Baba Ghanoush with Oven-Toasted Pita Wedges

Baba Ghanoush, my second favorite Middle Eastern food (after hummus) is another one of those things my texturally challenged husband won't even try. He's just not a dip/spread kinda guy. But since most people are, you should have some of this on hand over the weekend. Make a big batch, serve some tonight and the rest over the weekend. It keeps nicely for a few days.

As with the hummus, don't get too carried away with the garlic. Remember the garlic is just a minor player, the eggplant is the star. You'll have plenty of time to make the oven-toasted pita wedges (see below) while the baba ghanoush is chilling. Tell me, do you or someone you know have these texture issues, or is Mr Delightful the only person on the planet who doesn't like dips of any kind?

If you'd like to make your own pita bread for the Oven-Toasted Pita Wedges (below), it's really quite easy. I hope you'll try it soon. (And, yes, I do know that 'pita' means bread and that saying 'pita bread' is really saying 'bread bread'!)

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I have to admit, baba ghanoush is not the most photogenic food in the world and needs some serious styling, which I didn't have time to do, so I used my watercolor eggplant painting for the "Pinnable-size" image in this post!

Baba Ghanoush - Caviar d'Aubergine

(Makes 2 cups)

2 medium (1 1/2 to 2 pounds total) eggplants
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon (1/2 small clove) minced garlic
1/4 cup unsalted tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas8. Cut eggplants in half, score tops with diamond pattern, rub with just enough oil to coat. Place on foil-lined baking sheet and roast about 30 minutes or until very soft. Cool slightly. Scoop out flesh into colander and let stand a few minutes to drain off any liquid.

2 In bowl of food processor, place drained eggplant and all remaining ingredients. Pulse 8 to 12 times. Put into serving dish and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving. Can be made a day or two ahead.

3 Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some finely chopped mint, flat-leaf parsley or pistachios. (I didn't have any of those on hand, so I just used some paprika.) Serve with oven-toasted whole wheat pita wedges (see below), sliced baguette or Armenian cracker bread (I love ak-mak!) and raw vegetable strips.

Oven-Toasted Pita Wedges

(Makes 48 wedges)

Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Brush a little extra-virgin olive oil on both sides of 6 whole wheat pitas (one package). Cut each into 8 wedges. Place on two large baking sheets. Sprinkle with a little salt, if you like. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until crisp; no need to turn. Can be made day ahead, cooled completely and stored in airtight container.

And here's my favorite kitchen timer, the TimeStack, 'cause if you're like me and have a lot going on at one time, you need more than one or two timers!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Pimento Cheese - Pimiento Cheese - A Southern Classic

Pimento Cheese (pimento is pronounced puh-MIN-uh, by the way wink wink) is an iconic Southern food that's been around for over a hundred years, but my Southern grandmother never mentioned it; I had to learn it on my own! There are many variations, but it's basically shredded sharp or medium Cheddar, mayonnaise and pimientos. 

Delicious on a hamburger, hot dog or bacon sandwich, it's more often just slapped on some soft white bread for a quick sandwich, cold or toasted. Apparently, you can also stuff celery with it, spread it on crackers or dip tortilla chips in it. But I only ever seem to serve it with crudités or in tea sandwiches.

It "must" be made with real mayonnaise. Many Southern cooks swear by Duke’s mayonnaise, but I have to make do with Hellmann’s/ Best Foods or my Homemade Mayonnaise. Duke's is still made in Greenville, South Carolina, and sold throughout the South. Sticklers for authenticity can always do mail order!

Purists may not add anything to the basic ingredients, but I can't resist a little dill pickle and dill pickle juice along with black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. You can add a few chopped green olives, red wine vinegar, Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce, so I might have to give that a try in the next batch. 

Some like it blended smooth, but I'm among those who prefer it a little chunky. Does your family have a pimento cheese tradition? Would you like to start one? I’d love to hear your thoughts on pimento cheese.

Pimento Cheese (Pimiento Cheese) 

(Makes 3 cups)

1 pound medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 4-ounce jar pimientos, drained and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 In a 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients until well blended. Leave it a little chunky, as I do, or use an immersion blender to make it as smooth as you like. Transfer to serving bowl and cover. Chill for a few hours or up to one week.

2 Serve with a crudités platter, crackers, tortillas chips or bread. Spread on hamburgers, hot dogs or bacon sandwiches. Use it to make a cold or toasted cheese sandwich or, as I have here, tea sandwiches.

Jean

Sunflower Seed Romesco Sauce

Romesco is a nut and red bell pepper-based sauce that originated in Catalonia, Spain, and was served with the local catch. Served with seafood, escargot, poultry, lamb, vegetables, it’s good on just about anything!

Sunflower Seed Romesco Sauce is one of less than a handful of recipes on my blog that is not my own recipe. It was sent to me by my friend Jo who just made it for a dinner party where it was a huge hit. She can’t remember where she got it, but I think it may have been Sunset magazine.

Of course, I made a couple of changes. Was out of sherry vinegar, so I used red wine vinegar. Was out of flat-leaf parsley and had some cilantro I wanted to use up, so I used cilantro. I recommend it! And I changed some amounts. Oh and I left out the garlic; trust me, you won't even miss it.

I used just 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, not wanting the sauce to be too tomato-y, and it wasn’t. Four tablespoons would probably be fine, too. This stuff is seriously good! 

Today I put it on an organic grass-fed burger. Tomorrow? Chicken, roasted potatoes, vegetables, salad, sandwiches, pasta, a dip for crudites—I might just eat it by the spoonful right out of the jar! 

Takes no time at all to make. I made it in my blender (Blendtec 725), but it can also be made in a food processor. Poured it into a pint jar. Now I'm wondering how well it would freeze. I'll freeze a small jar and let you know.

Update 07/22/18: I thawed the frozen jar overnight in the refrigerator and tried it this morning. It was wonderful! So I'm going to make another batch today to freeze in two half-pint jars. 

Update 08/30/18: Just posted quick and easy Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner with Romesco Sauce.

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Sunflower Seed Romesco Sauce

(Makes about 2 cups)

1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted in small dry skillet 

1/2 packed cup jarred roasted red bell peppers

1/2 packed cup cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

3 or 4 tablespoons tomato paste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1/3 cup water 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 Put all the ingredients in food processor or blender; process or blend until as smooth as you like it. 

2 Taste and adjust seasoning.

3 Cover and chill for up to 5 days. Haven't tried it yet but am told it can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites.

Jean 

Cretons - French Canadian Meat Spread

Delightful Repast is all about comfort food. And Cretons (pronounced kreh-tohn) – French Canadian Meat Spread – is one of the classic Quebecois comfort foods my husband grew up with.

As with Tourtiere – French Canadian Meat Pie, Mr Delightful hadn't had this dish since his Mémé died many years ago. I decided to give it a try.

Knowing Mr Delightful’s “texture issues” (he won’t touch pâté, hummus, guacamole, dips of any kind), I couldn’t quite believe that he ate and enjoyed cretons in his youth!

With that in mind, I decided to make just a small batch. But I needn’t have worried. It was a hit! Especially on my toasted Homemade Sourdough Sandwich Bread. 

Though it is traditionally spread on toast and served for breakfast, we had it for lunch, since we nearly always have oatmeal and fruit for breakfast. Mustard and gherkins (cornichons would be good) are the traditional go-withs.

I wanted to take an “in progress” cooking photo, but cretons really isn’t that photogenic while it’s cooking. But you can see in the photos of the finished product that I left it just a bit chunky.

I thought of giving it a few licks with the immersion blender, which you can do if you want a smoother spread, but what with Mr Delightful’s aforementioned issues I thought I better leave it alone.

Have you ever made, or had, cretons? For breakfast, or as an hors d’oeuvre?

Cretons - French Canadian Meat Spread

(Makes three 3/4-cup pots)

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) pastured ground pork
1 small (4 ounces/113 grams) yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 packed cup soft breadcrumbs

1 In 2-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients except the breadcrumbs. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a large fork until the meat is broken up into crumbles and not clumping together.

2 Simmer, covered, for 2 hours.* Check it every half hour or so to make sure there is enough liquid, adding a little water if necessary. There was no need for me to add liquid as there was plenty of fat in the ground pork.

* I just have to show you my new ThermoWorks Christopher Kimball Signature Timer. I've had it since October, and I think it's the best purchase I've made all year! Sleek and unbulky but with bigger buttons, and it's two timers in one. Great gift idea, too. I want to buy one for everyone!

3 Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so. Pack into three 3/4-cup ramekins or in glass jars. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving; keeps in refrigerator for several days. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Disclosure: Some posts contain links to my affiliate accounts at ThermoWorks and Amazon. If you purchase something through one of my links, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use toward the expenses of running this blog. Thanks for supporting Delightful Repast when you shop! 

Jean

French Onion Dip - Caramelized Onion Dip

French onion dip (because it starts out just like French onion soup), or caramelized onion dip, is the fresh, and in this case organic, version of that ever-popular dip made with dry onion soup mix. 

I just read the dip was invented in 1954 by an anonymous person (in California, presumably, since it is called California Dip). I'm not saying that dip doesn't taste good, but, well, I don't like packaged foods.

That said, I like potato chips with my onion dip. I know, I know, but I don't eat them very often. In fact, this week was the first time in a year or two I've had potato chips. If you're even better than that at keeping away from junk, you'd probably like this dip with raw vegetables.

Anyway ... This is the season when many people are having parties or taking something appetizer-ish to parties, so I thought it would be a good time to post an easy recipe for that sort of thing. This takes some time to caramelize the onions, but is very little work.

Just put the onions on to do their thing while you're doing other things. What's your favorite kind of dip and dipper?

French Onion Dip - Caramelized Onion Dip

(Makes 3 cups)

1 1/2 pounds (2 medium) yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 pint (16 ounces/454 grams) sour cream
1/4 cup real mayonnaise

1 In heavy-bottomed large skillet (I use the All-Clad Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan), cook the onions in butter and oil over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. No need to watch them, just set the timer and walk away.

2 Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, sugar (helps with browning) and seasonings. Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat (onions should be sizzling), stirring frequently,* for about 45 minutes or more, or until onions are well caramelized, evenly brown.

* As I said in my French Onion Soup post, Who even knows what "stirring frequently" means? I've never seen a definitive answer to that question, so I'm going to say it means every 2 or 3 minutes (though maybe every minute toward the end). And you'll notice a few more helpful hints in my updated French Onion Soup post.

3 Cool completely. Put cooled onions in work bowl of food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. Every food processor is different, but I found 18 pulses to be just about right. In a 1-quart bowl, stir together onions, sour cream and mayonnaise. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Wusthof Review and Giveaway - Classic 6-Inch Extra-Wide Cook's Knife - Caesarish Dressing

When I was asked to bring a vegetable platter to a party last weekend, I said to myself, " No matter how busy I am, I am not going to pick up one of those boring supermarket ones with store-bought ranch dressing." Besides, they're not organic. 

Three dozen guests were expected, so I decided to use my heavy-duty half-sheet pan rather than a platter. It's big, but I still didn't have room for all the organic vegetables I bought. I do like homemade ranch dressing, but ranch has become a bit of a cliche on vegetable platters, so I made a three-cup batch of a favorite dressing of my own invention. 

I had no idea what to call it, but you have to call a recipe on a blog something. So how about Homemade Caesar Dressing or Sorta Caesar Dressing? Or maybe Caesarish Dressing? Anyway ... the recipe is below. 

My new Wusthof Classic 6-Inch Extra-Wide Cook's Knife, recently sent to me for review, really made quick work of that huge pile of vegetables. I love my Wusthof Classic 8-Inch Cook's Knife and will continue to use it for certain tasks, but this shorter (but just as wide) knife instantly became my all-time favorite knife! 

WÜSTHOF Classic knives have extremely sharp blades with exceptionally long edge retention. And the handles just feel "right" in my hand. That and the right blade length for both the task and one's hand make up the right "fit," which is key when choosing a knife. This is such a well-balanced knife, I feel like I could go on chopping for hours! 

Tell me about your knife situation, and enter the giveaway below.

Homemade Caesar Dressing - well, Caesarish

(Makes about 3 cups) 

2 cups real mayonnaise
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime and/or lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Optional: Fresh herbs from the garden 

Just whisk the ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until serving time.

WÜSTHOF Giveaway

One winner will receive a WÜSTHOF Classic 6-Inch Extra-Wide Cook's Knife 4584/16cm from WÜSTHOF. All US residents who leave a comment about knives (one entry per person - and please include your email address in the body of your comment) on this post before 11:59 pm Eastern time Wednesday July 9 will be put into a random drawing. Winner will be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday July 10. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by 11:59 am Eastern time Sunday July 13, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Buy It Now Wusthof knives, including the Wusthof Classic 6-Inch Extra-Wide Cook's Knife, are available on Amazon.

Disclosure: WÜSTHOF provided a knife for review purposes and for the giveaway. I received no compensation. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Baba Ghanoush - Middle Eastern Dip/Spread

Baba Ghanoush, my second favorite Middle Eastern food (after hummus) is another one of those things my texturally challenged husband won't even try. He's just not a dip/spread kinda guy. But since most people are, you should have some of this on hand over the weekend. Make a big batch, serve some tonight and the rest over the weekend. It keeps nicely for a few days.

As with the hummus, don't get too carried away with the garlic. Remember the garlic is just a minor player, the eggplant is the star. You'll have plenty of time to make the oven-toasted pita wedges (see below) while the baba ghanoush is chilling. Tell me, do you or someone you know have these texture issues, or is my guy the only person on the planet who doesn't like dips of any kind?

Update 08/29/16: I haven't bought any pita bread in some time, not since I started making my own. It's really quite easy, and I hope you'll try it soon!

Baba Ghanoush - Caviar d'Aubergine

(Makes 2 cups)

2 medium (1 1/2 - 2 pounds total) eggplants
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon (1/2 small clove) minced garlic
1/4 cup unsalted tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplants in half, score tops with diamond pattern, rub with just enough oil to coat. Place on foil-lined baking sheet and roast about 30 minutes or until very soft. Cool slightly. Scoop out flesh into colander and let stand a few minutes to drain off any liquid.

2 In bowl of food processor*, place drained eggplant and all remaining ingredients. Pulse 8 to 12 times. Put into serving dish and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving. Can be made a day or two ahead.

3 Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some finely chopped mint, flat-leaf parsley or pistachios. (I didn't have any of those on hand, so I just used some paprika.) Serve with oven-toasted whole wheat pita wedges (see below), sliced baguette or Armenian cracker bread (I love ak-mak!) and raw vegetable strips.

* I have the DLC-10E, which (understandably after all this time--I've had it since I was very young) is no longer available. See Cuisinart DLC-2009CHB Prep 9 9-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless and other currently available models.

Oven-Toasted Pita Wedges

(Makes 48 wedges)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a little extra-virgin olive oil on both sides of 6 whole wheat pitas (one package). Cut each into 8 wedges. Place on two large baking sheets. Sprinkle with a little salt, if you like. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until crisp; no need to turn. Can be made day ahead, cooled completely and stored in airtight container.

Hummus - Middle Eastern Dip/Spread

Hummus, possibly my favorite Middle Eastern food, is one of those things I've been making for decades, and I still love it! It's also one of those things that can be either really good or really bad. The really bad ones are too dry or too runny, too highly seasoned or too bland. When it comes to hummus, I'm a purist and think "real" hummus should have just six ingredients, not counting garnish. And I use all organic ingredients.

I've told you before how I feel about garlic. It's a wonderful thing when used judiciously, but there are other flavors in the world! Many dishes that typically have garlic can be greatly improved by using less or, in some cases, no garlic. However, there are some things that simply must have a little garlic (and when I say garlic, I don't mean garlic salt or garlic powder or chopped garlic from a jar). One of these is hummus. There is no hummus without garlic, but it only needs a tiny bit.

Update 08/29/16: I stopped buying pita bread some time ago when I started making my own. It's quite easy, and I hope you'll try it soon. Also, try my Baba Ghanoush.

Hummus

(Makes 2 cups)

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup unsalted tahini
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (1/2 small clove) minced garlic

1 In bowl of food processor, place all ingredients. Process until smooth, about 5 minutes. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more lemon juice or olive oil. If you're not using a Meyer lemon, though, you could make it too lemony, so a little water might be better.


2 Put into serving dish and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight before serving.

3 Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little finely chopped mint, flat-leaf parsley or pistachios.

4 Serve with whole wheat pita wedges, Armenian cracker bread and raw vegetable strips. Enjoy the delightful repast!

And now for something completely different ... has nothing to do with hummus, nothing to do with food ... just a little something to make you feel warm and cozy on a cold, winter day. 

 

Tuppence and Lionel (my fave) belong to Judy at Cranberry Morning.

Jean

Pimento Cheese (Pimiento Cheese)

Pimento Cheese (pimento is pronounced puh-MIN-uh, by the way) is an iconic Southern food that's been around for over a hundred years, but my Southern grandmother never mentioned it; I had to learn it on my own! There are many variations, but it's basically shredded sharp or medium Cheddar (I always use Tillamook), mayonnaise and pimientos. I think it would be delicious on a hamburger, hot dog or bacon sandwich; but it's usually just slapped on some soft white bread for a quick sandwich, cold or toasted. Apparently, you can also stuff celery with it, spread it on crackers or dip tortilla chips in it.

It must, or so I'm told, be made with real mayonnaise. Many Southern cooks swear by Duke's mayonnaise, but I have to make do with Best Foods/Hellman's. Duke's is still made in Greenville, South Carolina, and sold throughout the South. I suppose the rest of us could do mail-order if we wanted to be sticklers for authenticity!

Purists may not add anything to the basic ingredients, but I couldn't resist a little dill pickle and dill pickle juice along with black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. And I think next time I'll throw in a few chopped green olives. You can add red wine vinegar or Tabasco. I'm a huge fan of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, so I might have to give that a try in the next batch. Some like it blended smooth, but I'm among those who prefer it a little chunky.

This afternoon I spread a thin layer on Oroweat Country Buttermilk bread, topped it with another slice, trimmed off the crusts and cut it into tiny tea sandwiches to go with a pot of Earl Grey tea. Another Delightful Repast! I'd love to hear your thoughts on pimento cheese.
Update 12/07/16: For how to throw an afternoon tea party and a roundup of afternoon tea recipes, see Afternoon Tea Party Tips.

Pimento Cheese (Pimiento Cheese)

(Makes 3 cups)

1 pound medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 4-ounce jar pimientos, drained and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle
2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In 2-quart bowl, stir together all ingredients until well blended. Transfer to serving bowl and cover. Chill for a few hours or up to one week. Serve with crackers, tortillas chips, bread or celery sticks.

Enough Already with the Garlic!

Okay, I know this is going to ruffle a lot of feathers, but it must be said. Too many cooks, home and professional, think Garlic Equals Gourmet. And it just doesn't. I don't spend all this time, money and effort procuring the best ingredients I can find only to take them home and bash them over the head with a boatload of garlic.

Take my pizza recipe on this blog, for example. I make it with no garlic at all (except what is in the pepperoni), and some of the biggest garlic users I know don't even miss the garlic. They exclaim over the taste and texture of the crust and how they can really taste the tomatoes and cheese. Yes! There are other flavors in the world besides garlic, but they can only be tasted and appreciated when they are not completely overwhelmed by too much garlic.

This is not to say that I don't like garlic. I do. But when something is not the main ingredient in a dish, it should enhance the main ingredient, not steal the spotlight. And a meal should have a variety of flavors. If one dish has garlic, the others need not. I've been disappointed by many an expensive meal when everything--bread, main dish, side dishes and salad--was loaded with garlic. I want to march in and tell the chef, Don't be a Johnny One Note in the kitchen!

Many dishes that typically have garlic can be greatly improved by using less or, in some cases, no garlic. However, there are some things that even I think simply must have a little garlic. (And when I say garlic, I don't mean garlic salt or garlic powder or chopped garlic from a jar. Those are three items that need to be ... Oops, I don't want to get into one of those Oprah versus the Beef Industry things!) One of these is hummus. There is no hummus without garlic, but it only needs a tiny bit.

Hummus

(Makes 2 cups)

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup unsalted tahini
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (1/2 small clove) minced garlic

In bowl of food processor, place all ingredients. Process until smooth. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a little more lemon juice, olive oil or water. Taste, and make adjustments accordingly. Put into serving dish and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving or overnight. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little finely chopped mint, flat-leaf parsley or pistachios. Serve with whole wheat pita wedges, Armenian cracker bread and raw vegetable strips.

Enjoy the delightful repast! 

Jean