It truly was a very meaningful part of our Christmas last year and we're all (kids, sister, and husband included) excited to have it again this Christmas. I have to give a huge shout-out to my friend (I consider her a friend despite the fact that we've never met) Mirien at Mirien's Kitchen for the idea and the recipes. She's the one who did all the testing to find the perfect (and tasty) recipes for the meal.
May this meal be a small contribution to bringing the true meaning of the Christmas season into your homes and families. Enjoy!
Menu:
Middle-Eastern Lentil Soup
Flat Bread (or Fry Bread)
Greek Salad
Falafel (from a mix)
Pita chips
Hummus (store bought)
Baklava
Click here for printable version.
MIDDLE-EASTERN LENTIL SOUP: (from http://mirienscookingclass.blogspot.com)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
6 cups water
1-1/2 cups red or brown lentils
1 can (15-oz.) garbanzo beans, undrained
1 can (15-oz.) cannellini beans, undrained
1 can (14.5-oz) petite diced tomatoes
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 Tbs. curry powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1/2 Tbs. ground cumin
cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions: In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the water, lentils, garbanzos, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and seasonings.
Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or longer, until the lentils are soft. (NOTE: I let mine boil 2+ hours and needed to add some water to thin it to the right consistency)
Return the pureed soup to the pot, add additional water [up to 2 cups] as needed to achieve the right texture, reheat, stir and enjoy!
Serve with fresh hot flatbread and a swirl of plain greek yogurt if desired.
Enjoy!
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FLAT BREAD (makes 6 rounds) (from http://mirienscookingclass.blogspot.com)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. plain yogurt
3/4 cup warm water (about 115°)
Directions: Mix ingredients into a soft dough. NOTE: Don't add too much flour---just enough to keep the dough from being too sticky. Knead until the dough is smooth.
Cover the dough and let rise in warm place for 3-4 hours. The dough should be almost double in volume. Knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes and divide into 6 equal parts. Take each piece of dough, one at a time, and roll into 8-inch rounds. Dust lightly with flour to help with the rolling. Do not allow to rise and immediately place on preheated pancake griddle and bake about 2-minutes per side. Immediately brush with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.
NOTE: If desired, the bread can be baked in the oven at 500° on a preheated pan. I found the pancake griddle to be much easier. ONE MORE NOTE: The bread can be made ahead and warmed in the oven before serving. Enjoy!
NOTE: if you're looking for a much easier, albeit less authentic flatbread recipe, then try the fry bread recipe from my Navajo Tacos. There's no rising time at all and still tastes great. I'd at least double or triple the recipe.
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GREEK SALAD: (from http://mirienscookingclass.blogspot.com)
Romaine lettuce
Baby spinach
Feta cheese
Grape tomatoes
Red onions, chopped
Black olives, chopped
Sliced cucumbers
Bernstein's Light Fantastic Cheese Fantastico dressing (or other favorite dressing)
Directions: Toss all together and enjoy!
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BAKLAVA: (from allrecipes.com)
1 pkg. (16-ounces) phyllo dough (in the refrigerated or freezer section)
1 lb. chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 cup butter ( I ended up needing an additional stick)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13-inch pan. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon.
Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan (my phyllo sheets were just the right size already, so I did not need to cut them).
Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6-8 sheets deep. (It will start off with 8 buttered sheets, nut mixture, then alternating 2 buttered sheets, then nuts, repeated until nuts are gone and there are 6-8 sheets left for the top layer).
NOTE: It really helps if you have a helper during this part. I had my son doing the buttering, while I placed the fragile phyllo sheets, and my daughter sprinkled the nuts. It made it go much more smoothly that way.
Here it is when the layering is complete:
Using a sharp knife cut into diamond of square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla and honey and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it.
Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. Freezes well. Store uncovered (or it will get soggy). Enjoy!
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NOTE: If you don't think your family's game for such a non-traditional meal on Christmas day, then try it some time in the week before or after Christmas instead.
