Leek and Potato Soup with Pesto

Light warming dinner for "cold" Dubai winter. After New holidays and baking, nice to have some healthy meals.

Ingredients:

500 g. big potatoes

1 Medium Leek

1/2 white onion

1 garlic clove

1/2 -1 l. vegetable stock

1/2 milk or cream or sour cream

Thyme

Red pepper flakes

Salt and White pepper

Method:

1. Finely chop onions and garlic.

2. Wash leak well, discarding outer layer. Cut in slices only white part.

3. In heavy bottom pan, heat a little of olive oil and fry onions, leeks and garlic for 5 minutes.

4. Season with red pepper flakes.

5. Wash and scrub potatoes, without peeling. Slice into thin rounds.

6. Add potatoes to pan and let it sweat for 3 minutes, mixing with another vegetables.

7. Add stock. Boil until tender.

8. Remove from heat, give it a swirl with electric mixer until smooth, add milk.

9. Return to the heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring sometimes. Add more stock if the soup is too thick.

10. Garnish with some pesto on top and croutons.

Healthy eating!

Artichokes

Simple healthy dish for "after work" quick dinner.

Ingredients:
1 pkg (300 g.) of frozen artichoke hearts
300 g. of minced meat (i used minces beef)
1 cup of vegetable stock
1 Tomat
1 medium onion (i did not use)


Spices:
1/2 tsp. Baharat (all spices)
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
Salt and Pepper
How to prepare:
1. Boil artichokes in salted water with lemon juice for 15 min., no need to defrost prior.After boiling cover them with cold water to stop the process of cooking immediately.
2. Fry in 1 tsp. of olive oil onion (if using) till transparent, add minced meat, spices mix and cook for 10 minutes till meat will become brown.
3. Artichokes prior to stuffing you can also fry for 2 min in the oil just to give them nice color, but i did not do it, hence i do not feel need for extra fat in food.
4. Place a 1 tsp. of meat into each artichoke. Dice tomato in very small cubes and sprinkle over the meat.
5. There is two ways to cook it: either place them in the pan with just enough stock to cover 3/4 of artichokes and simmer on low heat for 10 min under closed lid. Or, the second option, place them in the baking tray with the same amount of stock, cover with foil and bake for 10-15 min in the hot oven.
6. Artichokes can be served, for sauce - reduce the stock from cooking and add a bit of flour to thicken it.


I had some fried minced meat left, so i made arabic rice with fried meat: just add some washed and drained basmati rice to the pan with meat, add a little more cumin for flavor and fry for 5 min to coat rice in oil. add hot water (3 cups for every 2 cups of rice) and simmer under the closed lid until cooked through.



Bon Appétit!