Muhammara

3 medium onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup crushed walnuts

3/4 cup breadcrumbs blended with cold water to a purée

2 tablespoons paprika (or 1 teaspoon chili powder for a very hot muhammara) or 1 small can hot pepper purée

a pinch of ground cumin

salt

1 tablespoon pine nuts sautéed in a little oil

Using a deep skillet, sauté the onions gently in the oil until soft and golden. Add the walnuts, the breadcrumb purée, the pepper (chili or purée), the cumin and salt to taste. Continue to sauté gently on a low heat until the ingredients are well blended – about 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and garnish with pine nuts.

Muhammara is eaten as a dip with bread. It can also be used as a spicy dip with kebabs, grilled meats and fish. The Lebanese also eat it as a spread on toast.

Baba Ghannouj

1 large round eggplant 

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

3 oz., 4 Tbs. tahina

2 oz., 4 Tbs lemon juice

salt, red pepper

olive oil

chopped parsley

slices of red bell pepper to garnish

Cook the eggplant in a hot oven or on a fork over the flame of a gas stove. When it is well cooked through and the skin is blackened, douse with cold water, peel and chop into small pieces. Mash two or three cloves of garlic to a paste with about the same volume of salt. Add eggplant, mash to a smooth consistency and blend the tahina and lemon juice to make the Arab version of this dish; omit the tahina for the Turkish version. Serve in a bowl with little olive oil on top and garnish chopped parsley, Tomatoe  and a dusting of red pepper or sumac.

Hummus bi Tahina

125 g (4 oz) chickpeas, soaked for a few hours

juice of 2 lemons

3 Tbs. tahina

2 garlic cloves, crushed

saltGARNISH

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. paprika

a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

Drain the chickpeas and simmer in fresh water for about an hour or until tender. Reserve the cooking water.

Process the chickpeas in a blender (or food processor) with the lemon juice, tahina, garlic, salt and enough of the cooking liquid to obtain a soft creamy consistency.

Serve on a flat plate, garnished with a dribble of olive oil, a dusting of paprika (this is usually done in the shape of a cross) and a little parsley.

Serve with warm pita bread for dipping. Serves 4-6.

Onion-Cheese Bread

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups biscuit mix
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley leaves
Butter, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the milk and egg to the biscuit mix, stirring just until the mix is moistened. Fold in the onions and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Spoon the dough into a greased 8-inch round cake pan. Mix the onion salt into the melted butter and drizzle the mixture over the dough. Sprinkle the bread with chives or parsley and bake for 15 minutes. Top the bread with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until the bread is cooked through and the cheese top golden, about 5 minutes longer, Cut the bread into wedges and serve warm with butter.

All-American Mini Burgers & Special Sauce

For Burgers

1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
10 soft dinner rolls, split
2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1 small yellow skinned onion, finely chopped

Special Sauce:
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper  

Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to high. Mix meat and next 4 ingredients. Divide meat into half and score each half into 5 pieces. Roll the meat into balls then squish it into small, thin patties, 3 inches across. You will yield 10 patties. To make a double batch or more, meat can be made into patties ahead and placed on cookie sheets to store 24 hours. These patties can also be baked on cookie sheets in preheated 400 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes. But, on a hot indoor or outdoor grill, these small burgers will take just 2 or 3 minutes on each side for medium doneness. Serve on dinner rolls with chopped lettuce, chopped onion and Special Sauce.

To make sauce, combine ranch dressing with ketchup and black pepper.

Additional Toppings, optional:
Sliced Cheeses: Cheddar, pepperoni Cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss
Sliced tomatoes
Yellow Mustard
Mayonnaise
Blue Cheese Dressing
Sweet Red Pepper Relish

Grilled Shrimp with Garlic

3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Special equipment: wooden skewers soaked in waterHeat the grill to medium.Whisk together 1/4 cup of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, ancho powder and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Skewer the shrimp and brush with marinade.Place the remaining 1/2 cup of the oil in a small saucepan, add the sliced garlic and cook until the sliced garlic is lightly golden brown. Remove the garlic slices with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve the oil. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade, season with salt and pepper and grill until golden brown on each side, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers, transfer to a platter and drizzle with some of the reserved garlic oil and the garlic chips. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme and garnish with oregano leaves.