The Return of Recipes

You probably guessed the winds behind Cafe Drake's capricious food tastes are now blowing from the Black and Caspian Seas. Further fave dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean below.

CHICKPEAS WITH WHITE OIL

A snack from Syria, these chickpeas make a nice starter to most meals and are a complete vegetarian protein when combined with the pita bread.

1/2 lb. split pita / 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (with cooking liquid or liquid from can) / 2 cloves garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt / 3 T. or so olive oil / about 2 T. cold water / ground cumin to taste / cayenne pepper to taste / 6 scallions, sliced

1. Toast pita in a 350 degree oven till brown and crisp. Break in large pieces and place in a large, shallow serving bowl.
2. Reheat chickpeas with cooking liquid and add garlic. Quickly moisten pita with a bit of this liquid.
3. Toss pita and pour chickpeas and garlic on top.
4. Beat the olive oil with water until a thick white liquid is obtained. Drizzle over chickpeas and garnish with scallions and spices. Serve at once.

OKRA WAIKI

An interesting and hearty stew with a small amount of beef used for flavoring and texture. Friendly to both hearts and waistlines, this should be served with rice and garnished with plenty of fresh cilantro.

1 pound okra (smallest you can find) / 2 red bell peppers (diced) / 1 long hot chili (red or green) / salt / 2 T. olive oil / 3/4 lb. ground beef / about 2 cloves garlic, crushed / 2 t. ground coriander / 2 T. tomato paste / black pepper / 1 cup water / about a T. of lemon juice / fresh cilantro sprigs

1. Make a paste by lending peppers, chili and 1/2 cup of water in blender. Season with some salt. Fry in a bit of oil over high heat to a jam-like consistency.
2. In a large deep pot fry the beef in olive oil about 5 minutes. Stir in okra, coriander powder, garlic, 1/2 cup of pepper paste, tomato paste and salt and pepper.
3. Cover and cook on low heat about 20 minutes. Stir now and then to avoid burning.
4. Stir in 1 cup of water, lemon juice and a pinch of sugar. Cook very gently for 10 more minutes and serve hot, garnished with cilantro sprigs.

GREEK STEWED POTATOES

Simple and straightforward and good with any sort of meat, poultry or fish.

In a large, deep skillet fry 1 chopped onion in a good amount of olive oil. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1 cup of tomato sauce, 1 cup of water, chopped parsley and some salt and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Now add 4 medium-sized potatoes, cut into thick wedges. Cover and cook on a lower heat for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and sauce is thickened. You can serve either warm or hot, topped or sided with slices of feta. If like Cafe Drake your favorite snack is a deer's saltlick, toss in a handful of oil-cured black olives in last 10 minutes of cooking.