But now it’s . . . → Read More: Mujaddarah (or How the Heck is This so Delicious?)]]> Happy Monday! Except for the fact that Erik stayed in NYC, this weekend was fantastic. The kind of fantastic that involves watching bad movies with a pint of ice cream and playing card games with friends over strawberry-vodka slushies. The kind of fantastic that alternates staying up too late with avoiding the gym at all costs. The kind of fantastic that ends with perma-heartburn and a squishy-squashy tummy that makes unhappy noises.

But now it’s Monday – the favorite day of resolution-makers – so I need to get back on track before I have to buy a whole new wardrobe. However, as I’ve mentioned before, I struggle with healthy eating when Erik’s gone. It’s got to be super tasty, easy to cook, require minimal clean-up, and reheat well or I just won’t do it. Luckily, I ordered delivery from a Middle Eastern restaurant last week and remembered how awesome mujaddarah is – a delicious, simple, two-pot, perfect-for-leftovers rice and lentils dish. You won’t believe me until you try it, but the final meal is so much more than the ingredients imply. Somehow, sauteing thin onion slices in a pool of olive oil until they’re brown and crispy adds an incredible amount of flavor to rice and lentils. It’s earthy and satisfying and totally not guilt-inducing.

This makes a great lunch or dinner – add a salad or sauteed greens if you want some veggies. My FAVORITE way to eat this, though, is topped with scrambled eggs and a drizzle of sriracha or plop of yogurt. Yum yum yum!!

[Please excuse the iPhone photos!]

Mujaddarah

Makes about 5 cups (4-6 servings)
From Simply Armenian

Directions

1. Pick through the lentils to remove debris. Sometimes little rocks and sticks hide, which aren’t fun to chew on. Rinse them well.
2. Add the lentils and 3 cups of water to a pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so that the water simmers gently for 20 minutes.
3. Rinse the rice well and let it drain while the lentils cook.
4. While the lentils are cooking, slice the onions into thin rings. Heat the olive oil in a skillet (not non-stick) over medium heat and add the onions. Stir them every now and then until they’re dark brown. It should take about as long as the rice and lentils.
5. After the lentils have cooked for 20 minutes, add the rice and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender
6. Add the cooked onions and salt to the lentils and rice. Pour in any oil that’s left in the skillet, because it’s tasty. Mix well and serve hot, warm, or cold.

Lindsay is finally back from Armenia and my work schedule is settling down, so it’s time to return to regular posting. We have four or five posts in backlog (and we’ll catch up on that soon!). Luckily, winter posts age well. If there’s one good thing about “dark days”, it’s that the available ingredient list stays pretty stable.

For a vegetarian meal last night we made potato and onion kibbeh, a recipe which Lindsay . . . → Read More: How to Make Potato Kibbeh and Paprika Carrots]]>

Lindsay is finally back from Armenia and my work schedule is settling down, so it’s time to return to regular posting. We have four or five posts in backlog (and we’ll catch up on that soon!). Luckily, winter posts age well. If there’s one good thing about “dark days”, it’s that the available ingredient list stays pretty stable.

For a vegetarian meal last night we made potato and onion kibbeh, a recipe which Lindsay got from her newest cookbook, Simply Armenian. As a side, we made a carrot sauté that features smoked paprika, possibly the best spice in the world!

Potato-Onion Kibbeh

Makes 6-8 servings

Directions

1. Cook the wheat berries (see the chart towards the bottom of the linked post). This part can be done days in advance, since it’s the longest part.
2. Wash and peel the potatoes, and dice them into 1/2 inch cubes so that they cook faster. Grate one of the onions (I used a food processor). Slice the other into large, round slices. If one is larger than the other, grate the larger one and slice the smaller one.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Place the potatoes in a large pot, fill it water until the potatoes are covered by about one inch, add 0.5 tsp of salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it’s at a boil, leave it for 25 minutes. To test, stick a fork into one of the potatoes. It should slide right off. Drain the potatoes in a colander and put them back into the pot. Using a masher or large fork, mash the potatoes.

   

5. To the pot with the mashed potatoes, add the wheat berries, grated onion, parsley, basil/mint, cumin, pepper, and the remaining salt. Mix thoroughly. For best (but messy!) results, knead the mixture thoroughly with your hands. Line the bottom of a small baking dish with the sliced onions and drizzle 1/4 cup of the oil evenly over them.

   

Spread the potato mixture evenly over the onions. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of oil over the top. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until browned on top.

Carrots with Smoked Paprika and Toasted Hazelnuts

Makes 2-3 servings

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts (unfortunately we couldn’t go local for hazelnuts, but we had some on hand and this is also an optional ingredient). Spread them evenly in a signal layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 8 – 10 minutes. While you are waiting, peel the carrots. Cut them cross-wise into coins no thicker than 1/4 inch. Cut larger coins in half into half-moons.

   

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots. Saute for 30 minutes, or until nicely browned, stirring occasionally (more frequently as you get near the end, or else the carrots will stick to the pan).

   

3. Add the sherry to the pan and give it a minute to evaporate. Add the paprika, mix to combine thoroughly, and let it sit for 30 seconds to activate the flavor. Plate and garnish with the hazelnuts.