Faith Middleton's Food Schmooze: Persian Food Bursting With Flavor

These rich, exotic recipes showcase the special heritage of the Persian community and introduce every cook to the spices and flavors unique to Persian cooking.

My Favorite Baked Salmon

All of my guests and friends, Persian or not, simply love this fish. I also love it because it is so easy to make! My mouth is watering as I am cooking this recipe! It freezes well, too,, but make sure to undercook it before freezing, since it can overcook while reheating. Try it with a drizzle of the Green Relish for Fish on the next page…just to die for!

Tricks of the trade

I use Lawry’s® seasoned salt in this recipe. It’s available in most supermarkets and a very versatile seasoning.

1 skinless salmon fillet (around 1.5 lb)

cooking oil spray

¼ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder or 3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Coat a 9″x13″disposable aluminum pan or oven-to-table roaster with oil spray
3. Place fish on the oiled pan.
4. Rub fillet with seasonings and olive oil.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until a knife easily flakes the fish. Do not overcook; the fish will become very tough. If this dish is to be frozen and reheated before serving, bake only 20 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings, depending on the size of the fillet.

Green Relish for Fish

So simple, yet so incredibly delicious! This relish is heavenly on any fish and on almost anything! I tried it first at the home of one of the best cooks in town: Celine Sellam.

Tricks of the trade

This relish can easily be made in advance and refrigerated for days (that is, if you manage to have leftovers!) You can substitute fresh dill, parsley, or basil for the cilantro. Just keep it to one green at a time.

½ onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed or finely minced

juice of 4 limes

2 cups chopped cilantro (2 bunches, stems discarded)

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

pine nuts, for garnish (optional)

Combine all ingredients.

Serve with fish and watch, in astonishment, as it disappears!

Yield: 2½ cups

Veal or Lamb Chops with Persian Pesto

I can still remember my in-laws’ faces the first time I served this dish. The taste of this pesto is so Persian, thanks to the dried lemon (lemon omani), that they were totally fooled into believing I had found it in an ancient Persian cookbook! Let’s just say it was concocted very far from Iran!

Tricks of the trade

You can substitute the veal chops for lamb chops or chicken breast. By the way, make extra pesto because your guests will like it so much they will want to dip every bite of veal in it!

Pesto

4 garlic cloves

1 cup parsley, washed and chopped

1 cup dill, washed and chopped

½ cup olive oil

3 scallions chopped

1 lime, juiced or 2 tablespoons bottled lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon lemon omani (dehydrated limes) or the zest of a lime

6 large veal chops

Optional Garnish

1 tablespoon ziadune (nigella) seeds or black sesame seeds

fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to broil. Spray 2 large baking trays with canola oil. Set aside.
2. Using a small food processor, mix all pesto ingredients together until fully combined.
3. Place the chops on the baking trays and spread pesto on both sides. Reserve some pesto for garnish.
4. Broil the chops for 8 minutes. Carefully remove pans from oven, turn over the chops, and broil for 5 more minutes or until nicely browned.
5. Serve on a platter, garnished with some of the pesto sauce, ziadune seeds, and fresh parsley.

Yield: 6 servings

TaboulehSalad

I always bought this salad already made—until I learned to make it myself! It is a great make-ahead salad that everyone will love! Bulgur requires little cooking, because it is actually whole wheat that has been soaked, steamed, dried, and crushed for your convenience! That is the reason why bulgur, compared to whole wheat, has a nutty flavor and is easier to cook.

Tricks of the trade

This salad is a great make-ahead salad but there is a trick involved. I often serve this salad for Shabbat dinner, but I don’t have the koach (strength) to make it on Friday…I always try to get all my Shabbat prepping done on Thursday. So, I make the salad on Thursday without soaking the bulgur at all! Overnight, the bulgur absorbs all the juices from the vegetables and lime. By dinnertime on Friday night, the salad is absolutely delicious and the bulgur is perfect!

1 cup medium bulgur

2 cups warm water

5 garlic cloves, pressed

3 bunches scallions, including the green parts, sliced (about 21 scallions)

1 cup chopped flat parsley (about 1 bunch, without stems)

½ cup chopped fresh mint (about ½-bunch without stems)

2 large tomatoes, diced

Dressing

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

½ teaspoon hot paprika

½ cup lime juice (or the juice of 3 limes)

1 tablespoon cumin (optional)

1. Place bulgur into a medium bowl, cover with warm water, and soak for 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, wash and chop vegetables and mix together in a large bowl.
3. Drain the bulgur.
4. Combine all dressing ingredients and add to vegetables along with the drained bulgur. Toss well and serve on lettuce or in endive leaves for “endive tabouleh boats.”

Yield: 8 cups