Rawia Bisharas Vegetarian Musaqa Recipes

VEGETARIAN MOROCCAN HARIRA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, parsley, mint, paprika, turmeric, ginger, harissa, and saffron. Add water and cook over medium heat until flavors have combined, about 30 minutes.
• Mix a few tablespoons of soup liquid with flour and cornstarch in a small bowl and return to the soup, stirring in well. Add cherry tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

MUTABAL

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for grilling over high heat, or turn 3 gas burners to high. Place the eggplants directly onto the coals or flame and grill, using tongs to turn them as the skin chars, until blackened all over. Set aside to cool.
• Alternatively, roast the eggplant in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pierce the eggplants in a few places with a sharp knife, place them on the prepared baking sheet and roast, turning every 5 minutes or so, until the skin is blistered and begins to crack all over. Set aside to cool.
• Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, transferring it directly to a strainer to allow the liquid to release.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes with the chile peppers, if using, garlic, shallot, 1/2 cup parsley, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, cumin, pepper and salt. Add the drained eggplant and mix together with a fork. Transfer the eggplant mixture to a serving bowl and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Garnish with the remaining parsley and surround with the cucumber slices.

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat eggplant dry. Cook eggplant and zucchini in hot oil until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving as much oil as possible in the skillet
• Adding more oil to skillet as needed and let it get hot. Cook potato slices in hot oil until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, again reserving oil in the skillet.
• Saute onion and garlic in reserved oil until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in vinegar, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; cook until liquid is reduced in volume and thick. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, 1/2 the juice from lentils, oregano and parsley. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Layer about 1/3 of the eggplant, 1/3 of the zucchini, 1/2 the potatoes, 1/2 the onions, and 1/2 the feta into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Pour tomato mixture over vegetables; repeat layering, finishing with a layer of eggplant and zucchini.
• Cover and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Stir butter, flour, and milk together in a small saucepan; bring to a slow boil, whisking constantly until thick and smooth. Season with pepper and nutmeg; stir. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes, and stir in beaten egg.
• Pour sauce over vegetables and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for another 25 to 30 minutes.

RAWIA BISHARA'S VEGETARIAN MUSAQA

Steps:

• Combine eggplant with 3 tablespoons of salt in bowl and cover with cool water. Set plate on top and weight to keep eggplant submerged. Set aside for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Set aside a half-cup of onion for topping. Combine remainder with a quarter-cup of oil in a heavy skillet and set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are pale caramel and very soft, almost melted into oil, 20 to 30 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Transfer to a bowl, leaving as much oil in the skillet as possible.
• Meanwhile, toast almonds in 1 tablespoon of oil in small skillet over medium-low heat until golden and crisp. Remove and add to onions. Add pine nuts to the skillet, with a little more oil if necessary, and toast until golden. Remove and add to onions.
• In same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil and toss the cilantro with garlic until wilted. Add to onion and nut mixture, with a heaping tablespoon of the spice mixture (cumin, coriander, black pepper, allspice and nutmeg) and lemon juice. Stir to mix well. Taste, adding more spices or lemon juice, if desired.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Add another half-cup of oil to skillet in which onions were cooked and set over medium-low heat. When oil is hot, add potato slices. Cook on both sides until they are lightly golden and start to soften. Transfer to 9-x-12-inch oven dish. Line bottom of dish. Distribute a fourth of the onion mixture over the top; it will not cover the potatoes.
• While potatoes are cooking, drain eggplant and dry with paper towels. Add more oil to skillet, if necessary, and cook eggplant slices on both sides until lightly golden. Use half the slices to cover the bottom layer, setting aside the other half. Distribute another quarter of onion mixture over eggplant.
• In skillet cook squash or zucchini slices on both sides until lightly golden (add more oil if needed). Arrange over eggplant and distribute some of remaining onion mixture on top. Top with reserved eggplant slices and remaining onion mixture.
• Arrange tomato slices on top, then sprinkle with peppers. Distribute reserved half onion over the top. Sprinkle with salt, and squeeze the juice of one lemon over it. Add about a half-cup boiling water, dribbling down around edges of pan. Transfer to oven and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is starting to crisp and juices are bubbling.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately; or set aside to cool to slightly above room temperature before serving.

MUSAKA'A (PALESTINIAN EGGPLANT BAKED WITH TOMATOES AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a large bowl, toss the organic eggplant together with 3 tablespoons of the organic light tasting extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• Spread in a single layer in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened.
• While the eggplant is roasting, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the organic onions and sauté until translucent.
• Add the organic tomatoes, chickpeas, water, tomato paste & sea salt. Bring to a boil and stir to heat through, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Place the eggplant in a casserole dish and pour the tomato-onion mixture over it. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbling through. Remove and serve hot or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

RAWIA BISHARA'S BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a food processor or blender, combine the tahini, garlic, 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Add the yogurt and pomegranate molasses and blend again. Add more salt or lemon juice to taste, then set aside.
• Make the sprouts: If frying, pour 1/2 inch corn oil in a deep skillet. Heat until very hot but not smoking. (Test by gently dropping a half sprout into the oil; when oil is ready, sprout will pop loudly and sizzle immediately.) Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, fry sprouts until browned and crisp but still bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• If roasting, heat oven to 375 degrees and place a pan of water on the bottom shelf to prevent sprouts from drying out. Toss sprout halves in about 3 tablespoons corn oil until slick, but not dripping. Spread them out on 2 sheet pans and bake until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the bread crumbs: in a small skillet, heat olive oil over gentle heat until medium-hot. Add garlic and stir; it will sizzle. Immediately add bread crumbs and stir until toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in salt, then remove to paper towels to drain.
• When ready to serve, spread cooked sprouts on a platter. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup sauce and top with bread crumbs. Tuck in lemon wedges around the edges and sprinkle parsley over the top. Serve immediately, passing any extra sauce at the table.