Lebanesebeanstew Recipes

LEBANESE MOUNTAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup flour, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour in warm water. Whisk together thoroughly, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover bowl and let sit until mixture gets bubbly, 30 to 60 minutes. Drizzle in olive oil; add salt and 1 cup flour. Mix together until mixture forms a sticky (not wet) dough ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If mixture seems too wet, add a bit more flour.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Knead dough until it is soft, supple, and slightly elastic, about 2 minutes. Pour a few drops of olive oil in a bowl. Transfer dough ball to bowl and turn to coat surface with oil.
• Cover bowl and place in a warm spot. Let dough rise until it has doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes. Transfer dough to work surface and knead to remove air bubbles, about 1 minute. Transfer to zip top plastic bag; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Lightly flour a work surface; dough may be sticky so make sure you use enough flour to keep dough from sticking to the surface or your hands (but less flour is best). Break off a piece of dough slightly smaller than a golf ball. Roll into a smooth ball. Flatten and roll out into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.
• Invert a smooth mixing bowl on work surface; lightly flour the bottom. Lightly stretch the dough and place dough circle on the floured surface of the inverted bowl. Gently stretch dough evenly down the sides of the bowl, working your way around the edges, until it is very thin and translucent, or as thin as you can get it without tearing it.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Flour your hands and carefully remove dough circle from bottom of bowl. Transfer to hot skillet. Cook until blisters form and begin to brown, about 45 to 60 seconds per side. Transfer to a dish and cover, using dish inverted over it to allow bread to steam and stay moist and supple.

LEBANESE BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain and rinse.
• Cook the meat and garlic with olive oil in a pan.
• Once the meat is all browned, add the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the cilantro. Stir to deglaze the pan.
• Bring to a boil, add the cilantro, cover and simmer until the beans are fully cooked (between 30 and 40 minutes).
• You might need to add some water if it becomes too dry, so check on it every 10 minutes.
• Eat over cooked white rice.

LEBANESE GREEN BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Clip stem ends off green beans.
• Cut in half and rinse in cold water.
• Brown lamb cubes and onions in butter, or a little water.
• Add green beans and saute for 10 minutes.
• Add salt, spices, chopped tomatoes and water.
• Cover and simmer on low heat for 55 minutes, or until done.
• Serve with rice pilaf with sauteed pine nuts.

LEBANESE-STYLE GREEN BEAN STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, fry the onion in the oil for 2 - 3 minutes then add the potatoes and continue cooking for another 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the beans, sprinkle over the cumin and cayenne and mix well together.
• Whizz the tomatoes in a blender, then add the liquidized tomatoes to the pan; stir the contents, bring to the boil, cover and leave to simmer over a medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• When the beans and potato are tender and tomatoes have reduced to a thick sauce, test for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required; serve immediately.

LEBANESE LAMB AND BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Cover beans with cold water by 3 inches in a bowl and soak at room temperature at least 8 hours. Drain well in a colander.
• Bring lamb, baharat, and water (9 cups) to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot, then vigorously simmer mixture, covered, until meat is almost tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Add beans and cook, uncovered, until beans are tender, about 1 hour more. Meanwhile, heat oil over moderate heat in a 12-inch heavy skillet until hot but not smoking, then cook onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring, until onions are pale golden and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. When beans are tender, stir in tomato-onion mixture and simmer until just heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• *A Middle Easterna and African ground-spice mixture that typically contains allspice, cinnamon, clove, cumin, Maras chile, and black pepper. Available at Middle Eastern markets and Formaggio Kitchen (888-212-3224; formaggiokitchen.com).

LEBANESE ROAST AND MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Brown the meat on low heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add the garlic, the onion, the carrot and 1 potato head. Add the pepper, the nutmeg, a little salt (be careful with the salt you will have to add it to the mashed potatoes too) and the cinnamon.
• When brown add the wine, simmer for a bit then add water to cover the meat. Add the cinnamon stick and the laurel leaves.
• Let it cook on medium heat.
• When cooked remove it from its sauce and blend the sauce with the rest of the ingredients.
• Put back the mix on fire, add 2 Tbsp of flour and 2 Tbsp of butter. Reduce the sauce till it has a viscous consistency.
• Prepare the mashed potatoes: Boil the potatoes till cooked, then blend (with a little of the cooking water).
• Put back on fire with the butter and the milk, mix till they becomes homogeneous and bring to a boil. The mix must have the consistency of a cake's dough.
• When cold, cut the meat in thin round pieces (around 1cm at most).
• Serve with mashed potatoes covered with gravy.
• You prepare it by blending the meat sauce with the veggies and then reduce it on medium heat after adding 1 or 2 Tbsp flour.

LEBANESE STEW WITH RICE

Steps:

• In large bowl, rinse rice with cool water until starch is gone and water turns out clear.
• Repeat process with warm water.
• Drain completely, and add just enough HOT water to cover the rice.
• Set rice aside.
• In skillet, heat oil on high.
• Add beef and cook until browned.
• Add cinnamon and onion, saute until onions become brown and transparent.
• Add tomato and garlic, continue heating until garlic begins to cook.
• Transfer to large pot and add canned vegetables, potato, and tomato sauce.
• Cover and simmer on medium-low 45 minutes to an hour, or until potato is soft and beef is tender and cooked through.
• Reduce heat to low, set aside,.
• In large sauce pan, combine rice, water, oil and salt.
• Cook on medium for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Serve stew over bed of rice, enjoy with pita bread.