Passover Cooking with Susie Fishbein at Pomegranate – Part 1

Last evening Pomegranate featured cookbook author Susie Fishbein, who demonstrated some delicious Passover recipes. The demo was well attended by an enrapt audience, who got to enjoy some succulent dishes, following the cooking demonstration.

She demoed three dishes: Chimichurri Steak Salad, Tershi in Pessach Couscous and Pulled Barbecue Beef Tacos.

Chimichurri Steak Salad

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs shoulder London Broil
• 6 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 (1/2 inch) slice red onion
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 oz mache and other salad greens
• 1/2 small kohlrabi, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 1/4 small fennel, shaved into paper thin slices
• 1 Persian cucumber, w/skin , cut into thin slices
• 2 Shishito peppers, cut into thin slices on the diagonal
• 4 – 5 cherry tomatoes
• 1 slice Pomegranate Pickled Lemon, finely chopped

Dressing

• 2 tbsp Pomegranate Chimichurri Dip
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil or Zeta brand Basil And Garlic flavored olive oil
• fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• 1 tbsp water

Directions

1. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor(or mini chop) fitted the metal “s” blade, pulse the garlic and red onion . Add the parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Pulse again. Rub this paste all over one side of the steak. Allow to marinate while you prepare the salad.
3. Place the salad greens onto a platter. Top with the kohlrabi, fennel, cucumber, peppers, and tomatoes. Toss. Sprinkle on the chopped lemon.
4. Heat the oil in a grill pan. Add the steak, Sear for 6-7 minutes. Using tongs, turnover and sear on the other side for 7 minutes. Remove to cutting board. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, thinly slice on the diagonal. Arrange over the salad.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the chimichurri dip, olive oil, and water. Drizzle over the salad. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Stuffed Veal Breast

[Walter Potenza – straordinario Chef Italiano – has once again graciously agreed to share a recipe with us. It follows his original, except for one change to make it kosher. CS]

Photo by: Chef Walter Potenza

Stuffing:

• 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, washed and chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/3 teaspoon oregano flakes
• 1/3 teaspoon basil flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• pinch of powdered sage or Bell Seasoning
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds (pareve/vegan)*
• 1/4 cup black oil cured olives, pitted and finely chopped

Directions:

1. Pour olive oil into a medium bowl. Add herbs, chopped garlic, and other stuffing ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese.
2. Allow to sit 10 minutes to infuse the herbs.
3. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mixture should be a consistency which allows you to make a smooth round ball out of the stuffing which doesn’t break apart and yet it should not be too liquid to hold this shape.
4. If mixture is too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of hot water or chicken broth at a time until you’ve reached the right consistency.
5. If mixture is too liquid, add a few tablespoons of bread crumbs.

Preparing the Veal:

• 1 4-5 lb veal breast with pocket
• olive oil spray
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• paprika
• salt
• pepper

1. Have the butcher make a large pocket in the side of a 4-5 lb veal breast. Rinse the veal and dry. Open the pocket and pat on the stuffing, with the largest portion in the center. Close the pocket with wooden toothpicks, tie shut with kitchen twine, or simply leave as is.
2. Brush or spray the veal breast thoroughly with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with with a light coating of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper.
3. Roast at 300°F degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until tender and juice no longer runs pink, spraying every 45 minutes or so with olive oil spray.
4. It’s better to slightly undercook this than to overcook, because if the veal is overcooked it will become tough and dry. If you suspect the veal is nearly cooked but hasn’t browned yet, spray with olive oil one last time, turn up the heat to 375°F and finish it for 10-15 minutes to brown.
5. Sprinkle with a light dusting of paprika down the center and garnish with minced fresh Italian parsley.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

* Daya Mozzarella Style Shreds (pareve/vegan)

This product is dairy, lactose and casein free, gluten and soy free, cholesterol free. It melts and stretches.

Walter Potenza

Grilled Skirt Steak

Summer’s fast approaching, don’t believe me? Walk outside! Grilling time’s here and there’s nothing unusual about grilling a steak, but… the following recipe is different and scrumptious!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 8oz skirt steak
• 2 tbsp chilli powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/2 large red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 fennel bulb, top removed, halved, cored and sliced thinly
• 8 radishes, ends trimmed, sliced thinly
• 1/2 lb arugula
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin oil
• 2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 1/2 cup CS’ Olive Non-Fish Tapanade *

Directions

1. Put the skirt flat on a baking sheet and season evenly on both sides with chilli powder, salt and pepper. Set aside so the flavors can sink in a bit.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook the couscous for 15 minutes or so until the pellets are al dente. Drain and cool.
3. Preheat the outdoor grill. rub the grill with oil to prevent sticking. Grill the onion slices for 2 minutes, turning often, until charred on both sides. Remove from grill and set aside.
4. Lay the steaks on the grill and cook, turn them with togs from time to time, to sear well on all sides. It takes approximately 8 minutes for medium rare, longer if you prefer it more done. Take off the steaks and put them on a cutting board, let them rest for 3 minutes, this will allow the juices to recirculate.
5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the couscous, grilled onion, fennel, radishes, arugula, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss to combine, add salt and pepper.
6. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Arrange 4 slices of orange on top of each plate. Cut each steak into 3 pieces, then turn each piece sideways and cut thin slices against the grain, to ensure tenderness. Shingle the slices on top of the salad. Spoon some of the tapenade on top and serve immediately.

* CS’ Olive Non-Fish Tapenade

Yield: just over 1 cup

• 2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 3 pieces of tablespoon-sized grilled eggplant
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp brandy (optional)
• 1 tsp finely ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor. With the machine running gradually add the oil until the desired consistency is reached. The tapenade should be coarsely chopped. It will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to weeks.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Beef Patties in Red Wine

I always liked to cook with wine or liqueur, therefore I constantly experiment. When I come up with a dish where the wine actually helps the taste and transforms it into something better, the new variation becomes a favorite.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp margarine
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 lb 7 oz ground beef
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup all’purpose flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbsp of the margarine in a skillet. Add the onions, add the garlic, and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the ground beef, oregano, parsley and egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands until fully combined.
3. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, about 1/4″ thick each. Dust with flour, and gently shake off the excess.
4. Melt another 2 tbsp margarine with the oil in the skillet. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Remove the patties to a serving dish, using a spatula. Keep them warm.
5. Pour off the fat from the skillet, then add the wine and bring to a boil over medium to high heat. Boil until reduced to about half. Dice the last 2 tsbsp margarine. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the margarine, 1 piece at a time. Wait for each piece to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Pour the sauce over the patties, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

 

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Chicken Cobbler

As someone who spent his childhood through mid-teens in Uruguay, the beef capital of the world, chicken was not a favorite growing up. After coming to the US, however, I finally discovered the delights of poultry; the following recipe – which my mother used to make – is more than worthy of being shared:

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Cobbler Topping

• 1 1/2 cups self rising flour plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch of salt
• 3 tsp margarine
• 5 tbsp soy milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Put the flour in a bowl with salt and pepper  to taste. Add the chicken  and toss the flour to coat. Reserve any remaining flour.
3. Melt the margarine with the oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the chicken  and cook, stirring, until the chicken is browned all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the leek, scallions and garlic to the casserole and cook over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the remaining seasoned flour, the tomato paste, and turmeric. Pour in the wine and stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook over low heat, stirring, until thickened. Return the chicken to the pan, add the bay leaf, cover. then bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, turmeric and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles the breadcrumbs, then stir in enough of the soy milk to make a smooth dough. Transfer to a lightly floured board, knead lightly, then roll out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Cut out circles using a 2″ cookie cutter.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven, discard the bay leaf.Arrange the dough circles over the top, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the cobbler topping has risen and is lightly golden.

Enjoy, gentle reader. Enjoy!

CS

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Lamb Stew with Sweet Bell Peppers

Last evening I had dinner with some friends, the main dish was absolutely delicious, looked great and its aroma alone was enough to make even the most satiated creature hungry again!  It was superb tasting, by any standard, even if I’m very partial to lamb.

When I asked the lady of the house for the recipe she referred me to a small book titled Mmmm… Casseroles, put out in 2010 by Parragon (under their Love Food imprint) in the UK. I can’t wait to make it myself, meanwhile here’s the recipe:

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean, boneless lamb such as leg of lamb or fillet
• 1 1/2 tablespoon all -purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 white onion sliced
• 2 – 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 1/4 cups orange juice
• 2/3 cup lamb or or chicken stock
• 1 cinnamon stick, bruised
• 2 red bell peppers (sweet pointed variety, if available) seeded and sliced into rings
• 4 tomatoes
• a few, fresh cilantro sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon to garnish
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Trim any fat or gristle from the lamb and cut into thin strips. Mix the flour and cloves together. Toss the lamb in the spiced flour until well coated and reserve any remaining spiced flour
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy bottom skillet and cook the lamb over high heat, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a casserole.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 3 minutes adding the extra oil if necessary. Sprinkle in the resrved spiced flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the orange juice and stock. then return to the heat and bring to a boil stirring.
5. Pour over the lamb in the casserole, then add the cinnamon stick, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro sprigs and stir well. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is tender.
6. Discard the cinnamon stick and adjust the seasoning adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped cilantro.

Aaah, this makes a perfect dish for a Shabbat dinner…

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Chicken With Wine & Tarragon

Those of you who’ve read this pages before know I am very partial to cooking with wine. When I came across this recipe in the 2009 edition Food & Wine: Quick From Scratch Chicken Cookbook, I knew I found an easy to prepare, delicious, dish which I slightly adapted to make it kosher:

Photo by: Melanie Acevedo, on page 86

Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons dry wine
• 2 teaspoons dry tarragon
• 3 – 3 1/2 pound chicken quartered
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoon margarine, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F. In a small glass or stainless steel bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the wine and 1/e teaspoon of the tarragon. Set aside
2. Coat the chicken with the olive oil and arrange the pieces, skin-side up, in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the remaining 1 tablespoon wine and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top each piece of chicken with a piece of margarine.
3. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes and then sprinkle the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons tarragon. Baste the chicken and cook until the breasts are just done, about 20 minutes longer. Remove the breasts and cook the legs until done, about 5 minutes longer. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, return the breasts to the pan.
4. Heat the broiler. Baste the chicken and then broil until the skin is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Set the pan over moderate heat and add the reserved wine and tarragon mixture and the water. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. Boil until reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add any accumulated juices from the chicken and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy! I plan to make it this evening and I know I will enjoy it.

CS

The New Food Processor Bible – 30th Anniversary Edition

Every age has its food fads; every few years eating habits evolve as we become more conscious of what is healthy – and what is not – as we discover new products which allow for a larger selection of heretofore unimaginable dishes in a traditional Jewish kitchen. These days we see a plethora of new cookbooks that bring kosher cooking to new and exciting levels, yet… some books are destined to become classics to be reprinted over and over. One such book is The New Food Processor Bible – 30th Anniversary Edition.

Norene Gilletz original, The Pleasure of Your Processor, was first published in 1980; in 2002 she revised it with 100 new recipes as The Food Processor Bible and now in 2011 she just came out with a further revision. It’s a classic that keeps getting better and better.

Norene, whom we recently interviewed on our internet radio show, does not believe in a time consuming, the more ingredients the better, cooking style. Her books are filled  with straight forward, sensible, easy to follow recipes and the present volume is no exception.

Starting with a section explaining food processors, and continuing with Nutritional Analysis it goes on to through 12 more sections ranging from Appetizers to Passover and covering soups, fish, meat, salads, desserts and more. The results are healthy and delicious.

Here is one of my new favorite recipes (and there are quite a few that we loved!):

Rozie’s Osso Bucco with Gremolata

Yield: 6 servings

• 6 Veal shanks, well trimmed (about 4lb)
• 1/2 cup flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium carrots, cut in chunks
• 2 medium onions, cut in chunks
• 2 cups mushrooms
• 2 stalks celery
• 3/4 to 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (salt-free or regular)
• 1 can (28oz) tomatoes (salt free or regular)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil minced (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Gremolata

Coat veal on all sides with flour, shaking off excess. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add veal (in batches) and brown slowly on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Discard from a skillet.

STEEL BLADE: Drop garlic through feed tube while machine is running; process until minced. Add carrots and onions and process with quick on/off pulses, until coarsely chopped.

SLICER: Slice mushrooms and celery, using medium pressure. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet. Add vegetables and sauté on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine, reduce heat and cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt, and pepper. Add veal

Cover and simmer for 2 hours, until tender. At serving time, sprinkle Gremolata on veal

Gremolata

• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon rind
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic

STEEL BLADE: Process until finely minced, about 10 seconds. Delicious with veal.

The above recipes (pages 184 and 185), come with the nutritional values. The Osso Bucco recipe also has a variation for cooking in a slow cooker. A perfect dish for Shabbos!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Boeuf Bourguignon – “One of the Most Delicious Beef Dishes…”

Originating among France’s Burgundy peasantry, this dish was elevated to the status of haute cuisine by none other than the King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings (as the French press and Kaiser Wilhelm II referred to him) – Auguste Escoffier. Julia Child in her Mastering the Art of French Cooking, refers to Boeuf Bourguignon as ”certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man.”

While looking for a kosher version that might do justice to Ms. Child’s praises, I came across this scrumptious recipe in Lévana Kirschenbaum‘s latest book, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen, page 164:

Detail of photo by: Meir Pliskin on page 165 of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen

Boeuf Bourguignon

Spend a wonderful evening with a few French classics and some wine to go with dinner! By the way, my bourguignon has been included in Joan Schwartz’s charming book, deceptively innocent, called Meat and Potatoes. My secret ingredient is crème de cassis, the wonderful black currant liqueur.

This dish reheats very well and improves with age, so go ahead and make it a day or two ahead.

• 4 pounds beef or bison shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes for stew
• 6 cups water
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 cups dry wine
• 1/4 cup crème de cassis
• 2 large tomatoes, diced small
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 6 bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon ground
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only(or throw in the sprigs in whole, but don’t forget to discard them at the end of cooking)
•  2 pounds very thin long carrots, peeled (about 20)
• 20 very small organic potatoes, scrubbed (only organic potatoes are safe with skins on)
• 2 dozen tiny onions, peeled and left whole (frozen OK: they are already peeled)

On a stove top: Place beef, water, and oil in a heavy, wide-bottom pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook covered for 2 hours. Add the garlic, wine, creme de cassis, tomatoes, pepper, and bay leaves and cook for 30 more minutes. Add thyme, carrots, potatoes, and onions and cook for 30 minutes. The meat should be fork tender, Transfer meat and all vegetables on platter with a slotted spoon. If the liquid left in the pot is too thin, reduce it on a high flame until it is thickened, the consistency of maple syrup. Pour the reduced liquid over the whole dish and serve hot. Will make 8 to 10 servings.

With a Crock-Pot: Layer all the ingredients except the water (no water) in a 6-quart Crock-Pot, in the order they were given. Set the Crock-Pot on low in the morning. It will be ready for dinner (10 to 12 hours total cooking time).

Variation: Try the dish using dark stout beer instead of wine, as my daughter in law Ruthie does.

As you taste this you’ll certainly agree with Julia Child’s assessment. So… enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Aromas of Aleppo

Poopa Dweck‘s magnum opus is far more than just an ethnic cookbook. In its pages, the author lovingly brings us the history, the culture, the flavors and aromas of over 2500 years of Syrian Jewry.

As the author tells us in the Preface, the book…

…features dishes that are both disarmingly familiar, exotic, and, above all, healthful.

My community represents a link to a forgotten past. It is one of the few Jewish communities to live through the rise and fall of Moorish Spain and the Ottoman Empire and survive as a modern people in the West while maintaining its venerable traditions. Our soulful culture, with its fervid, tuneful songs and communal celebratory feasts, is at its most vibrant during the Sabbath, holidays, and life cycle events. One of the most artful representations of Aleppian Jewish culture is our food, whose story I have yearned to tell.

By coincidence (is there really such a thing?!?) I was playing Rabbi Moshe Tessone‘s CD Odeh La’El!, as I became engrossed in this coffee table sized, art-book quality tome. The writing is informative and fun, the evocative photography (the colors, the settings, the lighting, the angles, bespeak of a certain rusticity and a sedate elegance at the same time) and the recipes truly introduced me to a world which – as an Ashkenazic Jew – I barely knew. Between this beautiful book and the music I felt transported to another time, to an enchanted region, far from the hustle and bustle of New York and – at least for the moment – life seemed beautiful, simple and far more pure…

Looking through the old photographs, looking at the author’s family, looking at the recipes pictured, almost made me feel as if I was partaking of a holiday meal at her table.

While loeafing though the book I just had to immediately try a recipe. On page 162 I found one that called for some of my leftover matzah meal and tamarind concentrate, which I’d picked up in the nearby Sephardic neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Keftes

Tamarind-Stewed Meatballs

Meatball dishes such as keftes are a tradition all over the Middle East. Some regions use turmeric and others use sumac or lemon and mintas flavoring accents for similar meatballs. Aleppian Jews like to use a combination of tomato sauce and tamarind, the proportions of which can vary according to a family’s preference.

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons matzah meal
• 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sauce:

• One 6 ounce can tomato paste, or two 8 ounce cans tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ou (tamarind concentrate, page 41), homemade or store bought
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. To make the meatballs, combine the the beef, eggs, matzah meal, salt and Aleppo pepper. Mix well by hand. The mixture should be loose and moist so that it can best absorb the sauce and retain a velvety texture. Shape the meat mixture into walnut-size balls.
2. To make the sauce, combine the tomato paste, ou, lemon juice, salt, 1 cup of water, and, if desired, sugar, mix well.
3. In a large ovenproof saucepan, brown the meatballs, one batch at a time, in the oil over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per batch.
4. Return all the meatballs to the saucepan. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes to thicken sauce and allow the flavors to integrate thoroughly.

Variation

For a tangier sauce, increase the ou by 1 1/2 teaspoons and increase the water by 1/2 cup. Or omit the ou altogether for a lighter, more refreshing sauce, especially if you are serving another dish with ou.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy! Sifrah daimeh – “May your table always be plentiful”

CS