Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Tags

Comfort food, dawood basha, dinner meals, ground beef, Healthy meals, kids friendly, lunch meal, meatball stew, meatballs, middle eastern, Soups and Stews, tomato sauce, Turkish, vegetable meatbals

Adding vegetables to your meatballs to enhance the flavor and add a nutritional boost to your hearty comfort meal.

Getting your kids to eat their vegetable is a challengeable mission lots of moms have.
How many time I forced them to eat veggies?
How many hours spent lecturing on how veggies are good for their health and bodies?
I asked myself if there is a way to end this dilemma?
So why not to make tricks and think out of the box?

Sneaking some vegetable into their favourite food is a good way to start with.
Why not to add some cauliflower, or spinach to the meatballs! Some carrots is  good too!

Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce - a well known dish called Dawood Basha, it has been told that it’s originally from turkey and where it took it’s name – is one of the classic comfort foods that enjoyed all over the levant countries. The basic recipe is only meatballs with pine nuts fried then simmered in the oven with tomato sauce.

Nothing Better Than a comfort hearty meal to enjoy in weekdays also to gather the whole family at weekends, baking the meatballs instead of frying make it light and fresh, adding the vegetable to the meatballs was a great idea to boost up more nutrient to the meal. Any vegetable available is very welcome, I tried to add spinach, cauliflower, and carrots. Make sure to shred or chop them very fine so they can mix in easily with the ground meat.  The vegetable wasn’t noticeable though, it’s all blended in with the herbs and spices that added to make it more flavorful, tender, and juicy. For a bonus, I like to add potato to the stew, since the original recipe can be served along with mashed potato instead of the rice.

Serve with rice pilaf.

 

Tagine of Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

To make the meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/4 cup chopped cauliflower
1/4 cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon of each: dried coriander, cinnamon, all spice
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the tomato sauce:

4-5 ripened tomato
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 garlic Cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste

To make the stew:

2-3 potato cut into medium cubes
Cooked rice pilaf to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 f.
In a bowl, mix the ground beef lump with the vegetable add the onion, parsley, spices and oil, and work with your hands, don’t over mix. Roll into a small ball the size of walnuts.
Arrange the meatball in an oven tray, bake for 15-20 min until little browned.

Meanwhile, cut the tomato, add onion, garlic and liquidate them in the blender. Add spiced, herbs, and tomato paste, blend in. Put the sauce in a pot on low heat to simmer and thicken.

Fry or bake the potato with a little oil, add to the simmering tomato sauce along with baked meatballs and don’t forgot to add the meat juices, it adds more flavor to the stew.

Adjust the seasoning and continue simmering for 15-20 more minutes.
Serve along with rice pilaf. You may add some toasted pine nut on top.

Baked Kofta with Tomato

Tags

baked kofta in tray, Beef mince, ground meat, Kofta, tomato, Tomato paste

kofta is the middle eastern version of meatloaf, fast and healthy super dish.

A Well known dish that is versatile in the way of preparing it, and every country has it’s version, but the basic recipe is simply ground beef mixed of minced onion, parsley, and ground spice mix.

Kofta can be fried, baked, or grilled. Shaped into burgers, pressed into skewers for grilling, rolled into balls to use in soup, thin fingers, or layered and baked usually with other element like tomato or tahini or vegetables.

One of my memories came when I used to go with my father to the market and stop by the butcher to order the meat, he was so punctilious to follow butcher’s work on preparing our kofta the way my mom recommened. Beginning from choosing the right meat then grinding the meat a couple of times along with the onion and parsley. That will ensures the flavors and textures will blend together. Then take the kofta and head to the local oven, not like the electrical ovens nowadays, it was stone oven heated by burning wood. There, he spreads the kofta in the tray that first seasoned with a mix of spices and bake it on hot ground of the oven, then sprinkle it with generous amount of chopped tomato. That kofta’ taste will never leave my tongue. The juicy, and smoky flavored meat.

Baked Kofta in tray with tomato is one way to introduce kofta, it’s called “kofta bil seniyah”. Where the kofta spread evenly into a tray of any shaped, sometimes I like to make an indentation in the kofta with the tips of my fingers as a decoration, the way my grandmother used to make. Sometime I like to grind potato with the meat, this will give it more flavor and became more tender and juicy. Another important step when preparing the kofta is not to over mix it, this will keep it more tender after baking.

Serve the kofta with mixed vegetable salad and flat bread for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Baked Kofta with Tomato 

1 lb ground meat (1/2 kg)
1 onion finely minced
1/2 cup fresh finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1\4 teaspoon of each ground cardamom, dried coriander, and cinnamon.
1\2 teaspoon ground all spice
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Mix the onion, ground meat, parsley, salt, pepper, oil, and spices in your hands to make the kofta, don’t over mix.

Spread the mixture evenly in an oiled baking tray (use any that is available for you, I used the pyrex ). Gently patting the surface until the bottom of the tray is fully covered and smooth.
With your finger tips, make an indentation to look as a decoration to the surface, also this will help it cook better.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake the kofta at 400 degrees farenheit, until the meat is 3/4 cooked for 1\2 an hour.
Spread the chopped tomatoes on top on the baked Kofta, sprinkle salt, pepper and cinnamon to taste.

Mix the tomato paste with 1/2 cup water and add it to the tray. Bake uncovered in a 375 degrees F oven for another 20-30 minutes, until tomatoes are well cooked.
Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken with Vegetable & Jeweled Rice

Tags

Chicken, jeweled rice, middle eastern recipes, oven recipes, oven roasted chicken, Raisin, rice, roasted chicken, spice rub

For festive dinners I like to roast a whole chicken, with little trouble they become an impressive entree.

There are many recipes for the roasted chicken that is so good as this recipe. What makes this recipe unique is the middle eastern way on roasting the bird. Using a blend of spice seasoning mix that is massaged on the outside of the chicken, makes even the most finicky eaters being enthusiastic about the chicken’s intense, appetizing aroma, succulent meat, and beautifully browned skin.

A whole meal in one dish, with the addition of the vegetables that surrounds the chicken and has the whole flavors. Plus, to make it an easy to make recipe, by using the oven bag, just you need to wipe the inside of the bag with oil then flour to make sure the chicken skin will not stick with the bag.

The rice pilaf is one of the classics that you find in all middle east countries, it goes particularly well as an accompaniment with roasted chicken and it also often forms a stuffing for the bird.

Roast Chicken

2 whole game hen (1 1/2- 2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
Salt and ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon of each of cardamom, dried coriander, turmeric, whole spice, cumin, and paprika
fresh thyme leaves
2 medium onions, cut quarters or smaller
3 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch lengths
3 medium red potatoes, cut quarters
1 table spoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Clean the chicken then pat dry with kitchen wipes.

Mix the salt and pepper with the other spices. Season chicken inside and out with spice mix, pour some olive oil and massage the chicken. make sure to reach under the skin so the chicken will absorb and have all the flavor and aroma of the spices.

Place the chicken in the oven bag in a roasting pan.

In a large bowl, toss onions, carrots, and potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper.

Scatter vegetables around chicken, arranging it at the edge and underneath. close the bag and tuck the knot underneath, make a small slut in the bag.

Put the pan in the oven with 450 degree for 20 minutes then lower the temperature to 400 for another 40 minutes until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear when pierced between breast and leg (an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh, avoiding bone, should read 165 degrees).

Jeweled Rice

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
Cinnamon stick, bay leaves
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/3 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt & pepper
about 2 3/4 cup hot water
4 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, peeled, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon sumac, for the onion
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried of each black cherries, cranberries
Olive oil

In a bowl, soak the raisins, cranberries, and black cherried in hot boiling water. set aside while you make the rice.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon canola oil, add the bay leafs, cinnamon, and the washed and drained rice.

Add the ground cardamom, the coriander, the turmeric, salt and pepper. Toast for 1 min under low heat with stirring occasionally.

Add the boiling water and magi chicken broth cubes. Bring it to boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the rice grains expand in length. Don’t open the lid before the rice is done cooking.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, sauté onions until golden brown, add turmeric and sumac, stir and put on a seive or kitchen papper to get rid of the eccess oil.

In the same skillet, add raisins, cranberries and black cherries, toast a little until the raisins puffed, transfer immediatly to kitchen papper to soak the eccess oil.

Finally, with the same skillet, add the pine nuts and toast until gold in color, add some oil if it needed.

Add 3/4 of the amount of onions, raisins, cherries, and nuts to the rice. Save the rest to add it to the top while serving. Stir gently with large spatula, make sure not to break the rice grains.

To serve, mound rice on a serving platter. Garnish with the browned onion, toasted raisins, cherries, cranberries, and pine nuts. Serve warm. Jeweled rice may be served with salad and yogurt.

Scrumptious Roasted Chicken with Vegetable pan

Tags

baked chicken, chicken recipes, easy meals, one pan chicken, one pan dish, poatato, quick preparation meals, roasted chicken, vegetable

Chicken Roasted on a Bed of Vegetables – The Perfect One-Pot chicken recipe, my all the time escape when I’m short on time.

For me, roast chicken is one of those satisfying meals. This one-pot dish is pure comfort from start to finish, even the prep work of chopping vegetables calms me down somehow. Yes, one pan 10 min. of preparation, make it perfect for busy schedule mom, while it’s easy to prepare and all delicious healthy meal.

I made this with a few basic vegetables I had on hand: potato, onions, zucchini, tomato, bell pepper. Flavoured with fresh thyme  leaves to complete the authentic taste of mediterranean cuisine. Once I have it at dinner, I just know I’m going to have a mouth-watering meal, that all my family will humble around.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetable pan

chicken, cut into pieces
a mix of vegetables (like onions, potatoes, tomato, bell pepper and/or any vegetable you like, like broccoli, zucchini, eggplant…)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
Mix of spices like: (paprika, all spice, cardamom, coriander)
fresh thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1\2 cup water

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Wash and prep your preferred vegetables and cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, pepper and spices.
Clean the chicken, cut into pieces, rub with some lemon juice to make it smell goodthen wash again. Rub the chicken pieces with olive oil, salt, pepper and spices. Arranging on the bottom of a baking dish.
place the vegetables between and around the chicken. sprinkle with lemon juice. Add the thyme on between and on top.Mix the tomato paste and water sprinkle it over the chicken.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 1\2 hour or until chicken is done. After it’s done, take off the foil and place the chicken pan under the broiler, and brown for about 10 min. or until the chicken brown a little. Let the chicken pieces rest on a serving platter.