Summer Tomatoes Maftoul Salad

Similar to couscous of Morroco and mughrabieh of Lebanon the Palestinian version is called maftoul. Maftoul is made of bulgur wheat, whole grains that are parboiled, dried in the sun, then cracked, and hand rolled in durum flour. This process is long and time consuming but it gave the maftoul its name. As the word maftoul in Arabic means "rolled". These practices are common among Palestinian women, and products like this are essential in the Palestinian pantry.

Traditionally maftoul is served as a hearty stew that's perfumed with cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices, and then layered with chickpeas, onions, and succulent chicken that's been simmering in the spice broth. Although nothing beats maftoul its one of my favorite fall dishes but today I made a light summer maftoul dish using the seasons freshest ingredients tomatoes and mint.

This fresh summer maftoul dish is perfect on its own or as a side dish. It’s packed with fresh flavors and celebrates one of the summer's star ingredients “the juicy tomatoes”. Once the tomatoes are roasted and charred they become almost jamy and sweet. Top the dish with creamy salty feta, halloumi or nabulsi cheese crumbles, & fresh crisp mint. This dish is perfect warm or at room temperature, good for a picnic or served with grilled chicken or fish.

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Palestinian Maftoul

• 4 cups (2 pints) cherry tomatoes, vine tomatoes cut in half

• 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil

• red pepper flakes (optional)

• 2 cups maftoul prepared according to package instructions

• ⅓ - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or nabulis cheese

• 2 tbls toasted pine nuts to garnish

• Juice of one lemon

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup fresh mint; stems removed and roughly chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To roast the tomatoes :

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a baking dish combine the tomatoes with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and the 3 garlic cloves (don’t peel). Toss together to combine.

Roast for 30 minutes (the time will depend on the size and juiciness of the tomatoes). Roast, tossing once, until tomatoes are blistered and begin to slightly burst, 25 -30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the maftoul according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork.

Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and finely chop them. If you are using vine tomatoes give them a rough chop. In a salad bowl or a platter combine the tomatoes and their juices, garlic, add lemon juice, and the maftoul. Toss to combine adjusting the seasoning. Add fresh mint, feta cheese and pine nuts. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

#maftoul #summersalad #maftoulsalad #summertomatoes #roastedtomatoes #garden #vegetarian

Strawberry- Rhubarb, Olive Oil and Rose Water Cake

To wake up to the smell of freshly baked cake on the weekend is just incredible. This strawberry-rhubarb, olive oil and rose water cake is simply delicious. It comes together from start to finish in under an hour. The olive oil is so fruity and makes the cake really moist. The rose water compliments the strawberries and obviously the rhubarb real well. It’s made With a mix of Almond flour and AP flour so light and slightly sweet making it a perfect cake in my house. Bake a cake and enjoy the weekend.

Prep time: 15 min

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup sliced rhubarb

1 tbls rose water

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup milk (I used 2%) you can use almond milk if you wish

1 cup AP flour

3/4 cup almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with a circle of parchment paper and brush sides and bottom with a bit of olive oil.

2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, Add the sugar, milk, olive oil, and rose water. Whisk together until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet into the dry ingredients and mix to combine just until it’s combined. Don’t over-mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Top the cake with the sliced strawberries and rhubarb until you cover the top. The fruits will sink ever so slightly creating delicious dimples of fruit into the cake once cooked.

5. Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35-45 min.

6. Let the cake cool in the pan until cool enough to handle about half an hour.

7. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

8. Serve with whipped cream flavored with rosewater, or I love to serve it with sweetened plain yogurt with rosewater, and a bit of honey.

#strawberry #strawberryrhubarb #oliveoilcake #summercake #almondflour #strawberryrhubarbdessert

Mutabal Kousa: Summer Zucchini Salad

A Summer cooling salad with fire charred zucchini, mint and yogurt.

Since my trip to go home to Palestine to visit my family was cancelled this summer I found myself cooking dishes that evoke my senses. These summer dishes are an account of memories that dance through my childhood and the summers spent with my family in Palestine. The fresh herbs my mother plants, the seasonal vegetables and the tree ripened fruit in my grandparent's garden. The rhythmic beat of teta's mortar and pestle pounding this mutabal. These are the type of things that evoke more than just memories, they excite my imagination and fill my senses with possibilities. So this summer when Palestine seems in the far distance you will find me cooking from home, the summer dishes that my grandmothers and mother make.

Summer lunch at my grandmother's house was often filled with dishes like this one. Teta always cooked with whatever is in season. She would be happy eating a bowl of this mutabal with charred crispy bread (that's how she likes it), olives and sliced tomatoes.

Mutabal in Arabic means "seasoned." It often refers to these delicious creamy salads or sides that are often mixed with tahini, yogurt or the combination of both. My teta's (grandmother) cooling mutabal with charred kousa, creamy yogurt and mint is perfect in the summer with grilled meats, part of a mezze plates, serve with pita bread and other crisp veggies.

Mutabal Kousa

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 large zucchini’s or 5 small ones

1 cup plain yogurt

3 garlic cloves

1 jalapeño (optional)

Juice of 1/2 lemon (adjust to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp aleppo pepper (optional)

2 tbls Olive oil plus more for the top

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions:

To prep the zucchini, Preheat the oven to 375

I like to fire roast the zucchini’s and jalapeño whole first on an open flame just like my teta does. A gas stove top or on the grill will work as well. This step is optional but it adds lots of flavor. Then finish roasting the zucchini in the oven until they are tender and completely cooked through.

Place the zucchini on a baking tray and let it finish cooking in the oven until tender and soft on the inside about 20 minutes depending on the size of your zucchini. The best way to check is insert a skewer or the tip on your knife if it goes in the flesh of the vegetable easily then the vegetable is done. Let them cool to handle.

With a pairing knife peel some of the blackened skin. You don't need to peel it all as it adds a layer of flavor.

Roughly chop the zucchini with a knife, my grandmother would pound the zucchini, garlic and the jalapeno if using in a mortar and pestle.

Add the zucchini, jalapenos, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, salt and mix to combine. Fold in the fresh chopped mint and the olive oil.

Serve in a bowl, with a generous drizzle of olive oil and extra chopped mint.

Note: you can chop or pound your vegetables to the consistency you like. If you like it more fine chop further.

This cooling mutabal is perfect in the summer with grilled meats, part of a mezze plates, serve with pita bread and other crisp veggies.

#zucchini #mutabal #savoryyogurt #mint #mutabalkousa #kousa #palestinianfood