Ever since I tried this delicious and refreshing feta cheese tomato and cucumber appetizer at a friend’s house, I’ve been hooked. The combination of bread, cheese, cucumber and tomato is very traditional, but what makes this appetizer so unique is its dressing. You drizzle the feta cheese tomato and cucumber appetizer with a dressing made of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dried mint (fresh won’t taste as good). The bread soaks up all this goodness and you get a minty, tangy and mildly sweet taste in every bite. This is what I call simplicity at its best!
Feta Cheese Tomato and Cucumber Appetizer
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 0 min
Ready in: 5 min
Yields: 2 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1/2 French baguette
2 oz. feta cheese
1 roman tomato, cored and sliced
1 large Persian cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Arrange sliced feta cheese, tomato and cucumber on a platter and sprinkle with dried mint. In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over the cucumber and tomato slices. Top bite size bread pieces with feta cheese, tomato and cucumber to serve.
Top bread with feta cheese, tomato and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing.
Yogurt and cucumber dip, masto khiar, is a very popular appetizer that is usually served with chips or pita bread. This versatile and delicious dish also complements Persian dishes like estamboli polo, adas polo and baghali polo to name a few. Any plain yogurt works in this recipe, from nonfat to Greek which has a much higher fat content.
Yogurt and Cucumber Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 0
Ready in: 10 min
Yields: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 cups plain yogurt
1 English cucumber or 3 large Persian cucumbers peeled and diced
1 large garlic clove peeled and finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped or 2 teaspoons dried mint
1 tablespoon fresh French tarragon leaves chopped or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the yogurt, cucumber, fresh or dried mint, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with fresh or dried mint. Serve with chips or pita bread.
Add chopped cucumber, mint and garlic to a bowl.
Stir in yogurt, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Kashke bademjan is a Persian eggplant dip that is traditionally made with golden-fried eggplants that are cooked with caramelized onions and garlic. The mixture is then mashed, combined with kashk (thickened whey) and garnished with caramelized onions and sautéed mint and garlic. There are various ways of making kashke bademjan depending on how you cook the eggplants (simmer, fry, grill, bake or roast in the oven). The method used in this recipe uses the least amount of oil for cooking the eggplants. Toasted walnuts add more texture and flavor to this dish, in addition to their health benefits.
Kashke Bademjan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hour 40 min
Ready in: 1 hour 55 min
Yields: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped (divided)
6 tablespoons oil (divided)
2 large globe eggplants peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Pinch of ground saffron (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup kashk
1 teaspoon dried mint
INSTRUCTIONS
For garnishes:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add half of the chopped garlic and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Wipe the skillet used for garlic clean and heat another tablespoon of oil. Add dried mint and sauté over medium high-heat for about a minute or until the mint color slightly changes to darker green. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Mix 1 tablespoon kashk with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.
Mint and garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. Transferring them to a cool dish stops the cooking process by lowering the oil temperature.
In a medium-sized skillet toast walnuts over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Finely grind walnuts in a food processor using the on-off pulse setting. Stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the bowl for an evenly textured-textured ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
The finer the walnut ground, the smoother the finished dip will be. Using walnuts in kashke bademjan not only enhance its flavor and texture, it also reduces the amount of kashk used.
Heat the remaining oil (4 tablespoons) in a deep skillet. Add chopped onions, sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric and 1 cup hot water. Add chopped eggplants and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir eggplants a few times during the cooking process.
When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts and saffron, cook (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is gone. The eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.
Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It’s best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.
Transfer kashke bademjan to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with sautéed mint and garlic.
Set ingredients on the counter.
Chopped onions and eggplants.
Kashk is a thick whitish liquid similar to whey, a dairy product, and is used in traditional Persian cooking like Ash Reshteh and Kashk Bademjan. It’s available in Iranian or Arabian supermarkets.
Chopped garlic.
Saute’ half of the garlic in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until golden, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
This is how it should look
Saute’ mint in 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes or until color slightly changes .
This is how it should look
Garnishes
Toast walnuts in a skillet for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant.
Finely grind walnuts in a food processor.
Pulse the machine on and off scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add chopped onions.
Saute’ on medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden. Add the remaining garlic, saute’ for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add salt, pepper and turmeric.
Add 1 cup hot water.
Add chopped eggplants and saffron, bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts.
Stir, cook for about 30 minutes or until all liquid is gone.
Eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.
Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Add 1 cup kashk and mix.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top with garnishes.
6 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped (divided)
6 tablespoons oil (divided)
2 large globe eggplants peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Pinch of ground saffron (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup kashk
1 teaspoon dried mint
For garnishes
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Add half of the chopped garlic and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until slightly golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Wipe the skillet clean and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add dried mint and sauté over medium high-heat for about a minute or until the mint color slightly changes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Mix 1 tablespoon kashk with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.
Mint and garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter. Transferring them to a cool dish stops the cooking process by lowering the oil temperature.
In a medium-sized skillet toast walnuts over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Finely grind walnuts in a food processor using the on-off pulse setting. Stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the bowl for an evenly textured-textured ground. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
The finer the walnut ground, the smoother the finished dip will be. Using walnuts in kashke bademjan not only enhance its flavor and texture, it also reduces the amount of kashk used.
Heat the remaining oil (4 tablespoons) in a deep skillet. Add chopped onions, sauté over medium-high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining garlic, cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt, pepper, turmeric and 1 cup hot water. Add chopped eggplants and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir eggplants a few times during the cooking process.
When eggplants are tender add ground walnuts and saffron, cook (uncovered) for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid is gone. The eggplants are done when you see oil coating the bottom of the pan.
Mash eggplants using a potato masher. Stir in kashk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
The amount of salt in kashk varies depending on the brand used. It's best to adjust the seasoning after adding kashk.
Transfer kashke bademjan to a serving platter or a bowl. Garnish with sautéed mint and garlic.
By Mastering Persian Cooking
beta
calories
292
fat
25g
protein
5g
carbs
16g
more
Mastering Persian Cooking http://masteringpersiancooking.com/
