These kofte/kefthedes are very tasty.  We love using goat meat, but you can use other types of meat to suit your liking.  In Greece and Turkey, they are either made with beef or lamb, or a combination of the two.  We added scallions and a touch of pepper to our recipe.  We also baked them in the oven, but you can saute them on the stove top in some olive oil.  Serve with potatoes, salad, and pita bread.

2 thick slices of day old bread, crusts removed

1 ½ lbs ground goat meat*

1 clove garlic, minced

½ onion, grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced (up to about 2 inches from the ends)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch paprika or dried red pepper

2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Soak the bread in a bowl with water or broth for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl with your hands.
Squeeze out the excess water from the bread, crumble, and work into the meat mixture.
Form patties that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 1-inch thick. Bake the patties on a baking tray brushed with olive oil at 375° F for 40 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
Serve with pita bread and salad.

Makes about 8-10 patties.

*We love local goat meat, but you can also use lamb or beef, or any combination of the three.  Everyone has their own recipe for these, so add your own touch to the recipe.

This is a very healthy vegetarian dish full of Mediterranean flavor. Freekeh is wheat that has been harvested while still very young, and thus is very high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It has a slightly smoky flavor due to the way the wheat is processed after harvest, so it pairs well with mellow flavors, such as beans and chicken. This recipe calls for cooking the beans from scratch, but you can also use canned garbanzos for a faster version.

For the Garbanzos:

½ cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked at least 4 hours

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

1 sprig thyme

a few black peppercorns

For the Pilaf:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup yellow onion, small dice

¼ cup carrot, peeled, small dice

¼ cup fennel, small dice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

pinch of cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup freekeh, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes

2 cups vegetable broth

Short Sauce:

1 ½ cups fresh cilantro, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 cup parsley, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 sprig mint, leaves roughly chopped

½ cup pinenuts, lightly toasted

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)

For the Garbanzos:

Drain the garbanzos of their soaking liquid.
Place in a medium sized pot and cover with about 3 cups fresh water. Add the rest of the ingredients (you can place them in a bouquet garni bag if you want) and bring the water up to a boil. Simmer until the garbanzos are cooked through. Drain, remove the aromatics, and set aside.

To Prepare the Pilaf:
Heat up the olive oil in a medium sized pot. Sweat the onion, carrot, fennel, and garlic until the onion and fennel appear translucent. Add the spices and a pinch of salt, and stir for another minute or two. Drain the freekeh of its soaking liquid and add it to the pot. Stir everything together so that the freekeh is well integrated, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently. Pour over the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and let cook for 30 minutes. Add the garbanzos and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the wheat is cooked through. Keep in mind that these are wheat berries, so they will have a slightly chewy texture and will not be completely soft.

Make the short sauce by blending all of the ingredients together until coarsely chopped, you do not want a smooth puree. Spoon a bit of the sauce into the pot and stir to combine. Serve while warm.

Serves 4. 

Maple Pecan Baklava is our twist on the traditional Eastern Mediterranean dessert. Maple syrup and pecans strike an accord in this indulgent sweet that is perfect for Thanksgiving and the holiday celebrations that follow. We suggest black walnuts here for a unique flavor, but you can also use regular walnuts for the same result.  You can make this on your own, but we suggest inviting a friend over to help with the phyllo and to spend time with in the kitchen. This is enough for one 13x9 inch tray with a 2” side.

For the Syrup:

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 cups maple syrup

Lemon rind from 1 lemon (at least a good 2 inches or so)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange flower water (optional)

For the Filling:

2 cups pecans

1 cup black walnuts or regular walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

To Assemble:

3 sticks of butter

1 package of phyllo dough

1 13x9x2 inch baking tray

Pastry brush

Spoon

Make the syrup by combining the water, sugar, and maple syrup in a small saucepan with the lemon rind. Bring to a boil and simmer until it has reduced slightly and gains a syrupy consistency. It should lightly coat a spoon. Remove from the heat, and add the lemon juice and orange flower water. Allow the syrup to cool completely and set in the fridge to chill.

Meanwhile, pulse the nuts, cinnamon, and sugar together in a food processor until they are coarse crumbles. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and keep warm.

To Assemble: It is important to organize your workspace before you get started on this assembly process. You will need to keep the stack of phyllo covered with a sheet of plastic wrap and a wet towel as you work. It is good to have 2 people work on this together, so that 1 person can always make sure the phyllo stays damp.
Keep the butter, pastry brush, and the bowl with the nut mixture near by.

Start with a sheer coating of butter on the baking pan. Add a layer of phyllo and brush gently with butter, coating the whole sheet lightly. Repeat with another 3 layers of phyllo for a total of 4. After the 4th layer, add a sprinkle of the nut mixture onto the phyllo after brushing it with butter. It is important to lightly sprinkle the nuts evenly across the whole layer of phyllo. Layer with 2 phyllo sheets, each brushed with butter, then repeat with a layer of nuts. Follow by 1 layer of phyllo. Continue this pattern of 1 layer of nuts, followed by 2 layers of phyllo (each brushed with butter), followed by 1 layer of nuts, followed by 1 layer of phyllo, until you are done with your nuts, and you have 4-6 phyllo sheets leftover. You should have about 7 layers of nuts at this point. Top with the remaining 4-6 phyllo sheets and brush the top generously with the remaining butter. Slice the baklava in a diamond pattern by using a sharp knife (preferably slightly serated).

Bake in a 340ºF oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This seems like a wide range of time, but it is dependent on the heat of your oven. Check the baklava after 30 minutes, and then time accordingly. Remove the baklava from the oven when the top is crisp and lightly browned. Pour the cooled syrup over the entire baklava slowly, so that it can be absorbed.

Allow to rest for at least 12 hours before eating.

We here at Kitchen Caravan love the combination of pomegranates, squash, and cheese.  This is a simple pita pizza that incorporates sweet, salty, and sour flavors together in one place.  It is also a great combination of colors: green, orange, and ruby red. If you cannot find Za'atar, you can still pull this recipe off with the pomegranate, squash, and feta. 

2 whole wheat pitas

2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of salt, pepper, and cumin

¼ cup sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon prepared za’atar*

2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon pitted black olives, chopped

Fresh oregano

Toss the pumpkin cubes with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin and roast in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until fork tender.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 300 and toast the pitas until crisp, about 10 minutes. Fork mash the pumpkin and spread over the two pitas. Sprinkle over the crumbled feta and za’atar. Bake in the oven for another few minutes, or until the edges are crispy and the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, chopped olives, and fresh oregano.

Serves 2.

*Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made with sumac, wild thyme, oregano, and sesame seeds. To prepare it, simply mix extra virgin olive oil with the dried spices and stir.