Servings: 4
Serve with mashed potatoes or over roasted, grilled or broiled meat.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups broth
1/4 cup flour
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
a pinch of thyme
a pinch of oregano
a pinch of rosemary
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté the onion and garlic in butter for 3 minutes.

Add flour, whisking constantly, and cook for about 2 more minutes, until it forms pale brown paste.

Add milk, broth and herbs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer. Let it thicken to your liking, about 10 minutes.

Add salt and pepper.

The gravy can be served as it is; alternately, you can strain the onion, garlic and herbs and then serve it. (Another option is to process in a food processor until smooth, return it to the pan and bring it back up to heat, and serve.)

Servings: 6
Serve on fish, chicken, rice dishes or in the place of regular mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large egg yolks
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
a pinch of salt

Combine garlic, salt, egg, and lemon juice in a food processor and process for 30 seconds.

Without stopping the machine, add oil very slowly through the feeding tube and continue to process for about 1 minute until the mayonnaise thickens.

Refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

Servings: 4
Serve as a dip for ripped pita bread, or in sandwiches and wraps with grilled or broiled meats.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
4 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons water
a pinch of cumin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Pierce the eggplant with a fork or knife and set them over a gas burner or place under broiler. Roast, turning occasionally until the eggplants collapse, about 20 minutes.

Cut them in half and scoop out the meat or peel the skin under running water. (If you use running water, squeeze the eggplant meat to remove any soaked water.) Chop the eggplant meat coarsely, and place it in a food
processor with all the other ingredients.

Process the mix well. Serve cold

Variation Ideas:
-Omit the eggplant; instead, put 1 1/2 cups canned chickpeas and 1 small
coarsely-chopped onion in the food processor.
-Add 1 teaspoon paprika.
-Omit eggplant; use 1 cup tahini and ½ cup water.

Servings: 4
Beautiful on crusty bread; also works well on wraps and sandwiches.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Roast the eggplant over a gas burner or under the broiler, turning it occasionally, until soft and the skin is blistered. Scoop out the meat, or peel the skin under running water and discard the skin. (If you use running water, squeeze the eggplant meat to remove any soaked water.) Chop coarsely. Sauté the onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice. Cool in the refrigerator until serving time.