halal

Watermelon and feta has been in vogue for some time (and forever in Greece). I decided to throw in some of my endless supply of cucumbers and mix it up with the melons. I cut the melon and cucumber into medium-size dice (1/2 to 3/4 inch), but you can also make this more like a salsa and cut the produce into fine dice.

Cucumber, Melon and Watermelon Salad

watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe

diced cucumber, seeded if there are seeds

Salt

lemon or lime zest

freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

mint

feta cheese, crumbled

Aleppo pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together just before serving.

You can serve this refreshing mixture as a salad, as a topping for whole grains or as a salsa with grilled fish or chicken.

Tomato, Cucumber and Corn Salad

tomatoes,

corn,

cilantro

rice vinegar

lime juice

feta, crumbled (about 1/4 cup)

Mix together all of the ingredients. Let sit in or out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving, then toss again.

Chipotle contributes heat and smoke to this beautiful blender gazpacho. I love the smoky heat of chipotles in this gazpacho. Cucumber and avocado are garnishes that are both cooling and soothing.

Chipotle Gazpacho

onion

tomatoes

garlic cloves,

sherry vinegar

canned chipotles in adobo (to taste)

ice water,

avocado,

cucumber,

basil cilantro

Put the onion slices in a bowl, cover with cold water and add a few drops of vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut in half or into smaller pieces.

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, vinegar, chipotle, water and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a medium strainer into a bowl. Taste and adjust salt. Thin out as desired with ice water. Chill for several hours.

Ladle the cold soup into bowls and garnish with a spoonful each diced avocado and diced cucumber (seasoned with salt if desired). Sprinkle with cilantro or basil (or both) and serve.

I have made several versions of vegetarian chili; in some the beans take center stage, others are just as focused on vegetables. This thick, satisfying chili is equally focused on both. I particularly like the way the sweet flavor and comforting, creamy texture of the winter squash plays against the spicy flavors in the chili.

Vegetarian Chili With Winter Vegetables

recipe simmered pintos

grapeseed, sunflower or canola oil

onion, finely chopped

carrots,

red pepper, diced (optional)

garlic cloves, minced

chili

cumin seeds, ground

dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

tomato paste

winter squash (about 3/4 pound)

cheddar

Heat the beans on top of the stove in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion, carrot and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and beginning to color, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, stir together until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add the ground chili and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Add the tomatoes and oregano, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is beginning to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste dissolved in water and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt to taste and simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fragrant.

Stir the tomato mixture into the beans. Add the winter squash and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring often, for 30 to 45 minutes. It is important to stir often so that the chili doesn’t settle and stick to the bottom of the pot. It should be thick; if you desire you can thin out with water. Taste and adjust salt.

Shortly before serving stir in the cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls. If you wish, top with grated cheddar, Monterey jack, or crumbled queso fresco.

This is a macaroni and cheese that's not too heavy and benefits mightily from the use of whole-wheat pasta and the addition of broccoli. You can assemble it ahead and bake it when you need it, or bake it ahead and reheat. There are a number of excellent whole wheat macaroni products on the market now. Check out Community Grains and MagNoodles. When you cook the macaroni, be sure to cook it for less time than usual so that it is more al dente; otherwise it will become too soft and may fall apart when you bake it in the final casserole.

Whole Grain Macaroni and Cheese

whole grain macaroni shells, elbows, penne, or fusilli

broccoli crown,

shallot

flour, sifted

milk (1 percent, 2 percent or whole, to taste)

Salt and white or black pepper

nutmeg

Parmesan

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add macaroni and cook al dente, a minute short of however long you typically cook pasta if you were serving it right away. Use a skimmer or strainer to lift macaroni from cooking water and transfer it to a large bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil and set aside.

Add broccoli to boiling water and boil 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain, and then drain again on paper towels or a kitchen towel.

To make béchamel, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling, but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in milk all at once and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Turn heat to very low and simmer, whisking often and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened and lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Strain béchamel while hot into the bowl with the pasta. Add cheeses and broccoli and stir together until pasta is nicely coated with sauce. Scrape into prepared baking dish.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until bubbly and the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

This dish is based on a Middle Eastern staple traditionally served with fresh Arabic bread at room temperature, though I like to serve it warm. The casserole tastes best if made a day ahead.

Eggplant, Tomato and Chickpea Casserole

eggplant

onion,

garlic

sugar

cinnamon

basil

can chickpeas, drained

flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and brush the foil with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on the foil, sprinkle with salt and brush each slice lightly with oil. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and carefully fold the foil in half over the eggplant. Crimp the edges together, so that the eggplant is sealed inside the foil and will continue to steam and soften. Leave for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cinnamon, basil and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Add freshly ground pepper, then taste and adjust salt. Remove the basil sprig, and stir in the drained chickpeas.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Cover the bottom with thin layer of tomato sauce, and make a layer of half the eggplant. Spoon half the remaining sauce over the eggplant, and repeat the layers.

Bake 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.

This is a Provençal style gratin, or tian, dense with greens and bound with rice and egg. You can play around with the mix of greens; switch out beet greens for spinach, or some of the chard for kale (kale will require a minute or two more of blanching). I have kept the seasonings to a minimum as you have plenty to prep, but a Provençal cook would probably add chopped parsley and perhaps savory or rosemary. You won’t be using the chard ribs here, but keep them to use in other dishes.

Three-Greens Gratin

Swiss chard (about 2 to 2 1/4

beet greens

extra virgin olive oil,

onion, chopped

leeks (1 large or 2 smaller), white

thyme leaves

cabbage (1/2 medium), cored and chopped

eggs

rice

Nutmeg

pepper

Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup)

Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)

breadcrumbs (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. When the water comes to a boil salt generously and add chard. Blanch for 1 minute, until just wilted, and using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and squeeze out excess water, taking the chard up by the handful. Chop medium-fine and set aside. You should have about 2 cups.

Bring the water back to a boil and blanch beet greens for 1 minute; if using spinach, blanch for 20 seconds only. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine. You should have about 1 cup (less for spinach).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add leeks. Cook, stirring, until leeks begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes, and add garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add cabbage and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until cabbage collapses in pan, about 5 minutes, and add another generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook the mixture until the cabbage is tender, sweet, and beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped blanched greens and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir together for about a minute and remove from the heat.

Beat eggs in a large bowl and add a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in rice or farro, vegetable mixture and cheeses. Scrape into prepared baking dish. If using breadcrumbs, toss with remaining tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle over the top. If not using breadcrumbs drizzle remaining oil over the top.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Chop the greens super-fine to achieve the prettiest color. Use whatever looks best in the market (spinach and chard are brightest when it comes to color), or you can use bagged baby spinach. You only need 1/2 cup of chopped greens, but you could use twice that amount.

Greens and Garlic Frittata to Go

milk

Salt and pepper

Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Beat in the greens, garlic and the Parmesan.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy, 8-inch nonstick omelet pan. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping in every last bit with a heat-proof rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Once a few layers of egg have cooked during the first couple of minutes of cooking, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 7 to 10 minutes, until the frittata is puffed and just about set. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the omelet with a wooden or heat-proof rubber spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. It will however turn golden.

If the frittata is still runny on the top, wearing oven mitts, slide the frittata out onto a plate or even better, a saucepan lid that has a handle, reverse the pan over the plate or lid, and holding the two together, flip the plate or lid so that the frittata goes back into the pan on its not-quite-cooked side. Finish for no longer than a minute, then reverse onto a platter. Allow to cool to room temperature, and serve, or chill. Cut into 4 wedges to serve. The wedges pack well and are very portable.

Teff is a tiny, nutrient-dense grain native to Ethiopia. Its calcium content is higher than that of any other grain, and it’s an excellent source of vitamin C. It has a low glycemic index and is gluten-free, though these pancakes are not. I grind the tiny grains into flour in my spice mill, but you can also find teff flour in whole-foods stores.

Teff and Oatmeal Pancakes

(200 grams) ground teff or teff flour

(140 grams) whole-wheat flour

baking powder

baking soda

salt

agave nectar

buttermilk

canola oil

vanilla extract

(270 grams) cooked oatmeal (rolled oats, not steel-cut; 1/2 cup uncooked)

Butter

blueberries, preferably organic

all-purpose flour

Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the agave syrup and molasses (if using), buttermilk, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour mix. Do not overwork the batter. Stir in the cooked oatmeal

Heat a griddle or a large skillet, either nonstick or seasoned cast iron, over medium-high heat. Brush with butter or oil. Use a 1/4-cup ladle or cup measure to drop 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter per pancake onto your heated pan or griddle

Toss the berries with 1 teaspoon flour in a bowl. Place 6 to 7 berries on each pancake (more if using small wild blueberries), gently pressing them down into the batter. When bubbles break through the pancakes, flip the pancakes over and cook for another minute, or until they are brown on the other side. Serve right away, or allow to cool and wrap individual servings in plastic, then place in a freezer bag and freeze

Fresh blueberries are not in season at the moment, so I put my frozen organic wild blueberries to good use in this hearty mix. The chia and the amaranth pump up the nutritional value of this cereal -- both are high in calcium, amaranth is high in protein, and chia seeds are a great source of healthful omega-3s. They also contribute texture. For even more great texture, top the cereal with chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds.

Oats With Amaranth, Chia Seeds and Blueberries

regular or quick cooking steel-cut oats

amaranth seeds

chia seeds

Salt (I use a generous pinch)

water

honey

Optional toppings: milk, chopped toasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped toasted almonds, grated apple or pear, freeze-dried blueberries

The night before, stir together steel-cut oats, amaranth seeds, chia seeds, salt and blueberries in a medium microwave-proof bowl. Bring water to a boil and pour over mixture. Add honey or maple syrup and stir, then cover bowl with a plate.

In the morning, microwave mixture for 2 minutes on 100 percent power. Remove bowl from microwave and carefully remove plate (bowl will be hot and steam will rise from cereal). Stir mixture, cover again and return to microwave. Heat for 2 minutes more, or until mixture is no longer watery.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle on toppings of your choice.

This utterly faithful recipe perfectly recreates a New York City halal-cart classic: Chicken and Rice with White Sauce . The chicken is marinated with herbs, lemon, and spices; the rice golden; the sauce, as white and creamy as ever.

Serious Eats' Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice With White Sauce Recipe

For the chicken:

lemon juice

oregano

coriander seed

garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

olive oil

salt and black pepper

chicken

vegetable or canola oil

For the rice:

unsalted butter

turmeric

cumin

chicken broth

For the sauce:

mayonnaise

Greek yogurt

white vinegar

parsley

To serve:

iceberg lettuce, shredded

tomato,

Fluffy pocketless pita bread, brushed

Harissa-style hot sauce,

For the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season the marinade to taste with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and add half of the marinade (reserve the remaining marinade in the refrigerator). Turn the chicken to coat, seal the bag, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, turning occasionally to redistribute the marinade (see Note).

Remove the chicken from the bag and pat it dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and pepper, going heavy on the pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until it is lightly smoking. Add the chicken pieces and cook without disturbing until they are lightly browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the center of each thigh registers 165°F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Using a chef’s knife, roughly chop the chicken into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the remaining marinade, cover loosely with plastic, and refrigerate while you cook the rice and prepare the sauce.

For the rice: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes without disturbing. Remove from the heat and allow to rest until the water is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

For the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt.

To serve: Return the entire contents of the chicken bowl (chicken, marinade, and all juices) to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. To serve, divide the rice, lettuce, tomato, and toasted pita bread evenly among four to six plates. Pile the chicken on top of the rice. Top with the white sauce and hot sauce. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce at the table.Note: Do not marinate the chicken longer than 4 hours or it’ll get a mushy texture. If you must delay cooking the chicken for any reason, remove it from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

I bought incredibly sweet, baby red onions — they look like thick red scallions — and multicolored bunches of carrots from a farmer at my market and roasted them with fresh thyme. Then I sprinkled on some crushed toasted hazelnuts, which contributed a nice crunchy texture and nutty finish to the dish. If you have a bottle of hazelnut oil or walnut oil on hand, a small drizzle just before serving is a welcome touch.

Roasted Carrots and Scallions With Thyme and Hazelnuts

hazelnuts (about 1/4 cup)

spring onions or scallions

hazelnut oil oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell toasty and they a’re golden all the way through (cut one in half to check). Remove from the oven and turn up the heat to 425 degrees.

Immediately wrap the hazelnuts in a clean, dry dish towel. Rub them in the towel to remove the skins. Then place the skinned hazelnuts in a plastic bag or, if you have one, a disposable pastry bag and set on your work table in one layer. Use a rolling pin to crush the nuts by rolling over them with the pin. Set aside.

Line a sheet pan with parchment or oil a baking dish large enough to fit all of the vegetables in a single layer. If the carrots are small, just peel and trim the tops and bottoms. If they are medium- sized, peel, cut in half and cut into 4-inch lengths. Quarter large carrots and cut into 4-inch lengths. Trim the root ends and greens from the spring onions or scallions. If they are bulbous, cut them in half. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and olive oil and toss well, either directly on the pan or in the dish or in a bowl. Spread in an even layer in the baking dish or on the baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The onions may be done after 10 minutes – they should be soft and lightly browned. Remove them from the pan if they are and hold on a plate. When the carrots and onions are tender and browned in places, remove from the oven. Add the onions back into the mix if you ’ve removed them and toss together. Sprinkle on the toasted ground hazelnuts, and drizzle on the optional nut oil, and serve.

This is a typical fisherman’s stew. No need to make a fish stock; water, aromatics and anchovies will suffice. Use anchovies even if you don’t like them, as they add great depth of flavor, not to mention omega-3 fats. And don’t worry: the dish won’t taste like anchovies.

Easy Fish Stew With Mediterranean Flavors

anchovy

celery rib, chopped

carrot,

Salt, preferably kosher salt,

(28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

potatoes,

bouquet garni

Place the garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add the anchovy fillets and mash with the garlic. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion, celery and carrot with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the pureed garlic and anchovy. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is very fragrant, about one minute, and then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and the mixture smells aromatic, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the water, potatoes, salt (to taste) and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover partially and simmer 30 minutes. Taste, adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Remove the bouquet garni.

Season the fish with salt and pepper, and stir into the soup. The soup should not be boiling. Simmer five to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) or just until it flakes easily when poked. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, taste once more, adjust seasonings and serve.

This rich-tasting lasagna is inspired by my favorite northern Italian pumpkin-filled ravioli. It would make a terrific vegetarian item on a Thanksgiving buffet. Making the lasagna is not time-consuming if you use no-boil lasagna noodles. Be sure to season the squash well as you assemble this

Top 40 halal recipes from across the web

The most viewed halal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Cucumber, Melon and Watermelon Sala...

Tomato, Cucumber and Corn Salad

Chipotle Gazpacho

Vegetarian Chili With Winter Vegeta...

Whole Grain Macaroni and Cheese

Eggplant, Tomato and Chickpea Casse...

Three-Greens Gratin

Greens and Garlic Frittata to Go

Teff and Oatmeal Pancakes

Oats With Amaranth, Chia Seeds and ...

Serious Eats' Halal Cart-Style Chic...

Roasted Carrots and Scallions With ...

Easy Fish Stew With Mediterranean F...

Lasagna With Roasted Kabocha Squash...

Sweet Whole Wheat Focaccia with Pea...

Winter Squash and Potato Gratin

Turnip, Leek and Potato Soup

Roasted Cauliflower Gratin With Tom...

Quince Compote

Roasted Carrots With Turmeric and C...

Fennel, Kale and Rice Gratin

Roasted Carrot, Parsnip and Potato ...

Dried Porcini Consommé

Pumpkin Caramel Mousse

Pumpkin Seed Dukkah

Cranberry-Orange Relish

Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Apple Pur...

3-Bean Good Luck Salad With Cumin V...

A Big Pot of Simmered Pintos

Savory Cornbread Stuffing

Turkish Yogurt And Spinach Dip

Suvir Saran’S Palak Ki Tiki (Spinac...

Gluten-Free Penne With Peas, Ricott...

Chickpeas With Baby Spinach

Gluten-Free Raisin Pistachio Biscot...

Gluten-Free Apple-Almond Tart

Fennel Rice

Spinach And Tofu Wontons In Broth

Salmon Rillettes

Stir-Fried Tofu and Peppers

The most viewed halal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine