Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

Printable Copy

                             Mount Hood and Portland, seen from Pittock Mansion

The day I was leaving Portland for Vancouver on the Amtrak Cascades train, our friends Yongkie and Pokie picked me up from Julie's in the late morning and took me to a wonderful Lebanese restaurant for lunch. Now, you know I love Lebanese food (and it's so easy to eat vegan in a Lebanese restaurant!), and this restaurant, Nicholas, is supposed to be the best in Portland, so I was looking forward to it! I wasn't disappointed! Here are photos of our meal, which consisted of a huge flatbread which we tore into pieces to scoop up food, or to dip in a sauce; a lovely tabouli with LOTS of parsley; a simple salad; a delicious rice and lentil dish with browned onion, stuffed grape leaves and felafel with tahini sauce (instead of the usual yogurt sauce); lemony chickpeas:

Mjeddra-- a delicious rice and lentil dish with mouth-watering browned onions on top


                                                         Lemony chickpeas


                     A large flatbread is placed on each table for the diners to share

                                                  Lebanese Country Salad


                                       Tabouli and felafel with tahini sauce

                                    Stuffed grape leaves with tahini sauce

                                          Pokie and me at Nicholas Restaurant

It was so delicious, but we couldn't finish it all, so Yongkie and Pokie took a "doggie bag" home.  Yongkie wanted to do a little sightseeing with me, but we didn't have alot of time before my train, so he took us up to the 100-year-old French Renaissance chateau, Pittock Mansion, which overlooks Portland and has beautiful gardens.  It has been used in several movies, I've heard.  We just strolled the gardens, enjoying the sunshine and the view, but didn't go inside.  It's looks quite sumptuous in the photographs!


                                        Portland from the Pittock Mansion

                                         Pokie and Yongkie at Pittock Mansion

                                         Yongkie and me at the Pittock Mansion 

Thank you, Yongkie and Pokie, for a lovely last day in Portland!

Cheers!

Potato Kibbi hot out of the oven (a corner missing because I just had to try it!)

I had to make some finger food for a fundraising event I organized last week and I didn't want to just make the usual things. I have been wanting to try this kibbeh/kibbi recipe for a long time, so I made two pans of it, and it was so superior to any other vegetarian kibbeh I have ever tried. We loved it, and everything I brought sold out, even though most people had no idea what it was! It's the large amount of onions, cooked in the olive oil, that makes it so tasty and moist, I'm positive!

I often serve this recipe at big family gatherings and everyone loves it-- even if they don't know what it is!

An Easter dinner with Potato Kibbeh in the foreground

ABOUT KIBBEH/KIBBI:
The Arabic word kubbeh means a ball. The name has been widely borrowed, with various spelling variations: in English, the spellings kibbe and kibbeh are both common; also kubbah and kibbi. In Brazil, it is called quibe or kibe; elsewhere in Latin America, kipe or quipe. In Turkey, it is called içli köfte. In Armenian, it is called kufteh.

PRONUNCIATION: There is a little hesitation between the two b’s, and the second syllable is pronounced with a short e. It should look like this: kib’beh.

Kibbeh is defined as a dish of minced meat with bulgur and spices with many variants, both raw and cooked. However, there are several popular vegetarian versions (Lenten versions for Christians, usually) made with potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, etc, with plenty of onions for flavor. Many chefs are experimenting with stuffed vegetarian kibbi, utilizing greens, pomegranate molasses, nuts, herbs., etc.

It is a popular dish in the Levant, sometimes considered the national dish of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Iraq. It is also a common food in North Africa, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of the Caucasus, such as Armenia and Georgia. Like hummus, everyone’s mom does it best.

In its most common form, it consists of minced meat mixed with bulgur and spices, stuffed inside a bulgur crust. The shape, size and ingredients vary between different types of kibbeh and between the recipes traditional in different areas. Recipes can include pine nuts, and green herbs, among other things. It can be baked, fried, boiled, stuffed, or served raw. The mix of spices changes as does the composition of the crust. Kubbat Halab is an Iraqi version made with a rice crust, though apparently not originating in the Syrian city of Halab (Aleppo) as its name suggests. Kubbat Mosul is another Iraqi version originally from Mosul where a bulgur crust is used, but the shape is flat and round, like a disc. Finally, Kubbat Shorwa is an Assyrian-Iraqi version where kibbeh is mixed in a stew, usually cooked with tomato sauce and spices.

It is traditionally served with a tahina dip which is made with sesame seed paste.

Besides being found in the Middle East and in Middle Eastern restaurants world-wide, it has also become a popular dish in South America, where it was introduced by Lebanese and Palestinian immigrants.

Information sources:
http://toughtimesbeirut.blogspot.com/2007/01/kibbeh.html (link no longer works)
http://www.answers.com/topic/kibbeh-1?cat=health

Printable Recipe

POTATO KIBBI (KIBBIT BATATA BIS-SAYNIYYI)
Serves 8

This is adapted from a recipe in the excellent book "Lebanese Cuisine" by Madelain Farah.





I have tried other potato kibbi recipes, but this one is absolutely the best! Good hot or at room temperature, plain, or with vegan Taheena Sauce.

1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat (#2 or medium-fine)
2 tsp salt
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried) (NOTE: mint or cilantro or oregano can also be used)
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 small onion, grated
4 medium (4 oz. each) potatoes (I used Yukon Gold), cooked tender, then peeled and mashed (NOTE: To peel the hot cooked potatoes, hold under running cold water and the skin will peel off easily.)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup oil (I used olive oil), divided

Rinse the dry bulgur in cold water, squeeze, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 20 minutes.

Work seasonings with grated onion and add the mashed potatoes, mixing well. Add the bulgur and knead into soft dough. Moisten hands in cold water while kneading to prevent sticking. ( If mixture doesn't stick together, add 1/4 cup of flour-- but I didn't have to add any.)

Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a 9" square baking pan (spray the sides with oil). Cover with 1/3 cup of the oil.

Place the potato mixture evenly on top of the onions, smooth down, and cut into diamond shapes about 1/2" deep. Pour the remaining oil on top and bake at 400° until golden brown - about 50-60 minutes.

Let cool until you can handle it and cut the diamond shapes all the way down.

Variation:
Use above recipe omitting oil and sliced onions. Form the mixture into patties and fry in 1/2" of oil or place on a well-oiled pan and bake.

Servings: 8

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 315.8 calories; 51% calories from fat; 18.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 478.5mg sodium; 381.5mg potassium; 35.4g carbohydrates; 6.4g fiber; 2.3g sugar; 29.0g net carbs; 4.7g protein; 7.1 points.

Enjoy!

It's been so unseasonably cold these days that I made my husband light a fire in the woodstove so that I would feel like having a salad last night! I was busy all day transcribing recipes and catching up on some other writing chores, after a busy dance weekend.

My group dancing a Saidi cane dance (I'm on the right)

I wanted to make a comforting hot dinner (with a salad) that was quick to make and a little on the exotic side. So I took out a book that I bought recently to add to my Middle Eastern cookbook collection, Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine by Sanaa Abourezk (who trained at the Masha Innocenti Cooking School in Florence and the Cordon Bleu Baking School in Paris; is a food writer, and has also worked as a nutritionist in South Dakota, where she now lives). It is a book of lower-fat versions of the wonderful dishes of the Levantine culturea (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine). It does have meat recipes, but there are LOTS of vegetarian recipes.



I had some mushrooms that I wanted to use up, and I had some cooked black-eyed peas. Bulgur cooks quickly, so I looked for recipes using that grain. I found two recipes that fit the bill (the mushroom recipe could even use up that piece of red bell pepper that languished in the refrigerator vegetable drawer), and served them with a simple salad of island-grown greens with cucumber, tomato and olives, and a lemon-garlic-olive oil dressing. It was just perfect! (And both recipes would be suitable for the Weight watchers' Core plan!)

SANAA ABOUREZK'S SPICY MUSHROOMS (FITR HAR) (WW CORE PLAN COMPATIBLE)
serves 4

MY CHANGES: I had very large mushrooms, so I sliced them. I didn't parboil them as the recipe instructed (I was lazy!). I also had no cilantro, so I used some dried basil to taste-- fresh parsley could also be substituted. 1 tsp. seemed like alot of chili pepper, so I used a couple of large pinches of cayenne.

1 lb. small fresh mushrooms
1 med. onion, finely chopped
1 T. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp red chili pepper (see note above)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup chopped cilantro

Parboil the mushrooms in 4 cups boiling water for 2 minutes, drain. (See my note above). Saute the onions in the oil until transparent. Add the mushrooms, garlic and both peppers. Stir-cook 5 minutes. Add pepper and cilantro (and salt to taste). Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve in a flat dish.

4 servings, each 90 calories, 4 g fat, 2.7 g fiber


SANAA ABOUREZK'S BULGUR AND BLACK EYED PEAS (BURGHUL WA LOBEYEH HAB)(WW CORE PLAN COMPATIBLE)
serves 4

MY CHANGES: I used cooked, dried black-eyed peas-- canned could also be used. Again, I had no cilantro so I used 1 tsp. dried basil and 1 tsp. dried mint instead (if using fresh, use 1 tablespoon each).

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 cups black-eyed peas, frozen (see my notes above)
3 cups water (I used vegan broth)
1 cup medium bulgur wheat
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (see my notes above)
pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil in a large pot.

Thaw the black-eyed peas, if using frozen ones, and simmer over low heat in the pot with onions for 5 minutes. (No need for this if you use canned or cooked ones, just add to the pot--BCG) Pour the water (or broth) into the pot with the onions and peas. Add the bulgur and herbs, bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer on low, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

4 servings, each 280 calories, 4 g fat, and 14 g fiber.

Enjoy!

I can't seem to catch up since I got back from Grand Rapids! I'm working hard and trying my best, but "catching up" eludes me still!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a couple of easy and delicious recipes we had in the last few days. They are not spicy or elaborate, but they are comforting, cheap, quick, easy, and tasty!

Hashwee is a Lebanese rice dish, which can also be used as a stuffing for vegetables (cabbage, chard, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.). It is an aromatic rice and ground meat dish, and using vegan "hamburger crumbles" makes it easy to veganize. We ate it "as is", but it is sometimes topped with boiled or grilled poultry, so you could top it with grilled vegetables, tempeh, tofu, or seitan, perhaps in a lemony baste or marinade, or with a spicy Middle Eastern-style marinade to offset the aromatic, but mild-tasting rice.


Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S QUICK VEGAN HASHWEE (LEBANESE RICE) (CAN BE MADE IN A RICE COOKER)
Serves 4 as a main dish

This is a delicious quick meal to eat with a salad. PS: If you would prefer, use brown basmati rice and use 4 cups broth instead of 3 (but it will take longer to cook).

Place in a large heavy pot, or rice-cooker:

3 cups vegetarian "chicken-style" broth
2 cups white basmati rice
1 packet vegan "hamburger crumbles
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or you can use allspice, or a combination of allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg)
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

If using a rice cooker, cover and cook according to the directions for your cooker. if using a pot, bring to a boil, then cover, turn down to low and cook 20 minutes.

Just before serving, fold in:

1/4 cup more fresh parsley (and have some for garnish, too)
1/3 cup pinenuts (I used chopped cashews because that's all I had) browned in a little Earth Balance (save a few for garnish)

Serve each portion with a little chopped parsley and a few nut pieces, and lemon wedges on the side to squirt into the rice.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 524.9 calories; 11% calories from fat; 7.0g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 948.2mg sodium; 811.4mg potassium; 89.9g carbohydrates; 8.7g fiber; 3.5g sugar; 81.2g net carbs; 27.6g protein; 10.3 points.

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Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S CREAMY FAT-FREE LEEK AND POTATO SOUP 
Serves 4

Recipes for leek soups usually tell you to use only the whites, but I can't figure out why. I love the green part, too, and the color, so I use the whole leek.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb. leeks (white and green part; trimmed, cleaned, and sliced)
2 medium russet potatoes (1/2 lb.), peeled and diced
3 c. vegetarian "chicken-style" broth
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Optional Garnish: Tofu Sour Cream (Tofutti); a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil; minced fresh parsley, mint, basil or cilantro; paprika; curry powder; croutons; dillweed; chopped green onions or chives; etc.

In an oiled (preferably nonstick) medium pot over high heat stir-fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water only as needed to keep from sticking. Don’t brown.. Add the leeks, potatoes, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down, and simmer about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Puree right in the pot with an immersion hand blender. OR, with a slotted spoon, transfer all the solids to the food processor or blender and puree until smooth (IMPORTANT CAUTION: leave an escape in the lid for steam, or else hot veggies will explode all over you!). Add a bit of the broth, then stir the pureed mixture back into the pot.

Taste for salt and pepper.

Serve with one or two garnishes.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 179.5 calories; 3% calories from fat; 0.8g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 814.0mg sodium; 701.6mg potassium; 39.6g carbohydrates; 5.8g fiber; 7.5g sugar; 33.8g net carbs; 6.5g protein; 2.9 points.


Enjoy!