#Matbucha

[globalfoodiee]

Matbucha

Matbucha is a popular Moroccan and Israeli dish that is made by cooking a mixture of roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and spices until it becomes a thick and chunky dip. It is often served as an appetizer or a side dish, and can be eaten hot or cold. The dish has a rich and complex flavor that comes from the combination of the roasted vegetables, garlic, and spices, and is often enjoyed as…

[violavox]

Moroccan Matbucha

[alfsanpol]

Moroccan Matbucha

[morethansalad]

Moroccan Matbucha Salad (Vegan)

[copperbadge]

Still badgering away at The Chicken Salad War and I did not realize how delighted I was going to be by introducing semi-masc nonbinary Jes Deimos to gallant butch Ylias Lazaar. I don't quite know where their subplot is going to go if anywhere but I feel like it may be somewhere awesome.

"Mr. Lazaar," said a familiar voice, and she turned to see LeFevre at her elbow, looking pleased. "A great success for you, I think." 

"Seems to have gone all right, yeah," she agreed. "I heard you were going to crash."

"Alas, I could not -- I ended up invited," he said, grinning. 

"And you brought guests?"

"Ah, I didn't mean to bring the royal family down on your head so soon," he said, leaning in. "They are terrible gossips; I should have remembered when I told King Theophile that he would likely share the information. Still, His Grace Gerald is pleased you use his oil and His Grace Michaelis enjoyed the matbucha greatly."

"And you? No constructive criticism?" she asked. 

"Not tonight. I have never opened a restaurant myself, but I can understand this is your triumph! And in any case they are small quibbles. I will need to dine here more times before I speak," he replied. Someone tapped him on the arm, and he turned, then nodded at the person standing just behind him -- the one who'd been speaking with the old king a moment before. "Mr. Lazaar, may I present Ser Deimos, who came with His Grace. This is Mr. Lazaar, the chef of the hour. She/her," he added with a smile. 

Ser Deimos looked amused. "They/them," they said, holding out a hand. "We're honored to be able to attend -- I don't think we realized when Gerald told us he was going that it was your soft open." 

"It's my pleasure. Not everyone gets to feed the royal family on their first night," she replied, bowing over their hand. "And you're an ornament to any dining room." 

Deimos looked delighted. "Thank you, that's kind of you to say. If I'd known the food was going to be this good I'd have scared up a party. I have a lot of friends in from out of country at the moment."

"Well, we open reservations tomorrow morning -- but for the royal family, I can set aside a table," Ylias replied. 

"Don't, just yet," Deimos said, looking around. "I'm thinking more of a party. Could we rent the restaurant?"

"The whole restaurant?" Ylias asked, blinking. Simon looked smug. 

"If not, that's fine -- we'll take the offer of a table -- but my son's graduating next week, and we were thinking of a group dinner the night before. Simon here is catering the night of," they added. "It'll be twenty or thirty people, and some of them have been doubtful that Fons-Askaz could live up to New York, foodwise. Yes, I felt the same," they added, catching Ylias's expression. "The only thing Fons-Askaz can't offer that New York can is the pizza, and only because our Eddie hasn't got the time to open a pizza restaurant." 

"I hadn't..." Ylias fumbled slightly. "I'm sorry, we have a catering menu but I hadn't arranged any kind of contract for renting the space. It'd need to be a handshake deal and I couldn't quote a fee off the top of my head."

"Of course, I threw this at you with no warning. Here," they said, reaching into their pocket for a wallet and pulling out a card. "Email or phone is fine. If you can send me a proposal by Sunday, I can make a deposit on Monday. I'm comfortable with an informal deal as long as we have terms written out over email. If you don't feel ready, just let me know -- we'll definitely be back regardless." 

"I'll be in touch," Ylias managed. Deimos gave her a bow and a smile, and retreated to their table.

[Then, later]

As they left Plate & Press, full of good food and possibly slightly tipsy, Jes leaned against Michaelis's arm and said, "Holy shit."

He gave them an amused look. "Yes, the food was very good. Nice space, too. I can't remember the last time I had such a pleasant evening out."

"Well, yeah, but I meant the chef," they said. He glanced at them, frowning.

"The Lazaar fellow?"

"Lady, I think. Uncertain, actually. Butch, possibly. She/her but Simon called her Mr. Lazaar." 

"I noticed her, but I didn't see anything particularly unusual. Why?" 

"I love you to bits but you're hopeless," they said. "You really didn't think she was hot?"

"I don't form opinions about sex appeal, generally," he reminded them. "Present company excepted." 

"Well, she is hot in a very specific way -- like you, actually, sort of masculine and chivalrous -- and she called me an ornament to her dining room. I may have had a little moment." 

He laughed. "Oh dear, am I going to have to fight a chef for your favors?" 

"No, it's just nice to know I still got it." 

He kissed the side of their head, affectionate. "You're an ornament wherever you go, but I'll make a note to remind you of it more often. Seems she's making a stir -- Simon likes her also, I think. Sometime soon we're going to have to kick Gregory and Eddie out of the residence for an evening, and I think I'll recommend that place for dinner. Gregory loves Tunisian food and I think Eddie would find a lot to interest him."

"You just want to spend a whole evening cuddling babies," Jes said. 

"Joan and the twins all require the benefit of my wisdom on a regular basis," he said. There was a wolf-whistle directed at them from somewhere over their heads; some young wag, out on the second-floor balcony of a small hotel, clearly getting an early start on Pride. She waved a pink-and-blue flag in their direction. 

"You can't have him!" Jes called. 

"I was whistling at you!" the girl called back. 

"I'll take him," her friend offered from the chair next to her. 

Michaelis chuckled. "Drink some water, young ladies, or you'll be in no condition for the parade this weekend," he called. 

"Vodka's sixty percent water!" someone on another balcony shouted, and someone else yelled for everyone to keep it down, and the discussion went on without them. 

[cod-dump]

141 + friends - best to worst spice tolerance, GO!

It goes worst to best

(Annie is the name I gave Laswell's wife)

___

Roach has the worst spice tolerance out of them all. Dies when there's too much pepper on the food he had stolen. Does that stop him from stealing people's food? No. Does he ever learn not to steal certain people's food because of previous run ins with spice? No. But he does know if there's a container that says 'gumbo' on it that it would certainly kill him. If it's in Spanish he steers clear (he was almost sent to the hospital after grabbing one of Alejandro's lunches).

Alex is a little better at handling spice than Roach but not by that much. He is getting better, or trying to, for the sake of wanting to be able to eat good food without dying. He insists on trying whatever Farah brings to eat even after she tells him he won't like it. He's sipping on a milkshake afterwards, tears in his eyes. He will keep trying until he can eat whatever Farah has without throwing up. Rudy's cooking scares him.

Graves likes certain levels of heat. He's not the king of spice but he's not afraid of a pepper or by the name of the food on the menu. He will try just about anything and regret it later. He carries around a tiny bottle of Tabasco, the first time he pulled it out in front of Soap caused the man to burst out into laughter.

Ghost actually has a good tolerance, mostly due to his habit of eating anything and everything available. He is not a picky eater so if he's hungry and the only thing available has 'hot' in the name he's not afraid. He desperately wants to be able to eat Annie's gumbo without his tongue going numb (she's offered to make him a not as potent batch and he was insulted). Always wants to try whatever Rudy is cooking despite the man telling him it would probably kill him.

Soap loves food and refuses to let spice be the reason he can't enjoy something. He loves eating food from different cultures, learning to cook those foods. Man is a foodie and he refuses to let spice get between him and a delicious meal. Has begged Annie for her gumbo recipe. Literally has gotten on his knees and begged. She still hasn't given it to him. He literally cried when Annie gave the recipe to Rudy (he's never felt so betrayed and jealous in his life).

Price has years of eating whatever is given to him to thank for his tolerance towards spice. Just loves Annie's gumbo and she makes it hot. He likes to joke she never makes it spicy enough for him (which leads to her next batch almost killing him and he gladly accepts death by gumbo). Price will eat whatever Rudy gives him but he definitely has to prepare himself just in case the man gave him something to his own liking.

Farah loves spicy foods. Her favorite dish growing up was her mother's matbucha and she swears that she could never recreate it, even if she sold her soul. Price has taken to try to help make a batch of matbucha that compares to her mother's recipe but it never works out, Farah still appreciates him for trying. Farah loves Rudy's cooking, literally will fight anyone who tries take take a bite off of her plate. She once sobbed because Annie and Rudy made a meal together (Soap has pictures for proof).

Alejandro prides himself in his ability to out eat Soap in spice. He gets joy out of watching the man give up. There's something about putting his cocky friend in his place that makes his day. Despite eating Rudy's cooking longer than anyone else, Gaz and Laswell seem to handle his husband's more intense dishes better than him. He loves Annie's cooking but he swears that woman is trying to kill him sometimes.

Gaz adores food with spice. He also loves Annie's gumbo but he knows better than to tease her about the spice level. Gaz loves going to different restaurants and doing spicy challenges with Alejandro until they're both too sick from the spice to move. They're always miserable the next day but that never stops them from going out the next week to do it again. Pouts whenever Laswell gets to taste whatever Rudy is cooking before him.

Laswell is pretty damn good at handling spice. Her wife's gumbo is one of her comfort meals. When she is unable to eat her wife's cooking, she turns to Rudy for his food. They have bonded over food and Laswell is now the first person to get a taste whenever Rudy needs a taste tester.

Rudy not only is the king of spice (dubbed that by pretty much everyone who's seen the things he can eat), he makes a killer chiles en nogada. Has a salsa recipe that literally brings tears to Farah's eyes when she smells it. Price thinks about his life's choices before he takes a bite. Rudy isn't cruel, he makes very mild foods for his friends who can't handle the spice well. Laswell is his favorite to give samples to (she always has the best compliments and advice to how to make it perfect). He has Annie's number on speed dial. They have made a ragout that even Laswell had to pace herself on.

[mariacallous]

Matbucha is a Maghrebi dish made of tomatoes and peppers and means “cooked salad” in Arabic. Jewish immigrants from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya brought matbucha with them to Israel, where it has become a staple of Israeli cuisine. Matbucha is nearly as popular as hummus, and the two are usually located right by each other at the grocery store. 

Matbucha is technically a salad, but it does take serious cooking time. While store-bought versions are convenient, nothing compares to making this recipe at home. First, you roast tomatoes and peppers until they are charred with a smoky flavor, and then you simmer the matbucha for over an hour until it becomes thick and luxurious. The slow simmering process can’t be rushed, as all the flavor comes from the slow-cooked tomatoes. Matbucha varies from kitchen to kitchen, some cooks add onions and/or garlic, and some prefer making it with lots of hot peppers. Adding some fresh chilli pepper is traditional; in this recipe, it adds a very mild and subtle heat.

Matbucha has the consistency of a dip or spread, and it is commonly served with first-course salads (salatim) at the start of Middle Eastern and North African meals. Matbucha also makes a delicious topping for grilled meat or fish, as a sandwich spread, and it can even be used as the base for shakshuka. 

Note: Matbucha can be eaten right after it cools, but it tastes even better the next day. It will last up to one week in the fridge.

[falsegod]

Homemade hummus zhug and matbucha my beloved

[makinglightweight]

61/365

🧡 Bachelard 🐊 eating crap

1 protein yoghurt

2 oatmeal servings with candied pecans

1 cup of pasta with tomato and cauliflowers

2 walkers cookies

1 banana

15 pralines

15 cashews

2 slices of homemade bread

150g beef no fat

2 fish kebabs

1 potato

1/2 artichoke

1 radish

4 scoops mashed zucchini

4 scoops matbucha

1 cucumber

1/4 apple

1/4 orange

1/2 kiwi

[ronniefein]

Hanukkah’s over and I am already on to New Year’s weekend, contemplating what to serve to my cousins, who always stay for a few days.

Years ago, our “group” — the cousins, Les and Neil, plus my sister-in-law Eileen and bother Jeff — agreed that on New Year’s Eve we would have a day of hors d’oeuvres rather than a big sit-down dinner. We break the day up into separate eating times so that at noonish we will have such goodies as Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets and Lamb kebabs and a dip or two: Potlagela and Matbucha for sure and probably hummus.

Later on we’ll feast on Pizza with Spinach, Tomato and Cheese, Romanian Cheese Turnovers and an assortment of cheese and crackers accompanied by the Pepper Jam I made last summer from the chili peppers in my garden. Maybe some Lox and Cream Cheese Spread.

Dessert — always one of the apple pies I made last fall. And I’m thinking — Irish Whiskey Cake, because it is one of the most scrumptious cakes ever created.

I used to have a New Year’s Day brunch for the group, but haven’t done that for years. It was always too much food and too much work and so it’s just the cousins and us for plain old breakfast, meaning smoked fish and bagels.

Plus fruit of some sort.

This year I decided the fruit will be one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made. Broiled Grapefruit. Honestly, it doesn’t get easier than this one.

Follow me on Instagram @RonnieVFein

BROILED GRAPEFRUIT

4 medium red or pink grapefruit

4 tablespoons turbinado (or other crystal) sugar

cinnamon or grated nutmeg

Aleppo pepper or cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the broiler with the rack 4-6 inches below the heat. Slice each grapefruit in half,** then (preferably using a serrated grapefruit knife) cut around the edges of each half to loosen the flesh, then cut the flesh into segments inside the shell. Place the prepared grapefruit halves on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each half with equal amounts of the sugar (each whole grapefruit (2 halves) will get about one tablespoon of sugar). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg. Add a hint of pepper if desired. Broil for about 6-8 minutes or until the surface is caramelized.

Makes 4 servings

**I also slice the bottom of the grapefruit halves so they are more stable on the baking pan.

[formeryelpers]

Mazza Modern Kitchen, 12050 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604

Mazza calls itself a Mediterranean restaurant; the menu is more eclectic and goes beyond Mediterranean (e.g., chicken tikka meatballs). Even the Mediterranean food is “modernized” – which seems to mean fewer carbs? There was no option to add rice to the meal. The décor and ambiance are very nice – reminiscent of being somewhere on the Mediterranean coast. Choose from soups, spreads (e.g., hummus, baba ganoush), flatbreads (khachapuri!), salads, appetizer, chef specialties (e.g., kebabs, whole branzino, uzbek plov), desserts, and a full wine/beer/cocktail menu. The food is served family style. Portions were good for sharing.

Masabacha hummus ($15): caramelized onions, garbanzo beans, tomato matbucha, adjika chili – served with freshly baked tandoori bread. The hummus was excellent, even Mr. Froyo thought so. The texture was thick and creamy and the additions kept it interesting and flavorful.  The bread was fresh, warm, thick and soft, dusted with sesame seeds – similar to barbari bread.

Kefta kebab platter ($29): Five thick patties with ground lamb, ground beef, and spices, charred veggies, Jerusalem salad with cucumber, tomato, onions, pickles and two sauces: a thick, potent garlic sauce and housemade spicy ketchup. Very tasty. The patties were moist and heavily spiced. The sauces were both flavorful and married well with the kebabs. The veggies were fresh and simply prepared. It was a bit odd since there was no rice or bread.

Mediterranean chopped salad ($16): red cabbage, cucumber, cherry tomato, feta, green apple, jalapeno, olives, red onion, lemon-tahini dressing. I thought it was fine – fresh, lots of ingredients, chopped well. Mr. Froyo thought it had too much dressing and that the elements didn’t come together. The dressing was on the sweet side.

Service was friendly but slow. They forget Mr. Froyo’s salad but they did apologize. We sat in the outdoor patio which had heat lamps and was well-lit. It’s on the second floor of a strip mall that once housed Yogurtland and Studio Yogurt. It was very noisy; we could hear the traffic on Ventura Blvd. The water in the carafe wasn’t chilled at all.

Online ordering and reservations are available. Reservations are recommended. 

4 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[fooddiaries]

Matbucha

Roast 1 red pepper and 1 poblano pepper till the skin is charred. Seed the peppers, peel off the skin and chop them into small pieces. Add to a medium pot.

Seed and finely chop 1 jalapeno pepper and add to the pot.

Peel and chop 1kg fresh tomatoes, and add to the pot.

Add 3 garlic cloves, chopped, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 cup olive oil.

Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for around 1.5 hrs, or until most of the liquid has reduced. Add

Remove the matbucha from heat and allow to cool completely.

The salad is best served at room temperature or chilled.

[ooocke]

[quieteating]

New Post has been published on Quieteating

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The Barbary Next Door

If you can’t get into the Barbary, why not try next door?

At least that is the tag line I think they were trying to come up with for the shop next door.  Formerly Jacob the Angel (may it RIP), it is now not quite but almost the Barbary.

It does have the advantage of adding some colour to your day as compared to the big brother next door, with bright yellow tables.  As a more casual eatery than next door, it promised a more laid-back service (and I hoped, a lower price as much as this is possible in today’s inflationary environment).

Matbucha, tomato and pepper.  Fresh tomato and pepper mix, this was pleasant.  If not something that looked technically difficult to achieve as I had much experience squashing tomatoes when in a particular rage in the kitchen.  Helps to take the stress out.

Tirshi, pumpkin salad on top of tahini.  Pleasant for mopping up with the bread but again a bit dear for something that was not technically that difficult to do well.

Fatayar, swiss chard, chickpea, yogurt.  This vegetable bread was surprisingly good.  Although I harboured fears that it would be rather hard and dense inside, such issues were unfounded.  Instead, it was soft and succulent inside.  This required skill to get right, as my multiple failed baking attempts at home can attest.

Seabream tartar.  Succulent and fresh with a sour finish to contrast with clean tasting leaves.  Nice even if the tartar morsels were just morsels.  Something a bit more meaty might have gone down better but it was still good nonetheless.

Chicken tagine.  Heavily spiced and exceedingly soft, with prunes on the side.  The boneless chicken legs achieved the texture of crunchy but supple skin, tender exceedingly flavourful meat inside with sweet and dairy notes.  The best dish of the day.

Hashcake.  I had had that at the Barbary before.  What I found very amusing was the name “hashcake” which seemed to imply something illicit.  Sadly, to disappoint those that might think that an interesting story might be coming here, this was an almond cake with cream on the side.  Looks a bit like Japanese curry roux cubes actually but thankfully tastes alot better than that with a sweet nutty flavour.  A bit dear though.

Latte.  When the waiter asked if this would be better than Jacob the Angel, they said that of course it would be!  As they would be making it!  Sadly, this was not the case so I will have to go elsewhere for my coffee in Covent Garden now.

It was a good meal, although a bit dear.  It is a bit cheaper than the Barbary though with some overlapping dishes (i.e. the hashcake), but easier to get into.  So ignoring price and the slightly eye-wrenching yellow tables, this is somewhere worth going to.  Now if only all restaurants next door could be like this.

  A quieteating 8/10.

Lunch (3 courses equivalent) was GBP35 excluding drinks and service.

  The Barbary Next Door 16a Neal’s Yard London WC2H 9DP

[compose-counter-sense]

HUMMUS and MATBUCHA @lilylikespot @curusu.kurs #Hummus #Matbucha https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccem6PBPnKK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theshannwe]

#feta & #olive #borekitas with hard boiled #egg, #cornichons , #matbucha , #jalapeno salsa and #tahini 🧀🥚#cheflife #chef #breakfast #london #foodporn (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7YXUVjn5Gm/?igshid=1pcpwvcbcok8q