Bechamel

Bean Salad (American)

Couscous primavera (Tunisian)

Fool Medemmas-Fava bean (Egyptian)

Hobbit pie (English)

Kosheri-lentils and rice with a tangy tomato sauce (Egyptian)

Lemon and garlic potato salad (Egyptian)

Mexican vegetable pie (como su nombre indica)

Patatas pobres (Spanish)

Potato cake (German)

Rice and bean casserole (American)

Spinach italian roll (Italian)

Spinach with dill (Egyptian)

Stir-fried eggplant (Chinese)

Vegetarian egg rolls (Chinese)

Vegetarian moussaka (Greek)

Vegetarian lassagne (Italian)

Warah enab-stuffed grape leaves (Egyptian)

Béchamel

sauce

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper

The casserole

• some olive oil
• 3 LB eggplant
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups grated kefalotyri or parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. First make the tomato sauce: peel and mince onions. Sauté onions in 2 Tbsp. oil and 2 Tbsp. butter, over moderate heat, until they are soft and lightly colored (about 8 minutes). Add mushrooms and sauté. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, parsley, seasonings and sugar.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Most of the liquid should be evaporated, and the mixture quite thick. Remove skillet from heat and let it cool completely.
3. Start seasoning the eggplants: peel eggplants and slice vertically, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Now make the Béchamel Sauce: Place the milk in a saucepan, and heat it just until tiny bubbles appear along the edges. Remove and set aside.
5. Melt one cube butter in 3-quart saucepan over very low heat until foamy, being careful not to brown. Slowly add the 6 Tbsp. flour, stirring constantly until smooth (3-4 minutes), and still being careful not to let it brown. Add the milk slowly, whipping with a wire whisk. When the mixture is thick and smooth, remove it from the heat and stir in seasonings. Cool sauce slightly.
6. Back to the eggplant: Rinse well with cold water; squeeze gently and pat dry. Dredge the eggplant in 1 1/2 cups flour, and sauté each in olive oil until it is brown on both sides.
7. Put it all together: Stir ricotta cheese until it is smooth and creamy. Gently fold it into the Béchamel sauce. Stir in beaten eggs until thoroughly incorporated.
8. Remove and discard any excess oil that has risen to the top of the tomato mixture.
9. Lightly grease a 16 x 10 baking pan that is at least 3 inches deep, and sprinkle the bottom with a few breadcrumbs. Place a layer of eggplant in the pan, following with a layer of tomato mixture. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Repeat as many times as you have eggplant to last.
10. Pour the Béchamel-ricotta sauce over the top and bake at for one hour, or until a golden-brown crust has formed on top. Remove moussaka from oven and let it stand undisturbed 20-30 minutes; the delay allows the layers to fuse.

Notes

The Béchamel-egg-ricotta mixture will overflow all but the largest (professional size) food processors. Use a mixer or blend by hand.

This recipe is sized for a large cake pan. If you cut the recipe in half it will fit into an ordinary lasagna-size baking dish.

Rating

Difficulty: moderate.
Time: 2 hours to prepare, 1 hour to bake, 20-30 minutes to set and cool. Some can be done ahead of time.
Precision: Approximate measurement OK for eggplant, tomato mixture.

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Bean Salad

(Serves 4-6)

This is a delightful salad for summertime.

One 16-ounce bag frozen French cut green beans
One 16-ounce can black eyed peas
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 entire scallions, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Steam and drain the green beans and allow them to cool completely. Drain and rinse the black eyed peas. Combine all ingredients and mix well. May be served chilled.

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Couscous Primavera

4 servings

      3 tb Vegetable oil
      1 md Yellow bell pepper, chopped
      1 md Zucchini, sliced
    1/2 c  Thinly sliced Bermuda onion
      8 ea Asparagus stalks
      1 c  Whole wheat couscous
  In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat.  Add
  pepper, zucchini, onion and asparagus and saute, stirring, for 5
  minutes or until crisp-tender. In a medium saucepan, bring 1-1/4 cups
  water to a boil. Add remaining oil and couscous.  Cover, remove from
  heat and let stand 5 minutes. Spoon couscous onto a serving platter
  and arrange vegetables on top.

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Fool Medemmas -- Fava Beans

Serves 4

This way of preparing fava beans, which are commonly eaten as a breakfast food in Egypt. The ingredients tend to be common for the dish but may be varied in their quantities.

One 16-ounce can cooked fava beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt, pepper, and red chili pepper to taste
Pita bread (optional)

Pour the beans into a pot and bring to a boil. Mix them well and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil again, then reduce to medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. This dish is usually eaten with pita bread.

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Hobbit Pie

A rich pie with mushroom and onions

Ingredients

(1 9-inch pie)

• 2 deep dish unbaked pie crusts
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 lbs sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups onions, chopped or sliced
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to
2. Sauté mushrooms until soft, then add onions, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.
3. Take mixture off heat, and add flour, then wine, mixing well. Add all other ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour into crust and cover with lattice top and bake 40-45 minutes.

Notes

I add a little garlic and horseradish,

and sprinkle paprika or cayenne over the top.

Rating

Difficulty: easy to moderate.
Time: 20 minutes preparation, 1 hour baking and cooling.
Precision: measure the ingredients.

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Kosheri -- Lentils and rice with a tangy tomato sauce

(Serves 6)

This is a typical dish prepared during fasts. You can substitute one layer of cooked elbow macaroni for a layer of rice.

2 cups uncooked brown or white rice
1 pound lentils
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
Two 16-ounce cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar
1 medium onion

Cook rice according to directions.

Rinse lentils and put them in a pot, covering them with water, and bring

to a boil. Then simmer on low heat until almost all water is absorbed and lentils are well cooked. Add extra water if longer time is needed. To make the sauce, first saute the garlic in 1 Tablespoon oil until golden. Add both cans of tomato sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add water and vinegar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and add salt to taste. Finally, slice onion in thin, small pieces and saute in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil until brown and crispy.

This dish should be arranged as a layer of lentils (on the bottom), followed by a layer of rice, then another layer of lentils and another layer of rice. Sprinkle the onions and the sauce on top before serving.

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Lemon and garlic potato salad

(Serves 5)

A light, tasty potato salad.

2-1/2 pounds red potatoes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes, and cool. Add remaining

ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve.

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Mexican vegetable pie

Ingredients

(serves 3-4)

• 3 cups packed, grated raw potato (about 3 large potatoes)
• 1tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups onion, grated (or more to taste)
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbsp.butter
• 1 bunch broccoli, broken into small florets
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• thyme
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup milk
• paprika

Procedure

1. Drain the potatoes and squeeze dry. Add 1/2tsp salt, 1 egg, and 1/4 cup (or more to taste) grated onion.
2. Pat potato mixture into well-oiled 10-inch pie pan and bake at for 30 minutes. Brush potato crust with oil, reduce oven temperature to and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until crust is brown.
3. While crust is baking, sauté 1 cup chopped onion and garlic in butter. If you like a lot of onion and garlic, use more. Add broccoli, 1/2 tsp. salt, basil, a dash of thyme, and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes.
4. Spread half of cheese over baked crust. Top with sautéed vegetables and remaining cheese.
5. Beat together remaining 3 eggs and milk, and pour over vegetable/cheese mixture. Sprinkle paprika on top.
6. Bake at for 35 to 40 minutes until custard is set.

Notes

This recipe can be made in two stages: you can make the crust in advance and then can make the vegetable topping and bake it later.

An electric grater is a real time-saver for the crust ingredients.

Rating

Difficulty: moderate.
Time: 1 1/2-2 hours.
Precision: no need to measure.

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Patatas pobres

Garlic fried potatoes

This recipe is a real classic!

Be sure to use virginolive oil!

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, in very thin slices
• salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1Tbsp. minced parsley

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a 9 or 10 inch skillet.
2. Add the potato slices in layers, sprinkling each with salt. Add the minced garlic. Toss the mixture to coat potatoes evenly.
3. Lower the heat, cover tightly, and cook 20 minutes or until tender, scooping and turning occasionally. (The potatoes will be separated, not in a cake.)
4. Turn up the heat so that some of the potatoes brown. Sprinkle in the parsley and serve immediately.

Rating

Difficulty: easy.
Time: 10 minutes preparation, 20 minutes cooking.
Precision: no need to measure.

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Potato Cake

German "Kartoffel" Puffer

A traditional German potato recipe. Not for people with weight problems.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 2 1/2 LB potatoes, peeled
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup oil (or lard)

Procedure

1. Grate the peeled raw potatoes with a fine grater. Squeeze dry in a towel.
2. Mix the potatoes with all other ingredients (except the oil). Leave it for a while.
3. Heat the oil or lard in a frying pan. Form pancakes from 2 Tbsp. of batter, press flat, and fry until both sides are golden brown.

Notes

Serve the hot pancakes with any kind of stewed fruit.

Be sure you make enough pancakes. They have the same effect as salted peanuts: you can't stop eating!

Rating

Difficulty: easy.
Time: 15 minutes preparation, 5 minutes cooking.
Precision: approximate measurement OK.

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Rice and bean casserole

A vegetarian bean, rice, and cheese casserole

Ingredients

(Serves 4-6)

• 3 cups cooked pink beans
• 2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. tamari soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. basil
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds (or use less or more, to taste)

Procedure

1. Mix the beans, rice, tomato paste.
2. Blend the garlic, onion, milk, and soy sauce.
3. Combine everything but sesame seeds into a baking dish.
4. Shake the sesame seeds on top.
5. Bake at for 40 min.

Notes

Optional additions: 1 egg, 1/4 tsp. rosemary, 1.molasses, grated parmesan cheese on top, mace (to taste).

Substitutions: (I have not tried all combinations!) beans: pinto or almost any kind rice: barley for some or all cottage cheese: plain yogurt or tofu wheat germ: grape nuts, bulgur wheat, oatmeal, etc. milk: anything from water to whole milk nutmeg: cinnamon egg: tapioca flour and starch paste molasses: blackstrap molasses or honey

Rating

Difficulty: easy.
Time: 15 minutes preparation (if rice is already cooked), 45 minutes cooking.
Precision: approximate measurement OK.

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Spinach with dill

(Serves 4)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
10 ounces frozen, thawed spinach
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in oil. Add garlic and dill to saucepan and continue to saute for two minutes. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Add spinach and water, then bring to a boil again. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Serve warm over cooked rice.

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Spinach italian roll

An Italian vegetable casserole with spinach and cheese

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

• 12 oz cooked spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• olive oil

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to Cook or thaw spinach and squeeze dry. Season with a little salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Mix ricotta cheese with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley; set aside.
3. Make the crepe batter: mix together egg whites, flour and water, then beat with a wire whisk to get rid of lumps.
4. Cook the crepes: lightly coat a crepe pan with olive oil and heat to medium. Ladle 2 1/2 Tbsp. crepe batter into heated pan. The crepe batter should lightly cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Tilt pan to cover evenly. When edges of crepe turn lacy and brown and crepe is cooked through, remove crepe and stack on a plate. Continue until all the batter is used.
5. When the crepes are cooked, assemble the rolls: spoon 2 rounded Tbsp. of ricotta cheese mixture and 1Tbsp. spinach mixture on each crepe. Fold or roll each crepe to seal in mixture.
6. Make and cook the casserole: place rolled crepes in a greased rectangular casserole dish. When the pan is full, spoon marinara sauce over crepes. Bake at for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you don't have a crepe pan, you can use a small (6-inch) frying pan. You can make your own marinara sauce, or use a prepared marinara or spaghetti sauce.

Rating

Difficulty: moderate.
Time: 1 hour preparation, 20 minutes baking.
Precision: approximate measurement OK.

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Stir-fried Eggplant

A simple Chinese-style recipe for fresh eggplant

Stir-fry eggplants with garlic and hot peppers in sesame oil, according to this simple recipe.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil, or a mixture of sesame oil and clear vegetable oil, to taste
• 6 Szechwan peppers
• 1 large eggplant, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

Procedure

1. In a wok heat the oil, then toss in the Szechwan peppers. After about 30 seconds (long enough for the scent to be released) toss in the cubed eggplant and the garlic.
2. Stir-fry over moderately high heat until the eggplant is tender (about 10 minutes.) Remove the peppers before serving.

Rating

Difficulty: easy.
Time: 15 minutes.
Precision: no need to measure.

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Vegetarian egg rolls

Serving Size  : 12

1       pk     Egg roll wrappers

Sesame oil
1 Celery, finely chopped
1 Onion, small, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Cabbage, finely shredded
1 Mushroom, finely chopped
1 Green pepper, finely chopped
1/2   c  Water chestnuts, finely chop
1&nbs Sprouts, bean or seed, fresh
1/4  Soybeans, dry cooked and pureed
3 Soy sauce
2 1/2 Brown rice, cooked

These egg rolls make an excellent first course, or
when eaten right with the cooked rice, a whole meal.
Just be sure, if you eat them without rice, that you
include rice in the meal to complement the soybeans.
 
In a wok or frying pan saute the vegetables in sesame
oil in the order given.  After the onion has started
sauteing, add the remaining vegetables quickly so that
the total time with the heat on is about 5 minutes. As
soon as you add the bean sprouts to the pan, turn off the heat.
 
Stir the pureed soybeans and soy sauce together.  Then stir this mixture into the vegetables.
 
The whole mixture may be chilled several hours, or
used warm. To prepare the rolls: place about 1/4 cupfilling in the center of each pancake or egg rollwrapper; fold the corners over envelope-style and seal with a flour-water paste. Heat a large frying pan with oil in the bottom. Fry the rolls until they are crisp and brown, turning only once. You may deep fry the rolls if you are into deep frying, but they are better cooked only in a little oil. Drain on paper bags or towels. Keep the rolls hot in a 250~ oven up to an hour. Or reheat them at 450~ for about 10 minutes. Serve 2 egg rolls with about 1 cup of cooked rice and any of the following: mustard, horseradish, soy sauce,sweet and sour sauce, or hot sauce.

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Vegetarian Lassagne

(Serves four to six people)

  Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 LB carrots, grated
• 1 LB spinach
• 5 oz sweetcorn, drained ( 1/2 tin)
• 1/4 LB mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 8 oz LASAGNE noodles ( 1/2 packet)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 LB cheese, grated

Sauce

• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 oz cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2 oz butter

Procedure

1. Gently fry the carrots and garlic in some butter, set aside.
2. Gently fry the onions and mushrooms in some butter, set aside.
3. Wash the spinach and cook gently in a saucepan without adding any water. Stir frequently. This really does work and it stops it from going slimy. Add the corn to this and set aside.
4. Now make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, take it off the heat, add the cornflour. Mix this well. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. It is important not to stop stirring, even for a moment. Return it to the heat and keep stirring until it thickens.
5. Now build your lasagna. Take a large square ovenproof dish at least 2 inches deep (we use one about 8 x 12 inches for the quantities given) and assemble in layers starting with a layer of lasagna, then a layer of sauce, then one of the previously-prepared vegetable pairs. Repeat the lasagna, sauce, vegetable pair combination twice more. At this point you should, if all has gone well, run out of vegetables. Finish off with lasagna and then sauce.
6. Top with the cheese and sprinkle on a little paprika if you want.
7. Bake for about 35 mins at
8. The servings should stay whole as you serve them.

Rating

Difficulty: easy, but remember to stir the sauce.
Time: 20 minutes  preparation, 35 minutes cooking.
Precision: no need to measure.

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Vegetarian Moussaka

vegetarian version of the Greek classic

Ingredients

(Serves twelve people)

Tomato sauce

• 2 large onions
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cups minced mushrooms (if you insist upon using meat, substitute 1 LB ground beef or lamb for the mushrooms)
• 3 tomatoes, peeled and pureed
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tbsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. sugar

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Warah enab --Stuffed grape leaves(Makes about 40 leaves)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked basmati brown or traditional white rice
(traditionally prepared with white)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
One 16 oz jar of grape leaves
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups water
Round sliced carrots, frozen or fresh
(enough to cover the bottom of a 3 quart pot,
approximately 15 carrot slices, depending on their size)

Procedure

Mix all ingredients except grape leaves, tomato sauce, water, and carrots in a bowl. Remove grape leaves from jar, unfold, and rinse with water. Place grape leaves with the rough side up, one at a time, on a large, flat plate. Be sure that the pointy parts of the leaf are directed away from you and the flatter edges and stem are towards you. Place one teaspoon of the mixture on the bottom of the leaf, near the stem, and arrange it lengthwise using your fingers. First roll the flat edges near the stem upwards and tuck them slightly under the filling. Then applying pressure to keep the leaves rolled tightly, tuck one side at a time of the two parts of the leaf pointing outwards. Now, roll the rest of the way upwards still applying pressure to keep the leaf tight.

Cook sliced carrots in water until tender. Cover the bottom layer of a large pot with these carrots. Begin layering the stuffed leaves above the carrots and be sure that they are packed tightly together; otherwise they may fall apart during cooking. Each layer of leaves should be in varying directions across the pot. Pour the tomato sauce and water over the leaves and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and place a flat plate (glass or stoneware) upside down over the top layer of leaves, and press down as hard as you can. Leave the plate in place during cooking. Cover the pot with its cover as well, and cook for 40-45 minutes. Check one leaf to see if rice has cooked fully. Serve warm.

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