83 middle recipes

Serve as an appetizer spread on thick slices of country-style white bread, or flat pita bread, or use as a side dish to accompany grilled or roasted meats.

Knead ground beef with onions, peppers, and coriander into oval kofta, skewer with vegetables, and grill until charred for juicy Afghan-style meatballs with smoky flavor.

This is the hot and exotic spice mixture that give Eritrean and Ethiopian cooking its characteristic flavor.

A delicious summer standard at our place. Easy to make with a mix of Southern European and Middle Eastern flavours. I use my Cucumber Raita (posted separately) to dress the lamb salad or you can use the quick yoghurt dressing provided here.

Toast whole spices until smoky, grind with dried chilies and aromatics, then blend with oil and wine for a thick Ethiopian berbere paste that clings to meats and vegetables.

African spice and herb mixture. Classic Ethiopian style flavors to spice up your meals.

Toast cumin, cardamom, and fenugreek until fragrant, then grind with dried chilies and shallots for an aromatic Ethiopian spice blend that's ready in minutes.

Grilled pulled pork tacos with sliced red potatoes and melted Monterey Jack folded into corn tortillas. Crisp grilled exterior, melty middle. Quesadilla-style.

Experience the traditional Russian dish called, "Shashlik" Throughout the Middle East, South Russia, and Siberia this meal has been a favorite for centuries. Most of the western world knows this dish by its' Middle Eastern version called, "Shish Kabob." But on the Crimean peninsula and the steps of south Russia, Shashlik is a unique variant of the Shish Kabob dish most Americans know. It's a sweet/tart version of shish-kebab.

Ground beef kebabs seasoned with allspice, cayenne, and tomato paste, shaped onto skewers and grilled. A kofta-style kebab with Middle Eastern spice that's ready in 30 minutes.

Classic baba ghanoush with fire-charred eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic, topped with parsley and olive oil. The traditional Middle Eastern smoky eggplant dip done right.

Coconut macaroons with crisp golden edges and a soft, chewy middle, made from just egg whites, sugar, and desiccated coconut, with a hint of almond. Naturally gluten-free and quick to bake.

Eat heartily, accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. In fact, I typed this accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. My parents were here, and both were shouting instructions over my shoulder. They disagreed about the arrangement of the lettuce - my mother said that the hole in the middle of the platter was necessary; my father insisted that it wasn't, saying you can just dump the tuna on top of the lettuce. I finally had to give up on this reply until they went home. So now, in the peace and quiet of the aftermath, I've finished it. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Don't know where I heard about this sauce, but it's a great drizzle for vegetables.

Light Pennsylvania Dutch cheesecake with low-fat cottage cheese and beaten egg whites for cloudlike texture. Sinks in the middle to cradle fresh berries or peaches.

Creamy lima bean spread with cumin, garlic, lemon, mint, cilantro and dill. Middle Eastern-inspired dip that's a lighter alternative to hummus.