At the dinner table, my mother would gently ask us what we had learned from our teachers that day at school. Clearly, small talk and gossip were not high on her agenda, though she knew those had their place.
Mother did not believe in regular snacks between meals. Occasionally, she liked to surprise us and would give us some labneh with olive oil, tucked inside whole wheat pita bread, to take to school.
Sometime in the 1970s, having seemingly run out of criticism of my consumer protection work, the Wall Street Journal devoted an entire editorial to how puritanical my mother was, forcing chickpea snacks on us instead of, presumably, candy. The Journal was particularly incensed at my mother quietly scraping the sugary frosting off birthday cakes once we had blown out the candles—a practice that had become a family joke.
Mother reacted with amusement. Cakes had plenty of sweetness, she would say, without loading up on frosting that was pure sugar. She knew that meals were about much more than food. For Mother, the family table was a mosaic of sights, scents, and tastes, of talking, teaching, and teasing, of health, culture, stimulation, and delight. For Dad, it was a time to ask us challenging questions to sharpen our minds and our independent thinking. Such as: Do the great leaders make the changes in history or do they reflect the rising pressures from people at any given time? Is it better to buy from a local family-owned business than a large chain store? When can a revolution be called a success? What were you taught in school that you found out not to be true?
I had several inspirations for making this cookbook. One goes back many years—people always asking me what I eat, prompted in part by my work on food safety laws. Another was the remarkable response to the 1991 collection of recipes and wisdom—“food for thought”—that my parents compiled in the volume It Happened in the Kitchen, which was featured twice on Phil Donahue’s popular TV program. Their book was a major source for this one. Finally, the growing popularity of Arab cuisine, backed by the growing scientific research into nutrition, has broadened the audience and market for what was once seen as an “exotic” menu. Diet is viewed by both consumers and physicians as more and more significant in an individual’s weight, energy level, and overall health. Medical schools, which traditionally haven’t featured nutrition very prominently in their curricula, are coming around to this realization.
As is reflected in the recipes chosen for this book, we were mostly raised with Arab cuisine—more specifically the food of the people who lived in the mountains of Lebanon. Today’s nutritionists have pronounced this Mediterranean diet to be just about the healthiest diet in the world. It is heavy with varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, spices, lean but not too much red meat, mostly lamb. The noted national dish of Lebanon—kibbe—often takes center stage on the table.
Two of the recipes in this book were contributed by Chef George Noujaim, a Lebanese immigrant who runs Noujaim’s Bistro and a catering service in my family’s hometown of Winsted. Connecticut Magazine named Noujaim’s the best Mediterranean restaurant in the state.
Many of the ingredients for these recipes can be found these days in general supermarkets, as well as in health food stores and specialty Mediterranean grocery stores. The recipes are healthy and are reasonably low in fat, salt, and sugar (the latter given leeway in the desserts). The dishes are easy to prepare, with only a few exceptions.
For sure, much of our upbringing happened in our comfortable kitchen—tucked between two pantries at our family table. That is why the recipes in this book evoke memories of their broader contexts and celebrate the fortune my siblings and I had of being born to such wonderful parents.
appetizers & dips
These recipes invite you to “use your own judgment,” as my mother, Rose, would suggest. Arab food is especially suited for experimentation. Not having to follow rigid proportions and ingredients allows you to stimulate your own sense of ingenuity and can lead to rave reviews from your family and guests.
HUMMUS BI TAHINI
Time: 1 1/2 hours / Serves: 6
An appetizer which can serve as a light lunch or supper. It attracts the pallet and the eye and teases the taste buds. To enhance its subtle flavor, serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. The hummus, cooked and blended smoothly, can be frozen and kept for future use. As with baba ghanoush (see page 21), hummus bi tahini works well with warmed pita bread.
ingredients
1/2 pound dried, uncooked chickpeas or 3 cups of cooked chickpeas
6 cups cold water
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin to taste (optional)
juice of 2–3 lemons
5 generous tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
4–5 sprigs parsley
directions
For dried chickpeas: Soak the chickpeas overnight in cold water after removing any small stones or blemished chickpeas. The next day, wash the chickpeas well, rinsing them several times.
For canned chickpeas: drain and rinse.
Put chickpeas in a pot with 6 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for roughly 1 hour. Tilt the cover of the pot so there is a way for the steam to escape, keeping the foam under control. The chickpeas are done when a pea can be mashed easily between two fingers.
Put garlic, salt, cumin, lemon juice, chickpeas, and tahini in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Follow this procedure three or four times until all the ingredients have been finely blended. If more liquid is needed, add 2 tablespoons of cold water or more lemon juice, which will give the hummus a tangy taste.
Serve on a platter chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle olive oil over the top. If you wish, you can sprinkle paprika over the hummus for color. Garnish with sprigs of parsley.
BABA Ghanoush
Time: 1 hour / Serves: 6
Like hummus bi tahini, this appetizer can be a light