The Lebanese Kitchen TRADITIONAL LEBANESE RECIPES SALMA HAGE
Introduction 6
– Basic recipes – MEZZE 32
AND
SALADS – SOUPS – FISH – MEAT – VEGETABLES – 76
118
170
238
284
– BREADS AND
PASTRIES – DESSERTS – DRINKS – Pickles 340
392
418
and
Jams – Guest Chefs – 440
458
GLOSSARY 480 INDEX 498
MEZZE AND
SALADS تاطلسلاو تالبقملا
– Spinach pasties – photo page 7
خنابسلا تانجعم
Preparation time 30 minutes, plus resting time Cooking time 25 minutes Makes 20 For the dough 1¾ cups (200 g/7 oz) strong whole wheat (wholemeal) flour 1½ cups (175 g/6 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting ½ packet active dry (fast-action) yeast ½ tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1¼ cups (300 ml/10 fl oz) hot water 1 egg, beaten For the filling 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 leek, washed and finely sliced 4 small onions, finely diced 1 tablespoon sumac 1 teaspoon seven spice seasoning Juice of 1 lemon 3 cups (260 g/9¼ oz) baby spinach, washed and shredded Salt and pepper Start by making the dough. Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, add the oil and then gradually add enough of the water to form a dough. Knead the dough for 10 minutes then return it to the bowl and dust with a little flour. Cover tightly with cling film and leave to prove for 1 hour in a warm, dark place. Preheat the oven to 450º f/230ºc/Gas Mark 8. For the filling, heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the leeks and onions until soft. Add the sumac, seven spice seasoning and lemon juice, and cook for another minute. Add the spinach to the pan and cook until just wilted, season with salt and pepper and put to one side to cool. Knock back the dough and knead for a few minutes. Use your hands to form golf ball sized dough balls and lightly flour each one. Thinly roll out each dough ball into a circular shape and add a spoonful of filling to the middle. Wet the edges of the dough and bring the sides up to seal to form a pasty shape. Place the pasties on a greased baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes.
mezze and salads
ďœˇ
spinach pasties
ďœ¸
fat toush
– Fattoush – photo page 8
شوتف
Preparation time 10 minutes Serves 4 1 cup (80 g/3 oz) baby spinach or chard, finely chopped 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped 1 bunch mint, finely chopped ½ cucumber, cubed 9 oz (250 g) cherry tomatoes, finely chopped ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 small onion, finely chopped Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3½ fl oz (100 ml) olive oil 1 tablespoon sumac 1 piece of Lebanese flatbread, toasted Salt and pepper Combine all of the leaves, herbs and vegetable ingredients in a large bowl and put to one side. In a small jug lightly whisk together the lemon juice, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Add the sumac and season with salt and pepper. Tear the toasted Lebanese bread into small pieces and add to the bowl. Pour over the lemon juice and olive oil dressing and mix well to combine. Serve immediately.
– Tabbouleh – ةلوبتلا
Preparation time 10 min Serves 4 Large bunch of parsley, finely chopped 1 cucumber, cubed 4 scallions (spring onions), finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 20 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped 3 sprigs mint, finely chopped 6 oz (175 g) fine bulgur wheat, soaked in hot water and squeezed through a muslin cloth Juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons salt 3½ fl oz (100 ml) olive oil Combine the parsley, cucumber, scallions (spring onions) and bell pepper in a large bowl. Place the chopped tomatoes in a strainer (sieve), set over a bowl, to drain off the juices. Add the mint and bulgur wheat to the vegetables and then tip in the tomatoes. Whisk together the lemon juice, salt and olive oil and then pour over the tabbouleh and mix well.
mezze and salads
– Roasted sea bass and
tahini sauce – photo page 11
ةصلصو رحبلا ساب محفت ةنيحطلا
Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 30–35 minutes Serves 2 2 x 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) sea bass, gutted, cleaned and dried 2 tablespoons olive oil, warmed For the sauce 5 cloves garlic Juice of one lemon 1 hot green chile, finely chopped 6 tablespoons tahini ½ teaspoon chili flakes ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup (25g/1 oz) pine nuts, toasted, to garnish Chopped parsley, to garnish Preheat the oven to 375º f/190ºc/Gas Mark 5. Place the fish on a baking sheet and brush them with the warm oil. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn them over and cook for a further 10 minutes. For the sauce, crush the garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar with a little salt. Add the green chile, lemon juice and tahini and mix well. Transfer to a bowl and add the water so that the sauce is quite runny. Stir in the chili flakes and black pepper. Transfer the fish to an ovenproof dish and pour over the sauce. Return to the oven and cook for 5–10 minutes. Serve immediately, scattered with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley.
fish
roasted sea bass and tahini sauce
– Chicken Hashweh – photo page 13
جاجدلا ةوشح
Preparation time 25 minutes Cooking time 2 hours 15 minutes Serves 6 1 x 3¼ lb (1.5 kg) free-range chicken 9 oz (250 g) ground (minced) lamb 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon seven spice seasoning 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup (175 g/6 oz) easy cook rice, washed in boiling water and left to soak for 10 minutes 2 teaspoons ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Scant 1 cup (80 g/3 oz) pine nuts, toasted 1 bunch parsley, chopped Wash the chicken, inside and out to remove any blood. Carefully remove the chicken’s wings from its body using a sharp knife, then discard. Use your fingers to carefully separate the skin from the breast of the chicken to create a pocket. Fry the ground (minced) lamb in a hot pan until browned and then add the onions and seven spice seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes and then season with salt and pepper. Drain the rice and stir into the lamb, then add the cumin and cinnamon. Cook for a further 5 minutes then add 14 fl oz (400 ml) of boiling water to completely cover the mixture. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After this time the liquid should be completely absorbed. Add the toasted pine nuts and a handful of chopped parsley to the pan and stir to combine. Set the mixture aside until completely cool. Preheat the oven to 400º f/200ºc/Gas Mark 6. Once the rice and lamb mixture has cooled, use it to stuff the cavity, neck and in between the skin and breast of the chicken, taking care not to rip the skin. Rub the chicken with oil, season, and then place in a baking pan and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours, then remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Leave to rest for 10 minutes then serve.
meat
chicken hashweh
– Ma’moul cookies – photo page 15
زيكوكلا لومعم
Preparation time 40 minutes, plus resting time Cooking time 30–40 minutes Makes 40 2¼ cups (500 g/1 lb 2 oz) unsalted butter 6 cups (1 kg/ 2¼ lb) coarse semolina 3 tablespoons superfine (caster) sugar 2 tablespoons mahleb ½ packet active dry (fast-action) yeast 2½ cups (275 g/10 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour 2 tablespoons rose water For the date filling 11 oz (300 g) dried pitted dates 1 teaspoon apple pie (mixed) spice For the walnut filling Scant 1 cup (100 g/3½ oz) shelled walnuts 1 teaspoon superfine (caster) sugar 1 tablespoon orange flower water For the pistachio filling ¾ cup (80 g/ 3 oz) shelled pistachio nuts 4 tablespoons superfine (caster) sugar 1 tablespoon rose water Melt the butter in a large pan, then stir in the semolina, sugar, and mahleb. Push the mixture down into the pan, cover, and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours. To make the date filling, put the dates in a microwave-proof bowl, add 1 tablespoon water, and cook until softened. Mash with a fork and add the spice. Roll the mixture into about 14 small balls. To make the walnut filling, put all the ingredients into a blender and process to fine crumbs.To make the pistachio filling, put the nuts and sugar into a blender and process to coarse crumbs. Tip into a bowl and stir in the rose water. Return the pan of semolina mixture to a low heat for a few minutes, then tip the mixture into a bowl. Add the flour, yeast, rose water, and 2 tablespoons of water. Knead the mixture for about 15 minutes until a dough forms. Preheat the oven to 325º f/160ºc/Gas Mark 3. To make the ma’moul, take a handful of dough and flatten into a patty with your hands. Put 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle, then wrap the dough around the filling. Roll in flour and then press into a ma’moul mold. Tap the mold to release the cookie and put it onto a baking tray. Repeat until all the dough has been used. Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
desserts
ma’moul cookies
– Roasted ButteRnut squash soup with
chilli and almonds – photo page 1
– Kibbah Ovals – photo page
ةبك ةلوج
Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 40 minutes Serves 4 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ teaspoon smoked chilli flakes ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 850 ml (1¼ pints) chicken stock (broth) apples, peeled and grated 100 ml (3½ fl oz) natural yoghurt 0 g (¾ oz) flaked (slivered) almonds, toasted Pinch of chilli flakes, to garnish Salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 190ºc/35º f/Gas Mark 5. Drizzle the butternut squash with olive oil and roast in the oven for 30– 35 minutes, until tender. In the meantime, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion until soft, but not coloured. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and cumin seeds and cook for –3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock (broth) and add the grated apple and bring to a boil. Once the butternut squash is cooked add it to the pan and blitz with a stick (immersion) blender until smooth. Add the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper. Serve with sprinkled almonds and a pinch of chilli flakes.
soups
roasted but ternut squash soup with chilli and almonds
kibbah ovals
Preparation time 35 minutes Cooking time 1 hour Makes 12 1 kg (¼ lb) leg of lamb, off the bone and trimmed ½ onion, sliced teaspoons dried mint 1 teaspoon black pepper teaspoons ground cumin ½ teaspoon seven spice seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1 handful fresh mint leaves 00g (11 oz) bulgur wheat, washed in warm water and squeezed in a muslin cloth For the filling ½ teaspoon olive oil 50g (9 oz) minced (ground) lamb onions, chopped 40 g (1½ oz) pine nuts, toasted ¼ teaspoon seven spice seasoning ½ teaspoon black pepper In a food processor, blitz the lamb until fine and then tip it out into a bowl. Add the onions, spices and herbs to the food processor and blitz to fine. Mix the onions spices and herbs with the lamb and knead well. Tip in the bulgur wheat and continue to knead until the mixture is well combined. Preheat the oven to 180ºc/50º f/Gas Mark 4 and grease a baking sheet. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large pan, add the minced (ground) lamb and fry until brown. Add the onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the pine nuts and spices to the pan and allow to cook for a few more minutes. Season well and then set aside to cool. To assemble the ovals you need a jug of water to keep your hands damp, clingfilm (plastic wrap) to mould and an oval kibbah mould.Take a handful of mixture and shape into a patty slightly larger than the mould. Line the mould with clingfilm and press the patty into it. On another piece of clingfilm make another patty shape, again slightly larger than the mould. Spoon teaspoons of the filling on top of it and then place the mould over the top and push down tightly. Remove the mould and carefully take away the clingfilm. Cut around the edge to make a smooth finish and then place on an oiled tray. Repeat this method until all the mixture is used. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven to cook for 50 minutes.
basic recipes