Mezze Masterclass

Introduction by

SUNSET STAFF

CHEF REEM ASSIL SCHOOLS US ON HOMEMADE HUMMUS, BETTER BABA, AND THE FINER POINTS OF DELIGHTFUL MIDDLE EASTERN DIPS IN THIS EXCERPT FROM HER NEW COOKBOOK ARABIYYA.

Photographs by

ALANNA HALE

If you’re lucky enough to have visited Reem Assil’s corner bakery and restaurant, Reem’s California in San Francisco’s Mission District, you know the delightful culinary conundrum of trying to figure out just exactly which of the mezze to order. For many, store-bought baba, hummus, and other Middle Eastern dips have become the reliable last-minute dinner savior, the backyard cookout mainstay, and the savory anchor of impromptu summer parties, but each and every one of Assil’s is next-level and worthy of slowing down and treating as an event in and of itself.

For those of us not lucky enough to live near Reem’s California, the esteemed Oakland-based Syrian-Palestinian chef has just published a new magnum opus cookbook and culinary memoir Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora ($35; Ten Speed Press). This beautifully written and photographed book is not only a masterclass in Arab cooking and the classic dishes it yields, but also a reminder that recipes are not just instructions but profound vessels of storytelling, containing within them the imprint of family and ethnic history, of immigration and exile. We’re thrilled to be able to excerpt Arabiyya and share a few of the recipes from the book, along with Assil’s nuanced culinary advice and family stories. Cook your way through these recipes and we’re pretty sure you’ll elevate your mezze-making skills while enriching your understanding of just how profound a bowl of hummus can be.

Hummus with Spiced LambAwarma Bil Hummus

It’s hard to keep from snacking on the choicest shreds of this gorgeous confit of crispy lamb breast. That cut is the fattiest part of the lamb, and slow-roasting it allows it to cook in its own fat and become moist and tender. Harvest the spice-steeped lamb fat into a glass jar to use later for spectacular home fries or roasted vegetables.

Lamb breast is a specialty cut of meat, but it’s well worth it. The most flavorful parts of the lamb lie between the tissue of the breast. You will most likely have to special order it from the butcher. If you have a difficult time sourcing breast, lamb shoulder chops make a great substitute, either bone-in or deboned. You may need to extend the cooking time if the shoulder is cut more than 1 inch thick. SERVES 4-6 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 2 Tbsp. Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next spread), plus more for garnish 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish 1 ½ lbs. lamb breast or shoulder, cut into 1-inch-thick slices 2 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as sunflower 1 ½ cups Chickpea-Tahini Spread (see recipe on next page)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, spice mix, and olive oil to make a viscous paste. On a small sheet tray, rub the lamb with the rub and let it sit, covered, at room temperature for 2 hours or marinate in the refrigerator overnight. 2. If the lamb has been marinated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 4. Pour the neutral oil into a cast-iron skillet or heavy pan and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the lamb, browning each side for about 3 minutes or until a deep golden char is achieved. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake 1-1 ½ hours, or until the meat softens and easily pulls away from the bone. 5. Once cool enough to touch, pull the meat from the bone, coarsely chop it into bite-size pieces, and shred the pieces into strands. Reincorporate the juices and rendered fat into the pulled chopped meat. 6. Just before serving, reheat the castiron skillet and crisp the lamb, pressing the strands with a spatula, browning the bottoms and then flipping the meat to do the same on the other side. You should have a varied texture with a mix of crispy and soft pieces. 7. When ready to serve, scoop the

Chickpea-Tahini Spread onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center.

Spoon the hot crispy lamb, along with its juices, into the well and garnish with a bit more oil and spice mix. 8. The lamb can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Hummus

(Chickpea-Tahini Spread)

“Learning to make great hummus requires tasting along the way and trusting what you taste,” writes Assil. Adjust salt, oil, and lemon as you go. MAKES ABOUT 1 ½ CUPS

¾ cup dried chickpeas, or one 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ¼ tsp. baking soda (for dried chickpeas only) 2 garlic cloves 5 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 2 lemons), plus more as needed 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed ¼ cup ice water, plus more as needed ½ cup tahini 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 1 tsp. sumac for garnish 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next page), for garnish

1. If using dried chickpeas, soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least 12 hours. 2. Drain the chickpeas, place them in a small pot with the baking soda (if you started with dried beans), and cover the beans with about 6 inches of clean water. Bring to a boil, skim, discard the residue from the water’s surface, and decrease the heat to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until the beans soften, about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by squeezing a bean between your thumb and forefinger. A perfect bean crushes easily but does not turn to mush. Drain in a colander when done cooking. 3. Immerse the beans in a bowl of cold water and rub between your palms, pouring off any skins that float to the surface. Drain and repeat two or three times. If using canned chickpeas, repeat the same step, rubbing off as many skins as you can. Reserve 2 Tbsp. for garnish. 4. Combine the remaining chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and pulse. Add the ice water.

Blend at high speed for 5 minutes, until no lumps remain. (Yes, that’s right, for 5 minutes. Set a timer and walk away.) At the 5-minute mark, slowly drizzle the tahini into the mixture on medium speed. The mix should be airy and form stiff peaks. If it’s the texture of ice cream, it’s too thick, so add additional ice water, as needed. Adjust the lemon juice and salt to taste. 5. When ready to serve, scoop the hummus onto a plate or into a shallow bowl.

Use the back of a spoon to form a moat between the outer edge and the center.

Drizzle your canvas copiously with olive oil and garnish decoratively with the reserved whole chickpeas, sumac, and

Aleppo pepper or Chile-Spice Mix. Hummus can be stored, ungarnished, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Roasted Red Pepper–Walnut Spread

Muhammara

The Arabic word muhammara translates literally to “something that is red,” so the trick to this dish is to choose peppers with the deepest ripe-red hue possible to create the perfect sweet pepper spread. The secret ingredient is a backdrop of sweet and tart pomegranate molasses to brighten all the other flavors. Snack on this with fresh flatbread or toss it into your pasta. There is no wrong way to eat muhammara. MAKES SCANT 3 CUPS

4 large red bell peppers (about 1 ½ lbs.) or one 15-oz. can roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed 1 1 3 cups walnuts, plus 2

Tbsp., chopped for garnish ½ cup panko bread crumbs 2 garlic cloves 1 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon) 1 ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper or

Chile-Spice Mix (see recipe on next page) ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed ½ tsp. ground cumin ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds (optional) for garnish 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (optional) for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. 2. If you are using fresh bell peppers, place them on the prepared tray. Roast the peppers until the skins are charred, about 30 minutes, turning them over once or twice. Transfer to a resealable bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap and set aside. Once cool, tear the peppers open and remove the stems, seeds, and skins. 3. Combine the walnuts and bread crumbs in a food processor and process to a cornmeal-like texture.

Add the roasted peppers, garlic, molasses, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper or

Chile-Spice Mix, salt, and

cumin. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 4. With the processor running, slowly add the oil and blend until the oil is completely incorporated. Adjust the salt to taste. 5. When ready to serve, scoop the pepper mixture, chilled or at room temperature, onto a serving plate.

With the back of a spoon, create little divots for the oil to fall into. Drizzle with the oil and garnish with the chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds, and parsley. 6. The spread can be stored, ungarnished, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Khalta Harra

(Chile-Spice Mix)

This chile mix packs a perfect balance of earthy, sour, and salty flavors with just enough heat from the sweet Aleppo pepper to let you know you’re alive but keep you from losing the other flavors. It’s equally at home as a rub for the grill, a garnish for mezze spreads, or a seasoning for roasted vegetables and sauces.

This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled and stay good for about a month in a dry, tightly sealed container. A larger batch can be stored in the freezer in a tightly sealed container indefinitely. It’s great to keep on hand for those nights when you need a quick dinner. Rubbed on ground meat or vegetables with a little olive oil, it can go from fridge to grill to table in about 10 minutes. If you can’t find dried lime, sumac makes an excellent substitute. MAKES 2 3 CUP

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds 2 tsp. whole cardamom seeds (about 17 pods) 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 6 Tbsp. Aleppo pepper 2 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. dried lime, ground ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Toast the coriander, cardamom, and cumin in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. The spices will begin to dance around in the pan when they are close to being done. Be careful not to let them burn. 2. Once they are slightly darker in color and fragrant, remove them from the pan and let cool completely. Then grind them to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. 3. Mix with the Aleppo pepper, salt, dried lime, and cinnamon. Charred Eggplant Salad Baba Ghanouj

This is a bright, creamy, pomegranate-eggplant salad, but hold the tahini, please. It’s a mystery why baba ghanouj, one of our most widely known dishes, is so different in the United States from that in the Arab world. When we talk about baba ghanouj in the Levant, we are referring to a tart salad of creamy roasted eggplant, brightened with pomegranate molasses and flecked with tomatoes—which is what this is! Eat this baba ghanouj with bread, or it’s also delicious as a side salad. SERVES 4-6

2 large globe eggplants (about 2 lbs.) Olive oil, for rubbing eggplants, plus more for drizzling 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons) Zest of 2 lemons ½ tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed 1 8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 small Roma tomato, finely diced ½ red bell pepper, finely diced ½ red onion, finely diced 1 Tbsp. parsley, coarsely chopped 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses

1. Cook the eggplants directly on the burner of a gas stove or in the oven. On a gas stove, sear the eggplants directly over a medium-high flame. Rotate every 5 minutes until the globes are completely blackened, about 15 minutes total. Alternately, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the eggplants on a sheet tray, poke them all over with the tines of a fork, rub them with the oil, and place the tray in the oven and cook 25-30 minutes, until the eggplants collapse in on themselves, and the skins are blackened. 2. Place the cooked eggplants in a bowl and seal the bowl with plastic wrap to let the eggplants steam in their own juices. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice and zest, cumin, salt, and black pepper. 4. When the eggplants have cooled enough to touch, split them lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding the skins and stems. For a milder flavor, scrape the seeds off the strands of pulp. 5. Use a fork to mash the pulp into the lemon-garlic mix. Fold in the tomato, bell pepper, and onion.

Adjust the salt to taste. 6. When ready to serve, scoop the eggplant mixture onto a serving plate, drizzle it with the olive oil, and garnish it with the parsley and molasses. Baba ghanouj can be stored, ungarnished, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.