Part 4 (1/2)

Fasulye Piyazi Haricot Bean Salad Serves 4 * This famous Turkish salad makes a light snack meal. * This famous Turkish salad makes a light snack meal.

2 14-ounce cans of cannelini or white haricot beans 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar Salt and pepper 1 mild onion, finely chopped 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 10 black olives 2 firm tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges Drain the canned beans, dress with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and mix with chopped onion and parsley.

Serve garnished with olives, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.

Salq bi Loubia Spinach with Black-eyed Peas Serves 4 4 ounces dried black-eyed peas or a 14-ounce can, drained Salt 1 pound fresh spinach or frozen leaf spinach, defrosted 1 large onion, chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil Pepper Simmer the black-eyed peas in water for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender, adding salt when they have begun to soften. They do not need soaking and fall apart quite quickly if they are overcooked.

Wash the fresh spinach, removing any thick stems, and drain. Frozen spinach must be completely thawed and have the water squeezed out.

In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the olive oil until soft and transparent. Add the spinach, put the lid on, and cook for a few minutes only, until the spinach crumples to a soft ma.s.s. If using frozen spinach, cook until tender. Add salt and pepper.

Stir the drained beans into the spinach and cook through.

Serve cold.

Salatet Adds Lentil Salad Serves 6 1 cups large green or brown lentils Salt 6-7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemons, or to taste 1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional) Pepper -1 teaspoon ground coriander or c.u.min (optional) 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley Rinse and drain the lentils, and boil them in fresh water for about 20 minutes, or until tender, adding salt towards the end. Then drain.

Mix the rest of ingredients plus a little salt and pour over the lentils while still hot.

Serve cold.

Variations * Fry 3 chopped garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of the oil with 1 teaspoon ground c.u.min or coriander and stir into the lentils. Omit these from the dressing.

* Cook the lentils until they are very soft, mash to a puree, and dress as above.

Salatet Adds wal Tamatem Lentil and Tomato Salad Serves 6 1 cups large green or brown lentils 1 large onion, chopped 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or more 3 tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons wine vinegar 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley Rinse and drain the lentils. Fry the onion in oil until lightly colored. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for a minute.

Add the drained lentils, cover with water, and simmer gently for about 25 minutes, or until they are tender, adding water as required. Season with salt and pepper, add vinegar, and cook until the lentils are soft and the liquid is absorbed.

Add the parsley and, if you like, a dribble of olive oil.

Serve cold.

Salatet Hummus Chickpea Salad Serves 6 * This is an instant salad to make with canned chickpeas, but they must be good-quality. * This is an instant salad to make with canned chickpeas, but they must be good-quality.

A 2-pound can chickpeas 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1-2 lemons Salt and pepper 1 mild onion, finely chopped cup chopped flat-leaf parsley Drain the chickpeas and mix with the rest of the ingredients.

Variation Omit the onion and instead pa.s.s around a little saucer with about 8 crushed garlic cloves for people to help themselves if they want to.

ARAB SAYING:.

”Rather than eat rice with eggplants, buy something to cover your hind part.” (Until very recently, rice was considered an expensive dish and only for the rich. A poor man buying rice and eggplants too was therefore thought to be unnecessarily extravagant.) Ful Ahdar bel Roz wal Laban Zabadi Fresh Green Fava Beans with Rice and Yogurt Serves 6 * You need young fava beans, not tough old ones. Some supermarkets sell them sh.e.l.led in the season. Good-quality frozen ones are also fine to use. An Iranian grocer near where I live sells frozen skinned ones from Iran which are exceptional. The dish can be served hot or cold. The yogurt can be poured over the rice or served in a separate bowl. * You need young fava beans, not tough old ones. Some supermarkets sell them sh.e.l.led in the season. Good-quality frozen ones are also fine to use. An Iranian grocer near where I live sells frozen skinned ones from Iran which are exceptional. The dish can be served hot or cold. The yogurt can be poured over the rice or served in a separate bowl.

1 cups American long-grain rice cups American long-grain rice Salt 4-5 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil Bunch of dill or mint, finely chopped White pepper 14 ounces sh.e.l.led fava beans, fresh or frozen 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt 1 clove garlic, crushed (optional) Pour the rice into boiling salted water. Boil hard for about 14 minutes, until it is almost but not entirely tender. Drain and put back into the pan. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the oil, the herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Put the lid on and leave the pan on very low heat for the rice to steam for about 15 minutes, or until tender.

Boil the fava beans in salted water for a few minutes, until tender, then drain. Stir gently into the rice with the remaining oil.

Serve hot or cold with the yogurt, beaten with crushed garlic if you like and a little salt, poured over.

Patlicanli Pilavi Pilafwith Tomatoes and Eggplants Serves 6 * This is one of a few Turkish pilafs which are cooked in olive oil and eaten cold. * This is one of a few Turkish pilafs which are cooked in olive oil and eaten cold.

1 large onion, chopped 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped 1 teaspoon sugar teaspoon allspice Pinch of chili flakes or ground chili pepper (optional) Salt cups long-grain rice 2 eggplants, weighing about 1 pound total, cut into 1-inch cubes Olive oil or vegetable oil to fry the eggplants 3 tablespoons chopped dill 3 tablespoons chopped mint In a large pan, fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil till soft. Add the tomatoes, sugar, allspice, and chili, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add 1 h h cups water, stir in some salt, and bring to the boil. Add the rice, stir, and cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, adding a little water if it becomes too dry and begins to stick. (The tomatoes provide some of the liquid.) cups water, stir in some salt, and bring to the boil. Add the rice, stir, and cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, adding a little water if it becomes too dry and begins to stick. (The tomatoes provide some of the liquid.) In the meantime, deep-fry the eggplants in oil to cover, turning them over once, until lightly browned. Then drain on paper towels.

When the rice is done, gently fold in the dill and mint, the remaining raw oil, and the eggplants. Cover and cook a few minutes more.

Serve cold.

Tabbouleh bel Roz Rice and Parsley Salad Serves 6I like to make this Lebanese salad with basmati rice, because the grains stay very separate. like to make this Lebanese salad with basmati rice, because the grains stay very separate.

cup basmati rice Salt Juice of 2-3 lemons cup extra-virgin olive oil Pepper 2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley cup chopped mint 10 scallions, chopped 5 firm ripe tomatoes, cut into small dice 2 hearts of romaine or Bibb lettuce to garnish Pour boiling water over the rice, leave for a few minutes, then rinse and drain. Boil in salted water for about 14 minutes, then drain and pour back into the pan. Put the lid on and leave over low heat (it will steam) for 15 minutes, or until tender.

While still hot, dress with the lemon juice and olive oil and a little salt and pepper.

Just before serving, mix with the parsley, mint, and scallions. Serve topped with the tomatoes and garnished with a ring of lettuce leaves stuck around the edge of the salad.

Midye Pilavi Mussel Pilaf Serves 4 * In Turkey, where this dish comes from, mussels are large and fat. * In Turkey, where this dish comes from, mussels are large and fat.

About 20 large mussels or 30 small ones 2 medium onions, chopped 4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons pine nuts cup long-grain rice 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped I teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon raisins Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon allspice cup chopped dill Scrub the mussels, pull off their beards (the hairy bits that hang out of the sh.e.l.l), and wash them well. Discard any which are broken and those which feel very heavy or very light or which do not close when they are tapped or dipped in cold water. Put them in a pan with inch of water. Put the lid on and bring to the boil. The sh.e.l.ls will open in 2-3 minutes. Take them off the heat and discard any which remain closed. Keep 8-10 mussels aside in their sh.e.l.ls. Remove the others from their sh.e.l.ls and discard the sh.e.l.ls. Strain the liquid in the pan and keep aside.

Fry the onions in 2 tablespoons of the oil till soft and golden. Add the pine nuts, and when they begin to color, add the rice and stir for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and the sugar and simmer 5 minutes.

Add the raisins and cup of the mussel water (add more water if necessary to make up the amount). Season with salt, pepper, and allspice and stir gently. Cook, covered, over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Stir in the remaining raw oil and the dill. Very gently fold in the sh.e.l.led mussels and serve cold, arranging the mussels in their open sh.e.l.ls on top.

Slat.i.t Hout Fish Salad Serves 4 * For this North African salad, use a firm white fish such as cod, haddock, or monkfish. * For this North African salad, use a firm white fish such as cod, haddock, or monkfish.

1 pound new potatoes Salt 1 pound fish steaks or fillets 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Pepper Peel of -1 preserved lemon (page 459), rinsed and cut into small pieces (optional) 2 tablespoons capers (optional) 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Then drain, peel, and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Poach the fish in boiling salted water for 5-8 minutes, until it just begins to flake when you cut into it with a pointed knife. Drain, let it cool, and flake it into largish pieces.

Beat the oil and lemon juice with a little salt and pepper and pour over the fish and potatoes in a serving bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix gently.

Variations * Add 2 ounces salted anchovies (chopped) and 6 green or black olives or 4 or 5 thinly sliced pickled gherkins.

* In the dressing mix 1 teaspoon ground c.u.min or teaspoon harissa (page 464).

Koft.i.t Ferakh Fried Minced Chicken b.a.l.l.s Serves 4-6 * Rolled into marble-sized b.a.l.l.s, they make a nice appetizer. * Rolled into marble-sized b.a.l.l.s, they make a nice appetizer.