Tabbouleh
Let it be said here and now, the main ingredient in tabbouleh is PARSLEY. I feel better now. No parsley, no tabbouleh! Grain salads that pretend to be tabbouleh are simply an insult to the real thing.
Swiss Chard Omelette
1 cup of Swiss chard contains 4 mg of iron. which makes it a significant source of iron, particularly for vegetarians.
Summer Zucchini Stew (Mfaraket Koussa)
Prepared in an easy style, this is one of the easiest and simplest summer stews for taking advantage of the abundant summer zucchini.
Stuffed Vine Leaves
Stuffed vine leaves are one of the most popular starters in the Lebanese cuisine. In this recipe, the local burghol is used ir more common rice.
Stuffed Artichokes (Ardeh Chawkeh Mehsheh)
Artichokes are from the wonderful plant that is related to the gracious antique acanthus leaves that adorned Roman Corinthian capitals scattered all over Baalbeck and other Roman temples and ruins in Lebanon.
Stewed Green Beans (Loubyieh B’zeit)
Loubyieh b’zeit is often cooked in a tomato-based stew. I prefer by far the non-tomato version, which is loaded with garlic (cooked garlic adds sweetness to the dish) and concentrates the taste of the green beans.
Spinach Stew with Pine Nuts (Yakhnet Sbenegh)
Spinach has always had the Popeye “miracle” reputation: very nutritious, as mothers around the world have always repeated to their children! This simple stew gains so much flavor from the garlic and the coriander, a staple couple of Lebanese cuisine.
Spinach and Sumac Pies (Fatayer Khodra)
These herb pies are mainly of spinach, with onion and lemony sumac. An even better version is the baa’leh (purslane) pies, which have a very earthy taste.
Southern-Style Split Lentils with Rice (Mujadara Safra)
This is the mujadara of South Lebanon. With a light yellow color, and a runnier consistency, the mujadara safra is a perfect summer dish that is best served with radishes and olives. It’s very easy to prepare, with a minimum of ingredients and preparation, and not kitchen machine to use!
Smoked Green Wheat with Vegetables (Frikeh bel Khodra)
Frikeh is a specialty of South Lebanon, Palestine, and Southern regions of Syria. Zeinab Kashmar has devised the best way to cook frikeh: She sautés the grains to add to their nutty, smoky taste. Her frikeh is so tasty that it needs no accompaniment of meat of chicken, but is perfect on its own, with just grilled vegetables.