Tebekhet Gar'a - Pumpkin Stew

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

This dish is the traditional lunch in first day of Eid el-Fitr in my hometown Derna, Libya. It's known as Eid Stew or Tebekhet Eid

• 6 serving-size pieces of lamb loin chops
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2x 15.5oz can chick peas (garbanzo bean) or about 2 cups chick peas soaked and peeled
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste (vary amount based on the concentration of the brand you use)
• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 5-6 cups pumpkin or butternut squash cut into 2-inch pieces (~ 1medium butternut squash)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a medium pot and sautee onion till translucent.

2. Add meat, sautee turning till evenly colored

3. Add tomato paste, stir, then mix in water little at a time. Stir in salt and all other spice.

4. Stir in the peeled chick peas.

5. Bring to boil, lower heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 30 to 45 minutes.

6. When sauce and meat are cooked add in the pumpkin and the raisins. Simmer covered for 10 to 12 minutes.

7. Serve with baguette or over your choice of rice.

Biftek with Shallot Sauce

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

• 4 boneless top sirloin steak, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup minced shallots
• 1 1/2 cup red vermouth or Worcestershire sauce

1. Trim fat from the meat and cut into serving-size pieces.

2. Place meat between 2 plastic wraps and pound with the flat side of meat mallet to 1/8-inch thickness, working from center to edges.

3. In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Dip the meat into flour mixture coating well.

4. Heat butter in a skillet until it starts sizzling. Sear meat in butter over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Remove meat, reserving dripping in skillet.

5. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vermouth or Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Cook until the sauce is reduced by half and the mixture has thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in extra 1 tablespoon butter.

6. Pour the hot sauce over the steaks, garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

7. Serve over brown rice.

Brown Rice

PREP: 10 MINUTES ----- COOK: 30 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

• 1 cup short, medium, or long-grain brown rice
• Salt to taste

1. Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds. Bring 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the rice, stir it once, and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.

2. Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat.

3. Cover the pot and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover the rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt.

Chicken Parmigiana

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 60 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 4-6

• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
•  4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 recipe tomato pasta sauce
 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.

2. Stir together the bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, and dried oregano; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 2 tablespoons milk until blended. 

3. Place the chicken pieces in a freezer bag or between 2 plastic wraps. Lightly pound the chicken using the flat side of a meat mallet, working from the center to the edges until an even thickness is achieved.


4. Dip chicken breasts into the egg, then press into breadcrumb mixture to coat both sides, shaking off excess. 

5. Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

6. Pour 1/2 of the cooked tomato sauce into a 7x11 inch baking dish. Place chicken over sauce, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top and return to the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

7. Serve over cooked linguini or angel hair.

Tomato Sauce

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 60 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon each: dried oregano, dried basil, dried rosemary, crushed red pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
• Fresh ripe tomatoes to make 2 cups of puree
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook onions, garlic, dried herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in vermouth, fresh tomatoes, and tomato pastes scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet.

3. Bring to boil then simmer almost covered for 30 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally until thick and bubbly.

4. Serve over your choice of cooked paste: capellini, farfalle, etc.

Shrimp in Creamy Tomato Sauce

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 60 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: 6
 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound peeled large shrimp
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon each: dried oregano, dried basil, dried rosemary, crushed red pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
• Fresh ripe tomatoes to make 2 cups of puree
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 lb your favorite pasta, cooked to package direction al dente

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook shrimp, garlic, dried herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet.

2. Stir in vermouth, fresh tomatoes, and tomato pastes scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet.

3. Bring to boil then simmer almost covered for 30 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally until thick and bubbly.

4. Add shrimp to the tomato sauce, heat through and allow any excess liquid to evaporate

5. Add cream and briskly simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minute, continuously stirring.

6. Serve over your choice of cooked paste: capellini, farfalle, etc.

Mama's Apple Cake

PREP: 15 MINUTES ----- COOK: 60 MINUTES ----- SERVINGS: Many
 

A tasty quick and easy-to-make and eat cake. I've been making it almost every day since we went apple picking last week. We can't get enough of it!

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 6 medium apples
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

1. Core and peel the apples then slice into 1/2 inch slices

2. Mix the apples with 1tablespoon sugar, cinamon, lemon juice and set aside

3. In a mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time.

4. Mix in the flour, salt, and BP

5. Spread the batter in 13x9x2 pan (inches), Note the batter is kind of thick.

6. Arrange the apple slices on top of the batter, squeezing them in side by side and into the batter. Drizzle the remainder of the sauce over the apples.

7. Bake in 350 F oven covered for 30 minutes

8. Remove cover and bake for another 30 minutes

9. Enjoy warm or cold with coffee, tea, milk or your favorite drink