The third cookbook is the one I really wanted to try something from, though. It's called "Middle Eastern Cooking", and covers jst about everything from Greece to Iran to Israel to Turkey. This year, the middle school is studying the Silk Road. The big culmination at the end of the year will be a bazaar of some kind, where everyone dresses up, and studies a form of trade, and.... I dunno. Tries to sell stuff to people? They haven't given us specifics yet. Anyway, this doesn't happen till April or May, but I instantly got the idea in my head to choose a few major countries along the Silk Road, and cook a traditional dish from each country. Then I can set up a buffet table at the bazaar and give people little sample cups of food, and basically, I'll be catering for the school, so they have to pay me. Well, maybe not the last part. Pooey.
Anyway, I decided to try a dish or two from this cookbook. The first recipe is for Arab Bread. It's a bit weird, and comes out all hollow, but perfectly delicious. It's a huge recipe, and even a half came out with four loaves. But a family can eat one whole loaf with dinner because they're hollow, so maybe not so bad. I plan to take the remaining bread we don't eat tonight to school with me tomorrow to feed to my Advisory and get them to tell me what they think. It is fluffy and crusty at the same time, and the cornmeal on the bottom gives it a lovely flavor.
The second recipe is for Alo Balo Pollo. It is a chicken and rice dish with saffron rice and sour cherries on top. Very, very tasty. The portions are huge, though. I made a half recipe, for three. We could have fed five or six with it. Oh, well, I bet it makes excellent leftovers. The dish is mentioned in my Middle Eastern cookbook, but there is no recipe. So, I found one online. The original is very confusing, and I made a few edits to it. But the result was delicious. I served it with the bread, and fresh Persian cucumbers. I'd better be careful, or I'll drive my family broke by shopping too much at the Farmer's Market.
Sorry the image quality is so bad. I have a new camera, but it's not at all professional. Maybe I'll steal my mom's next time.
KHOUBZ ARABY (ARAB BREAD)
Makes eight loaves
2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups lukewarm water (110º to 115ºF)
2 packages active dry yeast
A pinch of sugar
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cornmeal
Pour 1/4 cup of lukewarm water into a small bowl and sprinkle it with the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (such as a turned-off oven) for 5 minutes, or until the mixture doubles in volume.
In a deep bowl, combine the flour and salt, make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture, the olive oil, and 2 cups of lukewarm water. Gently stir the center ingredients together, then incorporate the flour and continue to beat until the ingredients are well combined. Add up to 1/2 cup more luke warm water, beating it in a tablespoon at a time, and using as much as necessary to form a dough that can be gathered into a compact ball. If the dough is difficult to stir, work in the water with your fingers.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface an knead for 20 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Drape loosely with a towel and set aside in the warm place for 45 minutes, or until the dough doubles in bulk. Punch it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cover the balls with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets (use as many baking sheets as you need. I was only able to fit two loaves of bread on each sheet) with 1/2 cup of the cornmeal or flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll 4 of the balls into round loaves each about 8 inches in diameter and no more than 1/8 inch thick. Arrange them 2 t 3 inches apart on the baking sheets, cover with towels and allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven for 500ºF (475º if you have a convection oven).
Transfer the loaves to the oven, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread puffs up in the center and is a golden brown.
(this part didn't make a difference in the bread for me, but you can try it if you like:)
Remove the bread from the baking sheets, wrap each loaf in foil, and set aside for 10 minutes. The tops will have fallen in ad there will be a shallow pocket of air in their centers.
Sprinkle the pans with the remaining cornmeal or flour, and bake the rest of the loaves in a similar fashion. Serve warm or at room temperature.
2 packages active dry yeast
A pinch of sugar
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cornmeal
Pour 1/4 cup of lukewarm water into a small bowl and sprinkle it with the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place (such as a turned-off oven) for 5 minutes, or until the mixture doubles in volume.
In a deep bowl, combine the flour and salt, make a well in the center, and pour in the yeast mixture, the olive oil, and 2 cups of lukewarm water. Gently stir the center ingredients together, then incorporate the flour and continue to beat until the ingredients are well combined. Add up to 1/2 cup more luke warm water, beating it in a tablespoon at a time, and using as much as necessary to form a dough that can be gathered into a compact ball. If the dough is difficult to stir, work in the water with your fingers.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface an knead for 20 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Drape loosely with a towel and set aside in the warm place for 45 minutes, or until the dough doubles in bulk. Punch it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cover the balls with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle 2 large baking sheets (use as many baking sheets as you need. I was only able to fit two loaves of bread on each sheet) with 1/2 cup of the cornmeal or flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll 4 of the balls into round loaves each about 8 inches in diameter and no more than 1/8 inch thick. Arrange them 2 t 3 inches apart on the baking sheets, cover with towels and allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven for 500ºF (475º if you have a convection oven).
Transfer the loaves to the oven, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread puffs up in the center and is a golden brown.
(this part didn't make a difference in the bread for me, but you can try it if you like:)
Remove the bread from the baking sheets, wrap each loaf in foil, and set aside for 10 minutes. The tops will have fallen in ad there will be a shallow pocket of air in their centers.
Sprinkle the pans with the remaining cornmeal or flour, and bake the rest of the loaves in a similar fashion. Serve warm or at room temperature.
ALO-BALO POLO
Serves 6 to 9
4 cups sour cherries; pitted (about 2 pounds)
6 T. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 lb chicken
1 tsp. Salt
1 medium onion; peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1/2 cup water
2 cup Iranian rice, or other long grain rice; soaked and drained
8 T. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. saffron threads; pulverized with a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, and dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
Combine the cherries and sugar in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan, and, stirring gently, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the cherries have softened somewhat and given off most of their liquid. Remove from the heat.
In a heavy 3 to 4 quart casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels and sprinkle it inside and out with salt. Brown the chicken in the hot oil, turning it frequently with a large spoon or tongs and regulating the heat so that the bird colors quickly and deeply without burning. Place the chicken on a plate and add the onion slices to the oil remaining in the casserole. Stirring frequently, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the slices are richly browned. Return the chicken and all of the juices which have accumulated on the plate to the casserole, add the 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, set aside 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and discard the onion slices. When the bird is cool enough to handle, cut it into 6 or 8 serving pieces.
Meanwhile, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy 4 to 5 quart casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Pour in the rice in a slow, thin stream so the water does not stop boiling. Stir once or twice, boil briskly for 5 minutes, then drain the rice in a sieve. The rice should not be fully cooked.
Pour the reserved chicken cooking liquid and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter into the casserole and stir them together. Add half of the rice and, with a spatula or spoon, smooth it to the edges of the casserole. Cook uncovered over moderate heat for 5 minutes, then remove the casserole from the heat and add the chicken and half of the reserved cherries. Spread the remaining rice on top and pour in all the remaining cherries and their cooking liquid. Keep the cherries slightly to one side, so you have about a cup of plain rice that is easy to scoop out later. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
To serve, spoon about a cup of the rice into a small bowl, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter and the dissolved saffron and stir until the mixture is bright yellow. Scoop the rice, chicken, and sour cherry mixture onto a serving platter. Sprinkle the saffron rice on top. With a metal spatula, lift the rice crust from the bottom of the casserole and arrange small pieces of it around the edge of the platter. Serve.
In a heavy 3 to 4 quart casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels and sprinkle it inside and out with salt. Brown the chicken in the hot oil, turning it frequently with a large spoon or tongs and regulating the heat so that the bird colors quickly and deeply without burning. Place the chicken on a plate and add the onion slices to the oil remaining in the casserole. Stirring frequently, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the slices are richly browned. Return the chicken and all of the juices which have accumulated on the plate to the casserole, add the 1/2 cup of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, set aside 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and discard the onion slices. When the bird is cool enough to handle, cut it into 6 or 8 serving pieces.
Meanwhile, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy 4 to 5 quart casserole with a tightly fitting lid. Pour in the rice in a slow, thin stream so the water does not stop boiling. Stir once or twice, boil briskly for 5 minutes, then drain the rice in a sieve. The rice should not be fully cooked.
Pour the reserved chicken cooking liquid and 4 tablespoons of the melted butter into the casserole and stir them together. Add half of the rice and, with a spatula or spoon, smooth it to the edges of the casserole. Cook uncovered over moderate heat for 5 minutes, then remove the casserole from the heat and add the chicken and half of the reserved cherries. Spread the remaining rice on top and pour in all the remaining cherries and their cooking liquid. Keep the cherries slightly to one side, so you have about a cup of plain rice that is easy to scoop out later. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
To serve, spoon about a cup of the rice into a small bowl, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter and the dissolved saffron and stir until the mixture is bright yellow. Scoop the rice, chicken, and sour cherry mixture onto a serving platter. Sprinkle the saffron rice on top. With a metal spatula, lift the rice crust from the bottom of the casserole and arrange small pieces of it around the edge of the platter. Serve.
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