Adventures in Armenian Cooking

PAHNJAREGHENOV MEES (Vegetables with Meat)

1 med. eggplant
2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. shortening
1/4 lb. hamburg
1 med. onion, chopped fine
1 dash black pepper and dash red pepper
½ cup water
1 tbsp. tomato sauce

Prepare eggplant by peeling a one-inch strip lengthwise, then leaving a 1-inch unpeeled strip and continue in same manner around whole eggplant. Cut lengthwise in four equal parts.

In a two-quart saucepan, heat oil. When it sizzles put eggplant into oil and brown one at a time. Drain on paper towel.

Mix hamburg, red and black pepper in frying pan with butter and add onion. Fry until golden brown.

Slit eggplant and spoon hamburg filling into slits. Place in baking dish. Mix ½ (one-half) water and one tablespoon tomato sauce and pour over entire eggplant.

Bake in hot oven 400F approximately 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 4

6 sm. eggplants
2 tomatoes, peeled
1 sm. onion
2 tbsp. parsley, minced
1 lb. ground lamb or chuck or mixture of both
1 lb. melted shortening
salt, black pepper, red pepper to taste

Prepare eggplant by peeling a one-inch strip lengthwise, then leaving a one-inch unpeeled strip, continue in same manner around whole eggplant. Puncture eggplant with knife in three different places. Salt eggplant and let rest one hour. Rinse, dry and fry in melted shortening.

Arrange in three-quart saucepan. Meanwhile, saute meat, onions, cut-up tomatoes, parsley, and seasonings together in skillet.

With a spoon, make an indentation in center each eggplant and fill with meat mixture. Bring edges around meat filling. Add one tablespoon melted shortening to one peeled chopped tomato and cook a few minutes. Add one-quarter cup water to this and pour over and around eggplant.

Simmer uncovered for ten minutes.

Cover and set aside fifteen minutes before serving.

Serves 6

1 lb. cubed lamb or beef
2 lge. onions
2 tbsp. butter
8 oz. tomato sauce
½ green pepper (diced)
2 med. eggplants (firm and deep purple) - save for second part of recipe
1 tsp. salt
dash of red pepper
1 tbsp. wine
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. sweet basil

Brown meat in butter, add onions and green pepper, saute about three minutes. Add tomato sauce along with three-quarters cup hot water and all remaining ingredients (except wine). Cover and cook about one-half hour or until meat is tender. Add wine about fifteen minutes before done. Wash eggplants, pierce with a fork in several places, place in a shallow pan and bake in a 350F oven about 30-45 minutes or until soft, turning once during baking process.

When done your baking dish will have liquid in it - drain this liquid. When eggplants have cooled, peel skins. Put peeled eggplants into a large skillet and mash. Add one-half teaspoon salt, dash of red pepper and one-half cup beef stock (I use bouillon). Mix and heat mixture thoroughly.

Place the hot meat mixture in the center of a platter and arrange the eggplant mixture around it.

Delicious served with pilaf.

Serves 5-6

3 lge. eggplants
½ tsp. white pepper
5 tbsp. butter
½ tsp. garlic salt
1½ lb. lamb, boned and cubed
2 onions, thinly sliced
½ pint water
3 tomatoes, skinned
¼ oz. sweet white wine

The eggplants should be smooth and shiny. Peel them lengthwise in strips, leaving a line of flesh between each section of purple skin. Cut into one-inch thick slices. Put into a bowl, sprinkling generously with salt. Leave aside thirty minutes. This is to extract the bitter juices. After thirty minutes wash well under running water, dry with a paper towel and plunge into the sizzling butter in skillet. Cook until both sides are nicely browned, a few minutes on each side, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Saute meat in the same butter for two minutes on each side. As each piece of meat is cooked, transfer it to a large saucepan which should be warming beside the skillet. The meat juices will have mingled with the butter in the skillet and the onions can now be added and after five minutes, the tomatoes can be added. After another three minutes, add mixture to meat cubes in saucepan. Season, stir mixture in saucepan and add the eggplant slices. Add water, cover and cook on low heat for two hours. Do not stir again, but shake pan from time to time to prevent burning.

Add the wine and cook for another thirty minutes.

Serve at once with pilaf.

Serves 6

½ cup parsley
1 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
1/3 cup tomato sauce diluted with equal amount of water
2 med. eggplants
1 lb. hamburg
2 med. onions, chopped
1 lge. green pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes (fresh or canned) cut in small pieces

Make slashes in eggplants one inch apart without cutting bottom skin.

Combine remaining ingredients. Hake patties and insert in eggplant slits. Pour tomato sauce over eggplants.

Bake in preheated 350F oven forty-five minutes to one hour.

Serves 4

8 fresh apricots, cut in half and remove pits
1/4 lb. ground lamb or beef
salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. rice

Mix rice, meat, salt and pepper and fill apricots. Place in baking pan (8"x8"). Dissolve sugar in water and sprinkle over all. Bake in 350F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 4

Tomato sauce:
1 can tomatoes (1 lb.), put into blender for 1 minute
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
2 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 tbsp. sugar
salt, pepper to taste
¼ bunch parsley. chopped fine

Make tomato sauce by heating butter and sauteing onion and garlic. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer ten minutes.

Eggplant and meat preparation:
1 lge. eggplant, peel and cut into ½" thick round slices
¼ cup flour
salt, pepper to taste
¼ cup oil
1½ lbs. ground lamb or chuck
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup grated cheese

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Use to coat eggplant. Fry and set aside.

Add salt to ground meat, shape into eight patties and broil five minutes on each side.

Spoon half of tomato sauce in a baking pan. Arrange eggplant and meat in dish. (12"x8")

Spoon remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake uncovered, half an hour, in 350F oven.

Serves 6

3 unpeeled eggplants cut into 1" cubes
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 green pepper. chopped
2 peeled tomatoes, chopped
½ lb. ground lamb or beef
1/3 cup shortening
pinch of salt

Salt eggplant and set aside for half hour. Rinse and dry. Saute in shortening. Set aside.

In separate skillet brown meat, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and salt. Add half cup water to meat mixture and cook, covered, for fifteen to twenty minutes. Add more water if needed.

Arrange eggplant over meat mixture and cook uncovered ten minutes.

Serves 4-5

3 lbs lamb stew meat
3 potatoes, cut in quarters
1 lge. onion, diced
2 carrots, cut in thirds
1 sm. can tomatoes
1/4 cup water
salt, pepper to taste

Brown meat thoroughly. Add onion and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add about ¼ cup water, carrots, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Serves 4

3 med. size eggplants
1 cup butter or marg. divided
3 lge. onions, finely chopped
2 lbs. ground beef or lamb
3 tbsp. tomato paste
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ tsp. cinnamon
salt, pepper to taste
6 tbsp. flour
1 qt. milk
4 eggs, beaten until frothy
nutmeg to taste
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Peel eggplants and slice ½" thick. Brown slices quickly in a larger heavy skillet in four tablespoons butter (more as needed). Set aside.

Heat four tablespoons butter in same skillet. Cook onions until lightly browned. Add ground meat and cook ten minutes. Combine tomato paste with wine, parsley, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir into meat and simmer, stirring frequently until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375F. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan and blend in flour with wire whisk. Meanwhile, bring milk to a boil. Add gradually to butter-flour mixture, stirring constantly. When mixture is thickened and smooth, remove from heat. Cool slightly.

Stir in beaten eggs, nutmeg and ricotta cheese.

Grease an ll"xl6" oven proof pan (at least 2½" deep). Sprinkle bottom lightly with bread crumbs. Arrange alternate layers of eggplant and meat in the pan.

Sprinkle each layer with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs (about two layers each of meat and eggplant) . Pour ricotta cheese sauce over the top.

Bake one hour or until golden. Remove from oven. Cool slightly before cutting into squares to serve.

Serves 8-10

1 lb. hamburg
2 med. onions, chopped
2 tbsp. oil
tomato sauce, or paste to taste
salt, pepper to taste
2-3 lbs. zucchini

In frying pan, brown hamburg and onions in oil until light brown. Add tomato paste or sauce. Add salt and pepper and about 2 cups of water. Set aside.

Peel zucchini and slice into ½" rounds. Line bottom of saucepan with sauce and top with layer of zucchini. Alternate with the rest of zucchini and meat mixture, ending with meat mixture. Bring to boil and lower heat to simmer, partially covered. Cook until zucchini is tender, about 40 minutes.

Serves 4

1 lb. hamburg (lamb or beef or mixed)
1 cup rice (or bulghour)
1 lge. onion, chopped fine
½ cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp. dill, chopped
pinch of pepper
6 squash (summer or zucchini)
3 lge. peppers
3 tomatoes
3 small eggplants
1 cup hot water
1 tsp. salt

Combine ground meat, rice or bulghour, onion, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cut squash in half and remove pulp. Remove seeds from peppers and save tops. Scoop pulp from tomatoes, crush pulp, discard hard parts and add to filling. Remove pulp from eggplant. Lightly salt insides of all prepared vegetables. Fill with meat mixture, replacing pepper and tomato tops. Arrange filled vegetables in a large saucepan. Add one cup hot water, bring to boil, lower and simmer 20-30 minutes until done.

Serves 5-6

Note: One-half cup tomato sauce or one large fresh tomato may be sliced and used on top in place of tomato sauce.

4 lge. tomatoes
4 lge. green peppers
4 eggplants, slender kind

Filling:
1 bunch parsley, chopped fine
1 tsp. dill
2 scallions, chopped fine
2 lge. onions. grated
½ cup rice, washed
2 lbs. ground lamb and/or beef
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. butter
salt to taste

Cut off tops of vegetables and save. Hollow out the centers of each and discard pepper and eggplant seeds. Discard pulp and save juice of tomatoes. Mix filling together and stuff the vegetables Cover with tops and arrange in baking pan. Cover with 2 cups of tornato juice or half tomato juice and half prune juice. Also add 10-15 prunes into the pan if desired. Bake, covered, 1½ hours in 325F oven.

Sour apples may also be stuffed.

Serves 6

Core and boil large head of cabbage until leaves are loose and softened and pull apart easily. (Do not overcook)

Filling:
1½ lbs. ground lamb or beef, or mixture of both
2 lge. onions, chopped fine
1 cup rice
salt, pepper to taste
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ can (15 oz.) tomatoes, crushed

Knead together filling ingredients dampening hands as you knead. Separate cabbage leaves. Trim any thick portions of leaves for easy folding. Place full tablespoon of filling on center of each leaf, adjusting amount of filling according to size of leaf. Bring four corners to center covering filling. Turn folded sides down and place into saucepan. Sprinkle remainder of canned tomatoes and enough water to barely cover cabbage. Bring to boil and sirarner approximately one hour.

Serves 6

1 lb. lamb or beef, cubed
l can or 2 pkgs. frozen okra
1 lge. onion, chopped
3/4 can tomato paste
salt, pepper to taste
approx. 3 cups water
2-3 tsp. oil
lemon juice (fresh preferred)

Cook cubes of meat in 2 cups of water. Boil until tender. When water has evaporated, add oil, then add the onion and fry until golden brown. Add 3/4 can of tomato paste and the 3 cups of water. Add your okra (if canned, add the water from can, too). Add lemon juice and season to taste. Cook in a large pot on moderate heat for about ½ to 3/4 of an hour. If canned okra is used, cook 5-10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.

You may use fresh okra if available. Serve with rice or bulghour pilaf.

Serves 4

2 lbs. ground chuck
l bunch parsley, minced
4 onions, minced
salt, pepper to taste
2½ lbs. potatoes. sliced ½" thick
1 lb. tomatoes
2 green peppers, sliced

Mix meat, parsley and onions together. Press meat into bottom of 9"xl3" pan evenly. Salt potatoes and then rinse and arrange on top of meat mixture. Cut tomatoes in half and arrange on top of potatoes and place pepper around tomatoes. Bake in preheated 350F oven 2 hours.

Serves 4-5

1½ lbs. fresh okra or 2 pkgs. frozen okra
5 tbsp. butter, melted
1 lb. ground, lean, chuck beef
½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
6 tbsp. canned tomato puree
1½-2 cups beef stock
1 tsp. salt pepper to taste
lemon wedges for garnish

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in frying pan. Add okra and stir. Cook about 5 minutes and set aside. Brown meat and onions. Add garlic. tomato puree, one cup of broth, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered until liquid has evaporated and mixture is thick.

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease baking pan (8"x8") with melted butter and line with half of meat mixture. Then arrange okra mixture on top. Spread remaining neat mixture over this. Add ½ cup beef broth and bring mixture to boil on top of stove. Then place in oven, covered, for 1 hour. Check frequently, adding more beef stock if needed.

Garnish with lemon wedges.

Serves 6

4 Artichokes

Filling:
1 lb. ground meat
3 med. onions
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/8 tsp.cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. mint, crushed
¼ tsp. basil, crushed

Saute ground meat and add chopped onions. Saute again for 10 minutes. Add parsley and spices Cook 5 minutes longer.

Wash artichokes. Pull outer layer off each of the artichokes. Cut the tops of the leaves off by cutting across the artichoke halfway up and discard the tops. Scoop out thistle-like center with spoon and discard.

Drop each artichoke in water with lemon juice to prevent artichoke from discoloring.

Stuff artichokes with meat mixture. Place in saucepan, add 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice Cook on slow fire for 1 hour.

Serves 4

4-5 pcs. lamb meat with bones (stewing lamb)
½ cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 onion. sliced (lge.)
1 bunch celery (washed and de-veined and cut into l" pcs.)
2 cups water
dash of black pepper
dash of red pepper
1 peeled ripe tomato finely sliced or 1 tbsp. tomato juice

Wash lamb meat. Cook well in ½ cup water in covered pan with 1 teaspoon salt. When water drains and meat turns color, add onion and mix. Add celery and another 2 cups water. Add black pepper and red pepper. Taste for salt. Cover and cook. Add tomato. After it comes to a boil, cook approximately one hour over medium heat until celery is tender. Serve hot.

Serves 4

2 lbs. lamb or beef, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp. butter
2 cups of water
3 lge. onions, finely minced
2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and quartered
2 lbs. green beans, cut if desired
salt, pepper to taste
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cinnamon
saffron (opt.)
2 cups tomato juice (blended with 1 cup of water)

Cook meat in water until water boils away. Add 5 butter to pan and brown onions. Add tomatoes, green beans, salt and pepper. Add turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron. Add the blended tomato juice and cook gently until meat and beans are tender. Add water if needed. Cook to consistency of a good stew and serve over rice or side dish.

Serves 6-8

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lge. onion, sliced
2 lge. cloves of garlic, crushed
juice of one lemon

Saute onion in oil in six-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally until onion is golden, not burned. Add garlic, cook one minute more.

Add following ingredients:
1¼ lbs. lamb or beef cubed, fat removed and browned
2 lge. green peppers, cubed
½ lb. green beans (strings removed, cut into thirds)
3 sm. zucchini, sliced into circles
1 med. eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 10-oz. pkg. frozen whole okra
2 lbs. 3 oz. can Italian tomatoes
3 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. salt
½ tsp. blk. pepper freshly ground
1/8 tsp. red pepper

Simmer 5 minutes, add juice of one lemon and simmer on top of stove for 1½ hours. Serve the next day to give the flavors a chance to blend. Turlu is best served hot over bulghour pilaf.

Serves 4-6