COUSCOUS BEL-ASLOOS

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 40 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

A traditional dish of the western region of Libya, Tripoli in particular. Asloos is a plant that grows in that region in the Spring. If you know what it is in English, please leave a comment.

• 1 cup medium grain couscous
• 4 cups chopped broccolini or mustard green
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 lb baby carrots or cut carrots (500 gm)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon corriander
• 1 teaspoon carawy powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup harissa, hot sauce, or pepper paste (optional)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups water

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Couscous:

1. Boil carrots in water for 45 minutes or untill tender when poked with a fork.

2. Mix couscous with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tspoon salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.

3. Rub couscous to separate grains and mix in chopped broccolini.

4. Transfer to steamer and steam on top of boiling water for 20 minutes, stirring once.

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Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil, add miced garlic, carawy and corriander. Cook but don't let the garlic color.

2. Stir in tomato paste and add 1 1/2 to 2 cups water and salt.

3. Bring to boil, then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, drain and puree carrots in food processer into a smooth paste.

5. Add carrots to the sauce and heat through.

6. Remove sauce mixture from heat and add 1/4 cup lemon juice

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Almost done!

1. Stir half of the sauce mixture into the couscous and broccoli until evenly distributed.

2. Serve into plates and spread some of the remaining sauce mixture on top. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

SHARBET HOOT - Fish Soup

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 1 HOUR ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

• 1/2 pound Spanish Mackerel or similar fish (not mild)
• 1 medium onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 cup orzo
• 5 cups of water

1. Cook fish in water and salt for 15 minutes

2. In another pot, sautee diced onions in oil, add garlic, cumin, tomato paste, and cilantro.

3. Add 5 cups of the fish broth, bring to boil. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

4. Add orzo and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes

5. Add fish after removing bones and shredding into small pieces.

6. Serve and squeeze lemon to taste.

Best served with sourdough baguette

TABAHEJ HOOT

PREP: 45 MINUTES ----- COOK: 2 HOURS ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

• 2.5 lb Spanish mackerel (about 3 fish)

Marinade:
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder

Vegetables:
• 3 cups canola oil or light vegetable oil
• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 bell peppers
• 3 zucchinis
• 2 medium eggplants
• 6 jalapenos or hot green peppers

Sauce:
• 6 ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

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Marinate Fish:
1. Mix the marinade ingredients together

2. Clean fish, remove heads and tails, and cut into 3 pieces each

3. Pour marinade over fish and marinate covered for about 30 minutes

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Cook Sauce:

1. Dice tomatoes or crush in food processor leaving a coarse texture. Heat oil in a medium pot, add tomatoes paste, crushed tomatoes and cilantro. Bring to boil, then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

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Cook vegetables:

1. Peel and cut potatoes into wedges, 1/2 cm thick. Sprinkle with some salt and about 1 tablespoon flour. Flour helps make the vegetable crisp and not so soggy.

2. Heat canola oil in deep frying pan. Add potatoes and lower stove to medium high. Cook until potatoes start turning golden brown. Stir carefully and cook till done. Drain potatoes in a colander.

3. Cut bell peppers and zucchini, and remove stems from jalapeno peppers (do not cut, just pull stems off). Sprinkle with salt and flour and add to frying pan. Stir when halfway done, then transfer to colander.

4. Cut eggplants into half circles, 1 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and flour and add to frying pan. Do not stir till eggplants become firm and golden brown. When done, transfer to colander.

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Almost done!

1. Coat the fish pieces lightly with flour and place in an oven dish. Add vegetables. Mix the remainder of the marinade with the tomatoe sauce and add to the fish and vegetables.

2. Cook covered in 475° F preheated oven for 30 minutes.

KABSA - RICE WITH MEAT

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

A traditional, common dish among many Arabs: Arab penninsula, Libya, Middle East

• 6 pieces of lamb with bone
• 1 large onion
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 whole green cardamoms
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon carawy seeds
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 2 tblespoons olive oil
• 2 cups uncooked Uncle Ben's rice
• 1 cup peeled, halved almonds (or slivered)
• 1 cup pine nuts
• 4 tablespoon ghee

1. Cut onion into large wedges (8-10)

2. Heat olive oil in a pot. Add onion, cloves, cardamoms, carawy seeds, and cinnamon. Stir and cook until onion edges start to turn golden yellow. Add meat and stir to coat.

3. Add 6 cups of water, salt and papper to the pot. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes.

4. Drain broth in a bowl. Move meat to a casserole.

5. Measure 4 cups of the broth in a pot and bring to boil. Add 2 cups of rice and bring back to boil. Simmer covered on low heat for 20 minutes.

6. In a small frying pan, heat ghee and brown almonds till golden. Drain from ghee and sprinkle with some salt. Repeat the same steps for pine nuts. Hide the nuts from your husband or they'll be gone before you serve the food!

7. Serve rice in a plate, garnish with the almonds and pine nuts, and top with meat.

8. Spoon some of the remaining broth over the rice as desired to add flavor and moisture.

For different tasty variations, try substituting chicken or beef for lamb

TAJEEN

PREP: 20 MINUTES ----- COOK: 1 HOUR ---- SERVINGS: 4-6

A traditional Libyan dish--tasty, fast, easy!

• 4-6 pieces 1-inch thick lamb chops
• 5 medium potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 ripe medium tomatoes
• 3 jalapeno or hot peppers
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppers
• 1 teaspoon Libyan spice (or middle eastern 7 spice)

1. Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1-inch thick circle

2. Peel and slice onion

3. Dice fresh tomatoes

4. Mix all ingredients together in a large casserole

5. Bake covered in preheated oven at 500°F (250°C) for 30 minutes

6. Lower oven temperature to 425°F (215°C) and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes

7. Broil for 5 minutes or as desired

Serve with spiced rice (coming soon) or with French baguette

SPINACH ORZO

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 20 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 4 cups firmly packed baby spinach leaves, washed with stems removed, or 1 (10 oz) package frozen, chopped spinach
• 2 medium-to-large onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 2 tablespoon butter

1. Cook orzo according to package directions - usually 10-12 minutes with oil and salt.

2. Meanwhile dice onions and saute in butter in large skillet until golden and slightly brown. Add minced garlic to onions.

3. Add spinach, thyme, salt, and pepper to skillet and saute till spinach is wilted.

4. Drain orzo and rinse then transfer to a dish. Stir in spinach mixture and mix well.

LEMON-HERB HALIBUT

PREP: 30 MINUTES ----- MARINATE: 30 MINUTES ----- BAKE: 20 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4

For tender, juicy fish, marinate no longer then 30 minutes. Marinating longer will make the fish chewy, dry, and tough.

• 4 halibut steaks, 1 inch thick, thawed
• 8 scallions
• 2 vine ripened tomatoes
• 1 bell pepper or zucchini
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 2 tablespoon cooking olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

2. Slice scallions, squeeze juice of the 1/2 lemon

3. Dice tomatoes and bell pepper into large chunks

4. Peel the garlic and leave whole

5. Combine all ingredients into a large casserole dish and marinate for 30 minutes

6. Bake covered for 15 to 20 minutes

Serve over Spinach Orzo

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

PREP: 30 MINUTES ----- BAKE: 1 HOUR ----- SERVINGS: ~6

• 3 chicken quarters (legs preferred)
• 4-5 medium potatoes
• 6 shallots (may substitute with pearl onions or small onions)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 lemon
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cooking olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

2. Clean chicken and remove excess fat (leave the skin on)

3. Peel and cut potatoes into 1/2 inch thick circles

4. Peel shallots or onions and garlic

5. Slice 1/2 of the lemon and squeeze the juice of the other half

6. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to cover evenly

7. Bake covered in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes if needed.