

* Lemon juice -- 1/2 cup

* Salt and pepper -- to taste

* Olive oil -- 1/2 cup

Method

1. Place the bulgur in a large bowl and add the water. Set aside to soak for 20-30 minutes, then drain. Place the soaked bulgur in a clean rag and squeeze out any excess moisture. Return the bulgur to the bowl.

2. Add the parsley, tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir together. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.

3. Adjust seasoning and stir in the olive oil. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Variations

* In the Middle East, tabouli is often served with whole Romaine lettuce leaves. A bit of the tabouli is spooned into a leave and then popped into the diner's mouth.

* Substitute 1 bunch of finely chopped mint for one of the bunches of parsley.

* Vary the ratio of bulgur to herbs to your liking. Some people like more bulgur and less herbs so it is more like a grain salad. Others like more herbs than bulgur so it is more like a vegetable salad. In the Middle East, the amount of parsley used is substantial.

* One half of a regular onion, minced, can be substituted for the scallions.

* Other possible additions: chopped dill, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.