COOKBOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pita Bread 1 Falafel 6 Tabbouleh 11 Karniyarik 17 Sweet Vegan Calabaza Curry 20 Shakshuka 26 Beef Kebab 31 Syrian Roasted Chicken 36 Date Ice Cream/Buza Ala-Tamr 40 Toum 45 Middle Eastern Tapenade 49 Mutabal 53 Tzatziki 57 Moroccan Mint Tea 61 Lebanese Orange Lemonade 65 Gluten- Free Pita 69
PITA BREAD HISTORY Pita bread has existed for 4,000 years, originating from Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey. Pita bread is unique due to its “pocket” structure, which allows it to be stuffed/filled. It is often eaten with hands and several accompanying dishes to fill with/dip in
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Pita Bread Yield 10 people Serving Size 1 Pita Ingredients Warm water Granulated sugar Instant dry yeast All-purpose flour Olive oil Kosher salt
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Quantity 52.9 oz 85 g 86.42 g 2.27 kg 2.7 oz 29 g
Method of Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 475°F with a baking sheet inside 2. Combine water, sugar, and yeast together in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature until mixture is foamy 3. Combine the flour, olive oil and salt 4. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until the dough comes together 5. Let your dough rise until doubled and then punch the dough 6. Shape the dough into balls and cover with a wet cloth
7. Rest the dough for 10 minutes 8. Roll out dough evenly 9. Transfer dough onto small squares of lightly floured parchment paper 10. Rest dough for 30 minutes
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Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Preheat baking sheet in oven 2. Flip pita onto baking sheet and bush confit garlic oil on dough 3. Bake until lightly golden brown and puffed at 475°F, about 3-5 minutes 4. Cut, place in breadbasket, and pass to expo line/serve
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FALAFEL HISTORY Falafel originates from ancient Egypt. It is, traditionally, either eaten with your hands or served with pita bread, a sort of vegetarian sandwich. It is also important to the region from a religion standpoint: falafel is an essential part of the “iftar” meal during Ramadan in Arabic countries and eaten during Lent in Jewish/Christian communities.
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Falafel Yield 10 people Serving Size 10 falafels Ingredients Chickpeas Water Parsley Cilantro White onion Garlic Cumin Limes
Quantity 2.7 kg 5.2 L 3 bunches 3 bunches 907 g 907 g 4 oz 10 EA
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Method of Preparation 1. Pick through chickpeas discard any broken pieces, green or spotted. 2. Soak chickpeas in large bowl/container with 5.2 L of water, for at least 24 hour (up to 48) 3. Roughly chop onions and garlic and combine in large bowl 4. Toast cumin seeds and grind into a powder, using spice grinder 5. Using an immersion blender, blend onion, garlic, cilantro, and parsley into vegetable paste.
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6. Once chickpeas have been rehydrated, blend in batches until a homogenous mixture has been reached 7. Fold vegetable paste into chickpeas 8. Season with lime, salt, and cumin to taste 9. Store in a deep half hotel pan for service, label and date
Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Preheat fryer to 375°F 2. Using a small black ice cream scoop, scoop and deep-fry falafel until crispy and golden brown 3. Hold hot, serve with tabbouleh salad, dressed with tahini/green chutney sauce, and served with 3 lime “squeezies”
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TABBOULEH HISTORY Tabbouleh is derived from the Arabic word “taabil”, which means seasoning. It is first referenced as a dish in the mountains of Lebanon 4,000 years ago. This dish is typically enjoyed by vegans and vegetarians everywhere, due to its natural meatless nature.
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Tabbouleh Yield 10 people Serving Size 8 oz
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Ingredients Olive oil (Extra-virgin) Garlic Lemon Cumin (ground) Quinoa Red onion Parsley (curly)
Quantity 8 oz 3 cloves 250 g 14.2 g 453.6 g 113.4 g 1 bunch
Tabbouleh Ingredients Mint Roma tomato English cucumber Coriander (ground) Kosher salt
cont.
Quantity 1/2 bunch 720 g 2 EA 14.2 g 23.5 g
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Method of Preparation 1. Bring a medium sized pot with the measured water to boil, add quinoa. Stir periodically, cook for 10 minutes 2. Remove quinoa from heat once liquid is absorbed and the grains are fluffy 3. Finely mince garlic, parsley and mint, then mix together in medium bowl with quinoa 4. Finely dice red onion, Roma tomato, and cucumber. Add to medium bowl and mix 5. Add coriander and cum-
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in to sauté pan and toast over medium heat until fragrant and slightly darker, add to medium bowl 6. Store tabbouleh base in foodsafe container, label and date 7. Juice lemons and add to small bowl 8. Whisk olive oil into lemon juice, adding kosher salt. This will serve as the tabbouleh dressing 9. Store dressing in foodsafe container, label and date
Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Mix together dressing and tabbouleh base in a large bowl, transfer to hotel pan for service 2. Dress the falafel and chicken plate with the salad
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KARNIYARIK HISTORY Karniyarik is a Turkish dish, a legacy of the Ottoman empire. While traditionally made with ground lamb, the dish is frequently made without to serve as a vegetarian option, both in Turkey and globally. The word “Karniyarik” translates to “split belly”, in reference to the cut that is made on the eggplant when stuffing it.
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Karniyarik
Yield 10 people Serving Size 1-2 Eggplants
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Ingredients Eggplant (US Fancy) Tomato paste Olive oil Kosher salt Water Bell pepper (Green) Yellow onion Basmati rice
Quantity 3.63 kg 8 oz 1 oz 28.3 g 64 oz 453.6 g 453.6 g 907.5 g
Method of Preparation 1. Wash, trim and de-seed bell peppers. Dice. 2. Peel onion and dice, mix with bell peppers in small bowl. 3. Season with salt, add to sauté pan and sauté until onions are translucent and peppers are soft. 4. Wash rice under cold running water until, when washing, the water runs clear. 5. Add rice and 54 oz of water to pot, on medium heat. Cover with cartouche and cook until water is ab-
sorbed, rice is fluffy. 6. Mix 3 oz of tomato paste, rice, and bell pepper/onion mixture together. This will serve as the stuffing. 7. Store mixture in foodsafe container for service day.
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Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Mix remaining tomato paste and water together in a medium sauté pan 2. Preheat oven to 350°F 3. Make vertical cuts in eggplant, hollowing out and then stuffing mixture until eggplants are full. 4. Cook eggplants at 350°F for 30-50 minutes in oven, on a lined sheet tray 5. Broil/char eggplants to order under salamander
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Sweet Vegan
CALABAZA HISTORY CURRY
Many historians believe that curry may have originated in Pakistan, as it has been a staple in the region as early as 2500 BC. Squash is a common vegetable used in cuisines worldwide and highlighted in other traditional dishes, such as Koussa. This curry is usually eaten with hands and/or traditional flatbread.
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Sweet Vegan
Calabaza Curry Yield 10 people Serving Size 8 oz Ingredients Shallot Garlic Lime Calabaza squash Cilantro Galangal root
Quantity 320 g 220 g 250 g 1.36 kg 2 bunches 4 oz
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Sweet Vegan
Calabaza Curry Ingredients Lemongrass Mint Thai Basil Brown sugar Serrano pepper Kosher salt
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Quantity 1/2 bunch 1/2 bunch 1/2 bunch 250 g 180 g 28.3 g
cont.
Method of Preparation 1. Blend all ingredients, (except Calabaza), in batches until you get homogenous mixture 2. De-skin and cut Calabaza into medium sized cubes, reserve seeds for toasting 3. Blanch Calabaza in vegetable stock for 4-5 minutes or until just starting to soften 4. Store both in a food safe container and prepare for service day
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Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Set up sauté station on the line underneath the salamander 2. Make deglazing/reducing liquid for curry base (vegetable stock, white wine, garlic) 3. Gather station essentials for service (towels, spoons, tongs, pots/pans) 4. Heat a small sauce pot with canola oil until oil is lightly smoking
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5. Go in the pan with calabaza, season liberally with salt at this point 6. Once they have a nice brown color, go in with a healthy portion of curry base and caramelize 7. After about a minute go in with reducing/deglazing liquid and reduce until proper consistency. Season with salt, to taste 8. Serve over white rice
SHAKSHUKA HISTORY Shakshuka is a Tunisian dish made from humble ingredients, traditionally served for breakfast but, less frequently, lunch and dinner. Shakshuka means “a mixture” or “shaken” in Tunisian dialect, but is a staple in Libyan, Algerian and Moroccan cuisines as well.
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Shakshuka Yield 10 people Serving Size 1 egg, with sauce Ingredients Large eggs Tomato paste Roma tomato Kosher salt White onion Carrots Jalapeno pepper Ground cumin
Quantity 3.63 kg 8 oz 1 oz 28.3 g 64 oz 453.6 g 453.6 g 907.5 g
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Method of Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 425°F 2. Roughly chop onions, carrots, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers, add to large bowl 3. Mix vegetables with oil, season with salt and cumin, roast until deep brown. 4. Blend vegetable mixture to desire consistency and taste for salt, adjusting as needed 5. Chill to 41°F, store in food safe container, labeling and reserving for service
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Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F 2. Preheat wood-fire/pizza oven to 450°F 3. Load cast iron skillets into oven, preheating for service 4. Unload cast iron skillets on an as-needed basis, pulling them onto the range/medium-high flames 5. Ladle sauce into the skillets, make divots in the sauce, and crack eggs into the divots.
6. Cook eggs in sauté pan until bottoms are opaque and white 7. Move pan into wood fire oven, cook 2-3 minutes or until eggs are completely set/opaque
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BEEF KEBAB HISTORY The word kebab is derived from the Persian word “kebap” meaning “fry”. Legend has it that the dish was invented by Persian soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires. Kebab was then enjoyed by commoners with naan or pita, for breakfast.
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Beef Kebab Yield 10 people Serving Size 10 kebabs Ingredients Ground beef Yellow onion Kosher salt Black peppercorn Cumin seeds (whole) Coriander seeds (whole) Roma tomatoes Bell peppers (green)
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Quantity 2.27 kg 5 EA 28.3 g 14.2 g 14.2 g 14.2 g 5 EA 5 EA
Method of Preparation 1. Toast coriander and cumin seeds with black peppercorns until deep brown and fragrant. 2. Grind spices into powder 3. Peel onion, grate and then strain excess juices out using cheesecloth 4. Put 2/3 of spice mixture into ground beef, onion mixture and reserve other third for seasoning before service (check one for taste, by roasting in oven at 375°F until kebab reaches
internal temperature of 155°F) 5. Wash and quarter tomatoes for service, storing in wrapped and labeled hotel pan until needed 6. Wash, deseed and quarter bell peppers for service, storing wrapped in labeled hotel pan until needed
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Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Assemble meat onto skewers (either blast chill skewers or put on elevated platform to cook) 2. Assemble station with tongs, cup of oil for basting, remaining seasoning mixture, salt, nonstick spray, etc. 3. Preheat grill to maximum heat (500°F – 550°F) 4. If blast chilled, grill as soon as guests arrive, if roasted above grill pull off skewer and plate
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5. Have vegetables (tomato, bell pepper) in a pan underneath meat to catch drippings 6. Char tomatoes and bell peppers on grill, getting color/grill marks on them and then setting aside for service 7. Place 10 kebabs to a plate, with a mixture of charred vegetables and tzatziki sauce
Syrian Roasted
CHICKEN HISTORY Due to various religious restrictions and cost barriers, chicken is one of the most widely consumed proteins across the middle East- this chicken in particular sources inspiration from Chef Yotam Assaf Ottolenghi, as his usage of spice/seasoning mixtures like za’atar, sumac, and chaat masala reflect a middle eastern, Indian and African flavor profile- as seen in this chicken dish.
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Syrian Roasted
Chicken Yield 10 people Serving Size 8 oz Ingredients Chicken (legs & Drums) Chaat Masala Confit garlic oil Chicken stock Allspice (ground) Kosher salt Cinnamon (ground)
Quantity 2.27 kg 4 oz 4 oz 8 oz 4.2 g 42.6 g 2.1 g
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Method of Preparation 1. Rub entire chicken in oil and season liberally with chaat 2. Store for service day
Method of Preparation (a la minute) 1. Assemble meat onto portion trays to reheat 2. Assemble station with tongs, cup of oil for basting, remaining seasoning mixture, salt, nonstick spray, etc. 3. Preheat grill 4. Roast entire chicken in 350°F ovens until it reaches 155°F internal 5. Bring rice in chicken stock to a boil, simmer and cook through 6. Add final seasonings to rice and cut the roasted chicken into 8 pieces
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Buzz
ALA-TAMR HISTORY Before sugar was commonly available, dates were an important form of sweetener in Arabia. It is believed that 2,000 years ago, Arabs that conquered the Persian recipe pf snow-chilled honey with milk and sugar, into a recipe more closely modeling what is known as Buza Ala-Tamr
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Ala-Tamr Yield 10 people Serving Size 1 scoop Ingredients Corn starch Milk Dried dates (whole) Granulated sugar Water Cardamom (Ground) Heavy cream (40%) Apricot
Quantity 2.83 g 32 oz 8 oz 4 oz 28.3 g 11.8 g 24 oz 28.3 g
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Method of Preparation 1. Whisk the cornstarch into 1/4 cup of the milk in a small mixing bowl. 2. Put the remaining 3 3/4 cups milk and sugar in a 3. medium pot and place over medium heat. 4. Slowly add the cornstarch/ milk mixture, whisking all the time. 5. Bring to a boil, still whisking. 6. Let bubble for about 10 minutes while still whisking. Take off the heat and add the cardamom. 7. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let cool.
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8. Put the dates in a food processor. Add the thickened milk and process until the mixture is creamy. 9. Transfer to a 2-quart cup and whisk in the cream. 10. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled. 11. Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker 12. Finely mince apricots, refrigerate in foodsafe container, label and date