Sunday, August 19, 2012

Chickpea and eggplant stew

My favorite Lebanese restaurant serves something like this and calls it Moussaka.  It looks nothing like the Greek Moussaka that most people are familiar with.

2 eggplants
1 1/2 cups dried chick pea
2 small cans tomato paste
Water
2 tablespoons garam masala
salt
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cut eggplant in 1/2.  Brush all sides with olive oil.  Bake at 400 until soft - about 45 mintues.  When cool, dice the eggplant.

Cook the chickpeas.

Heat olive oil in large sauce pan.  Add garlic and eggplant and saute for a few minutes.  Add tomato paste, water, garam masala, salt to taste.  Simmer at least 20 minutes.

Serve warm on basmati rice and optional tahini sauce.

Tahini sauce
=========
1 cup tahini
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 lemons juiced and zest.
Water to thin to desired consistency
salt to taste

Whisk together all ingredients.



Schwarze Grutze

I love the Rote Grutze - red berry dessert that is made in Germany and the Nordic countries.  This weekend, I had a huge pile of blackberries, so I made a similar dessert.  I don't have exact measurements.

Fresh blackberries (about 9 cups)
Sugar (about 3 cups)
Polenta (about 1 1/2 cups quick cooking italian polenta)
Whipped Cream (optional)

Take your freshly picked blackberries, and process through a food mill to get rid of seeds.  Heat the juice slowly and add sugar to taste.  When mixture boils add polenta slowly, until it is the consistency you want.

Spoon into dessert cups.  Chill.  Serve with whipped cream.  It is a delicious summer treat!