Wash and dry the lettuce. Put the lettuce in a perforated plastic bag, and refrigerate until needed.
Boil 2 gallons of water with some salt. Fill a bowl with ice water. Cook the calamari in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in the bowl of ice water. Cook the shrimp in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in the bowl of ice water.
Pour a little olive oil into a large saucepan. Add the mussels, cover, and cook over high heat until they open, approximately 3-5 minutes. Discard the mussels that do not open. Use a spoon to scoop out the mussels. Keep a few in the shell to use as a garnish.
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and freshly ground pepper in a jar. Shake well.
Arrange the roasted peppers on serving plates. Tear the lettuce and, in a large bowl, mix with the seafood. Toss with the dressing and then arrange the salad over the peppers. Serve at once.
!! 52 Mussel Pilaf
Wash and clean the mussels. Heat the olive oil in the pot. Add the onions and fry them until they become transparent. Add the mussels. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and discard the ones which do not open. Add the water, dry white wine, salt and pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. While the wine is cooking, wash the rice until the water running through it is clear. Add the rice and the parsley to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. After the water boils, cover the pot, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. While the rice is cooking, use a spoon to scoop out the mussels. Keep a few in the shell to use as a garnish. After the rice has simmered for 15 minutes, place the shelled mussels over the rice. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel, and then place the lid over the towel. Cook over very low heat for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave covered for 5 minutes. Using a fork, mix the mussels into the rice. Serve with parsley and lemon.
!! 53 Stuffed Zucchini
[Blanch,] peel and chop the tomatoes. With the zucchini corer, [scoop out the center of the zucchini.]
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the onions until soft. In a bowl, combine the meat, rice, onions, tomatoes, parsley, mint and spices. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and mix. [Fill the zucchini with the stuffing] and layer in a large pot. Cover with the stock and adjust the seasoning. Place a heat-resistant plate over the zucchini. Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, very carefully drain the stock into a saucepan. Boil the stock until it is reduced by half. Dissolve the cornstarch in some water and add it to the stock.
Separate the eggs. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the egg yolks and beat while slowly adding the lemon juice. Continue beating the mixture while slowly adding the stock.
Cook for 5 minutes over very low heat. Do not let it boil. Arrange the zucchini on a serving plate. Spoon some hot sauce over the zucchini and serve hot.
!! 54 Khubz - Pita Bread
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water. Add the sugar and let rest until it becomes bubbly, approximately 5 minutes.
Mix the yeast mixture, half of the flour and the remaining water. Blend well. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 45 minutes.
Mix in the rest of the flour, salt and olive oil. [Knead the dough] until it becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 15 minutes. Add more flour or water if the dough becomes too sticky or too firm. Form the dough into a ball and coat with olive oil. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 1 1/2 hours.
[Punch the dough down.] Cut the dough into 6-8 pieces. Using the palm of your hand and a floured work surface, form the dough into balls. Place the balls on the floured work surface, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
[Roll out the dough balls] into 6 inch rounds. Be careful not to break the surface or it will not form a pocket.
Preheat the oven to 475í F.
Flour a baking sheet. Place the flat dough on the baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden, approximately 5 1/2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn the bread over and bake for another 2 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
!! 55 Meatless Cabbage Rolls - Lebanon
Heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan and then fry the spring onions for 2 minutes. Transfer the onions and the oil to a bowl. Add the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Boil water in a saucepan. [Core the cabbage then separate the leaves.] Blanch the cabbage leaves in the boiling water, 2-3 at a time. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place in a colander and let drain.
[Cut off the rib of each leaf.] Line the bottom of a large saucepan with the ribs and any damaged leaves.
Place 1-2 tbs of stuffing on each leaf (depending on the leaf's size). [Roll the leaf.]
Pack the rolls side by side in the pot. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mint, garlic and tomato paste (if using) in a bowl. Mix well. Spread this mixture over the rolls. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. [Cover the rolls] with a heat-proof plate. Cover the plate with water. Bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for 2 hours. Rest for 30 minutes and then serve lukewarm.
!! 56 Lamb Pies - Lahma bi Ajeen - Lebanon
Prepare the pita dough:
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water. Add the sugar and let rest until it becomes bubbly, approximately 5 minutes.
Mix the yeast mixture, half of the flour and the remaining water. Blend well. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 45 minutes.
Mix in the rest of the flour, salt and olive oil. [Knead the dough] until it becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 15 minutes. Add more flour or water if the dough becomes too sticky or too firm. Form the dough into a ball and coat with olive oil. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 1 1/2 hours.
[Punch the dough down] then knead for 3 minutes. Cut the dough into 12-16 pieces. Using the palm of your hand and a floured work surface, form the dough into balls. Place the balls on the floured work surface, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
Prepare the lamb filling:
Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until it becomes soft. Add the ground lamb and continue frying until the meat begins to crumble. Add the pine nuts, spices and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, approximately 8 minutes.
Add the lemon juice or tamarind and let cool.
Prepare the lamb pies:
Preheat the oven to 400í F.
Punch the dough down. [Roll out the dough balls] into 4 inch rounds for flat lamb pies and 6 inch rounds for triangular lamb pies. Spoon some stuffing onto the center of each round. Leave the pies open or [close the triangles.] Put all the pies on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges or yogurt.
!! 57 Ma'amoul - Stuffed Butter Cookies - Lebanon
Prepare the nut filling:
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. Work until chopped and well mixed, or use crushed nuts and simply combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Prepare the Ma'amoul:
Sift the flour and superfine sugar into a bowl. Mix in the butter and rose or orange water. Slowly add milk until you have a workable dough. (Only add what is needed).
Preheat the oven to 325í F.
Break off walnut sized lumps of dough. Roll them into balls. Make a hole in the center of each ball. [Fill the holes with the nut filling and close.] Another way to stuff the cookies is to [flatten] a piece of dough with the palm of your hand, place a little stuffing in the center, fold the dough, and then seal it. After it is sealed, use your fingers to shape the dough into an oval. You can also break of a piece of dough the size of your finger. [Make a canal] in the dough and fill with the nut filling and close. [Bend the cookie into a half moon,] or simply leave as is. If you wish, decorate the tops, then place them on a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not let them brown. (When the balls are removed from the oven they will feel soft and uncooked. They will be firm when cool). Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and store in a tightly sealed tin.
!! 58 Raw Kibbeh - Kibbeh NayÄ
Place the bulgur in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave for 3 minutes. Rinse the bulgur in a strainer and immediately [squeeze out the excess water.]
[Cut the meat into small cubes.] Place the bulgur in a food processor and work until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Place the meat and onion in a food processor and work into a smooth paste. In a bowl combine the meat and bulgur. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Store in the coldest place in your refrigerator until needed.
Arrange the raw kibbeh on a plate and serve with lemon wedges, olive oil, parsley and lettuce. Place some kibbeh on a piece of lettuce, season, wrap and eat.
!! 59 Kofta Fil Sania - Minced Meat Loaf with Tomato Sauce or Tahini
Preheat the oven to 350í F.
Combine all of the meat loaf ingredients until well mixed. Shape the minced meat mixture into hamburger-shaped loaves Oil a baking dish, then place the meat in the dish. Brush the meat with olive oil and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Pour the sauce of choice over the loaves then sprinkle with pine nuts. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve very hot, in the tray or out of the tray, with pita bread.
!! 60 Fish in Tahini Sauce - Samak Bi Tahini
Prepare the marinade:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Place the fillets in the bowl. [Rub the marinade into the fish.] Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
While the fish is marinating, heat the olive oil and gently sweat the onion until very soft and brown, approximately 30 minutes. Let cool.
Preheat the oven to 375í F.
Combine the tahini, salt, peeled garlic cloves, parsley and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Gradually add water until a smooth sauce forms. Remove the fish from the refrigerator. Place in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 8 minutes. Take the fish out of the oven and spread the sauce over the fish. Cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool.
Garnish with vegetables as far as your imagination takes you. Serve at room temperature with the cooked onions.
