MEZZA DISHES
1 large Egg plant
Heat the butter or vegetalble oil and lightly brown the pine nuts. Remove and set aside.
add the meat and fry for a few minutes until the raw look disappears. Before the meat browns, mix int the chopped onions, salt, pepper, mixed spices and cinnamon. Cover, turn down to medium heat and continue to cook until meat is very tender and the juices are absorbed (approx.20-25 minutes) BABA GHANNOUJ (Eggplant with Tahini)
4 - 5 Tablespoon of Tahini*
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 1/2 t.salt
1/4 Cup of Lemon juice(approximately)
1/4 Cup of finely chopped parsley to garnish
Remove the green from around the neck of the eggplant, but leave the stem. Place in a hot oven until soft (15-20 mints)
Or you may place it over open grill turning from time to time until eggplant has softened. Allow to cool. Then remove the
skin carefully, while holding the stem. Mash the pulp thoroughly with a fork or place in the blender and slowly add the
tahini mix well then add the lemon juice. Crush garlic with salt add it to the eggplant mixture. Adjust salt to taste.
Pour into shallow sering dishes or platters and garnish with chopped parsley, and little of oil.
Serve with Lebanese bread. 
(Chick Pea Dip)
1 1/2 cups chick pes, soaked overnight in water*
2 teaspoons salt
2 cloves of garlic approx.
3/4 cup tahini (see above)
1/2 cup lemon juice
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish.
Drain the soaked chick peas. place in a pot and add three times their amount of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, turn the heat down, cover the saucepan and simmer until the chick peas are very soft __approx 1 hour. Drain liquid off and reserve.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the whole, cooked chick peas for garnish. Puree the remainder of the peas by pressing through a sieve or placing in blender.
Crush the garlic with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Beat or blend it into the puree.
Slowly beat in the tahini and lemon juice alternately. Blend in a little of the reserved liquid to make the mixture a thick creamy consistency. Adjust salt and lemon to taste.
Serve on a platter garnished with a pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley and the reserved chicck peas.
Makes: approx 3 cups
cooking time: approx 1 1/2 hours.
Dried peas should always be soaked before cooking. The best way to do this is to soak them overnight in a large bowl with three times their amount of cold water and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, however if you are in a hurry you can reduce the time by omitting the bicarbonate of soda and bringing the beans and water to the boil, boiling for 2 minutes, then turning off the heat and allowing to stand for one hour.
when you are ready to coook the peas, drain off the water in which they were soaked, replace it with 3 times their amount fresh water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer strongly, stirring occasionally, until the water is well reduced __ approx 20-30 minutes, Turn down the heat and simmer slowly, adding more water if necessary, until teder (test by pressing a pea between the fingers). Be careful not to overcook the peas..(Parsley Salad)
1/2 cup bur'ghul*
8-10 spring onions
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups very finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh mint OR
( 2 teaspoons dried mint )
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice(approx)
1/4 cup olive oil Wash the bur'ghul and drain well by squeezing out excess water with cupped hands. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for
at least 1 hour.
Trim the spring onions to leave about 8 in. of green. Finely chop the green of the spring onions and place it
with parsley, mint and tomatoes on top of the bur'ghul mixture. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the lemon juice, olive oil and toss well. Adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.
TABBOULEH is usually served in a wide based bowl or deep serving dish and garnished with lettuce
leaves. When it is served as mezza a large spoonful is placed in a romain lettuce leaf, wrapped into a roll and eaten with
fingers. (serves 4)
* Bur'ghul Is a crushed wheat which has been boiled, dried in the sun and then grounded into fine (to be used in Tabbouleh & Kibbeh), semi fine and cracked wheat.
It can be obtained from health food stores and delicatessens under the names of "bur'ghul" or "Lebanese crushed wheat".
The quantities given in the recipes refer to the dried grain, however it will swell up when you wash and drain it .
3 lb fresh tender grape vine leaves OR Orlando grape leaves( jars)
11/2 cup Rice, washed and drained
1/2 cup spring onions finely chopped
1 t salt
1/4 t Pepper
2 t dried mint
2 medium Tomatoes finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 t thyme
1 cup Olive oil
3 T Lemon juice.
1 Potato sliced (1/2 inc.) thick.
Place the potato slices in a layer on the bottom of the saucepan.
Place the washed and drained rice in a bowl and add to it the rest of ingredients. Toss well. Take out the grape leaves one at a time, lay it down with rough side up and place a teaspoonful of stuffing in the center. fold the bottom of the leaf over the stuffing, then fold it in from each side to the middle. Roll tightly, forming a roll about (3-4 in) long and (1/2 -1 in) thick.
Pack the rolls, open ends down, in tight rows and layers in the saucepan, on top of the potatoes slices, Sprinkle each layer with salt and lemon juice. When the stuffing is finished, cover the stuffed leaves with some very large grape leaves, take a heatproof plate and turn it upside down over the top of the stuffed grape leaves pressing down firmly. Add enough water to cover the plate while it is under pressure. Leave the plate in place and cover the saucepan securely. Bring quickly to the boil, turn down heat & simmer very slowly until the grape leaves and stuffings are tender and the liquid reduced and thickened. For maximum flavour leave the stuffed grape leaves to cool in the saucepan with as little juices as possible.
To serve turn the saucepan onto a large flat platter. Decorate it with thin lemon slices. Serves 6
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
¾ cup water (approx.) Sift the flour and slat together and rub in the butter or oil.
Add the water gradually to make a soft dough.
Knead until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
Cover with a damp cloth and place in refrigerator for half an hour before rolling out.
Makes: 1 lb.
3 Tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
½ cup pine nuts
2 medium onions finely chopped
1 lb. Meat coarsely ground or finely chopped
½ teaspoon mixed spices (see my home page)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Makes: 2 cups
Remove from heat and mix in the pine nuts.MEAT PASTRY ROLLS
approx 2 Tablespoonsp vinegar
approx 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 lb. Simple Pastry (as above)
¼ Cup melted butter or vegetalble oil
Place the Meat and Nut Filling in a bowl and mix the vinegar and lemon juice.
Take one small ball of pastry at a time and roll into a thin sheet on a floured board.
Cut into strips approx 3in - 4 in. Place 2 teaspoons of filling along the centre of each pastry strip. Roll up firmly and place on a well greased baking tray.
Brush the top of roll with melted butter or oil and bake in a moderately hot oven until golden.
Makes: 30
Cooking time: 15minutes
1 Tablespoon parsley and a pinch of cayenne pepper
for the Meat and Nut Filling.
