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I’m competing in a medieval cooking competition today called Trial by Fire, it starts at noon, so I’ve set this to show up at noon.

The cooking is done under camping conditions, and I am doing a main dish, and a dessert.

The main dish is Maghmūma with Asparagus, from a translation of Annals of the Caliphs’ Kitchens

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs lamb, cut to about ½” cubes.
  • 2 lbs asparagus
  • 2 large white onions, chopped
  • 1cup ground walnut
  • 1 large leek, chopped
  • 4 eggs, large
  • 1 can chickpeas (garbanzos) 1 lb (actually 15½ oz) drained.
  • 1 can black olives (5.75 oz) chopped and drained.
  • ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tsp coriander seeds, cracked.
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbsp olive oil (will be using lamb fat)
  • Dough (see below)
  • ¼ tsp salt and to taste

Take asparagus, and blanch, and then cut into small disks, roughly ¼” thick, or chop.

Take Dutch oven, and place on burning coals to heat, melt approximately 1 tbsp. of olive oil (lamb fat), then take the lamb and brown in Dutch oven.

Add chickpeas, leeks, onions, cilantro, and ¼ tsp of salt, and add about 2 inches of water, and cook until meat is done (5-10 minutes).

Add asparagus, olives, ground walnuts, and 2 tsp of the coriander seeds.

Take eggs, and beat them, and add remaining coriander seeds, black pepper, and soy sauce to them, and then add to the pot and stir.

Cook until almost all the free liquid has left the pot.

Taste, and add salt as desired.

Remove most of the coals, and prepare dough (below), and then place on top of the meat/egg mixture. Brush top with oil, then place hot coals on top of the lid and cook until dough is done, about 30 minutes.

Invert pot onto platter, and serve

Top (bottom) Crust Recipe
Based on a yeast biscuit recipe, and informed by the recipes for Aqrās Mumallaḥa (Medieval Arab Cookery), and Khubz al-Qanānī or bottle bread from (Annals of the Caliphs’ Kitchens)

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg. dry yeast
  • 1 c. warm water
  • 3 tbsp. soft shortening (will be lamb fat)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 1/2 c. flour
  • Approx 1 tbsp. lamb fat liquefied.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and ½ tsp. sugar in a large mixing bowl, wait until you see it froth up.

Add shortening (lamb fat), salt, remaining sugar and flour; mix well.

Allow 1 hour for dough to rise

Brush the liquefied fat on the outside of the dough.

Knead 15-20 times on floured board, brushing on liquefied fat each time you fold the dough.

Roll out approximately 1/2-inch thick and shape to match the top of the pot.

Tabīkh Ḥabb Rummān (The “mess of cooked pomegranate seed”)
From Medieval Arab Cookery

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped finely
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 2 cups ground almonds.

Take pomegranate juice and sugar and combine, and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Add ground almonds, mix until smooth, then wait at least 15 minutes to for the almonds to soak up the liquid and thicken.

Add chopped mint.

Add oil to pan, and heat until oil shimmers.

Add the batter to pan to make 9-12 inch pancakes, and then turn down heat to medium low. When the mixture has stiffened, the edges will turn a dark brown, flip and cook other side until brown.

Cut into wedges when it has cooled,

Should you choose to make cookies, I would recommend that you bake them in an oven on parchment paper.

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