All posts tagged: food

Chicken, Potato & Garlic Soup from The Galilean Kitchen

Published by Ruth Nieman

Warm up this winter with a hearty chicken, potato and garlic soup, from The Galilean Kitchen. This fragrant soup, laced with medicinal spices and deep flavours of garlic and lemon juice, is a firm favourite from Nawal’s kitchen, where ‘shorba’ the Arabic name for soup is easy to make and deliciously satisfying to eat on a cold day. Nawal’s Shorba (chicken, potato & garlic soup) for basic broth 2 chicken breasts, chopped into large cubes 1 piece of ginger, peeled & sliced 3 –4 bayleaves 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 11/2 litres cold water 1 teaspoon salt for chicken, potato & garlic soup 2 large potatoes, peeled & cubed 6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed 3 lemons, juiced 11/2 tablespoons flour, mixed with 250mls water 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon baharat 1 teaspoon black pepper place the chicken cubes, ginger, bayleaves, cardamom, salt & water in a saucepan & boil for 20-30 minutes to create flavour add the potato cubes, lower the heat & simmer for a further 15 minutes mix the flour & water into a paste …

The Galilean Kitchen … a cookbook with a difference

Published by Ruth Nieman

This time last year, the groves of the Galilee began their annual production of organic olive oil and I started writing this beautiful cookbook, The Galilean Kitchen. It has been a year in the making (involving lots of writing and LOTS of tasting) and it is with great excitement, I am proud to announce, that it is now ready to bring you the best of this lush region’s dishes, full of cultural flavours. A cookbook with a difference, The Galilean Kitchen is full of recipes for family meals, using Middle Eastern staples, vegetables and spices, with each page containing tips and easy to find ingredients to cook these dishes in your own kitchen. It tells the stories of the women who have parted with their family recipes, as well as the regions seasonal produce. First edition copies are now available to order here, and you can look forward to cooking from an untapped cuisine that is waiting to be unleashed into every kitchen and at the same time read about the culinary cultures of the …

it’s a wonderful, culinary world out there…..

Published by Ruth Nieman

I have two passions in life….food and Israel….but not necessarily in that order… Israel Good Food Guide is my way of combining my enthusiasm for both and giving you a taste of the eclectic cuisine of Israel, through news, reviews and delicious pictures of plates of art. With tips on where to buy and eat wonderful produce, both on and off the beaten track, great recipes to try and recommendations for experiencing the coffee culture, culinary tours and workshops, you will see for yourself how exciting the food of Israel really is. I will introduce you to great restaurants as well as the inspirational chefs and creators of exquisite food, so join me in meeting the ‘foodies’ of this wonderful, diverse culinary world.

Anything but A-Sham….

Published by Ruth Nieman

During the middle week of December, Haifa opens it’s door to one and all for the Festivals of Festivals, where cultural activities show no boundaries in embracing the festivals of Eid, Christmas and Chanuka in a celebration of co-existence. Amongst all the doughnuts and latkes on offer this year, the delights of Arab food is taking centre stage in the form of A-Sham, it’s meaning referring to the geographic area famous for the cuisine, the Levant area. Food on offer is being cooked by famous chefs including Atamna-Ismaeel, winner of the lasts year’s season of Master Chef, very popular now in Israel too. Dishes include Sfiha and Manakish, Levantine pizza-type dishes with dough bases as well as the more well known dishes of Kibbeh, Fattoush and Baklava. The Festival of Festivals is simply about bringing cultures together, and to my mind there is no better way than with the sharing of foods….