Quince tatin by Anne-Marie Bassoul
Last night my friend Anne-Marie came over to visit and brought this; she said “it is not the usual Tarte Tatin“; these oversized apples are actually quinces; Anne-Marie is a friend I am extremely proud of; she dropped her glamorous Parisian life and a lucrative career to dive into the...
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Beans in tomato sauce
The more I study Lebanese cuisine (and practice it) , the more I realize that, by and large, it is a really simple and straighforward type of cuisine. Take this bean dish: Just beans, tomatoes and onions stewed for a while until thickened and that’s it! No mystery there. INGREDIENTS:...
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Stuffed potatoes (Batata mehshiyeh bel-lahem al-mafrum)
One thing the Lebanese Master chefs are known for, is their propensity to stuff veggies. Last time, we stuffed zucchinis (and tiny ones), today we are stuffing perfectly oblong potatoes. Potatoes here are absolutely delicious. I am convinced it is because they are grown nearby. The key here is to...
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Stuffed zucchini in yogurt sauce
Definitely comfort-food, Lebanese-style; these are available already cored and neatly wrapped in all large supermarkets; all one has to do is quickly stuff them, parboil them and finish them off in a yogurt sauce; the pulp is great for making fritters. A vegetarian version of this dish could be rice and...
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Loukoum ice-cream
Happy Eid el-Adha 2014. This ice-cream flavor (loukoum+vanilla) was created by Nayla, a former schoolmate, who is now head of one of the most successful ice-cream businesses in Beirut. I remember my disbelief when I first came back here and heard about her ice-cream venture; I remembered her being...
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Potato cake
The coming of Fall and the ensuing cold weather does not thrill me to bits, if it was not for the veggies that one gets to indulge in, like potatoes or pumpkins. This potato cake is simple to make, just a casserole of sliced taters with grated cheese and...
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Red pepper paste
Can anybody live without some kind of red pepper paste in the pantry? I know I can’t!! 1 lb chili peppers or a combo of chili peppers and bell peppers (I used 3 and 3) 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp coarse salt or sea salt...
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Labneh balls (Labneh makbouseh)
A slow-food activity for a week-end; making these labneh balls can also pay-off later on when a housewarming gift is needed. Just drain the yogurt overnight (or better yet, for a couple of days); using a small cookie dough scooper, make these little balls, place them on a...
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Incense flavored food
Food has been flavored with incense in Lebanon, in communities across the board; usually, pastries, such as maamoul or pudding such as khabeessa ( a walnut studded jelly made with grape molasses or plain sugar); a popular drink too, jellab, based on date and raisin molasses is incense-flavored. In...
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