Feta Cheese Tomato and Cucumber Appetizer

Tags

balsamic vinegar dressing, Feta cheese tomato and cucumber appetizer, Persian appetizer, vegetarian appetizer

Feta Cheese Tomato and Cucumber Appetizer

Ever since I tried this tasty and refreshing appetizer at a friend’s house, I’ve been making it every summer. The combination of bread with feta cheese, cucumber and tomato is very traditional, but what makes this dish super tasty is the addition of dried mint (fresh won’t taste as good) with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You get a minty, tangy and mildy sweet taste in every bite of this appetizer. This is what I call simplicity at its best!

Feta Cheese Tomato and Cucumber Appetizer

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 0 min
Ready in: 5 min
Yields: 2 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 French baguette
2 oz. feta cheese
1 roman tomato, cored and sliced
1 large Persian cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange sliced feta cheese, tomato and cucumber on a platter and sprinkle with dried mint. In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over the cucumber and tomato slices. Top bite size bread pieces with feta cheese, tomato and cucumber to serve.

Feta Cheese Tomato and Cucumber Appetizer

Top bread with feta cheese, tomato and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing.

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

Tags

easy appetizer, Persian appetizer, Persian yogurt dip, vegetarian appetizer, yogurt and cucumber dip with mint

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

Yogurt and cucumber dip is a very popular appetizer that is usually served with chips or pita bread. This versatile and delicious dish also complements Persian dishes like estamboli polo, adas polo and baghali polo to name a few. Any plain yogurt works in this recipe, from nonfat to Greek which has a much higher fat content.

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 0
Ready in: 10 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 cups plain yogurt
1 English cucumber or 3 large Persian cucumbers peeled and diced
1 large garlic clove peeled and finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped or 2 teaspoons dried mint
1 tablespoon fresh French tarragon leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the yogurt, cucumber, fresh or dried mint, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with fresh or dried mint. Serve with chips or pita bread.

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

Add chopped cucumber, mint and garlic to a bowl.

Stir in yogurt, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

Nargesi Esfenaj (Eggs over Spinach)

Tags

appetizer, eggs, eggs over spinach, Persian appetizer, Persian food recipes, Persian recipes, spinach, Spinach and eggs

Nargesi Esfenaj, eggs over spinach, is a vegetarian breakfast meal that can be served as a brunch or even a main course with pita bread.  Eggs are cooked (just enough to set the whites) over a bed of fresh spinach that is sautéed with caramelized onions and aromatic garlic. The runny egg-yolk, when broken into, mingles with the garlicky spinach to create a delicious flavor combination.

Nargesi Esfenaj (Eggs over Spinach)

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ready in: 25 min
Yields: 3 to 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds fresh spinach washed and drained
4 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (optional)
¼ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large deep skillet cook spinach over high heat for 5 minutes or until welted, stir occasionally. Steam from freshly rinsed leaves will help the spinach wilt evenly. If using prewashed spinach lower heat to medium low. If using frozen spinach, thaw in a strainer set over a bowl. Once thawed, remove the excess liquid by pressing the spinach with the back of a large spoon and move to the next step. Spinach is precooked (blanched) prior to freezing.

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly golden. Stir in chopped garlic, cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Mix in wilted spinach, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Crack the eggs on a flat surface to prevent the yolks from breaking, and add them to a bowl. Eggs cook more evenly when added to the skillet at the same time.

Spread out the spinach mixture on the bottom of the skillet. Pour the eggs over the mixture. Lower heat to medium low. Cover, cook for about 5 minutes or until egg whites are set but yolks are still soft.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Nargesi Esfenaj (Eggs over Spinach)

In a large deep skillet cook spinach over high heat for 5 minutes or until welted.

If using frozen spinach, thaw in a strainer set over a bowl.

Cook onions for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly golden.

The easiest way to skin a garlic is to lay the flat side of a large knife over it and smash it.

Stir in chopped garlic, cook 2 minutes until fragrant.

Mix in wilted spinach, salt and pepper.Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Spread out the spinach mixture evenly on the bottom of the skillet.

Crack the eggs on a flat surface to prevent the yolks from breaking.

Pour the eggs over the mixture. Lower heat to medium low.

Cover, cook for about 5 minutes or until egg whites are set but yolks are still soft.

Kashk Bademjan (Eggplant and Whey Dip)

Tags

Eggplant and Whey Dip, kashk bademjoon, Persian appetizer, Persian food recipes, persian kashk bademjan, Persian recipes, Vegetarian eggplant

Kashk bademjan (eggplant dip) is by far the most popular and delicious appetizer served in Persian restaurants.  It’s traditionally made with golden-fried eggplants that are cooked with caramelized onions and garlic. The mixture is then mashed, combined with kashk (thickened whey) and garnished with caramelized onions and sautéed mint and garlic. There are various ways of making this dish depending on how you cook the eggplants (simmer, fry, grill, bake or roast in the oven). The method used in this recipe uses the least amount of oil for cooking the eggplants. Toasted walnuts add more texture and flavor to this dish, in addition to their health benefits.

Kashk Bademjan (Eggplant and Whey Dip)

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hour 40 min
Ready in: 1 hour 55 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped (divided)
6 tablespoons oil (divided)
2 large globe eggplants peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Pinch of ground saffron (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup kashk
1 teaspoon dried mint

INSTRUCTIONS

For garnishes:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add half of the chopped garlic and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add dried mint and sauté over medium high-heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the mint color slightly changes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Mix 1 tablespoon kashk with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.

Mint and garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. Transferring them to a cool dish stops the cooking process by lowering the oil temperature.

In a medium-sized skillet toast walnuts over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occassionally. Finely grind walnuts in a food processor using the on-off pulse setting. Stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the bowl for an evenly-textured ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. The finer the grind, the smoother the finished dip will be.

Heat the remaining oil (4 tablespoons) in a deep non-stick skillet. Add chopped onions, sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric and 1 cup hot water. Add chopped eggplants and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir eggplants a few times during the cooking process.

When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts and saffron, cook (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is gone. The eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It’s best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.

Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Garnish with sautéed mint and garlic.

Kashk Bademjan (Eggplant Dip)

Set ingredients on the counter.

Chopped onions and eggplants.

Kashk is a thick whitish liquid similar to whey, a dairy product, and is used in traditional Persian cooking like Ash Reshteh and Kashk Bademjan. It’s available in Iranian or Arabian supermarkets.

Chopped garlic.

Saute’ half of the garlic in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until golden, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Sautéed garlic

Saute’ mint in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until color slightly changes .

Sautéed mint

Garnishes

Toast walnuts in a skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.

Finely grind walnuts in a food processor.

Pulse the machine on and off scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add chopped onions.

Saute’ on medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden. Add the remaining garlic, saute’ for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add salt, pepper and turmeric.

Add 1 cup hot water.

Add chopped eggplants and saffron, bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts.

Stir, cook for about 30 minutes or until all liquid is gone.

Eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.

Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Add 1 cup kashk and mix.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with garnishes.