Ramadan Iftar Menu: Kunafa Nutella Cheesecake, Parmesan Mushrooms and Potato Soup

Main Dish:

Mushrooms with Garlic Parmesan Sauce

Ingredients:

- ½ kg whole white mushrooms

- 4 Tbs room temp butter 

- 2 Tbs virgin olive oil

- 3 Cloves minced garlic

- 1 Cup heavy cooking cream

- 2 Tbs cream cheese softened

- ½ Cup grated parmesan, extra for garnish

- 2 tsp Italian seasoning or mix your own (basil, oregano, thyme)

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Fresh chopped parsley, optional garnish

Steps:

1. In a large pan, heat the butter and oil on medium heat.

2. Add the minced garlic and mushrooms, sauté until mushrooms are tender and golden brown. 

3. Add the cooking cream and cream cheese. Stir until sauce thickens.

4. Add salt, pepper, seasoning and parmesan cheese. Stir well. The sauce will start sticking to the wooden spoon, and pulling from the pan as the cheese melts and integrates with the rest of the ingredients.

5. Serve immediately, add cheese and parsley for garnish (optional)

Extra Tips:

1. To clean mushrooms, use a mushroom brush and scrub the dirt off the mushroom head and stems. If you are not ready to splurge, use a cotton cloth; wet the tip of the cloth with cold water and gently rub the mushrooms to remove the dirt. DO NOT. I REPEAT. DO NOT. Wash mushrooms as you’d normally wash regular vegetables. Mushrooms absorb moisture by nature, if you drench them in water, they’ll grow and when cooking they’ll wilt.

2. The mushrooms may not fit in one pan. Don’t fret. Cook mushrooms in two batches or in two pans. Before adding the cream and the rest of the ingredients move all mushrooms into one pan and cook as above.

3. To cook the mushrooms faster, cover the pan for a minute while sautéing, this allows the steam to rise and cook the mushrooms from the inside.

4. Add more cheese and cream to thicken the consistency if you find it too thin.

Baked Potatoes 

Image & Recipe Credits: Nora El Sadat

Ingredients:

- 4 potatoes (wash well, and leave skin)

- 2 Tsp sour cream or light mayo

- 4 pieces pastrami or beef bacon (cut into small pieces)

- Cheddar cheese (shredded)

- Salt

- Olive oil

Steps:

1. Heat oven to medium high. In an oven tray, put your potatoes and sprinkle salt and olive oil. Put in the oven until they're soft from the inside, and a bit crispy from the outside.

2. Take each one and cut into half, remove the inside gently and try to keep a wall of potato flesh, so the skin doesn’t fall apart.

3. In a bowl, and cheese, pastrami, salt, and mayo/sour cream. Mix very well, and put back inside the potato skin.

4. Top each with cheese, and put them back into oven to melt the cheese.

5. Get your serving plate, and voila.

Soup: 

Tuscan Potato Soup

Image & Recipe Credits: My Recipes

Ingredients:

- 2 garlic heads 

- 2 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil 

- 2 cups of finely diced onion 

- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 

- 1/4 teaspoon of salt

- 2 1/4 pounds of peeled and cubes Yukon gold potato 

- 4 cups of fat-free chicken broth 

- 1 cup of milk 

- 4 ounces of pecorino Romano cheese

- 6 ounces hot Italian sausage

- 1 ounce of finely beef bacon

- 1 cup of chopped kale 

- 1/4 cup of fresh sage leaves 

- 2 Tbsp of toasted pine nuts

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Cut off the end of each garlic head, without peeling the cloves. Place each separately in the center of an aluminum foil sheet. Cover each with 1/2 tsp of olive oil and wrap individually in the foil. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees and let them cool for 10 minutes before squeezing the pulp out of the skin.

3. Over medium-high heat, place 2 tsp of oil and add 1 1/2 cups of onion, sauté for 4 minutes. Add in the pepper, 1/8 tsp of the salt, and potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Add the chicken broth bringing it to boil then letting it simmer on lower hear for 20 min, until you see the potatoes getting really tender.

5. Pour the potato mix and garlic pulp into a food mill. Press through the food milll to the pan. Add the milk and finely grated 1/2 cup of  cheese, stirring into the soup. Cook under medium heat for 5 minutes.

6. Add 1 1/2 tsp oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup of onion and cook for 6 minutes. Add 1/8 tsp of salt, the sausage, and bacon. Cook for 8 minutes while stirring the sausage to a crumble.

7. In boiling water, cook the kale for 4 minutes and then strain. Reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid. Grate the remaining cheese and combine with the kale, cooking liquid, sage, and nuts in a food processor, until finely ground. With the processor working, gradually add 1 tablespoon oil.

8. Pour the soup into desired bowl. Top with the sausage mixture. and drizzle in the kale mixture.

9. You can also add extra shaving of cheese if you want.

The Salad:

Caesar Salad Dressing

Image Credits: Ruled.me

Ingredients:  

- 2 tbsp mayonnaise 

- 2 tbsp yogurt

- 1 tsp honey

- 1 tsp thyme (for this recipe, use the Lebanese thyme that is mixed with sesame)

- Juice of 1 lemon 

- 1/2 tsp salt 

- Pinch of pepper

- 1/2 tsp mustard 

Mix all the ingredients really well together in a small bowl. The consistency should be smooth, not too thick and not too runny. Pour the dressing over your salad and enjoy!

Dessert:

Kunafa Nutella Cheesecake

Nour Moussad is spoiling us with a Kunafa Nutella cheesecake recipe that looks so good, it might be replacing any cheesecake we make from now on. Follow her as she bakes on our Instagram stories!

Main Image Credits: Instagram @the_bakingmom