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Easy Middle Eastern Recipes

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CREAM CHEESE AND GUAVA PASTE PASTRIES

May 3, 2023  •  Category: Sweet Pastries, Pastries/Breads



This flavor combo (cream cheese and guava paste) is one I recently discovered in
Mexico. I was there just a few weeks ago for Spring break, and tried it once at
my favorite coffee chain there. It was the stuffing in a roll (can’t remember
what type of roll). Fabulous! The combo of the slightly tart creamy cheese with
the sweet fruity berry tasting guayaba paste was to-die-for! The guava paste
reminded me of the quince jelly we make in Lebanon. Come to think of it, why do
we not think of this combo? (say with areeshe cheese or labneh??).

Anyway, musings aside, I decided to try and recreate this especially since I had
to contribute pastries to a fundraiser to help the earthquake victims in Syria
and Turkey.

I used puff pastry I bought, the best quality I could get my hands on, and I
also used ready-made empanada circles with a puff pastry in the freezer section
of my favorite Latino market. The clear winner (taste-wise) is the French-style
puff pastry. The empanada dough package makes it super easy because the dough is
precut and you can fill it in a snap. However, it is not as delicate in texture
and flaky as the puff pastry.

I am finding out this is a very popular dessert in Brazil as well as other Latin
and  Caribbean countries such as Cuba, Panama, where it is called pastelitos de
guava or guayaba.



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8 Comments




HIBISCUS ENCHILADAS

March 29, 2023  •  Category: Mexican fusion, Main Dish, Vegan



Ramadan Mubarak!

I have just returned from two weeks in Mexico, where I divided my time between
Mexico city and Mazatlán in the state of Sinaloa. I wanted to take a cooking
class in both places; so I joined a WhatsApp foodies group in CDMX (Mexico City)
to try and ask around for a recommendation. Luckily, Chef Paulina Lara
responded, sent me menus  and we settled on a date for a private class in her
kitchen in Mexico City.

The title on her menu Hibiscus Enchiladas intrigued me. I had only used hibiscus
(karkadeh in Arabic) to make iced or hot tea or agua fresca, the Mexican ice
cold drink, sometimes adding a cinnamon stick to the flowers while boiling them.

In Mexico, hibiscus is called jamaica or flor de jamaica (pronounced
ha-ma-ee-ka), and every restaurant or café sells it as a cold drink or agua
fresca sweetened with sugar. This is also a popular drink in Egypt where people
drink it cold especially during Ramadan.

The hibiscus is produced in Mexico, but also in Soudan and other countries in
Africa and imported into Mexico for the local consumption. In fact, I had seen
tubs of hibiscus leaves of various sizes and color at the giant mercado de la
Merced in Mexico city, with a label showing its country of origin.   I had also
read a recipe for hibiscus enchilada in a cookbook on Mexico City cuisine but
never ventured to test it in my kitchen. Years prior, while living in Beirut, I
had bought whole candied hibiscus leaves  imported from Thailand and they tasted
delicious like a gummy candy with a bit of tang.

The method is super simple: the hibiscus flowers are boiled briefly in plenty of
water, drained, (the hibiscus-flavored broth can be recycled as a tea with some
sweetener later). They are then stir-fried with some previously fried onion and
garlic combo, seasoned and used as a filling to some fresh tortillas, just as
you would prepare any enchiladas. Once filled, the enchiladas are smothered in
enchilada sauce ( made with guajillo chilies, tomatoes, onion and garlic). And
as usual, the enchiladas are then garnished with a drizzle of Mexican crema and
some grated Panela cheese (see Note on substitute).


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9 Comments




COLESLAW

January 11, 2023  •  Category: Salads



My world has now become enchilado (more on that in another post), so when I
decided I wanted to make coleslaw, it was obvious I was going to find a way to
add a chile or two somewhere.

So I did. A few jalapeños went into the processor (minus the seeds and stem). I
also used a chipotle mayo and the classic garlic-lemon-olive oil  Lebanese
dressing.

It was yummy and so practical to have on hand in a big bowl in the fridge, to
dip into over several days  until the supply is exhausted.

 

 

 

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4 Comments




MEXICAN GREEN RICE

November 26, 2022  •  Category: Mexican fusion, Whole Grain/Bulgur/Rice



I had been wanting to try my hand at this rice for a while. It consists of
making a green salsa with poblano peppers, onion, garlic then cooking the rice
in it with the addition of fresh corn kernels. The rice can be served alongside
a dish of beans or a protein. I did not have time to cook anything else and so
to give it more sustenance I ended-up baking it (after cooking it) briefly with
some shredded cheese and it was filling enough on its own, with an optional
splash of hot sauce or Mexican cream on top.

 

 

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RECENT RECIPES


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BAYRUT BY HISHAM ASSAAD

This cookbook is a delight. The layout and graphics are exquisite and the
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1 2 3 … 148 Next »




Hi! Marhaba! ça va?

I am Joumana Accad and was born and raised in Beirut. I completed high school in
France and moved to the US in 1979. I am the mother of two grown children and a
former school teacher, pastry chef, caterer and translator. Taste of Beirut
started as a blog in 2009 and its main purpose was to share my beloved Lebanese
heritage with the world through recipes, anecdotes, and cultural tidbits.

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