Best of MCW 1501-1600

Welcome to the 16th installment of the Best Of series for MCW. The Arab influence is strong in this edition, from the seemingly mundane date dipped in fresh cream, boiled potato salad, and the cosy cup of milk tea, to the elaborate zaatar mutabbag, and zubaidi mutabbag. 

See also part 1 and part 2, part 3 , part 4 , part 5 , part 6 , part 7 , part 8 , part 9 , part 10, part 11, part 12 , part 13 , part 14, and part 15 of previous Best Of MCW series.

I do have a karak recipe on MCW, but this is a re-iteration as best presented in corner tea shops: an unbeatable combination of karak and an egg sandwich either for breakfast, or an anytime snack.   

Serving single portions does not necessarily have to mean you are serving one person. You can make a small group of people feel special by serving them each a single-serve plate. Here's a couple of ideas Single Serve Cheese Plate, Single Serve Burrata Plate,  Single Serve Salmon Plate.

Finding a good cracker is sometimes a testing feat, so I simply resolve to making my own. These gourmet crackers are enriched with seeds, oats, and dried fruit. I am aware that blue cheese scares off a great many people, but for those who do enjoy it, this is the best vehicle to carry it.

Have you ever gone to a very basic cafeteria that does not even qualify as a restaurant because it is so basic with great food that is almost for free? Well, I have, and the omelette station is by far my favorite on lucky mornings giving me the luxury of a hot breakfast on a weekday. 

This zaatar mutabbag is quite possibly my favorite Palestinian pastry, made using a vibrant mix of fresh zaatar, onions, sumac and feta cheese for a special touch of added flavor, all folded in a thin dough. I was inspired to serve it on a platter with some lebne, olives, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and it made the most amazing accompaniment to a sweet cup of afternoon tea. 

Essentially four ingredients, this feta filo pie can be made as part of any of the three meals a day, or even as the main attraction with a side of salad. Filo pastry, olive oil, feta cheese, and an egg is all it takes.

This is a Lebanese potato salad that is so creamy from the sour cream with the best hit of tang from vinegar and pickles, that it deserved adding another potato salad to the blog. Whole grain mustard also add to the flavor profile, and being Lebanese, it has to have a generous addition of chopped fresh herbs.

This is a nutrient-dense salad I have on the daily, and I never get tired of it.  Obviously, you can tailor your own salad, but I have tuned this down to perfectly suit my taste, making it a pleasant every day experience, versus a burden I must endure for my well-being.

Cheese and vineleaves tuned out to be a pretty epic combination. Feta-chilli was a great one. Now this haloomi-preserved lime is all that, too. Grilled in a searingly-hot griddle pan, the grill marks are to be coveted here. 

We all are familiar with the sausages rolled in puff pastry and baked into delicious finger food appetizers. I have an excellent Thai sweet chili version right here. This one however uses fresh minced meat, so no nitrates here.

Roast potatoes are a classic for a reason. This play on them including sumac and a lebne-feta dip lends them a new profile.

Made using a few wholesome shortcuts, this delicious lunch  of kofta wraps was made and served in 15 minutes flat. Ready fresh raw kafta mix and semi-whole wheat roti breads were the shortcuts in this case. Simply spread the kafta mix over the bread and bake it for 10-12 minutes. Prep the rest as it bakes.

Kofta patties are stacked in concentric circles with sliced potatoes and laid over a bed of rich pureed vegetables. A fragrant broth is poured over the whole thing before it is baked covered in the oven.

This pesto pasta with chicken escalope can be made fully from scratch, of can be the product of a pasta packet, jar of pesto, and a bag of frozen crumbed chicken tenders.

As can this mushroom pasta with cornflakes chicken, but the fresh element of mushroom and cornflakes chicken make it worth the time to make from scratch.

This clay bake, or gratin, is rich in vegetables, which add so much flavor to the dish. Topped with a white sauce and cheese, the pots are baked until they have a bronzed top. Served with an optional side of rice, this makes for a very filling meal.

This Turkish kubba quickly grew into one of my favorite kubbas.

En papillote is a French way of cooking using moist heat achieved by an enclosed environment. This environment is usually induced by wrapping your raw seasoned food in a parchment paper package. This whole fish is cooked in such a way rendering it so moist and flavorsome.

Mutabbaq Zubaidi  is an Iraqi dish using our plentiful pomfret fish, two and a half tonnes of onion, rice and seasonings.

While the outside of an airfryer steak was not as seared as a, well, seared steak, the inside was impeccably cooked, and truly melt-in-your-mouth with every bite. Just make sure to start with a room-temperature cut of meat, and to preheat your machine for a couple of minutes.

Refrigerator cakes are basically no-bake desserts that are assembled and left to set overnight in the fridge. In Arabic, we skip the complication and just call it sweet. So this is a layered biscuit sweet with a distinct honey flavor.

This pie is made simpler by using a biscuit crumb crust. But the real start is the unreal velvety smooth decadent chocolate custard filling.

This is a fresh raspberry polka dot cheese cake that is convenience at its best: a few cans of this, a packet of that, all blitzed in the blender, pop in the oven and 30 minutes later you've got a cheesecake.

This tart transported me back to my childhood, back when they sold hand-sized versions of it at the supermarket practically for free. Thin, and almost biscuit-like, the tart melts in the mouth and the fruity tang from the apricot jam is pure nostalgia.

This olive oil cake was a huge hit from the first bite, and frankly, that was quite a surprise. The touch of lemon zest made a huge impact, and the crumb was tender and soft.

MCW already has a khanfaroosh recipe , but that is the original rustic one. This is the revamped one using a mini cake machine where 12 tablespoons of batter yield 12 beautifully golden and uniform fluffy cakes, minus all the hassle of frying.

This marble cake frosted with nutella falls within the MCW 1-2-3-4 cake. 1 cup of oil, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 4 eggs. A couple dashes of this and that in between, and you've got yourself an MCW 1-2-3-4 cake.

Maple and pecan are very much a Canadian flavor combination. This recipe was a hit with everyone, and highly requested to be archived on the blog.

صحة و عافية