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Clinging to Freddie Mercury and a Pot of Rice – Zereshk Polo – Barberries and Rice

Zereshk – barberries – like memories – first need to be sorted through.  Scatter them on a plate as you would dried legumes, and with a discerning eye pick out the older, shriveled and darker looking ones.  Hang on to the bright crimson ones.  Occasionally you might come across a small stone, pebble, or something of the sort.  Give those the boot as well.  While you’re at it remove the little stems too.  Sometimes I skip this step.  Like other things in life it all depends on my patience level, and the all-too-demanding tick-tock of the clock.

It’s 1977, maybe 1978.  When you are very young the magnitude of every hour, day and month is never lost on you. You proudly announce your age by year, month, day, even minute.  Making sure no one mistakes the six-year-old you for the much younger five-and-a-half-year-old you. When later in life you look through the long lens of memory, the years meld into one.  And now you refrain from any unnecessary age announcements.

Next give the zereshk a bath.  Even on lazy days follow through with this step.  Place them in a bowl and fill with cold water.  Let them sit and soak for about 15 minutes. Observe as the ruby red jewels re-hydrate, plump up and rise to the top as all the sand settles to the bottom. Best to leave the dirt and detritus behind.  In life and cookery.  Reach in and gently lift up the barberries (you can use your hands or a very small mesh colander for this) without disturbing the sand that has settled on the bottom. Place the barberries in a small colander, give a quick rinse and set aside to drain.

My older brother Ramin and I take our positions at either end of the carpet adorning the family room floor.  A recurring game of koshti – wrestling face-off between siblings.  The sizzle of the onions hitting the hot butter catches me off-guard and within a few seconds the heady aroma of onions melting and caramelizing sneaks out of the kitchen. Winding its path beyond the piano (a constant reminder to practice), and stops short at the large living room windows.  There it lingers in awe of the first snowfall of the season settling on the window sills. Just in time for Yalda night  – the winter solstice. Overnight Tehran will be covered in a peaceful blanket of white. Hypnotized and distracted by the scents and sounds my eyes scan past Ramin, who is ready to charge, and fall upon our mother in the kitchen, rhythmically lifting the tart, jewel-like zereshk in and out of the bowl. I overhear our parents’ conversation. Like the onions, it sizzles and softens, casually weaving in and out of earshot. There’s talk of a possible trip to the mountains to enjoy the first snowfall. There’s also murmurs of unrest on the streets.  With a yek-doh-seh my brother and I charge at each other.  I give it all my little body has to give.  He lets me win.  He always lets me win.  A typical weekend.  It’s Tehran.  But it could be anywhere.

Caramelizing onions is a test in time, patience and heat control.  But where there is great effort, there is also great reward.  Most of the time.  When preparing Zereshk Polo I like to caramelize the onions in butter for a silkier, nuttier, and of course tastier, finish.  Start at a higher temperature and stir often.  At this point you’ll need to use all senses to determine when to turn down the heat.  Listen to the sizzle, stick your nose in there, and keep a close eye on those onions.  Play with your heat source and don’t get discouraged – it takes time.  Ultimately, after about 40 minutes the onions will shrink,  sweeten and turn into a sticky rich shade of brown – caramel like.  Some pieces turn darker and crunchier than others.  Add the barberries to the caramelized onion at the very end.  Barberries can burn very quickly so they only need a quick sauté, no more than 3-5 minutes.

It’s 1980, maybe 1981.  Snowfall in Rome is rare, but then again the past year or so has been anything but ordinary.  The murmurs of unrest turned into demonstrations, which turned into revolution, which turned into blackouts, sirens and bombs.   All that and so much more is now behind you.  What’s ahead is unknown, uncertain, unnerving.  But when you are young all that matters is what’s in front of you.  And on this particular day it’s a few flakes of snow ushering in a new season and gently dusting the eternal city.

Gently simmering chicken in its own juices and saffron is one of the simplest and most satisfying dishes ever.  Even if you don’t scatter the chicken pieces in between the rice and barberries for the Zereshk Polo make this chicken and serve it with a side of plain rice, or roasted potatoes or scoop up with a warm piece of bread, like lavash or sangak.  I like to use skinless, boneless chicken (except for drumsticks that are on the bone).  If you prefer you can use thighs on the bone, with the skin on.  Just make sure to remove the skin before adding it to the rice.

Ramin instructs me to take my place at the other end of the living room, which also serves as the entrance, the family room, the dining room and my bedroom.  There’s no space to charge at one other. I’m told to just stand, listen, and have my life as I knew it altered forever.  My brother is now a full-fledged teenager and this is how teens speak.  As I wait for further instructions I glimpse Baba anxiously flip through the newspaper.

“Anything?” Maman asks.

Anything about all that was left behind.  Everyone that was left behind.  Anything about what lies ahead.

Anything.  Anything. Anything.

I hear the trepidation in her voice but I watch as her hand remains steady as she meticulously scatters the barberries, and the saffron chicken in between the rice.  With the future unknown all we can do is take charge of what is in front us.  She calls out that she’s put aside a few chicken pieces for us to snack on.  I especially like to gnaw on the drumsticks.  My brother declares the ubiquitous yek-doh-seh. He reaches over to the black cassette player and presses play.

Life alters.

Just like Sabzi Polo, I prefer to make Zereshk Polo by layering the barberries, onions, and chicken in between layers of par-boiled rice and then steaming it all.  The barberries will bleed their crimson hue into the rice in this process so I like to set aside a couple of spatulas full of the barberries and onions to scatter over the entire dish when serving. Allowing the gems to shine.  You can always also make a pot of rice and add the chicken and barberries to it when serving.  But I find the rice absorbing the flavors and juices of the saffron chicken and onion/barberries mix to be essential in this dish.  It’s also the only way I was able convert my six-year-old into a Zereshk Polo lover.

It’s 1983, maybe 1984.  The unknown presented itself in the shape and form of Canada and you adapted.  That’s what happens when you’re young – you adapt. To the rain. To the lush green maple trees and brown squirrels.

To the questions, the assumptions, and presumptions.

Ramin tells me to sit down.  I do as I’m told.  It is apparent he has important information to share with me.  As I take a seat I watch Baba set the table.  Ramin tells me to focus and listen closely to what he is about to tell me.  I try to focus but am instantly distracted by the cloud of steam rising from behind him.  Maman lifts the towel covered lid to the rice pot and instantly the windows fog over.  For a brief moment I spy flakes of snow descending down on our rainy town of Vancouver.  A moment to be celebrated. The steam carries with it the scent of Iranian rice, ruby red barberries and saffron chicken.  The scent of home – wherever that may be.  The very scent that has enamored my newly made Canadian friends with our food and in return with us.  I quickly look back to Ramin and lock eyes with him, giving him all my attention.  The scent of Zereshk Polo circles us both. I close my eyes.  It’s Tehran, it’s Rome, it’s Vancouver.  There is a comfort, a safety in it all.

“Freddie Mercury is Persian” declares my brother with pride.

I open my eyes.  He smiles.  I smile back.  The scent of the rice and Ramin’s revelation have us both drunk with hope.  They are gifts.  Gifts to deflect all the mind-boggling questions, assumptions, presumptions and misunderstood notions of who we are and where we came from with the appropriation of a genuine rock star – a rock god – and a steaming pot of rice jeweled with tart, crimson berries.

It’s 2015, soon to be 2016.  Snow flakes are a fairy tale mystery in Los Angeles, as are drops of rain these days.  Turns out Freddie Mercury isn’t Persian.  It didn’t take us long to figure this out.  But it doesn’t matter.  He was Persian for us when we most needed him to be.  And after all these years I find myself once again reaching for Freddie and an unmistakable fragrant pot of Iranian rice.  To explain it all.

The questions, assumptions, and presumptions.

Everything and anything.

Anything.  Anything.  Anything.

Wishing you all a light filled, healthy and peaceful Shabeh Yalda – Winter Solstice 2015.  Please also enjoy these posts for Yalda night from fellow Persian food bloggers around the globe:

My Persian Kitchen, Family Spice  Lab Noon , Fae’s Twist & Tango , Honest & Tasty, My Caldron , Parisa’s Kitchen

ZERESHK POLO – BARBERRIES AND RICE

Notes:

  • For a more detailed guide to cooking Persian rice please see this post.
  • My preferred basmati rice at the moment is Royal Chef’s Choice. I purchase mine from my local Iranian market.
  • You can purchase dried barberries (zereshk) at Middle Eastern stores or online.  I have written more about zereshk here.
  • I add a very small amount of sugar to the barberries here to balance out their tartness.  I prefer them on the tart side.  Feel free to add as much sugar as you like.  But take note this is not meant to be a sweet dish!
  • The great thing about this dish is that the caramelized onion and the saffron chicken can be made ahead of time. I don’t like to add the barberries ahead because they can dry out.

Ingredients:

Serves 6-8

2 cups dried barberries (zereshk)
3 cups white basmati rice, washed and soaked in 2 cups cold water with 3 tablespoons  salt for at least 1 hour
2 large onions
6 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 skinless chicken drumsticks
4 boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron steeped in 2 tablespoons hot water, plus a small pinch
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
salt
pepper

Scatter the barberries on a plate and look through.  Discard any older, shriveled, darker looking ones. Discard any small stones or pebbles.  If you have the time take the little stems off the barberries too.  Transfer the barberries to a small bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 15 minutes. Lift the barberries out of the bowl with your hand or using a small mesh colander.  Taking carel not to disturb any of the sand and dirt that’s settled on the bottom.  Give a rinse and set aside to drain.

Finely slice 1 1/2 onions for caramelizing.  Slice the remaining half and set aside for the chicken.  In a medium pan melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat.  Add the onions you had set aside for caramelizing.  Turn up the heat to medium-high and saute for 10 minutes, stirring often. Turn down the heat to medium-low, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and caramelize, about 30 minutes.  Keep an eye on them.  Listen to the sizzle.  Stir often.  Play with your heat source.  Turn it up slightly if necessary and turn it back down if they look like they might be burning.  Ultimately, they will shrink to half their volume and take on a rich, silky caramel shade.  Add the barberries and sugar in the final 3-5 minutes.  Stir to incorporate, take off the heat and set aside.  In a separate small bowl set aside a couple of spatulas of this mixture to garnish the finished dish.

Wile the onions caramelize cook the chicken.  Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Scatter the onions put aside for the chicken in one layer on top of the oil. Place the chicken on top of the onion, add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and pour the saffron water over the whole thing.  Make sure you get every last drop of saffron water.  Swirl more water into the glass to get it all out.  This is precious stuff! Give everything a stir. Cover and bring to a gentle boil.  Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.  Until the chicken is tender and cooked through.  When the chicken is done tear into pieces, discarding any bones and skin and set back in its juices. Set aside.

In a large pot bring 14 cups water and 1/4 cup kosher salt to a boil. Drain the rice and add to the pot. Stir ONE TIME very gently.  Return to a boil and keep a close eye on it.  Skim off any foam.  Test your rice after 4-6 minutes until the rice is al-dente.  Once al-dente drain the rice (I usually drain the rice at the 4-5 minute mark) and give a quick gentle rinse under cold tap water.  Drain the rice completely.

In a large non-stick pot melt 3 tablespoons butter over low heat.  Make sure the melted butter covers the entire surface of your pot and along the sides.  If not add more butter or 1 tablespoon olive oil accordingly.  Add a pinch of saffron and swirl around.  With a spatula add enough rice to fully cover the bottom of the pot. Using the back of the spatula or the back of a wooden spoon pack down the rice firmly. Add another layer of rice, then a layer of barberries, then another layer of rice, then a layer of chicken. Repeat, alternating layers in a pyramid shape. Your top layer should be a rice layer. Gently pour the juices from the chicken over the whole thing. Using the handle of a wooden spoon poke a couple of holes in the rice to allow the steam to escape.  Cover and turn up the heat to medium/high.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Don’t go anywhere!  The tahdig can burn very quickly.

Turn down the heat to medium.  Lift the lid and cover with a clean kitchen towel or a couple of layers of paper towel.  Place the lid firmly back on the pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn the heat down to low.  Place a heat diffuser (if using) under the pot and cook for 40 minutes.

When the rice is done gently lift the lid (without any condensation dripping back into the pot) and set aside. With a spatula gently scatter the rice mixture on a serving platter.  Make sure you don’t disturb the tahdig at the bottom of the pot.  Garnish the top with the reserved barberries mixture.  Gently scoop out the tahdig and serve on the side.

Enjoy with a side of mast-o khiar and sabzi khordan.  Listening to Queen while enjoying this dish is optional but recommended!

by Naz
Chicken

The Neighborhood Thief – An Orange Blossom, Yogurt, Saffron, Shio Koji Roast Chicken

Grab your gardening shears.  Grab a basket, a bag, a sack, anything with handles.  Feel the weight and the cool metal of the shears rest against the warm embrace of your palm.  Make the most of this auspicious occasion. You don’t garden.  You’d like to.  But you don’t.

Call out to your shadows.  Announce you are off to forage.  You don’t forage either.  But you hear it’s the thing to do, the word du jour to throw around.  So you try it out.  It makes you feel current, in the know, in the now.

You steal.

From your neighbors.

With your children in tow.

You have been given permission to do so.  So your conscience sleeps easy.

Most nights.

Make the marinade.  Combine the yogurt, shio koji or salt, and honey. Yogurt tenderizes, shio koji for umami, and a drizzle of honey to balance out the acids but more importantly to sweeten your taste buds and your life.  Marvel at the instant color transformation as the saffron water drip-drops into the yogurt mix. It just never gets old. The beauty of saffron.  Refrain from dipping your finger in for a taste.  There’s more goodness to come.

Take your children by the hand and walk them across the street.  Show them how to look left – right and then left – right again before crossing. Such a simple gesture holding such weight.  Will they ever get it?  Have you repeated yourself enough?  Will your heart ever grant you permission to let them go?

Across the street.

Across town.

Across the ocean.

What if they look left but then get distracted by the rolly polly bug they have entrapped in the fold of their skirt and forget to look right?

Let go.

Watch them run towards the overflowing, bountiful rosemary bush standing guard at your neighbor’s front yard.

Put the neglected shears to work and snip away as the girls run their hands along the spindly branches and stick their noses in as far as they can and take a long, deep inhale. Mmmm’s and ahhhs  abound. Mostly for their own pleasure but also to please you.  To let you know that they’re old enough, sophisticated enough to appreciate the sharp, woodsy aroma that permeates the air as they brush against each and every branch.  The scent that carries with it a promise.  A promise of something good and tasty to come. They want you to know that they get it. They’re in the know, in the now.

Cut a lemon in half and squeeze with one hand as the other hand catches the seeds before they hit the yogurt mixture.  Inevitably a couple always sneak through. Fish them out with a spoon, a fork, your fingers.  Balance the microplane over the bowl and zest an orange, rhythmically tapping on the side of the bowl as you release all the brilliant flecks.  Magical fairy dust your girls would proclaim.  Flip the microplane over and run your finger along the back of the cool grates. Inevitably some of the magic gets stuck back there.  Refrain from dipping your finger in for a taste.  There’s more goodness to come.

Move on to your next heist.  The next house.  The next yard.  The lemon tree.  The very same one that serves as the official ambassador for the girls’ lemonade stands. The very same one that brightens up every stew, sauce, dip, and dressing with a burst of flavor. If it needs fixing squeeze a little lemon on it (a little more salt wouldn’t hurt either).

Fill the basket, the bag, the sack with as much citrus as you and your shadows can carry back.  Haul your loot back home.

Take the top off the orange blossom water.  Bahar narenj – spring orange.  Bring it close and take a long deep inhale.  You do this every time.  Even though by now you are fully versed with its mesmerizing scent.  The scent of spring, of love, of poetry.  Mmmm and ahhhh to no one in particular.  Mostly for your own pleasure but also to please your sense of memory.  Memory of a land, a time, a childhood that you can now only recall in fragments, in splinters and in the alchemy of bahar narenj.  Carefully, very carefully add a few drops to the yogurt mixture.  You don’t want to go overboard with orange blossom water.

Spread your loot out on the backyard table.

Lay down a few rosemary sprigs on a small roasting pan.  Set the chicken on top.  Gently run your fingers under the skin of the breast, creating some space without tearing the skin.  Work your way around the bird as much as you can.  Lifting the skin off the meat.  Gently.  Gently.

Take a moment and look up.  Look up and beyond. That’s where true beauty reveals itself. Up and beyond your shared fence. Up and beyond where your next door neighbor’s orange tree weeps down over your fence. It’s not oranges that you spot but orange blossoms. Uncapped. Un-bottled. Fragments and splinters of memory permeate the air and swirl all around you at a dizzying speed.

Spoon half the the marinade under skin of the chicken.  Get in there with your hands.  Rub it all around.  Gently.  Gently.  Try not to tear that skin.  Pour the rest of the marinade on top of the chicken, and inside the chicken.  Front and back.

Grab a stool.

Stuff the cavity with lemon, orange, a shallot, a sprig of rosemary.

Grab your shears.

Place the chicken in the oven.

Climb on top of the stool.  Reach your arm out and grab a branch.

While the chicken roasts prepare the barberries and caramelized onion.

Ignore the concerned calls from your shadows.

Scatter the barberries over the orange blossom chicken and serve.

It’s a quick clean cut.  A single click of the shears and there you stand with an orange blossom branch in your hands.

Set aside a plate.  Place a few chicken pieces on the plate and spoon the fragrant juices all over.

Walk over to your next door neighbor’s house.  With your shadows in tow and a plate of chicken in hand.

Make sure you have some crusty bread to dip into the pan juices.

Ease your conscience and tell the neighbors about the shears, the orange blossom, the thieving.  Hand over the chicken plate.

Mea culpa.

AN ORANGE BLOSSOM, YOGURT, SAFFRON, SHIO KOJI ROAST CHICKEN

Notes:

  • If I’m going to roast chicken I usually roast 2 chickens. I use the bones for chicken stock and any remaining meat can be used in sandwiches, soups, stews. This recipe can easily be doubled.
  • If you use only one chicken make sure you don’t use a large roasting pan.  You don’t want the juices to disperse and burn.
  • Orange blossom water and barberries can be found online and at Middle Eastern grocery stores.  Check here for a more detailed post on how to clean barberries.
  • Shio Koji adds a great depth of flavor and helps in tenderizing the chicken but you can easily use sea salt instead. Amounts for both given in the recipe below.
  • You can also use a small onion wedge to stuff the cavity if you don’t have any shallots on hand.

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

1 4-lb. chicken
1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup shio koji OR 1 heaping tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 large lemon, half of it juiced, the other half quartered
zest of one orange, save 1/4 wedge for stuffing cavity
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron steeped in 1 tbs hot water
1 1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water
3 large rosemary sprigs
1 shallot
olive oil, for drizzling
caramelized onion with barberries (recipe below)

1- Combine the yogurt, shio koji or salt, honey, lemon juice, orange zest, saffron water, and orange blossom water in a small bowl.

2- Place 2 rosemary sprigs on a small roasting pan.  Place chicken on top.  Starting at the neck of the chicken, very gently lift the skin off the breast.  Run your fingers down the chicken gently lifting the skin off the meat as far as you can.  Try not to tear the skin.  Spoon half of the marinade under the skin of the chicken.  Rub the rest of the marinade all over the outside of the chicken and inside the cavity. Marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

3- Preheat the oven to 350F.  Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for 30 mins. Stuff the cavity with 1 shallot, 1 rosemary sprig, 1/4 wedge of a lemon, and 1/4 wedge of an orange.  If you have any citrus left over you can slice into rounds and place on top of the chicken.  Drizzle the top of the chicken with olive oil, about 1 tablespoon.

4- Roast chicken for  1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours.  Basting with pan juices every 20 minutes.  You want the skin to get crisp and golden but if it starts burning loosely cover. Roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads at 165F degrees.

5- Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes.  Spoon the pan juices and the barberries over the chicken and serve with plenty of crusty bread to dip into the pan juices.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND BARBERRIES

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
salt
1/2 cup barberries, picked through and soaked

1- In a small pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt and cook, stirring frequently until gently caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Turn down the heat if necessary.  Add the barberries and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside until needed.

by Naz
Appies

Grilled Halloumi with Barberries, Toasted Pine Nuts, and Preserved Lemons – A Dinner Party – A Nomination

♪ MUSIC WE’RE COOKING TO ♪

When your bucket is full you’re really happy.  And when your bucket is empty you’re really sad.  When a person dips into your bucket they’re making you sad and taking some good feelings out of your bucket. When a person says something nice to you or are nice to you, they fill your bucket.  – Luna

It always starts with a dinner party (and maybe some wine – and of course some Tahdig).  About a year ago we had our good friend Krista over for dinner.  Loobia Polo – Mast-o-Khiar – all the usual edible suspects.  Krista asked me about the preparation of Tahdig, which got me talking about this idea I had for starting a food blog; an idea that had been brewing in my head for quite some time.  There it sat comfortably – in its cozy home clothes – in the back recesses of my mind – composing itself – cooking itself – photographing itself.  In short – taking up some valuable real estate in my already cluttered mind.  After patiently listening to my meandering diatribe on sharing what I know about Tahdig making with friends and its relation to writing a blog – Krista gave me a straight-up talking to.  Time to get the Tahdig out of my head and onto the blogosphere.  The right friend – with the right words – at the right dinner party.

And so here I am one year later, absolutely humbled and honored to be nominated by SAVEUR MAGAZINE for their 2014 Best Food Blog Awards.  Bottom of the Pot is nominated in two separate categories:  Best Regional Cuisine Blog and Best New Blog.  If you would like to vote for me or any of the other amazing nominated blogs you can click on the link or on the SAVEUR awards badge on the side bar.  Voting closes on April 9th.  Thank you all for all your support, kind words, and encouragement.  But most of all thank you for joining me on this Persian food journey.

The idea for this Grilled Halloumi appetizer was also born out of a dinner party.  An impromptu dinner party – the best kind.  2pm on a Saturday afternoon. Phones start lighting up.  How about a casual dinner at our place – the kids can all play… 5 pm – same day. The house awakens from its lazy slumber and echos with laughter/shrieking/crying/stomping/dancing and delectable secretive whisperings of children.  Lillet, and Drew’s homemade kombucha flow freely (not in the same glass!) amongst the grown-ups.  Friends are put to work chopping the preserved lemons, assembling the salad, stirring the Kashki Bademjan (I had thankfully stored that away in the freezer – perfect for a last-minute dinner party dish).  Chairs are pulled out of every room of the house – the kitchen table far too small to seat all fifteen of us.  And yet, somehow we all manage to squeeze in.  Some sitting – some standing – a couple sharing the piano bench –  Drew crouched in the corner on the foot stool.  Baby Lilah is passed around the table like another delicious appetizer so her parents can have a moment to eat.  And the best part of all – the children are eating!  Some (not mine) have even dug into the sauteed mustard greens.  The children call out to “aunts ” and “uncles” – although technically no one is anyone’s aunt or uncle. These are friends with whom a night like this is possible.  Old friends with history.  Family.

Barberries – Zereshk

Dried barberries are typically used in any number of Persian dishes – mixed in with rice (Zereshk Polo) – used alongside other ingredients as stuffing for poultry or seafood – enjoyed as a stew – or turned into jam preserves.  The dried berries are small like a currant and have a distinct tart flavor. When cooked they release their bright red color and add a beautiful hue to the dish.  These little berries really liven up a dish both visually and with their tart pop of flavor.  Besides the traditional methods of preparing them I think these berries can really accentuate any number of dishes like salads, quinoa pilafs, eggs, even baked goods.  Barberries are also known for their medicinal qualities – such as aiding with indigestion and other digestive ailments.  I bet we will soon see these little berries lining up the shelves at Whole Foods touting their ancient medicinal powers – declaring them the next superfood.  In the meantime you can purchase dried barberries (for a very affordable price) at Iranian grocery stores or online here, here, or on Amazon.  A search for organic barberries online will also give you a few options.  What’s important is to use the freshest berries.  The ones that are bright red. The shriveled up darker ones are usually old and should be discarded.   It is also important to wash and soak the berries before use.  The berries contain a lot of sand so soaking them allows the sand to settle at the bottom.  Soaking also re-hydrates and plumps up the berries.

Preserved Lemons

This past winter I made my first batch of preserved lemons with the abundance of Meyer Lemons that were popping up at every Farmer’s Market.  And I am so glad that I did because they are fantastic.  Salty and sour.  Once again – right up my alley. There really wasn’t much to it.  A bunch of good looking lemons, stuffed with sea salt and left to ferment in their own juices for a couple of months.  I also stuffed a couple of cinnamon sticks in there.  There are many sources online that can guide you through the process such as this post by David Lebovitz and this one from Nourished Kitchen.  You really can’t go wrong.  I already have so many plans for my preserved lemons.  The first of which was this topping.

Halloumi Cheese With Sunset Hued Toppings

Halloumi is an unripened, brined cheese from Cypress.  It is typically made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk.  And because of its high melting point it’s great for grilling or frying.  It is somewhat similar to feta cheese in its salty, briny flavor.  This cheese is right up my alley.  It makes a great appetizer served with a salad or topped off with some delicious ingredients as I have used here. The tart pop of the barberries, the crunch and nutty flavor of the pine nuts and the intense, unexpected and lively bite of the preserved lemons really make for a delicious and beautiful topping for the grilled (or fried) Halloumi cheese.  A perfect appetizer for an impromptu or planned dinner party – or even a party of one!

Many years ago I made the decision to once again re-locate – to another city – another country- same continent this time.  Away from parents, family, and childhood friends.  In search of a new adventure, chasing old dreams and a California sunset.  That new city has now become home.  But with aging parents, and children who are growing much too quickly I more and more find myself longing for a place and time where we could all be together.  And it’s on these days that we throw an impromptu dinner party.  To celebrate everything and nothing in particular.  To celebrate good news and good friends who have become our surrogate family.  And we celebrate the only way I know how.  By sitting around a far too small kitchen table and sharing a meal.

Suffice to say my bucket is full.

GRILLED HALLOUMI WITH BARBERRIES, TOASTED PINE NUTS, AND PRESERVED LEMONS

* Cleaning the barberries:  Remove the stems from the barberries and pick through for any that look too dark and old.  Place barberries in a bowl and fill with cold water.  Allow to soak for 15-30 mins.  Lift barberries out of the water with a small mesh sieve or your hands so as not to disturb all the sand that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.  Give the barberries a quick rinse place on a paper towel or dish towel and pat dry.  Barberries are now ready to cook.

If you can’t find barberries you can substitute with dried cranberries, or cherries.  If they are sweet I would omit the maple syrup in the recipe.

Ingredients:

Serves 6 as an appetizer

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup barberries, cleaned and soaked
1 tablespoon lemon preserves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, or sweetener of choice to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground saffron steeped in 2 teaspoons hot water
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 8.8 oz/250 g package Halloumi cheese
a handful fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Heat grill to medium/high heat

1- Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallot and saute until soft and fragrant, stirring constantly.  Take care not to burn.  About 2 minutes.

2- Add barberries, lemon preserves, maple syrup, and saffron water.  Turn down the heat to medium/low.  Saute for about 10 minutes until the barberries are tender.  Add the pine nuts and give a quick stir.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

3- Cut the Halloumi in about 1/4 inch thick pieces.  Place on the grill and grill each side for about 3 minutes.  Until golden around the edges and soft and melting on the inside.  Alternately you can also fry up the Halloumi on the stove top.

4- Place Halloumi on a serving dish and top with barberry mixture.  Drizzl with a little olive oil and tear up some pieces of fresh mint to garnish with.

Enjoy right away.  The Halloumi will get kind of tough and rubbery if it sits for too long.

by Naz

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