Hummus with Ras Asfour Recipe

I believe that everybody is familiar with our traditional plate Hummus (Chick Peas with Tahini). Lebanon entered the Guinness Book of World Records when our Lebanese Chef’s prepared the biggest plate of Hummus ever. However, I don’t think that many of you know what is Ras Asfour, which translated literally means “the head of the bird”. Ironically, it is actually sheep’s meat cut into small sized pieces, nearly as big as a bird’s head, hence the name. Today I made a plate combining hummus with the Ras Asfour meat.

I brought the meat from the butcher in small cuts and I cut it into even smaller pieces. Sheep meat is not lean, so I had to remove some of the fat, but leave enough to keep the meat tender.

Note that you can eat these two separately and each will taste delicious on it’s own.

Ingredients for the Hummus:

2 cups of chick peas
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of Tahini
3 lemon squeezed, salt
2 clove of crushed garlic

Preparation for the Hummus:

Soak the chick peas in a large bowl of water and baking soda, for 12 hours at least. The peas will increase volume after soaking.

Drain them from the water, wash thoroughly and boil in salted water. It will take about one hour and a half for the chick peas to be cooked. When you see a white foam forming on the top of the water, remove it and keep boiling

When the chick peas are soft, drain from the water again and mash them, you can use whatever you have for this purpose (a food processor, blender, etc)

Add the crushed garlic, the salt, the Tahini and the lemon juice and mix well. Adjust the taste of salt and lemon as you desire

Now that the Hummus is ready you can prepare the meat of Ras Asfour.

Ingredients for the Ras Asfour meat:

200 grams of tender sheep meat cut into small size
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of grenadine of molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seven spices

Preparation:

In a small saucepan heat the oil and fry the onion

When it becomes golden color add the meat and fry until it turns very dark, add a small cup of water and cover, let it cook on very low heat until the meat is tender

When it is done add the salt, seven spices and the grenadine of molasses

Now that you have everything ready, place the chick peas in a plate, on the top put the cooked meat. For decoration and taste, add some fried pine seeds on the top of the meat and some olive oil.

Jareesh Recipe

Jareesh is a traditional dish popular in the Arabian Peninsula. It is made from crushed wheat and cooked with milk. The texture of Jareesh is similar to the texture of oatmeal when cooked with milk.

Ingredients:

250g veal chucks with bones, fat trimmed
1 cup cracked wheat (Jareesh wheat
¼ cup Egyptian rice
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
3 pieces of the following whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper)
1 black lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, cut into wedges
2 cloves of garlic
1 liter boiling water
170g low fat yogurt
½ cup low fat milk
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black lemon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons water

Steps:

1) Wash the veal and put in a pot over low heat then add the whole spices, salt, first amount of onions and garlic. Cover until the meat has released its water and the water has evaporated.

2) Add the boiling water to the meat and cook covered over medium heat for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.

3) Wash both of the Jareesh and rice then soak in water until the meat is cooked. Strain the meat and cover for serving time. Keep the stock.

4) Add the stock to the pot with the Jareesh and rice until it boils then lower the heat as much as possible. Place a metal ring under the pot after that and cook covered for about an hour, until the meat is cooked.

5) Mix the yogurt with the milk and add to the Jareesh pot, Stir and cover then cook for at least 15 minutes.

6) In small pan, add the chopped onions with the corn oil and stir until the onions are soft, add the cardamom and the ground black lemon, stirring until the onions turn golden brown in color.

7) Add the water to the onions, boil for a minute then remove from the heat. Pour the Jareesh in a serving dish then place the meat in the middle (bones can be removed from the meat), pour the onion mix on top and serve hot.

Fasulia (Middle Eastern Lamb and Bean Stew) Recipe

Prep 15 MIN
Total 4 HR 0 MIN
Servings 6

Slow cooked lamb, green beans, and potato, in a savory tomato broth spiked with cumin and allspice.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds lamb shoulder
42 ounce canned diced tomatoes
4 small golden potatoes
12 ounce green beans
1 large onion sliced
3 cloves garlic
2 cups stock
1 can cannellini beans
Rice
Flour

Steps

1. Cut the lamb into 1 inch pieces, dry, salt, pepper, and very lightly coat with flour. Cook in a pot on very high heat in a small amount of olive oil until browned. do this in 2 batches, making sure to brown everything really nicely. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the onion to the pan, scraping the pan to release any brown bits. If there is any stubborn brown bits that are beginning to burn, splash a little water into the pan and they should come off easily. Cook the onions until they are beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the spices and stir to coat everything.

3. Add the tomatoes and taste, adjusting salt and spices if needed. Return the lamb to the pot and simmer for about 2 hours.

4. Chop the potatoes into big chunks and add to the pot. Add stock if you need more liquid. Simmer 20 minutes.

5. Add the green beans (and again more stock if needed) and simmer 40 minutes or until potatoes and green beans are tender. Add cannellini beans and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Lemon and mint lamb kebabs with couscous salad recipe

for 4 people
Takes 20 minutes to make and 10-12 minutes to cook
Easy

Perfect for a barbecue, but if it rains, cook under a grill for a tasty summer meal. These light cookies are just as delicious eaten on their own, but look stunning when presented as a dessert. This recipe uses the UK's No.1 sweetener

INGREDIENTS

500g lamb leg steaks
4 small red onions, cut into wedges
2 small-medium courgettes, halved lengthways and thickly sliced
(sh) Lemon and mint dressing
Grated zest from 3 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp granular Canderel
4 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
(sh) Couscous
125g couscous
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
5 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

METHOD

1. Cut the lamb into cubes, thread onto metal skewers alternating with the onions and courgettes.
2. Mix together the lemon juice, zest, garlic, olive oil, and Canderel.
3. To make the couscous salad, put the couscous into a bowl, pour over the stock and leave to stand for 10 minutes then fluff up with a fork. Add 2 tbsp of the lemon and mint dressing, stir into the couscous. When cool add the tomatoes and spring onions and season if needed and toss together.
4. To cook the kebabs, preheat the barbecue, brush the kebabs with some of the dressing. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning until the lamb is cooked. Serve with the couscous salad with any extra dressing drizzled over the kebabs.

Lamb kofta kebabs recipe

Serves 4
Ready in 25 minutes
Easy

A healthier version of that takeaway classic, this kebab recipe has all the taste without the grease.

INGREDIENTS

500g organic lamb mince
1 tbsp Moroccan spice mix (we used Schwartz)
1 spring onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, plus extra for the salad
4 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
3 tbsp houmous
150g natural yogurt
Warm pittas, to serve (we used Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Mixed Olive Pittas)
Salad and sliced red onion, to serve

METHOD

01. Preheat the grill to medium-hot. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water.

02. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the mince, spice mix, spring onion and the coriander. Season. Shape into 32 balls and thread 4 onto each skewer. Grill or barbecue for 10-15 minutes, turning, until cooked. Just before they are ready, brush with the jam.

03. Mix the houmous and yogurt in a bowl. Season. Accompany the kebabs with pittas, salad, sliced red onion sprinkled with coriander and the houmous dressing.

Turkish pizza recipe

1:50 Prep | 0:35 Cook | 4 Servings | Advanced

Get set for a fun, budget-friendly dinner with a little taste of Turkey. The pide would be a great meal for a football final (or two).

INGREDIENTS

250g bread and pizza plain flour
1 teaspoon instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
150ml water
3 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra to grease

TOPPING
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
500g lamb mince
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus extra, to serve
Small handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons couscous
125g Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt
2 teaspoons harissa

METHOD

Step 1
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast. Stir in the salt and sugar until combined. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the water and oil. Stir until just combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes. Drizzle extra oil into a large clean bowl. Add dough and turn to coat. Cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Step 2
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and lamb. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until lamb starts to brown. Stir in cumin, coriander and paprika for 1 minute. Stir in tomato and paste. Season. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool. Stir mint and coriander into the lamb mixture.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 250C/230C fan forced. Sprinkle 2 baking trays with a little couscous.

Step 4
Knead the dough briefly in the bowl to knock out the air. Place on a floured surface. Halve dough. Roll out each piece to a 30cm disc. Place on prepared trays. Set aside for 20 minutes to rise slightly. Spread lamb mixture over dough, leaving a 2cm border. Fold in 2 sides to form an oval. Twist ends. Sprinkle dough with remaining couscous.

Step 5
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Place yoghurt and harissa in a bowl. Season. Stir until nearly combined. Drizzle over pizzas. Scatter with extra mint.

Lamb biryani recipe

0:45 Prep | 3:25 Cook | 6 Servings  | Capable cooks

Curried lamb layered with saffron rice and fried onions makes for a biri-yummy bake.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
3 large brown onions, halved, thinly sliced
1.2kg lamb leg, boned, cut into 4cm pieces
3cm-piece fresh ginger, finely grated
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 long fresh green chillies
8 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
260g (1 cup) Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt
375ml (1 1/2 cups) Massel chicken style liquid stock
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup chopped fresh coriander
500g (2 1/2 cups) Basmati rice
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
40g (1/4 cup) slivered almonds, toasted
50g (1/4 cup) Thompson raisins

METHOD

Step 1
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a bowl. Spray pan with oil. Brown lamb, in 2 batches, turning, for 2-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Stir ginger, garlic, chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, garam masala, cloves and two-thirds of onion in pan for 2-3 minutes. Season. Add lamb. Reduce heat to medium-low.Stir in yoghurt for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2
Add stock. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Cook for 45 minutes. Uncover. Increase heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring often. Stir in half the mint and coriander. Cool.

Step 3
Meanwhile, spray a 5cm-deep, 3.5L (14-cup) baking dish with oil. Cook the rice following packet directions until almost tender. Combine the milk and saffron in a small bowl and infuse for 1-2 minutes.

Step 4
Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine half the rice and remaining mint and coriander in a bowl. Spread over base of dish. Top with lamb mixture. Combine milk mixture and remaining onion and rice in a bowl. Spread over lamb.

Step 5
Cover with 2 layers of foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with tomato, almond and raisins.

Sabrina Ghayour’s Persian lamb meatballs recipe

Serves 6 as a main meal or 12 as part of a mezzo
Hands-on time 45min, simmering time 1¼-1½ hours, plus cooling
Easy

Sabrina Ghayour's full-of-flavour meatballs, also known as koofteh berenji, are made with lots of fresh herbs and spices. They are best served with flatbreads and natural yogurt.

Nutritional info per serving
For 6 servings

Calories 477kcals
Fat 22.4g (5.4g saturated)
Protein 26.3g
Carbohydrates 42.7g (6.2g sugars)
Fibre 4.8g
Salt 0.4g

INGREDIENTS

150g basmati rice
100g yellow split peas
500g coarsely ground, best quality lamb or beef mince, around 20 per cent fat
Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
Small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
Small bunch fresh chives, snipped
Small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
3 tbsp plain flour
3 tsp ground turmeric
2 large onions, 1 finely chopped and 1 sliced thinly into half moons
2 handfuls barberries (see Know-how) or fresh/frozen and thawed cranberries, roughly chopped
3 medium free-range eggs
Olive oil for frying
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes

To serve

Extra fresh herbs, coarsely chopped
Natural yogurt
Flatbreads

METHOD

1. Put a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and pour in 1 litre freshly boiled water from a kettle. Season with salt, then add the rice and boil for 7 minutes. Drain the rice and set aside to cool.

2. Repeat the same process, cooking the yellow split peas in 1.7 litres boiling water in the same pan. Season with salt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice and split peas, minced meat, herbs, flour, 2 tsp of the turmeric, the finely chopped onion, barberries/cranberries, eggs and a generous amount of salt and pepper, mixing well. Shape the mixture into about 12 large rugby ball-shaped meatballs.

4. Drizzle in enough oil to coat the base of a very large, deep saucepan with a lid (or a large casserole) and fry the sliced onions over a medium-low heat for 8 minutes or until beginning to colour slightly. Add the remaining 1 tsp turmeric and the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes more. Add the tomato purée and stir well. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to the mixture and stir.

5. Pour 1 litre water into the pan, add the chopped tomatoes and bring up to the boil. One by one place each koofteh (meatball) carefully into the pan and cook gently over a low-medium heat for 1¼ -1½ hours. Partially cover the pan with the lid – leave it slightly ajar. Once the cooking time has elapsed, taste and adjust the seasoning. Bring the pan to the table and serve sprinkled with fresh herbs, natural yogurt and some warmed flatbread, if you like.

Tips
Handle the mixture gently – it’s quite delicate at the beginning but will hold itself together when cooked.

Know-How
Persians call them koofteh. Turks say köfte and Arabs kefta; all different pronunciations of the same root word ‘kofta’ meaning ‘to pummel’, referring to working the meat to a paste.
Dried barberries are used a lot in Persian cooking. They have a sweet-sour taste and look like small dried cranberries. Find them in Middle Eastern grocers or online.

Coriander and pomegranate lamb cutlets with jersey royals Recipe

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, plus marinating
Easy

This Middle Eastern-inspired lamb cutlet recipe is marinated in a mixture of pomegranate molasses, fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil.

Nutritional info per serving

Calories 450kcals
Fat 21g (6.5g saturated)
Protein 33.9g
Carbohydrates 31.6g (9g sugars)
Fibre 3.1g
Sal t1.6g

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
small bunch of fresh parsley
small bunch of fresh coriander
3 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
8 lamb cutlets
600g jersey royals
a handful of chopped parsley
small bunch of snipped fresh chives

METHOD

1. In a mini food processor, whizz the pomegranate molasses, parsley, coriander, 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt. (Or grind in a pestle and mortar.) Drizzle over the lamb cutlets, toss to coat thoroughly, then leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the jersey royals for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain. Heat the grill to high, put the cutlets on a wire rack and drizzle over any leftover marinade. Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through, until slightly charred and still a little pink inside. Cover with foil until ready to serve.

3. Drizzle the potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, season and stir through the parsley and chives. Serve with the cutlets.

Source: Delicious Magazine

STUFFED EGGPLANT WITH LAMB AND PINENUTS RECIPE

Ingredients

4 medium aubergines (about 1.2kg), halved lengthways (I scored the eggplant to allow the liquids to evaporate)*
6 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 medium onions (340g in total), finely chopped
500g minced lamb
50g pine nuts
20g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tsp tomato purée
3 tsp superfine sugar
150 ml water
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp tamarind paste
4 cinnamon sticks
salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Place the eggplant halves, skin-side down, in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate them snugly. Brush the flesh with 4 tbsp of the olive oil and season with 1 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
3. While the eggplants are cooking, you can start making the stuffing by heating the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Mix together cumin, paprika and ground cinnamon and add half of this spice mix to the pan, along with the onions. Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often, before adding the lamb, pine nuts, parsley, tomato paste, 1 tsp of the sugar, 1 tsp salt and some black pepper. Continue to cook and stir for another 8 minutes, until the meat is cooked.
4. Place the remaining spice mix in a bowl and add the water, lemon juice, tamarind, the remaining 2 tsp sugar, the cinnamon sticks, and 1/2 tsp salt; mix well.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F. Pour the spice mix into the bottom of the eggplant roasting pan. Spoon the lamb mixture on top of each eggplant. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, return to the oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours, by which point the eggplants should be completely soft and the sauce thick; twice during the cooking, remove the foil and baste the eggplants with the sauce, adding some water if the sauce dries out. Serve warm, not hot, or at room temperature.