Recipes
Grilled artichoke hearts with za’atar aioli

Grilled artichoke hearts with za’atar aioli

Grilled artichoke hearts. Crispy right? And then with that delicious za’atar aioli. Well, it is a snack or a side that is ready quickly. A lovely addition on the table. Delicious as an appetizer. Lovely with a mezze. If you always have a few artichoke hearts in the freezer—just like me—you can put this surprising dish on the table in no time.

Labneh with figs and caramelized walnuts

Labneh with figs and caramelized walnuts

Figs are comfort food for me. I eat them with skin and all. I simply cannot get enough of them. I feel happy when I can gently squeeze a ripe fig. En dan als je ze openscheurt. Beautiful sight. I didn’t even mention the taste. The sweetness. The festive taste. Phew… and here with caramelized walnuts and yogurt. A true party.

Spiced celeriac from the oven

Spiced celeriac from the oven

I’ve been very successful with this recipe this summer. Celeriac. People are shy. Look at it. Yeah, looks nice but… Yeah, celeriac …. Do I dare or not? And if, after some encouragement, they do take a bite, and then it all takes off. There is no stopping it. Do I need to say more? No, thought so.

Full red saffron rice, fatteh and vegetables

Full red saffron rice, fatteh and vegetables

I try to make sure every dish has something to bite. You need a good bite. Super important for vegan dishes that often largely consist of vegetables. But good traditional classics, dishes that are originally vegan, have already thought of that themselves. Just like with this dish. I use red rice for this one. That in itself is a bit sturdier. But the signature element of fatteh is, of course, the crusty bread that is part of it. And it works perfectly together here. PS: do you see the cinnamon stick in the picture?

Roasted cauliflower with tahini and smoked paprika

Roasted cauliflower with tahini and smoked paprika

Cauliflower is undemanding. Easily surrenders to your preparation. Makes sure it’s always tasty. Surprisingly tasty even. Even people who solemnly declare that they do not like cauliflower, are nevertheless positively captivated by this delicious vegetable. This is also a way of preparing that is very popular with many.

Haricots verts salad with hazelnuts

Haricots verts salad with hazelnuts

Minimal effort, maximum result. Completely against my slow cooking nature, this is a nice and quick recipe. But one with a maximum surprise effect, so to speak. Which stays with you as much as possible. And that will amaze your guests at the table. Sometimes it’s nice to have a beautiful dish that you can serve at your table in no time.

Sweet potato in tomato-lime sauce and cardamom

Sweet potato in tomato-lime sauce and cardamom

I don’t like sweet potatoes. I often find it dull, tacky and not adding much. But this dish helped me get over my prejudice instantly. Super tasty, and exactly what you want at your table. In fact, you will regret it when you find out the pan or bowl is empty. Glad I threw my prejudice overboard and gave sweet potato another chance with this recipe.

Stewed leek in white wine with crispy strips

Stewed leek in white wine with crispy strips

If you read and make my recipes regularly, you know that I often mention using one secret ingredient to create an unforgettable dish. Or a special ingredient. In any case, an unexpected one. In this dish, these are the crispy strips I made from the dark green leek leaf. Try it. So nice to find a good use for the green leaves.

Beetroot in orange syrup

Beetroot in orange syrup

Caramelized beets are not to be missed. And if you use homemade orange syrup for this, it will make you even happier. At least, that’s how it works for me. It’s a nice sweet addition and it shows the extremely delicious side of red onions.

Spicy plantain, apple and coconut salad

Spicy plantain, apple and coconut salad

Baking plantain is a discovery of the last 2 years. Normally at breakfast, but here in a salad. Very nice discovery. The interplay with the herbs actually gives the sweet plantain something savory. The coconut adds bite. The apple the freshness. And the ginger some spicyness. This salad is a wonderful surprise. Make it on a beautiful summer day. You will not regret it.

Eggplant tomato dip with turmeric and garlic

Eggplant tomato dip with turmeric and garlic

Soft and crunchy. Garlic and smooth tomato puree. Nuts and eggplant. With or without bread. Tasteful, for sure. The aubergine is there but it blends seamlessly into the other flavors. The tomato is there but it blends seamlessly into the other flavors. The garlic is there but doesn’t take over all the other flavors. That kind of dip. Delicious.

Lima beans in spicy and fresh oil

Lima beans in spicy and fresh oil

Lima beans are the discovery of 2021 for me. So deliciously crunchy, so great at absorbing flavors without losing its authenticity. This is a great surprising dish with a fantastic layering of flavors. Delicious to dip with bread.

Grilled fig salad with Japanese influences

Grilled fig salad with Japanese influences

We associate figs with sweet, balsamic vinegar, for example. With this salad we take a completely different direction, a salty and savory direction. Surprisingly tasty, figs grilled in the oven. I really like figs anyway: from very pure to processed. From fresh from the tree to dried. This salad shows figs from a completely different surprising side.

Lima bean puree with garlic aioli

Lima bean puree with garlic aioli

Many people do not have positive thoughts when it comes to white beans. This even goes voor Lima beans. We do not, can not and will not understand that in this house. Lima beans are very tasty and very easy to prepare. Give them another chance. We beg of you. Just try to get rid of your memories in the past. In any case, this dish settles that in one go. It is a taste bomb, comfort food and surpising.

Grilled peach salad with string beans

Grilled peach salad with string beans

A typical and surprising combination for a summer day. Peaches that you give a tasty boost in the grill pan. And you do the same with the string beans. The roasted almond pieces give the salad a perfect bite. And the mint leaves add some spice. This dish scored a 10/10 this afternoon. Nothing less…

Pasta bil laban

Pasta bil laban

Warm yogurt, this is always almost too good to be true. Always so good. So gentle and soft. Bringing everything together in the ultimate comfort food dish. In this recipe, it contrasts perfectly with the deliciously crunchy breadcrumbs and the spicy pine nuts. Even though it is a pasta dish, the Palestinians have made a Middle Eastern version with the warm yogurt, crispy breadcrumbs and the spicy pine nuts. And the combination of herbs and spices.

Swiss chard with lentils, mushrooms and potato

Swiss chard with lentils, mushrooms and potato

I have not been preparing Swiss chard often until now. But through the restaurant Bommels Bakhuys and their fantastic kitchen paradise garden Bommels Buiten, I sometimes get kilo’s of Swiss chard delivered at my kitchen doorstep. And then many things start to happen in my kitchen. This is one of the best recipes with Swiss chard. Warm in every sense of the word. Comfort food. Nutricious. Tasteful. Full of flavour. Tiny bit Arabic due to the spices. Keeping close to my roots, always. In any case, you will enjoy it very much.

Cauliflower roasted in spicy yogurt

Cauliflower roasted in spicy yogurt

Cooking in yogurt is like cooking with a magical stick. Even when it is plant based yogurt. Your dish will turn immediately in a comfor food, just like that. In the northern part of Lebanon it is very common to cook in yogurt. There is a lot of yogurt around and they know exactly what to do with it. Really worth the try. And this dish is such a nice balance between its taste, texture, colour.. and simply delicious.

Muhammara

Muhammara

Made it once, you’ll keep on making it. This is one of the tastiest dips that you will always be making over and over again. Soft and crispy at the same time. Red bell pepper and walnut, oh and is this a hint of tomato? Do you also taste some cumin? That kind of dip. To go with your drinks. Part of a mezze. On your bread at lunch. Or just a spoonful. Do whatever suits you, but just make this muhammara.

Molokhieh soup with broad beans

Molokhieh soup with broad beans

You probably often read about ingredients at à la Damaris that you had not heard before. This one is most certainly one of them: molokhieh. You’ll find it in the freezer at your Morrocan or Arabic store. It is slightly similar to spinach, but softer. Very nice. And in this soup it’s a great combination with the tougher broad beans, fresh herbs and red chili pepper. I love to have it for lunch. But like all soups, you can actually have it all the time.

Courgette/zucchini and chick peas in warm yogurt sauce

Courgette/zucchini and chick peas in warm yogurt sauce

Cooking a dish in yogurt. In the northern part of Lebanon this is a very normal routine in the kitchen. It probably has to do with all the sheep and goats that roam there. Warm (plant based) yogurt gives such a creaminess to a dish, it’s really unbelievable. You can also cook rice in it – see recipe ‘paradise on earth’ here on the site. In any case, this dish is a delightful find. You can serve it with a mezze, but certainly also as a full (side) dish. One thing is for sure, you won’t make enough anyway. It’s that good.