Zaallouk (Eggplant appetizer)

I went to a Moroccan cooking workshop organized by CCW, Creative Cultural Weavers, our cultural group. Thank you, girls, for the organization and for the recipes. I am copying the first one here, together with my photo of the dish.

Ingredients:

2 eggplants
1 can of crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
basil
olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450F.
Wrap the eggplants with aluminum foil and bake for 40 min to 1 hour.
Put olive oil, garlic, onion in a pan.
Cook on medium heat. Pour the tomatoes, basil, salt and keep cooking for 10 min.
Once the eggplants are baked, cut them in half, scoop the inside, discarding the skin, and add to the tomato sauce.
With a hand mixer, roughly blend the mixture.
You can serve the Zaallouk over grilled slices of ciabatta.

Easy Carrot and Cheese Crostini

My friend Olga made this for our friends in Shanghai, long ago. From time to time I remember them (or her) and I make them. But I never wrote the recipe, so sometimes it gets a little different, but it always turns out fine.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or Mexican blend
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt (optional)
pepper
1 French baguette, sliced

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 F.
Mix the carrot, cheese, garlic (if using), mayo, salt (if using) and pepper. Spread on top of a slice of bread. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake until the cheese starts to melt. 

Fried Calamari

If you like seafood, this is an easy appetizer to make at home.

Ingredients:

2 lb squid, cleaned and cut into rings
Flour
Salt

Olive oil
Lemon

Preparation:
 

Wash and paper-dry the squid rings. Sprinkle with salt. Drop them in the flour, turning around for the squid to get all covered with the flour. Shake the excess flour and fry the calamari in olive oil until golden. Serve with lemon wedges.

Fried Calamari

Guacamole

Of course Lucia gave us her recipe for Guacamole in the Mexican Cooking Workshop. It was the best I ever ate.

Ingredients:

3 avocados
1 jalapeño chili in vinegar, chopped (or 1 tsp lime juice) *
3 tablespoons diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons diced tomatoes (optional)

Preparation:

Smash the avocados with a pestle. Mix with the remaining ingredients.
Serve with corn chips (tortilla chips).

* This is the can from where she got the Jalapeño in vinegar

Shrimp Cocktail

Today I went to a Mexican Cooking Workshop, my friend Lucia prepared wonderful dishes. I can't wait to make them at home, too.
Lucia, besides being an artist with brushes and canvas, is also an artist in the kitchen.

Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 lb of cooked shrimp, shelled and tail removed
1/2 cup clam juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 avocado cut in small chunks

1/2 cup diced onion

juice of 2 limes

1 cup ketchup

1 finely diced Serrano chili

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (more if your prefer spicier)

salt

Preparation:

Cut the shrimp in small pieces. In a bowl, mix the clam juice, ketchup, tabasco sauce, lime juice and salt. Add the cliantro, tomato, onion, chili and shrimp. Mix well. Serve with salted crackers.



Dates with Cheese and Almonds

My friend Thais brought this dish for an end of the year party a long time ago. I made it again for Christmas this year. It is very simple and doesn't need heat.

Ingredients:

pitted dates
Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese
toasted almonds, unsalted

Preparation:

Open dates, spread a little cheese with a knife. Place an almond inside each date. Serve as an appetizer.

Note: If you can't find unsalted roasted almonds, buy raw almonds. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes. Wait for them to cool before using in the recipe.

 

Eggplant and Roasted Peppers Bruschetta

I was looking for recipes for crostini toppings. I checked on Food Network and found one with eggplant, which I changed a little bit and adapted it for my taste.
It is best made one day ahead, so that the flavors are enhanced.
Here it is.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, diced (no need to peel)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for sauteing
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup pitted and diced kalamata olives
1/4 cup capers
3/4 roasted red peppers, cut in small strips
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves


Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange the eggplant on a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Put it in the oven and bake until nicely charred, about 15 to 20 minutes.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic. Cook until the garlic browns, about 1 to 2 minutes, then add the onion. Cook until the onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Remove the eggplant from the oven and transfer it to a bowl. Add the onion mixture, the olives, capers, and roasted red peppers. Toss to combine. Add the wine vinegar, fresh parsley and oregano and toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to cool and improve the flavors.

Serve over toasted baguette slices.

Note: To enhance the flavors, this dish is best if prepared one day ahead. Keep refrigerated in that period.