Most cookbooks that offer insight into a region’s food are readily embraced, but Claudia Roden knows that this one may come with extra baggage.
As the author of “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food” (Knopf, $35), Roden says, “Some people tell me the Middle East represents war, not good eating.”
That’s especially true of American attitudes toward a region that can loosely be interpreted to incorporate countries from North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean and east to Afghanistan. But the region’s ethnic, religious and cultural mix that makes the news also is what makes the cuisine so diverse and vibrant.
Meat and fish dishes are often paired with generous amounts of fruits and vegetables. Fresh herbs such as basil, mint and dill turn up frequently, as do the warm spices of cardamom, saffron, cumin and cinnamon.
“There are often odd pairings, such as meat with fruit or sweet and sour flavors, but that is what makes it interesting,” Roden said during a visit to the Tribune test kitchen. She calls the cuisine of the Middle East “unbelievably varied.”
This book, first published in 1968, has been expanded to include more than 800 recipes, several of them illustrated with beautiful color photographs.
The book doesn’t skimp on appetizers and first courses. Look for an Egyptian tomato and rice soup with mint and cilantro or the Moroccan pumpkin soup. Egg dishes are also worth seeking out; they range from an Iranian spinach and herb omelet with walnuts and raisins to the Tunisian scrambled eggs with potatoes and spicy sausages. Another good bet is the savory pies of North Africa.
The salads and cold vegetables, little plates of which can make a whole meal, are well represented beyond the familiar pureed chickpea and eggplant spreads. For your next party consider making a spicy carrot puree seasoned with ground hot peppers or sliced eggplant flavored with honey and ground red pepper.
Fish dishes are rarely cooked without at least some olive oil and lemon, and more often get an extra boost from herbs, capers, olives, tomatoes and onions or some combination of all. We tried an unusual dish of fried fish pieces that are left to cool in a tangy marinade of cilantro, garlic, chili peppers, lemon juice and olive oil. The fish pieces lose some crispness but are still nice in their wonderfully aromatic bath.
Another chapter explores the myriad ways of cooking meat, often beef and chicken, but favoring lamb for many recipes. Kebabs show up, of course, but the meat may just as frequently be stewed or ground up and slowly baked in a casserole.
One lamb stew our tasters sampled is a specialty from the days of the Ottoman Empire. It was apparently a favorite of the Turkish sultan, Roden writes, and perhaps even served to the visiting Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon. Despite its glamorous history, the dish is in fact more peasantlike, but still pleasant, on the plate. Pieces of lamb cooked with tomatoes, garlic and onions are surrounded by a ring of creamy pureed eggplant. It is a recipe for a winter weekend, when there is time to cook and it is cold enough to warrant a hearty dish like this.
On the whole, the recipes have short preparation and cooking times and the instructions are clearly laid out. Less-experienced cooks will find many dishes they can prepare, and most of the ingredients will be readily available at a well-stocked supermarket.
No matter how skilled you are, you will find that Roden has provided plenty of useful information in the book.
Read through the history of the cuisine, customs of the table and an explanation of Muslim dietary laws for a good introduction, then follow with the glossary of ingredients.
PEPPERS STUFFED WITH RICE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
From “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.” Serve cold or at room temperature as a first course.
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups short-grain or risotto rice
Salt and pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons currants
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons dry mint
3 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
6 medium green or red bell peppers
1. Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons of the oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 2 1/2 cups water and add salt, pepper and sugar. Stir well, and cook 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, currants, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill or parsley, lemon juice and the rest of the oil.
2. To stuff the peppers, cut a circle around the stalk and set aside to use as caps (with the stalk). Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon, and fill with the rice mixture. Replace the caps. Arrange side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about 3/4 inch of water into the bottom and bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until the peppers are tender.
Nutrition information per serving: (calculated by the Tribune)
Calories ………… 355 Fat ……….. 16 g Saturated fat … 2.3 g
% calories from fat .. 41 Cholesterol … 0 mg Sodium ……….. 9 mg
Carbohydrates …… 48 g Protein …….. 6 g Fiber ……….. 4.7 g
FRIED MARINATED FISH SERVED COLD
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
“This makes an exciting cold first course or buffet dish,” writes Claudia Roden in “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.” “The fish is fried, then marinated in a beautifully flavored dressing. Make it at least an hour before you are ready to serve. You can use Mediterranean fish, such as bream, or any firm-fleshed fish, such as cod or haddock.”
2 pounds fish fillets, skinned and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Flour
Olive oil for frying
For the marinade:
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 onion, finely chopped
1 chili pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 to 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon
Salt
1. Roll the fish fillets in flour, turning to cover them lightly all over. Then deep-fry briefly in hot oil till golden, turning them over once. Drain on paper towels.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients and turn the fish in this mixture. Leave for at least an hour before serving cold.
Nutrition information per serving: (calculated by the Tribune)
Calories ………… 325 Fat ………… 25 g Saturated fat … 3.5 g
% calories from fat .. 69 Cholesterol … 55 mg Sodium ………. 85 mg
Carbohydrates ……. 5 g Protein …….. 20 g Fiber ……….. 0.6 g
