Sfouf with molasses (Sfouf bi debes)

Carob pods are mainly found in Mediterranean countries. Evergreen carob trees can generally grow wherever citrus or olive trees are grown, meaning a warm, dry climate. The pod's fruit is technically a legume and commonly used as a chocolate alternative, but it has many applications in the food industry.

Carob was first used thousands of years ago. Even the Bible has references to carob. It was once believed that John the Baptist sustained himself using the carob bean, so carob is also referred to as St. John's bread.

In the cuisines of the Middle East molasses is produced from several kinds of foods such as carob, grapes, dates, pomegranates, and mulberries. Carob molasses is a thick syrup made by soaking milled carob pods in water which is then boiled down into a very rich and delicious natural sweetener. In Lebanon, carob molasses was traditionally used as an alternative to sugar. We mix it with with tahini (sesame paste) and eat it as a dessert.

I have already posted a recipe about Sfouf, the yellow semolina cake, but today it's sfouf with molasses, a very healthy cake that accompanies tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
2 cups semolina flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp anis powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup carob molasses
1 cup water (or milk)
1 tbsp tahini 
a handful of raw sesame seeds

Mix the semolina, flour, baking powder and anis in a bowl.

Add the oil, molasses and water to the flour mixture and mix until well combined.

Grease a pan with tahini. Pour the sfouf batter and spread it evenly.

Preheat the oven at 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the sfouf 30 to 35 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool around 10 min before you cut it in squares.

Sfouf au mélasse

Ingrédients:
2 tasses de semoule fine
1 1/2 tasses de farine
2 càc de levure chimique
1 càc d'anis en poudre
1 tasse d'huile
1 tasse de mélasse de caroube
1 tasse d'eau (ou lait)
1 cas de tahini
une poignee de sésame

Mélangez la semoule, la farine, la levure et l'anis dans un saladier.

Ajoutez l'huile, la mélasse et l'eau graduellement et mélangez avec un batteur.

Graissez un moule avec le tahini. Versez la préparation. Enfournez 30 mn à 180ºC.

Laissez refroidir 10 mn. Coupez en carrés.

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Monk's Salad (Salatet el Raheb)

This Lebanese mezze is called Batenjan El Raheb which translates into English as the monk’s salad, a dish obviously popular with and derived from the Christian community. It's a very simple and light salad consisting of eggplants, peppers, onion and tomatoes. It can be thought as a tahini-less baba ghannouj and as a result is even lighter in taste.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 eggplants
1 medium-size tomato - finely diced
1 medium onion-finely diced (or spring onions)
1 green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
3 to 4 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
a handful of parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp sumac

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (210ºC). Prick the eggplant skin all over with a fork. Place them on a baking dish and bake them until the skin blisters black, about 45 mn. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, peel the skin and place the flesh in a sieve over a bowl for about 10 mn to drain excess moisture.

In a mortar, mash the garlic with the salt until mushy.

In a bowl, mix the eggplant with the garlic using a fork. Add the lemon juice and mix.

Spread the eggplant in a salad bowl, top them with the onions, green peppers, tomatoes and parsley. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sumac.d pour over the salad.
Serve with pita bread.

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Chocolate cake for Father's Day

 

In Lebanon, we celebrate Father's day on the 21st of June, and not like the majority of countries on the third Sunday of June. It is said that Lebanon and the whole area used to celebrate mother's day on the third Sunday of May, and consequently father’s day on the third Sunday of June (I guess daddys got jealous) just like the rest of the world still does today… but anyway, since Jammal Abed El Nasser came to Power in Egypt, he or his Party chose to alter that so we stand out of the pack and not follow the west and chose the first day of Spring and Summer to be Mother’s and Father’s day respectively…

So last week we made a dinner for my father, we were gathered all in my parents house for this special occasion. My dad has turned 70 years old last May... I can't believe how time is flying and I can't stand watching my parents getting older day after day. It's weird how we used to think when we were teenagers; we always wanted to grow up sooner and now all that we want is to stay young wishing that we can turn off the time and freeze the moment we live in.

While I was living in Paris, all I was afraid of is losing my parents. I wanted to see them and enjoy their company but I couldn't... miles and miles were separating us... but now I'm here and I want to cherish every moment with them... 

Sadly time really changes everything, but I can only hope it's not their love for me that's changing!

So, for Father's Day I made this cake because my dad is chocoholic, he has a particular weakness for chocolate. I used to buy him chocolate from Paris and he used to eat them before anyone else could even taste one!! And despite the wide range of sugary treats available here, he tends to favor chocolate above all other confections. So, what could be better than a chocolate goodness to cut on Father's Day?

For the cake:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
2 1/2  cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
a pinch of salt  
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk 
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot water 

For the frosting:
100 g of milk chocolate
1/4 cup of butter
Some chopped hazelnuts

In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in the hot water. Mix.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Grease and flour your baking pan. Pour in the prepared batter and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes then frost the cake.

For the frosting: Double boil 100 g of milk chocolate with 1/4 cup of butter. Add the chopped hazelnut and mix.

Gâteau au chocolat 

Pour le gâteau:

225 g de farine

300 g de sucre glace
60 g cacao
1 1/2 càc de levure chimique

1 1/2 càc de bicarbonate de soude
une pincée de sel

23 cl de lait entier

12 cl d'huile vegetale
1 càc d'extrait de vanille
23 cl d'eau chaude

Pour le glaçage:
100 g de chocolat au lait

50 g de beurre

une poignée de noisettes hachées

Dans un grand saladier, tamisez la farine, sucre, cacao, levure, sel et bicarbonate. Ajoutez les œufs, le lait, l'huile et l'extrait de vanille. Battez environ 3 mn. Ajoutez l'eau chaude et mélangez.

Préchauffez le four à 180°C.

Huilez et farinez un moule a gâteau. Versez la préparation et enfournez 30 à 35 mn ou jusqu'à ce qu'un cure-dent inséré dans le gâteau ressorte propore. 

Laissez refroidir sur une grille environ 10 mn. Puis ajoutez le glaçage.

Pour le glaçage: Faites fondre au bain marie le chocolat et le beurre. Ajoutez les noisettes hachées et mélangez.

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Baked Fish & Potatoes

Summer has officially started here in Lebanon, temperatures have been slowly rising. It's time for getting together with friends, enjoying outdoor activities, concerts, and welcoming the smells of barbecues that start drifting through the neighborhoods. 

This baked fish and potatoes dish is perfect for those summer nights, when you don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, and all you want to do is just sit and enjoy the beautiful weather!


 
Ingredients (serves 4):
4 fish fillets
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried coriander
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
5 medium potatoes, cubed
a handful of chopped parsley
a handful of chopped coriander
2 green onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 cups of lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil

In a bowl, mix all the spices together, the cumin, salt, dried coriander, tumeric, oregano, ginger, black pepper, and paprika. Distribute the mixed spices on the fish fillets. Rub them well with the seasoning.

Season the chopped potatoes with salt. Place them in a baking dish greased with some oil. Then sprinkle the potatoes with the chopped parsley, coriander, green onions, and garlic. Pour the lemon juice on top. Mix the potatoes a bit. Place the fish fillets on top. Sprinkle the olive oil evenly.

Cover the dish with aluminum and bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF (180ºC) for 45 mn. Remove the aluminum and continue baking another 10 to 15 mn or until the potatoes and fish are golden.



Poisson avec pommes de terre

Ingrédients (4 personnes):

4 filets de poisson

1 càc de sel

1 càs de cumin

1 càs de coriandre séchée

1/4 càc de curcuma

1 càs d'oregano

1/2 càc de gingembre moulu

1 càc de cardamonne

1/4 càc de poivre noir

1 càc de paprika

5 pommes de terre de taille moyenne, coupées en cubes

une poignée de persil haché

une poignée de coriandre hachée

2 oignons verts, émincés

1 gousse d'ail, écrasée

3 tasses de jus de citron

4 càs d'huile d'olive

Dans un saladier, mélangez toutes les épices; cumin, sel, coriandre, curcuma, oregano, gingembre,  poivre noir et paprika. Enrobez les filets du mélange d'épices.

Assaisonnez les pommes de terre de sel. Huilez un plat allant au four, déposez les pommes de terre et saupoudrez de persil et de coriandre hachées. Ajoutez les oignons verts et l'ail. Versez le jus de citron et mélangez. Déposez les filets de poisson au dessus puis versez l'huile d'olive.

Couvrez le plat avec une feuille d'aluminium et enfournez à 180ºC pour 45 mn. Enlevez l'aluminium et continuez de cuire 10 à 15 mn ou jusqu'à ce que les pommes de terre et les filets sont dorés.

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Banana Molasses Cake

I am one of those people who loves molasses even more than chocolate, it's healthy, rich with that little edge of bitterness. In Lebanon, we grew up eating molasses mixed with tahini. We used to wait for that moment when my grandmother used to get a small bowl, pour the molasses then add some tablespoons of tahini. We used to love swirling the tahini paste with the molasses using a small piece of lebanese bread, dipping it into the yummy mixture and savoring each bite of it.

So today, I will share with you this healthy banana molasses that literally takes few minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup (200 g) all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup oil
5 small bananas (4 mashed, one sliced)
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

Grease a loaf pan. Preheat the oven at 350ºF (180ºC).
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center, add the mashed bananas, the eggs, the molasses and the oil.
Stir until mixture is smooth. Add the sliced banana. Mix.

Pour into the pan and bake for about 40 to 45 mn.

Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, if it comes clean, that means the cake is ready.
Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 mn.

Cake Bananes et mélasse

Ingrédients:

200 g de farine

2 oeufs

1 tasse de mélasse

1/2 tasse d'huile

5 bananes de petite taille  (4 écrasées, une coupé en rondelles)

1 càc de levure chimique

une pincée de sel

Beurrez un moule à cake. Préchaffez le four à 180ºC.

Tamisez la farine, la levure et le sel dans un grand saladier.

Faites un trou au centre, ajoutez les bananes écrasées, les oeufs, la mélasse et l'huile.

Mélangez jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne homogène. Ajoutez la banane coupée en rondelles. Mélangez.

Versez la préparation dans le moule et enfournez 40 à 45 mn. Pour into the pan and bake for about 40 to 45 mn. Un cure-dent inséré dans le cake doit ressortir propre.

Laissez refroidir sur une grille.

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Chocolate Biscuit Cake topped with nuts

This chocolate recipe is dedicated to all of you out there looking for a last minute desert.This is a chocolate no-bake cake with broken up tea biscuits mixed in with the bittersweet chocolate, then topped with nuts... divine, don't you think?

Those who love the rich, no-bake chocolate cake, who love chocolate cakes made entirely out of ganache, will definitely love this cake.



Ingredients:
200 g (7 oz) tea biscuits (I used McVitie's brand)
85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter
400 g (14 oz) bittersweet chocolate
23 cl (1 cup) heavy cream
1/2 cup hazelnuts and almonds, chopped

Grease 8-inch round springform pan with melted butter then line it with parchment paper.

Break the biscuits so they become crumbs but not powder.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and the cream on low heat. When the butter is melted, add the chocolate pieces and let it melt on low heat.

Add the crumbled biscuits and stir until coated then pour the preparation into the prepared pan.

Top with the chopped nuts and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Cut into slices and serve.

Biscuits au chocolat

Ingrédients:
250 g de biscuits (Type McVitie's)
85 g de beurre
400 g de chocolat noir à dessert
20 cl de crème fraîche

1/2 tasse d'amandes et de noix

Chemisez un moule à charnière de papier sulfurisé. Réduisez les biscuits en morceaux mais pas en poudre.

Versez le beurre et la crème dans une petite casserole. Faites-les doucement chauffer. Quand le beurre est fondu, ajoutez le chocolat coupé en carrés et laissez fondre tout en remuant, sur feu très doux.

Ajoutez les biscuits au mélange, mélangez et versez dans le moule.

Décorez d'amandes et de noix puis placez au froid au moins 3 heures avant de servir en tranches.

 

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Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake

When you have a full time job, you're always in panic of what to cook for dinner. But sometimes it doesn't have to be that way, because there are a lot of easy delicious recipes out there!
Well, here's a tasty pasta dish; shredded chicken breasts and broccoli florets cooked with pasta in a wonderful creamy sauce topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.



Ingredients: (serves 6)
1 lb (500 g) penne
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
12 oz (350 g) broccoli florets
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
12 oz (350 g) shredded chicken breasts
3 tbsp parmesan cheese
4 oz cheese (gruyere or cheddar)
2 tbsp breadcrumbs

Cook penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the chicken. Set aside.
In the same skillet, add the garlic and cook until golden. Add the broccoli florets and a little salt and sauté around 3 mn until they begin to soften. Set aside.

Preheat the oven at 375ºF (190ºC). Lightly oil a baking dish.

In a pot, heat the butter over medium-low heat, when melted, add the flour and stir well. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until well combined on medium heat. Then add the milk, and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium heat, whisking until it thickens, around 5 mn. Season with salt and pepper. (Do not add a lot of salt as the broth is already salted).

Remove from heat and add the cheese. Mix well until the cheese melts.

Add the shredded chicken, broccoli and pasta to the sauce. Mix until evenly coated.

Pour in the baking dish and top with parmesan and breadcrumbs. Bake around 25 mn. Place under the broiler a few mn until lightly golden and crisp.

Penne au poulet et au broccoli

Ingrédients: (6 personnes)
500 g penne
4 gousses d'ail, écrasées

1 càs d'huile d'olive
350 g de broccoli
3 càs de farine
2 càs de beurre

235 ml de bouillon de poule
235 ml de lait
350 g de poulet coupé en lamelles
3 càs de parmesan
100 g de gruyere ou de cheddar
2 càs de chapelure

Faire cuire les penne dans de l'eau bouillante salée jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient al dente. Égoutter et réserver.

Chauffer l'huile dans une poêle et faites dorer le poulet. Réservez.

Dans la même poêle, ajouter l'ail et faire cuire jusqu'à coloration. Ajouter les bouquets de brocoli et un peu de sel et faire revenir environ 3 mn jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient tendres. Réservez.

Préchauffer le four à 190ºC. Huiler légèrement un plat allant au four.

Dans une casserole, chauffer le beurre à feu moyen, lorsqu'il est fondu, ajouter la farine et bien mélanger. Verser lentement le bouillon de poule et mélanger à feu moyen. Puis ajouter le lait, laissez bouillir. Laisser mijoter à feu moyen, en remuant jusqu'à ce que la sauce épaississe, environ 5 mn.
Salez, poivrez. (Ne pas trop saler puisque le bouillon l'est déjà).

Retirer du feu et ajouter le fromage. Mélangez bien jusqu'à ce que le fromage soit fondu.

Ajouter le poulet, le brocoli et les pâtes à la sauce. Mélanger pour bien enrober.

Verser dans le plat allant au four et garnir de parmesan et la chapelure. Cuire au four environ 25 mn. Placer sous le gril du four quelques mn jusqu'à ce qu'il soit légèrement doré et croustillant.

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