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| FLAG OF LEBANON |
| FOODS OF LEBANON |
| We bid good-bye and Shalom to sweet Israel, and a hearty "as-sa-LA-moo ah-LAY-kum" ; (may peace be with you) - to Lebanon. The land of the famed "Cedars of Lebanon", the ancient land of the Phoen- icians, the former cross-roads of the spice routes and ancient civilizations. Lebanon is a land where the an- cient and the new stand side-by-side, such as the an- cient and modern cities of Baalbeck. Mealtimes in the Middle East are special times when, the often extended, families are brought to- gether in a close and leisurely manner. |
| A.) KIBBEH - ( Ground Lamb Mixture ): |
| BASIC KIBBEH MIXTURE: |
| 2 cups cracked wheat (bulgur); 5 cups water; 1 lb. grnd. lamb; 1 med. onion, minced; 1 tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. pepper; 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/4 tsp. allspice; 1/4 tsp. ginger powder; 1/2 tsp. grnd. coriander; 1/2 tsp. grnd. cumin: |
| 1.) Place cracked wheat in a large bowl. Add 6 cups cold water and set aside for 1 hr. 2.) Place cracked wheat in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze with your hands to remove excess water and set aside. 3.) In a large bowl, mix meat and onion. Add spices and knead until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Put 2 ice cubes in a small glass of water. Knead the cracked wheat into the meat, adding small amounts of ice water when needed to keep mixture smooth. 4.) Cover Kibbeh and refrigerate for 12 hrs., or overnight before using. Makes 2 lbs., enough for 8 servings. |
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| DRAWING OF OLD BAALBEK |
| B.) KIBBEH B"ZAYT - (Baked Kibbeh): |
| To make this dish, use the basic kibbeh and stir in 1/2 cup pine nuts into the kibbeh mixture, saving a few nuts for dec-oration. |
| 1.) Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Thoroughly grease two 9" x 13" baking pans. 2.) Divide the mixture equally between the two pans and spread it evenly in the pans. Then, with a knife, make |
| 4 lengthwise cuts, evenly spaced, without cutting all the way through the meat. Then make 4 more diagonal cuts, the same width to form a diamond-shaped design across the top of the meat. 3.) Decorate the top with pine nuts and drizzle olive oil evenly over the meat. 4.) Bake on bottom oven rack for 30 mins. Then move the pan to the top rack and bake another 10 mins. 5.) Cut into diamond shape and serve hot or cold with salad. Serves 8. |
| C.) FATTOUCHE - ( Peasant Salad): |
| 2 pieces of stale pita bread; 1 tbl. water; 1 cucumber, peeled & chopped; 1 tomato, chopped; 1 green pepper, seeded & chopped; 3 green onions, chopp- ed; 1/4 tsp. pepper; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint; 1 cup finely chopped fresh sinach; 1/2 head of romaine lettuce, finely chopped: DRESSING: 1 clove garlic; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1/2 cup olive oil; juice of 2 lemons: |
| 1.) Toast the pita until crisp and lightly brown. Cut into 1" squares and sprinkle with 1 tbls. water. 2.) Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, except the ingredients for the dressing. 3.) To make the dressing, crush the garlic cloves (or mince). In a small bowl, combine garlic and salt, and stir to make a paste. Add lemon juice and olive oil and mix well. 4.) Toss pita with other ingredients, sprinkle with dressing, toss again, serve immediately. Serves 4 - 6. |
| D.) SIYADIYEH - ( Fish & Rice Stew): |
| 2 tbls. vegetable oil; 2 tbls. pine nuts; 6 cups water; 1 onion, quartered; 2 lbs. fish fillets, fresh or frozen; 1 cup long-grain rice; 1/2 tsp. cumin; 1/2 tsp. salt; 3 tbls. lemon juice; fresh parsley for garnish: |
| 1.) Heat 1 tbls. oil in a small skillet, over medium-high heat. Saute pine nuts, stirring constantly, about 2 mins., until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. 2.) In a large kettle, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat. Carefully add onions and boil 15 - 20 mins., or until soft. Remove onion with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Save cooking water. 3.) Place onion in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or in a blender set for puree. 4.) Add fish and onion back into the onion cooking water and bring to a boil over high heat. Re- duce heat, cover pan, and simmer about 30 mins., or until fish is tender. Remove fish with a slot- ted spoon. Again, save the cooking water. 5. ) In a large saucepan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add rice and cumin, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 mins. Add salt and 2 cups of the fish broth. Cover pan and cook on low heat about 20 mins., or until rice is fluffy and liquid is absorbed. 6.) Add lemon juice to remaining fish broth and reheat slowly over medium-low heat. Arrange rice ona serving platter and place fish on rice. Pour re-heated broth over fish. Garnish with pine nuts and parsley. Serves 4. |