Lebanese Food Recipes

Recipe Serves 4:

•  2 1/2 to 3 lbs Eggplant, cubed
• 1 lb. lamb or beef cubes
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 fresh tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can chick peas (drained)

Brown meat in butter.  Sauté onion and garlic until tender.  Add the eggplant and salt and cook for 5 minutes tossing frequently.  Add the tomatoes and chick peas and steam for about 1/2 hour. 

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups fresh peeled tomatoes (cut in small pieces)
• 1 1/2 cups burghul
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water

Brown the onions in oil.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the burghul and orzo and mix well.  Add the water and salt.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour. 

SQUASH AND BURGHUL CASSEROLE - LEBANESE RECIPE

Serves 6 to 8:

• 2 cups squash cubed
• 3 tablespoons butter or 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/2 cup burghul  (coarse) #3 or #4
• 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes or 1 fresh chopped tomato
• 3/4 cup water

Brown orzo in butter.  Add squash and onion.  Steam for about 1 minute.  Add brughul, tomatoes and water.  Cook until water is absorbed. 

Enjoy...

BLACK EYE PEAS CHOWDER - LEBANESE RECIPE

Recipe Serves 4:

• 1 cup black eye peas
• 1 quart water
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon mint or sweet basil

Cook washed peas in salted water for 20 minutes.  Cook onions in oil until soft and add to black eye peas.  Add lemon juice and mint or sweet basil and cook for 30 minutes longer.

Enjoy...

LEBANESE RECIPE

• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 large eggplant
• 2 medium squash
• 1 whole cauliflower, broken into flowerets
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3 sweet green peppers
• 3 large potatoes

Peel and slice the eggplant.  Wash and slice the tomatoes, squash, onions and potatoes.  Wash and quarter the sweet green peppers.  Fry these in deep fryer until golden brown.  Garnish the vegetables with a mixture made from the juice of one lemon and two cloves of garlic crush.  This is an excellent filling on pita bread. 

Serves 4 to 5:

• 7 dozen grape leaves, fresh or pickled
• 1 large lamb bone (optional)
• 1 tablespoon crushed dried mint
• 1 small clove garlic, chopped fine
• salt to taste
• 3 cups water
• juice of 1 lemon

Filling:

• 1 1/2 lbs. coarsley ground lamb of beef
• 3/4 cup uncooked rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 small clove garlic, chopped fine
• 3 teaspoons tomato paste (optional)
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce (optional)

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well.  Lay leaves right side down.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons filling to each leaf.  Roll with sides tucked in until approximately 3 inches long and the width of a small cigar.  Place lamb bone in pot to be used.  Arrange rolled leaves on top of bone.  Sprinkle mint, garlic and salt over top.  Add water.  Place an inverted dish on leaves to keep them firm while cooking.  Cover, cook for 30 minutes.  Add lemon juice and cook for 45 minutes more or until leaves are tender.    

Serves 6 to 8:

• 1 dozen medium green sweet peppers
• 1 1 /2 lbs. coarsely ground lamb or beef
• 3/4 cup uncooked rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 small clove garlic, finely ground
• 3 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cut the stems off the peppers.  Clean out the seeds and veins.  Wash thoroughly.  Make the filling by combining the lamb, rice, salt, pepper, garlic, tomato paste and tomato sauce.  Mix well.  Stuff each pepper to 1/2 inch from the top.  Stand in pan, open side up.  Add water to about 1 inch from the top of the pepper.  Cover and simmer for 35 minutes or until peppers are cooked.  

LENTIL DISH - LEBANESE RECIPE

• 1 cup lentils
• 1 cup burghul #1
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 bunch parsley chopped
• 1 bunch scallions chopped

Dip:

Chopped raw onions, parsley, salt and red and black pepper.

Boil lentils in water; when cooked, add burghul and turn heat off; then mash together and add the chopped parsley, scallions, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander and mix well.  Put in platter and serve with dip.

Enjoy...

STRING BEANS WITH TOMATOES - LEBANESE RECIPE

Serves 4:

• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. string beans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 fresh tomatoes or 1 16-ounce can tomatoes

Sauté onion in oil.  Add washed and cut sting beans, salt and toss lightly.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes. Simmer until beans are cooked (about 1/2 hour)

Enjoy...

Serves 4 to 6:

• 2 cups lentils
• 4 cups water
• 2 onions
• 1/2 cup oil

Boil lentils in water until cooked thoroughly.  Stir.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Brown onion in oil.  Add to lentils mixture and stir very well.

• 2-3 cups cooked diced chicken
• 1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing
• 1-2 ribs celery, diced or (can celery soup)
• 1 small container sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup

Prepare stuffing mix according to directions, along with celery.  If possible use broth of chicken in place of water.  Remove from heat and add chicken, sour cream and soup to stuffing mix.  Pour into 13x9x2 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

• 3 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons parsley
• 1/2 cup soaked bread (about 3 slices)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Blend ingredients thoroughly.  Shape into loaf on a shallow baking pan.  Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 1 hour.

Falafel Recipe, Makes 12 balls:

• 1 lb. dry chick peas soaked two nights (48 hours)
• 1 bunch parsley
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. onions
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• Crushed hot pepper (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Cut parsley, leaving short stem.  Mix parsley, chick peas, garlic and onions.  Put through food grinder or processor.  Add small batch before frying.  Make balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Flatten and fry in hot oil. 

Sauce

• 2 tomatoes cut in cubes
• parsley chopped
• 2 onions chopped
• 1 cucumber chopped
• 3 tablespoons tahini

Serves 6 to 8:

• 5 - 7 lbs fowl for cooking
• 1 lb. chopped lamb
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup pine nuts

Prepare fowl for cooking.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in the order given and stuff the stomach cavity, neck and between the skin and sew.  In a large kettle with boiling water and a teaspoon salt, and chicken and cook gently for abut 2 hours.  Take out of water and place in a roasting pan and brown in a 400 degrees oven.  The water from the chicken makes excellent stock for soup.

Serves 4:

• 1 Breast of Lamb (1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
• 1/2/ lb. ground lamb
• 1/4 cup rice, washed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Skin the breast of lamb, cutting off the fat.  Make pockets for stuffing.  Combine the ground lamb meat, rice, salt and pepper.  Stuff in pockets until 3/4 full.  Sew opening.  Place in boiling water, cover and cook until meat is tender.  Remove from water and place under broiler and brown on both sides.

• 2 lbs. fresh Okra
• 1 1/2  lamb meat, lean and fat
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 lb. small onions, or 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cans tomato sauce, 8 oz. each
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic

• Wash Okra and trim off the stems.  Dry and brush the okra well with butter.  Place the Okra under a broiler until it is lightly with butter, add water and salt.  Cook at low heat in a covered pan until the meat is tender.  Crush the garlic with the coriander seed and add to the meat mixture.  Mix 1/2 cup of water, tomato sauce and the juice of 2 lemons.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add this to the meat mixture and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.  Combine the meat and tomato sauce mixture along with the Okra and cook slowly until all of the ingredients are fully cooked.  Serve with rice.

• lb. diced lamb meat
• 2 cans kidney beans
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 4 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 10 cups of water
• add salt, pepper and cumin to taste

• Brown the lamb in oil or butter.  Add the onions and garlic when the lamb meat is done.  Cook the mixture until onion is browned and then add tomato sauce and water.  Let the mixture come to a boil and then turn down the heat and let it simmer for 1/2 hour.  Add the kidney beans and let the mixture cook for one hour, keeping the pan covered.

MAKLUBBI RECIPE

• 1 small spring of lamb
• 2 lbs. cubed lamb
• 2 onions, chopped
• cumin to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 quarts of water
• 1 small cauliflower
• 2 cups rice
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• tomatoes to line a pan

Boil the lamb, chopped onions, cumin, pepper and 2 quarts of water until the lamb meat is tender. 
Save the broth for later. 
Fry the cauliflower and set aside. 
Rinse the rice in a hot water and drain, then let the rice sit in a hot for 10 minutes. 
Add the meted butter to the rice in addition to the salt and pepper.  Layer sliced tomatoes in a 6 quart greased pan. 
Next, layer the meat, then the cauliflower, and lastly the rice. 
Pour the broth over the mixture and cover and boil for 5 minutes. 
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.  After the cooking is complete, let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. 
Place a round dish over the top of the pan and turn over.  Garnish with pine nuts browned in butter.

Enjoy...

• 1 small spring lamb
• 1 cup rice
• 1 1/2 lbs. lamb, ground and browned
• 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, peeled
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup water

Wash and dry the lamb, making ready for roasting.  Brush the inside with melted butter.  Wash, drain, and mix the rice with the browned lamb meat, pine nuts, onions, mushrooms, celery and garbanzo beans.  Combine the other ingredients.  Brown lightly, adding the water, and simmer for about ten minutes, mixing well and stirring.  Stuff the lamb and sew the opening closed.  Brush melted butter around the outside of the lamb.  Bake in a preheated oven at 300degrees F. for 30 minutes per lb. in an open roasting pan. 

Lebanese Recipe Serves 5:

• 1/4 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon rose water or cardamon powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• cinnamon

Wash and boil rice in water until water is almost absorbed.  Add milk, salt, sugar and rose water and boil until milk is absorbed.  Pour into a large plate or small pudding dishes if desired and decorate with cinnamon and allow cooling.  Store in refrigerator and serve with honey or sugar. 

Enjoy...  

• 1 lb. frozen peas
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 4 potatoes, sliced
• 1teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 - 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil

Stew the onion, peas, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Add potatoes, unsweetened tomato sauce with one can of water.  Simmer until done and serve with rice.

FAVA BEANS - LEBANESE RECIPE (FOUL)

• 1 can Fava Beans (foul madammes)
• 2 cloves garlic
• add salt to taste
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper (red)
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Heat the beans, drain and mash by hand.  Mince the garlic with hot pepper and salt, add to the beans.  Add lemon juice and stir well.  Smooth out into serving dish.  Pour oil on top.

Enjoy...

Rice Pudding Lebanese Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice flour, or ground rice
• 4 drops vanilla

Add the sugar to 1 cup milk and bring to boil.  Mix the rice flour in the remaining milk and add the hot mixture.  Stir constantly until the mixture comes to boil.  Then add the vanilla and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken.  Take off the heat when the mixture is thick and pour into individual containers.  Allow to cool off and place in the refrigerator.  Serve cool.

Enjoy this Lebanese Dessert...

Namoura Recipe- Lebanese Dessert

• 2 lbs. semolina
• 2 sticks of margarine
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup water (add more if needed)

Melt margarine and pour over semolina, add water, baking powder and mix ingredients until they are well blended.  Brush bottom of baking tray with tahini, pour the mixture and spread evenly and bake at 375 degrees F until it is nicely browned.   Remove and while hot, pour the syrup over the Namoura.  Cut into squares.  Almonds may be placed on top of each square if desired.

• Syrup:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  Mix water and sugar and put over stove until boiling.  Then add the lemon juice and move off the stove and allow cooling off.

Enjoy this Lebanese Dessert