Got COVID cooking fatigue? How about a new recipe.

Acacia has been lucky enough to continue operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve been busier than ever working from home and working socially-distanced. But whether business has been disrupted or not, let’s face it, we’re all weary of lock-down. All those virtual meetings, all that forced family togetherness… all that cooking! By now most people are running out of recipes in their repertoire, so instead of talking about archaeology, history or cultural resources compliance, today we’re going to post a fresh meal idea that’s easy and inexpensive. Many of you may already have all the ingredients in your fridge.

This recipe is one I adapted from something called kuku sabzi, one of the elemental comfort foods of Persian cooking. Basically, kuku sabzi is an herb frittata, packed with parsley, cilantro, dill, green onions and whatever other green herbs happen to be on hand. Like all good classics, each cook puts their own spin on it. Some add lime, others throw in walnuts or barberries. It’s not fussy. My version departs fairly significantly from the traditional preparation and takes the essential kuku sabzi flavor profile and blends it into a popover. It’s different enough from the traditional formula that I call it a Persian popover. It has quickly become a family favorite—my eleven year-old daughter counts it among her top five. I love this dish because it makes for a simple, inexpensive and delicious meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Paired with a salad it is both filling and healthy. It’s my antidote to lock-down meal-fatigue.

Persian Popovers

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 cups of milk

1 cup of flour

1-1 ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 bunch of cilantro, loosely chopped

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, loosely chopped

1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped

½ to 1 whole jalapeño, minced (amount depends on personal taste)

Black pepper to taste

¼ cup of olive oil

Place eggs, milk, flour and salt in a blender and blend at high speed until thoroughly mixed, about 1-2 minutes. Put the blender bowl in the refrigerator and chill for ½ hour. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400-degrees F. While heating, put an 11-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat as well.

In a separate skillet, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil and sauté chopped jalapeño, onions, and herbs until just cooked, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool,mix the herbs into the chilled milk and egg batter.

About five minutes before you are ready to bake the popover, pour the remaining olive oil in the hot skillet and put it back in the heated oven. When the skillet and oil is hot, remove from the oven and pour the batter mixture into the skillet. The batter should bubble a bit when you pour it in. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the popover puffs up and looks golden brown and crusty. Serve immediately.

Note that it will fall once you cut into it. The outside should remain crisp while inside should will be eggy and chewy.