-- TheArmenianKitchen.com -- Everything about Armenian food

Even in France, the best food is Armenian

2012-02-14T01:05:00.000-05:00

Haygouhie and lahmajoun

Our daughter Mandy just got back from a short but hectic business trip to Europe that included high-pressure meetings in Paris and Barcelona.

Of course, she made sure her busy agenda included some family time, which in our family means Armenian meal time.

Cousin Arsene Dirkelessian greeted her at his home just east of Paris with a veritable banquet of home-made dolma, kebab and just about everything else you could name from a lifetime of Armenian eating.

Each course was delivered with love and a lecture about the typical American's poor eating habits. He warned especially about our over-consumption of meat and alcohol.

Mandy pointed out that every dish on the table included generous portions of meat, and that the meal began with wine and ended with Armenian brandy.

Arsene's reply: "This is all healthy because it's Armenian."

Can you argue with that? We can't.

Mandy spent the next day with Arsene's sister, Haygouhie Tfenkidjian. Sophisticated and cosmopolitan, Haygo treated her to a sumptuous, hours-long lunch at a very grand and very French restaurant in Paris.

Mandy reports the meal would have satisfied the most demanding diner and eliminated the need for most people to eat again for at least a day.

Of course, it turned out to be just a warm-up for the real treat: Dinner at Chez Bedros in Moulineaux, just west of the capital.

Is that a great name for a restaurant? So perfectly French and Armenian.

The menu was Armenian with a Lebanese bent. Mandy sampled a good deal of it and reports it was all excellent—but the clear centerpiece is the lahmajoun, hand-made with a perfect crust and served with fresh tomatoes, parsley and onion.

Haygo thinks so highly of it that she buys several dozen at a time to share with her family. We wish they shipped overseas!

Mandy's report made us hungry not only for such wonderful food but for such loving company. We're thankful to Haygouhie and Arsene for their hospitality.

Most of all, we're thankful to have them as cousins.

The lesson, as always, is that it's good to have an Armenian family—especially at meal time.

Gatnabour - Armenian Rice Pudding

2012-02-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

After dealing with some heavy-duty dental work this past week, I was only able to eat very soft foods for a few days. This presented me with the perfect opportunity to make Gatnabour. What an excuse, right? Its soft, creamy texture and delicately sweet taste was just what I needed after suffering in the dental chair for so many uncomfortable hours. It’s simple to make, but be ready to stand by the stove for about an hour to stir - and - keep a watchful eye on the pot. The end result will be worth every minute of your time!

Gatnabour Ingredients (Rice in photo is already cooked to 'al dente' stage)

Rice pudding (GATNABOUR) Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup water
¾ cup uncooked rice
4 cups warm milk
pinch of salt
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. rose water, optional
ground cinnamon, optional

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Stir in rice; reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed – about 15 minutes. Make sure rice doesn’t burn or stick to bottom of pot. Rice will be a bit ‘al dente’. Remove rice from pot and set aside. Wash and dry the pot before going on step #2.

Gatnabour is bubbling and thickening

2. Add milk to the same 4-quart pot used in step #1. Heat milk until it is warm, but not boiling. Add the al dente rice to the warm milk and cook on low to medium heat for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently. The mixture should be thickening at this point, as the milk begins to evaporate. Stir in the salt and sugar; cook for 15 minutes more and continue to stir. The mixture should begin to resemble thickened rice pudding. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water, if using.

3. Pour pudding into individual dessert dishes; allow cool at room temperature. Serve immediately. The pudding can also be served chilled. Sprinkle top with cinnamon just before serving, if desired.

Gatnabour is ready to serve!

Robyn's Notes:

I used skim milk and it came out great! The rose water and cinnamon added very subtle, satisfying flavors to the pudding.
For a more festive touch, sprinkle the top with ground pistachio nuts, or add lemon or orange zest to the mixture as it cooks.

Khashlama, a newly discovered, very old Armenian recipe

2012-02-08T01:05:00.028-05:00

This time of year is filled with fund-raising events at St. David Armenian Church, Boca Raton, FL.- especially the month of February. To kick-off the fun-filled month, the Women’s Guild is sponsoring “Cupid Capers” Fun Night on February 11, serving Armenian delicacies and desserts, while Onnik Dinkjian, Harry Minassian, Leon Janikian, Ara Dinkjian, and Mike Gregian provide the best-ever musical entertainment. (Sorry, tickets will not be sold at the door.)

The following Saturday, February 18, the Mr. and Mrs. Club is hosting ‘Yerevan Night’ serving khashlama with potatoes as the main course with an assortment of other delicious items- plus games and activities for the entire family.

To round out the month, the annual Food Festival takes place on February 25 and 26, featuring traditional Armenian delights such as lamb, chicken and losh kebab, kheyma, yalanchi, Armenian pastries and so much more.

That’s a lot of food and fun, my friends!

Flyers were mailed announcing each event, but what really caught my eye was the mention of khashlama, the featured dish for the ‘Yerevan Night” event. I didn’t recall ever seeing this on a church-event menu before, nor was I sure what ingredients the cooks were using for their recipe - except for the potatoes that were mentioned in the flyer.

I researched what constitutes khashlama, and here’s what I discovered:
Khashlama (Hashlama), simply put, is a boiled meat dish, generally beef or lamb (or mutton, where available) seasoned with herbs and some salt – a stew, of sorts, in its most basic form.

Irina Petrosian, author of ‘Armenian Food – Fact, Fiction and Folklore’ describes khashlama as “a favorite for Armenian food lovers who enjoy natural, plain flavors.”

Petrosian also makes reference to khashlama from the cookbook, “The Oriental Cookbook – Wholesome, Dainty and Economical Dishes of the Orient, Especially Adapted to American Tastes and Methods of Preparation”, by Ardashes Keoleian, formerly of Constantinople, printed in 1913. Keoleian indicated that khashlama is an economical, popular dish where you make separate use of meat and broth.

His cookbook offers numerous khashlama recipes, including boiled brain, tongue, beef, part-or-all of a lamb, chicken, and more. Some khashlama recipes include vegetables, other versions are plain, but all of them have the basic components of meat and broth.

Here is the most basic recipe for Khashlama (Hashlama) from Mr. Keoleian’s cookbook:

BOILED MEAT A LA ARMENIA.

[Ebmeni Et Hashlama Teetibi.]

Ingredients :

Meat 3 to 4 pounds, leg, haunch or shoulder of beef, mutton or lamb (or in desired quantity).
Parsley 1 bunch.
Dry Onions 2, medium.
Tomatoes 2, ripe (or 3 to 4 tablespoonfuls of canned tomatoes).
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Method:

Take the meat, wash and put in a vessel with sufficient amount of cold water. Bring it to a boil and take the scum off. Boil until the meat is tender.

After boiling the meat as directed, put the meat into a separate deep pan, pierce it on all sides with a pointed sharp knife, and chop over it the onions and the tomatoes. (Some would insert peeled bulbs of garlic in the pierced places on the meat.)

Pour over a cupful of the broth. Season the whole to taste and place in a moderately hot oven until the vegetable ingredients are fully cooked.

Serve hot and sliced, use own gravy as sauce.

I found another version of Khashlama in the AGBU cookbook, ‘Flavors with History – Armenian Cuisine’, which is typically served in the region of Etchmiadzin. It sounded more to our liking so, I adjusted it to suit our palates, prepared it, and now share my version with you .

Khashlama- Boynton Beach style
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 lbs. lean lamb, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
½ large yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
½ large red pepper, coarsely chopped
½ cup flat leaf parsley (stems removed; leaves left whole)
½ cup cruushed tomato
¼ cup tomato paste
2 cups lamb broth (water, beef or chicken broth can be substituted)
1 tsp. marjoram, or to taste
Salt, black pepper and paprika, as needed

(Onions and garlic may be added to the recipe.)

Cooking lamb cubes on the stovetop

Directions:
1. Place lamb cubes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Remove scum as it rises to the surface. Cook, uncovered, until meat starts to become tender, about 1 hour.

2. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon; place in a casserole dish. Season meat with marjoram, salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss to coat.

3. Strain lamb broth and pour into a liquid measuring cup. Add water, if necessary, to make 2 cups.

Vegetables, broth and lamb ready to bake

4. Add the tomatoes, peppers and parsley to the meat in the casserole dish. Gently toss.

5. Mix together the tomato puree, tomato paste and lamb broth. Pour liquid over the meat and vegetables, gently mixing together.

Khashlama - ready to serve

6. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, in a moderate, preheated (350°F) oven for 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue baking for additional 30 minutes, or until meat is very tender.

Serve in a bowl with bread (for dipping) or over bulgur pilaf.

Midia Dolma - A big hit at St. Nersess Seminary Christmas Party

2012-02-05T01:10:00.045-05:00

Early last December I received an email from reader Karen who had an urgent request for a Midia Dolma recipe.

Midia Dolma prepared at St. Nersess Seminary

Karen wrote:
“I have friends who want to make midia dolma tomorrow. I see on the site you have the "soode" (mock) version listed. Do you have any experience making the kind in the shells or know where they can find a good recipe for this? They have some questions about the method of stuffing and cooking and can't find a good recipe that spells it out. Thanks!”

With that I had to confess to Karen that I’d never actually made the long version, frankly because it sounded like more effort than I was ever willing to put forth. I did have a recipe, however, to share with her. It was from my trusted Alice Antreassian cookbook, ‘Armenian Cooking Today’.
After sending the recipe to Karen, she indicated that she, too, had this cookbook and had already sent the midia dolma recipe to her friends. Karen promised to let me know how the preparation went.

Here’s the recipe I sent to Karen:

Midia Dolma – the long version!
(from Armenian Cooking Today, by Alice Antreassian)
NOTE: The Armenian Kitchen has not tested this recipe. (But, maybe someday!)

Fr.Findikyan, Prof. Roberta Ervine, and St. Nersess cook, Ovi Padilla hard at work

Ingredients:
3 lbs. mussels
2 lbs. onions, chopped (about 6 cups)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup rice
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste

Student Christopher Sheklian (far right) offers his help

2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped dill
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 Tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup currants, optional
_______________

Ready to bake

2 cups water
1 lemon

Fr. Findikyan and Christopher Sheklian present their completed work of art!

Directions:

1. Rinse mussels well. Place in basin of cold water. Sprinkle generously with salt and let stand for 1 hour to loosen sand and dirt. Drain and rinse well. Scrub mussels with stiff brush or steel pad, going over each mussel at least twice. Use a small knife to open shells part way. Cut off mussel hairs and waste matter on the inside without disturbing the pink fleshy meat. Wash each shell under cold running water once more then set aside in cold water.

2. Saute onions in olive oil until transparent, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and add all ingredients except 2 cups water and lemon.

3. Mix thoroughly, then adjust seasonings, if necessary, before stuffing mussels.

4. Place one tablespoon of filling in each mussel, then close carefully. Arrange stuffed mussels in alternating rows in a roasting pan. Add the water slowly over the mussels, cut the lemon in half and squeeze juice over mussels. (Reserve the other lemon half for later use.) Place an inverted dish on top of mussels to prevent shells from opening while baking.

5. Bake, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 ½ hours. Allow to cool completely before removing mussels from pan.

6. Serve cold, garnished with lemon slices cut from remaining half of lemon.

NOTE: This can be cooked on stovetop. Reduce water by ½ cup, bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hr. and 15 min.

Karen’s Update: "(My friends) used the filling recipe from the orange binder book (Armenian Cooking Today) and prepared it two different ways -- cooked in the oven (as per those instructions) and steamed (Istanbul street vendor style). They had ALOT of mussels! Both styles were very tasty, but I preferred the oven-baked ones because the stuffing seemed to take on a sweeter note. My friends took pictures, so I will ask them to send them.”

On January 18^th, 2012, the photos arrived:

Karen wrote: “As promised, attached please find pictures from the "midia extravaganza" last month (Dec. 2011). They were made for the annual St. Nersess Armenian Seminary Christmas decorating party and really took a group effort -- the dean, Father Daniel Findikyan; a professor, Dr. Roberta Ervine; the seminary cook, Ovi Padilla; and student, Christopher Sheklian, all had a hand in the research and preparation!”

When I saw the photos, I couldn’t help but swoon. The sight of the midia dolma reminded me of the first time I’d ever tasted these delicate, delicious morsels.

Congratulations to Father Daniel Findikyan and his cooking team for a job well-done!
PS: Professor Ervine said that the midia dolma also freezes really well.
Good to know!

Sonia Tashjian and St. Sarkis Day

2012-02-02T01:00:00.024-05:00

Although we’ve never met, Sonia Tashjian and I are kindred spirits. She is originally from Musa Dagh; my maternal grandparents are from the same region. Sonia and I both have cooking websites; hers in Armenian, mine in English. Our goals are the same – the preservation of recipes and traditional foods of our Armenian ancestors. You can imagine my excitement when she introduced herself to me!

Now, I would like to introduce you to…Sonia Tashjian:

Sonia is currently living in Yerevan, Armenia and, for the past 8 years, has had a TV show - a kitchen (cooking) program, although she insists she’s not a cook. In addition to being a poet and philosopher, Sonia has spent many years studying & researching all about Armenian traditional cuisine, gathering whatever information and traditional recipes she could from the various villages. Her latest endeavors are to complete her PHD studies and to prepare a dictionary of Armenian foods. Sonia -and I - invite you to visit her website www.sonia.am. (If you can read Armenian, you will be able to better enjoy her website!)

View of Musa Dagh from Karaduran, Kesab

St. Sarkis Holy Place, Kebusiye, Musa Dagh

In keeping with St. Sarkis Day, which falls on February 4^th this year, Sonia also shared one of her grandmother’s special recipes to commemorate the day – KUMBA cake. Sonia has visited the St. Sarkis holy place in Kebusiye, Musa Dagh, and sent the photo seen here. In addition to the cake recipe, Sonia included a story about St. Sarkis Day.

We certainly admire Sonia’s many accomplishments, and wish her much success in the completion of her PHD degree, and her Armenian food dictionary. We also offer our profuse thanks to Sonia for sharing her grandmother’s recipe as well as the photos of her homeland and wonderful holiday cake!!

Read on, and if the mood strikes you, why not whip-up a St. Sarkis Day Kumba cake of your own!
(PS: Don’t forget about the St. Sarkis Halvah recipe!)

The Story of St. Sarkis Day
from Sonia Tashjian

St. Sarkis has been one of the most popular saints for Armenians, especially for teenagers & lovers. There is an interesting tradition in Armenia related to this holiday. The night before St. Sarkis Day, the teenagers will go to church, firmly keeping an “Aghi plit” (salty cookie) in their pockets, which must be eaten before going to sleep. The salty cookie will make them thirsty & in their dreams whoever offers them a drink of water, will be their future husband or wife.

There are other special foods related to that holiday. St. Sarkis’s holiday known as “Khashil bas”, “khashil” is a very unique food, prepared with roasted & ground wheat. The Armenians in Lebanon and Syria used to buy a special halva for that occasion. But the most delicious cake for St. Sarkis holiday is the Musa Daghian “kumba”, a kind of “Darehats” (Year Bread), which has been a habit to prepare at New Year, in all the regions of Armenia. According to the tradition of darehats, also in kumba, it’s a term to put a “michink” (something to put in), a coin or a core of a fruit. Whoever receives the item in their serving of bread or cake will be the luckiest of that year, and will be the supporter of that family.

Here is the Kumba cake recipe from my grandmother Marinus (Mariam). The cake is very aromatic and has a special taste because of the abundance of spices and nuts. By the way, it’s a Lenten recipe, and because of that, the cake does not contain milk, eggs or butter, so the cake doesn’t rise much and the texture is a bit dense.

Sonia Tashjian's Kumba Cake

KUMBA Cake
Ingredients:
5 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup of olive oil
1 cup of boiling water
1 cup of sugar
½ cup of honey
1 cup of chopped nuts (walnut, almond, pistachio, hazelnut)
½ cup of raisins
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of ground cardamom
½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon of ground mahlab
a coin, wrapped in foil

½ cup of white sesame seeds for the top

Preparation:
1.      If you desire, roast the flour, until it turns to pale. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and the spices.
2.      Add the oil & boiling water, stir until a thick dough is formed.
3.      Add the honey, nuts & raisins.
4.      Spread the dough in a large non-stick pan. Put the wrapped coin in it & cover with dough.
5.      Dip your hands in water and smooth out the surface of the dough.
6.      Sprinkle the sesame seeds on the surface.
7.      Bake Kumba at 350° F, about 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

A Mysterious Kitchen Tool to Some, But Not to Me!

2012-01-30T00:55:00.011-05:00

Every once in a while I scan certain blogs just to see what’s new in the world of food. When I came across a post on ‘Taste of Beirut’ recently, I became very excited. Joumana, the Taste of Beirut blogger, wrote about a ‘mysterious kitchen tool’ where she asked her readers if they could identify it. Immediately I knew it was a manti-cutting tool, and that it was a MUST-HAVE in my Armenian kitchen. Before I had a chance to send my thought, someone else commented that it looked like a manti rolling tool. And it was – the Mantimatic! (How could you not love that name?? Mantimatic…it just rolls off your tongue!)

The Mantimatic (Image from TasteofBeirut.com)

I posted my own comment to Joumana asking where – in the United States – would I be able purchase one. (Joumana bought hers in Beirut.) She kindly wrote back suggesting I might find one in an Armenian store in Los Angeles or Glendale, CA. Well, since I live in south Florida, making a trip to California to search for a mantimatic was simply out-of-the-question. Instead I put out my feelers to cousins and friends who live on the west coast. The results of those inquiries were unsuccessful, so I contacted Armenian-Middle Eastern stores and wholesalers from South Florida to New York City to San Francisco and came up empty handed.

Now it’s my turn to ask my readers for help:

If you'll recall, my first try at making manti wasn't all that succuessful - it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. Perhaps making dough from scratch and having a precise cutting device, would improve my next attempt.

With that in mind, can anyone reading this PLEASE tell me where -or- how can I purchase a mantimatic?
Any thoughts and/or information regarding a source would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone!

'Made in Armenia Direct' Links Armenia's Craftspeople with the World

2012-01-27T01:00:00.047-05:00

I had the privilege of meeting guest speaker, Gail O’Reilly at a recent Women’s Guild meeting at St. David Armenian Church in Boca Raton, FL.

So now I’d like to introduce Gail and her business to you:

Gail Talanian O’Reilly is creator of a most unique business venture – Made in Armenia Direct, designed from the heart, to ‘link Armenia’s craftspeople with the world’.

Gail, who is 100% Armenian, and her husband Richard, an ABC – Armenian By Choice, traveled to Armenia for the first time in 1991 with the Armenian Assembly of America to celebrate the opening of the housing manufacturing plant. She was emotionally charged by this visit – appreciating what her ancestors had gone through in the early 1900’s to make their family’s life possible in the United States, and stirring inside herself a heart-felt sadness for the residents she met still living there under very poor conditions – especially after the earthquake of 1988 and the collapse of communism.
After numerous visits to Armenia, Gail was convinced that in order to help make Armenia a thriving, independent nation, there had to be a good reason for the residents to want to stay and work there.

With the establishment of MIAD (Made in Armenia Direct) in 2000, Gail has been working with crafts people to, as she stated: “… assist in the mindset change while providing them with a way to live with dignity in their homeland – AND- at the same time introduce their quality products to the global market.”

Gail continued, “MIAD has been refusing to pay bribes (which was a typical practice), has been identifying craftspeople, teaching quality control and accountability, finding the ‘right’ markets in Armenia and in the U.S., and developing trust. The main idea behind MIAD is for the craftspeople, designers and entrepreneurs to find some financial security and independence so they can support themselves, their families and extended families (while still calling Armenia home).”

My MIAD Christmas gifts

MIAD logo on back of box

As I listened to Gail speak, I proudly realized that I already have a few MIAD items in my home! Over the past few years, my husband, who loves to shop via the internet, had purchased some MIAD Christmas gifts for me – a lovely filigree basket, a carved wooden box with a swivel top, and a clay Christmas tree ornament in the shape of a saint.

Take a look at MIAD's products online, but also know that MIAD can fulfill custom orders as well, for example: darosigs (favors) for weddings, hand-carved family crests, and more.

Flyer for St. David Food Festival

For those fortunate enough to be in Boca Raton, Florida the weekend of February 25-26, Made in Armenia Direct will have merchandise available for sale at St. David Armenian Church Food Festival to be held in their fellowship hall.

If you’d like to support a business that is truly trying to make a difference in Armenia, place your trust in – and place an order with - Made in Armenia Direct!

Black Beluga Lentils, our latest discovery

2012-01-24T01:00:00.022-05:00

Archer Farms Black Beluga Lentils

Doug and I don’t usually shop for groceries at Target Super Stores, but we found ourselves wandering through their grocery aisles before the holidays making note of some rather interesting products. One such item was a pouch of black beluga lentils, already cooked, and according to the microwave instructions on the pouch, ready-to-eat in 90 seconds. We’d never encountered these before, so feeling adventurous, in our cart it went.

NOTE: Black beluga lentils are petite, black lentils which have a resemblance to beluga caviar. They’re perfect in soups and salads, and are a good source of protein and fiber.

At the beginning of the new year, I reorganized my pantry and noticed the black beluga lentil pouch sitting there, begging to be used.

It was a soup- kind- of- day, so I decided to make– you guessed it- Black Beluga Lentil Soup. Yield: about 5 to 6 servings

Here’s what I did:

· finely chopped a small onion, minced a clove of garlic and sautéed them in a wee-bit of olive oil in a 3-quart pot - until the onions softened.

· poured in a 32-oz. box of low-sodium chicken broth.

· added about 1 cup of frozen, chopped spinach, some seasonings, and let it all come to a boil.

· reduced the heat, added the pouch of pre-cooked beluga lentils, partially covered the pot, and allowed the soup to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Served with a small salad, this made a perfect lunch.

Just so you know: the 2-serving pouch contained more than enough lentils for the soup recipe.

Would I buy Black Beluga Lentils again? Definitely!

The search for Zadig Kahke continues...

2012-01-21T01:00:00.009-05:00

In an effort to fulfill Hermine Kabbendjian’s request for Zadig Kahke, I turned my search over to one of my brand new cookbooks, ‘Armenian Cuisine ‘ by Aline Kamakian and Barbara Drieskens. In it I found a really delicious-sounding recipe called Zadigi Kahke. I emailed the recipe to Hermine, who said it sounded great, but her family didn’t use farina in their version. I’ll keep on searching for that perfect recipe for Hermine, but in the meantime, Aline’s recipe sounded so, yummy, I contacted her to see if she’d allow me to post it for you. Her co-author, Barbara wrote back giving me full permission to share Aline’s mother’s Zadigi Kahke with all of you.

If any of you try making Aline’s recipe before The Armenian Kitchen does, we'd would love to hear how yours turned out. Simply send an email to: robyn@thearmeniankitchen.com.

Zadigi Kahke (from the cookbook “Armenian Cuisine”)
Yield: About 50 cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour, sifted
2 cups farina, sifted
1 cup butter, melted
½ cup sunflower oil
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 tsp. ground mahlab
1 ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp. dry granular yeast
1 egg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. ground cloves
A dash of salt

Glaze:
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk

Garnish:
1 Tbsp. raw sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. black cumin

Directions:

1. Using a stand mixer, blend one fourth of the flour and farina with all of the other cookie ingredients. Mix until well-combined.
2. Gradually add the rest of the flour and farina. Knead the dough with your hands until it is smooth.
3. Divide the dough into several balls and place them in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then with a clean towel. Let dough rise for 2 hours.
4. Roll balls of dough into fine sausage-shapes that can be formed into twists, rings or braids.
5. Place shaped dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg glaze made by mixing together one egg and 2 Tbsp. milk. Sprinkle tops with either sesame seeds or black cumin.
6. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until cookies are golden.

Sini Kufteh (Oven-Baked Kufteh)

2012-01-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

Baked Sini Kufteh

In the past the Armenian Kitchen has prepared kufteh in two ways – heart-healthy, and kufteh deconstructed. One method we haven’t made – until now - is sini kufteh. Think of it as a kufteh casserole which is fairly easy to make and is great for a buffet.

Sini Kufteh (Oven-baked kufteh)

Shell Ingredients:

Mixing shell ingredients

1 1/2 cups fine (#1) bulgur
1 cup lukewarm water (or just enough to cover bulgur)

2 lb. finely ground beef (or lamb, turkey) - not too lean

1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Aleppo red pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Meechoog (Filling)

Filling (Meechoog):

1 lb. ground beef, lamb or turkey – not too lean
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. Aleppo red pepper
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
¼ to 1/3 cup pine nuts

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions for the shell:

1. Place the bulgur in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Allow bulgur to absorb the water to soften. Drain excess water, if necessary.
2. Place meat in a large bowl. Add the bulgur and seasonings to the meat, mixing with your hands until well-combined. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add a little warm water, and mix it in with your hands until you reach your desired the consistency.
3. Divide the mixture into two equal parts. Set aside until ready to use.

Directions for the filling:

1. In a large skillet, cook the meat over medium heat until it is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Remove meat from pan.
2. Using the same skillet, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add onions and cook until onions become soft. Add the seasonings, parsley and cooked meat; cook another 2 minutes; remove from heat and allow filling to cool. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir in pine nuts. Set filling aside until ready to use.

Assembling and baking the Sini Kufteh:

1. Use a 13”x9” baking pan, or a large (10”) round pan or pie pan. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan.
2. Press one portion of the shell mixture into the bottom of the pan, flattening it evenly to fit the shape of the pan.
3. Evenly spread all of the filling over the bottom layer of the shell mixture.

Rolled out top layer of sini kufteh

4. NOTE: Keep a bowl of warm water on hand for this step. Using a large piece of parchment paper or waxed paper, flatten the remaining portion of the shell mixture with your hands or a rolling pin so that it will fit the shape of the pan. Lift the paper with flattened topping and carefully invert it over the filling in the baking pan; gently peel the paper away and lightly press down the top layer. If the top layer cracks or separates, dip your fingers in the bowl of warm water and press the topping back together. Tuck in the edges.

Side view of sini kufteh layers (unbaked)

5. Using a knife that’s been dipped in water, score the top layer into squares or diamond- shaped portions. Brush surface with a little olive oil or melted butter.
6. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Serve with plain yogurt, and a refreshing chopped salad!

An Armenian Christmas Family Tradition is Born

2012-01-15T01:00:00.058-05:00

At the end of last December, after recovering from the joy and of hosting Christmas with family and friends, I received a most-interesting request from recently wed Lindsay Peckham of Weymouth, MA.

Lindsay, grandmother Rencie, and husband Jay Peckham

Lindsay wrote:

“I just recently came upon your blog and couldn't be happier! My paternal grandmother is half Armenian which only makes me a small percentage, but since I was very young I have always had an interest in everything Armenian! I guess you could say I feel more Armenian than I actually am! Every year - since before I was born - my family has had an Armenian cook-out where we indulge in all the wonderful Armenian food. A few years ago my grandmother taught me how to make kourabia and now I have turned it into my own Christmas tradition making it for family and friends. The reason for my email...besides telling you how much I appreciate your great blog...is to ask for some advice. I know that Armenian Christmas is on January 6th. My family has never done anything on that day, but now that I am married I was thinking that it would be nice to start my own tradition. I would like to host a small Armenian brunch that weekend and hopefully it will become an annual event. Do you have any suggestions of some things I could make for this occasion? We have a small apartment and an even smaller kitchen (literally no counter space)! I'd like to make a few different things, but since I have limited space, nothing overly complicated. Any suggestions or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated! I look forward to reading more of your blog and trying out some of the many recipes.”

I love requests like this!
Lindsay mentioned that her family gathering was to take place on Sunday, January 8^th so, I put on my thinking cap, poured myself a steaming cup of mint tea, and gave it some thought. I had to keep in mind her key points – recently married, starting her own annual family tradition, Armenian Christmas brunch, small kitchen, no counter space, nothing complicated.
My suggestions included: a mezza platter with basturma, string cheese, pita bread; nevik , parsley- onions- and -eggs, and few other favorites. You know me, I had to ask Lindsay if she would share her result with us.

On the evening of January 8th, after her guests had gone, Lindsay filled me in on her gathering:

“ After consulting your blog and hearing your feedback I decided to make the Pomegranate and Pear Salad, Cheese Beoreg ( my grandmother's recipe which uses muenster cheese ), Parsley- Onion- Eggs (which I scrambled), Armenian Walnut Cake (it was very simple to make), and Kourabia (I used my grandmother's recipe which is a family recipe, and one of my favorite things to make. Plus, making these cookies really makes me feel connected with my Armenian side. And my husband who is not Armenian at all LOVES them!). In addition, I bought some bastourma, Armenian string cheese, and pita bread. My father also brought some homemade lahmejune which we cut into smaller portions, so everyone could try it. “

Mezza Platter

Grandmother Rencie's Kourabia cookies

Pomegranate and Pear Salad

Lindsay began her food preparation on the Thursday before the event, carefully planning her work-strategy. With hard work and great determination, her first-annual Armenian Christmas brunch was ready in time for her guests’ arrival.

The Final Outcome:

"The Armenian Christmas brunch was a great success! When my parents and grandmother, Rencie, showed up they were really impressed! I've never been much of a cook, so seeing how much (food) I made was quite a shock. While everything was a huge hit, I think the most talked about item was the Pomegranate and Pear salad. Not only was it colorful, but the mint and lime gave it such a great taste. Absolutely delicious! The string cheese was also good. My father, grandmother, and I had never had it before. I can definitely see how that could make a good snack item! It was so much fun pulling it apart! My sister-in-law and her husband and my brother-in-law were also in attendance. I was thrilled that they tried and liked everything. I'm looking forward to when my husband Jay and I have a bigger place and can invite more of our family and friends. But, this will definitely be an annual tradition no matter where we live!"

The Armenian Kitchen is honored to have had a small part in the establishment of the Peckham Family's annual Armenian Christmas tradition. Thanks, Lindsay, for this opportunity, and for allowing us to share your first-ever Armenian Christmas event!

Nevik Soup? Why not?

2012-01-12T01:00:00.050-05:00

How many of you made Nevik for Armenian for Christmas Eve this year?

In keeping with the season, I went to a new farmer’s market on the morning of Jan. 5^th and bought the most incredible bunch of Swiss chard I'd ever seen. It was so huge I had to carry it with two arms, just as you would carry two dozen long-stemmed roses.

When it was time to prepare the Nevik, I trimmed away the thick stems, washed each enormous leaf separately to make sure any sandy grit was completely washed away. I cut the leaves into manageable, bite-sized pieces, rinsed them again, and spun them dry in my ever-so-handy salad spinner. I made the Nevik as usual, but was surprised to see so little final product in the pot. It’s amazing how such an enormous amount on chard can cook down into almost nothing! It looked like a bunch of chick peas with a hint of chard. That just wasn’t going to do!

Nevik Soup!

Are you familiar with the phrase, “Necessity is the mother of invention”? While examining my meager pot of Nevik, I came up with a plan, and created Nevik Soup.
Here’s what I did…

To the already prepared Nevik, I added:

1 medium, finely chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic which were sautéed in olive oil
1-32 oz. box of reduced sodium beef broth
-and-
about 4 Tbsp. tomato paste

I mixed these ingredients all together, adjusted the seasonings, and allowed it to cook gently for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring on occasion.

When all was said and done, the Nevik Soup was served with wedges of lemon and crusty bread providing a very satisfying, delicious meal.

I may go flat broke buying flat bread, but it might be worth it!

2012-01-09T01:00:00.001-05:00

I learned this habit from my father and I'm not about to un-learn it any time soon: When I'm grocery shopping, I reach first and ask the price later—if I ask at all.

Robyn does not find this amusing.

Case in point, I was headed toward the pita-bread display at our local Middle Eastern store when I spotted a shelf loaded with Armenian cracker bread. I plucked a bag in a flash and placed it gently on our growing check-out pile.

When Robyn got a look at the receipt on the way home, she informed me that I'd just paid $16.50 for a little under a pound of bread. I instantly corrected her: I did not pay for bread at all. I paid for a trip back in time.

My mother didn't bake this sort of bread because she baked everything in the soft, butter-rich style of her mother's Dikranagertsi family. But her father's sister, Aunt Veron, paid homage to her native Kharpert by cranking out a constant stream of crisp sheets flecked with brown bubbles.

I observed the ritual as a boy during our annual visits to her home in Somerville, Massachusetts. Aunt Veron—Emmeh, as my mother called her—trudged down to the basement at the crack of dawn to fire up her old wood-burning stove. She insisted the new-fangled kitchen stove just wasn't hot enough for good bread.

She carried tray after tray up the steep steps, keeping up a constant conversation with her cat in Armenian.

I gobbled that bread as fast as she could bake it, and I think it made her as happy as it made me. I'm not going to tell you this bread was better than my mother's, but it was every bit as special.

Now a good 50 years later, I'm sitting in my living room in Boynton Beach, Florida eating Armenian cracker bread and thinking about Emmeh and her cat and about the grandfather I never met and about the far-off city he left more than a century ago.

That's a lot of joy for $16.50.

Footnote: Nostalgia aside, you can't beat Armenian cracker bread. It's the perfect snap-crackle accompaniment to Armenian cheese, and it's just as good crumbled into stew or soup. A sprinkle of water or gravy softens it up nicely if you prefer.

Or just take a bite and wait a moment. Proper Armenian cracker bread melts in your mouth.

Americans seem to have caught on, as flat bread is all the rage lately. But they haven't quite got it right. A lot of what passes for flat bread is wooden or (even worse) leaden.

Luckily, my $16.50 bought the real article, genuine Armenian bread from Valley Lavosh in Fresno, California.

Even luckier, while I was busy eating bread some smart person invented the Internet, so I was able to discover that the Valley folks will ship the very same 15-inch rounds for less than half what I paid in the store.

I'll remember that next time I get nostalgic about Armenian bread, assuming I don't spot a display within reach first.

Merry Armenian Christmas!

2012-01-06T01:00:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas to all! Don't forget...it's Anoush Abour time.

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetsav (Christ is born and revealed among us)
Orhnial eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee (Blessed is the revelation of Christ)

You Can Never Have too Many Cookbooks!

2012-01-03T00:05:00.017-05:00

My Christmas gifts - 3 new Cookbooks!

My passion for collecting cookbooks is widely-known, especially Armenian cookbooks or any that reflect a similar cuisine. Even in today's electronic age, I enjoy holding a cookbook in my hand, turning it page by page.

You can imagine how thrilled I was to find not one, but THREE new cookbooks under the Christmas tree to add to my growing collection. (Santa – a.k.a. my husband - really hit the mark this year… I wonder how he knew!)

The first package I opened revealed ‘Flavors with History – Armenian Cuisine’, from the AGBU that was translated from Spanish into English. According to Diana Kaprielian Sarafian, Chairlady of the Ladies Committee of the AGBU, the purpose in preparing this cookbook, was “to reach young generations, including those that not knowing their predecessors’ language, identify themselves with the Armenian culture through the flavors that were captured and kept in their taste memory since childhood.” Kaprielain Sarafian goes on to say, “by publishing the book, we also express our recognition to the Armenian people’s survival, to their nationalism, their faith, and respect for their traditions and customs.”
The AGBU cookbook is arranged according to geographic regions each with a menu representing that area. For example: Urfa, a brief history of the region, then its menu with photos - in this case, borani (chickpea and spinach stew), semsek (open fried pie) and mamunia (syrupy cinnamon semolina).

The second cookbook, ‘Armenian Cuisine’, was co-authored by Aline Kamakian, co-owner of Mayrig restaurant in Beirut, and Barbara Drieskens. Besides a fabulous assortment of delectable recipes and mouth-watering photos, the authors offer insight to a bit of history from numerous regions which represent the homelands of those who contributed to the making of this cookbook.

My third gift is a Persian cookbook, ‘Persian Cuisine – Traditional, Regional, and Modern Foods’, by M.R. Ghanoonparvar. In his introduction, Mr. Ghanoonparvar states, “The cuisine of every nation is a way of celebrating culture.” With beautiful visuals and clear, concise recipes, I’m looking forward to trying these recipes –adding an Armenian twist, of course!

I’ll be keeping busy in the New Year reading every page of each cookbook, and testing as many recipes as I can manage.
I thank the authors and cooks who made these cookbooks possible – and my husband who continues to encourage and fulfill my need to know more about Armenian cuisine.

A Request for Zadig Kahke

2011-12-31T00:05:00.002-05:00

I know it's New Year's Eve and 2012 is just moments away, but it's never too early to start preparing for Easter. A while ago, I received a request for Zadig Kahke (Easter Cookies) from Hermine Kabbendjian.

Hermine wrote:
“Hello Robyn,
I come from Beirut and have been looking for Zadig Kahke that we used to make while I was a little girl. I helped shaped the dough to many forms, shapes and designs. They were heaven and I still smell them. They were different than the ordinary ones as we made these for Easter ( Zadig) only and shared them with all.

I hope you know what I mean and please let me know if you have this recipe. They were a bit on the softer side and heavenly! I would really appreciate it.”

I asked Hermine for more information to help along with the search, and she responded:
“It was a sweet dough. Not cookie like. It was more like choreg but a bit different! It had yeast, we did brush it with egg wash as the top was golden brown and we even took the kahkes to special bakers during Zadig for a wonderful bake. I am certain it had milk, yeast and may be some eggs! I cannot quite remember the eggs! My mom and grandmother kneaded the dough and even let it rise overnight and we started real early next morning for an all day affair of making them, taking them to the baker. Brothers would carry them back and forth and we would sneak one or two in our pockets to eat them secretly as we were not allowed to eat them before they got blessed or after we had gone to Easter service. This was that special! We rolled some in smaller pieces and some in shapes closer to open face like lahmajoun - a bit smaller size- with many different designs on top and made lace edges like apple pie edges.....They were close to 1/2 inch thick when open faced!”

Hermine continued: “I am certain some Armenian family from Beirut will remember this too as we did go from house to house and helped relatives and neighbors shape the dough, drink coffee (not the children), tell stories, remember people and how one liked someone's kahke's better than others but were polite enough to taste them. I have absolutely no family left to ask! We scheduled kahke- making and it was the most wonderful time for us all children too! We took some to school and we shared them and our friends in school would give us theirs but my grandma’s was the best! She believed because they were blessed! Robyn, I really appreciate all that you are doing!”

I sent Hermine a butter kahke recipe from Rose Baboian's "Armenian -American Cookbook", but just by reading it, she could tell it wasn’t exactly right.

So with her permission, I’m asking readers for help in finding a Zadig Kahke recipe. If this strikes a chord with any of you, please email your recipe suggestions to robyn@thearmeniankitchen.com .

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

Revival of an Armenian church in Turkey: a link to the past or a path to the future?

2011-12-28T08:01:00.000-05:00

A reader was kind enough to pass along a link to one of the many recent news stories about the restoration and re-consecration of St. Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, the city known to Armenians as Dikranagerd.

Robyn and I both share Dikranagertsi roots, which we've written about many times in connection with the city's distinctive recipes and our memories of wonderful meals in loving company.

One of the largest churches in the Near or Middle East with a capacity of several thousand, St. Giragos was heavily damaged during the Armenian Genocide. It fell into disuse over the decades as the city's once vibrant Armenian community dwindled and virtually disappeared.

Although work continues, Armenians from around the world gathered for the church's rededication services in late October. The multi-million-dollar project represents the first restoration of one of Turkey's many Armenian churches funded entirely by the world-wide Armenian community.

The achievment is being hailed as a breakthrough in a country where the historic Armenian presence has been largely downplayed or ignored. Although St. Giragos may never have a regular congregation, Armenians hope it will become a lasting symbol of their history and a repository of the region's Armenian culture.

St. Giragos has long been a very personal symbol for me. A century-old photo of its magnificent, multi-tiered steeple graces the wall of my den, facing the desk where I work. I look up at it many times each day. It is the same photo that hung in my parents' home throughout my childhood.

When I was a boy, I asked my father why the rest of the church was absent from the picture. He said it was most important to remember the steeple because it was gone. It was so important to him that the photo was the only visible reminder in our home of the city of his birth.

The steeple, I later learned, was just a bit younger than Dad. It was built in 1913 as a replacement after the original was struck by lightning.

In an article about the recent restoration published in The Armenian Weekly, the Rev. Dr. George A. Leylegian noted that the steeple instantly became the tallest structure in the city, crowned by a glittering cross. It towered over the ruling Muslims' minarets, the article explained, a circumstance that led to its doom.

"On May 28, 1915, as the Ottomans were dragging the Armenian prelate, Mgrditch Vartabed Chulghadian, off to be tortured and eventually martyred, the artillery cannon from across the city took aim at the bell tower and shot it to pieces as the prelate was forced to watch. Even though the church continued to operate during the 20th century, the bell tower was never rebuilt."

My father escaped the steeple's fate, only to endure a childhood of repeated displacement without home or family. He had no interest in revisiting the scene of so much suffering and pain. He is long gone, so I can't know for sure whether the restoration of St. Giragos would have changed his mind.

But I'm certain he would have noted, as I have, the absence of a steeple in photos of the restored church. I have no doubt what he'd say about that.

Merry December 25th

2011-12-25T00:05:00.007-05:00

Our kitchen is closed today as we celebrate December 25th with our family and friends. We wish you all a very Special Christmas Season!

Cardamom-Pecan Cookies

2011-12-22T00:05:00.010-05:00

Cardamom is a spice most folks associate with cookies, but it’s also used to enhance coffee, fruit salad, or meats. Its scent can be overpowering, but the flavor is pleasingly mild, if used in modest amounts.

Cardamom-pecan cookie ingredients

Ready to serve!

Since it’s cookie-baking time, I thought you might like to try my recipe for cardamom-pecan cookies, a kourabia-like cookie that simply melts in your mouth.

Cardamom-Pecan Cookies

Yield: about 3 dozen

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds*
Dash salt
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (walnuts can be substituted)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and half of the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cardamom and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Gently stir in the pecans.
3. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake in a preheated 350° for 15-17 minutes or until edges turn a light brown.
5. Roll warm cookies in remaining powdered sugar. Cool on wire racks.

*Note: If you can't find cardamom seeds to grind, you can use pre-ground cardamom, however, it might not offer the same flavor-punch as freshly ground seeds.
To store: Place cookies in an container with a tight-fitting lid. If you need to stack the cookies, be sure to place a piece of parchment or waxed paper in between each layer.

It’s Christmas Baking Time!

2011-12-20T00:05:00.002-05:00

Kahke

Flour…check. Sugar…check. Butter…double-check – and don’t forget the kadaif dough! It’s time to roll up your sleeves and start baking your favorite holiday sweets.

Need a little help figuring out what to bake? Try making some of our favorite recipes:
Apricot Crescent Cookies
Boorma

Kourabia

Mini – or Traditional - Paklava
Kahke
Cheese, Nut-filled, or Cream-filled Kadaif
Kourabia
Shakarshee
Shakar Loqum
Tahini-Sesame Seed Cookies

If you have an Armenian - treasured Christmas baked good you’d like to share, please email your recipe to: robyn@thearmeniankitchen.com.

Happy Baking!

Saluting the first IAN Chef: Geoffrey Zakarian

2011-12-19T00:05:00.000-05:00

I have to brag a bit: I called this one weeks ago.

I had zero doubt that Geoffrey Zakarian would triumph in the Food Network's culinary Super Bowl to be crowned the next Iron Chef.

The highly lauded New York restaurateur defeated inventive California chef Elizabeth Falkner in a fast-paced final episode of The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs that aired Sunday Dec. 18.

Well-established as a master of modern cuisine, Zakarian has become a familiar TV face as one of the rotating judges on the network's Chopped competition among other shows.

He was one of eight chefs chosen for the Iron Chef cook-off, in which at least one chef was eliminated each week. From the first, Zakarian stood out for his intensity and confidence bordering on hubris.

Judges as well as other contestants commented that he sometimes showed little regard for the rules.

Is that Armenian, or what?

Zakarian has referred to his Armenian roots on television and has been quoted in interviews reminiscing about his early years in the long-standing Armenian community of Worcester, Massachusetts.

His cooking style, however, leans heavily on his classical French training and his experience with contemporary American cuisine.

Good as he is, Zakarian was hardly a shoo-in for Iron Chef. His competition included Michael Chiarello, Alex Guarnaschelli and Anne Burrell, all familiar faces in the world of TV chefs.

I knew he'd need something extra special to stand out in the final round.

"He's going to make khorovatz," I predicted confidently.

Sure enough, the camera showed Zakarian slicing a roast into perfect cubes — but they were already cooked and showed not a hint of coriander or sumac. I was visibly disappointed when he then tied them in little bundles instead of sliding them onto skewers.

In fairness, the ingredients for his festive holiday meal were chosen by the producers: Some beef, a few candy canes, some veggies. No lamb's feet, alas, so no khash!

It all turned out beautifully, however, and we'll guess it tasted even better.

Chef Zakarian's reward for his hard work is the chance to be challenged again and again in Kitchen Stadium.

We expect he'll do just fine. We just hope that one of these days he really skewers the competition.

Cream Filling for Kadaif

2011-12-16T00:05:00.033-05:00

Cream filling for Kadaif

Kadaif is one of those desserts that’s easier to make than you’d think. It can be filled with cheese, nuts, or a creamy mixture.

After posting the nut kadaif recipe recently, I received a comment with this request from Ara, who asked:
“Are you familiar with the version (of kadaif) that has clotted cream? I think it uses a mixture of crème fraiche thickened with starch and sweetened. If you know that variation, could you maybe post it? Thanks!”

Cheese Kadaif

My cream filling recipe is made with a blend of milk and heavy cream which becomes the centerpiece of the kadaif. Aside from the cream filling itself, this recipe follows the same assembly and baking procedures as the cheese kadaif and nut-filled kadaif recipes.

Nut-filled kadaif

Cream Filling for Kadaif

Ingredients:
¼ cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup milk, divided
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in 1/3 cup of the milk, stirring until well-combined.
2. In a saucepan, combine the remaining milk and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, keeping a watchful.
3. Reduce heat; slowly pour in cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Simmer for one or two minutes; remove from heat and cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Proceed with kadaif recipe, spreading the cream filling evenly over the bottom layer of buttered kadaif dough, then topping with remaining dough. Bake according to the kadaif recipe.

On the other hand, if you want khaimak (kaymak - or - clotted cream) which is served on top of zweibach, pastries or cooked fruit, here are two recipes from George Mardikian’s cookbook, “Dinner at Omar Khayyam’s”. The kaymak (khaimak) is not Mr. Mardikian's own creation, but one he learned from the famous chef Tocatlian from Constantinople (Istanbul).

Kaymak (clotted cream) from Mardikian's “Dinner at Omar Khayyam’s”
Note: This is served on top of sweetened bread, pastries, or cooked fruit.

1 quart (4 cups) heavy whipping cream
Directions:
      ·         In a saucepan, boil whipping cream over medium-low heat.
      ·         Using a ladle, lift out cream and pour it back into the pot until bubbles start to rise. Continue this process for 30 minutes to one hour.
      ·         Remove pot from heat; place pot with cream in a warm place for 2 hours.
      ·         Pour cream into a rectangular pan. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
      ·         With a sharp knife, remove loose bubbles of cream that have risen and set. Roll up and remove from liquid. Slice and serve on top of ekmek khadayiff.

George Mardikian’s Ekmek Khadayiff
Ingredients:
4 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons
1 pint (2 cups) honey
8 slices zweibach

Directions:

      ·         Steam zweibach with water-lemon juice mixture. When zweibach has puffed out, place in a flat, round pan.
      ·         Pour honey over it and bake until golden brown (350°F) for about 45 minutes.
      ·         Serve with kaymak.

Final Note: If preparing the kaymak seems too overwhelming, use labne sweetened with a little powdered sugar in its place!

A beautiful beach and Armenian food make a perfect pair, especially in Hollywood, Florida

2011-12-13T00:05:00.012-05:00

Mandy at the Hollywood Grill, FL

OK, the obvious is true: This post started out as an excuse to run a photo of our gorgeous daughter Mandy.

But because we're ethical and hard-working food bloggers, we were forced to enjoy a wonderful meal in an absolutely idyllic setting in order to justify sharing our delight in this recent visit from our one and only.

As director of arts and cultural accounts for Mirrorball, a cutting-edge marketing company based in New York, Mandy spent a week shuttling among the myriad festivities that make up Miami's premiere annual arts event: Art Basel.

It was a grind but it was a fun grind that involved escorting clients to art shows, performances and parties at glittering venues from the beach to downtown, often lasting well into the night. She was too busy or exhausted to chat, much less drag the old folks along.

As soon as the manic pace subsided, however, Mandy set aside a couple of days for fun with Mom and Dad. After regaling us with tales of her week-long tour of chic South Beach eateries, she told us to pick any cuisine and any restaurant we liked for a family feast.

We picked the Hollywood Grill, possibly the world's most unlikely setting for an Armenian restaurant.

A bit of explanation: When you think of Hollywood and Armenians, you probably think of Hollywood, California. The Florida city of the same name lies along the East Coast about halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, very much in the heart of South Florida's relatively small but growing Armenian community.

The restaurant's most unusual feature is that it's on the beach. Not near the beach or across from the beach but actually on it, separated from the dunes and ocean only by a sand-strewn walking path known as the Hollywood Broadwalk.

There are very few such venues in all of South Florida. There are none, of course, in Armenia. That alone makes it special.

It's also appropriately beach-side casual, with a narrow dining area barely larger than a covered home patio and no more formal in furnishings or decor. The menu, however, is far bigger and more sophisticated than you'd expect to find in a row of cheese-steak-and-burger shacks.

Of course, this is an Armenian restaurant so the menu isn't to be taken literally, as we discovered when asking our very friendly server for several lamb dishes that are apparently available only if ordered ahead.

I got a kick out of seeing khash listed, if only because you so seldom read the phrase "cow feet" on a menu. Alas, the waitress explained that the traditional feet-and-innards soup is best enjoyed before dawn and the restaurant doesn't open until 1 p.m. As an Armenian, I appreciated the philosophical dilemma. I suspect odars might not, but they're unlikely to order such a thing anyway.

The menu is also unusual in another way, at least for us: The fare is not just Armenian but also Russian and Georgian. Dining at Hollywood Grill is a uniquely Trans-Caucasian experience in a tropical setting.
NOTE: If you look closely at the photo, you'll see part of the Armenian flag behind Mandy on the right-hand side.

We weren't feeling quite so adventurous, so we passed up the dumplings and borscht and stuck with mostly familiar choices — and none disappointed us.

The Greek salad was far more than enough for three, and very much Armenian with large chunks of cucumber, tomato and Armenian cheese mixed with herbs. No lettuce, thank you. (There are several other salads available, including one laced with basturma.)

The stuffed cabbage was neatly done, with a generous and moist meat stuffing. The lule kebab was excellent. The lahmajoun was most impressive, with a crisp and clearly home-made crust and served with generous slices of fresh tomato as well as raw onion, parsley, and lemon.

In all, it was a very satisfying meal and we were able to walk off at least a few of the calories while enjoying the balmy breeze as we strolled along the crystal-blue oceanfront.

I think the smile on Mandy's face shows how much she enjoyed the meal. What you can't see are the smiles on our faces. We enjoyed the meal, too, but we enjoyed the company even more.

The Armenian version of porridge is always just right. (And it's definitely ours!)

2011-12-10T00:05:00.004-05:00

From YouTube: Turkish villagers
make keshkeg

We've stated early and often that we're food fanciers not food historians, so we've tried to steer clear of claims that any dish is uniquely Armenian.

Our premise when we began this blog was to embrace as Armenian food anything that Armenians eat.

In my case, of course, that would include hot fudge sundaes — although, it really shouldn't, for a number of reasons. The lesson is that some things aren't so easy to define or to avoid.

But identity politics is a powerful thing, and it's clear that Armenians must define their food or others will define it for us.

There's been a clear and ominous trend in recent years among our not-always-friendly neighbors to label certain dishes as Turkish or Azerbaijani in origin. Our friend and frequent correspondent, the writer Lucine Kasbarian, brought the latest instance of menu poaching to our attention.

A cultural arm of the United Nations recently certified keshkeg as Turkish. Known by various names, it's a familiar and filling winter-time stew of mashed wheat and meat, usually lamb or chicken. It has a consistency and appearance similar to oatmeal and is often seasoned with cumin.

Armenians have been making it for centuries. So apparently has everyone else in the 'hood, with variations, including Persians and Greeks.

There's nothing odd about that. We know food travels, although its exact path is sometimes hard to trace. But there are real food historians in Armenia, and we've noted their efforts to define and refine Armenian food as a distinct cuisine.

They seem certain that the original version sprang from the distinctly Armenian earthen ovens called tonirs. The stove-top pot version —or, in the Old World, the open-hearth version — is an evolutionary step. Turkish cooking, they note, does not include the use of the tonir.

I'm just old enough to remember the lingering euphoria over the UN's birth after the Second World War and the hope that it would be a major and lasting force for world peace.

I think it's fair to say that didn't exactly work as planned. But really, how in the world is it now the UN's business to be poking its fingers in our soup bowls?

A Uniquely Armenian Gift Idea

2011-12-07T00:05:00.001-05:00

It’s Christmas shopping time!

Are you looking for that special stocking-stuffer gift? Here’s something new – a refrigerator magnet – but, it's not just any magnet. This one is an English-to-Armenian spice and herb names magnet, a creation of Rostom Aghanian. You can find out how to order it by going to his website, www.narinj.com.
Rostom came up with his company, ‘Narinj’, as the result of a combination of things: his interest in Armenian language and culture (he runs this as a hobby), his attraction to building websites (which he runs as a side business), his entrepreneurship drive, and finally, the fact that he found very little available on the Internet in terms of Armenian-oriented gifts.

Currently, Rostom's business is a home-based venture, located in Thousand Oaks, California (near Glendale) and with just a single item for sale (the magnet). He hopes to expand the business in the future.

To help Rostom's business grow, order your magnets today, and surprise your family and friends with this attractive, educational Armenian gift that will enhance anyone’s refrigerator door!

Happy Shopping!