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I hope this thread will be revived… in that spirit here’s what I made for dinner tonight:
Maftool
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Looks interesting. What exactly is it?
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Looks delicious, my daughter vetoed quinoa otherwise I was going to get into it. I am more of a carnivore..I made steak n eggs for her breakfast at our camping trip..thanks for reviving the thread..
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Maftool is a Palestinian dish that involves chicken, chickpeas (the small dish on the left), onions, and a particular kind of couscous (which gives the dish it’s name.) It’s simplicity means you can put your own personal stamp on it which makes it fun to make.
@Bobby1 this is not quinoa it’s actually a type of couscous. I’m an devote meat eater myself and to make this dish properly you need to roast a whole chicken:
The chicken then gets shredded and is served on top of the couscous.
Your steak looks great and it’s really nice that you take your family camping! My dad used to do the same with us and I have fond memories of those trips.
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Oh wow!!that chicken looks great, we had some palestinian friends and yes their cuisine is divine. Creating memories was the major goal of my life. I didn’t have too many memories of us doing things a with parents and I didn’t want that to happen to my children so we ended up doing a lot of adventures, hikes together. Which was your favorite spot for camping?
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Ah ok. What’s in the bowl on the right?
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Pearl onions… loads of them sauteed with spices and lemon juice. The picture only shows a small amount. They’re a bit of a pain to peel but well worth it!
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Well I spent my childhood in the U.K and the Caribbean. In the U.K we’d camp along the coast a lot… Pembrokeshire, Cornwall, etc! From what I have read in your posts you and your family are in Canada? Lot’s of great places up there!
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Never heard of that. I’d like to try it someday.
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I’ll type up my recipe for you tomorrow and post it here. It’s really not at all difficult (and you can absolutely ‘cheat’ a bit if you can find frozen pearl onions.)
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I just sold a house to this lovely British couple from Cornwall. Green Pointe in Pacific Rim has been my favorite spot, the ocean and rainforest together create such unbelievable combinations.
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That would be great 
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I filleted the fish myself, it was such a huge hit with the children.
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Maftoof
You’ll need one whole chicken (3lbs or so). To prepare it, dry the chicken completely inside and out with paper towels and leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight or for a few hours to further dry it out (this will give you a perfectly crisp skin after you’ve roasted it.) When you’re ready to cook the chicken make sure it’s at room temperature. Preheat your oven to 450. Season the inside of the cavity really well with kosher salt and pepper. Truss the bird (tie it together) and further season the outside with somewhere between one and a half to two tablespoons each of salt and pepper (it will seem like a lot but trust me.) Combine the following spices in a small bowl: two tablespoons of ground caraway seeds, one tablespoon each of the following spices: allspice, cumin, and coriander, half a teaspoon or so each of nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon. Separate the mixture into half and rub one half of it all over the chicken. Place your chicken on a roasting rack and roast breast side up for about an hour (don’t bast it because you’ll end up with rubbery skin. You want an internal temp of 165.) After the chicken is cooked set it on a cutting board and leave it alone for 15 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, heat four tablespoons of ghee in a cast iron or heavy bottomed pot. Saute two lbs of pearl onions and four yellow onions that have been chopped. Stir in the juice of half a lemon (or more if you prefer) and season well with salt and pepper. Set this aside.
Using the same pan/pot that you cooked the onions in saute 1 lb of chickpeas that have been cooked (or two 15 ounce cans work just as well and can save you time), a tablespoon more or so of ghee, and a good amount of cumin until the chickpeas are well coated and almost crispy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside like the onions.
To make the maftool, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add two lbs of Israeli couscous or Egyptian rice stirring to make sure it all gets coated and cook until the grains turn white. Stir in the remaining half of the spice mixture from earlier. Add 6 cups of chicken broth and bring ti a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the couscous is soft (you might need to add more broth). This should take about 15 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.
Shred the chicken and add to the couscous. Serve with the onions and chickpeas on the side.
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Nicely done!
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Had a couple friends over and cooked up a storm!
Lamb shanks:
Cucumber salad:
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That looks stunning, I love lamb shake, could you be kind enough to post the recipe…maybe I will cook for Safy, he leaves for Uni soon.
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Thank you.
Looks like a lot of work 
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Aww you must be so proud! Is he excited? I will type up the gist of it tomorrow.
There are definitely more than a few steps BUT the chickpeas and onions can be made the day before, the oven takes care of the chicken (you don’t have to dry it over night if you don’t have time), and the couscous has the same level of difficulty as cooking rice :k:. Do you have younger siblings? I always force mine to chop the onions when I make this and they’re visiting. 
Don’t be daunted! As long as you have your ‘mise en place’ (all your ingredients laid out and ready to go), you’re set! Promise to give you a less involved recipe next time!