Perfect for a spring or summer dinner party, this menu is all about colour, flavour, and abundance—fresh herbs, grilled meats, vibrant sides, and a sweet finish that hits just right.
MIDDLE EAST FEAST
Serves: 6 | Budget: $$ | Prep Time: 1.75 Hours | Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Middle Eastern food is what made me fall in love with cooking. It taught me to cook with generosity—herbs by the bunch, spices in abundance, savoury dishes that surprised me with cinnamon and allspice. Everything was vibrant, layered, alive.
This feast starts with marinated olives, feta, and Momma D’s very untraditional but insanely good babaganoush. For mains: saffron chicken skewers (jujeh), kofta kebabs, herby pilaf, chopped salad, pickles, sauces, and warm pitas. Dessert? Pistachio halva chocolate chunk cookies and cardamom tea.
Grill it all outside if you can, or roast it indoors and fake the summer vibes. Light a few candles, grab some tulips, press play on the playlist—just like that, you’re a Happy Host.
COMBINED SHOPPING LIST
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○ 11 Garlic Cloves (~2 Heads)
○ 1 Lemon + 3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
○ 3 Limes
○ ½ Yellow Onion
○ ½ Red Onion, Diced
○ 1 Large Bunch Scallions
○ 1 Bunch Cilantro
○ 1 Bunch Parsley
○ 1 Small Bunch Mint
○ 1 Small Bunch Basil
○ 3 To 4 Persian Cucumbers (About ¾ Lb)
○ 5 Medium Plum Tomatoes
○ 6 Mild Red Chilies, Such As Jalapeños Or Fresno Chilies
○ ¾ Cup Cubed Green Melon
○ ½ Cup Halved Green Table Grapes
○ 2 Cups Fresh Or Frozen Peas -
○ 1 lb Ground Lamb or Beef (or mixture)
○ 2 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs -
○ 3 Oz Feta Cheese
○ ½ Cup Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
○ 13 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
○ 1 Egg -
○ Kosher Salt
○ Freshly Ground Black Pepper
○ 1 Package Pita Bread
○ 4 oz Green Olives (Castelvetrano, Cerignola, Or Similar)
○ 1½ Cups Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
○ 3 Tbsp. Cider Vinegar
○ ¼ Cup Grams Tahini Paste
○ ½ Tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
○ 1 tsp. Dried Mint
○ 2 Tsp. Sumac
○ Shallot & Garlic Crisp, For Garnish
○ 2 Tsp. Allspice
○ 3 Tsp. Paprika (2 Tsp. Regular, 1 Tsp. Smoked)
○ 6 ½ Tsp. Whole Coriander Seed (or 2 ½ Tbsp. ground Coriander)
○ 3 Tsp. Cumin Seeds (or 2¼ teaspoons ground cumin)
○ ¼ Tsp. Cardamom (Optional)
○ ½ Cup Broken Angel Hair Pasta
○ 1¼ Cups Long-Grain White Rice
○ 1 ¼ Cup Raw Pistachios
○ ½ Cup + 2 Tbsp. Packed Dark Brown Sugar
○ ⅓ Cup + ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
○ 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
○ 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
○ ½ Tsp. Baking Soda
○ 3 Oz Halva (Preferably Pistachio Flavoured)
○ 3 Oz Dark Chocolate (Not Chips) -
○ Ice
○ Sparkling Water (For Sangria)
○ 1 Bottle Vinho Verde (Or Dry White Or Sparkling Wine), Chilled (750ml)
○ ½ Cup White Rum
KEY TIMING & TIPS
We grocery shopped at Adonis for this menu, it has everything you need for a Middle East Feast and they bake their pitas in house!
You can prep everything except the Shirazi Salad the day before. Do yourself a favour and prep as much as you can in advance.
Start the Cook Instructions: Grill the Meat & Reheat Rice, 50 mins Before Meal Time (BMT)
PREP STEPS
Start 2 Days Before
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Start 2 Days Before •
Prep the Cookie Dough
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Place ¾ cup raw, shelled pistachios in bowl of food processor and pulse several times, until chopped but not yet finely ground. Scoop out and set aside 2 to 3 tbsp of chopped nuts (we’ll use those later on for cookie tops). Continue pulsing pistachios in long pulses until very finely ground, about 1 minute.
Cut 10 Tbsp. of butter into 1″ pieces. Place in medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring pot every minute or so, until butter has turned very foamy and bubbling but not yet browned, about 6 minutes.
Quickly add finely ground pistachios and cook, stirring constantly, until they smell very nutty and are golden brown and butter has browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. The nuts should no longer be bright green and butter around them should be deeply speckled with brown.
Using rubber spatula, scrape brown butter mixture into large bowl. Add ice cube to butter and let ice cube melt and butter cool for 10 minutes (it will foam up again momentarily).
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Chop 3 ounces dark chocolate into irregular 1/4″ to 1/2″ chunks.
To cooled butter add ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. of packed dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until well combined and thickened, about 1 minute.
Add 1 cup of flour, ½ tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt, stir well with spatula or wooden spoon, until combined and sticky dough forms.
Add 2 ounces of the chopped chocolate along with 2 ounces of halva crumbling it lightly with your fingers as you add it. Gently stir to combine. Cover top of dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and ideally overnight. The longer you chill the dough, the deeper and more complex the flavour of the cookies will be, so, if you can, plan ahead!
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Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and ideally overnight. The longer you chill the dough, the deeper, and more complex the flavours of the cookies will be, so if you can plan ahead, do it. Either way is great! Keep the reserved chopped pistachios, chocolate chunks and halva as well.
Make the Shatta
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Roughly chop 6 mild red chilies, such as jalapeños or Fresno chilies and 2 plum tomatoes.
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Add the chilies, tomatoes, and ¼ tsp. salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped but not at all puréed, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar and 8 Tbsp. olive oil, and pulse 1 or 2 times more, until just incorporated.
Transfer the shatta to an airtight container and pour olive oil over it to seal the top. Cover tightly with a lid and refrigerate for up to one week.
Make the Tahini Sauce
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Combine ¼ cup tahini paste, 1 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 3 Tbsp. water and a pinch of salt in a food processor.
Blend until smooth and pourable. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Refrigerate in a sealed container. Tahini Sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Start 1 Day Before
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Start 1 Day Before •
Marinade the Chicken
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Make saffron water: Using a mortar and pestle, crush 1 tsp. of saffron. Transfer to a bowl and add ¼ cup warm water. Let it soak for 15 to 20 minutes until it has a rich yellow/orange color.
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Cube 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs.
To a bowl, add the cubed chicken along with 2 tablespoons of the saffron water, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. minced garlic, and grated ½ a yellow onion. Mix together and if you have the time let it marinade in the fridge overnight.
Prep the Kofta Skewers
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Place wooden skewers in a water bath to soak for 20 minutes. This prevents them from burning in the oven. Enough for the kofta and chicken skewers.
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In a large bowl, add 1 pound ground beef, 2 tsp. minced garlic, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro, 2 Tbsp. plain whole milk yogurt, 2 tsp. sumac, 2 tsp. allspice, 2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. coriander, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. cardamom, 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Mix together very well.
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Grab a skewer and shape the spiced ground beef onto it. If you are having trouble keeping it on the skewer, refrigerate the meat for 30 minutes to make it firm and then shape.
Cover the skewers and refrigerate.
Make the Baba Ganoush
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Preheat grill or oven to 400°.
Using a fork, pierce 2 medium eggplant all over to help release steam. Drizzle with 2 to 3 Tbsp. of olive oil.
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Grill (preferred) or roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the skin is blackened and the inside is soft. While eggplant is cooking, skip ahead to the Marinated Olive prep steps below!
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Place cooked eggplant in a colander set over a bowl to let drain and cool (about 10 minutes).
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Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and add to a food processor. Using a microplane, finely grate 2 small garlic cloves into the eggplant, followed by 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt.
Blitz a few times until smooth and well incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Prep the Marinated Olives
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Drain 4 oz. Castelvetrano olives and place on a cutting board. Lightly smash with the heel of your hand just to break apart skin and flatten slightly.
Smash 3 garlic cloves and peel.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from 1 lemon in long wide strips.
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Cook lemon peel, olives, garlic, ½ cup oil, and ½ tsp. red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally, until garlic is sizzling and golden around the edges, 5–7 minutes.
Pour into a container and refrigerate.
Pre-Cook the Pilaf
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Do some prep: Cut 1 large bunch of scallions in half, separating the greenest parts from the lighter green/white parts. Thinly slice the scallions, reserving the dark green scallions for serving (place them in a bowl and set aside)
Thinly slice the stems of 1 bunch of cilantro. Coarsely chop the leaves–add the chopped leaves to the bowl of scallion greens.
Peel and finely chop 6 garlic cloves.
Using a mortar and pestle or a small plastic baggy, smash 1½ Tbsp. of whole coriander seed to crack them into bits.
Working in small handfuls at a time, break the angel hair pasta into 1” pieces. You will need only ½ cup once broken, so it’ll require a small handful of pasta.
Rinse 1¼ cups long grain white rice through a fine mesh strainer, until the water runs clear. Shake off the excess water.
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Cook the aromatics and start the pilaf: Set a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of butter and swirl to melt. Once melted, add the scallion whites, garlic, and cilantro stems and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring over medium, until the garlic and scallions are fragrant and soft but not browned, 4 minutes (turn down the heat if it’s going too quickly.)
Scoot all of the aromatics to the edge of the pot (to remove them from the heat), and add another Tbsp. of butter to the center of the pot. Add the broken noodles and coriander seed and cook, stirring in the center of the pot, until the noodles are several shades darker and nicely toasted, 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the rice and 2 cups of water. Season with a big pinch of salt and bring to a simmer. As soon as it comes to a simmer, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to very low, and set a timer for 14 minutes.
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While the rice cooks, peel the zest of 1 lime in large strips using a vegetable peeler. Slice the zest into thin strips, and then finely chop it (as fine as poss!)
Finely chop ½ cup of roasted pistachios.
When the timer goes off, add 2 cups of frozen peas to the pot and stir to incorporate. Immediately return the lid and continue to cook for 2 minutes longer. After 2 minutes, keep covered and let steam, off heat, for 10 minutes longer without removing the lid.
After 10 minutes, add the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter, and use a fork to fluff the rice and help melt and incorporate the butter.
Let the pilaf come close to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Also put the reserved scallions, cilantro, lime zest and chopped pistachios in the fridge as you will add these to the dish after reheating.
Now Set the Table
Start the Day Of
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2.5H Before Dinner
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Start the Day Of • 2.5H Before Dinner •
Final Assembly!
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Take the marinated chicken from the fridge and thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. I like to add about 5 to 6 pieces onto each skewer.
Prepare the basting mix by combining 3 Tbsp. melted butter, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. saffron water, and a pinch of black pepper. Set aside. As the skewers cook in the oven or on the grill, we will brush this on to give it more flavor and juiciness.
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Remove alternating stripes of peel from 4 persian cucumbers and trim ends. Dice cucumbers into ¼-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with ½ red onion, diced into ¼-inch pieces and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro.
Using your fingers to break up any large pieces, gently grind 1 tsp. dried mint into the bowl.
Remove the cores from 3 plum tomatoes, then dice into ¼-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup lime juice, 3 Tbsp. olive oil, ¾ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Refrigerate.
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Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Using a 2 ounce ice cream scoop (or large spoon), scoop out twelve equal 2 ounce portions of the cookie dough, rolling them into rough ball shapes, and arrange spread apart amongst the cookie sheets.
Working one at a time, dip the tops of the cookies into the reserved chopped pistachios.
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Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
Make simple syrup: In a small, heat-proof jar or bowl, stir together ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup boiling water to dissolve the sugar.
In a large vessel, such as a 2-quart mason jar, pitcher, or punch bowl, combine ¾ cup cubed green melon, ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber, ½ cup halved green table grapes, 1 thinly sliced lime, juice of 1 lime, 2 sprigs mint and 2 sprigs basil.
Pour in 1 bottle of Vinho Verde, ½ cup rum, and the simple syrup. Stir gently to combine, then cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours.
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Reheat the marinated olives over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Add 3 oz. feta chunks into a shallow serving bowl and pour the olive and oil mixture over feta. Let sit at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Cut a few pitas into triangles.
Preheat the oven to 400° (you’ll be heating up the pita when the guests arrive).
COOK STEPS
When Guests Arrive
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When Guests Arrive •
Serve Snacks & Drinks
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Fill tall glasses with ice. Pour in sangrìa and spoon in some of the fruity bits. Top off each glass with a spritz of fizzy water and some pretty mint and basil leaves to garnish, and serve.
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Microwave Pita for 15-30 seconds (depending on your microwave). Alternatively, bake in a 350° oven for 2 minutes.
We’re going for soft warm pita, but if you want pita chips; cut pita into triangles, toss with oilve oil and salt then bake for 10 minutes.
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Put out all the snacks, leave a few napkins, side plates and mini spoons on the side. Also, be sure to put out a small bowl for olive pits.
50 Mins Before Dinner
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50 Mins Before Dinner •
Reheat the Pilaf
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Reheat your pilaf in a non-stick skillet over medium heat to let it crisp up and get our the reserved garnishes.
Once warmed through, turn the heat down and keep warm on the stove top until service.
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When ready to serve, you will be stirring in the reserved scallions, cilantro, lime zest and chopped pistachios. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm. We’ll put these instructions again at the bottom in the serve section.
Grill the Meats!
Preheat your grill or oven to 450°F
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Place kebabs on the hot grill until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a kebab should read at least 145°F (63°C).
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You’ll be cooking both skewers at the same time on separate trays, but at alternating times when you take them in and out. See the timing box at the bottom for the clear steps.
Place the chicken skewers on a baking tray. The chicken will roast for about 20 minutes (or until cooked through in the center) + a few minutes on broil, and you will also be basting halfway and at the end with the flavoured butter we made.
For the kofta, brush a wire rack or tray with ghee, butter or oil, place the kofta skewers on the rack and brush the tops with more ghee, butter, or oil. These will bake for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F–do not over-bake or it will be dry).
SKEWER TIMING:
25 mins – Put the chicken skewers in the oven and set a timer for 25 mins.
20 mins – Put the kofta skewers in the oven.
15 mins – Baste the chicken with the flavoured butter and add them back to the oven.
10 mins – Check the kofta to see if it’s done (160°F), remove and tent the meat by covering it loosely with some foil for 10 minutes. Do not cover it completely. This will help the juices redistribute as the meat rests to keep it extra juicy.
5 mins – Baste the chicken again and turn the oven to broil for a few minutes just to get that charred BBQ look on top. I then baste it again right before serving!
Dinner Time
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Dinner Time •
Serve!
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Line two plates each with pita bread. Place the skewers on each and add the juices from the baking pans on top. Sprinkle the chicken with sumac and they're ready to enjoy.
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In the pilaf, stir in the reserved scallions, cilantro, lime zest and chopped pistachios. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and put in a serving bowl
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Dress vegetables with vinaigrette and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lime juice as needed. This salad should be bright, crunchy and tart.
Credits
RECIPE CREDITS
Bon Appetit: Marinated Olives & Feta
Moribyan: Kofta & Safforn Chicken Skewers
Molly Baz: Spring Pilaf, Pistachio brown butter hlava cookies
Yotam Ottolenghi: Shatta, Tahini
NYT Cooking: Shirazi salad
IMAGE CREDITS
Olga Dementev
Molly Baz