From the Publisher
In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a wealthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Nicolo is a troubled young woman whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard-won stability slip away from her. Sheriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice.
Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog marks the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.
Margie was our hostess for this excellent book, Jeanne was her cohostess. We were treated to an authentic
menu of Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and Zucchini stew) served over Persian rice and lentils with a Tahdeeg (Tahdeeg is the golden rice crust that forms at the bottom of the saucepan) along with hummus/pita bread and for dessert Strawberry Shortcake (the American part of our menu)
Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and zucchini stew)
2 lbs of stewing beef or lamb cut into 1" cubes
1 lg onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large cans whole tomatoes
6-7 small (Chinese) eggplants, peeled
6-7 small zucchinis, peeled
3 Tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
1. Fry the onions in 2 Tbsp. canola oil over med-high heat till golden. Add meat and garlic, raise heat to high and fry till all juices are absorbed.
2. Add spices and fry for minute or two. Add canned tomatoes and bring to simmer, add lemon juice and simmer 2 hours until meat done.
3. While meat is stewing, fry eggplant and zucchini is small amount of oil till outside is almost black. (Try to find eggplants and zucchinis which are very thin, but if not available, cut them lenghtwise in half. Set aside on paper towels- handle carefully so they don't fall apart.
4. About 15 monutes before serving, put eggplants and zucchinis in with meat and simmer gently.
Serve over rice. Normally you can just serve over Basmati rice but Margie made the rice dish below:
Persian Rice with Lentils with a Tahdeeg
1 lb. basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic , crushed
2/3 cup sunflower oil
1 cup green lentils, soaked
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup raisins
2 Tbsp ground coriander
3 Tbsp tomato paste
salt and ground black pepper
Few threads of saffron
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tsp plain yogurt
6 Tbsp butter, melted
Extra oil for frying
1. Boil the rinsed and drained rice in plenty of well salted water for 3 minutes only. Drain.
2. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes, add lentils, stock, raisins, coriander, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Soak saffron threads in a little hot water. Remove about 1/2 cup rice and mix with the egg yolk and yogurt. Season well with salt and pepper.
4.In a large saucepan, heat about 2/3 of the remaining sunflower oil and scatter the egg/yogurt/rice mixture evenly over the base.
5. Scatter the remaining rice into the pan, alternating it with the lentils. Build up a pyramid shape away from the sides of the pan (I thought the pyramids were Egyptian?), finishing with plain rice on top.
6. With a long wooden spoon handle, make 3 holes down to the bottom of the pan and drizzle over the butter. Bring to a high heat, then wrap the pan lid in a clean, wet dish towel and place firmly on top. When a good head of steam appears, turn the heat down to low. Cook for about 30 minute.
7. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion in the remaining oil until brown and crisp. Drain , and set aside.
8. Remove rice pan from heat, still covered and stand it briefly in a sink of cold water for a minute or 2 to loosen the base. Remove the lid and mix a few spoons of the white rice with the saffron water prepared in step #3.
9. Toss the rice and lentils together in the pan and spoon out into a serving dish . Scatter the saffron rice on top. Break up the rice crust on the bottom (the prized tahdeeg) and place around the mound. Scatter the onions on top of the saffron rice and serve.
Okay, first let me say, Margie and Rafic, I am more amazed at your cooking skills than ever before. And second, if anyone makes this recipe, please invite me over for dinner because I am way beyond impressed!!!
Please don't think that every book we read is sad, violent, and depressing (like CNN and Fox news)- next month's book is the antithesis of that- At Home In Mitford...
Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog marks the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.
Margie was our hostess for this excellent book, Jeanne was her cohostess. We were treated to an authentic
menu of Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and Zucchini stew) served over Persian rice and lentils with a Tahdeeg (Tahdeeg is the golden rice crust that forms at the bottom of the saucepan) along with hummus/pita bread and for dessert Strawberry Shortcake (the American part of our menu)
Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and zucchini stew)
2 lbs of stewing beef or lamb cut into 1" cubes
1 lg onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large cans whole tomatoes
6-7 small (Chinese) eggplants, peeled
6-7 small zucchinis, peeled
3 Tbsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
1. Fry the onions in 2 Tbsp. canola oil over med-high heat till golden. Add meat and garlic, raise heat to high and fry till all juices are absorbed.
2. Add spices and fry for minute or two. Add canned tomatoes and bring to simmer, add lemon juice and simmer 2 hours until meat done.
3. While meat is stewing, fry eggplant and zucchini is small amount of oil till outside is almost black. (Try to find eggplants and zucchinis which are very thin, but if not available, cut them lenghtwise in half. Set aside on paper towels- handle carefully so they don't fall apart.
4. About 15 monutes before serving, put eggplants and zucchinis in with meat and simmer gently.
Serve over rice. Normally you can just serve over Basmati rice but Margie made the rice dish below:
Persian Rice with Lentils with a Tahdeeg
1 lb. basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic , crushed
2/3 cup sunflower oil
1 cup green lentils, soaked
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup raisins
2 Tbsp ground coriander
3 Tbsp tomato paste
salt and ground black pepper
Few threads of saffron
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tsp plain yogurt
6 Tbsp butter, melted
Extra oil for frying
1. Boil the rinsed and drained rice in plenty of well salted water for 3 minutes only. Drain.
2. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes, add lentils, stock, raisins, coriander, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Soak saffron threads in a little hot water. Remove about 1/2 cup rice and mix with the egg yolk and yogurt. Season well with salt and pepper.
4.In a large saucepan, heat about 2/3 of the remaining sunflower oil and scatter the egg/yogurt/rice mixture evenly over the base.
5. Scatter the remaining rice into the pan, alternating it with the lentils. Build up a pyramid shape away from the sides of the pan (I thought the pyramids were Egyptian?), finishing with plain rice on top.
6. With a long wooden spoon handle, make 3 holes down to the bottom of the pan and drizzle over the butter. Bring to a high heat, then wrap the pan lid in a clean, wet dish towel and place firmly on top. When a good head of steam appears, turn the heat down to low. Cook for about 30 minute.
7. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion in the remaining oil until brown and crisp. Drain , and set aside.
8. Remove rice pan from heat, still covered and stand it briefly in a sink of cold water for a minute or 2 to loosen the base. Remove the lid and mix a few spoons of the white rice with the saffron water prepared in step #3.
9. Toss the rice and lentils together in the pan and spoon out into a serving dish . Scatter the saffron rice on top. Break up the rice crust on the bottom (the prized tahdeeg) and place around the mound. Scatter the onions on top of the saffron rice and serve.
Okay, first let me say, Margie and Rafic, I am more amazed at your cooking skills than ever before. And second, if anyone makes this recipe, please invite me over for dinner because I am way beyond impressed!!!
Please don't think that every book we read is sad, violent, and depressing (like CNN and Fox news)- next month's book is the antithesis of that- At Home In Mitford...
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