Lebanon (3/5/12)
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Recipes contributed by Julia Issa-Ghantous.
The people of Lebanon enjoy a diverse, fertile land as well as a culture of generostiy and hospitality. Food is an important aspect of hospitality in a Lebanese home, and visitors are always offered something to eat - or at least a cup of coffee! So try your hand at some of these delectable dishes, and share them with a crowd of friends or family. As Julia pointed out, no house is too small for a meal shared with others, as long as your heart is big. Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Lebanese recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2010. Click here for the archive from our program in Oct. 2012. Click here for the archive from our program in 2016. Click here for the archive from our program in 2018. Click here for the archive from our program in 2023. |
Lebanese Chicken with Rice
Ingredients:
Whole chicken (boiled, skinned/de-boned)
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 cups white long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock*
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup raw pine nuts, roasted
1/4 cup almonds, roasted
1 tablespoon butter
Method:
1. In a deep pan, sauté the chopped onion with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden.
2. Add ground meat and keep on cooking until meat turns brown.
3. Wash the rice and drain the water. Then add rice to the beef and add salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Toss for 2 min., then add 4 cups of chicken broth*. Cover and let it simmer for 25 min. or until rice is tender and well-cooked.
4. In a frying pan melt butter, then add pine nuts and almonds and keep stirring until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from heat let nuts drain on paper towel.
5. To serve, put the rice on a large plate and place the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle with the roasted almonds and pine nuts. (For an elegant touch, you can also arrange the ingredients in a bundt pan, placing the chicken and nuts around the sides, then pressing the rice mixture in. Sticking the pan in the oven may help the form to set. Turn it out on a plate to serve.)
*Chicken stock: Add 1 onion, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves to the water. Cover the pan with a lid, keeping a small opening to prevent the water from boiling over. Keep on medium heat until the chicken is well-cooked. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the saucepan and discard bones and skin. Set aside. Strain the chicken broth and set aside for later use.
Whole chicken (boiled, skinned/de-boned)
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 cups white long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock*
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup raw pine nuts, roasted
1/4 cup almonds, roasted
1 tablespoon butter
Method:
1. In a deep pan, sauté the chopped onion with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden.
2. Add ground meat and keep on cooking until meat turns brown.
3. Wash the rice and drain the water. Then add rice to the beef and add salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Toss for 2 min., then add 4 cups of chicken broth*. Cover and let it simmer for 25 min. or until rice is tender and well-cooked.
4. In a frying pan melt butter, then add pine nuts and almonds and keep stirring until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from heat let nuts drain on paper towel.
5. To serve, put the rice on a large plate and place the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle with the roasted almonds and pine nuts. (For an elegant touch, you can also arrange the ingredients in a bundt pan, placing the chicken and nuts around the sides, then pressing the rice mixture in. Sticking the pan in the oven may help the form to set. Turn it out on a plate to serve.)
*Chicken stock: Add 1 onion, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves to the water. Cover the pan with a lid, keeping a small opening to prevent the water from boiling over. Keep on medium heat until the chicken is well-cooked. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the saucepan and discard bones and skin. Set aside. Strain the chicken broth and set aside for later use.
Lebanese Fattoush Salad
This salad can be modified to utilize whatever you have in the fridge.
Ingredients:
1/2 Lebanese round bread (pita), toasted
3 medium firm tomatoes, washed and chopped
3 cucumbers (250g\9 oz), washed and chopped
3 medium radishes (250g\9 oz) (1 cup), washed and
chopped
4 spring onions, washed and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion (1/4 cup), chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet green pepper (or your
favorite colored bell pepper)
8 (2 cups) lettuce leaves, chopped
Dressing: 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Method:
1. Break toasted bread into small pieces and set aside.
2. Wash the chopped mint and parsley, and then drain well.
3. Mix crushed garlic with salt, oil, vinegar, dried mint, lemon juice and ground sumac, pomegranate molasses and set aside.
4. Put all ingredients in a serving bowl. Add toasted bread pieces and pour on the dressing; mix well.
5. If you wish, serve fattoush garnished with additional toasted bread.
Ingredients:
1/2 Lebanese round bread (pita), toasted
3 medium firm tomatoes, washed and chopped
3 cucumbers (250g\9 oz), washed and chopped
3 medium radishes (250g\9 oz) (1 cup), washed and
chopped
4 spring onions, washed and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion (1/4 cup), chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped sweet green pepper (or your
favorite colored bell pepper)
8 (2 cups) lettuce leaves, chopped
Dressing: 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed with a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Method:
1. Break toasted bread into small pieces and set aside.
2. Wash the chopped mint and parsley, and then drain well.
3. Mix crushed garlic with salt, oil, vinegar, dried mint, lemon juice and ground sumac, pomegranate molasses and set aside.
4. Put all ingredients in a serving bowl. Add toasted bread pieces and pour on the dressing; mix well.
5. If you wish, serve fattoush garnished with additional toasted bread.
Loubyieh Bil Zeit (Green Beans with Olive Oil)
This could be served as a side dish and eaten with pita bread or as a main dish with salad.
Ingredients:
2 bags frozen Italian green beans (or whatever green beans are
in season)
1 bag fava (or lima) beans
2 medium chopped onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Method:
1. In a pan sauté onions with olive oil until caramelized.
2. Add Italian green beans and fava beans and stir.
3. Add salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
4. Cover lid and let beans simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until beans are tender and well cooked.
Ingredients:
2 bags frozen Italian green beans (or whatever green beans are
in season)
1 bag fava (or lima) beans
2 medium chopped onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Method:
1. In a pan sauté onions with olive oil until caramelized.
2. Add Italian green beans and fava beans and stir.
3. Add salt, pepper, and cinnamon.
4. Cover lid and let beans simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until beans are tender and well cooked.