For our second meeting (you can read more about how and why I started a cookbook club here), our members selected a range of recipes from appetizers to dessert:

• Rice with Lentils & Crispy Onions
• Safid-style Beef Pastries
• Fennel and Apple Salad
• Za’atar Cod with Relish
• Spiced Carrot, Pistachio & Almond Cake with Rosewater Cream
• Bastilla chicken
• Lamachun (round pita-like dough topped with  ground meat, chopped vegetables and herbs including onions, tomatoes and parsley, and spices, then baked)
• Chicken Bastilla
• Stuffed Aubergines with Lamb, Onions & Tomatoes Karniyarik
• Persian flatbread
• Rice with Lentils and Crispy Onions
• Cacik (cucumber, dill and yogurt sauce)
• Pistachio & Lemon Shortbreads

See photos of the dishes made by the members of our club below!

Overall, our group raved about Persiana. We loved the simplicity of each recipe and the stunning results. Many of us had never made Persian food before and found it light and tasty. Several of us have young children, and our meetings also involve the kids’ input. This time, all of the kids chowed down, and there was something for everyone.

After our meeting ended, the hubby remarked that the genius of the club is that it’s almost like a “planned” potluck, where all of the dishes complement each other. It’s the best kind of party!

You can participate in our cookbook club, too! Join the fun by adding yourself to this Facebook group and cook along with us!  We already have one member participating remotely from The Netherlands, and you can send in or post a summary of what you’ve made along with a photo. Our next meeting will be in early August, and we’re reviewing Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen. Join us, won’t you?

See how to start you own cookbook club here.