Perfect Breakfast (part two): Sweet Labneh with Rose Water, Honey, Figs & Pistachios

It's hard to define perfection (as nobody is perfect) but some things can come as close to perfection as we know it. In the fascinating world of  culinary delights many things can be just perfect.

My Savoury Labneh with Mint and Olive Oil was another example that showcases how something so  simple and unpretentious has a life of its own and can become a gourmet experience in itself. 

Simple things aren't bland by any means. Sometimes I find myself craving something as mundane as fish and chips or chicken and (bukhari) rice, the staple food in the Arab world. We turn things "gourmet" by just adding a few extra touches: a surprising combination of spices or an interesting pairing of ingredients. 

I dare say this dish is gourmet by revamping it and boosting its taste with  the delicate flavour of rose water, crunchy pistachios and giving it the soft sweetness of honey and figs. 

Sweet Yoghurt Cheese with Honey, Figs and Pistachios

Type of cuisine: Middle Eastern/Fusion

Preparation time: 12 hours (to make the labneh, if you haven't done so) & 5 minutes for presentation/decoration

 labneh

rose water

honey

crushed pistachios

chopped mint

figs

Method

Mix the labneh with a spoonful of rose water.  Chop the mint, crush the pistachios, slice the figs. 

To decorate drizzle honey over the cheese & sprinkle the mint and the pistachios  on top. 

As a serving suggestion, I would recommend toasted ciabatta, if you don't have or haven't baked your own fresh tamis. Tamis is a flat Middle Eastern/Afghan bread that goes so well with dips. 

Because I didn't have tamis, I made use of what was handy :) I oven-toasted the ciabatta with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and honey. As you can see from the picture below, I spread the cheese on the bread and had the most delicious (fusion, I must say) sandwich ever tasted :) It's a great combination that I urge you to try asap.

A perfect breakfast calls for an unforgettable morning read: Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif. 

“Is it that happy stretch of time when the lovers set to chronicling their passion . when no glance , no tone of voice is so fleeting but it shines with significance . when each moment , each perception is brought out with care , unfolded like a precious gem from its layers of the softest tissue paper and laid in front of the beloved - turned this way and that , examined , considered.”   

“I'm taken over by this trunk. I'm practically living inside it. When I read the journals I feel as if I'm there, a hundred years ago. I'm putting together the whole picture and I know everything that happened and wasn't written down"

Saudi Champagne

It's been very, very hot lately, so in the past weeks I've kept a low profile in the kitchen (the only room in the house with no a/c), and hence, on the blog :// I've been rather thirsty than hungry and I have been feeling weak with heat and exhaustion.... If you yourselves happen to struggle with heat, you understand me well and hopefully will have excused my absence from Lemon Love Notes. 

This unbearable, scorching heat has inspired me & also reminded me of how beautiful Saudi is, a country where the sun never seems to set, but when it does, it does it style and it turns into a huge ball of incandescent fire resting over the horizon, out in the open desert.

Saudi champagne welcomes you in any restaurant that you go to- a pitcher of freshness in a blistering hot city, a simple magic mixture of apple juice, Perrier, thin slices of fruit and fresh, crushed mint. 

I smile even today when I remember that the first time I saw the word champagne in the menu, my eyes nearly popped! (Selling alcohol within the Kingdom is strictly prohibited). And in all fairness, one must be suicidal to drink alcohol in such high temperatures-  a warning and a dictate that GPs around the world will always stick to. Wherever we are, the laws of the physics and of common sense should always prevail (in my humble opinion).

Because it's sparkling, it's called champagne :), but I believe it's even better than champagne. And it will certainly keep your head cool and focused. Enjoy it... beyond measure :) 

Saudi Champagne

1/3 measure of (good quality) apple juice

2/3 measure of chilled sparkling water

rosewater / orange blossom water- infused ice cubes

thin slices of fruit (orange, apple, apricot etc)

mint leaves

Method

Mix and drink :)

To make a refreshing Saudi Champagne to totally wow your thirsty guests, use good quality ingredients: fresh mint and juicy citrus, a more expensive brand of apple juice and chilled sparkling water. I also made my own rosewater-infused ice cubes which I got from mixing plain water with rosewater. It's delicious and it has become a staple this summer for me. I often drink still water with rosewater ice cubes.  

 

Even though drinking this delicious cooler doesn't have the same impact on me as when I had it in the Kingdom (often with kabsa), it brings back...

beautiful memories of Saudi Arabia....

Gourmet Yoghurt for the Foodies

As you might know, I love all things gourmet. Gourmet food is known to be posh and therefore, pricey :( , but it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to satisfy your cravings... At the end of the day, gourmet is, paradoxically, defined by simplicity with a twist and a state of mind. 

Yesterday I bought four tiny jars of bio vanilla-flavoured and blackcurrant yoghurt. As I was relishing the last spoonfuls of vanilla yoghurt with great gusto, I thought that, maybe I can make my very own flavoured yoghurt at home and with the zest and the aromas that I love the most: lavender, rose water, pistachios, orange blossom water, almond & coconut flakes, crushed pulped fruit. 

And I did it! :) No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than I found myself in the kitchen, as busy as a bee. As you can imagine, I kept the small jars (full, they weigh approx 150 gr), as they were as cute as a button; I love them because they have a vintage feel as well. Unfortunately, our whole society is too obsessed with plastic these days...

 To fill a small jar I used 4 big tablespoons of full-fat plain yoghurt.

The first flavour was -

 Yoghurt with Rose Water, Toasted Sesame & Crushed Pistachios

4 tbs plain yoghurt

1 tsp condensed milk (or honey)

2 tsp rosewater

1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds

1 tsp juice from raspberries (to colour the yoghurt naturally)

crushed pistachios, petal roses on top (to decorate)

In a small bowl, mix the yoghurt , condensed milk & rose water. Add the toasted sesame seeds and the raspberry juice to colour the flavoured yoghurt naturally. 

Pour the yoghurt in the small jar and decorate with crushed pistachios and edible rose petals. 

My second creation was -

Citrus Yoghurt with Orange Blossom Water and Crushed Digestive Biscuits

 4 tbs of plain yoghurt

1 tsp of honey

1 tsp of condensed milk

orange rind from 1 orange

2 tsp of preserved lemon rind 

2 tsp orange blossom water

1 digestive biscuit packed with sultanas (crushed)

Mix the plain yoghurt with honey, condensed milk, preserved lemon rind, orange rind and orange blossom water.

Crush the digestive biscuit and transfer it to the bottom of the jar. Pour the yoghurt on top and decorate with extra preserved lemon rind.

Last but not the least, I made this delicious -

Pink Yoghurt with Crushed Raspberries & Toasted Almond Flakes

 4 tbs of plain yoghurt

1 tsp of condensed milk

2  tsb of crushed raspberries (frozen and thawed)

+

1 tsp of honey

1 exta tsb of crushed raspberries to mix with the yoghurt

2 tsp of toasted almond flakes

preserved dried raspberries (for decoration)

Mix the yoghurt with the condensed milk and the crushed fruit so that the yoghurt turns pink. 

In a separate bowl mix the crushed raspberries with honey (otherwise the raspberries will be sour).

Pour the sweet raspberries at the bottom of the jar. Add the toasted almonds and top with the pink yoghurt.

Decorate with almond flakes and dried preserved raspberries.  

I can't pick one favourite flavour as I loved them all. I loved the smooth & crunchy texture, I loved the taste, the smell and the look of my tiny jars. To take two spoons out of the drawer, damage the decor for the "photo-shoot" broke my heart. Because I must confess without too much pride, they looked so much better than gourmet-supermarket yoghurt jars. And they tasted even better. ;p Yummy. 

supermarket vanilla flavoured yoghurt (nice, but not blog-worthy)

The last two photos were taken outside on the terrace. Today it was sunny and rainy at the same time (don't worry, I have a canopy) with sudden gusts of wind. It was chilly, but it felt springlike.

After a long winter, let's paint our life in beautiful soft colours and enjoy it to the fullest.

Cheesecake a mi manera: Raspberry Ricotta Cheesecake w Rose Water, White Tea & Sesame

It is very likely that you all know how to make a cheesecake. Just looking at it, one can easily notice what it's made of: a biscuit base and a creamy cheese layer topped with whatever the pastry chef was inspired by.

Frankly, baking makes me nervous because I don't have the heart to follow the recipe :( verbatim - *sigh* - I use shortcuts. My cakes will always lack in butter, sugar, white flour...which will constantly be replaced with honey / whole wheat flour / olive oil. Call it a curse - I am obsessed with the idea of "healthy".

On the other hand, if I bake a cake and use everything I ought to be using, then I will just have a slice and the rest...will be shared among the ones I love. A slice (or more) for each. So everybody will be happy.

Raspberry Ricotta Cheesecake with Rose Water, White Tea and Sesame

Problem solved, I decided not to skimp anymore (!), make a killer cake (hopefully, not literally), take some pictures, blog and boast about it (a little), then cut it piece by piece and give it away.

Inspired by Claude Olivier's variety of cheesecakes and Delicioasa's pink cheesecake, I sat down and planned my signature delight.

Base: melted butter, crushed butter biscuits, toasted sesame.

Creamy cheese layer: ricotta, Philadelphia light, condensed milk, creme fraiche, preserved lemon & orange rind, loose lemon & rose silver tips white tea, rose water, gelatine dissolved in strong white tea.

Top: 800 gr frozen raspberries turned into a delicious home-made marmalade  (berries, sugar, gelatine)

You know the stages - melt the butter, mix it with the crushed biscuits & sesame, bake for 10 minutes, work on the cheese cream, store in the fridge, top with raspberry jam, wait for a couple of hours to set, and finally do one of these things ...

a) enjoy it alone spoon by spoon

b) enjoy it with the ones you love

c) give it away as a present (the sweetest thing one can do)

My conclusion

I have made cheesecake before, but it had never occurred to me to use rose water and white tea. Rose water, which is so natural and obviously used in most Middle Eastern desserts, revamps this classic cake giving it an understated beauty and a haunting "je ne sais quoi" subtle taste. Somebody who would taste it, will have a familiar feeling about it, but wouldn't know for sure where to place it. The toasted sesame seeds are crunchy and, when blended with butter, offered an undertone of tahini and halwa.
Apart from my being curious, DK what made me add a generous pinch of white tea. I had a hunch it could work out just fine. White tea is healthy, an antiviral which protects the heart, lowers the cholesterol (among others), and it is also known to have more properties than green tea. Its taste is subtle and delicate, I often drink it unsweetened in small Japanese tea cups. Lovely. Paired with creamy ricotta, condensed milk and rosewater, the fragile white tea leaves stand on their own to tell a wonderful story: oh, in your urban kitchen you may allow yourself to day dream, mix and match, taste, sample and compare, speed-travel through your senses to far-away realms...

Tapioca Pudding with Coconut Milk & Rose Water

The moment I took a first bite of my tapioca pudding with coconut milk and rose water, I remembered the famous quotation: I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds around my neck. I'm in love with roses, I wish my life were a bed of roses :) I want to be surrounded by roses, in my garden, on the table, on the plate, in my cup of tea. Have you ever tried black tea with rose water and saffron sugar? It's divine. I had it first in Saudi Arabia, in the house of my friend, Sabeeka. It was a mind-blowing combination. 

If you remember, some days ago I was suggesting in the Think Gourmet! post, that you have rose water and orange blossom water in your pantry. Used in many Arabian, Persian and Indian desserts, rose water can be added to tea, lemonade, yoghurt, lassi,  or even used for cosmetic purposes, in soaps, moisturizers and skin tonics.

Many people might not know that rose water and rose oil are organically grown and produced in Saudi Arabia, in the region of Taif, east of Jeddah. Taif is a rich agricultural area known for its production of honey;  grapes and pomegranates are also harvested in the region and delivered overnight all over the Kingdom.

The delicate roses of Taif bring thousands of visitors to this western region on the occasion of the Taif Rose Festival, organized to coincide with the rose-picking season, reports Gulf news. 

Type of cuisine: Middle Eastern

Cooking time: 20 minutes

For this beautifully scented pudding, this is the shopping list:

pearls of tapioca (one cup)

fresh milk (500 ml or more)

coconut milk (200 ml)

honey (1 tbsp)

rose water (3 or 4 tbsp)

Method

Measure one cup of tapioca pearls and boil in two cups of milk. The pearls will require more milk to be gradually added, so keep the bottle of fresh milk close by. Add the coconut milk, honey and rose water towards the end and stir continuously to avoid sticking to the pan. 

I decorated the pudding with beautiful rosebuds from Sonnentor, organic rose tea and coconut chips to design the delicate petals. 

smooth, velvety, divine

Think Gourmet!

On all kinds of culinary goodies ...

p'tit resto en France 

Would it be pushing it to say that people don’t eat well these days? With hardly any free time under our belt, stressed and joggling through too many ‘to-do’ tasks, we find ourselves forced to eat fast meals, if not actually fast food.  Lunch time is short and even this much anticipated break is used to deal with emails and other professional or personal duties.  Dinner often happens in front of the telly in the living room, with a bowl on our lap. Lack of resources and money is another factor which contributes to a poor and boring diet.

I love food. The belief “you are what you eat” (hence the description of my blog) has always appealed to me because food is interlinked with psychology and social background. We are influenced by what we have read, seen, visited, smelt, tasted, tried and sampled. Food is all about discovery - including self-discovery.

Should somebody need to be a foodie or be rich in order to appreciate a delicious bite? Not at all. Gourmet is not only about dining at the most exclusive restaurant in town. We have been led to believe that hard-to-get products (such as tuna fish, macadamia nuts, truffles, or Japanese Wagyu beef, to name just a few) constitute the basis of a gourmet dish. Quite to the contrary, gourmet food is all about simple ingredients that taste good and take you to a trip to Paradise. 

Good food (or what is often referred to as gourmet) is, in my opinion, cooked with passion and style using fresh, simple ingredients.

Here are some dishes that can easily be boring, but which can equally be twisted-and-turned into a true gourmet experience.

Eggplants

Boring: eggplant salad with salt and mayonnaise

Exciting: eggplant salad with avocado, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, toasted sesame seeds. Decorate with green lettuce leaves and sprinkle vinaigrette on top

Eggs

Boring: boiled eggs with salt

Exciting: boiled eggs with a sweet mustard sauce and green salad as a side dish.

The mustard sauce I often make is delicious and easy to prepare in a very short time: 2 spoons Dijon mustard, 1 spoon regular mustard, 1 teaspoon of honey, ½ or 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 4 spoons low-fat cream (or yoghurt) and linseeds  

Yoghurt

Boring: plain yoghurt

Exciting: Yoghurt will never be boring when you revamp it into raita, labneh or lassi, the last being probably one of the most versatile drinks on earth! (Click on the link to pick your own favourite lassi.)

Polenta

Boring: polenta as a side dish (a staple in the Romanian diet)

Exciting: polenta cubes, squares, wedges or triangles broiled in the oven with grilled paprika and balsamic vinegar sauce

Honey

Boring: honey spread on bread for a quick and healthy breakfast

Exciting: grind some almonds or dry coconut flakes and mix them with honey. Spread them on fresh baguette or Irish soda-bread. Enjoy it with strong coffee in the morning.

Pumpkin

Boring: baked pumpkin with brown sugar or cinnamon/nutmeg sprinkled on top

Exciting:  roasted pumpkin cubes with minced ginger

Chips

Boring: fried potatoes, aka chips with ketchup from a jar

Exciting: cut the potatoes in 8, boil them for 10+ minutes, drain them and put them in an ovenproof dish. You can roast them in many ways, after adding the following herbs and/or spices:

European style: herbs (use your imagination: rosemary, herbes provencales etc), Camargue salt or fleur de sel, a dash of olive oil

Indian style (Bombay potatoes): mustard seeds, onion seeds, cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, hot chilli, curry leaves, freshly grated ginger, turmeric, garlic, garam masala powder mix, olive oil, salt

Lebanese style: mint, sweet paprika, one diced tomato, mint, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, fleur de sel, olive oil

My own style J: cumin, coriander seeds, linseeds, pumpkin seeds, fleur de sel, extra virgin olive oil

Have them with one of the following dips: raita, satay (peanut butter, coconut milk & spices), tomato & mint chutney, honey & mustard sauce. All should be home-made.

Milk

Boring: warm milk

Exciting: hot milk with honey & ginger, or hot chocolate with honey & crushed mint

Coffee

Boring: Filter coffee

Exciting: Coffee with hel (aka cardamom)

Black Tea

Boring: black tea with sugar

Exciting:  black tea with rosewater & saffron sugar or Spiced Lebanese tea

Green Tea

Boring: plain green tea

Exciting: green tea with fresh mint or ginger

Pancakes (crepes)

Boring: pancakes with jam or Nutella

Exciting: Crêpes Suzette, or crepes with wholemeal flour, banana, pumpkin seeds, milk & vanilla, and filled with honey

Rice

Boring: (gluey) pilaf L

Exciting: biryani, bukhari, paella, risotto

Lentils

Boring: lentil soup, Lebanese style

Exciting: lentil-&-prawn chowder or mujardarra (lentil & rice with spices and sweet onion jam)

White beans

Boring: white bean salad

Exciting: white bean curry or carrot & bean soup

Chicken breast

Boring: chicken schnitzels or plain chicken skewers

Exciting: chicken satay, or shish tawook

Turkey

Boring: grilled turkey with green lettuce

Exciting: grilled turkey with forest fruit coulis or hoi-sin sauce

Minced beef

Boring: (European style) meatballs

Exciting: beef kofta, Lebanese style pizza or chilli con carne

Fish

Boring: British style fried fish (with chips)

Exciting: learn about fish, some fish are better steamed, grilled or baked in the oven.

Plain water

Boring: plain water

Exciting: served with thin slices of apple, orange and/or tangerine, fresh mint leaves, orange blossom water, and ice cubes. Or plain water with rosewater.

Fizzy (sparkling) water

Boring: fizzy water with a slice of lemon and ice cubes

Exciting: ‘Saudi’ champagne - 1 measure apple juice, 3 measures fizzy water, 

thin slices of apple & orange, fresh mint, ice cubes or crushed ice

Carrots

Boring: carrots in boiled mint or coriander

Exciting: Moroccan style orange-&-carrot salad with cinnamon, brown sugar, orange blossom water, lime juice

Couscous

Boring: couscous with tomatoes & red onions

Exciting: couscous with dried apricots, fresh figs, golden raisins, pistachios, almonds, spring onions, pomegranate (Use your imagination, add, remove, or mix any of the ingredients from the list)

Other tips that can make life beautiful:

Go to gourmet shops and make a mental note of the ingredients listed on jars. You can usually replicate them at home. Olive paste is very easy to make at home, and because you are not limited to a small jar, you can share this delicious Mediterranean black spread with your family and friends.

Opt for extra virgin olive oil instead of regular oil or very cheap olive oil.

If you have time, cook daily. Don’t eat food which is more than 24 hours old.

If you can, go to the market at least twice a week to buy your vegetables fresh and crisp.

If you don’t live in the city and have access to the outdoors, go fishing, and grow your own veggies and fruit.

If you have a small garden, plant at least some aromatic herbs and tend them with love and care. Plants need sunshine and lots of TLC.

Don’t buy sweets and biscuits from the supermarket. Bake your own cakes.

Invest in a good quality coffee machine, so that you can enjoy countless creamy cappuccinos and espressos at home.

Make your own chutneys, using a variety of ingredients, e.g. apple, tomato & mint, fig, mango, or peach.

Make sure to always have orange blossom water and rosewater in your pantry.

Buy fresh milk and bread every day.

If it is possible, use fresh herbs instead of dried ones (especially mint which is ideal for Lebanese style dishes such as labneh or raita)

If you can, make your own bread and pasta.

Avoid using ginger powder instead of ginger root. Ginger root stores well in the fridge.

Use honey and brown sugar instead of refined white sugar.

Have lots of different kinds of tea in the house.

Use coffee beans instead of ground coffee. That will surely wake you up!

ALWAYS go for fresh, local, bio and sustainable products.

Use imported products only for items which cannot and should not be anything but the original ™® (Roquefort, chorizo, Thai rice, basmati rice, salam de Sibiu, pappadums, exotic fruit & vegetables etc). Don’t buy garlic from China, peppers from Holland, watermelon from Turkey, apples from Italy etc, if they grow naturally in your country.

Read about food, spices & herbs; go through food blogs, listen to suggestions and learn (from mistakes, as well). :)

Have blue cheese or chèvre with a sip of velvety red wine, walnuts, and grapes. (La vie en rose). 

If you have guests for dinner, be generous - be a perfect host.  Your food will make people happy and your guests will want to come back.

This posting has been quite long (and I still haven’t finished!), but I hope you have found it interesting. I’ll probably update it one of these days. This is what I go for on a regular basis.  It doesn’t cost extra money and it makes life sweeter in the kitchen and beyond. 

And remember, when you cook it with passion, then it’s definitely gourmet!

PS. If you have any other suggestions on how to spice up a relatively boring meal, feel free to drop me a line. Your comments always make me happy... xx