Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sumac Salmon with cranberry





Ingredients:
2 large pieces of salmon filet
1 table spoon of grind red sumac
2 table spoon of olive oil
1 lemon or lime
1 tea spoon of salt
1 fistful of dried cranberry
1/2 tea spoon of black pepper

How to make it:
In a oven safe Pyrex pure one table spoon of olive oil
Lay the fish on the oil with the skin down
Sprinkle the salt and pepper
Sprinkle the sumac
Squeeze the lemon or lime on the fish
pure the other table spoon of olive oil on the fish
Cover the fish with cranberries
Cover the dish with aluminum foil
Preheat the oven on 375 f
Cook the fish for 15 minutes
Remove the foil and broil for 5-6 minutes until the cranberries are caramelized

 Serve with saute' vegetables, rice pilaf, baked potato or corn

Enjoy!  



Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Sour Cherry Rice (Albaloo Polo)








Ingredients:
(Serving 4-6 people)

3 cups basmati rice
1/2 jar sour cherry jam (preserve of in brine or fresh where available)
(I prefer Persian/Greek/Turkish or Yugoslavian cherries. California sour cherry has not much flavor)  
2 tablespoon of slivered almonds
 2 tablespoon of slivered pistachios
A pinch of saffron, grind and melted in hot water
1 medium onion
 2 tablespoon of corn oil or olive oil

How to make it:

make the plain rice 
(Biol rice in water with one table spoon of salt for 7-8 minutes until half cooked, then drain the water out and set aside)
chop or finely slice the onion and saute' until golden brown
add the pistachios/almonds/sour cherries
Heat and mix for about 2 minutes
Add oil in a non-stick pot
Pour the some of the plain rice (about one inch high)
Add a few spoon of cherry/nuts mixture
Add one more layer of rice
Add a few spoon of cherry/nuts mixture again
Continue until all the ingredients are used
Top with a some of the rice dipped in the liquid saffron for a better presentation
Close the pot  tight with its top (you may use a paper towel to seal the heat & steam) and turn the heat of high for about 40-50 seconds and then reduce to low. Let the rice in pot get steamed slowly for about 20-25 minutes and the rice grains fluff up.

This is a sweet & sour dish and vegetarians will love it  

Enjoy!