Tortilla de Patatas

2020
It’s 4 months into the new year, and some of us already wish it would be over.
I hope we make it out alive. Eight months to go.

None of us imagined this would happen. A few months ago, the world was unstoppable, and even 40 days ago, life still continued even with the rise of the pandemic previously known as epidemic. Most of us are now either isolated, quarantined, working from home, out of jobs, or whatever situation this virus and its repercussions put us in.

It hasn’t been easy the past few months in Lebanon especially. With the financial crisis beginning to loom since last summer, (not caused by the Revolution of October 17, as politicians, analysts, and the media are brainwashing people to believe) and the government that is failing to take responsibility for the mess they are involved in, it has been very stressful to cope. Focus shifted from being creative and productive to ending the day safely and looking for ways to secure an income to pay dues. I am not here to go into details or talk about this now.

Let’s try and focus on things that take our mind off for a little while.

tortilla de patatas - cookin5m2 - 1 Continue reading “Tortilla de Patatas” →

Scrambled Eggs with Desert Truffles

I remember one time walking out of Hamra street, a once vibrant street in Beirut, during the last days of winter and seeing a vendor with styrofoam boxes overflowing with lump-like things held together with clear tape.
The first time I saw these sandy-stone-like produce I thought they were the world prized truffles with the amazing flavor and the unique aroma. I made risotto and shaved* some of those on top. I even buried one in a jar of short grain rice to fragrance it for risotto.

*shaved, more like crumbled it on the box grater’s slicer side only to get grains of sand later with every bite because I didn’t clean them well

PIN- Desert truffle kema kama with eggs recipe - cookin5m2-0010

Only later did I learn that these truffles are not the same thing.
These beautiful spores are called Desert Truffles. They are harvested not using dogs or pigs like western truffles but by roaming the desert landscapes (not desert dunes, but bare lands with rare vegetation) looking for bumps and cracks in the land. They dig their hands down and pull out the sand hoping there’s a something worthy in there.

Desert truffle kema kama food photography - cookin5m2-0012 Continue reading “Scrambled Eggs with Desert Truffles” →

Banana Pancakes

My love for pancakes is UNDENIABLE!!!

But I can’t be eating pancakes EVERYDAY. As mentioned before (hello long-time followers of the blog who know of this) pancakes make me feel secure and comfortable. It is a comfort I created for myself after bad times. Not like the pancake plot in the series YOU where it was a comforting reminder of Beck’s father who made them for her as a kid. The best pancakes I’ve had are my own and let that be clear! (no cockiness here)

As I said, it’s not a good idea to have pancakes every day. It’s like dipping bread and sugar munching on it. It’s made worse when paired with high fat high sugar toppings. HELLO NUTELLA (I’m so glad I am not a fan of Nutella, bu t I would scoop Biscoff cookie butter by the spoonful into my mouth). So I had to come up with a trick! Continue reading “Banana Pancakes” →

Sausage Shakshouka with Anchovies and Capers

This is not my first shakshouka recipe. It is said, once you make it, you’ll keep making it all the time. I am not an exception to the rule!
Rarely do I repeat the same dish exactly to the point. It has to be different in something. And this time won’t be any different.

PIN-Shakshouka with sausage and capers recipe cookin5m2-0542-2

My love for shakshouka is real. A real love story. Or in the terms of food writers; it is a perfect marriage of ingredients and flavors. Jokes aside, it is. If you haven’t tried it at least once, you’re missing out. Continue reading “Sausage Shakshouka with Anchovies and Capers” →

Chia Pudding with Strawberries and Pomegranates

PIN-Chia Seed Pudding with Strawberries and pomegranates recipe-cookin5m2-8849.jpg

How many of you are into superfoods?

How many of you look up superfood recipes online dreaming of getting all this goodness and instantly becoming “healthy” after swiping that credit card to fill your trunk?

It’s not like that darling.
Having a cupboard full of chia seeds, flaxseeds, oats, maple syrup, agave, olive oil, quinoa, and kale doesn’t turn you into a fitness guru and doesn’t make you healthier.
We can see the rings around your belly; Your donut.

I see you storing those in the kitchen and lashing out on a jar of that hazelnut spread crap you all like. Oh yes I did! Sue me!!!

Drop it where it is and take this jar instead Continue reading “Chia Pudding with Strawberries and Pomegranates” →