How to Dry Figs

Many people have fig trees at home. So, how can you dry these figs from your fig tree at home?

Figs dry nicely. First, though, you must let them ripen fully to develop their flavor. And the only way to know that they’re fully mature is to let them drop from the tree. Harvest them quickly, wash and dry them, and cut them in half. Place them on a drying surface, skin-side down. (The drying surface may be the rack from a dehydrator, cooling racks that you intend to put in the oven, a clean screen or wooden frame with a clean, old sheet stapled to it for drying the figs in the sun, etc.)

If you plan to dry them in the sun, you need warm days with little humidity. A warm, dry breeze circulating around the figs for two days is ideal. Bring your trays in before the evening dew. To discourage bugs, you can prop a layer of cheesecloth up across the trays.

You can also dry the figs in the oven, but you want a temperature no higher than 140°F (60°C). And 115° to 120° (45°C to 50°C) is actually best for fruit. Many ovens cannot be set that low, however, so you may need to find some absolutely safe way to prop the oven door open a little to allow the excess heat to vent. Some people let you go as high as 160°F (70°C), but at that temperature the fruit may actually begin to cook, which is not your goal. Or the surface will dry out before the interior, trapping moisture inside, and leading to the development of mold. At a temperature around 120°, the figs will take between 8 and 12 hours to dry. If you use a dehydrator, follow the manufacturers’ instructions.

After the figs are dry and leathery, you should “pasteurize” them to kill any insects that may be lurking in the cracks and crevices. You can either heat them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 175°F (80°C) or put them in freezer bags and freeze them for at least four days. (The freezer method is a little less destructive to vitamins, minerals and texture). Afterwards, if you keep them in the refrigerator, they’ll last for 18 to 24 months. In the freezer, they’ll last for 5 to 8 years.

Which ever you choose, remember to keep eating those figs — you'll have another crop next year!

Labne

Labne (marinated yoghurt cheese balls) recipe.

Makes 15-20

Ingredients

1.5kg thick Greek yoghurt
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs oregano
2 garlic cloves
2 cups (500ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek

Method

Place yoghurt in a bowl with 2 teaspoons sea salt and stir to combine. Lay muslin on a workbench, place yoghurt in centre, then gather up muslin sides and tie with string. Suspend the ball over a bowl - we found the best way to do this was to tie the ball to a wooden spoon, then rest the spoon on the top of a bowl, allowing the ball to hang down. Leave to drain in the fridge for 3 days. Discard the whey that has drained out, remove yoghurt to a bowl and discard muslin. Roll yoghurt into golf-sized balls, lay on a baking tray and refrigerate for 3 hours to dry out. Place in a sterilised preserving jar with herbs and garlic, cover with oil and seal. Leave to marinate for 24 hours. Keep for up to 1 week.

Notes & tips
These delicious little yoghurt cheese balls are usually served as part of a Middle Eastern mezze platter with dips, marinated vegetables and warm pita bread. You will need a double thickness of butter muslin*.

*Butter muslin is available from kitchenware and haberdashery stores.

Source
delicious. - November 2003, Page 142
Recipe by Valli Little

Chicken Liver with Pomegranate Molasses

Easy and tasty appetizer dish of Chicken Liver with Pomegranate Molasses.

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg (2.2 lb) chicken liver
• 1 large onion, finley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup cooking oil or olive oil
• 1 or 2 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses

Preparation:

• Heat oil in frying pan on high heat.
• add onion and stir until onions are golden brown. Add chicken liver until it's color change and bubbles appear in the oil or until done according to desire.
• add cumin, salt, red pepper, black pepper and mix well.
• Add Pomegranate Molasses and mix well, leave over fire for 2 minutes.
  
• Serve hot with pita bread as an appetizer.
  

Katayef Bi Kashta

Very special and easy Arabic dessert dish. Katayef Bi Kashta (Pancakes with Cream) . If you love Pancakes this dessert is sure to put a smile on your face.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups atter (syrup)
• 1lb (1/2 kg) small Katayef store-bought
• 1lb (1/2 kg) kashta (homemade cream)
• 1/2 cup crystallized flowers store-bought
• 30 pancakes (depends on No. of People
  

Preparation:

• Fill each pancake with a tablespoon of Kashta.
• Pinch the edges together only half way, forming a cone-like shape.
• Garnish each pancake with a little amount of crystallized flowers.
• Arrange in a large serving dish.
• Serve with the atter (Syrup).
  

To prepare Atter (Syrup):

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  

Make a syrup by stirring the water, sugar, and lemon juice together in a saucepan over medium heat until thick; set aside to cool.

Sayadieh

Sayadieh (Fish with Rice) is a delicious and robust lebanese, Syrian, Egyptian, Palestinian, and Jordanian style fish dish. Any firm, white fish, such as haddock or cod, can be used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. oil, for deep-frying
• 2 tbsp. pine nuts
• 3 onions, sliced
• 2 cups American rice, rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. mixed spices
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 MAGGI Chicken Stock cubes(dissolved in 3 cups of hot water)
• 4 white fish fillets (Cod or Haddock)
• 3 tbsp. seasoned flour to coat the fish
  

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the pine nuts till brown. Remove nuts from the oil and keep aside.
2. Add the onions to the same pan and fry till brown.
3. Add the rice, turmeric, spices, salt and pepper and stir till the rice is well-coated with oil.
4. Add the MAGGI Chicken Stock, boil and then lower the heat. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, coat the fish with the seasoned flour and deep fry.
6. When the rice is cooked, add the pine nuts and stir gently.
7. Empty the rice in a flat dish, and arrange the fish on top. Serve with mixed salad and Tarator (Tahini sauce).

Egyptian Katayef

Katayef was traditionally prepared by street vendors as well as households in the Levant and more recently has spread to Egypt. Qatayef is the general name of the dessert as a whole, but more specifically, the its batter. The result of the batter being poured into a round hot plate appears similar to pancakes, except only one side is cooked, then folded. The pastry is filled with either unsalted goat cheese or ground walnuts and cinnamon. It is then baked and served with a hot sugar-water syrup or sometimes honey.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  

• 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
• 3 cups water
  

• 3 cups oil for frying

Preparation:

1. Make a syrup by stirring the water, sugar, and lemon juice together in a saucepan over medium heat until thick; set aside to cool.
2. Make a filling by combining the ricotta cheese and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Make the dough by mixing together the flour and the yeast. Stir the water into the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking to remove any lumps, until the mixture reaches a pourable consistency; allow to rest 1 hour.
4. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Ladle 2 to 3 ounces of batter at a time into the center of the skillet into a round shape. Each katayef shell is finished when the top is dry and the bottom is slightly browned.
5. Fill each shell with an equal portion of the cheese mixture. Fold one end of the shell over the cheese mixture and seal into a semi-circle shape by pinching along the edges.
6. Heat the frying oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Fry the katayef in the oil until crispy and lightly browned; immerse in the syrup to coat.
   
7. Serve immediately.

Day life during Ramadan - Preparing Katayef

Katayef Recipe Video...