Sahtayn!

I have a growing pile/list/stack of recipes and recipe books I want to use. Most of them are from little books I've thrifted - I love the feeling of cooking recipes from the past. None of this modern quick n easy nonsense; back to the good, wholesome food. For lunch today I made a Lebanese Cauliflower dish "Yakhnit al-Qarnabit" from Madelain Farah's "Lebanese Cuisine" published in 1972 it holds "over 200 authentic recipes designed for the gourmet, the vegetarian, and the health food enthusiast"and has an array of interesting, simple recipes. I love that she includes the original Arabic titles for each dish and gives an explanation on the origins of different recipes and the occasions they are made for.

"Yakhnit al-Qarnabit"

1 lb. minced or ground lamb (I used beef in this instance)
1 brown onion chopped
1 garlic clove finely minced
2 1/2 - 3 cups of vegetable stock
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper

Gentle saute onions in olive oil. Add garlic, spices and meat and continue to saute until onions are limp and meat is brown. Add cauliflower and stock (stock has to barely cover cauliflower). Bring to a boil, add rice and lower to a medium heat. You can add some extra spice here if you wish; I put in some ground coriander and little more cinnamon. Cover. Cook until rice is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Let stand for a few minutes before unmoulding. Serve with yoghurt, bread and tabouli or eat it on its own!

One of my hopes for these holidays (could a week have already flown by so quick?!) was to do a LOT of cooking - especially of recipes I have never tried. From the curious of stack of books above I have made a list of things I really really want to make (and never have before):

From Madelain's Lebanese Cuisine:

Shaykh al-Mihshi (Stuffed Eggplant)

Kibbi Qarnabiyyi (Lamb Stew with Kibbi)

Riz bil-Halib Lubnani (Lebanese Rice Pudding)"

From my all-Arabic Moroccan Sweets book:
(bought for $1 in Fez)

Kaab ghzaal (Moroccan Sweet Crescent biscuits)

Maakaroun (macaroons Morocco-style)

al-Masman (Moroccan pancakes)

From "Picasso + Pie" Blue Hill Buffet's Famous recipe collection by Lynne Thompson:

Homemade Baked Beans (with Burgundy)

Pate Style Meat Loaf

"One Dish Salad Super"

Cardamon Cake

Brioche

Minnesota Old Fashioned Spice cake (3 layers with white frosting)

From "The One-Pot Cookbook":

Flemish Stew

Baked beans (going to test against PP version)

From Family Favourites (all Vegan):

Dark Rye Bread

Granola

No-Egg Date Loaf

Tofu Burgers (will try making at least once)

And finally from "Chinese Dinner Party" 1971,

Prawn Dumplings

I have a feeling this list is growing bigger and bigger every day... Lets just wait and see what I can whip up in the next few weeks - I promise to post all of my attempts/successes/failures on here.

Bon appetit! Or as one can say in Arabic on completion of a meal Sahtayn! Two healths to you!