Zetune Parvardeh

1/4 lbs. shelled walnuts
1 cup sour pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons fresh garlic puree
20 seedless green olives, sliced in half
1 teaspoon marjoram

Put the walnuts in a food processor and process on high until the walnuts form a thick oily paste that almost has the consistency of peanut butter. Add the pomegranate juice and garlic puree and mix well.  Stir in the olives and marjoram and serve.

Feta Cheese Spread

1 cup feta cheese
8 oz. cream cheese (Philadelphia style)
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
2 teaspoons fresh dill, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh sweet basil, finely chopped
2 teaspoons green onion tops, finely chopped
1/4 cup ground walnuts
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper

In a large bowl mash the Feta cheese.  Add the cream cheese and blend well together.  Add the garlic, dill, basil and green onion tops and gently stir until well mixed.  Shape into a ball.  Combine the walnuts and black pepper.  Roll the cheese ball in the walnuts and then refrigerate for 2 hours.  Serve with small crackers.

Borani Mast-e-Bademjan

1 eggplant, large
1 bulb garlic, large
2 1/2 cups yogurt
salt, black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400F.
Wash the eggplant well and pat dry with a paper towel.  Place it on a cookie sheet and prick it all over with a fork (This will prevent the eggplant from exploding in the oven.).
Bake the eggplant in the oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until very tender. (To check if the eggplant is cooked, pinch the neck.  If the neck is soft, the eggplant is cooked.)  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Peel the eggplant so that only the pulp remains.  Mash and chop the pulp.  Put into a large bowl.
Peel the cloves of garlic, sprinkle with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pound it until it forms a paste.
Add the garlic and yogurt to the eggplant and mix will.  Salt and pepper to taste.