4. Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly.
Serves 4 to 6
BABA GHANOUSH
SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP
Once you get the hang of baba ghanoush—we call it batanjan mtabbal in Lebanon, meaning “dressed eggplant”—it’s one of the easiest dishes to make. Smoky, creamy, and fiercely addictive, it’s handy to have in the fridge for snacking anytime, and guaranteed to vanish at parties. The key is to roast or grill the eggplants enough so they turn extremely soft on the inside; then you can just mash them with a fork. If after you cook the eggplants, you find that the insides are still a bit too stringy to mash properly, use a blender to finish pureeing them. Also, depending on your oven, you may need a higher temperature (500°F), or may need to cook them longer. Cooking them on the grill or stovetop burner instead of in the oven lends a smoky flavor I find crucial to a great baba ghanoush, but some prefer the less-messy oven method.
4 large eggplants
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
4–5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
olive oil and pita bread for serving
1 sprig Italian parsley for garnish
1. Pierce each eggplant a few times evenly all over using a fork. Do not peel the eggplants or cut off their stems. Then you can either roast the eggplants in an oven preheated to 450°F, for about 50 minutes, or grill them over high heat or on the flames of your stove burner for about 15 minutes. Turn the eggplants over two or three times as they cook. They’re ready when they’re blackened and shrunken all over.
2. Set the eggplants aside for a minute or two, then peel off the charred skin with your fingers while they’re still hot. Place the eggplants in a colander to drain. Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic cloves and mash the salt in to make a creamy paste. Sprinkle in a drizzle or two of the lemon juice, and keep mashing for a few minutes until you get a creamy texture. Then add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and stir, followed by 2 tablespoons of tahini, and stir again, then repeat with the remaining lemon juice and tahini.
3. Chop off the eggplant stems, discard, and mash the eggplants in a bowl until they form a creamy puree. (Finish with a blender if needed.)
4. Stir the tahini mixture in with the mashed eggplant, and keep mixing until the baba ghanoush is smooth throughout.
5. Place on a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve at room temperature or chilled. Eat with pita bread.
Serves 4
HUMMUS
LEMONY CHICKPEA PUREE
The proportions of garlic, lemon juice, and tahini vary in each hummus recipe. Some people will argue that certain versions are more authentic than others—a pointless battle if you ask me. Ultimately it’s a matter of personal taste. In Lebanon I’ve had versions that are more lemony, more tahini-heavy, or more garlicky, and over the years I’ve figured out which I like best. I developed this recipe based on a hummus style I’ve loved most in certain homes and restaurants. It’s extra lemony, and sometimes I use even more garlic; feel free to adjust it to your tastes.
1 cup boiled chickpeas (canned is fine; rinsed and drained)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, or more to taste
juice of 1½ lemons
3 tablespoons tahini
salt to taste
pinch of paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
pita bread, for serving
1. Set aside a few whole chickpeas for garnish, then blend remaining chickpeas and garlic into a puree in a food processor.
2. Place puree in a bowl and gradually mix in lemon juice and tahini, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to thin out the mixture if needed. Season with salt to taste.
3. To serve, put the hummus in a serving bowl, sprinkle paprika around the perimeter, place the whole chickpeas in the center, and drizzle olive oil between the chickpeas and paprika. Serve with pita bread.
Serves 4
EGGPLANT FATTEH
BAKED EGGPLANT WITH GARLICKY YOGURT
Eggplants, chickpeas, yogurt, garlic, bread, and pine nuts. Six of my favorite ingredients, all starring in one easy-to-make, memorable dish. Lebanese and Syrian cuisines include lots of variations on this fatteh recipe—for instance, substituting chicken, spinach, or chickpeas (see the tiss’ye recipe below) as the main ingredient instead of eggplant. This eggplant version is especially robust tasting and filling, and a crowd-pleaser.
2 medium eggplants
3 teaspoons salt, divided
olive oil for drizzling
3 cups boiled chickpeas (canned is fine; rinsed and drained)
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon tahini
2 small pita breads
½ cup vegetable oil for frying (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup pine nuts
pinch of paprika (optional)
1. Slice eggplant into ½-inch-thick rounds. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant rounds and pat dry. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet and arrange eggplant rounds flat.
2. Bake eggplant rounds at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned. Turn over and bake until opposite sides brown.
3. Heat chickpeas in water (to cover) over medium heat, then lower heat to a simmer.
4. In a mortar and pestle, mash garlic with 1 teaspoon salt, and gradually drizzle in lemon juice until you have a creamy paste. Stir mixture into the yogurt, mix in the tahini, and stir well. Set aside.
5. Tear the pita bread into pieces (roughly 1-inch-square). Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, and fry the bread pieces until nicely browned and crisp, then set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels; alternatively you can toast the pita halves instead of frying them, then break them into pieces.
6. A few minutes before you’re ready to serve the dish, melt butter over medium heat, and sauté pine nuts until browned, being careful not to blacken.
7. In a deep-sided serving dish, set down one layer of eggplant rounds, alternating with the chickpeas and the pita bits. Continue layering until ingredients run out, then top with the yogurt mixture, followed with the pine nuts in their butter. Sprinkle with paprika (optional). This dish looks particularly appealing when assembled in individual portions for guests, layering the ingredients as above, but in small terracotta bowls instead of one large bowl.
Serves 2 as a main course; 4 as a side dish
TISS’YE
SPICED CHICKPEAS WITH YOGURT AND CRUNCHY PITA
I love tiss’ye for many of the same reasons I’m fond of eggplant fatteh (above): It packs a variety of textures and bold flavors into one simple, comfort-food dish—which also happens to look elegant when served at dinner parties. My mother’s friend Bushra often makes tiss’ye without frying or toasting the bread, preferring to let the soft pieces of pita absorb the sauces more fully. I like that version, too, but am partial to the crunch that comes from frying or toasting the pita. I’ve had this preparation more often at Beirut homes and restaurants, but experiment with both versions and see which you like more.
3½ cups boiled chickpeas (canned is fine; rinsed and drained)
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cups plain yogurt
1 tablespoon tahini
2 small pita breads
½ cup vegetable oil for frying (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup pine nuts
pinch of paprika
1. In a cooking pot, heat the chickpeas in water (to cover) over medium heat, then lower heat to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, mash garlic with 1 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, then gradually drizzle in the lemon juice an
d keep mashing until you have a creamy paste. Stir mixture into yogurt, mix in the tahini, and set aside.
3. Tear the pita into roughly 1-inch pieces. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, and fry the bread pieces until browned and crisp, then set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Alternatively, toast the pita halves instead of frying, then break the bread into pieces.
4. Drain chickpeas, place them in a bowl, and sprinkle with cumin and salt to taste.
5. A few minutes before you’re ready to serve the dish, heat butter over medium heat and sauté pine nuts until browned, being careful not to blacken them.
6. In a deep-sided serving dish, place one layer of the bread pieces, followed by a layer of the chickpeas, and alternate layers until you run out of ingredients (depending on the size of your dish, you may only have one layer of each). Ladle the yogurt over the top. Sprinkle the pine nuts in their butter over top, and add a pinch of paprika for color (optional). Serve immediately, while bread is crisp.
Serves 2 or 3 as a main course, or 6 as a side dish
HARRAK OSB’OO
LENTILS WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES AND CILANTRO
I first tried harrak osb’oo at my mother’s friend Bushra’s house; the name of the dish means “burnt his fingers,” but I haven’t quite gotten to the bottom of why that is. I love the play of textures and of earthy, tangy, and sweet flavors. They sneak up on you in this deceptively humble-looking lentil dish. I’ve rarely encountered harrak osb’oo outside Beirut homes, except at Ashghalouna, a Muslim charity that helps widowed women and serves a legendary Friday lunch that attracts Lebanese society ladies and sells out well ahead. When I make this dish at home, I never quite come close to Bushra’s rendition, but this recipe is adapted from hers—she uses tamarind paste instead of pomegranate molasses—and has become a favorite meatless main course or side dish.
juice of 3 lemons
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (alternatively, you can use 50g tamarind paste, sold in 500g squares at some Middle Eastern or Asian markets)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
1 cup brown lentils
3 medium onions, slivered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1. Mix lemon juice, cumin, and pomegranate molasses in a small bowl, and set aside. (If using tamarind paste instead, soak it in a bowl for at least 2 hours first; you’ll use it in the last step of the recipe.)
2. Make the dough strips: Mix flour with baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt, then stir in ½ cup water and ½ tablespoon vegetable oil. Blend until you reach a doughy consistency, then knead for 3 or 4 minutes, sprinkling with flour or water if needed as you go. Roll dough out into a thin sheet, and slice into strips the width of fettuccini strands, then cut into 1-inch-long pieces. If you like, you can sprinkle your palms with flour and roll each 1-inch piece between your palms for 2 or 3 seconds to form a cylindrical shape. (As a shortcut to making your own dough strips, use fettuccini instead: boil 6 ounces fettuccini according to package directions, and cut into 1-inch-long strips.) Set aside.
3. Pick stray bits out of the lentils, then rinse and drain them. Boil lentils in a pot with 7 cups water, then cook over medium heat for another 30 minutes, until they soften.
4. As the lentils are cooking, sauté the onions until browned. In a separate pan, sauté the garlic and cilantro.
5. Drop the dough strips (or fettuccini pieces) in with the lentils during the last 10 minutes of cooking, then lower heat to a simmer and stir in half of the browned onions and half of the garlic-cilantro mix. Let simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
6. When lentil mixture is done, remove from heat and stir in pomegranate molasses mixture. (If using tamarind instead, drain out the pulpy pieces that have been soaking, and stir the resulting tamarind juice in with the lentils.)
7. Place lentil mixture in a serving dish, and top with remaining onions and cilantro-garlic mix. Salt to taste.
Serves 4
KIBBEH ‘ARASS
LAMB MEATBALLS STUFFED WITH PINE NUTS AND ONION
Lebanese party hosts often buy kibbeh balls by the dozen from caterers or bakeries that turn out enviably smooth, uniform spheres; homemade versions often don’t come out as perfect. Although it took me some time to hone my kibbeh-making technique—and I’m still practicing—I’ve been all too happy to eat the wobbly results along the way. Kibbeh is in some ways the quintessential comfort food, but it’s also one of the proud national dishes, fit for feasts. You’ll find it in many forms: as kibbeh ‘arass, the meatballs here; or baked into large, round pies called kibbeh bil saynieh; or stewed in sauces in variations like kibbeh labniyeh (see below); or as kibbeh nayeh, a silky mound of raw lamb mixed with bulgur.
1½ cups bulgur, medium or fine grain
1½ pounds finely ground lean lamb (or beef), divided
2 medium onions, 1 coarsely chopped and 1 minced, divided
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
1½ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
2 teaspoons allspice, divided
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
vegetable oil for frying
1. Soak bulgur for 30 minutes in cold water in a medium bowl. Drain, and get rid of excess water by squeezing bulgur through with a paper towel. In a bowl, combine bulgur with 1 pound meat, the coarsely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon allspice.
2. Place about a cup of the mixture in food processor and grind until the consistency is like dough; repeat with remaining mixture. Add one ice cube at a time while processing if needed to improve texture. Set mixture aside and cover. (If you’d like to use a mortar and pestle instead of a food processor, you’ll need to grind for about an hour to reach the optimal texture.)
3. Melt butter in a large skillet, add pine nuts, and sauté until brown, being careful not to blacken. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Sauté the minced onion in olive oil in a medium-size skillet. Add remaining ground meat, and season with remaining salt, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Once meat is lightly browned, take off the heat. Let cool for 15 minutes.
5. Set aside a small bowl of cold water, and a freezer-safe platter. Form the kibbeh balls by shaping golf-ball-size amounts of the meat and bulgur mixture, rolling it lightly in your hands. Then poke a hole in each ball with your fingers, stuff with the onion and pine nut mixture, and pinch to seal. You will need to dip your fingers in the water periodically so they don’t get too sticky and hard to work with. Make sure the outsides of the kibbeh balls look as smooth as possible, with no visible onion or pine nut pieces sticking out. Mend any holes (with small amounts of the raw kibbeh), and slightly point the ends to form small football shapes. It will take a little practice to get the kibbeh balls uniform and smoothly textured. Place the balls on the platter as you finish them.
6. Freeze the kibbeh balls for 10 minutes to firm up their shape, then fry them in vegetable oil in a pan or deep fryer—the oil should be at 350°F—for around 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Makes 2 dozen
VARIATION
To make kibbeh labniyeh, or kibbeh balls in yogurt sauce, mix a whisked egg into a quart of yogurt and heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly so the yogurt doesn’t separate. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and sauté 4 cloves crushed garlic and a handful of chopped fresh cilantro or mint until wilted, and stir into the yogurt mixture. Place 8 to 10 kibbeh balls in the mixture, stir until the meatballs are heated through, and ladle into bowls. Makes enough for 2 servings.
SHISH TAOUK
SKEWERED CHICKEN KEBABS
The smell of charbroiled chicken is one of the sc
ents I’ve always associated with Beirut, and these skewered kebabs, marinated in garlic, lemon, and sumac, are quintessentially Lebanese. Few main-course recipes are easier or yield more consistently thrilling results—just make sure to marinate the chicken long enough, so the flavors seal in before you broil or grill the skewers. The juice-soaked pita and the garlic sauce (toum) are key to a perfect shish taouk dinner, and if you happen to end up with any leftover chicken kebabs (fat chance), wrap them up along with the toum into a pita sandwich the next day.
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 teaspoon cayenne
2 pounds cubed chicken breast (skin and bones removed)
pita bread for serving
1. Whisk together all ingredients except chicken and bread in a medium bowl. Add chicken pieces, and marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 3 hours (and up to 24 hours).
2. Preheat broiler or grill. Arrange chicken pieces on skewers, fitting about 6 pieces per skewer.
3. Broil or grill chicken, turning over a few times, for around 15 minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned all over. Remove skewers from heat and place over pita halves arranged on serving platter, allowing bread to absorb the juices. Serve with extra pita bread and toum (garlic sauce; recipe below), and encourage guests to pick up chicken with pieces of pita, and dip in the toum.
Serves 4
TOUM
GARLIC SAUCE
Toum is fiercely garlicky, and the Lebanese like it that way. This is my favorite method for making toum—easy and quick. If you find the sauce is coming on too strong, not to worry: dilute it with extra yogurt and olive oil.
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