Aremina - #1

Tonight is my first Armenian meal. JJ told me a few days ago he really wanted roast pork tenderloin, so when I saw this dish, I told him I’d make it. I don’t like pork tenderloin, but I told him I’d give it a try. Apricots are abundant in Armenian cuisine. The recipe calls for piercing the meat and stuffing it, but my tenderloin was too thin, so I cut it in half and stuffed it, then pressed it back into a round.


I found so many recipes for Kibbeh, which is the Arabic word for a layered dish. I found two that looked appetizing, Onion and Spinach, so I decided to combine the two. The cayenne in the kibbeh gives it a nice kick, and the yogurt adds a nice tart flavor.


I hope you enjoy these two traditional Armenian dishes!

Roast Pork Stuffed with Apricot and Shallot

&

Potato-Spinach Kibbeh

Roast Pork

Stuffing:
3 shallots, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

6 dried apricots, chopped

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Meat:

1 3-pound boneless pork tenderloin

Thyme

Rosemary

Salt

Ground black pepper

2 tbsp. oil

1. Make the stuffing by cooking shallots in butter until softened, about 10 minutes. Add apricots and cook about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add lemon juice, breadcrumbs, parsley and salt and pepper. Stir to mix.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

3. Make a hole for the stuffing lengthwise, open the incision and using the end of a wooden spoon, create a hole. Pack in the stuffing pushing in from both ends.

4. Rub the thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper on the loin.

5. Heat the skillet over high heat, add the oil and brown pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.

6. Transfer to the oven and roast for about one hour to one hour 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Kibbeh:
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices
Salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
¼ tsp. cayenne
1 ½ tbsp. butter
1 large onion, grated
1 large egg, beaten
½ lb. feta crumbled
10 oz. fresh spinach leaves washed and chopped
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced (I cooked this with the spinach)


1. Put the potatoes in a large pot. Add enough water to cover, salt generously, bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, 25 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash.
2. Add the yogurt, butter and cayenne, beat until combined.
3. Add egg, beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Fold in half of the feta.
4. Preheat oven to 425.
5. Mix the remaining feta with the spinach (and onion).
6. Assemble the layers by spreading half the potato mixture into the baking dish, layering the spinach on top, pat the remaining potato mixture and sprinkle the top with cayenne.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top is browned.

Both recipes taken directly from:

Simply Armenian, Barbara Ghazarian. Mayreni Publishing: Monterey, California, 2004.