Advieh, Kuku and Barberries

Now this was a fun title to type! Advieh, kuku and barberries are not usually words in conversation for me, but now happily they are becoming more so. For our cooking adventure with Tasting Jerusalem this month, we’ve been feasting on barberries.

When shopping at our local Middle Eastern market recently, Goodies, I noticed dried barberries in the fridge section and thought of picking some up. Later that same day I learned they would be our cooking ingredient for March! It was meant to be, and the next day I had a stash of barberries in my fridge. Barberries are tiny, ruby-colored berries that are common in Middle Eastern cooking, particularly in Persian cuisine. Often, dried cranberries or cherries are substituted in recipes if barberries are not available. I appreciate their burst of tart flavor and the pretty pop of crimson color they add to dishes.

A dish I’d been eager to make from Jerusalem: A Cookbook that includes barberries is the Fava Bean Kuku. A kuku is a Persian egg dish, similar to a frittata. Fresh herbs, veggies or sometimes meat are combined with eggs and spices, cooked and served in wedges. Our family loves egg dishes (scrambled eggs are our fast food) and I’ve made fresh herb kukus in the past, so I knew we’d like one with beans in it. We do not have any fresh fava beans yet, so instead I substituted kidney beans. I also added parsley, chives and cilantro in addition to the dill and mint that were already in the recipe.

Another change I made to the kuku was the spices used. I have a long love for Persian food which began when I was a student at UCLA. Shamshiri Grill was my favorite restaurant, and we still make a point of eating there whenever we visit LA. A few years after moving to Seattle, I bought A Taste of Persia by Najmieh Batmanglij and my copy is now spattered and worn. A spice mix that is common in the kukus and many other recipes in this book is a Persian blend called advieh.

The basic recipe includes dried rose petals (of which I have a large bag after last month’s cooking!), cinnamon, cardamom and cumin. As you may know by now, I can’t resist an opportunity to make a spice blend! After a little further reading, I learned of other spices that can be included, too, and set out to make my own mix by adding coriander and nutmeg to the basic recipe. I love the research and learning that cooking from Jerusalem inspires!

The advieh adds a marvelous touch of dusky, warm spice to the kuku, the fresh herbs sing of spring, and the barberries are little bursts of welcome bright flavor. I served wedges with dollops of thick yogurt and it made a lovely, light supper.

Another stunning dish that comes from Jerusalem is the Lamb Meatballs with Barberries. Ground lamb is mixed with parsley, spices and barberries to create meatballs which are fried and then simmered with figs in chicken broth and white wine. All I can say is wow ... this is a heavenly dish. The barberries provide a tartness that complements the rich lamb nicely. The figs blend in beautifully and the finished dish is showered in chopped, fresh herbs. I served it with barley and we were all very happy.

Advieh (Persian Spice Blend)
Inspired by A Taste of Persia
By Najmieh K. Batmanglij
Makes 1/2 cup

2 tablespoons dried rose petals, ground with a mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground with a mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon cardamom
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Stir all the spices together until blended. Store in a covered jar and keep in a cool spot.

Kidney Bean Kuku
Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook 
By Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Serves 6-8 (10 inch quiche pan)

5 tablespoons barberries (can substitute chopped dried cranberries)
7 eggs
1 tablespoon rice flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-2 teaspoons advieh (to taste)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Thick, plain yogurt for serving (optional)

Place the barberries in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside to soak.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 inch quiche pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together and add the rice flour, baking powder and advieh. Stir until the flour, baking powder and advieh are well mixed. Add the garlic, fresh herbs, kidney beans, salt and pepper and gently stir together. Drain the barberries and stir them into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mix into the prepared quiche pan and pop it in the oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the kuku is puffed and firmly set. Remove from the oven and serve warm with dollops of plain yogurt.

Chickpea and Chicken Stew for Purim

A boisterous weekend is promised with the arrival of Purim! Purim is a time of merriment, the holiday celebrating Queen Esther and Mordecai’s victory of saving the Jews of Persia from the wicked Haman. Children and adults alike dress in costumes and festivities abound.

While hamentaschen are a popular cookie to bake for Purim (when I was cooking at Hillel UW I was baking hundreds of hamentaschen at this time each year!), chickpeas are also traditional to eat. According to the Purim story, while Queen Esther lived in the court of King Ahasuerus, she ate mostly legumes so that she could maintain a kosher diet. For this reason, it is customary to eat chickpeas on Purim. As a simple snack, chickpeas are often warmed and sprinkled with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Over the past fifteen years or so, I’ve been making a chickpea and chicken stew that has become a favorite in our family. In the spirit of Purim, I include a blend of Persian-inspired spices with cinnamon, saffron and cardamom.

I begin by soaking dried chickpeas the night before I want to make the stew. Once this step is done, though, the stew is quick to prepare. The chickpeas cook along with the chicken, making it a one-pot meal (and even a possible weeknight dinner). After dicing a couple of onions and sautéing them in olive oil, I stir in the spices and chicken, followed by the soaked chickpeas, some chicken broth and a squeeze of lime. At this point, you can leave the stew to simmer while you chop a salad, steam some rice (or my new favorite, cauliflower “rice”) and open a bottle of wine.

The fragrant spices mingle together as the stew bubbles, taking you to far-away lands and filling your house with a delicious aroma. The chicken is tender and velvety, the chickpeas add a soft pop of texture and the onions melt into a luscious sauce. A bowl of stew energizes us for the Purim carnivals and hamentaschen eating yet to come. Chag Purim Sameach (Happy Purim)!

Chickpea and Chicken Stew
Serves 6

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, diced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
A pinch of saffron threads
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 3-4 pound organic chicken, cut into 6 serving pieces
3 cups organic chicken broth
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Steamed rice for serving

The night before you plan to make this stew, cover the chickpeas in a bowl with water and let soak overnight.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot (I use a 5 quart size), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 7-8 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, saffron, salt and pepper and after a stir let cook for a minute. Add the chicken pieces and allow the chicken to cook and brown for a few minutes. Drain the chickpeas and stir them in. Pour in the chicken broth and lime juice and gently stir to mix. The chickpeas should be covered but the chicken may not be completely submerged – this is ok.

Bring the stew to a boil, partially cover the pot and lower the heat. Let simmer for about 45-50 minutes, until the chickpeas are soft and the chicken is tender. The stew can be prepared ahead and rewarmed before serving. Just before eating, stir in the chopped parsley and taste for additional salt and pepper. Serve with bowls of steamed rice.

Cardamom-Scented Truffles for Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I’m excited to share some chocolate truffles with you. While eating chocolate is an almost daily experience in our house, this chocolate-inspired holiday calls for some extra indulgence and these rich, dark, silky truffles provide just that.

Truffles elevate any occasion and add an elegant touch of sweetness. Happily, they are quite easy to make, with only a few ingredients and a dusting of cocoa powder.

I usually prefer pure dark chocolate truffles with a whiff of vanilla, and you can easily tailor them to your taste just by adding a touch of bourbon, rum or your favorite liqueur.

Lately, though, I’ve discovered the joys of bitters. Scrappy’s Bitters, crafted here in Seattle, have a tempting selection of flavors. They enhance glasses of seltzer and make wonderful cocktails (we recently made this delightful one with grapefruit bitters).

My newest favorite is their cardamom. I’ve been adding a dash or two to my coffee, and just made a marvelous hot toddy with ginger tea, honey, bourbon and a few drops of cardamom bitters. So as I was making these truffles, I reached for that bottle of bitters sitting on the counter.

I didn’t want the cardamom to overwhelm, and with bitters a little bit goes a long way. A couple of dashes scented the truffles with a warm spice and blended beautifully with the homemade bourbon vanilla that was already mixed into the glossy bowl of melted chocolate and cream. After chilling in the fridge, I rolled small scoops in raw cacao powder to finish them.

Not too sweet and extremely rich, with hints of cardamom and vanilla, these truffles are divine and handmade with love. They have a rustic, charming appeal and are a luscious sweet to savor while snuggling with your Valentine.

Cardamom-Scented Truffles
Makes 28

1/2 pound dark, good quality chocolate (I use 70-85 % cocoa content)
1/2 cup organic heavy cream
1 tablespoon homemade bourbon vanilla (or store-bought vanilla)
2 – 4 dashes cardamom bitters, depending upon your preference for cardamom flavor (taste and see as you go)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder

Chop the chocolate and set aside in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t boil over or scorch. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and gently stir to melt the chocolate. Keep stirring until it is smooth and glossy. Add vanilla extract and bitters and mix in. Cover the bowl and pop in the fridge to chill until firm, about 2 hours (can make ahead and chilled overnight).

Sift the cocoa powder onto a sheet of parchment paper. Remove the truffle mix from the fridge. Using a teaspoon or very small cookie scoop, drop rounded scoops of the truffles onto the cocoa powder. Roll each truffle until it is well coated in the cocoa powder. Store the truffles in a covered container in the fridge where they will keep for 2 weeks.