Fattouche

It's that time of the year again where I'm working hard to stick to my fitness resolution and after staring into my fridge, I realized that most ingredients I had could make a big, levantine, and fulfilling salad to carry the torch to my goal. The best tasting part of this salad is the rustic yet elegant pares of as many vegetables as you can find.

Fattouche

Tools Needed

Cutting Boards
Chef's Knife
Citrus Juicer
Mixing Bowl
Tossing Utensils


Main Ingredients

2 Pita Breads
1 head of lettuce
2 Tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1-2 Limes or Lemons
1/2 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A pinch of salt

Additional and more exciting ingredients

1/4 Cup of Parsley
2-3 Radishes
Scallions
1 Green Bell Pepper
Black or Green Olives
1/2 Tablespoon of Sumac
1/2 Tablespoon of Thyme

Preheat oven to 350F and toast the pita bread for about 7 minutes. Set toasted pita aside and let it cool. In the meantime, chop lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and mix and match any of the combination of the ingredients to your desired taste and toss well. Dress it with extra virgin olive oil and lime or lemon juice and sprinkle some sumac or thyme for that perfect invigorating bite.

Photo by Leslee Mitchell

Dolma: Stuffed Grape Leaves

Cooking is one of my passions, especially when it's time to make dinner for friends. It's almost like a mantra that I come up with the perfect menu, blending complimentary flavors, and exploring creative concoctions to make each dish scrumptious. The ingredient I'm most enthralled by is the grape leaf. Tracing back to Greece, grape leaves represent prosperity and are a chosen adornment by Greek Gods. As a matter of fact, according to an ancient myth, stuffed grape leaves, dolmas, were consumed by Zeus and other Gods atop Mount Olympus. The plain grape leaves were served with the bold ambrosia and nectar. Treat yourself like a God or Goddess and indulge in this divine recipe.

Dolma

Tools Needed
Casserole Pot or Deep Pan
Cooking Pot
Colander
Spatula
Measuring Cup
Measuring Cups
Chef's Knife
Cutting Board

Total Time: 90 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings


Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dried dill (optional)
2 teaspoons finely snipped fresh mint (optional)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 Jar Grape Leaves
1 Lemon or lime

Boil the rice in 1 1/2 cups briskly boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and reserve it.
In your pan, add extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Make sure your oil doesn't create a haze of smoke. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the rice, green onion, parsley, dill, mint, lemon juice, turmeric, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook the stuffing for 3 to 4 minutes and reserve it. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the grape leaves and remove from the heat. Soak the leaves for 1 minute and transfer them to cold water. Separate the leaves and drain them on clean cotton cloth. To stuff the leaves, spread 30 leaves dull side up, flat on a plate. Place 1 tablespoon of the stuffing on the center of each leaf. Turn up the stem and fold the leaf over the stuffing, fold the sides in over the stuffing and roll to the end. Layer the bottom of a 2-3 quart casserole or pan with a tight fitting cover, with the 10 unstuffed leaves. Arrange the stuffed leaves with the seam side down in the casserole. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons water. Simmer, tightly covered for 50 minutes. You can serve dolmas as appetizer, main entree, or snack. As usual, sprinkle some lemon on lime for that zest.