Arabian delights

By Rita Demontis, QMI Agency

May 26th, 2010
The girls are back.

And so is fashion, passion, cocktails and death-defying shoes.

Yes! - the adventures of Carrie Bradshow and her BFF glamorous girlfriends Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York and Samantha Jones continues in Sex And The City 2 -- a cinematic smorgasbord, ramped up with an over-the-top adventure to Abu Dhabi.

Talk about the mother of all girlfriend weekend getaways!

We're talking crazy couture, unruly camels, a what-are-the-odds romantic twist, all set in a backdrop of female friendship forever.

What this all means is -- girlfriend bonding gets kicked up several notches. And travel packages to the Middle East will most likely skyrocket, regardless of the gloomy global economy and the fact Morocco fills in nicely for Abu Dhabi.

But then - who can ever forget the Marrakesh Express!

As usual -- we're envisioning the parties being planned in honour of this perfect summer entertainment. Cocktails are a must - think thirst-quenching, vodka-based drinks (Skyy Spirits' flagship product, SKYY Vodka is the official spirit brand of the movie.)

And as for food - we're talking Arabic with a twist, with a liberal dose of Lebanese and plenty of aromatic vegetable dishes. Delish! In fact, event planners everywhere are hosting Arabian-themed events to get everyone into the SATC2 mood. On the menu look for such delights as garlic-infuesed hummus, grilled pita bread, tabbouleh, stuffed vine leaves, "muhalabiya, a milk pudding served with rose water and pistachios, and plenty of mint tea.

With the movie coming out in days, you've plenty of time to whip together a get-together before heading out to your local theatre. Or better still, plan an after-movie munch-in with your BFF and tear apart the plot along with the platefuls of food!

GLAMOUR GIRL

This drink, courtesy of SKYY Vodka, sets the standards for SATC2!

2 oz. vodka

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup, or 1 tsp. (5 ml) sugar

Rim a martini glass with Crème de cassis and sugar*. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Finish cocktail with a drop of Crème de cassis on top. Note - Creme de cassis (blood-red, sweet, blackcurrant flavored liqueur) can be replaced with Chambord, a black raspberry liqueur.

*NOTE: To rim martini glass, first dip rim of glass in a shallow dish filled with Crème de cassis and immediately place rim in another shallow dish with sugar, rotating glass to ensure whole rim is covered with sugar.

MOROCCAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS

A Middle Eastern flavour with the addition of couscous, coriander and cumin updates the familiar stuffed mushrooms. Recipe courtesy Foodland Ontario.

12 large white mushromms, about 3 inches (8 cm)

1 tsp. (5 ml) vegetable oil

Half small nion, finely chopped

1/4 cup (50 ml) finely chopped carrot

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. (2 ml) ground cumin

1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground coriander

1/2 cup (125 ml) uncooked quick couscous

3/4 cup (175 ml) vegetable stock

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) currants

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) finely chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) finely chopped fresh mint

Cut stems from mushrooms; trim inside edge of cap to enlarge stuffing area. Set caps aside. Finely chop mushroom stems. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushroom stems, onion, carrot and garlic; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add cumin, coriander, then couscous; stir in stock and currants. Cover and bring to boil; remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Add parsley and mint. Fill mushroom caps with couscous mixture. Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

Makes 12 servings.

POTATO HUMMUS

This is a cross between skordalia, a Greek potato and garlic dip and a Middle Eastern hummus made with soybeans instead of the traditional chick peas. Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario.

1 lb (500 g) potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, about 3 medium, peeled and cut into chunks

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (19 oz/540 g) soybeans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup (50 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) each of salt and dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp (1 ml) black pepper

1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Crusty bread, pita bread, bagel chips or crackers

In saucepan over medium heat cover potatoes and garlic with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving about 1/4 cup (50 ml) cooking liquid. Mash potatoes and garlic roughly with a potato masher.

In food processor, pulse (with on-off switch) drained soybeans, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano and pepper until almost smooth. Add potatoes, cooking liquid and parsley and pulse until almost smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon into serving dish. Garnish with parsley leaves and serve warm or room temperature with bread slices, pita bread wedges, bagel chips or crackers. Use also as a sandwich spread.

Make-ahead tip: Make 1 to 2 days ahead and place in microwaveable serving dish. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, warm gently in microwave to room temperature.

Makes about 3 cups (375ml).