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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Yummm! A Birthday Dinner for Malcolm X



Today would have been the 85th birthday of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, the man most of the world knows as Malcolm X. The feast I have planned (in my mind) to celebrate is one I think Brother Malcolm would approve of! Enjoy!!

Baked Eggplant

(Recipe Courtesy of Sister Clara Muhammad)

1 medium eggplant Boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup salad oil or olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 medium green pepper cut in
1/4-inch cubes
1 tomato skinned and chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or I teaspoon fresh chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or
1 teaspoon fresh chopped
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Cup bread or corn flakes crumbs
2 tablespoons butter

1. Wash eggplant and cover with boiling water. Add I tablespoon of the salt and boil 20 minutes. Turn it several times to cook evenly, since it will ride on the top of the water. Drain and rinse in cold water.

2. Peel the eggplant and cut in 1/4-inch cubes.

3. Heat the oil in a skillet and lightly saute the onion. Stir in the eggplant, green pepper, tomato, basil, oregano, remaining V2 tablespoon salt, and pepper.

4. Place in a greased medium casserole, cover with crumbs, and dot with butter.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes, or until well-browned.
Serves 4-5

Baked Fish

(Recipe Courtesy of Zawaj.com)

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. red snapper or any other firm white fish
1 box cherry tomatoes
about 1 cup pitted black olives or to taste
2 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 lb feta cheese, or to taste

Coat fish lightly with olive oil and lay in a shallow baking dish. Put in a 350F oven to bake. While fish is cooking, saute onion until translucent, add garlic, tomatoes, and olives and cook just until tomatoes collapse. Just before fish is done, top with crumbled feta and cook just until cheese softens/melts. Serve with vegetables of your choice.

Om Ali

(Recipe Courtesy of Epicureaders.com)

14 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup raisins
3 cups milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons orange flower water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven and preheat to 500°F. Stack 7 pastry sheets on each of 2 large baking sheets. Bake until top pastry sheets are dry and crisp but not brown, about 45 seconds. Working quickly, transfer top pastry sheets to another large baking sheet and cool (pastry may break). Repeat baking and removing top sheets from each stack every 45 seconds. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Arrange half of phyllo in bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish, breaking phyllo to fit into dish as necessary. Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds and 2 tablespoons raisins. Sprinkle remaining almonds and raisins over pastry. Cover with remaining pastry, breaking into pieces and pressing to fit into dish. Combine milk, sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Remove pan from heat. Mix in cream and orange flower water. Pour milk mixture over phyllo (phyllo will shrink as it absorbs milk mixture). Sprinkle with cinnamon, then pistachios and reserved almonds and raisins.

Bake until pudding puffs and center is set, about 45 minutes or less Serve hot.

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