Cook a regional treat

Ajem Pilaf

2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
200g lean beef (soft meat), cut into small cubes
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
50g vermicelli
300g parboiled rice
1 small cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
700ml hot beef broth
50g raisins
50g pine nuts or pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pepper

In a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the meat. After it is well browned, remove it to a bowl.
In the same pot where you sautéed the meat, add another tablespoon of butter and sauté the onion along with the salt.
After the onion is well browned, add the vermicelli and sauté for a minute.
Then add the rice, cinnamon and bay leaf and sauté for another minute.
Finally, add the broth, the meat you sautéed before, the raisins, the nuts and the pepper.
Stir well and lower the heat.
Half cover the pot and boil for 12-14 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
When the rice is cooked, cover with clean kitchen clothing.

Imam Baildi

4 large aubergines
20 g salt (for the aubergines)
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
250g canned tomatoes
1 medium fresh diced tomato
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
Juice from a fresh lemon
Olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper
100 ml water or white wine
To serve
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley
100g feta cheese, broken up with fingers
Lemon slices

Wash the aubergines thoroughly. Cut the base a little, hold the stalk and peel in three strips lengthwise.
Carve the aubergines in half and open a case (without separating the two pieces).
Soak in 1 litre of water with 20g salt for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
For the tomato sauce: in a bowl add the onions and garlic, tomatoes, parsley, sugar, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mix.
Put the aubergines in a pan that fits them tightly. Fill the cases with the sauce and place any remaining sauce on top.
Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and add 100 ml of water or white wine to the pan. Close the pan with parchment paper and aluminum foil.
Bake for 60 minutes, until soft.
Allow to cool slightly and serve with fresh mint, parsley, feta cheese and lemon.

Recipes provided by the Lidl food academy. Stasikratous 34, Nicosia 1010. https://www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/