Israel: Spicy Coriander Groper, Pumpkin Roasted In Pomegranate Syrup with Cinnamon Couscous, & Cantaloupe And Carrot Salad
israel, which is officially known as the State of Israel, is a country in the Middle East on the northern shore of the Red Sea & the south eastern shore of the Mediterranean. It has land borders with Egypt to the southwest, Palestine to the west & East, Jordan to the East, Syria to the north east & Lebanon to the North. Israeli food can be seen as fusion cuisine which combines traditional Middle Eastern dishes with food traditions from across Europe.
Historically speaking Israel Cuisine emerged following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. It is a food tradition made of local dishes by people native to Israel, dishes brought to Israel by Jewish people from the Diaspora & those people who migrated later to their homeland. The biggest surprise for us about this meal was that the flavours were very subtle even though a lot of spices were added!
Our MENU included
Spicy Coriander
Groper,
Pumpkin Roasted In
Pomegranate Syrup with Cinnamon Couscous,
&
Cantaloupe And Carrot Salad
Cantaloupe And Carrot Salad
WOW Factor: the Pumpkin
Roasted In Pomegranate Syrup with Cinnamon Couscous
Best on the eyes: The Cantaloupe And
Carrot Salad
SPICY CORIANDER GROPER
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
·
6 portion-sized steaks of Grouper – or other firm
fleshed saltwater fish such as
halibut
·
1/2 cup olive oil
·
2 coarsely chopped sweet red peppers
·
2 hot red peppers halved and seeded
·
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
·
1 bunch coriander (cilantro), coarsely chopped
·
1 bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
·
2 tablespoons paprika
·
1 tsp salt
·
2 cups water
·
1 lemon, cut in wedges
·
6 serves of Pita bread
Method:
1. Heat
the oil in a large pan that is wide enough to spread the fish in a single layer & has a well
fitting lid
2. Add
the garlic and both kind of peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add
herbs, paprika and salt and sauté for a couple more minutes, stirring
occasionally.
4. Pour
in the water and bring to a simmer.
5. Taste
the sauce and adjust seasoning to your own taste (once you add the fish it will
be difficult to stir the sauce and play with flavours). You may want more salt
as the fish will soak it up.
6. Carefully
add the fish steaks & spoon the sauce over the top of the fish
7. Reduce
the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for about 25
minutes until the fish is done and the sauce thickens.
8. Serve
with lemon wedges & pita bread
NOTE 1:
This dish can also be prepared with boneless fish fillets.
If you are using fillets of fish prepare & cook the sauce first without the
fish, and when the sauce has thickened & the spicy flavours have developed,
add the fillets & cook for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE 2:
If you like
your food really spicy add some
hot cayenne pepper with the paprika.
Recipe is adapted from original sourced from:
http://www.jannagur.com/108704/Spicy-Morrocan-style-Fish--Dag-Hareef-
PUMPKIN ROASTED IN POMEGRANATE SYRUP WITH CINNAMON
COUSCOUS
INGREDIENTS:
·
1 kg pumpkin (or butternut squash) cut into 4 cm (2'')
cubes
·
3 tablespoons olive oil
·
salt and freshly ground black pepper
·
½ cup
dried cranberries
·
¼ cup mixed raw nuts
·
100 ml pomegranate syrup (pomegranate molasses)
·
250 g Israeli
Pearl couscous
·
2 cinnamon
stick
·
1 heaped tablespoon Ras-el Hanoot spice mix which we made from:
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 4 star anis
- 2 tsp dry coriander seeds
TIP: if you like the Ras-el Hanoot spice mix you can easily
make extra. To make half a cup of Ras-el Hanoot spice mix Just change the teaspoon
measures for tablespoons & follow the same method; keep extra spice mix it
in an airtight jar to be added to roasted vegetables or meat.
METHOD:
1. Preheat
oven to 200ºC (400ºF) & also bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
2. Whilst
the oven is heating prepare the Ras-el Hanoot spice mix:
3. Put
the anis stars & coriander seeds together in a mortar and pestle &
grind to a coarse (not fully ground), texture. Add the paprika & tumeric & grind again
4. spread
pumpkin pieces evenly on an oiled baking tray
5. Season
pumpkin with salt, pepper and spices and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender.
7. While
the pumpkin is cooking, add the Israeli couscous to the boiling pot of salted water cook the with the cinnamon
stick until tender, about 10 minutes.
8. While
the couscous cooks gently bring the dried cranberries, nuts and pomegranate
syrup to a simmer
9. Pour
the pomegranate syrup mix over the pumpkin, toss and roast for 5 more minutes.
10.
Drain, but don’t rinse the couscous. Keep the cinnamon
stick as garnish
11.
Serve the roasted vegetables on the couscous topped
with the cinnamon stick.
Recipe adapted from two sourced from:
CANTALOUPE AND CARROT SALAD
INGREDIENTS
·
1 large cantaloupe / rockmelon
·
3 carrots
·
4 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
·
1 tbs honey
·
¼ cup fresh mint leaves – washed
·
6 tbs pine
nuts
METHOD:
1.
Mix the honey with the lemon juice in a jar to form the salad
dressing
2.
Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan then set aside to
cool on a plate
3.
Slice the melon very thin in long strips with a small
vegetable knife to form shape that resembles wide version of fettuccini pasta
4.
Slice the carrots in the same way with a vegetable peeler, by
sliding the peeler along the length of the carrot to form long strips
5.
Gently toss the melon & carrot together & mound onto a
plate
6.
Decorate the mound with the mint
7.
pour the dressing over the salad
8.
sprinkle pine nuts on top
9.
serve straight away
Recipe adapted from original sourced from:
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