Arabic

I was never much of a soup maker, but in recent years I have become an avid soup maker. Soup can be so delicious. So warming, so surprising, so comfort food. You know onion soup, but this is a great Arabic variation.

This is not ‘an easy does it’ soup. It keeps you busy. And as it should be, you will be generously rewarded for that. It is a delicious soup. The orange subtly surprises you. The substance is delicious. It looks amazing. In short, go make that soup. Do not hesitate.

Kibbeh is a household name in the Middle East. It is a dish with a bottom and top layer of bulgur with ‘something’. In this case, this is squash. And between those two layers there is something delicious. In this recipe, these are macadamia nuts and caramelized onion. It’s a very tasty dish, surprising when you cut it open (hence this photo) and your table mates will go wild.

Leek is such a comfort food. In this dish, some guests do not even recognize the leek. If I were leek, I would take that as a compliment. That is how it is meant. The combination with the tomato, the crunchy almonds and the surprising Arak (Arabic variant of Ouzo/Pernod) makes it a dish where the fingers point to approvingly during dinner.