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Morabaye Chagale Gerdoo - Green Walnut Preserves - مربای گردو

Morabaye Chagale Gerdoo – Green Walnut Preserves – مربای گردو

Morabaye Chagale Gerdoo – Green Walnut Preserves – مربای گردو is translated as Green Walnut Jam. Buttery soft, these black caramelized walnuts tastes so sweet and nutty. It is a specialty from the city of Jolfa in northwestern Iran. The jam is best eaten for breakfast together with Bulgarian sheep cheese with Nan-e Barbari or Lavash. Green walnut preserves are not only beloved in Iran but also very famous and popular in Azerbaijan, Greece and Germany, especially in the Pfalz area. The caramelized walnuts have been very popular in Greece since ancient times due to their medicinal benefits and are called Karidaki Glyko. The people of Pfalz know them as “Pfälzer Trüffel” or “Johanninüsse“. This unique delicacy is highly appreciated in gourmet cuisine.

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Kabab Looleh- Grilled minced meat skewers - کباب لوله

Kabab Looleh- Grilled minced meat skewers – کباب لوله

The most popular leisure activity of all Persians is to barbecue kababs. No wonder, as this is a lot of fun in the summer heat. Therefore, grilling time is also kabab time for us! So heat up the charcoal grill, for inspiration I have a delicious Kabab recipe for you today, it is nice and juicy, savory and spicy. Typical oriental spices such as cumin and cinnamon give my Kabab Looleh- minced meat skewers from the grill – کباب لوله a unique flavor. I used half lamb and half ground beef for the grilled skewers and seasoned them with some chopped fresh parsley.

The ground beef is simply wrapped around the grill skewers and then grilled over the charcoal for a few minutes. For a special event or for even more flavor, you can also wrap the ground beef skewers around cinnamon sticks and then grill them. From the charcoal grill, however, the minced meat skewers taste best. You can grill them also in a grill pan, but then the roasted flavors and the smoky grill touch will be lost. Yum, I love the smell of this!

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Morabayeh Gol – Persian rose petal Jam مربای گل سرخ

Morabayeh Gol – Persian rose petal Jam مربای گل سرخ

In a wind-protected corner of my garden grows a very special flower: the Damascene rose “Rose de Resht”. Every year I prepare something different from its petals with their strong rose fragrances, for example Sharbat-e Gol – rose lemonade or rose butter. This year I prepared Morabayeh Gol – Persian rose flower jam مربای گل سرخ from the petals of my Rose de Resht. Those who try rose jam for the first time are usually both excited and irritated at the same time, because for most it is a new eating experience.

For me, the rose petal jam is an essential part of an expansive Persian breakfast. It requires to butter a piece of Arabic or Lavash bread, then adding some rose jam on it and top it with Sar Sheer. Since the jam is a bit syrupy, it should be eaten teaspoon by teaspoon. To do this, put some of the spread on the bread, take a bite and repeat. Sar Sheer is just as clotted cream and in turkey known as kaymak. Do you feel also like bringing your fragrant roses from the garden to the breakfast table. Read More

Road Trip along the German apple wine route "Route du Äppler"

Road Trip along the German apple wine route “Route du Äppler”

*Culinary Press Trip “Route du Äppler” in cooperation with Gourmet Connection and Hessentourismus*

Let me take you on my Culinary Press Trip “Road Trip along German apple wine route “Route du Äppler” as plenty has happened in the Hessian apple wine scene. I would like to give you an idea of a fruity and fresh taste experience by sharing some facts about the “Äppler”, the German apple wine. The apple wine route passes over 250 km through the state of Hessen, starting in the south at the “Kelterei Krämer” and ending in the north at the “Brennerei Döhne” where about 12 local producers produce the delicious apple wine also called Stöffche. Join me on the part of the “Route du Äppler” around the region of Odenwald and Taunus outside of Frankfurt.

The journey leads along beautiful meadow orchards and picturesque Hessian timber-framed houses. From Frankfurt to the Odenwald to Beerfurth, Reichelsheim, Michelstadt and ends in Oberursel in Taunus. The weather is on our side, too, and we are enjoying truly summer-like temperatures this spring. “The good things are so close” sometimes, you don’t even have to travel far away to have a break and recharge your batteries. For a break from everyday life, I can recommend the Odenwald and Taunus from the bottom of my heart! Read More

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water

Finally we have strawberries in Germany and this summer pudding with labneh and orange blossom water, is packed to the top with them. Ok, the orange blossom labneh is not typically British yet, but I think it goes perfectly with it. Summer pudding is really easy peasy to prepare, you just need fresh strawberries, some raspberries and blackberries, chopped pistachios, some powdered sugar and brioche. The dessert should be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

The next day, when the summer pudding is cut, it reveals its inner beauty. In the best case, the fuchsia colored filling from red summer fruits will run on your plate. We, at least, loved the combination of fruity cold dessert with the creamy orange blossom labneh. It’s so easy to prepare and tastes really delicious. A wonderful way to enjoy a nicely sized portion of ripe fresh fruit. Read More

Traditional Persian Lavash Bread

Traditional Persian Lavash Bread

Today is World Bread Day and I have a quick ,and easy recipe for you to make traditional Persian Lavash bread. Persian cuisine is simply impossible to imagine without Nan-e Lavash, it is also popular in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kurdistan, and Turkey. In Turkey, it is commonly used as a dough roll for Dürüm kebabs. Great bread doesn’t require a lot of ingredients! Nan-e Lavash is traditionally a very thin flat unleavened bread, similar to a tortilla or wrap, and is prepared with only 3 ingredients: Flour, salt, and water.

Nan means bread in Farsi and is mentioned first of all types of bread. Traditionally, no yeast or other raising ingredients are allowed in the dough. This keeps the dough thin and when baked in a pan, it starts bubbling. When the bread is baked with yeast, we call it Nan-e Taftoon. Do you feel like baking your bread now? Well then get into the kitchen and in about 30 minutes you will not only have delicious Lavash bread, but you will also have the whole kitchen smelling of freshly baked bread. Read More

Labneh Cheese Cake with rhubarb and strawberry compote

Labneh Cheesecake with rhubarb and strawberry compote

Each region of the world has its own take on the best way to make Cheesecake. Germans use quark, while the Americans bake it with cream cheese, the Swiss with hard cheese, the Italians with ricotta and the French with goat cheese. We in the Middle East, on the other hand, bake it with Labneh or what we call in Persia Mast-e Chekideh. Have you ever made a creamy cheesecake with Labneh – Mast-e Chekideh? Give my Labneh Cheese Cake with rhubarb and strawberry compote a try and you will be addicted. Read More

Shirini Keshmeshi - Persian Raisin Cookies

Shirini Keshmeshi – Persian Raisin Cookies for Norouz

Shirini Keshmeshi are crinkled raisin cookies and taste buttery, are chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside and absolutely my favorite for persian Norouz. For me Shirini Keshmeshi must have crinckles on top and golden edges. Therefore I made them with butter, flour, powdered sugar (creates their cracked appearance), a little bit oil, an egg, vanilla extract and they are loaded with raisins for a fine texture, sweetness and an irresistible chewing experience. Read More