Okay, not actually. But with every bite I was nearly able to envision such a journey.

Cheryl ordered us a most wonderful book, Jerusalem. I’m ashamed to say many of the spices involved in the dishes are not staples in our pantry (all this changes today). Tonight was my first go at said “Jerusalem” cuisine.

Let me tell you: it was AMAZING. And I’m not just tooting my own horn — this was like a little gift from the Gods plopped right onto our plates. I must admit, it was rather time consuming, although I chose two dishes with a handful of similar ingredients. That said, it wasn’t the labor intensive that leaves you wondering if you’ll ever eat. It was actually FUN. This may be attributed to my unfamiliarity with some of the ingredients, or it could be that I’ve spent too many weeks absent from the kitchen. Regardless, this recipe is most definitely a keeper.

Recipes adapted from Jerusalem.

Basmati + Wild Rice with Curried Chickpeas, Currants, and Herbs

1 cup wild rice (choose any mixture you’d like — prepare according to package instructions)
2 cups basmati (prepare according to package instructions)
1 tbsp cumin
1.5 tsp curry powder (a little more if you’re a curry fan)
1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed)
3/4 cup sunflower oil
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp flour (of any kind)
1 cup currents
large handful of flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
large handful of cilantro (chopped)
small handful of dill (chopped)
salt + pepper to taste

Combine cooked rice, herbs and currents in a large bowl.

Curry your chickpeas: heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add curry and cumin, stirring for just a moment (don’t turn away — it can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds). Carefully add the chickpeas. Stir over heat for a couple of minutes — just enough to heat the chickpeas. Set aside.

Lightly coat your sliced onion with flour. In a large fry pan, heat 3/4 cup sunflower oil. Test the temperature of your oil by dropping a slice of onion into the pan — it should sizzle nicely. In a couple of batches, fry onions for a couple of minutes, until golden brown. Be careful, they may splatter! Transfer fried onions to a plate covered in a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Save the remaining oil but remove from heat.

Stir onions and chickpeas into rice mixture and set aside (I like this dish best at room temp, but it can be served hot, cold, or smack in the middle).

Chicken Zucchini Burgers with a Sumac Yogurt sauce + Cucumber Slaw

(Recipe Coming)

Chicken Zucchini Burgers
1 lb ground organic chicken breast (or turkey, whichever you prefer)
1 large zucchini (coarsely grated)
3 green onions (thinly sliced)
1 large organic egg
small handful of cilantro
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
.5 – 1 tsp cayenne
sunflower oil for searing

Yogurt Sauce
1 cup organic Greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon zest
juice of half lemon
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sumac
salt and pepper to taste

Cucumber Slaw
1 large cucumber, diced
handful of dill
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon zest
juice of half lemon
1 tsp black pepper

Preheat your oven to 425.

Prepare your yogurt sauce by combining all ingredients. Place in refrigerator to keep cool.

Prepare your cucumber slaw. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate until serving.

In a large bowl, combine burger ingredients. Mix with your hands, then form into hockey puck sized patties.

Return your existing sunflower oil to med-high heat (you’ll want about 1/8 inch on the pan bottom, add more oil as needed). Carefully sear patties in batches on all sides (each batch will take about 4 minutes). Transfer to baking sheet. Place in oven for 10 minutes, or until just cooked through.

Serve with a dollop of the yogurt sauce, slaw, and rice on the side.