Oh, I love the spices in this. The flavors are awesome.

Lisa says:

Yeah I really like all the different ways we’re finding to use the chard in our CSA box.

Chris says:

I want to make this with lamb some time, but actually, it really works with the ground turkey.

Lisa says:

I think it’s great with the turkey — I just haven’t been in a lamby mood lately.

Chris says:

Well don’t feel baa-aa-aa-aad; this is definitely one of those recipes that’ll enter the rotation.

Lisa says:

I only feel “baa-aa-aa-aad” for anyone reading this who had to put up with that pun.

Black-Eyed Pea, Ground Turkey, and Chard Stew
1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp red pepper paste
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, with juice
pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 cup vegetable stock
leaves from 1 bunch of chard, coarsely chopped

In a medium saucepan, cover the black-eyed peas with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, add fresh water just to cover the peas, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain once again.
In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, salt to taste, and saute for four minutes until tender. Add the turkey and saute until firm and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add the pepper paste and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, black-eyed peas, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the peas are very tender. Add the chard and toss to wilt. If the dish is watery, increase the heat and stir until mostly evaporated. Adjust seasonings, and serve.

4 Servings

I’d been craving lamb, and Lisa was in a I-want-lasagna-but-we-just-had-lasagna mood, so moussaka seemed like the perfect bridge between our two wants. This recipe comes from the book Mediterranean Hot and Spicy; the moussaka was certainly hot (after being in a 400F oven for an hour…) but spicy? Not so much. Mouth-watering? Yes. Mouth-burning? No. Just a warning; this is not a recipe you can just whip up when you get home from work; it’s a multi-hour commitment!

I can’t believe you’re just finishing up, I would have been frustrated hours ago.

Chris says:

Ha, I actually enjoy the occasional time-intensive recipe; besides, the last hour I haven’t been doing anything but getting hungry while I wait for it to finish baking.

Lisa says:

Well I’m glad it’s done now… I’m starvin’, Marvin.

Chris says:

This smells awesome… Mmm.. and there’s the lamb I’ve been craving.

Lisa says:

Oooh, I love the texture of the baked yogurt top. And the meat is good — not super-duper “lamby”.

Chris says:

All the veggies are great; I like the layer of green peppers.

Lisa says:

The potato layer is awesome. Whoa — looks like there’s a ton leftover.

Chris says:

There is — you could totally cut this recipe in half and just bake it in an 8″x8″ pan and you’d be set for 4 servings.

Lisa says:

I guess at some point we’ll be able to report back on how this freezes and reheats.

Chris says:

Indeed — we’ll have to whip this out midweek next week. It’ll be nice to not have to work nearly as hard for it next time.

Spicy, Light Moussaka
Sea salt
2 large eggplants (about 1.5 lbs). sliced lengthwise, 1/4″ thick
Olive oil
1 lb potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick
3 large green bell peppers, quartered and cut into 1″ pieces
1 lb lean ground lamb
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 or more pinches of cayenne
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup dried currants
2 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes with juice
fresh ground black pepper
2 pinches freshly ground nutmeg
1 pinch allspice
1 lb (4 cups) nonfat Greek yogurt
2 egg yolks

Salt the eggplant slices, place them in a colander, and let them drain for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat about an inch deep of olive oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the potato slices until browned but not cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and layer on the bottom of a 9×12″ glass ovenproof casserole dish. In the same oil, saute the peppers over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they start to color, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reserve the oil, measure out 1/4 cup, and return it to the pan. Saute the lamb in the oil, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until no longer red. Add the chopped onion and continue to saute for another 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the cayenne and red wine. When boiling, add the currants and tomatoes. Lower and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more cayenne if wanted. Add the nutmeg and allspice and add to the heat.
Preheat the broiler.
Wipe the eggplant slices with paper towels and place them on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with the reserved oil and broil about 4 inches from the heat until golden brown on both sides.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Arrange the eggplant over the potatoes, overlapping if necessary. Layer the peppers over the eggplant and top with the lamb/tomato mixture. In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the egg yolks, stirring well. Pour the mixture over the lamb/tomato mixture. Bake for 1 hour, until the top starts to color and the moussaka is bubbly.

6-8 Servings.

Hooray, I’ve always wanted to make baba ghanoush! I love the smokiness from the grilled and blackened eggplant.

Lisa says:

Yeah, this is good — tastes really close to how my dad makes it.

Chris says:

Same ingredients I’m assuming?

Lisa says:

Yep… though we always called it “moutabal” growing up.

Chris says:

I think this one came out just a little … sweet? …is that possible? It might just need a pinch more salt.

Lisa says:

You’ll never get an argument from me on adding salt. To anything.

Baba Ghanoush
2 medium-size eggplants
4 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
parsley

Score the eggplants all over with a fork. Preheat a gas grill on high and grill the eggplant whole until the skins are black and blistered, about 40 minutes. Remove the skins and spoon out the insides as soon as you can handle the eggplant. Puree the pulp in a food processor, then drain the bitter liquid from the eggplant by letting it sit in a strainer over a bowl for an hour.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and tahini. Pound the garlic and salt together in a mortar until it is a paste, then stir into the tahini. Stir into the eggplant puree. Taste and add water to thin.
Pour onto a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil, then top with parsley.
Scoop with pita or Arabic flatbread.

A few weeks ago, we were asked by Tara Mataraza Desmond and Joy Manning to participate in a virtual potluck in celebration of their recent cookbook, Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet. I like the book’s concept — use less meat in recipes and replace it with novel ingredients to make them healthier without having to completely eliminate meat altogether. We had previously made and enjoyed the Albondigas, so this time we decided to tackle a recipe we’d never made at home before: Gyros!  Rather than solely containing lamb shaved off a vertical broiler, this version uses a few slices of grilled leg of lamb steak, filled out with ful mudammas, a garlicky, zesty Middle-Eastern bean-spread. It’s then topped with cool tzatziki and tomatoes for a great combination of texture and flavor.

Chris says:

Hooray for gyros! I’m glad we finally made these at home, I love them.

Lisa says:

…and there’s ful in it? I’ve only ever had the stew-version, this should be interesting — it’s the same ingredients?

Chris says:

Yep, basically the same thing, but no broth, and the beans are mashed. How is it?

Lisa says:

Wow, it’s awesome. The flavors are exactly right.

Chris says:

Sweet — it’s really nice in there with the lamb. I like the combination.

Lisa says:

Yum, me too. These are great. The tzatziki rules.

Chris says:

Well I made it with Fage, your favorite.

Lisa says:

No wonder!

Chris says:

So — overall… great success?

Lisa says:

Great success!

Ful Mudammas Gyros
(Reprinted with permission from Ten Speed Press and the authors)
Tzatziki:
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/4″ dice (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
Salt

Lamb:
1 12-oz leg of lamb steak
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Ful Mudammas:
1 15-oz can fava beans, drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 tbsp)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 pitas or flatbreads
Tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)

Make the tzatziki: Combine the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, and mint in a small bowl and stir until combined. Taste, adding salt if needed. Cover and refrigerate.
Marinate the lamb: Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, garlic, and pepper in a large glass bowl. Add the lamb and flip the meat several times to coat in the marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Make the ful mudammas: While the lamb marinates, combine the beans, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Smash the beans with a pestle to form a textured paste. Season with more salt if desired.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the lamb on the hot grill and discard the remaining marinade. Grill for about 4 minutes per side, until the meat reaches medium-rare (about 130F). Take the lamb off the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing very thinly across the grain.
To assemble, spread about 1/4 cup of the fava bean mixture on each pita or flatbread. Add 3 or 4 slices of lamb, a dollop of tzatziki, and some of the chopped tomato to each. Wrap the pita around the filling, serve, and enjoy.

4 Gyros

Thanks again to Tara and Joy for asking us to participate in the virtual pot luck!

Lisa says:

This turkey kefta is way different than the versions I had growing up… but you’re right, it’s really good.

Chris says:

Yeah — no pine nuts or bulgur in this one… Yum, I really like the way the cauliflower is cooked — I don’t think I’ve ever had it any other way than raw or steamed. I strayed from the recipe and used Jenn’s baking method instead of the one in the book.

Lisa says:

…that taratur sauce on it rules.

Chris says:

Oooh — the sauce is actually also good on the kefta.

Lisa says:

I like how there’s not really a ton of tahini in it, but the sesame flavor really comes out.

Chris says:

I like how there’s not really a ton of kefta left, because most of it is already in my belly. The flavor really went in.

Turkey Kefta Kebabs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 dry white wine
pomegranate molasses

Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet, and cook the onions and tomatoes, sprinkled with salt and pepper, over high heat until the onions start to wilt and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, onion-tomato mix, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, cilantro, and wine. Mix together well and form into small balls. The mix will feel *really* delicate and sticky.
In the skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, and rotate every 30 seconds or so until all sides are seared. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 150. Serve on a plate and drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the top.

Makes ~14

Cauliflower with Taratur
1 head cauliflower
olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp water
1/3 cup lemon juice
powdered red pepper

Heat the oven to 450F. Break the cauliflower into florets and place into a small bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the cauliflower and add a pinch of red pepper. Toss until all the cauliflower is coated, then place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and tender.
In a bowl, mix the crushed garlic and the salt. Add the tahini and blend well, then add the water and mix thoroughly. Add the lemon juice and blend until the sauce is whitish and smooth. Add red pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and serve.

We had a Lebanese food fest at our friend Megan’s last night, and one of the items we brought were these delicious Arak cookies, adapted from a butter cookie recipe in Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen. The original uses orange flower water, but I thought they’d be delicious with the anise-flavor of arak. Boy was I right — the flavor level was right on: just a hint of licorice without it being overwhelming.

Lisa says:

These are so addicting…

Thad says:

Mmmmm… very good.

Chris says:

I think they’re awesome — they’d be great with pistachios.

Lisa says:

Then they’d totally be Lebanese…

Abbie says:

These are delicious — and I don’t even like arak!

Megan says:

Yeah, how’d you think to use arak in these? Genius!

Chris says:

I’m trying to make room in my belly for more, but the other 9 courses we had tonight are making that quite difficult…

Arak Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp arak
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Almond slivers

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, and arak until the mixture is light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour.
Preheat the oven to 325F. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Arrange the balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press to flatten each ball to make round cookies about 1 1/2-inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle 3-4 almond slivers (or one pistachio) into the center of each. Bake the cookies at 325F 20 to 25 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Don’t let them brown!
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets 5 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

24 Cookies

Chris says:

I’m happy about finally making a lamb dish… and this was actually pretty simple. It cooks for a while, but it’s mostly hands-off.

Lisa says:

This is really good… and the kitchen smells great!

Chris says:

I’m gonna happily get “fatta” by eating more of it.

Lisa says:

I like scooping up the stew with the toasted pita.

Chris says:

If “Middle Eastern Nachos” didn’t sound so unappetizing I’d call it that.

Lisa says:

I just call it delicious.

Lamb and Spinach Fatta (Fattet Sabanikh)
—————————————-
2 bunches of spinach (about 2 lbs)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 lb lean boneless lamb, cut into 1″ cubes
1/2 tsp Mixed Spices (4 parts ground cinnamon, 1 part each ground nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups water
juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp Middle Eastern red pepper
2 6″ pita breads, toasted and broken into bite-sized pieces
Minted Garlic Yogurt Sauce (1 1/2 cups low-fat yogurt, crushed garlic, 1 tsp crushed dried mint)

Wash the spinach thoroughly, remove and discard the stems, roughly chop, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until softened, stirring frequently. Add the lamb and saute, turning to brown on all sides. Add the Mixed Spices, salt, pepper, and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until the meat is tender and most of the water has been absorbed. If it has not, uncover and boil until the liquid is reduced. Stir in the spinach, cover, and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the spices to taste. Turn off the heat.
In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the pine nuts and saute until golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in the red pepper and remove from the heat.
To serve, spread pieces of the toasted pita in the bottom of a serving dish. Spoon the lamb and spinach stew over them. Cover with the yogurt sauce and garnish with the sauteed pine nuts. Dribble the red pepper butter remaining in the skillet over the top.

4 Servings.

Tonight’s we had an onionstravaganza! Mujadara, a Lebanese rice and lentil dish topped with blackened onions, paired with chicken cooked with onions, tomato, and hot pepper, served family-style. The chicken recipe comes from Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine.

Chris says:

I could have made the chicken spicier; our red pepper’s not hot enough.

Lisa says:

Yeah it’s not super-hot. Maybe add more onions.

Chris says:

True; doesn’t the surgeon general recommend 8 entire onions a day?

Lisa says:

We’re almost there now! So good … I love the sweet taste of the rice!

Chris says:

I love the onion taste of the everything.

Mujadara
——–
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion , chopped
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice

3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup dried lentils , rinsed, picked over
3/4 cup long-grain white rice
2 large onions, sliced
3 tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
yogurt
mint

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and next 4 ingredients; sauté until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add broth and lentils; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Stir in rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions; sauté until soft and beginning to blacken, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates; top with blackened onions. Garnish with tomatoes, yogurt, and mint.

Chicken in Hot Sauce
——————–
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp hot red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
4 medium onions, sliced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water

Cut the chicken into 2″ pieces and coat with 1/2 tsp of the red pepper. Sautee the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions to the pan with a couple tbsps of water; cook until translucent. Return the chicken to the pan, and add the tomato paste, water, and the rest of the hot red pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

4 Servings

This evening Lisa successfully tackled an all-time favorite dish, lahmajoun (also, lahm bi ajeen, s’fiha). These little flatbread “pizzas” feature a crispy crust and ground beef mixed with tomatoes and a delicious mix of various herbs and spices. This is the first recipe we’ve made from Recipes and Remembrances from an Eastern Mediterranean Kitchen, which we received as a wedding present from Megan. We served it with a cucumber and yogurt salad.

Chris says:

Wow, I can’t believe how good this turned out, especially considering you’ve never made it solo before… the dough was perfect!

Lisa says:

Neither can I — these are *so* good. The flavors in the meat are fantastic. I love that we have nine pies left to freeze, too.

Chris says:

Oops, better make that eight. Mmmm… this cucumber stuff is good.

Lisa says:

I’m not sure why they call it “salad”; it’s very similar to a cucumber yogurt soup I’ve had. So cool and refreshing!

Lahmajoun
———
(Dough)
1 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

(Meat Topping)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs lean ground lamb or beef
2 large tomatoes, peeled seeded, chopped, and drained
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped mint
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses (reduce unsweetened pomegranate juice to by two-thirds)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp mixed spices (2 parts allspice, 1 part cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and cumin)
salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste

To make the dough pour 1/2 cup of the water into a small bowl and sprinkle it with the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture stand about 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy.
In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add the remaining 1/2 cup water, the yeast mixture, and the oil. Blend the mixture until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with just enough additional flour, if necessary, to keep it from sticking. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, prepare the meat topping. In a medium heavy skillet heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not browned. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine the lamb/beef, tomatoes, and tomato paste and mix well. Add the parsley, mint, and pine nuts, Pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, mixed spices, and salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Drain the onions of oil and add to the meat mixture. Knead the mixture until it is thoroughly blended. Divide into 16 equal portions and set aside.
Punch down the dough and divide into 16 equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth ball and arrange the balls 2 inches apart on a lightly floured board. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface roll out each of the balls into a circle that is no more than 1/8″ thick. Arrange the circles slightly apart on large, lightly greased baking sheets. Top each circle with a portion of the meat mixture, spreading evenly to the edge. Bake the pies in a preheated 450 degree oven for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Makes 16

Cucumber and Yogurt Salad
————————-
2 cups low-fat plain yogurt, drained to 1 1/2 cups
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
1 tsp crushed dried spearmint
1/2 tsp crushed tarragon
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp olive oil
2 small cucumbers, peeled and seeded
2 tbsp lemon juice

Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate to cool and let flavors combine.

Makes approx. 2 cups

We’ve been looking forward to making manti again (okay, I’ve been looking forward to Lisa making manti again), and the first day of fall sounded like a perfect excuse to make this Armenian favorite: Crispy little canoe-shaped dumplings stuffed with ground beef, onion, and allspice, in a bowl of chicken broth, topped with a dollop of garlic-yogurt.

Chris says:

Holy mackeral, I love this stuff. My favorite part is taking some of the leftover manti and just dipping it right into the garlic-yogurt. I could eat that every day and never tire of it. And I like that new side dish with the swiss chard. I’m glad we’re finding more things to do with the bulgur in the pantry.

Lisa says:

I love it too, but how about next time you spend an hour putting the manti together, and I’ll play on the computer. Also, that side dish ruled, but needed more garlic.

Chris says:

I don’t want to ruin perfection, so I think you should continue to be the designated manti-maker. Hey, haven’t we already featured this on the blog?

Lisa says:

Yeah, the very first post — but that’s back when you were lazy and weren’t listing the recipes. Besides, we made a new side dish with it, and have this picture of the manti before it went in the oven. I want to show off my hard work.

Manti
(from The Complete Armenian Cookbook)
—–
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, minced
salt, pepper, and allspice to taste
won ton wrappers
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter
sumac

To prepare the filling, combine the ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, and allspice in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside. Cut each sheet of won ton wrappers into four squares. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square. Pinch the two ends with your fingers to form a canoe-shaped pastry. Arrange the manti close together, meat-side up, in a well-buttered pan. Dot each with a bit of the butter. Bake at 350 degrees about 20-30 minute, or until the manti are golden brown. Keep warm. Heat the chicken broth. Combine the yogurt and garlic in a mixing bowl. To serve, place the manti into individual bowls, add the hot chicken broth and the garlic-yogurt. Sprinkle with the sumac, and serve.

4 Servings

Swiss Chard with Bulgur
(from Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine)
———————–
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb Swiss chard, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup #3 bulgur
1 cup water
pepper

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Add the swiss chard to the onion and let them cook, over medium heat, for 6 to 10 minutes or until the Swiss chard has reduced in bulk. Make a hole in the center of the Swiss chard, add the bulgur, then cover it with the chard. Cook for 5 more minutes. Season with pepper. Add water and cook over low heat until the water has evaporated.

Serves 4