Beirut Bakery - Incredible Arabic Food in Redford, MI

For me, the gold standard for Levantine (Lebanese, Palestinian, & Syrian) Arabic food is the incredible, mouth-watering food my mother made.  A place that comes very close to that gold standard is Beirut Bakery (https://www.beirutbakery.net/) in Redford, Michigan.

As anyone who’s been to Beirut Bakery knows, it's far more than a bakery. If offers an extensive assortment of main dishes, side dishes, and baked goods, primarily for takeout. It also has a couple of tables where one can eat at their venue.

For a number of years, my brother has brought gifts of Beirut Bakery foods when he has visited us in Florida. So I have long wanted to visit Beirut Bakery and try more of the dishes they prepare. During a recent trip to Michigan, a special friend and I joined my brother and his son to have lunch there. It was the most delicious Arabic meal I have enjoyed in many, many years. It included stuffed cabbage rolls (Malfouf), stuffed squash (Khousa), stuffed grape leaves (Warak Arish), baked stuffed Kibbeh, meat pie, Labne yogurt spread (similar to Tzatziki), Hummus, Pita bread (Khoubiz), and Baklava. Everything was superb. I could easily have eaten there every day for two weeks.

Part of My Lunch

I have had Baklava many times over the course of seven decades. Theirs is among the very best.

Catherine & Baklava

One interesting item they carry is a delicious Lebanese olive oil.

They ship many of their foods; and some are carried in Whole Foods stores in their area.

Beirut Bakery was created four decades ago by Milad and Leila Hallis. It is now a family team operation, with daughter Catherine and son Mark working with their parents.

Jordan Food Mart - Nice Middle Eastern Grocery Store in Lakewood Ranch

I was quite surprised and delighted when I happened upon Jordan Food Mark, a really nice Middle Eastern grocery store, tucked away in a strip mall a few minutes away. 

They carry a terrific variety of Middle Eastern cookies, candies, pastries, breads, vegetables, cheeses, yoghurts, spices, olives, coffees, teas, etc., etc. They also have prepared dishes like several kinds of frozen kibbeh. Additionally, they have fresh meat pies, spinach pies, and cheese pies.

They don’t just have a single type of a given food, but they have variety. For example, there are different types of Syrian cheese, Armenian string cheese, hummus, and labneh, the Arabic yoghurt that is thicker than Greek yoghurt. In addition to hummus prepared by others, they make their own hummus.

They carry small hot-house type cucumbers, not the giant type found in supermarkets. These work much better for a single person like me to cut up and mix into the labneh with olive oil and lemon juice.

I’ve tried and enjoyed one type of pita bread, their home-made hummus, labneh, fresh meat pies, and Armenian string cheese.

They will grind fresh meats like lamb for making dishes like kibbeh.

The address is 6265 Lake Osprey Dr., Lakewood Ranch, FL. The phone nr. is 941-359-5999. Their Facebook page is at (https://www.facebook.com/pg/Jordan-Food-Mart-2059368204295795/posts/?ref=page_internal)

"Lamburger" - Middle Eastern Flavored Lamb Burger

Since I had some ground lamb, extra pita bread and other ingredients from a Levantine Arab meal I was preparing, I decided to make a burger using Middle Eastern flavors. It was very easy to make; and I was very happy with the results.

The recipe below is for a single large burger - half a pound. The size can easily be adjusted.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound or less of ground lamb
1/2 a large piece of pita bread
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 stalks green onions, sliced into small pieces
3-4 tablespoons labne (Lebanese-style yogurt) or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped cucumbers

Ingredient Notes
1. Labne is thicker than Greek yogurt, and is spreadable. There's lots of info about labne on the Internet. It's available at Middle Eastern grocery stores. I bought mine at Oasis Cafe, a Lebanese cafe and store on U.S. 41 just south of Bee Ridge in Sarasota. 
2. If possible, get really tasty pita from a place like Oasis Cafe, not  the pita found in supermarkets.
3. You could also add chopped fresh mint to the labne and cucumber topping.
4. To give the burger a bit of a kick, you could add 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne.

Preparation
1. Mix spices
2. Knead spices and green onion into lamb, and then form patty with indentation in the top.
3. Pour olive oil into skillet and heat skillet on medium for two-three minutes
4. Cook burger for about 5 minutes on each side for medium burger.
5. Place burger into pita bread.
6. Spread labne on top of burger; then sprinkle cucumber on top.
7. Enjoy.

Za'atar Crusted Chicken Schnitzel

Za'atar is a tasty Middle Eastern spice mixture which I had mentioned in an earlier posting (http://viaggiviniecucine.blogspot.com/2015/02/zaatar-zaatar-pleasant-and-flexible.html)  It worked very nicely in this easy recipe which I found at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/zaatar-crusted-chicken-schnitzel. 

The version below serves four and is approximately half the original recipe.

Ingredients

- 3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

- 1tbsp za'atar

- 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 

- 1 large egg

- 1 egg white 

- 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts 

- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

- Cooking spray

- 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 wedges (optional) 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine panko, za'atar, sesame seeds, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Place eggs and egg white in another shallow dish; lightly beat with a fork. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/24teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Dredge  breast halves in panko mixture, then egg mixture. Dredge again in panko mixture.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts to pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, turning carefully with a spatula. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Maqluba - Palestinian Eggplant, Lamb, and Rice Stew

Maqluba is a delicious eggplant, lamb, rice, tomato. and onion stew that my mother used to make for the family when we were growing up. I finally decided to give it a try and was happy with the results. It's easy to make. This version serves four to six and takes about 90 minutes to prepare. 

This version is made with ground lamb, but it can also be made with ground beef or cubed lamb or chicken. There are vegetarian versions as well.

The name "Maqluba" means, "upside-down" because you're supposed to flip it over onto a serving dish when finished. I chose not to do that because of the size pan I used. The recipe calls for a 3-quart pan, but I used a 6-quart instead because of the amount of ingredients.

I served it with pita bread and yogurt sauce for the pita bread.

I found this recipe at http://www.whats4eats.com/grains/maqluba-recipe. Needless to say, there are other versions on the Internet.

Ingredients

- olive oil - 1/4 cup
- eggplant -1, sliced into 1/4" rounds
- onion - 1 minced
- ground or cubed lamb or beef, or cubed chicken - 1 lb
- allspice - 1 teaspoon
- cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
- nutmeg - large pinch
- salt and pepper - to taste
- tomato sliced into 1/4" rounds - 1
- water or stock, well seasoned with salt - 2 cups (I used beef stock)
- rice, soaked in water for 1/2 hour to cover. then drained - 1 & 1/2 cups

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté eggplant slices on each side to lightly brown. Remove to a plate.

2. Add more oil to the skillet if needed, and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the meat, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and sauté until cooked through. (If the meat is ground, break it up after putting it into the pan.) Drain off excess oil.

3. Coat the bottom of a heavy-bottomed 3-quart sauce pan with butter or olive oil or lard. (As I said, I used a 6-quart pan.) Lay the tomato slices to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the drained rice over the tomatoes. Spoon the meat and onion mixture over the rice. Lay the eggplant slices to cover the meat and onion mixture. Press down well to compact all the ingredients. Add the rest of the rice and seasoned water or stock.

4. Bring to a boil over medium-high flame, then quickly reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Toward the end of the cooking time, check to see if more water is needed.

5. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove lid and invert a serving plate over the pan. Turn upside down and carefully slip the pan off the rice. Serve hot.

If rice sticks to the bottom when you cook it, the next time, try covering the bottom of the saucepan with a round of parchment paper. (I had no problem with the rice sticking, probably because I coated the bottom with a generous amount of olive oil.)

Tahini, Lemon, Garlic Salad Dressing

I figured that a salad dressing that combined tahini sauce, lemon juice, and garlic could be very tasty, so I did an Internet search and found a number of possibilities. The one I chose was really nice and easy to make. It has a very Middle Eastern taste. This one will make 4 to 6 servings. I found it as part of a kale salad recipe, but I used it with romaine lettuce instead. I found the recipe at Minimalist Baker (http://minimalistbaker.com/white-bean-kale-salad-with-tahini-dressing/)

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup tahini (as I have mentioned in another posting, tahini, which is a sesame spread and which is an ingredient in hummus, can be found at supermarkets like Publix, at Middle Eastern stores, on Amazon, etc.)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3-4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (I had a large lemon, which yielded 4 tablespoons. A small lemon might yield 2 tablespoons)
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (I used about 1 & 1/2 tbsp.)
- 1 pinch salt & 1 pinch pepper

Directions

Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper to a small mixing bowl and whisk. Then add hot water to thin until pourable. (I ended up using about half a cup of hot tap water.) Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Levantine Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

I found this delicious and super easy recipe on the Lemon Bowl (http://thelemonbowl.com/2013/06/cucumber-laban-lebanese-yogurt-sauce.html), a nice web site that I have mentioned before. 

It is used throughout the Levant and is similar to Greek Tzatziki. My mother used to serve it as a side or dip for many dishes such as stuffed grape leaves. It can be used as a dip for pita bread, or as a filling for a pita bread sandwich, or included in a pita bread sandwich with Lebanese chicken, etc., etc.

Instead of buying yogurt, which is called "laban" in Arabic, my mother used to make her own from starter, which she always had.

This recipe serves a minimum of 6, but could serve 8 to 10 depending on how it's used.

Ingredients

- 2 cups of plain, low-fat yogurt. (I used Greek style.)

- 2 cups of cucumber, finely chopped. (I used the seedless, English cucumbers. Each one equaled about one cup.)

- Juice of one lemon.

- 1 tablespoon of dried mint (The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons.)

- 1 clove of garlic, grated

- 1/4 teaspoon salt (Original called for 1/2 teaspoon.)

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (I used white for color purposes.)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Taste, and add any more of the ingredients if desired.

Mujadarra - Arabic Lentils, Rice, and Onions

Mujadarra is a dish that is popular throughout the Arab world. It was a dish that my mother used to serve us frequently when I was a child. It consists primarily of lentils, rice, and onions, and can include a variety of spices. It is easy to prepare, but takes about an hour 25 minutes to complete. The recipe I used was a highly rated one from allrecipes.com. The original recipe serves 6. I scaled it down to serve 2.  (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/214780/mujaddara-arabic-lentil-rice/)

Ingredients

a. For first stage of cooking
- 1/3 cup dry lentils, rinsed. (I used green lentils)
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

b. For second stage of cooking
- 1/4 cup white rice, rinsed
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil

c. Ingredients for third stage of cooking
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 white onion sliced into 1/4 inch rings

Directions

1. Combine the lentils, 2/3 cup of water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and garlic powder in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, and cook until the lentils begin to soften - 20 t 30 minutes.

2. Stir in the rice, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and olive oil in with the lentils. Cover the pot and continue cooking until the lentils and rice are tender, about 40 minutes.

3. About 12 minutes before the lentils and rice are done, heat the cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions in the oil until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. 

4. Spread the onions over the lentil - rice mixture, and serve.

Levantine Date, Pistachio, and Almond Ice Cream with Date Syrup

I found this delicious and easy Levantine-flavored ice cream on a Nestle's web site that lists many delicious-sounding Middle Eastern desserts. http://www.nestle-family.com/recipes/english/arabic-desserts-recipes.aspx

The page for this specific recipe is: https://www.nestledessertsarabia.com/en/honey-and-dates-ice-cream-recipe-14653 

For some reason, they titled this recipe, "Honey and Dates Ice Cream," even though it contains no honey.

This recipe would probably serve 10 people. It can be made several days in advance. It is made with an electric mixer, rather than with an ice cream maker. It's very similar to Italian semifreddo.

While the recipe calls for the ingredients to be put in a 9" x 5" baking dish, the ingredients are almost enough to fill two such dishes. I filled the second one about two thirds of the way to the top.

Ingredients

- 1 14-oz. can Nestle's sweet condensed milk
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla powder (I did not have the powder so I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)
- 1.5 cups toasted almonds
- 1 cup pistachios
- 1 cup dried dates (I chopped them)
- 1/4 cup date syrup (I found this at a Sarasota Middle Eastern - South Asian grocery store called Bismallah. Oasis Cafe said they could get it for me. It's also available on Amazon. It's delicious.)

Directions

1. Combine the Nestle Sweetened Condensed Milk, liquid whipping cream, and vanilla powder / extract in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until thick and creamy. 

2. Carefully fold in almonds, pistachios, and dates.

3. Pour half of the cream mixture into a foil-lined 9" x 5" loaf pan or dish.

4. Gently sprinkle with date syrup over the cream mixture in the loaf pan. Then spoon the rest of the cream mixture into the loaf pan.

5. Cover with cling film, and freeze for 12 hours until set. 

6. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and cut into thin slices.

Lebanese Avocado Tahini Appetizer - A Levantine Guacamole

One of the appetizers I prepared for a Levantine dinner recently was this delicious and easy Lebanese avocado - tahini appetizer, which I found at http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/lebanese-avocado-appetizer-abakado-mataheena/161652. I adjusted it a bit to meet our tastes. We and our guests enjoyed it. The recipe below is my version. I served it with toasted pita chips, which I made from good pita slices.

Ingredients

- 3 tablespoons tahini (Available at some Publix stores, Middle Eastern stores, Amazon, etc.)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (Original recipe calls for 4 tbsps)
- 1 & 1/2 cups avocado (Number of avocados needed varies by size. It took me two normal-sized Hass avocados from Publix.)
- 1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of nice Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
(The original recipe also calls for a pinch of Cayenne. I did not use because one of us does not care for Cayenne)

Directions

Place lemon juice and tahini in a blender or food processor, and blend for a moment.

Pit and peel avocados, and cut into pieces. 

Add the avocado and remaining ingredients, except paprika, into the tahini-lemon mixture, and blend to a smooth paste.

Put on a flat serving platter or in a bowl. Sprinkle with paprika, and serve as is or chilled. 

Serve with toasted pita or arrancas (a crispy Arabic bread - with which I am not familiar)

How to Make Pita Chips

The following is a fast and easy method for toasting pita chips:

1. If possible, buy high quality pita from a Middle Eastern store. It's far superior to supermarket pita.

2. Cut pita slices in half, then in half again, then in half again. (In other words, cut into eight pieces.) Then separate top from bottom - to make two separate pieces. So for each whole slice of pita, you will end up with 16 chips.

3. Preheat oven to 375°

4. Place pita chips on cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. (If you'd like, you could use spices like za'atar or any combination of spices that suits your fancy.)

5. Bake for 4 minutes. Chips should be crisp. If not, add a minute or two.

Fava Beans - Ful Medammes - A Popular Middle Eastern and East African Dish

I recently enjoyed a Middle Eastern dish called Ful Medammes (Foule Mudammes, etc.). It is a fava bean dish that is a staple of Egyptian life. It is served there with pita bread as a breakfast dish. It is also popular in various forms in other Middle Eastern and East African cuisines from Ethiopia up through the Levant. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames) It can be served as an appetizer or side dish.

The one I tried is a ready-to-serve canned Egyptian version sold by California Garden, which sells five different types, including Egyptian, Lebanese, and "Secret Recipe."  (http://californiagarden.com/index.php/cms/products). I added other ingredients, suggested by a California Garden rep whom I called. The canned Egyptian version has fava beans, salt, lemon juice, sunflower oil, and spices. It is very mild. 

The size of the can was 16 oz. I added a quarter of an onion chopped, about a cup of canned chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Then I heated it. I loved the results and will have it again. The next time, I will have it with pita bread.

It can be purchased at Middle Eastern grocery stores and online at Amazon, etc. I purchased it at the Oasis Cafe on U.S. 41 in Sarasota.

The California Garden Ful Medammes products are produced in the United Arab Emirates.

Lebanese Chicken (Tawook) - Easy and Delicious

This tasty dish is a variant of Shish Tawook (also Taouk), a grilled chicken dish that is very popular in Lebanon, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, the Palestinian territories, and Israel. Perhaps the most popular version is grilled on skewers. In fact, the name comes from the Turkish words for "skewer" and "chicken."

The version I used is not grilled, but sauteed. It also has the fewest ingredients. If you search the Internet for "chicken tawook." You will find other versions with more ingredients.

It is extremely easy to prepare. It can be served over rice, with vegetables, with yogurt - cucumber sauce, in pita bread, etc. We served it alongside stuffed grape leaves, and with  yogurt sauce and tabbouleh salad.

I found this recipe on the Lemon Bowl, a very interesting healthy food and lifestyle blog. The author is of Middle Eastern descent.  a http://thelemonbowl.com/2014/08/lebanese-chicken-tawook.html  I highly recommend checking out the Lemon Bowl.

The recipe below is the original recipe, which serves 4. I tripled it for a family gathering. 

Ingredients

- 20 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into cubes
- juice and zest of one lemon
- 2 garlic cloves - grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- fresh parsley to serve

Directions

1. Place chicken breast cubes in a glass bowl or large resealable plastic bag. (I used a bowl.)

2. Add lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, and pepper to the chicken and toss until chicken is evenly coated with marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to overnight. (I left it to marinate overnight.)

3. Heat pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add chicken to the pan along with all of the marinade. Sauté chicken, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Serve with fresh minced parsley.

Lebanese Bulgur Side Dish

Bulgur is a parboiled dried wheat that looks like couscous. It is very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine and is used in dishes like tabbouleh and kibbeh. It is also called Bulghur or Burghul. The first two versions are from Turkish and the third from Arabic. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgur) It comes in four different grinds - from nr. 1, which is the finest, to nr. 4, which is the coarsest.

I found and tried a tasty bulgur side dish on food.com (http://www.food.com/recipe/lebanese-bulgur-178437). It's easy to make, but takes about 50 minutes to prepare. It serves 4-6. 

Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup bulgur
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I used drained, canned diced tomatoes)
1 & 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I used ketchup)
salt and pepper to taste 
1 pinch cayenne (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat

2. Heat the broth in a separate small sauce pan

3. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned - 3-5 minutes

4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute

5. Stir in the tomatoes and basil, cooking 2 more minutes

6. Stir the bulgur thoroughly into the tomato mixture

7. Stir in the hot broth, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes

8. Add the honey, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and stir thoroughly

9. Continue to cook, covered, until the bulgur is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Stir from time to time.

10. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes

11. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve

Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce - a Middle Eastern Taste Treat

Kofta or Kufta is a delicious type of meatball/meatloaf dish with many variants from Morocco through Afghanistan. Wikipedia has an informative article at (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofta). 

I recently tried a version that my wife found in the Publix Supermarkets' magazine, "Grape." (That was the last print issue of the magazine.) According to the Grape article, this version is from Turkey. It was easy to make and delicious, but took me a bit of time to prepare because I am a slow chopper.

This version includes lamb, dried apricots, onion, garlic, and various herbs and spices. It could also be made with beef or pork; and one could certainly substitute dried fruits such as figs, or cherries, or raisins for the apricots. It is served with a Tzatziki-type yogurt sauce. 

The article about the recipe said it serves six. However, the two of us demolished it with no problem.

When eating the meatballs, I cut them in half and dipped them in the yogurt sauce.

Our only side dishes were grapes, and a lettuce and mozzarella salad with olive oil and balsamic.

A. Kofta
Ingredients
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
1 Tsp salt
1 Tsp ground coriander
1/2 Tsp ground cumin
1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°

2. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with foil

3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and process until ingredients are thoroughly blended. I blended the meat, apricots, and onions first; then the herbs, then the spices. (I added one third of the spices at a time to try to blend them as thoroughly as possible.)

4. Shape this mixture into about 30 meatballs that are 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter. It came to 27 meatballs. Place the meatballs into the foil-lined pan as you make them.

5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until  browned and cooked through (to 160°). You may wish to turn them about half way through the baking. I did not, so they ended up very dark on the bottoms. That did not affect the taste.

6. Serve with yogurt sauce.

B. Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used two small containers of Chobani Greek Yogurt - 5.3 oz each.)
1/3 cup shredded cucumber (This took about 1/3 of a medium-size cucumber. I diced it finely rather than shredding it.)
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint. (I used dried mint.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp ground cumin.

B. Directions
Stir ingredients in a bowl, cover, and chill for 1 to 4 hours before serving.

Levantine Green Bean, Onion, and Tomato Stew, with or without Lamb

Green bean (loubieh) dishes are very popular in the Middle East. This one, which can be prepared with or without meat, is delicious and very easy. It can be served with or over rice. We really enjoyed it. 

I made one major change to the recipe - I doubled the amount of lamb from 1/2 lb to 1 lb. A Palestinian version from my mother's recipe book replaces the cumin and cinnamon with 1/2 tsp allspice. That recipe also uses butter instead of olive oil.

I found this recipe at http://www.acedarspoon.com/lebanese-green-beans-lubee/. It is worth reading the whole article at the foregoing web page.

A popular name for the dish is Loubieh bi Zeit - green beans in olive oil.

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, fresh or frozen (I used fresh and cut them into bite-size pieces prior to cooking.)
1 & 1/2 cups onion, sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 can diced tomatoes (I used a 14 oz. can)
pepper to taste
(I also added salt)
Optional 1/2 lb stew meat or diced ham (I used 1 lb of cubed lamb)

A separate side of rice can be added if desired. Alternatively, it can be served over rice.

Instructions

1. Lightly brown onions and garlic in the oil in a stock pot. If meat is used, add the meat at the same time and cook until browned on all sides.)

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer slowly until the green beans (and meat if used) are tender - about 40-45 minutes. Stir a couple of times.

3. Check taste. Add more spices if desired.

4. Serve warm.

Baked Kibbeh - A Terrific Levantine Arabic Dish

Kibbeh is considered a Levantine Arabic dish, but it is popular throughout the Middle East and North Africa. It comes in many cooked variations and shapes, and at least one raw version. The main ingredients are lean ground meat (normally lamb, but alternatively made with beef, goat, or camel), bulghur wheat (burghul in Arabic), onion, and spices. For a thorough introduction to Kibbeh, see the Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbeh.

My mother used to make at least three versions, including the raw version. I loved them all. I decided to try the baked version. It turned out to be fantastic, and much easier than I anticipated.

For a dinner menu with Kibbeh as the main dish, I recommend the following accompaniments - tabouleh salad, hummus and pita bread, laban (Arab yoghurt), and baklava for dessert. Laban can be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores. Buy pita bread at a Middle Eastern grocery if possible, not a supermarket. There's a world of difference. Another nice accompaniment would be Armenian or Syrian string cheese. It is mild, delicious, and pulls apart in string-like pieces.

Although I had several recipes in Middle Eastern cookbooks at home, I decided to try a YouTube search to see if I could find a chef making Kibbeh. I found several, but one in particular was terrific. I strongly recommend viewing it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dxTr1iOeNc. The chef - Kamal - is terrific. His home page is http://www.cookingwithkamal.com/. He has written a Lebanese cookbook called Classic Lebanese Cuisine.

Baked Kibbeh is known in Arabic as Kibbeh be Saniyeh or Kibbeh bi Sinniyeh, which means, "Kibbeh in a pan."

Below is the recipe Chef Kamal and others use for Baked Kibbeh. The version below has a few changes I made - I used ½ pound of lamb in the filling instead of ¼ pound. I used almonds instead of pine nuts. Pine nuts are traditional, but I don't care for them.

As indicated above, it can be made with some meat other than lamb. Chef Kamal also mentions chicken.

Chef Kamal mentions that both cooked and uncooked Kibbeh can be kept in the freezer. Consequently, you can prepare it in advance.

The recipe below can serve 8. I think I could devour half.

Baked Kibbeh has three layers - a layer of dough, covered by a layer of filling, covered by a top layer of dough.

Dough Ingredients

1&1/4 cups bulghur fine - soak overnight with 1 cup water, (Bulghur wheat comes in different levels of fineness. Use level 1, which is the finest. If you can't find it at a local store, it is available on Amazon.com.

1 & ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp allspice

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ lb lean ground lamb - ground very fine (Do not use a meat processor. I do not have a meat grinder, so I used two different approaches, both successfully - 1. Ask your butcher to grind this portion of lamb as fine as possible. The butcher at Publix was happy to do this. 2. The second time I made the Kibbeh, I bought a package of Australian minced lamb. It worked perfectly.)

¾ cup coarsely chopped yellow onion

1/3 cup olive oil

Filling Ingredients

1 & 1/2 tbsp toasted pine nuts / almonds

1 tbsp olive oil in frying pan

½ lb coarsely ground lamb

¾ cup diced yellow onion in 1/4 " pieces

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Dough directions

Put spices in large bowl

Grind onions very fine in food processor (be careful not to purée)

Mix onions with lamb - massage them together with the spices

Put kibbeh in bowl and aggressively massage ingredients together

Divide dough in half - one half for bottom and one half for top

Filling directions

Put olive oil in skillet

Preheat skillet over medium high heat

Put lamb in skillet

As lamb is cooking, break it into very small pieces with wooden spoon until lamb is no longer pink

Add spices & onion and mix with lamb

Turn heat to low and sauté until onions are translucent

Directions for combining dough and filling

Place one half of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll flat into circle with rolling pin. Roll from the center to the outside.

Take off and keep top sheet of plastic wrap (for rolling of second half of dough)

Pick up the dough with the remaining sheet of plastic wrap in flip into bottom of 9" pan

Place a small bowl of cool water next to the pan

Put a little water onto the bottom dough and pat it down and up against the sides of the pan

Spread filling on top of bottom dough, being careful not to let filling touch the sides of the pan (to keep from burning filling during cooking).

Sprinkle nuts across filling.

Roll second half of filling in the same way as the first, making sure it's large enough to cover the top, and even a bit larger.

Use water to press down top.

Using a knife, separate the kibbeh from the sides of the pan

Cut kibbeh into quarters

Score top of kibbeh into squares or diamond shape

Pour olive oil over the top. Tilt pan so entire surface is covered with olive oil.

Baked at 400 for 35-40 minutes

Recut the ¼ pieces. Then recut into smaller pieces.

Za'atar / Zaatar - A Pleasant and Flexible Middle Eastern Spice Mix

Za'atar is a very tasty and easy-to-use Middle Eastern spice mix. There are a number of variants; e.g., Palestinian, Jordanian, Lebanese, Egyptian, and Israeli. Za'atar typically includes some or all of the following spices and herbs - thyme, sumac, oregano, roasted sesame seeds, salt, and roasted wheat. You can buy it already made or you can make it yourself. Za'atar is available at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Middle Eastern grocery stores, etc. Recipes are easy to find on the Internet.

When I was a child, my mother used to mix it with olive oil and spread it on pita bread.

I recently decided to use it in various dishes I was preparing. I bought a 1 pound bag of Ziyad Brand Green Za'atar at Oasis Cafe in Sarasota for $4.99. This version contains roasted wheat, roasted thyme, ground sumac, and salt.  I have used it in three ways - as a rub on a rib eye steak, on roasted chicken thighs, and on grilled sweet peppers. Each time, I mixed it with olive oil. Each time, it was very tasty and very easy to use. The next time I use it, I will probably add oregano. 

One of the ways I intend to use it is on green beans.

I will probably also try it on pita bread soon. The Ziyad package has the following recipe for use on two pieces of pita bread - sprinkle 2 tbsp of za'atar on the bread, drizzle olive oil on the bread, then bake the bread at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

By the way, the pita bread typically sold in supermarkets does not begin to compare to the pita sold at good Middle Eastern stores. There is a world of difference.

Levantine Lamb & Asparagus Stew

I inherited a Palestinian-American cookbook called, "Sahtein," from my mother. (Sahtein is the Arabic equivalent of "bon appetit.") This cookbook contains Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian recipes. I have the 1979 version, which was published by the Arab Women's Union of Detroit. An unspecified version of this cookbook is available from the web site of the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine (http://www.afrp.org/about-us/books/)

I have decided to try some of the easier recipes. The first I tried is a delicious lamb and asparagus stew. I have added a few details and slightly rearranged the instructions to make it easier to follow. It is supposed to serve 4. However, my wife and I managed to finish it all ourselves.

It is served over long-grained rice prepared separately.

Ingredients

- 3 tbsp butter or margarine (I used olive oil.)
- 1 lb fresh asparagus spears, cut into 2" pieces, and with tough bottom portion broken off. Wash and drain.
- 1/2 lb lamb, cubed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup water
- juice of one lemon (My wife thought this was too much. I thought it was perfect.)
- salt, pepper, and allspice to taste (I used 1/2 a tbsp of allspice.)

Directions

1. Heat butter, margarine, or oil in skillet over medium heat. 

2. Sauté meat and onions until lamb is light brown.

3. Add water, salt, pepper, and allspice. Cook until tender. I believe it took about 5 minutes.

4. Add asparagus and simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender.

5. Add lemon juice and stir. 

6. Serve with or over rice.

Chutney's Sarasota - A Dining Paradise

There are most restaurants, and then there are extraordinary restaurants like Chutney's of Sarasota, which serves Greek, Middle Eastern, Indian and other cuisines. It is not easy to serve such diverse cuisines, but Chutney's does it remarkably well. It is run by husband and wife team - Ash Shukla and Denise May, and has been a fixture of the Sarasota restaurant scene for some 27 years. We have not met her, but he is the perfect restaurateur - charming, gregarious, creative, customer-focused, etc., etc.

We had not eaten there for a number of years, but decided to try it last night when we were in the area of Sarasota Memorial Hospital for a late-afternoon doctor's appointment. It turned out to be the perfect choice. Every morsel was superb, and the wine was very nice.

Most of what we had were specials for the day. It was very hard to chose because there were so many delicious-sounding dishes.

My wife started with the Greek salad that came with her meal. This "Greek Salad" was the Americanized version of Greek salad because it had lettuce, which one does not find in true Greek salads.

I had bowl of Persian spinach and lemon soup. Its ingredients included split peas, turmeric, onion, and pomegranate. Every spoonful was superb. The pomegranate added a very nice sweetness that complemented the other ingredients.

We both chose the same main course - Bo Bo Tie, a South African dish which dates to the 17th Century, and whose origins are in Indonesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobotie). Early versions were made with mutton or pork. Later versions with beef or lamb. The version we had was with ground breast of chicken.

It is a mild dish with a nice mixture of spices. Its ingredients included ground breast of chicken, madras curry spices, milk, and panko bread crumbs. It was topped with a mango chutney. It was fantastic. The consistency was that of a meat loaf.

As an accompaniment to the Bo Bo Tie, we both had cranberry rice pilaf, whose ingredients included rice, dried cranberries, cashews, and sautéed onions. It too was superb.

The Bo Bo Tie, Cranberry Pilaf, and Salad were $21.95. The servings were huge.

We had a very nice red wine with our dinner - Marchesi Biscardo Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso for $42. The retail store price of this wine is about $23, so $42 is a very reasonable restaurant  price. Mr. Shukla spent a generous amount of his time discussing some of his wines, and his philosophy of reasonable pricing of those wines. We really enjoyed chatting with him. We watched him as he managed to devote attention to all of his diners. It was clear that a number of the diners were repeat customers, who loved Chutney's and felt very much at home there.

The pita bread served with our meal was very nice, not like the faux pita sold in supermarkets.

We took home a dessert- a New Orleans bourbon bread pudding, for $6. Like all of the other dishes we had, it was marvelous - sinfully rich. It seemed similar to one I have made (http://viaggiviniecucine.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-orleans-bread-pudding-with-bourbon.html)

One nice feature of the Chutney's menu is that diners can create multi-course Middle Eastern or Indian entrées.

The owners close for a month each year to travel and enjoy other cuisines. This year, they traveled to Italy and spent time in Umbria around Lake Trasimeno. We discussed Umbria and Tuscany with Mr. Shukla.

We highly recommend Chutney's and intend not to wait so long before returning.

Chutney's is located at 1944 Hillview St. Phone 941-954-4444. They do both lunch and dinner. I recommend making reservations.