Layers Of Perfection

Phyllo dough can be a tricky medium to work for many a home chef.  Purists will want to bake their own while those looking for a shortcut will buy it.  What makes for good flaky layers that works well with both savory and sweet dishes.

Famed chef and baker Yottam Ottolenghi posed this question on his article in today's New York Times Food section. His training in cooking school has allowed him to create the famed layers but not without flaws. Phyllo dough is simply flour ,salt and water mixed with olive oil and rolled out until it's paper thin.It's one of the world's oldest recipes and bread recipes.Chef Ottolenghi tried  with some of the best phyllo makers st one of the most celebrated baklava factories, Karakoy Gulloglu in Istanbul, Turkey The chief ,baker, Mustafa, a fifth generation baker, believes that a combination of "hard work, attention, meticulous care and love." It's more the meticulous care that creates the perfect sheets. . Do it wrong and you could wind up with holes as Chef Ottolenghi first had during his schooling. There is another way of  creating phyllo or warka as its' called in Morocco.It's similar to the way crepes are made using a red hot pan.The phyllo dough is tapped upon it until the pan is completely covered.. The chef learned the cheat way , thanks to a Moroccan home chef called Fouza. Put  a frying pan over boiling water and pour a scant amount of the  batter into the pan. The result is the perfect paper thin piece.

Another method is buying it, ready made , Chef Ottolenghi suggests getting a good brand, one that is of good quality. How can you tell? By the scrunch test. Scrunch a sheet in one hand. If it's of good quality , it'll spring apart. A bad piece will be brittle and will easily fall apart. Remember to liberally brush it with melted butter which allows the sheets to separate and rise in the oven.Work quickly when brushing them or they'll dry out. Chef Ottolenghi gives two recipes - one savory and one sweet. The savory is a feta and herb tart.It not only has the lightly tangy feta but also grated pecorino Romano cheese.mixed with such  herbs as tarragon, mint and parsley . An egg custard is made with four eggs, milk and cheese. The sweet version is  what else - baklava. except there's a twist.Chef Ottolenghi adds halloumi , the Egyptian version of mozzarella.It's mild and slightly salty - which cuts the sweetness of the rosewater drizzled on the tart. There still is the traditional filling of chopped walnuts mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg mixed together with melted butter. The baklava would make a lovely Mother's Day treat, thanks to sprinkling dried rose petals on top.

Phyllo dough can be made by any home chef. Beginners should try the warka way while more experienced can execute the traditional method. Then experiment with savory and sweet dishes.

Hot And Herbal Natural Teas

November practically screams for a good hot cup of tea. This is when the weather gets nippy and we greet both mornings and evenings with frost on the ground and a bite in the air. What better than to start or finish the day with a healthy mug of herbal tea? It's  soothing and comforting , the liquid version of a security blanket.

Herbal teas have been around for millennia. The ancient Egyptians first came up with a flavorful tisane called kerkades. This was hibiscus sepal brew that's still made today in some countries. The Jamaicans still make this but add ginger , sugar and rum, usually for the Christmas holidays. The Chinese were and still are the masters of herbal tea brewing.They use it for medicinal reasons,but you can just use it to just melt away  the day's cares .Most home brewers use  a mix of herbs and fruit. Other just rely on already made teas from such companies as Celestial Seasonings. These are good  and have a wide variety of flavors, from chamomile to peppermint. However you have a wider range with a home made herbal brew.

If you want to go truly natural, then try blending your own . Home brewers stick with the tried and true such as ginger and chamomile. Fresh  made ginger tea is not only good for waking up in the morning,it's a great drink for  after a full meal. Take a fresh ginger root and either cut the knobs  into small chunks or thin slices.Put these in your  mug and pour boiling water over the pieces  letting it steep for a few minutes, Chamomile is just as easy , Dry the flowers and put about two teaspoons into a cup or mug. Steep for a minute or two. You can also make citrus based teas too, using either lemon, orange or lime peels mixed with your favorite green or black tea. For any herbal tea, don't add refined sugar. Dark or wildflower honey is your best and healthiest sweetener.

Herbal tea is the nice  accompaniment either on a chilly morning or during a frosty night. Brew up a cup and enjoy its' all natural flavor. It's not only soothing but good for you too.

Dates To Remember

Dates are not a popular fruit. You may see them at Christmas time or in Arab grocery stores here in the US . A lot of Americans won't eat them because they're too sweet or gooey or whatever. yet, like other fruits, they're packed with vitamins and minerals . Another plus - they're pretty tasty too.

Dates come from the date palm tree which is cultivated in Northern Africa and the Middle East. they have been growing there for centuries and dates have been a part of th e regional cuisine for 6,000 years. They were the food eaten by the ancient Egyptians . Egypt is the third largest date grower and importer of them. The Iraqis are first with the Saudi Arabians being second. Dates are chock full of vitamins and minerals, being high in potassium and magnesium. along with calcium and iron. The only drawback is that they are high in calories because of the sugar.

What to do with dates? Most Middle Easterners stuff them with almonds or cream cheese as well as with candied lemon or orange peel. Americans stuff dates with peanut butter and usually serve only at Christmas. However there is the famous date and nut bread along with date pies and date cookies. It can also be used in some North African recipes, such as Moroccan tangine recipes.

Don't discount the date. it is tasty and nutritious. Plus it give you a dose of much needed vitamins and minerals. It's sweet and healthy treat from the oasis.

Garlic - A Kitchen Must Have

I can't imagine a kitchen without garlic. It enhances any sauce, making it more robust. It gives punch to stir fried dishes. It livens up any salad dressing. Yet what do we really know about this amazing plant?

Garlic is a member of the onion family and is closely related to leeks and shallots. We use the cloves or seeds for planting or cooking. A variation of its' Latin name, allium salivum is still used by the Italians, aglia and the French ail

The Egyptians first grew garlic as far back as 3200 BC. Like today, it was used for medicinal purposes.It was even given to the slaves building the pyramids to improve their strength and was the cure all of its' day. The ancient Greeks picked up on this and used to cure everything from dog bites to leprosy. Ironically enough the inhabitants of what is now modern day Transylvania used it as a repellent - not against vampires but against pesky mosquitoes. Unfortunately not everyone was enamored of it. English and American colonists hated garlic because of the stench it left. it started to become more acceptable in American cuisines thanks to the Italians bringing over their good food to these shores. US home cooks and restaurant chefs then began to use it to liven up bland and boring sauces and salads.

Garlic has a lot of health benefits. It can kill bacteria more effectively than penicillin (the ancient Greeks were on to something then). Garlic is rich in vitamins A , B, and C and it's sulfuric properties help detoxify the liver and regulate sugar. It's actually considered the all natural alternative to Viagra In fact there's a Palestinian custom about the bridegroom wearing a garlic bulb in his lapel to ensure for a happy start to married life.

Every kitchen should have a garlic bulb. It's not only a great way to season dishes but also one that will add years to our lives.