Flourless black forest cupcake
Beirut is not lacking in fine pastry shops; quite the contrary, I can list several that rival Paris best pâtisseries (there is even a Ladurée shop in Beirut for macarons), not counting my friendAnne-Marie‘s yummy creations. As a side note, the reason Lebanon has such a strong French influence...
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Duck breast with apples
Perfect for a weeknight meal (speedy) yet elegant enough for a sit-down dinner. To coat the apples and duck use a superlative honey ( I used that jar of grape molasses on the left) or apple molasses. INGREDIENTS: 4 servings 2 duck breasts 4 apples, peeled and sliced 1/2...
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Lebanese snacks
Greengrocers, street cart vendors are displaying huge mounds of these fresh almonds (background) and sour plums called janarek. These are eaten here as a snack with a dab of salt, but I have used the almonds cut up in salads with good results. They are very crunchy and a...
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Chicken Asian-style
A large number of Filipinos reside in Lebanon and this dish is inspired by a recipe from an article featuring Filipino cuisine in Fatafeat magazine (12/09 issue). This chicken and veggie dish belongs to the category of no-brainers, with minimum fuss and maximum flavor from the coconut milk, ginger...
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Zaatar, Aleppo or Lebanese-style
Had to stop for a kaak on my way to the mountains this weekend at ABU ARAB. ABU ARAB is a kaak place in which kaak is baked on the premises and stuffed with traditional things like zaatar or Picon cheese (a cross between cream cheese and Velveeta)or non-traditional...
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Fresh pineapple crumble
Yet another dessert inspired by Femme Actuelle of this week, streamlined to make it faster. A bite of this buttery crumble is offset by the tangy/sweet/mellow pineapple and banana slice. Not too shabby with a dollop of cream either. INGREDIENTS: 8 servings 100 g. of whole-wheat flour (can use...
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Lentil kibbeh
This is a speedy and delicious type of kibbeh (in Kurdish balloo3) that I tasted at the home of a Kurdish friend whose family resided in Turkey. The lentils cook in water in minutes and are combined with fine bulgur; spices here are dried coriander and fried onions and...
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Red pepper powder
A mere 25 minutes from Beirut and you can be right smack in the heart of the Shouf region; this region is beautiful and well-preserved by its locals and is made up of lush mountains and valleys as well as forests of majestic cedars. A short stop at Moukhtara where...
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Cheese maamoul
Cheese maamoul served warm in Beirut at https://www.facebook.com/cafelibanais/ Thanks to witty, warm and talented Ruby, I found out I have been nominated by SAVEUR in the category of Best Regional Cuisine Blog. If you, dear reader, the anonymous one and the one that I have made friends with, care to see this little...
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