Ingredients: 3/4 cup of olive oil 1/2 onion, chopped 8 scallions, chopped fine 2 lg. cloves of garlic, chopped 1 cup natural barley chopped fresh dill to taste 1/2 cup parsley, chopped juice of 1/2 lemon salt to taste 1 cup hot water 1 one pound jar grapevine leaves 3-4 pound chicken, cut in quarters […]

Ingredients: 1 lb. lean beef or veal, ground 1 medium onion, grated 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 egg, beaten lightly 2 slices of bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry 3 Tbs minced parsley 2 sprigs fresh mint 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 Tbs red wine 2-3 Tbs water, if necessary salt 1 […]

Serves four. This favorite dish of medieval Baghdad consisted of a sweet pudding which was set at the bottom of a tannuur oven to catch the juices of roasting meat, which would be served with the pudding. Here we have a recipe from the collection of Caliph al-Wathiq (842–847). Ingredients: 1 chicken ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons […]

Serves four. This recipe, from the manuscript of Yahya ibn Khalid al-Barmaki, makes striking use of murri,the indigenous Middle Eastern barley “soy sauce.” Most dishes flavored with murri were vinegary, but this is the exception, being quite sweet. The result is surprisingly reminiscent of a Chinese “red-stewed” meat dish. The name comes from the Persian word for […]

Serves two. Mulahwajah means “hasty.” The book says that this recipe was often prepared for Harun al-Rashid. Galangal is sold in Arabia as ‘irq al-hail or khulanjan, and in Southeast Asian markets under such names as kha and laos. Dried ginger could be substituted. Use the rue sparingly—it’s very bitter. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil 1 onion […]

Serves two. A baaridah was a cold meat or vegetable dish served before the hot dishes. Following pre-Islamic Iranian tradition, when a baaridah was made with fowl, it was usually a sort of chopped cucumber salad garnished with the roast meat. Some recipes call for only the seeds of cucumbers, which makes for a luxurious, slippery texture. […]

Serves four as an appetizer. This giant canapé was the traditional first course at a banquet in pre-Islamic Iran or Abbasid Baghdad. The name comes from the Persian bazm, “banquet,” and awurd, “bringing.” The recipe given here is from the collection of the Caliph al-Ma’mun. It calls for the flesh of citron, a fruit with very little flesh—we […]

Bazmaawurd Baaridah Mulahwajah Tabaahaja Judhaab Keftedes Dolmades Avgolemono Sauce Yuvarelakia Chicken in Lemon Sauce Lucanian Sausages (Apicius) Esicia Omentata (Pine-nut Stuffed Meatballs) Avem (Olive-stuffed Birds) In Pullo Elizo Ius Crudum (Uncooked Sauce for Birds) Assaturatam (Honey Roasted Meat) Mishmishya (Meat Stew With Fruit) Barmakiyya (Spiced Chicken Pies) Buran (Meatballs in a Yogurt and Eggplant Dip) Zirbaya (Chicken in […]

Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 bay leaf 1/4 lb of feta cheese, thickly sliced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed  4-6 oz of olive oil 1 medium, white onion, finely choped 1-2 pinches of pepper 2-3 pinches of salt 1 3/4 lbs of shrimps 1 teaspoon of white sugar 2 medium tomatoes, finely choped Directions Fry the onions […]

Summary A zesty tomato soup, great with a pasta. Ingredients 1 celery (stalks) 1/2 cup of olive oil 1 lb pasta 1 pinch of salt 1 pinch of white sugar 3 medium, ripe tomatoes Directions Wash, peel, core and crush the tomatoes. Press the tomatoes through a strainer, removing any course pulp and the seeds. […]