Recipes - Page 5 of 9 - Lebanese Garlic Sauce

Burghul bi-Dfeen (Bulgar wheat cooked with lamb meat)

November 29, 2009 in Main Courses, Meat Dishes | Permalink

It is an authentic Lebanese dish, quite suitable for the sharp chill of autumn. The burghul is added last thus allowing lamb meat, chickpeas, onions and spices to mingle together. This in fact is what gives it such a distinctive taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients.

120g / 4½ oz chick peas soaked overnight in water with ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda. Alternatively, use tinned chickpeas.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
550g / 1¼ lb lamb neck fillet (or any lean part) cut into large cubes
3 medium onions quartered or the equivalent amount of shallots
2 cinnamon sticks 6.5cm /2½ inches long each
1.5 litres / 2½ pints water
275g /10 oz coarse bulgar wheat / burghul
Salt &freshly milled black pepper
1 ½ tsp ground allspice
450g / 1lb plain yoghurt to serve

Method.

Rinse chickpeas with fresh water, transfer into a large saucepan (large enough to take at later stage the meat – onions mixture), cover with water (3 times their amount) and add 1 tsp of salt. Using a high heat setting, bring to the boil removing any scum, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for half an hour checking occasionally.
While chickpeas are cooking, heat up the oil in another non stick saucepan or deep frying pan and brown the meat to seal it, season with freshly milled black pepper, then stir in the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Now transfer the mixture onto a plate covered with kitchen paper to drain excess fat.
By that stage the chickpeas should have been boiling for half an hour or a little over, a time suitable to add the meat-onions mixture. Top up with some boiling water, increase the heat and boil for 5 minutes, check whether any scum needs removing, then reduce the heat. Give everything a good stir and simmer for 50 minutes or until both chickpeas and meat are done and the cooking liquid is reduced to about 650ml / 1 pint 2 fl oz.
Discard cinnamon sticks, season with allspice, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add in the burghul, give it a good stir and let it simmer gently until the burghul is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. It takes roughly 15-20 minutes, the burghul should be swollen and tender.
Let it stand covered for 5 minutes before serving. Some cooks prefer to cover the pan with a kitchen towel to absorb the steam and achieve a perfect texture.
Serve hot topped with well chilled yoghurt, as the contrast of hot versus cold gives this dish an unusually succulent taste.

At home, mother used to serve this dish with an additional side one: Beetroot Salad (Salatit Shmandar: See Salads Section) which I think works well.

Facts. Did you know?

Bulgar wheat or burghul is high in fibres and carbohydrate and low in fat.
It is rich in “B” vitamins, iron, phosphorous and manganese.

Find out more on: http://www.sunnylandmills.com/health.html

Salatit Shmandar (Beetroot Salad)

November 29, 2009 in Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

This is a simple salad that works well as a side dish or as a starter, the beetroot itself, especially when it is freshly boiled, has a full sweetish flavour that is fulfilling, with no fat content. It has many other benefits, for example, it is a rich source of fibres and carbohydrates. In fact the pigment that gives the beetroot its red colour, possesses antioxidant properties which can help to fight some diseases. If you can, try to buy small bunches that have small tender leaves, because the leaves are also edible, in addition, they provide iron, foliate and beta-carotene.

At home, we used to combine vinegar with olive oil to make the dressing. In this recipe, I substituted the vinegar with the balsamic one and added a ½ tsp of sugar.

If you like to know more about beetroot, here are two useful websites:

http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/benefits-of-beetroot-851827.html http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/benefits-of-beetroot-851827.html

http://www.elements4health.com/the-bloody-beet.html

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 small bunches of beetroot with leaves
A pinch of salt

For the dressing

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sugar (optional)

Method

Cut off the beetroot leaves, discarding any that are discoloured or tough, then wash thoroughly, drain excess water and dry.

Wash beetroots then transfer to a pan, wide enough to fit them, cover with plenty of water, add a pinch of salt and boil for about 30 minutes or until tender.

Once cooked, peel off the skin in a bowl of cool water, placing them as you finish on the cutting board. Slice the way you like, I normally quarter them, tip in a large salad bowl, then thinly shred the leaves. Add to the beetroot.

Whisk thoroughly all the dressing ingredients and mix well with the beetroot mixture. Serve at once.

NB. If you think that the leaves are not as tender as you would like them to be, and you still want to add them to the beetroot, this is my suggestion: heat up about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan, add the leaves as whole tossing frequently until they have just wilted. Divide between four serving plates and top with the dressed beetroot.

Osmalliyyeh (Shredded Pastry with Ashtah)

October 18, 2009 in Desserts | Permalink

The pastry looks like thin white hair, compressed together to form a bloc, so you need to disentangle it before cooking, available at most of the Turkish and Lebanese grocery shops. It is sold frozen, vacuum packed and even fresh. The Turkish call it Kadayefi and the Lebanese Osmalliyeh or Knefeh sha’r (hair) to distinguish it from the Knefeh mafroukeh (where the pastry is rubbed to attain a crumbly texture). The latter is commonly used to prepare our traditional breakfast Knefeh bil Jibin (Sweetened Cheese topped with Pastry).

Osmalliyyeh is a Turkish word attributed to Osmans meaning the Turks. Though the letter n has disappeared, it, actually, originates from Osmanli meaning the Imperial House of Osman. They were the Ottoman dynasty who ruled the Ottoman Empire that stretched across much of the Middle East including Lebanon. So, I guess this dessert dates back to the time of the Ottomans.

It is an elegant dessert and you can vary its sweetness to your liking. The combination of Ashtah with toasted shredded pastry, ground pistachio nuts and sugar syrup gives this dessert an exquisite soft crumbly taste.

There are several ways to serve Osmalliyeh, the old traditional one consists of sandwiching Ashtah between two round layers of shredded pastry. However, it sounds nowadays old fashioned, and the more I visit Lebanese restaurants, the more I become amazed by the sophisticated way they present it. So, I decided to create my own version which is very simple, relatively light and providing you don’t add Ashtah or clotted cream immediately, it will keep for a couple or even three days.

Serves 4 – 6 (depending how thick you want the layers)

Ingredients

½ quantity Ashtah (See recipe in Desserts) or clotted cream.
1 quantity Ater or sugar syrup (See recipe in Desserts).
Enough softened butter to grease the bottom of the baking dish.
250 g / 9 oz Osmalliyyeh (shredded pastry).
Aerosol can of cooking oil (low calories) to spray the top of the pastry.
100 g / 4 oz pistachio nuts coarsely ground.
Candied rose petals for decoration (optional).

You also need a non-stick baking dish, measuring 30 x 23 cm (12 x 9 inches)
6 standard ramekins lightly greased with flavourless oil

Method

Prepare The Ashtah (clotted cream) and sugar syrup as described in their respective recipes.
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Grease the baking dish with the softened butter.
Disentangle the shredded pastry by pulling the threads gently apart then spread evenly in the greased baking dish. Spray the top generously with the fat, making sure that all the pastry is moistened.
Pop it in the oven, it should take about 15 to 20 minutes to reach a nice golden colour. However, what I noticed is that some sections and more specifically the edges change colour before other parts. This is where you have to be really watchful and not move away, take the dish out and stir the pastry gently to ensure both evenness of cooking and colour.
Once the baking time is finished, divide the pastry between the ramekins. Squeeze tight and press firmly so it holds an even round shape. You can leave it like that as long as you need.
When you are ready to serve. Simply loosen the edges with a table knife, take a dessert serving plate, then holding it against the ramekin, tip the latter up side down. Spread about 2 generous tablespoons of Ashtah (clotted cream). Sprinkle generously with pistachio nuts, and if you like more colours, decorate with candied rose petals. Drizzle some sugar syrup and serve at once with the sugar syrup on the side.
For a double decker, divide the cooked pastry between 8 ramekins (instead of 6). Proceed as above for the bottom layer, spread the Ashtah. Tip the top layer on something slippery like a parchment paper, then very gently slide it on top of the Ashtah. Now add a dollop of Ashtah on the second layer, sprinkle generously with pistachio nuts then, if you like, decorate with candied rose petals. Serve as described above.

Uncooked Shredded Pastry

Cooked Shredded Pastry

The assembled dessert.

Kibbet La’teen (Pumpkin Kibbeh)

September 22, 2009 in Main Courses, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

Do pumpkins symbolise Autumn? Every time I look at the different colourful varieties, I visualise the glorious changing colours of leaves in Autumn. I also think of Halloween and associated traditional Western dishes, such as pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup and so forth but there is one which you may not have heard of and that is Pumpkin Kibbeh.

Kibbet La’teen or Pumpkin Kibbeh is one of the multiple variety of vegetarian Lebanese kibbeh. It is in fact suitable for both vegetarians and vegans as well as meat eaters for the mingling of flavours makes it quite tempting. Another advantage is that it keeps and freezes well. Although, it is called pumpkin kibbeh, I normally go for butternut squash because it is part of the pumpkin family and it is easy to handle.

However, if you prefer pumpkins, go for the smaller ones because they retain more intense flavours. For both pumpkins and squash, always choose those with smooth, unblemished flesh, when you hold one, it should feel firm and heavy.

Here are 2 websites which you might find useful:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/pumpkins3.htm

http://www.kew.org/plants/cucurbits/index.html

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the filling:

50 g / 2 oz chickpeas soaked overnight in 3x times their volume of water, add ¼ tsp of bicarbonate of soda, alternatively, you could use the same amount of tinned chickpeas
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 medium onions thinly sliced
35 g/ 1¼ oz shelled walnuts broken into chunky pieces
35 g/ 1¼ oz pine nuts
1 tbsp of pomegranate syrup

For the kibbeh

550 g / 1¼ lb pumpkin or butternut squash (skin on)
1 medium onion finely chopped
225 g / 8 oz fine burghul
50 g / 2 oz plain flour

Seasoning:

Salt and freshly milled black pepper
½ tsp ground allspice
½tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Utensils: you need also a deep baking dish rectangle one measuring 20 x 30 cm and 5cm deep ( 8 x12 x 2 inches), or any shape that has the same approximate surface area.

Method

For the kibbeh

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
Wash the pumpkin or butternut squash. The easiest way to cook pumpkin is to cut it in half, remove seeds put the halves in a lightly greased baking tray, drizzle over some olive oil, season with nutmeg, cover with aluminium foil and pop it in the oven for roughly 50 minutes (it depends on the size). It is cooked when you can easily run the fork through.
While the pumpkin or butternut squash is baking, rinse thoroughly and squeeze dry the burghul. Finely chop the onion and season it with salt and pepper.
When it becomes easy to handle, scoop out the flesh of the cooked pumpkin or butternut squash and put it in a large mixing bowl. Mash it with a fork and season with a little pepper.
Add the onions, burghul and flour to the pumpkin or butternut squash and mix everything with your hands until you obtain a dough-like consistency, it should hold together so you could spread it easily, if necessary, add more burghul. Taste and adjust if needed. Let it rest in the fridge while preparing the filling.

For the filling

Wash the soaked chickpeas and transfer to a pan, add fresh water and ½ tsp salt. Using a high heat setting, bring to the boil and remove any scum, then reduce the setting to a medium heat, cover and keep checking once or twice if needed toping with hot water. It takes about 45 minutes to cook, afterwards leave it on the side to cool. You can do that well ahead of time, even a day or two before cooking the whole dish.
Using a medium setting, heat up the oil in a large frying pan then add onions and fry until golden.
Drain chickpeas and stir them into the mixture for another 3 minutes.

Add pine nuts and walnuts to the onions-chickpeas mixture and cook for further 3 minutes.
Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, allspice, ground nutmeg and cinnamon, taste and adjust if necessary.
Finish off by stirring in the pomegranate syrup, mix thoroughly, switch off the heat. Let it cool.

Assembling

Prepare a small bowl of iced water to dip your hands in if necessary.

Grease generously the baking dish with olive oil and divide the kibbeh dough in halves. Take the first half and divide it into 4 balls. Spread them within an equal distance from each other in the baking dish. Flatten each ball to about ½ cm / ¼ inch thickness, so at the end it is one piece that covers the bottom of the baking dish. If your hands become sticky, dip them in the water and smooth the dough, so in the end you have one uniform piece that covers the bottom of the baking dish. Now spread the filling all over.

For the top part. Divide as before the remaining half. Now because you need to cover the filling, it becomes a little trickier. Dampen your hands in the iced water, take one ball at a time and flatten it between your palms to the same thickness as before and lay it on top of the filling. If it is a rectangular or square baking dish, start from one corner, repeat the same process with all of them until you cover the filling including the edges. Again, smooth it together so it is uniform.

Cover and chill in the fridge for ½ an hour before cutting it into squares, then make a hole in the middle of the baking dish. Drizzle the top with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 190°C / 375°F for 30-35 minutes. The top should be golden.

Serve hot or cold with any lemony salad such as rocket, cabbage or simply Tabbouleh (See recipe in Salads)

Halawet el Jebn (Sweetened Cheese with Semolina)

August 12, 2009 in Desserts | Permalink

Halawet el Jebn

This is basically white cheese usually the Lebanese Akkawi incorporated into semolina to create sheets, similar to a thin white cloth. The confectioners of Tripoli (Lebanon’s major northern city) excel in it. Halawet el Jebn has been their trade mark for centuries. I remember as a child that there was always excitement when someone brought us Halawet el Jebn from Tripoli. It can be tricky to make at home but not difficult when you get used to it. That is why I am suggesting a small quantity of ingredients to begin with, you can always double these later, it is worth practicing. The combination of cheese and semolina topped with Ashtah (clotted cream) and crushed pistachio gives this dessert a distinguished delightful taste.

Akkawi cheese is the ideal one for cooking, however, its high salt content means that it needs soaking in cold water, changing it several times to get rid of the saltiness. If Akkawi cheese is not available, use Mozzarella which is perfect because most of the brands have no or very little salt. The harder Mozzarella which is often used for pizza topping is ideal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 quantity of sugar syrup (See recipe).
250 g / 9 oz Akkawi or Mozzarella cheese
100 g / 4 oz fine semolina
2 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

To serve

100 g / 4 oz Ashtah (clotted cream: See recipe)
2 tbsp crushed pistachio nuts

You also need a non-stick, medium sized pan with thick bottom and a rolling pin

Method

If using Akkawi cheese, slice it thinly before you soak in cold water for a few hours, (changing the water several times). Mozzarella does not require soaking but you need to slice it thinly.
Prepare the sugar syrup shortly before cooking the cheese. You need to have the syrup slightly warm, so it would be easier to handle. Measure 60 ml / 2¼ oz and keep aside for adding later to the cooking cheese.
Using low to medium heat, melt the cheese completely, you need it runny and no lumps. You do not need to stir at this stage but be watchful. Meanwhile, moisten the working surface generously with 3 tbsp of the sugar syrup.
Next, stir the reserved syrup into the melted cheese and mix well. Once this is achieved, gradually, add the semolina, orange flower and rose water. This is where you need to stir vigorously and continuously until you get a dough-like mixture that binds together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This is very fast procedure that takes only a few minutes.
Quickly and carefully (remember the dough is very hot), tip the dough into the working surface that you moistened with syrup earlier. Moisten a roller pin with sugar syrup and roll out the dough into a square (or rectangle) shape to a thickness of about 3-4 mm / 1/8 inch, (don’t worry if you don’t get it right because the toppings and especially the taste will prevent people from noticing any misshapes). Let it cool then cut into mini rectangles 5 cm x 3 cm / 2 inches x 1¼ inches. Arrange on a platter, try not to pile too many as they may stick (2 rectangle sheets are fine). If you are not eating immediately, cover and chill.
There are 2 ways of serving this dessert. The first one: allow 2 sheets per person of Halawet el Jebn, put it on a plate, top it with Ashtah or clotted cream, sprinkle generously with crushed pistachio nuts and let people help themselves to drizzle the sugar syrup.
The other way is to put about 1 tbsp of Ashtah or clotted cream in the middle of each rectangular sheet, roll it up so it looks like a roll, dust generously with the crushed pistachio nuts and serve passing the sugar syrup round.

NB. Ideally, it is better to top or fill Halawet el Jebn with Ashtah or clotted cream just before serving. Halawet el Jebn keeps up to 3 days if covered with clingfilm, chilled and left unfilled with Ashtah.

The cooked dough.

Coating the rolling pin with Ater.

Rolling out the dough.

Cutting up the dough.

Ashtah (Lebanese Clotted Cream)

August 12, 2009 in Desserts | Permalink

When I was reading the literature about clotted cream, I came across the making of Cornish clotted cream. What struck me is the similarity of the technique with the Lebanese one: Ashtah. I copied the following observation from the website of Roddas of Cornwall:

“It is said that clotted cream is made nowhere in the world save Cornwall, Devon and Lebanon – the art of cream-making being exchanged with the Phoenicians seeking Cornish tin as long ago as 500BC”

http://www.roddas.co.uk/roddas.html.

Like the Cornish clotted cream, Ashtah is used as a dessert filling or as an accompaniment to some desserts. Sometimes, it is eaten on its own topped with honey and nuts, such as almonds and pine nuts. In addition, the consistency or texture of Ashtah makes it suitable for the cooking process in some desserts such as Znood al Sitt (Lady’s Arms – small rolls filled with Ashtah and deep fried, then dipped in sugar syrup).

Like most clotted creams, Ashtah does not keep for long. Here is my home-made substitute version.

Makes about 450g / 1 lb

Ingredients

600 ml / 1 pint whole milk
2 thick slices of white bread (weighing about 120 g/ 4½ oz), crust removed and preferably one day old
300 ml / 10 fl oz (½ pint) extra thick double cream or the same amount of crème fraiche
1 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

Method

Tear the white bread and whizz in the food processor to make fine bread crumbs.
Pour the milk into a medium sized pan with thick bottom, tip the bread crumbs into the milk and mix. Using medium heat, bring the mixture to boil, then let it simmer gently, stirring occasionally (to prevent any sticking), until the mixture becomes thick, this should take about 15-20 minutes. At this final stage, you can add the flavourings, give the mixture a good stir then switch off the heat.
Transfer the mixture into a non-metallic bowl, let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours
When you want to use it, simply add the extra thick cream or crème fraiche to the mixture and mix well with a spoon.
This Ashtah keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Jawaneh Meshwiyeh (BBQ Chicken Wings)

August 12, 2009 in Starters | Permalink

You might think that there isn’t much meat in chicken wings, this is why we use them for mezza: they are eaten as appetisers rather than as a main course. However, if you prefer the chicken meatier, you can use drumsticks, they work equally well, but in that instance, they must be part-baked first in order to achieve thorough cooking. You can finish them under the grill or over the barbecue. This gives them that golden crispiness which makes them so appetising.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

12-14 chicken wings or drumsticks.

For the marinade

1 head of garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil

Seasoning

Salt & freshly milled black pepper
1 tbsp sumac (optional)

You also need a good size roasting tin if you prefer drumsticks

Method

Rinse the chicken pieces under cold water and dry by patting them with kitchen paper.
Transfer chicken pieces into a non-metallic dish and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the marinade: peel the garlic cloves, add 1 tsp salt and smash to a paste. Add lemon juice and olive oil, season with pepper, (if you like to enhance the lemony taste, sprinkle 1 tsp of sumac to the marinade) and mix thoroughly.
Tip the marinade all over the chicken pieces and make sure that every piece is well coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight
When you are ready to cook, if using chicken wings, pre-heat the barbecue. Cook for 15-20 minutes turning the chicken wings until browned, crispy from the outside and cooked from the inside. To test it, cut through with a knife and if the meat is still pink, it requires longer cooking
If using drumsticks. Pre-heat oven to 200°C/ 400°F and transfer the chicken drumsticks with their marinade into a baking dish. Cover with the lid or aluminium foil and pop into the oven, let it bake for nearly 45 minutes, turning them once. Next, remove the lid or aluminium foil and cook for further 10 minutes after which the chicken drumsticks should be browned and crispy. Alternatively finish them under the grill or on the barbecue.
Serve hot with Toumeh (Garlic Sauce – see The Sauces Section), or some people prefer it with Hoummous B’Tahineh (Chickpea dip).

Bouza ala Mawared (Rose Water Sorbet)

July 24, 2009 in Desserts | Permalink

In Lebanon, the term bouza is used loosely to indicate either sorbet or ice-cream. In my days, sorbet wasn’t very common but ice lollies were very popular.

My mother used to make rose water ice cubes which she then served in glasses of home made lemonade. Often, I used to sneak into the fridge and grab 1 or 2 rose water cubes to cool my throat on a hot summer day. It tasted so refreshing that I thought it will make a refreshing dessert after a barbecue or even after a rich meal. It is quick and easy especially if you use an ice cream maker.

Serves 8 or more

Ingredients

200 g / 7 oz granulated sugar
300 ml / 10 fl oz water
1 tsp lemon juice
300 ml / 10 fl oz rose water
To decorate: Few sprigs of fresh mint

Method

1. Put sugar and water in a small pan. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil, then add lemon juice and simmer for 3-4 minutes after which the mixture should have reached the consistency of a thin syrup. Let it cool, then stir in the rose water.

2. Once the rose water mixture has cooled completely, pour it into an ice cream maker. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, churn it to a sorbet consistency; it usually takes about 20 minutes. If you haven’t got an ice cream maker, proceed as follows: pour the rose water mixture into a shallow freezer container and freeze for an hour or two until mushy. Remove from the freezer, tip it in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, then return to the freezer. Repeat this process twice at hourly intervals, then leave to freeze until firm.

3. Before you serve, leave it at room temperature until it is soft enough to scoop out. Decorate with the mint leaves and enjoy.

Salatit Batinjan (Aubergine or Eggplant Salad)

July 24, 2009 in Salads, Starters, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

When it comes to aubergines or eggplants, Lebanese cuisine does not restrict itself to the famous Baba Ghannouge or Moutabbal, we do several dishes ranging from salads to main courses, with or without meat. This one is a healthy salad starter for the summer. The addition of fresh tomatoes, spring onions and fresh mint to the grilled aubergines, makes this dish colourful and tasty. You can prepare the aubergines ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

There are different varieties of aubergines that come in different sizes, shapes and colours like purple (most commonly available in the Western supermarkets), green, or white, there are even orange varieties. You can read more on the subject and look at photos of the different varieties by visiting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=22&tname=foodspice

For this salad, you need large plump aubergines (purple) because they are meatier and grill better. As for the herbs, go for fresh ones if you can, they give a better taste and you can vary: fresh parsley or basil for example make a good alternative to the mint I use for this recipe.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 large aubergines or eggplants about 1½ kg / 3¼ lb
300 g / 11 oz tomatoes washed
3 spring onions trimmed and washed, alternatively use one medium red onion
Leaves of 3 sprigs of fresh mint, rinsed and patted dry on kitchen paper
The seeds of half of a sour pomegranate or 1 tsp paprika.

Dressing

2 or 3 fat cloves of garlic peeled.
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & freshly milled black pepper

You also need a large shallow baking tray, lined with aluminium foil to catch the juices later, and prevent them from sticking directly onto the baking tray.

Method

Pre-heat the grill to a medium to high setting.
Wash the aubergines as they are (you do not need to remove the stems) and pat dry the skin with kitchen paper. Laying the aubergines on the baking tray, make four evenly spaced longitudinal cuts to stop them from bursting during cooking.
Grill the aubergines for 40 minutes turning them every 10 minutes to cook all sides thoroughly. You should end up with a black charred skin with soft inside and some of their juices coming out. Let it cool down slightly so it is easy to handle.
Split each aubergine in half lengthways, remove the soft flesh and lay it in the salad dish. If you have too much excess juice, use a kitchen paper to absorb it because it can affect the taste. You can stop at this stage, if you are not eating immediately, cover the salad dish with cling film and pop it in the fridge.
When you are ready to serve, smash the garlic until smooth, then mix in all the dressing ingredients, season and adjust taste.
Chop finely tomatoes and spring onions, roughly shred the mint leaves, then scatter the whole lot over the prepared aubergines. Do likewise with the pomegranate seeds
Drizzle the dressing all over the aubergine mixture and serve at once with warmed Lebanese bread.

Lahem Meshwi (Lamb Meat on Skewers or Sheesh Kebabs)

June 29, 2009 in Main Courses, Meat Dishes | Permalink

Lahem or lahmeh means meat as a generic term. However, when we say lahem meshwi, we refer to lamb meat because that is what it traditionally was. Having said that and although the recipe title indicates lamb, a beef steak cubed and barbecued tastes equally nice. I use a very simple marinade based on olive oil and a herb, as for the meat, I go for a neck fillet or diced leg of lamb or beef rump steak. The choice is yours but make sure you select a nice tender cut.

Serves 4

Ingredients

· 750 g / 1 ½ lb lamb meat like neck fillet or leg. Alternatively, you could use beef rump steak.

· Freshly milled salt and black pepper

· 1 tbsp ground allspice

· 50 ml / 2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil

· 1 tbsp dried or 2 tbsp fresh rosemary. Alternatively you could use the same amount of fresh thyme

· 250 g / 9 oz onions preferably shallots but big ones will do.

You also need a medium sized glass or Pyrex dish.

To serve

· 450 g / 1 lb plain yoghurt

· Lebanese or Arabic bread. Alternatively use pitta bread.

Method

Cut the meat into suitable sizes for the skewers, trimming away excess fat. Transfer into the glass or Pyrex dish. Season with salt, pepper and allspice, add the rosemary (or fresh thyme) followed by the olive oil and mix well. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. You can also prepare it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue or pre-heat the grill to a medium setting. Rinse and quarter the onions leaving the skin on, if using shallots, cut them into halves. Now, thread the lamb or beef pieces onto the skewers, inserting the onions in-between. The meat pieces should not be too closely compacted together or they will not cook evenly. Barbecue or grill for about 12 minutes turning the skewers to ensure even cooking. You should end up with a nicely browned meat that is cooked through but not dry nor burnt.
If you have to barbecue or grill in batches and at the same time keep the meat warm, here is the Lebanese way: Open up one or two warmed Lebanese bread and put inside the barbecued meat (leaving it on skewers). With its double layer, the bread will keep the meat warm, at the same time, it absorbs the excess unwanted fatty juices.
Just before serving the Sheesh Kebabs, warm up the remaining bread. Next, open up the warmed bread, put the skewers inside it (roughly 2 skewers per 1 bread), pull out the skewers off the meat and pass round the bread filled with the barbecued or grilled meat.
We usually serve it with plain yoghurt. Some prefer it with Toomeh (see recipe in Sauces). Fattoush (Bread Salad: see recipe in Salads) makes also a nice accompaniment. So, for whatever you go for sahtein (a very Lebanese expression wishing doubly good health).

Categories