Lebanese FEAST

Family Lebanese Dinner

On Monday Dan and I made a Lebanese feast for my family. We both have Lebanese Heritage so we were excited to recreate some savored food memories. We've been planning on doing this dinner for a while so Dan asked his mom to make her incredible Lebanese pastries and kibbeh. Everyone agreed that her food is AMAZING.  Dan and I made grape leaves (I made vegan for my sister and me), hummus, Tabbouleh and Salad.

Vegan Grape Leaves

VEGAN GRAPE LEAF INGREDIENTS

- Grape leaves (about 6 each), rinsed and de-stemmed

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tbsp

- Cooked Short Grain Brown Rice, 1 cup

- Leek, 1/2 each, sliced, 1 cup

- Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced, 1 cup

- Crimini Mushrooms, chopped, 1 cup

- Fresh Mint, chopped, 2 Tbsp 

- Lemon, 1 ea

- Sea Salt to taste

- Ground Cinnamon to taste

 

PROCEDURE

- Sautee sliced leek until translucent and soft.

- Add sliced and chopped mushrooms. Season with salt. 

   Cook until soft.

-Take off heat. Mix with cooked brown rice.  

-Add 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh mint, and a pinch of cinnamon.

-Season to taste with salt and lemon juice.

  

ROLLING

-Place rinsed grape leaf vein side up. Put 1-2 Tbsp of mixture into

  grape leaf. Roll up.

COOKING
-Place all rolled grapeleaves into oven proof dish. 

-Place sliced lemons on top.

-Cover with tin foil. Place in oven at 350 degrees for about 30

  minutes.

Tabbouleh with soaked Cracked Wheat

TABBOULEH INGREDIENTS

-Cracked Wheat, 1 cup

-Curly parsley, 2 bunches, rinsed, de-stemmed, pulsed in food

   processor

- Vine-ripe Tomatoes, small dice

- Scallion, 3 ea, sliced thin

- Fresh Mint, chopped, 1/2 cup

-Extra Virgin Olive oil, 2-3 Tbsp

-Lemon, 1-2 each

-Sea Salt to taste

 PROCEDURE

 

CRACKED WHEAT

- Soak 1 cup of cracked wheat in bowl. Cover with water. Let soak 

   until soft (about 30 minutes). Squeeze out excess water before

   adding to mixture.

MIXTURE

 -In medium bowl add cleaned and chopped parsley, diced

   tomatoes, sliced scallion, chopped mint, soaked and squeezed

   cracked wheat and olive oil. Season with lemon juice and 

   sea salt.

Homemade Hummus

 

HUMMUS INGREDIENTS

- Dry Chickpeas, 1 lb, soaked in water for 6-8 hours 

   THEN cooked in salted water

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 Tbsp

- Lemon juice, 2 lemons

- Garlic Cloves, 2 each, peeled

-Tahini, 3 Tbsp

- Sea Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

- Place cooked chickpeas in food processor. Add Olive oil, juice
   of 2 lemons, garlic cloves and Tahini. Blend.
- Add enough water to make a smooth texture. Season to taste with 
   sea salt.

Salad with Lebanese Seasoning

SALAD INGREDIENTS
- Baby Arugula, 1 lb
- Mixed Baby Greens, 1 lb
- Radishes, sliced, 1 cup
- Red onion, 1/3 each, sliced
- English Cucumber, 1 ea, sliced
- Vine-ripe Tomatoes, 2 ea, sliced into wedges
- Fresh Mint, 1 bunch, torn
- Lemon Juice, 2-3 ea
- Ground Cinnamon, to taste
- Sea Salt to taste
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste

Vegan Lebanese plate: Tabouli, hummus, Gape leaf, Salad