Eid Dinner.....Slaved away for almost 5 Hours!

But five hours is nothing when you're guests leave happy and satisfied. 

To begin I made this raspberry puree with sparkling apple cider.

The Appetizers consisted of Spiced Sweet Potato Phyllo Triangles and Karhai Chicken Samosas.

The Mains: Tamarind Glazed Duck Breast with sauteed Cauliflower and Potato (Aloo Gobi) on top of a potato puree

Curry and Panko Crusted Fillet of Sole with Roasted Red Pepper and Cilantro Puree and Sauteed Okra with Caramelized Onions

Glad you enjoyed friends....EID MUBARAK!!!

These Recipes plus many more will be available in my up coming  cook book:)

XXX Saba

Looking for a good "All American" Steak? Ruth's Chris in Dubai is the place to go!

I have a special connection with this steak house, not only because its an American classic, but because Executive Chef Paul De Visser is a regular in the Studio One kitchen.  Now that I won't be seeing him on the show every week, I'm going to have to make more frequent trips down to the restaurant, but hey, I'm not complaining:)  The venue is great for a casual night out or even special occasions.  The lounge area in the front is always buzzing, and the big cozy chairs are perfect  if you want to snuggle up and enjoy some great comfort food.....That is if your comfort food is STEAK!

For starters this super tasty calamari with sweet chili sauce......it's deep fried goodness.  In fact when it's that good, I always say the calories don't count;)

This is a Petite Fillet with Blackened Cajun Shrimp, the perfect Surf N Turf.

This is seared Ahi Tuna Steak layered with Jumbo Lump Crab meat and a roasted Red Pepper Pesto, light but tasty meal.

 And since I was so good with my healthy choice dinner, Chef Paul insisted on dessert!

 It was the perfect evening enjoying lovely food and catching up with friends.  Thanks again to Chef Paul De Visser for all the tasty treats.  Going to miss not seeing you every week on Studio One......

 Ruth's Chris Steak House is located at The Monarch Hotel, Dubai. 



Le Petite Maison food coma.......going to sleep well tonight!

I enjoyed a meal at one of Dubai's most fabulous restaurants this evening, Le Petite Maison in DIFC.  They consistently hit the mark with top notch service, phenomenal quality of food, plus the warm and inviting ambiance.  Everything we ate this evening was delicious, but below I have just listed the highlights.  I recommend anyone living in the UAE try this place at least once. And if you're visiting from out of town, it's a MUST DO!

Haricots de Soisson, Vinaigrette aux Truffes 
White Beans with Truffle Vinaigrette 

Grosses Crevettes Grillées 
Grilled Tiger Prawns

 Compliments of the fabulous Chef, this gorgeous Sorbet selection!

One of the BEST desserts in Dubai,

Pain Perdu et sa Glace aux Epices
French Toast with Spice Ice Cream

Claims to be the best Cheesecake in Dubai....

Gâteau au Fromage blanc 
Cheesecake

It is pretty darn good:) Check out the website for other reviews plus the extensive menu!

http://www.lpmdubai.ae/

A Slice of History at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Currently, there is an exhibition showcasing a 200 year old Kiswah, at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.  A Kiswah is a black brocade cloth that covers the Holy Kaaba in Saudi Arabia.  Having such an important piece of history available for all  to appreciate during Ramadan gives fasting Muslims an additional spiritual boost during this already Holy moth.

This Kiswah is particularly important because, it "once guarded the door of Kaaba in Mecca, commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Selim III, and dates Hijri 1219AD 1804-1805......"

To read more about the Kiswah, follow the link below:

 http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=/data/theuae/2011/August/theuae_August270.xml&section=theuae 

After our grand tour of the Emirates Palace, we worked up quite an appetite and decided we needed to break our fast with their delicious Iftar buffet, complete with a Cold Seafood Selection.

Check out these cute little salad cones.....

They were filled with Curried Chicken Salad, Prawn Cocktail, and Mushroom Mousse.

 My favorite part in all the Iftar buffets I've attended is always the dessert section.  They always do a fantastic job with the display.....eveything from Creme Brulee, to Lemon Meringue, Tiramisu, and those adorable little cones again.  They were used to serve both sweet and savory....so clever!

Do we see a theme running here......more CONES!

They all had different fillings inside, and me being the curious one, I had to try them all!  My favorite would be the chocolate truffle filled one:)

Follow the link below to find more information on Emirates Palace.
http://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/Pages/Welcome.aspx

When I'm Bored......

Some people watch TV, some read, some even clean, but I enjoy cooking, even in my spare time!

Here's something I whipped up today.  A Baked Eggplant, Roasted Red Pepper, Goat's Cheese, and Pesto Napoleon.

 I also made this grapefruit spritzer, with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and ginger ale garnished with a grapefruit twist!

The colors in these two pictures just scream summertime to me.  It's easy to make it home, healthy and delicious!

Some more festive Iftars in Dubai....

Our first stop of the evening was at Sloanes in the Grosvenor House, Dubai Marina.

The bread tower (above) was cool, just for display though.  And the array of salads (below) was extensive and colorful.

 

Then I ran into my buddy, Chef Tom Egerton, resident Chef on Studio One!  He served me some delicious Lamb Ouzi...YUMMMMY!

Tonight was a trip down memory lane, next I saw Chef Cesar Ramirez, who participated in a Mystery Bag Challenge on Studio One. Check out that elaborate grill station, what a FEAST!

 Time for dessert....check out these dainty little cupcakes.

 I was also quite fond of these green tea cakes, unusual item for the dessert buffet, but tasty!

Grosvenor House is located at:

Al Sufouh Rd - Dubai

United Arab Emirates
04 399 8888

http://www.grosvenorhouse-dubai.com/en/ramadan

Our next stop of the evening was the Mina A'Salam tent for Suhoor, extravagant and elegant.  This was definitely the place to be!!!

 Check out these beauties:)

 This guy was also pretty cool, he was offering us fresh tamarind juice from the thermos strapped on his back.

Mina A'Salam is located in Madinat Jumeirah.  Reservations are necessary for the tent.  Contact the hotel for more details: 04 366 8888

http://www.jumeirah.com/hotels-and-resorts/Destinations/Dubai/Madinat-Jumeirah/Mina-ASalam-Hotel/

Homesick already:(

Here are a couple of random photos from my recent trip to the States.  I've been back in Dubai for less than a week, but already miss the familiar faces and comforts of home......

This is an example of successful advertising! As I was walking by a mall bakery at the Natick Collection,  I noticed this sign for Banana Cupcakes.  Next thing I knew, I B-lined it inside and purchased that little morsel of heaven.....it was well worth the calories:) 

On the same trip to the mall, my adorable niece Leila demanded Dunkin Donuts munchkins.  Because I refer to her as "my little munchkin" I thought it appropriate to give in to the request:)  

This beautiful Hirame and ahi tartare with tostadas, cucumber, jalapeno-lime vinaigrette, and wasabi tobiko is reminiscent of my San Francisco trip.....

 I've heard of Stevia before, but haven't seen it in this form.  If you were not informed about this little dieters delight, It will change your perception of sweets.  Stevia is a zero calorie sweetener and has been used for 100's of years by tribes in South America to enhance beverages, medicines, and other treats.  Check out the website for more info on Stevia.....

http://www.steviaextractintheraw.com/Our-Products.aspx

Another trend that I came across on the West Coast was a street vendor who sold these colorful Jello molds.  They came in a variety of flavors and textures complete with fruits and nuts.

 I am not fond of the gelatin snack, but thought the colors and display were eye catching!

Here's an interesting article on the new trend.

http://www.sfbg.com/pixel_vision/2011/08/17/sweet-streets-gelatin-dessert

Back in the UAE and ready to enjoy the cities best Iftars:)

The Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi hosts this fabulous Iftar Feast with copious amounts of food all displayed beautifully in this warm and inviting setting.  Not only is the array of food impressive, but so is their hospitality.  As we approached the entrance of the hotel, there was a mad dash to make it inside before sundown.  The traffic became  more congested, and everyone's rumbling tummies became more anxious at the thought of the delectable goodies that waited ahead.  Attending to the long lines of waiting cars was the hotel staff with trays of dates for the hungry patrons to break their fast.  Once we made it to the hotel entrance, we were greeted by a welcoming committee carrying trays of fresh fruit juice, bottles of water, and hot towels.  This was hospitality at its finest!

To begin there was Mezze as far as the eye can see!

A Mountain of dates acts as the center piece for the Tagine station.  Included in the variety of food was an open flame Grill, Indian, Asian, Seafood, Traditional Emirati fair, and fresh baked bread.....

No buffet would be complete without dessert.  Check out the Triple Chocolate fountains! White, Dark, and Milk....they got it all covered....

There were a couple other goodies as well, ranging from Arabic sweets....

to a Fresh Crepe, Waffle, and Ice Cream Sundae Bar.

I have a sugar high from just writing about all these sweets:)

Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi is located at:

Between the Bridges - Bain Al Jessrain
United Arab Emirates
02 509 8888

This is a Ramadan "Must Do"!

Acquired Taste....

This article was published in this month's Spinney's Food magazine, Issue 41/August 2011.  It is currently on sale at all Spinney's grocery stores in Dubai.

Check it out!!!!

Ice Cream Dreams!!!!

My last night in Boston I spent celebrating my Grandmother's 77th Birthday! We went to Cabot's Ice Cream Parlor, a 1970's style diner and ice cream shop where they do ice cream the old fashioned way.  Cabots is a Wahid family tradition.....

Below, are my two adorable Grandmothers (Birthday Girl is on the left)

 This was my "healthy" sundae, with fat free frozen yogurt.

 This was my cousin's heaping mound of ice cream and they finished every last bite!

 The Birthday Girl with her old fashioned ice cream soda.

Cabot's Ice Cream is located at:

743 Washington Street

MA 02460-1701
(617) 964-9200
http://cabots.com/