lebanese - tawlet.comtawlet.com/pdf/masterchef.pdf · tawlet, a food producers’ kitchen...

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world class Lebanese

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Mezze is more than just food, it’s a way of life, says Beirut-based food writer and restaurateur Kamal Mouzawak. Learn his secrets to the art of grazing.

Lebaneserecipes kAmAL moUZAWAk / photoGraphY BreTT STeVeNS / stYlinG kriSTiNe-DUrAN ThieSSeN / Food preparation oLiViA ANDreWS & SoPhiA YoUNG / drink suGGestions GreG DUNcAN PoWeLL / words BeThAN WATerhoUSe

World class

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kamal mouzawak

chopped onion and pine nuts, and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes or until lamb is cooked through. Cool.4 To make kibbeh, shape 2 tbs burghul mixture into a ball. Holding the ball in one hand, use the index finger of your other hand to make a hole to the centre. Fill with 1 heaped teaspoon lamb filling, then enclose filling and taper the ends to form an oval shape. Repeat with the remaining burghul mixture and lamb filling. Makes 16.5 Fill a deep-fryer or saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 160C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). Working in 3 batches, gently lower kibbeh into oil and fry, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.6 Transfer to a plate and serve.

TROUT KIBBEHthe best raw kibbeh is traditionally

made from top-quality fresh meat,

which is pounded in a large stone

mortar to a fine paste. For a twist, this

recipe uses fish instead of meat. allow

an extra hour to soak the burghul.

• SERVES: 8 AS A MEZZE

• PREPARATION: 20 MINS

55g (1/3 cup) fine burghul* 500g sashimi-grade skinless

ocean trout,* pin-boned,

belly fat trimmed, chopped

4 eschalots, finely grated

1/2 tsp sumac* 1 long green chilli, seeded,

finely chopped

1/4 cup coriander leaves

Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Lemon cheeks and flat bread, to serve

1 Place burghul in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, then set aside for 1 hour or until softened. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to drain excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl. Discard liquid.

Imagine a simple restaurant in the heart of Beirut with communal tables laden with food prepared by a different cook each day. That’s Tawlet, a food producers’ kitchen showcasing regional food, one of Kamal Mouzawak’s many ideas. Kamal is a food writer and an ambassador for responsible food production. In 2004, he founded Lebanon’s first farmers’ market, Souk el Tayeb. He has also set up food festivals and workshops, and has presented a TV show. Here, he shares the joys of Lebanese mezze:

“For many, mezze is still a collection of ‘exotic’ recipes, but for us Lebanese, it is not so much about the dishes or recipes, but about a way of eating, living and sharing. Mezze is about festive meals and Sunday lunches where all the family is gathered around the table. Grandma is in charge of the kitchen and gives instructions to all the women, there are kids running around, the men get impatient and want to eat, and a few men are in charge of the barbecue grilling skewers,” Kamal explains.

“Mezze is about abundance, hospitality and taking your time. This translates into a considerable number of small salads, cooked dishes, cheeses and light stews served hot or cold, to nibble at and savour for hours with a glass (or many) of arak [liquor],” says Kamal. Sounds pretty good to us!

2 Process fish in a food processor to a smooth paste. Add fish, eschalots and sumac to burghul. Using your hands, combine well. If mixture is very thick, add an ice cube and stir until melted. 3 Spoon kibbeh onto a platter and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Scatter with chilli and coriander, drizzle with oil and season with pepper. 4 Serve trout kibbeh with lemon wedges and toasted flat bread.

MONK’S SALADGrilled eggplant is light and

healthy, and its smooth cooked

flesh combines perfectly with

tomatoes and fresh greens.



• COOKING: 25 MINS

2 x 500g (large) eggplants

2 vine-ripened tomatoes,

cut into 2cm pieces

1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

2 tbs pomegranate molasses* 2 tbs olive oil

1 Using a fork, prick eggplant skins all over, then place each one directly over a medium gas flame. Cook, turning every couple of minutes with tongs, for 12 minutes or until skin is charred and blackened, and flesh is soft when pierced with a skewer. (If you don’t have a gas stove top, cook eggplants over a barbecue grill plate.) Place the eggplants in a bowl and cool.2 Peel skin from eggplants, then place flesh in a sieve over a bowl for a few seconds to drain excess moisture. Using your hands, shred eggplant into strips. Place in a single layer in a large bowl with tomatoes, mint and spring onions. 3 Drizzle the monk’s salad with pomegranate molasses and olive oil, then season with salt to serve.

FRIED LAMB KIBBEHkibbeh, made from burghul and meat,

is a type of dish that has many forms

and flavours. For a mezze feast, it

comes as these fried meatballs, which

are oval-shaped, thin, crisp and filled

with spicy minced meat and pine nuts.

allow an extra hour to soak burghul.

• MAKES: 16



200g (11/4 cups) fine burghul* 300g minced lamb or beef

1 large onion

1 tbs vegetable oil, plus

extra, to deep-fry

2 tbs pine nuts

1 Place burghul in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, then set aside for 1 hour or until softened. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to drain the excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl.2 Process 250g lamb in a food processor to a smooth paste, then add to burghul. Finely chop half the onion and reserve for the filling. Coarsely grate remaining onion and add to burghul mixture. Using your hands, combine well. Season with salt and pepper.3 To make filling, heat 1 tbs oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add remaining 50g lamb and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until almost cooked, then season. Add reserved

TOp TIpS Burghul (cracked wheat),

available from the health food

section of supermarkets, is whole

wheat that has been partially

boiled, cracked and dried.

sashimi-grade trout is valued

for its impeccable freshness and

should be used when eating raw

or partially cooked fish.

sumac is a reddish-brown,

sour ground middle eastern spice

available from supermarkets.

pomegranate molasses is from

selected supermarkets and delis.

The beauty of mezze is that anything goes. Serve dishes banquet-style for a long lunch or select your favourites and serve them as starters.

Fried lamb kibbeh and trout kibbeh

kamal’s restaurant, Tawlet, in Beirut

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69

1 onion, finely chopped


finely chopped

1 long green chilli, seeded,

finely chopped

1 tbs currants

1 tbs pine nuts, roasted

1/2 tsp ground allspice

2 tbs olive oil

2 lemons, juiced

100g (1/2 cup) long-grain rice

200g preserved vine leaves,*

rinsed, stalks discarded

Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

1 To make filling, combine all the ingredients except vine leaves in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.2 Place a vine leaf, smooth-side down, on a work surface and place 2 tsp filling in the centre along the base of the leaf. Fold in both sides, then roll up fairly tightly to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining leaves and stuffing. Makes 40. Reserve liquid from filling in bowl.3 Tightly pack stuffed vine leaves in a deep, 28cm-wide frying pan. Strain reserved liquid over pan, then weigh down stuffed leaves with a large plate; this will help to prevent the leaves from unravelling and keep their shape. Pour enough water around plate to just cover vine leaves, then cook over low heat for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Cool. 4 Serve drizzled with oil and pan juices.

FRIED CAULIFLOWER WITH TARATORFrying cauliflower transforms its

flavour, bringing out a very moreish

sweet, nutty quality that’s not evident

when it’s raw. the lemony taste of the

tarator dipping sauce is the perfect

balance for the rich fried cauliflower.




Vegetable oil, to deep-fry

1 small cauliflower, cut into

bite-sized florets

TArATor

90g (1/3 cup) tahini* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 pinch ground cumin

STUFFED VINE LEAVES this dish is the delight and torment

of mediterranean cuisine. there’s the

torment of selecting the preserved

leaves – they all have to be a certain

size and be tender enough – then filling

and rolling each one. But there is true

delight in eating them, especially when

prepared with a meat stuffing or served

with lamb chops and a delicious sauce.

• MAKES: 40



1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley,

finely chopped

1/4 bunch mint, finely chopped

From top: fried cauliflower with tarator; stuffed vine leaves; monk’s salad (recipe page 69).

Spinach fatayer (recipe page 76)

TOp TIpS preserved vine leaves are from

delis and selected supermarkets.

Vine leaves will vary in size.

if they are small, use 2 leaves,

overlapped, to make 1 large

leaf. if they have large gaps

at the edges, cover the gaps

with torn pieces from another

leaf for an even shape.

tahini, a paste made from

sesame seeds, is available from

supermarkets and greengrocers.

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Serve warm wedges of toasted flat bread to scoop up hummus and chopped salads.

1 Fill a deep-fryer or saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 160C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 20 seconds). Working in 3 batches, gently lower cauliflower into oil and fry for 5 minutes or until golden and just tender. Drain on paper towel and season with salt.2 Meanwhile, to make tarator, whisk tahini, garlic, lemon juice, ground cumin, 1 tsp salt and 80ml (¹⁄³ cup) cold water in a bowl until combined and smooth. Makes 180ml (¾ cup).3 Transfer fried cauliflower to a bowl and serve with tarator to dip.

GRILLED LAMB SKEWERSYou’ll need 10 x 25cm bamboo skewers

soaked in water for 30 minutes (see

cooking notes, last pages). allow

an extra 30 minutes to marinate lamb.

• MAKES: 20



1 small onion

2 tsp ground allspice

2 tbs olive oil

1kg lamb backstraps, trimmed,

cut into 3cm cubes

10 eschalots, peeled

Flat-leaf parsley, hummus (recipe

follows) and flat bread, to serve

1 To make marinade, grate onion. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to remove juices. Discard solids. Add allspice, oil and 1 tsp salt to onion juices, and whisk to combine. Add lamb and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, blanch eschalots in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until softened. Drain and set aside.3 Thread 4 pieces of lamb and an eschalot onto each skewer, varying the position of eschalots each time.4 Preheat a chargrill pan over high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook skewers, turning, for 4 minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 3 minutes. 5 Scatter with parsley and serve with hummus and flat bread.

HUMMUSin lebanon, they say you can judge

a restaurant by its hummus. it’s so

easy to make, but getting the right

balance and consistency can be

difficult. hummus is the arabic word

for ‘chickpeas’, as well as the name

of this chickpea paste. the latter is

prepared by soaking and boiling

chickpeas, then crushing them to

a fine paste with garlic, tahini, lemon

juice and salt. hummus is not a sauce

or dip, but one of many mezze dishes.

start this recipe a day ahead.




200g (1 cup) dried chickpeas,*

soaked in water overnight

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 clove garlic

140g (1/2 cup) tahini (see

Top Tips, page 70)

2 lemons, juiced

Olive oil, to serve

1 Rinse and drain chickpeas, then place in a saucepan. Cover with cold water, then stir in bicarbonate of soda;

this helps soften the chickpeas. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 50 minutes or until tender.2 Drain chickpeas, reserving 125ml (½ cup) cooking liquid and 1 tbs chickpeas. Cool slightly, then process in a food processor until smooth. Add garlic, tahini and lemon juice, season with salt, then process until very smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tbs at a time, until it has reached the desired consistency. (Hummus thickens as it cools, so check the consistency just before serving.) It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 2 cups.3 Spoon hummus into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter with reserved chickpeas to serve.

TOp TIp substitute 2 x 400g cans

chickpeas, rinsed, drained for

dried chickpeas. omit step 1 and

substitute 125ml (1/2 cup) water

for cooking liquid in step 2.

From top: tabouleh (recipe page 74); grilled lamb skewers and hummus.

AND TO DRINK… save complex wines for another

time – lebanese food has pure,

simple flavours and goes well

with drinks of the same nature.

unwooded semillon is a good

white for lebanese food. it has

plenty of cut and works with

tabouleh and white meat.

red-meat mezze goes well with

young, vibrant reds. don’t choose

anything too oaky or high-end;

decent cask cabernet sauvignon

can work. and warm-climate durif

is particularly good with lebanese

chargrilled lamb. mezze can also

suit beer; choose a tangy lager

for fried mezze. Greg

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73

TOp TIpS For burghul, sumac and

pomegranate molasses, see

top tips, page 69.

makanek sausages are available

from middle eastern butchers.

merguez sausages are typically

north african in origin. they are

usually made from lamb or beef,

or a mixture of both, and are

spiced with chilli and harissa,

which gives them a red colour.

available from selected butchers.

if you can’t find makanek or

merguez sausages, substitute

lamb, beef or pork sausages; the

pomegranate molasses will make

the dish taste as authentic.

1 Using your index finger and thumb, press firmly through a sausage at the halfway point to separate the meat, then twist the sausage casing to make 2 smaller sausages (if using merguez sausages, twist at two even points to form 3 smaller sausages). Using kitchen scissors, cut at the twist to separate. Repeat with remaining sausages.2 Preheat a chargrill pan or barbecue to medium and cook sausages, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer sausages to a bowl, add pomegranate molasses and stir to combine. 3 Place makanek on a platter and serve immediately.

Lay on a feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach and serve your mezze using an eclectic mix of bright, jewel-coloured bowls and plates.

TABOULEH tabouleh is as famous as the

cedars of lebanon. it’s the trademark

dish of lebanese cuisine and one of

the best known throughout the world.

Good tabouleh is eaten with fresh

leaves of lettuce or cabbage and,

in the first days of spring, with tender,

freshly picked vine leaves. the secret

to a good tabouleh lies in having

dexterity while chopping the

ingredients. the parsley should

be sliced rather than chopped,

without being bruised. allow an

extra hour to soak the burghul.



55g (1/3 cup) fine burghul* 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley

1 small bunch mint,

leaves picked

1 large vine-ripened tomato,

cut into 1cm pieces

2 spring onions, finely chopped

2 lemons, juiced

80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil



1 baby cos lettuce,

thickly shredded

2 spring onions,

roughly chopped


roughly chopped

2 Lebanese cucumbers,

halved, sliced on

the diagonal

6 red radishes, cut into

small wedges

1 cup firmly packed flat-leaf

parsley, torn

1 cup firmly packed mint

leaves, torn

1 pita bread, toasted,

broken into pieces

FATToUSh DreSSiNG 1 tbs sumac* 125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil

2 tbs pomegranate molasses*

1 To make fattoush dressing, whisk together sumac, oil and pomegranate molasses in a small bowl.2 Place cos lettuce, spring onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, parsley and mint in a large bowl and toss gently to combine.3 Pour over dressing, season with salt and toss to combine. Scatter with torn pita bread to serve.

LEBANESE SAUSAGES (MAKANEK)makanek is a type of lebanese sausage

made from a mixture of beef, lamb and

sometimes pork. a comforting spicy

staple in winter, these are cooked on

the barbecue or fried in their own

juices and then seasoned with lemon

juice or pomegranate molasses for

a thick, delicious gravy to mop up with

flat bread. serve them with lemon

wedges to squeeze over if you like

them extra tangy!

• SERVES: 4–6 AS A MEZZE



500g makanek* or

merguez sausages* 2 tbs pomegranate molasses

SpICY pOTATOES (BATATA HARRA) these cubes of golden fried potato,

seasoned with coriander, garlic and

lemon, are a fragrant combination.

they’re perfect with grilled meats,

such as kebabs.




Vegetable oil, to fry

1kg sebago potatoes, peeled,

cut into 3cm pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped coriander

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 lemon, juiced

From top: fattoush; spicy potatoes; Lebanese sausages.

1 Fill a deep-fryer or saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 180C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Just before frying, season potatoes with salt. Working in 2 batches, gently lower potatoes into oil and fry, stirring, for 6 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.2 Place coriander, garlic and chilli in a bowl and stir to combine. Heat 1 tbs oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander mixture and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the fried potatoes and lemon juice, and toss to combine.3 Transfer spicy potatoes to a bowl and serve immediately.

1 Place burghul in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, then set aside for 1 hour or until softened. Drain in a sieve over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to drain excess moisture. Discard liquid.2 Trim 5cm from parsley stalks and discard. Thinly slice parsley and mint, and place in a large bowl with burghul and tomato. Place onions, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper in a small bowl. Using your fingers, rub to combine. Add to parsley mixture and toss to combine, then stir in lemon juice and oil. Makes 4 cups.

FATTOUSHFattoush or tabouleh? it’s the eternal

dilemma when ordering mezze, often

solved by ordering both! Fattoush is,

in a way, the peasant brother of

tabouleh; a salad made from the

garden’s goodies and grilled bread.

the dressing is a simple preparation

of sumac and olive oil, and the grilled

bread (some prefer it fried... another

dilemma) is added at the very last

minute to keep it crunchy.

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TOp TIpS sumac; see top tips, page 69.

labne, available from delis and

supermarkets, is drained yoghurt.

SpINACH FATAYERFatayer are small savoury pies. like

many other mezze dishes, they come

in a variety of shapes with different

fillings and names. these ones are

filled with a spinach and herb mixture,

seasoned with sumac and flavoured

with finely chopped onion. allow an

extra hour to prove the dough (see

cooking notes, last pages).

• MAKES: 20



1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbs sumac*

500g baby spinach,

finely chopped

1 small vine-ripened tomato,

finely chopped

Olive oil, to brush

Lemon wedges and labne* dusted

with sumac, to serve

FATAYer DoUGh 250g (12/3 cup) plain flour, sifted

1/2 tsp dried yeast

1 To make dough, combine flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Gradually add 160ml (²⁄³ cup) lukewarm water and stir to form a dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth, adding a little more flour if too sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to prove for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.

2 Meanwhile, to prepare filling, place onion, sumac, spinach and tomato in a large bowl. Season with salt and stir to combine. Drain in a large sieve over a bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture. Discard liquid and set aside.3 Preheat oven to 200C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper. Divide dough into 20 and cover with a clean tea towel to prevent dough drying out. Roll a portion into a ball on a lightly floured work surface, then, using a floured rolling pin, roll out until 4mm thick. Place 1 packed tablespoon filling in centre, then fold in dough

AND TO FINISH... after you’ve had your fill of

mezze dishes, it’s satisfying

to end on a sweet note. serve

dessert in the same style as you

would the mezze platters, with

a selection of sweets to pass

around and nibble on. stock up

on various pastries and sweets

from middle eastern bakeries and

arrange them on tiered platters,

along with fresh pomegranates,

walnuts and almonds in their

shells, dates and clusters of

muscatels. to top it off, serve

with freshly brewed black coffee.

from 3 sides to form a triangular parcel. Press edges together with fingertips to seal and place on prepared trays. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.4 Lightly brush fatayer with oil, then bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cool.5 Transfer to a platter. Serve with lemon and labne dusted with sumac.

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lebanese - tawlet.comtawlet.com/pdf/masterchef.pdf · tawlet, a food producers’ kitchen...

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