Thai curry soup
This is the best way of using red lentils. It is an extremely creamy soup with an addictive taste. You want to keep on eating. It is prepared just like that, which is also a nice to have right.
Spicy pumpkin in the oven
Squash and I are not team members. I am not such a fan of pumpkin soup for example. But in this dish pumpkin suddenly transforms into a very tasty meal that is interesting all the way. You have to be patient, waiting until it is cooked enough in the oven, but hey … slow food is the best thing.
Hummus
If I would talk about hummus 5 years ago, many would not know what I was talking about. Nowadays you can get it everywhere, and this sensational multifunctional little dish deserves that … as a dip, on a cracker with tomato, but also in dressings in stead of mayonaise for instance. You can get it in the supermarket in many tastes, but making it yourself is always better. You can keep it in the fridge for a week or so.
Pasta sauce from heaven
There are many dishes our adult children can request. Tastes they grew up with, dishes they were looking forward to as a child. And still. This pasta sauce is one of them. Sweet, soft, creamy. One day I had so many red peppers in the house that I decided to make this sauce. I twisted it somewhat over time, but it is still a hit. And if you have some sauce left over, the next day for lunch, with some bread…. so nice.
Fattoush
Look, Lebanese than this isn’t going to get any quick. Fattoush is a salad that you really eat everywhere in Lebanon or in a Lebanese restaurant. It is a fresh salad in which the Lebanese flat bread is crisply processed. The bread goes into the oven to get really crispy and is then put, broken into pieces, in the salad. It’s a find.
Green asparagus with an Arabic twist to it
Green asparagus with an Arabic twist. The harissa together with the zest of the lemon and the vegan honey, give a totally new taste to this well known vegetable. Really worth it.
Couscous on Fridays
After the Friday afternoon prayers the whole family gathers for the couscous, that has been prepared in a very caring way. It’s a very important meal, a break in the week. Couscous on Fridays is a phenomenon. In Morocco they steam the couscous in a traditional way, on top of the vegetables in a so-called couscoussière. Here you’ll find two ways for the preparation, a quicker one and the traditional one. One thing we do traditionally is to use 7 different vegetables in the couscous.
Tabouleh
Tabouleh should only be made with flat parsley. Otherwise we cannot speak of tabouleh, frankly. And just make it with bulgur and not with couscous or quinoa. Otherwise we cannot speak of tabouleh, frankly. And otherwise the finishing touch consists of raw onions with some white pepper on top of it… la classe …
Sweet and savoury tagine
Knowing that later in the day there will be a tajine ready, fills me with pure joy. I love true comfort food, food that takes its time to become freaking delicious. Tagines are this type of food. The combination of sweet and savoury is so powerful in this tagine. I have tagines in many shapes and sizes plus the traditional ‘container’ you need for the charcoal to cook it on. But you can also prepare it on your stove. Just make sure the fire gently heats the tagine.
Rice salade to die for
If we think of rice, we usually think of white rice in all its variaties. Or maybe brown rice. But red rice is not so known, and we are going to change that. Red rice is full of taste, has a nutty hint to it and the bite is fantastic. This salad is a great combination of tastes that bring out the best in each other. And like many other dishes, the next day it is even better.
Green, orange and red
I say it repeatedly when it comes to squash, but squash and me are no friends by nature. But what’s so nice about squash is that it can pleasantly surprise you. And then suddenly I turn into the biggest fan, because it an have it all: colour, different tastes and crispiness.
Fatayer
This is a typical Lebanese mezze dish. A nice and warm bite with a tasteful filling. What I like about these bites is that it always has something exciting about it, you do not know what the inside will reveal. And the first bit needs to do the trick. And that’s exactly what it does with Fatayer. It takes some of your time, that’s true, but it is totally worth it.
Harira
Actually it is always a day for Harira. Whether it’s a warm sunny day or a chilly one. Whether you serve it as an appetizer or as a meal. We had it this weekend. And unfortunately the huge pan is already empty again because everybody loves it so much. Also kids who do not live at home wanted to get some soup. And they are the lucky ones as they can still look forward to eating it today.
Moroccan spinach
You probably have never had spinach like this before. From the first time I tasted it this way I often long for it. The purple olives and the Moroccan pickled lemons, I would never have thought of bringing them together like this.
Foul m’dammes & white bean salad
Fava beans (brown broad beans) are refreshing in this dish and a great addition for a Lebanese mezze. You can either eat it warm or cold, I prefer it warm. If you do not serve it warm, then at least serve it a room temperature. If foul is not automatically included in a mezze, I ask for it. No foul, no that’s impossible.
White beans can be tasteful, they incorporate perfectly the tastes that surround them. This salad is nice for lunch, as a side dish or part of a mezze of course.
Spicy bulgur salad
Bulgur, until recently I only used it to make kibbeh or tabouleh, but thanks to Turkish Ali and his shop I have discovered many new ways to prepare bulgur. Here, the secret ingredient is harissa … and this gives this salad a nice spicy taste that stays with you. Lovely on a warm day.
Risotto of spinach and coriander
Risotto’s are always full of taste because you can play with the ingredients of the sauce you choose for it. This sauce consists mainly of spinach and coriander, hence the beautiful green colour and the truly unique taste. As you can notice from the several recipes with spinach, it’s one of my favourite greens. And in this dish it is exactly where it should be.
Arnabeet Mekleh
If you serve this dish, it sometimes gets these looks from people at the table. Not knowing what exactly to think or expect. If I see this, I simply hush. Because I know that after one bite, they will be addicted. Pleasantly surprised and begging for more more more…
Spectacular fig salad
This spectacular salad impresses everyone in the first place by its looks. Before anyone has even touched it. The colour, the interesting combination of beans and figs, the honey, balsamico en the roasted almonds. It’s a fatal combination that will not disappoint once it’s consumed.
Spicy beetroot cakes
On Sunday’s I always want to push myself a bit further. And with these beetroot beignets I must say, I have succeeded. I do not know where to start explaining why they are so unbelievably delicious. It’s the turmeric that adds the spiciness, the date sauce that add the sweetness. And all the ingredients together in these beignets… oh well… just try it yourself
Burried in angel hair
I love it when dishes do not reveal themselves instantly. If they have to disclose themselves gradually. That they surprise you. This dish is exactly that. The layer of angel hair covers neatly what is hidden below. You want to know what it’s hiding? A great combination of grilled and seasoned vegetables, Moroccan style.
Arugula melon salad
We went out for diner for the first time to restaurant Crème in Den Bosch. And this was not for the first time. A great chef that creates fantastic signature dishes that makes you want to come back for new discoveries. And this salad is inspired by one of his creations. I added a bit of à la Damaris to it. And I encourage you to do the same. A la yourself, is what I mean.
Delicious crispy egg plant
Eggplant only gets really delicious, at least according to me, if it gets nice and crispy. If eggplant stays soft it will not get worthy enough to end up in my mouth. This eggplant is baked till it got really crispy, and with the red chili peppers, the nigella seed and the saffron yoghurt it becomes a mouthwatering sensation. If I were you I would make a lot, because there will be a fight at the table who will have the last little spoon.
Falafel
You may associate falafel with fast food. And yes, you can buy it ready made in the supermarkets nowadays. But please, just start making it yourself. It’s so divine, delicious and yummy. On top of it, it’s healthy, it can be eaten in many ways and you can keep it on the fridge a few days.
Spicy carrot dip
On a table full of mezze this carrot dip is a great soft, sweet en spicy dish. The harissa is the miracle ingredient here. Also great to accompany some drinks in the late afternoon.
Apple fennel salad
I would never have thought of mixing appel and fennel in a salad. But boy oh boy oh boy, it’s a magical combination. On a warm sunny day this is the salad you want to serve. And ready in a few minutes. which is also handy some times. And the pomegranate seeds take care of that super important finishing touch thing.
Sweet tomato dip
This is a delicious dish in a mezze. Lovely dip with some Turkish or Arab bread. Taking a bite, dipping with your falafel … it tastes exactly how it looks. Full of taste. Reduced in the pan, some honey, some cinnamon. No more words needed here.
Tagine with prunes and almonds
It’s warming up outside. Summer is coming. The best time to cook a tagine outside in your garden, on your balcony or terrace. This is a combination of ingredients that will turn your garden in a deliciously smelling environment. The neighbours will start talking about you. Keep that in mind.
Baby onions in Tamarind
This is a dish that can surprise you. Make a lot of it because initially you might think you’ll only want one bite… but it will evolve differently. You simply want to have it all the time. As one of your dishes in a mezze, as a side dish or even when you’re having drinks. The onions become nice and soft and sweet with a little sour hint.
Quinoa salad with zucchini and …
You’ve had enough of quinoa? Well, then you haven’t tasted quinoa in this combination. That’s for sure. Don’t think you’ll know exactly how it tastes because you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the effect the ingredients have on each other. The grilled courgettes, the preserved lemon, the fresh mint and the nigella seeds. Just try it. You won’t regret it.