Starters Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Loubiyeh b’Zeit (Green Beans cooked in Olive Oil)

March 3, 2009 in Side Dishes, Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

This is a relatively fast appetising dish that can be eaten hot, warm or cold and can be used as starter, light lunch or a side dish for it complements meat dishes. Any fresh green beans that are in season will do. I also tried it with fresh Runner Beans and it was delicious. A word of advice, avoid tinned tomatoes because they can spoil the taste, nothing can complement fresh tender beans better than fresh ripe tomatoes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

500 g/ 1lb 2oz green beans any kind available in season
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 head of garlic: cloves peeled and chopped into chunky pieces
450 g/ 1lb of ripe tomatoes skinned and chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree or less depending on how juicy the tomatoes are
Seasoning: salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Top, tail, string the beans then cut them into smallish pieces about 5cm / 2 inches, wash them in fresh water and keep aside.
Heat up the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the chopped onion and sauté for a couple of minutes, stir in the chopped garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the prepared beans and stir them into the mixture, season with salt and generous freshly milled black pepper, cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Next, stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, cover and bring to the boil stirring once or twice then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, by which time, the beans should be cooked and tomatoes have melted into a nice thick sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve in individual dishes, drizzle more extra virgin olive oil on top and eat with warm bread.

Samak b’Tahini, (Fish cooked in Tahini Sauce)

March 1, 2009 in Fish, Main Courses, Starters | Permalink

The combination of fish with tahini sauce makes this dish simply delicious. It is ideal for family and works well as a party dish, but it has to be served hot. You can prepare fish and sauce in advance, keep them separate and do the mixing just before serving. It also freezes well.

Serves 2 – 3 as a main course or 5 – 6 as a starter.

Ingredients

2 pieces of haddock or cod or any meaty white fish (skin on) weighing roughly 300 g / 11 oz washed and pat dried on a kitchen paper
3 large onions thinly sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil and a little more to brush the fish
2tbsp lemon juice

For tahini sauce / tarator

2 fat cloves of garlic peeled and crushed to a paste
85 ml /3fl oz lemon juice
165 ml / 5 ½ fl oz tahini paste
150 – 200 ml /5 – 7fl oz water

For seasoning

Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Cayenne pepper or Paprika
A handful of chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Warm Arabic or Pitta bread to serve

You also need one medium-sized baking tray and a large frying pan

Method.

Preparing tahini sauce

Add about 1 tbsp lemon juice to the crushed garlic and mix. Now, tip the tahini paste into the garlic mixture and gradually stir in alternating between water and the remainder of lemon juice. You’ll have a lumpy paste to start, but don’t worry keep stirring with the spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the sauce has reached a creamy consistency, not too thick (similar to a single cream, see the Sauces Section). Taste and adjust if necessary.

Preparing onion – fish mixture.

Pre-heat the oven 200 ºC / 400 ºF
Switch the hob to a medium setting. Heat up the oil and start frying the onions stirring from time to time, making sure that they are not sticking nor burning. Reduce the setting if necessary. We are looking for very softened onions, deep golden colour but not caramelised. It should take about 30 – 35 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the fish. Brush generously with oil, drizzle lemon juice, then season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, wrap loosely in an oiled foil and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or more depending on how meaty the fish. Uncover the fish and bake for another 5 minutes then take it out. When it is easy to handle, flake the fish, if necessary remove bones. Keep it on the side.
Once the onions are cooked, add the flaked fish with ½ tsp of cayenne pepper or paprika (if you prefer a milder taste). Mix gently with the onions, the idea is to avoid mincing the fish, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Add the tahini sauce and stir gently. It should take 2-3 minutes for the mixture to bubble and it is then ready.
Transfer to a warm large bowl or to individual ones. Sprinkle cayenne pepper or paprika and add the chopped parsley as garnish. Serve immediately with warm bread.

Salatit Zaatar Akhdar (Fresh Thyme Salad)

March 1, 2009 in Salads, Side Dishes, Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

I prefer to use fresh Lebanese green thyme, it has long leaves, bigger than the lemon thyme that is commonly known in England. However, Lebanese thyme is only found in Lebanese stores during spring and summer. This is why I tried it with lemon thyme and it worked. Thyme salad makes an ideal appetiser, regardless of your eating habits, and guess what! It is very easy to make.

Serves 4

Ingredients.

1 bunch weighing 25 g / 1oz of lemon thyme, leaves picked washed and dried on a kitchen paper
1 or 2 spring onions finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Seasoning: salt to taste
½ tsp sumac (optional)

Method.

1 Put thyme leaves and the chopped onions in a small salad bowl. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil, then toss into the thyme mixture. Season, taste and adjust if necessary.

2 Serve with Arabic bread or if you want to add a twist, thinly slice some Ciabatta bread, smear each piece with 1 generous tsp of the salad and enjoy with a well chilled drink.

El’ Ass Bi’Tahini (Taro / Colocasia Cooked in Tahini Sauce)

February 22, 2009 in Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

The Taro used in this recipe is the root (tuber) brownish one. Rich in calcium and iron, root Taro is an excellent source of energy and fibre. The traditional way we cook it with tahini sauce and chickpeas make it an ideal meal for vegans or non-vegans. This dish can be prepared in advance and re-heated, it also freezes well.

Taro Root (Colocasia)

If you wish to know more about the benefits of Taro, I included 3 websites at the end of the recipe.

Which one to buy?

Select a Taro that is firm and has no traces of mould. I normally go for the large ones (weighing about 1 kg / 2¼ lb) because they are creamier and richer than the small ones.

Word of advice

Root Taro contains calcium oxalate, a substance that can irritate both mouth and skin. So never taste the taro raw and preferably wear gloves when peeling raw Taro.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

50 g / 2 oz chickpeas soaked overnight in water with ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda or the same amount of tinned chickpeas
550 g / 1¼ lb Taro / Colocasia
450 g / 1lb onions peeled and quartered
3 tbsp vegetable oil
300ml/ vegetable stock
Salt & freshly milled black pepper

Tahini sauce

2 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed to a paste
85 ml / 3 fl oz tahini paste
60 ml / 2¼ fl of lemon juice or for a sweet and sour taste, use half orange juice, half lemon juice
100 ml / 3½ fl oz water

Method

1. If you are starting with the chickpeas you soaked overnight, rinse them under cold water, transfer to a small saucepan, cover generously with water and add ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil using high heat and removing any scum that forms on the surface. Once you’ve finished, reduce to a medium heat, cover and simmer for roughly 40 minutes, (you know the chickpea is cooked when you can insert a fork). Check once or twice whether you need topping up with hot water. The tinned chickpeas can simply be drained and used as is in section 3.

2. Peel the Taro / Colocasia protecting your hands with gloves, the skin is usually tougher than potato, so you need a sharp knife. Remove all the brownish muddy skin until you get to the firm, white flesh. Then halve the taro lengthwise and slice each half across into about 1 cm / ½ inch thick slices then into 1 cm cubes. Rinse them under tap water, then pat dry them thoroughly. Heat up 1 ½ tbsp of the oil in a pan and fry the Taro / Colocassia cubes until golden. Drain excess fat on a kitchen paper.

3. Heat up the remaining oil in a medium sized saucepan and sauté the onions. Drain chickpeas and mix in, cook until onions are soft. Now, add the fried Taro / Colocasia, season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, give the mixture a good stir, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and let it simmer for about 7 minutes. Now, take the lid off and continue the cooking for another 5 minutes, by which time the Colocasia should be tender, not mushy and all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the prepared tahini sauce, mix it in thoroughly, give it 3 minutes to gently bubble, then switch off the heat.

4. There are 2 ways to serve: hot with plain rice which makes it a meal in itself. You can also serve it at room temperature with Lebanese bread or just on its own.

Suggested websites

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2674/2

http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/x5425e/x5425e01.htm

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/taro.html

El Ass Me’li (Colocasia Chips)

February 19, 2009 in Side Dishes, Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

Although less fattening than those made from the potato, colocasia chips are equally delicious. Instead of frying the chips, as in the traditional way, I bake them as oven chips. Because of its high starch content, it is advisable to par-boil colocasia, so it becomes much easier to handle.

At home, we used to serve it with Garlic & Sumac dressing on the side, however, you can use whatever sauce you like.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients.

· 550 g / 1 ¼ lb colocasia

· 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

· Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Dressing

· 1 fat clove of garlic peeled and crushed to a paste

· 2 tbsp lemon juice

· 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 tsp sumac

Method.

Wash the colocasia and brush away any earth. Peel the colocasia and slice into chunky chips. Rinse a couple of times with cold water to get rid of the excess starch. Put in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and cook for six minutes. Drain off the water and dry on kitchen paper.
Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F, then pour the oil into the baking dish and pop it in the oven for five minutes.
Next slide the dried chips gently into the hot oil, giving them a good coating. Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, pop into the oven for 15 minutes. Take them out and turn them over, bake for another 15 minutes, at this stage, they should reach a light golden colour.
While you are waiting for the chips, simply mix the ingredients for the dressing.
Drain excess fat onto kitchen paper and serve hot, with the dressing in the middle, dip each chip in and enjoy.

Hindbeh B’zeyt, (Endive in Olive Oil)

January 26, 2009 in Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

There are different varieties of endive but the one we use in this recipe (as shown in the photo) has a rosette of curly leaves dark green at the tips but lighter nearer the stem. Native to both China and the Mediterranean, it was grown on board English navy ships during the 16^th century to prevent scurvy: http://thefoody.com/basic/vegce.html

It has multiple nutritional values (you could read about it on the websites I included at the end of the recipe) and is a delight for vegans, vegetarians and non-vegetarians. I haven’t seen this type of endive in Western supermarkets; however, it is available in Lebanese, Greek and Turkish grocers during the winter season.

Traditionally, it is cooked with olive oil and onions, but I also included garlic because it adds a lovely flavour. Some people boil it beforehand; I prefer to let it wilt while absorbing the flavours of the onion-garlic mixture.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients.

500g/1lb 2oz endive
4 medium onions: one finely chopped and 3 onions thinly sliced
4 medium cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
3tbsp vegetable oil
3tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 lemon cut into wedges to serve
Seasoning: salt & freshly milled black pepper

Utensils. You need a medium sized pan and a medium frying pan

Method

1. Cut and discard the very bottom ends of endive which may still have soil on them, then wash until you get rid of the grit. Drain the endive then dry on a tea towel. Now, take bunches of the endive and cut across the stem in 3 cm / 1¼ inch strips.

2. Heat up the vegetable oil in the frying pan and throw in the sliced onions, fry stirring occasionally until they become crispy brown but not burnt. Drain on a double layer of kitchen paper. Keep aside.

3. While the onion is cooking, you could make a start with the endive. Heat up the olive oil in the pan and stir in the finely chopped onions, let them cook for about 3 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the endive in batches to the mixture, stirring each around with a wooden spoon so that they absorb the other flavours. Season then cover and let the whole mixture cook for about 15-20 minutes, at that stage the endive should be tender.

4. This dish is usually served at room temperature but it is also nice eaten hot. Just before serving drizzle with the lemon juice and scatter the crispy onions on top, place some lemon wedges around the dish. Eat with Arabic or Pitta bread

http://www.juicing-for-health.com/endive-nutrition.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-curly-endive.htm

Dloo bi-Tahini, (Swiss Chard Stalks with Tahini Sauce)

January 13, 2009 in Starters | Permalink

An unusual combination of Swiss Chard stalks with tahini sauce to produce a light tasty starter, suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters. The secret of preparing this dish lies in not overcooking the stalks, this is where you have to be careful. Contrary to what you might think, there is no wastage because the Swiss Chard leaves could be used for making soup (Swiss Chard Soup is included in Soups), or as filling in the savoury pastries (Swiss Chard Turnovers).

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

600 g / 1lb 2¼oz Swiss Chard thoroughly washed. Cut off the stalks, keeping the leaves for soup, wash thoroughly. This makes about 140 g / 4¾oz of stalks suitable for the salad.
100 ml / 3½ fl oz of tahini sauce (see recipe in Sauces).
1 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley for garnish.
1 tbsp pine nuts and a little olive oil to fry them (optional).
Seasoning: Salt and freshly milled black pepper.

Method

Prepare the tahini sauce as described in Sauces.
Fill a small pan with enough water to cover the stalks, add some salt and bring to boil, meanwhile cut up the Swiss Chard stalks to 2 – 3cm / 1 – 1¼ inch pieces and if the stalks are tough, pull off the stringy fibrous material and discard. Drop them in the boiling water, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 – 7minutes, checking the texture with a fork. The idea is to get them cooked while holding their shape without becoming mushy. Drain them and if necessary put them on a kitchen paper to absorb the extra moisture because we want them to absorb the flavour of the tahini sauce. Let them cool slightly.
Transfer to a serving dish, add the sauce and mix gently but thoroughly, season and taste, adjust if necessary. Scatter the chopped parsley all over and serve with Arabic bread.
If using pine nuts, just before serving, heat up 1 tsp of olive oil in a small frying pan throw in the pine nuts, sauté until golden brown, then sprinkle the pine nuts all over the dish and serve at once.

Tabbouleh (Parsley and Bulgar Wheat Salad)

January 11, 2009 in Salads, Starters | Permalink

Suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters, tabbouleh works well as a starter, a healthy snack and as an accompaniment to barbecued chicken.

Lebanese tabbouleh is mainly made with parsley and tomatoes. Another authentic ingredient is the fine bulgar wheat or burghul and not couscous as it is generally sold in supermarkets. The amount of burghul can vary according to taste and in the past, as far as I remember, the less you put of it for the guests, the more appropriate it was considered. Another important thing is, do please avoid using a food processor because the real taste lies in the way you treat and chop the ingredients.

One more tip, tabbouleh is best served fresh. If you do have to prepare in advance, I suggest chopping the ingredients and piling them on top of each other then stop at stage 5. Mix the remaining ingredients just before serving. Please, do not leave the prepared dish in the fridge for hours because it will go mushy and the freshly mixed taste that is unique to it will be lost.

Serves 4

Ingredients.

1 bunch of preferably flat leaf parsley weighing about 150grms / 5oz
Few sprigs of mint enough to make 1tbsp about 20 grams / ¾ oz
3 spring onions or 1 small onion, preferably red.
2-3 tbsp fine grain bulgar wheat or burghul preferably brown
350grms / 12 oz vine-ripened tomatoes or any tasty tomatoes.
4 tbsps lemon juice or to taste
3-4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
To serve: Crisp lettuce or white cabbage washed and chilled (optional)

Method.

Remove and discard the thick parsley stalks, keeping the fine ones that have the leaves attached and wash thoroughly with cold water in a colander until you get rid of the grit. Drain the excess water then dry thoroughly on a clean tea towel. Once dried, chop finely (relatively fine not extremely fine) and put in a large mixing bowl.
Repeat the same process with the mint leaves (using only the leaves), then add them to the parsley.
Finely chop the onion and add it to the parsley-mint mixture.
Rinse the bulgar wheat in a sieve under cold water, drain then squeeze the bulgar wheat with your hands to get rid of the excess water and add it to the mixture, season with salt and freshly milled black pepper.
Finely chop the tomatoes and add on top of the bulgar wheat, the idea is that the juices from the tomatoes will moisten and flavour the bulgar wheat. If you are not ready to serve, cover the mixture and leave it in the fridge, ideally not for too long.
Using 2 large spoons mix everything while adding at the same time the lemon juice. Taste to check seasoning, adjust if necessary, then finally add the olive oil.
Serve at once with the lettuce or cabbage on the side. In Lebanon, During the Summer people serve young vine leaves as their lemony taste nicely complements tabbouleh.

Drink. Arak, the Lebanese national drink goes nicely with tabbouleh so does chilled Lebanese beer or medium sweet white wine.

Starters (The Lebanese Mezza)

January 9, 2009 in General, Starters | Permalink

Nothing is more relaxing than the pleasure of sipping Arak, beer or wine while savouring little assortments of mezza dishes and conversing with family and friends. The Lebanese mezza is usually preceded by a pre-mezza which is basically a dish of raw vegetables. Here in London, Lebanese restaurants put a large bowl in the middle of the table which contains the heart of a Romano lettuce, 2 or 3 small cucumbers, 2 large Mediterranean tomatoes, one pepper and strips of carrots. This is usually accompanied by a small dish of black and green olives, and sometimes a small assortment of pickles.

The mezza itself consists of hors-d’oeuvres starting with the cold dishes then progressing to the hot ones. The number of dishes varies according to the occasion and wealth of the host/ess, in the past, it could extend to 40 or 50 dishes. This explains the variety of dishes including dips, salads, cheeses, fish, meat and assortments of savoury pastries. Nowadays, given the new wave of health issues and the dilemma of obesity, the amount of dishes has shrunk, for example a set menu for 4 people at a Lebanese restaurant usually limits its starters to 8, 4 cold and 4 hot which sounds reasonable in relation to the rest of the menu: main course and dessert.

Fattoush (Bread Salad)

January 9, 2009 in Salads, Starters | Permalink

Fattoush can be served on its own as a light starter or as an accompaniment to a Lebanese roasted or barbecued chicken or kebabs.

You can use whatever salad ingredients you like. The main ones are bread, tomatoes and sumac (see Glossary), ingredients which give authenticity to the dish. In Lebanon, we use ba’li (purslane), it is a herb sold usually in bunches and you often see it in Lebanese, Greek and Turkish grocers during spring and summer. We use the leaves which are dark green and tender, that is why we don’t chop them. If you can’t get purslane, you could replace it with fresh broad flat leaf watercress, though peppery, it works well.

Purslane

Fattoush tastes better if mixed and served straight away. You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and leave it aside. Likewise, you can chop the vegetables including herbs and keep in the fridge but leave out the toasted bread and add it last before pouring the dressing into the mixture. This is my version:

Serves: 2-3 people

Ingredients:

Salad

Half an Arabic bread or pitta bread toasted and broken into small pieces
3 – 4 leaves of romano lettuce shredded or any kind of crisp lettuce
1small onion finely sliced or the equivalent of spring onions finely chopped
1 small cucumber or ¼ of an English cucumber coarsely chopped into cubes
2 red radishes thinly sliced in circles. Alternatively ½ small red pepper thinly sliced
50gr / 2 oz purslane. Strip the leaves off the stalks, wash leaves in a colander, drain excess water then dry on kitchen paper. Alternatively, use the same amount of fresh broad flat leaf watercress.
Few sprigs of mint or 1 full tsp dried mint.
25g/1 oz parsley rough stalks discarded keeping the fine ones that have the leaves attached washed and dried then coarsely chopped.
275g/ 10 oz vine-ripened tomatoes chopped

Dressing

1fat clove of garlic peeled and crushed to a paste
2tbsp lemon juice
1tsp sumac
4tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Seasoning: Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Mix the chopped vegetables and herbs, season, then add the bread last.
Mix the dressing ingredients and tip them into the salad mixture, toss them together, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve at once, for the bread has to be moist but most importantly crunchy. Like most salads, consume the same day.

Starters

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