Anise to Za'atar

  • Home
  • About
    • Land Acknowledgement
    • About Anise to Za’atar
    • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Lunch
  • Contact Me
  • Interviews/ Reflections

    Anthony Bourdain, An Interview Request

    October 14, 2018
  • Breakfast/ Brunch/ Recipes

    Turkish Style Grits, a la Sofra Bakery

    September 27, 2018
  • Brunch/ Dinner/ Recipes

    Za’atar Fried Chicken and Waffles with Grainy Dijon Sauce

    September 21, 2018
  • Reflections

    Scarborough: A Love Letter

    September 13, 2018
  • Collaborations/ Dinner/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Thai Coconut Rice Bowl

    September 9, 2018
  • Baking/ Dessert/ Recipes

    Key Lime and Ginger Bars with Almond Crust

    September 4, 2018
  • Cookbook Reviews

    Deliciously complex: A review of “Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead”

    August 21, 2018
  • Dinner/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Maftoul and Lentil Salad with Apricots

    August 17, 2018
  • Appetizer/ Dinner/ Recipes/ Reflections

    Gohu Ikan with Cassava Chips

    August 9, 2018
  • Appetizer/ Recipes

    Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Asparagus with Garlic Mustard Pesto

    August 2, 2018
  • Appetizer/ Lunch/ Recipes

    Beer Braised Chicken Hearts and Gizzards

    July 31, 2018
  • Breakfast/ Dinner/ Recipes

    Krentjebrij, or Watergruwel

    July 27, 2018
Older Posts
Newer Posts

Follow

Our Connected Stories - A Political Essay and Recipe Series

Cookbook Reviews

Baking Recipes

Instagram

  • “Through food we can find home,” shares Christina Martinez on a recent episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table; but what does this mean when you don’t know what it is you’re looking for? ⠀⠀⠀ Saidaiya Hartman writes that “so much of writing is about a way of trying to make home” and I think the same might be true of cooking. So much of cooking is about a way of trying to make home. It might be the home in which you grew up in, one you are trying to recreate or make a way back to. It might be a form of resistance to the home you grew up in, an attempt at remaking home in a different image. It might be that home was not something you ever really felt and it is something that you have to create from scratch. Too often there is no recipe for home. ⠀⠀⠀ And that, I think, is part of what @abrowntable is doing in his book 'Seasons', though his home is different from my home and yours too. But through his book, he invites us into his process, his food, his home. ⠀⠀⠀ These are the crab cakes with lemongrass and green mango, served with a sweet and smoky tahini sauce. In the notes Nik writes of how, as a child, he would sneak crab cakes from the table as his mom made batch after batch. The memories of home are here. ⠀⠀⠀ The cakes are tangy and fragrant and spicy, redolent with the flavors of India and, more broadly, south east Asia. And then when you dip them into the tahini sauce, the geography all shifts again. ⠀⠀⠀ I also played geographically loose with the sauce, as I was working with the smoky tahini sauce from local producers @parallel_brothers which already provides a massive smoky wallop. I dialed down the chipotle and then, taking tips from the other suggested sauce, subbed out the lemon juice for some Japanese yuzu juice. It was smoky and sweet and lively with the perfume of the yuzu juice. ⠀⠀⠀ The flavors are creative and bold. The dish carries fragments from many different places, jumbled together in a simple patty. And, while this does not remind me of the home I grew up in, it does remind me that here are many ways to find or make home. ⠀⠀⠀ #seasonscookbook #f52cookbookclub #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #homecooking #crabcakes #foodwriting #eeeats #onthetable
  • It's Friday! A long weekend is ahead of us! The sun is shining (for now!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And this is perfect for your long weekend plans: Preserved Lemon and Garlic Chicken platter. The chicken was juicy and tender, loaded with tangy flavor. Loads of fresh veggies and herbs, all wrapped up in a warm pita with a garlic dill yogurt sauce. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I'm going to share the chicken marinade, with a caveat: I made it with leftover toum I had in the fridge that needed using up.... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Into the blender, one and a half preserved lemons and about a quarter cup-ish of toum. No toum? You can approximate with 8-10 cloves of fresh garlic and a glug or two of olive oil. Blend. Then I added some smoked paprika and oregano. Tasted, and added a couple pinches of salt and another dash of lemon juice. Marinade cubed chicken breast pieces overnight. Grill on skewers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The sauce was a little bit of the same: yogurt, some toum, lemon juice, fresh dill. To taste. Simple, fresh, satisfying. Perfect start to the grilling season 🙌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (This is pretty loose so if you are wanting to do this and have Qs, I'm happy to answer them!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #grillingseason #eatfresh #homecooking #longweekendplans #recipes #chickenskewers #preservedlemon #toum #healthyfood #healthyeating #eeeats #eattheworld #meditteraneanfood #grilllife #buzzfeast #fbcigers #foodblog #feedfeed @thefeedfeed
  • I wasn't kidding when I said this might be my favorite flavor combo right now... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Earl grey bundt cakes with earl grey glaze and lavender flowers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I wanted to try something less time consuming than donuts (scroll back for those results!) and also try blending the tea right into the cake as well to infuse the flavor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These. Were. Amazing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Super moist sour cream cake infused with tea. I ground tea leaves and added them to the batter. I don't know that it added a huge flavor boost but it visually gives the impression it's tea flavored as well. Paired with the glaze and lavender, it was irresistibly good. Like, open up a shop and sell only these forever and ever and be satisfied kind of good 😂 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #bakingathome #bundtcake #lavender #bakemyday #bakebake #eeeats #tastespotting #eattheworld #foodtherapy #baking #bundtstagram #cakesofinstagram
  • Sometimes an idea works out just as you planned it in your head. Or even better... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Happy Taco Tuesday! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Braised harissa lamb. Spicy pomegranate salsa with toasted pine nuts and cotija cheese. Smoked tahini avocado crema. Cilantro. On warm corn tortillas. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Yeah, I'll be making this one again........ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #homecooking #tacotuesday #tacolove #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #onthetable #onmytable #tastespotting #buzzfeast #yahoofood #fbcigers #canadianfoodblogger #foodblogger #foodpics #eeeats
  • "Curry's reassuring power isn't a resurrection of a stable past, but a reminder that the past, and our former countries, are as fractious and adpatable as the present." Naben Ruthnum ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I was recently rereading through the terrific little book "Curry: Eating, Reading & Race" (spurred by @monica_bettson - thank you!) and it added more to some of what I've been thinking recently around ideas of 'authenticity' within food cultures. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But that's a longer post for sometime... 😂 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is beautiful kaal daal from @foodfashionparty includes both toor daal (split pigeon peas) and chana daal (split yellow peas) as well as some truly gorgeous red kale. A vibrant, delicious dish that comes together with fried plantains and fluffy basmati for a quick #meatlessmonday dinner! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #daal #vegetarianfood #veganfood #midweekmeals #indianfood #homecooking #comfortfood #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #onthetable #fbcigers #tastespotting #eatgoodfood #homecookedmeal #foodwriting
  • ** Giveaway Alert ** ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s #FairTradeDay and I’m partnering up with @levelgroundtrading to give one of my lucky followers a box of their direct fair trade coffee beans! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ One of the central ideas that has been guiding my cooking and writing here is this: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Good food builds good relationships.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And, at its heart that is what direct fair trade is about. It’s about building good relationships with farmers both personally (direct) and also through ensuring they receive fair pay for their work (fair trade). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Good coffee builds good relationships and this is good coffee! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here’s the details: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ First: you need to follow me here and also follow @levelgroundtrading ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Second: you need to tag a friend who would also love some fair trade coffee! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Other details: the winner must be located in Canada (sorry everyone else!). Contest will run until Monday morning and I’ll randomly pick a winner and contact them through DM. You’ll have 24 hours to get back to me with your address and if you also prefer whole beans or ground coffee. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That’s it! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #fairtradeday #worldfairtradeday2019 #fairtradeinnovates #buyfairtrade #goodcoffee #giveaway #fbcigers #torontofoodie #foodphotography #directfairtrade #fairtradecoffee
  • This might be one of the pictures I was most hesitant to post... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Instagramming perfectly golden and crispy #tahdig has become a bit of a 'thing'. Persian food is enjoying a moment in the culinary spotlight and there is no dish perhaps more recognizable than the tahdig. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Really, it has all the hallmarks of a sensation: it's visually stunning, satisfyingly delicious, and there's a sense of pride in accomplishing a feat: of getting that saffrony yellow shell perfectly crispy and then removing it from the pot in one swift, smooth motion as not to break it up. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And, when I planned a meal from @bottomofthepot's book, including that famous tahdig, I was nervous.... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And mine stuck, a little. Just in one small spot. Which caused the tahdig to rip. It was no longer perfect. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But hot damn it was delicious. I nailed the rice texture, nailed the tahdig too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And it reminded me that, while I can get a little caught up in the aesthetics of a meal, the flavor is really the most important thing. That, and the chance to feed my family, to sit around the table and enjoy a delicious meal together as we did with this. And, as Naz writes at the end of her tahdig notes, "It's just a pot of rice, after all..." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ All in, a gorgeous, delicious meal from #BottomofthePot that allowed me to fire up the grill for the first time this season: Persian rice with a crispy tahdig, topped with berbarrries and pistachios, kabab torsh (sour pomegranate and walnut kebabs), and sabzi khordan (fresh herb platter) with walnuts and feta sprinkled in sumac and Aleppo pepper. All of it, so so good 👌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And, next time is another chance to nail that perfect IG worthy tahdig 😉😂 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #persianfood #f52cookbookclub #homecooking #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #onthetable #whatsfordinner #fbcigers #iranianfood #kebabs #cookbooklove #cookbooks
  • You need a breakfast or brunch or - not judging - dinner dish quickly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Your heart beat quickens in the familiar patterns of anxiety. Or maybe you sigh, exasperated because its the 5th time this week already. Maybe you put it off a few more minutes. We've been there (five times this week in fact 😭) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Open the freezer door. #puffpastry to save the day! You Google: 'quick thaw puff pastry'. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Rolled out, cut into 6 x 6 squares. Except, who has time to measure or even a ruler in their kitchen. Some are 4 x 4. Some are 4 × 6. Which isn't really a square at all.... Baking sheet. Parchment paper. Done. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Veggies! You cut peppers, red onion, green onions? Maybe some herbs leftover in the fridge door. Toss them quickly in olive oil and spices. Cumin is always good. Coriander too. Or maybe you go za'atar because it's a blend already. Or maybe that Lawry's spice jar that's been in the cupboard years too long... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A sauce! You spread yogurt/labneh/sour cream/tomato sauce/pesto/mustard/chutney/whatever's in the fridge door and sorta goes with those spices on each square. Arrange the veggies around the edges and it all goes in the oven (oh shit, did we forget to preheat that?!?! We wait 10 minutes for our oven to get to 400F......) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We bake until the pastry begins to brown, almost forgetting to grab an oven mitt in our rush to get it out. Eggs, crack them in the middle. They leak out a bit around the edges. Imperfection is beautiful right? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Back in until the eggs are set. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Cheese is good. Sprinkle some feta, cheddar, mozza, whatever. Maybe some chives artisanally yanked from the window box. Maybe the leftover bits of herbs from the cutting board. It's all good. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And, voila, like magic. The kind of magic that leaves you with a pile of dishes and kids who might like the food... Also, the kind of magic that leaves you with nourishing, beautiful food without too much fuss 🙌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (Apologies to @ottolenghi & @sami_tamimi for the very loose adaptation of their recipe in Jerusalem... 🍻) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #gallette #midweekmeals #dadcooks #brunchideas #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #homecooking #fbcigers
  • Ramadan Mubarak to all who are observing this month! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ During the coming month, many Muslims around the world are fasting from sunrise to sunset, and then gathering for Iftar (an evening meal) when the sun sets (as well as eating a meal before the sun comes up). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In certain places, there are traditional foods that are often eaten at Iftar. The recipe for these chickpea fritters comes from @anissahelou's book Feast: Food of the Islamic World, where she describes these as 'essential Iftar food' in Qatar. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ They're made with chickpea flour, pureed tomatoes and lots of fresh herbs and spices. Then, fried. Which makes them at least similar in some ways to a falafel. Then, they're dipped in a zingy mint tamarind sauce for an extra layer of flavor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Soup is also a standard Iftar food as well, a good way to ease your body from fasting to feasting. I had some leftover delicata squash needing to be used up and made this simple soup spiced with cinnamon, cumin, coriander and black pepper. Then, topped it with yogurt and sumac. It's sweet with a layer of warming spices as the backbone and a bit of tangy counterpoint from the yogurt and sumac. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A generous and blessed month to all! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #middleeasternfood #qatarifood #feastfoodoftheislamicworld #iftar #eattheworld #homecooking #beautifulcuisines #tastespotting #onthetable #whatsfordinner #buzzfeast #middleeasterncuisine
  • There's an increasing amount of information about how the most ethical diet, especially in light of the obvious climate changes, is a #vegan diet. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And while I don't think I'll ever fully convert - though I know enough to never say 'never' - I am among those who are consciously trying to cook less meat. I remember a lecture by a prof here in Toronto a few years ago who said going #vegetarian isn't a 'flip the switch' decision for many people, it's a process or journey, one that can be winding. That resonates with me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Part of the problem though (for me) is that meat tastes so incredibly delicious; so delicious in fact that vegans spend a good portion of their time trying to replicate its taste and texture it seems. Those types of meals hold little attraction to me as a meat eater who can just choose the real deal if I want it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But if vegan meals all tasted like this one... This, my omnivorous friends, is undeniably delicious. So, so delicious. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is the black lime tofu developed by @noorishbynoor for @ottolenghi (recipe linked from Yotam's IG page). I've written before about my burgeoning love for these Persian dried black limes: there's truly nothing like their tangy, funky, earthy goodness to make a truly delicious, comforting dish. So I had to try this recipe. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Crispy tofu doused in a sauce of onions and garlic, seasoned with the intoxicating mix of black lime and cumin. Wilted spinach and parsley join the mix and then it's topped with quick pickled red onions. For an accompaniment, I thought outside the box and went with these gorgeous black rice noodles from @lotusfoods. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What a perfectly scrumptious, meatless meal for your #MeatlessMonday! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #vegetarianfood #veganfood #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #homecooking #eatgoodfood #onthetable #ottolenghi #tastespotting #buzzfeast #eeeats #foodphotography #onmytable #whatsfordinner
  • "Growing up in a family that included four small children and parents who made their living by the grace of God, we rarely ate out in restaurants. Almost never..." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ New essay and recipe up (link in profile!) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It's a personal essay, a memory of a dish that stayed with me from childhood. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And, instead of just recreating it, I decided to add some other memories onto it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Check out the essay and the recipe for this Vietnamese Inspired Seafood Pasta Salad! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #recipes #foodblogger #vietnamesefood #pastasalad #midweekmeals #f52weeknight #seafood #eattheworld #onthetable #onmytable #whatsfordinner #tastespotting #buzzfeast #dadcooks #foodwriting
  • "My best friend fell in love over cold chicken salad in the park..." And so begins the @taste article by @cathyerway on chicken salad, the best article you're likely to read on the topic (and recent James Beard award 🏆!). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ As she writes, chicken salad has had its time in American cuisine but now "is as unfashionable as sliced white bread." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And this is exactly what @bethanykehdy is referencing when she kicks off the headnotes for her Orange Blossom Chicken Barida with the line, "Chicken salad might seem retro, but this one is positively medieval." ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Everything old is new again... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This recipe is revived from the ninth century, where the Abbasid poet and composer Ibrahim al-Mahdi described a dish like this as perfect summertime fare. Tender poached chicken, crunchy celery and cucumber, juicy pomegranate arils, tart bursts of barberries, salty black olives - all held together with homemade labneh rather than mayonaisse. And the kicker: the hint of the perfumey orange blossom water. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We wrapped it in still warm and stretchy pitas and fell in love with this timeless dish, as one is wont to do with chicken salad... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #chickensalad #middleeasternfood #thejewelledtable #middleeasterncuisine #eattheworld #beautifulcuisines #tastespotting #f52weeknight #buzzfeast #onthetable #comfortfood #persianfood #foodphotography

@anisetozaatar on Instagram

Copyright 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Top

Designed & Developed by SoloPine.com