RECIPES: Mediterranean dishes by way of metro Atlanta
Mediterranean food is popular for many reasons. We love the bold flavors, the textures ranging from creamy yogurt to crisp falafel and the focus on whole grains, fresh herbs and colorful vegetables and fruit. It doesn’t hurt that a Mediterranean diet is widely considered to be one of the healthiest.
And in summer’s heat, food from this sunny part of the world is exactly what many of us are craving.
Alpharetta resident Suzy Karadsheh’s forthcoming cookbook “The Mediterranean Dish” (Clarkson Potter, $32.50) is a collection of more than 120 recipes that reflect the cuisine of her Egyptian homeland as well as other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.
The book, to be released Sept. 13, is full of stories of growing up in Port Said, Egypt, tagging along with her father to the marketplace for the ingredients her mother would turn into dinner, and how she adapted those family recipes when she and her husband moved to the United States.
In 2014, she started a blog where she posted recipes for the Egyptian and Levantine dishes she grew up with, and recipes from her travels to places like Turkey, Greece and France. Her goal was to document these recipes for her two daughters, both born in Michigan.
When the family moved to the Atlanta area in 2016, the blog grew into a larger website, and Karadsheh began hearing from more people who connected with her story and loved her recipes. Publication of her first cookbook became another channel to share her heritage, recipes and tips.
Recently, we talked about cooking with her family and how she navigated the sometimes difficult task of finding the ingredients she needs.
“My daughters have always been good eaters. I think that’s because we fed them hummus the minute they were able to eat real food,” she said with a laugh. “Dara, my oldest, has become more interested in cooking now that she’s in college and having to feed herself. She goes on the website and looks for recipes.
“Hannah, the little one, has always been really interested in cooking. She is often in the kitchen with me. I think she’s the one who inherited the cooking gene. And she loves sumac. We’ll make a salad and she will get up and get the bottle to add some.”
As popular as Mediterranean cooking is, Karadsheh has sometimes had trouble sourcing the ingredients she needed.
“People would ask me, ‘Where do I get the best olive oil?’ ‘Where can I find Aleppo pepper?’ Many of these ingredients can be found at markets like Whole Foods and the larger international farmers markets in the Atlanta area, but I, too, was looking online for many things. As I began sourcing the spices and other hard-to-find ingredients, I created a one-stop shop on my website, The Mediterranean Dish, to make it easy to create these dishes at home.”
She also adapted some of her recipes to include ingredients that might be in her readers’ pantries. For example, while baklava might traditionally use orange blossom water, her recipe calls for orange extract. “I find it gives a little more orange flavor and it’s something you can find on the shelf at your grocery.”
But for some things, she says there’s no substitute for using the traditional ingredients. Take, for example, Aleppo pepper, available on her website and in markets that specialize in Mediterranean groceries. “These pepper flakes have a little bit of heat, but a sweet overtone akin to sun-dried tomatoes. I use Aleppo pepper often in anything from marinades to dry rubs. And it’s great with fish. The spice is named for Aleppo, Syria, where the peppers were once grown in abundance. Because of the war in Syria, what we can find now is mostly grown in Turkey using seeds from the original peppers.”
RECIPES
Enjoy this late summer menu from “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, $32.50). Dessert, salad and basil vinaigrette can be made ahead, leaving only the swordfish to be seasoned and grilled before dinner.
Grilled Swordfish Skewers with Basil Vinaigrette
Karadsheh recommends swordfish for this recipe because it’s sturdy enough to be skewered and grilled. We also tried this recipe with tuna and with chicken. All delicious. In the photo, the skewers are served over rice.
- 2 medium yellow squash or zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 medium red onion, quartered, then quarters cut in half
- 2 pounds swordfish steaks, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Basil Vinaigrette, divided (recipe follows)
- 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
- In a large bowl, combine the squash, red onion and swordfish chunks. Season with 3/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Add olive oil, garlic, oregano, coriander and red pepper flakes. Pour in 1/4 cup vinaigrette and toss to coat the fish pieces well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, soak 6 bamboo skewers in water. Heat a gas grill to 400 degrees and oil the grates.
- When ready to grill, divide the squash, onion and swordfish chunks into 6 servings and thread each serving’s worth of squash, onion, and swordfish onto a skewer in that order. Discard any vinaigrette remaining in the bowl.
- Arrange the skewers on the grill and close the grill. Cook for 7 minutes on one side, then turn the skewers over once, shut the cover again, and cook until the fish is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes, for medium to medium-well or until the center of the swordfish registers 130 degrees. Let the skewers rest off the heat for a few minutes before serving. The swordfish will continue to “cook” to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Squeeze the lime all over the fish and serve the skewers with the remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Serves 6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 373 calories (percent of calories from fat, 61), 30 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 25 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 100 milligrams cholesterol, 128 milligrams sodium.— Adapted from a recipe in “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).
Basil Vinaigrette
You’ll use 1/2 cup of this vinaigrette for your swordfish skewers. We suggest saving the remainder to dress a plate of sliced tomatoes.
Karadsheh adds the optional step of blanching the basil to preserve its bright green color.
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 large garlic clove
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- Blanch basil, optional: Fill a medium bowl with ice cubes and water and set it next to the stove. Fill a small saucepan about three-fourths full of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the basil and boil 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the basil to the bowl of ice water and let cool 5 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, remove the basil from the ice water, wrap the wilted basil in a paper towel, and squeeze to wring out as much water as possible.
- Place the blanched basil, the olive oil, shallot, garlic, lime juice, vinegar and red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until well combined and smooth. Season to taste with salt and refrigerate in a tightly closed jar for up to 4 days. Makes 3/4 cup.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per tablespoon: 86 calories (percent of calories from fat, 94), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 9 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.— Adapted from a recipe in “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).
Two Peas and a Potato Salad
This is Karadsheh’s go-to potato salad, an unusual combination of potatoes, chickpeas and green peas, seasoned with a garlicky mustard dressing and mixed with lots of fresh herbs and capers. She suggests using a combination of Yukon gold and red-skinned potatoes.
- 1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, halved (or quartered, if large)
- Kosher salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- Black pepper
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped dill fronds
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and stir in about 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until just tender but still somewhat firm. Add chickpeas and frozen peas and cook for another 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and tender but not mushy. Drain well.
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, the vinegar, mustard, garlic, Aleppo pepper, sumac, coriander, and a big pinch of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Add the potatoes, peas and chickpeas to the bowl. Season lightly with salt and toss to coat with the dressing. Add the parsley, red onion, dill and capers. Give everything one more toss to combine. Cover the bowl and chill the potato salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. May be made 24 hours ahead. Remove from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 320 calories (percent of calories from fat, 39), 9 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 14 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 320 milligrams sodium.— Adapted from a recipe in “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).
Triple Nutty Baklava
There is nothing austere about this baklava. It’s sweetened with a rich honey syrup, spiced with cloves and brightened with lemon juice and orange extract. Be sure you like the flavor of the honey you’re using as it will be a very predominant flavor.
Karadsheh suggests storing the baklava in the pan, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for the first night or two. Then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen baked baklava in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon orange extract
- 5 whole cloves
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 6 ounces shelled pistachios, roasted and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups), plus extra for garnish
- 6 ounces walnuts, roasted and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 6 ounces hazelnuts, roasted and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (1-pound) package phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- Make the honey syrup: Combine 3/4 cup sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in the honey, orange extract and whole cloves, then bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer 25 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let syrup cool, then stir in the lemon juice. Set aside.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts. Pulse a few times to finely chop. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cinnamon, ground cloves and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Mix well to combine.
- Unroll the phyllo and place sheets on a clean kitchen towel, then cover stack with a second clean kitchen towel.
- Brush a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Take 1 sheet of phyllo and place it in the pan. if the phyllo sheets are larger than your pan, fold them to fit. Brush the top of the phyllo with melted butter. Repeat this process until you have used about one-third of the phyllo. Sprinkle half the nut mixture evenly over the top layer of phyllo. Continue adding sheets of phyllo and brushing each with melted butter until you have used about half of the remaining phyllo sheets. Distribute the remaining nut mixture evenly over the top of that second layer of phyllo. Finish with the remaining batch of phyllo, following the same process, and after adding the last sheet, brushing the top with remaining melted butter. Use a serrated knife to cut the baklava on the diagonal in both directions so you have 24 diamond-shaped pieces.
- Bake the baklava for 30 minutes, until the top turns a light golden brown. As soon as you remove the baklava from the oven, pour the honey syrup all over it. It will make a sizzling sound. Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving to make sure the syrup has been absorbed. Cut again along the diagonal lines before serving. Garnish with chopped pistachios. Makes 24 pieces.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per piece: 338 calories (percent of calories from fat, 53), 5 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 20 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 20 milligrams cholesterol, 123 milligrams sodium.— Adapted from a recipe in “The Mediterranean Dish” by Suzy Karadsheh (Clarkson Potter, $32.50).
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