Djaj Biltoom (Garlic Chicken)

Serve : 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour refrigerating time)
Baking time: 20 to 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp.) 
• ¼ cup olive oil 
• 2 to 2½ lb. chicken pieces 

Sauce: 

• 1 whole head garlic, cloves separated and peeled 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• 1 cup olive oil 
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice 
• 1 potato, peeled and boiled

Direction:

1. In a large bowl, mix up a marinade of garlic, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. 
2. Add chicken pieces and stir until they are coated. 
3. Lightly cover bowl with a cloth and refrigerate overnight. 
4. Preheat oven to 375°F. 
5. Place chicken pieces in a roasting pan and discard marinade. 
6. Roast chicken for 1 hour, uncovered. 
7. Check often and drizzle olive oil lightly over chicken if it looks dry. 
8. In a medium bowl, prepare sauce. 
9. Crush garlic into salt with the back of a spoon. 
10. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and beat well. 
11. When oil has been absorbed, stir in a few drops lemon juice. 
12. Repeat until about ½ c. oil and 1 tbsp. lemon juice have been used. 
13. Put garlic mixture in blender.
14. Add remaining oil, lemon juice, and potato. Blend until mixture looks shiny and smooth. (If you don’t have a blender, mash the potato, add to remaining ingredients, and beat well with a wire whisk.) 
15. Place chicken pieces on a serving platter. 
16. Serve hot with small dishes of garlic sauce for dipping.

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Sayadieh (Fish and Rice Stew)

Sayadieh is a delicious and robust Lebanese-style fish dish. Any firm, white fish, such as haddock
or cod, can be used in this recipe.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 or 15 min
Cooking time: 1½ hours

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 
• 2 tbsp. pine nuts 
• 6 cups water 
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered 
• 2 lb. fish fillets, fresh or frozen (thawed) 
• 1 cup long-grain converted rice 
• ½ tsp. cumin 
• ½ tsp. salt 
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp.) 
• fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Direction:

1. In a small skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. 
2. Sauté pine nuts, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. 
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4. In a large kettle, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat. 
5. Carefully add onion and boil 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. 
6. Remove onion with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. 
7. Save cooking water.
8. Place onion in a bowl and mash with a potato masher, or place in a blender and blend until onion has a pastelike consistency.
9. Add fish and onion to onion cooking water and bring water back to a boil over high heat. 
10. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish is tender. 
11. Remove fish with slotted spoon. 
12. Save cooking water.
13. In a large saucepan, heat remaining 1 tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat. 
14. Add rice and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. 
15. Add salt and 2 cups of the fish cooking water. 
16. Cover pan and cook rice on low heat about 20 minutes, or until rice is fluffy and liquid is absorbed.
17. Add lemon juice to remaining fish broth and reheat slowly over medium-high heat.
18. Arrange rice on a deep serving platter and place fish on rice. 
19. Pour hot broth over fish. 
20. Garnish with pine nuts and parsley.

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Jawaneh Djaj (Citrus Chicken Wings)

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10–12 chicken wings
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4–5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 30g fresh coriander, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp salt

Direction:

• Trim the wings by cutting off the pointy part at the end and any excess skin, then cut into halves at the joint.
• Heat the oil and fry the wings over a high heat for about 5 minutes until brown on all sides.
• Turn the heat to very low, cover the pan and continue to cook for about 20 minutes to make sure the wings are cooked through.
• Add the garlic and coriander and stir for couple of minutes.
• Finally add lemon juice and salt and simmer for 2 more minutes to get a hot glaze over the chicken pieces. 
• Serve hot.

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Kasabet Djaj (Chicken Livers with Garlic and Coriander)

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 500g fresh chicken livers, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 30g chopped fresh coriander
• Juice ½ lemon
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

• Lemon wedges

Direction:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the diced liver on a high heat for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally until it becomes almost brown.
• Make sure you don’t overcook it as liver becomes dry if overcooked.
• Add the crushed garlic and two-thirds of the chopped coriander and stir for 2 more minutes.
• Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, stir in, then remove from the heat.
• Sprinkle remaining coriander on the top and serve immediately with extra lemon on the side.

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Samak Bizri (Whitebait)

This seasonal fish served fried in Lebanon, with a bowl of tahini sauce and lot of lemons for squeezing.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500g whitebait
• 1 tsp salt
• 40g plain flour
• Oil, for deep-frying

To garnish

• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Direction:

1. Gut the fish but keep the heads on, or buy them ready prepared. 
2. Wash thoroughly, drain, then sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt and set aside for 1 hour before frying
3. Heat the oil in a deep pan for frying.
4. Take a handful of fish and toss in the flour, shaking off any excess before they go in the pan.
5. Lower them into the hot oil for 5–10 minutes, turning the fish only once or twice, allow to turn slightly crispy, then lift out of the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 
6. Keep them warm while you fry the remaining fish.
7. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve hot.

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Fatayer Sabanekh (Spinach Triangles)

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 1½–2 hours, plus rising
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
For the dough

• 400g wholemeal or white bread flour or a mixture, plus extra for rolling out
• 1 sachet instant dry yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• About 200ml warm water

For the filling

• 400g chopped fresh spinach
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tsp sumac or the juice of 1 extra lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt

Direction:

1. In a bowl, mix the flour, yeast and salt, then gradually add enough of the warm water to form a soft but not sticky dough. 
2. Knead for a couple of minutes until smooth and elastic, then roll it into a ball. 
3. Cover and leave in a warm place for a couple of hours to double its size.
4. Prepare the filling by mixing the spinach with all remaining filling ingredients. 
5. Place the filling in a colander over a bowl so it will drain out any excess fluid while you prepare the dough. 
6. If the filling is too wet, it will stop the dough edges from sticking and sealing the filling inside the triangle shape.
7. Knead the dough again for a few minutes. 
8. Take a chunk of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to 2–3mm thick, then cut it into neat circles with a round pastry cutter or a cup, depending on the size you want. 
9. Roll out and cut the remaining circles.
10. Preheat the oven to 230ºC/Gas 8 and place a baking tray in the oven to heat.
11. Place a spoonful of the drained filling on a circle of dough, then fold over the edges to form a triangle and press the edges together to seal.
12. Place the fatayer on the heated oven tray, allowing little space between them as they expand while baking.
13. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until they are slightly golden and crisp.
14. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving.

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Fatayer Hummus (Mince and Chickpea Pasties)

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 1½–2 hours
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
For the dough

• 300g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
• 1 tsp instant dried yeast
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp oil
• About 150ml water

For the filling

• 220g dried chickpeas, soaked
• 50ml oil
• 230g onions, chopped
• 130g minced lamb
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mix the flour, yeast and salt. 
2. Gradually add the oil and enough water to mix to a smooth dough. 
3. Knead thoroughly.
4. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Drain the chickpeas, then process in a food processor.
6. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions until they begin to brown.
7. Add the mince and continue to fry, stirring, until the meat is browned.
8. Add the chickpeas and stir with the meat for few minutes.
9. Add the cumin, cinnamon, pepper and salt and keep stirring for another 2 minutes. 
10. Remove from the heat and set aside.
11. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/Gas 7 and heat a baking tray in the oven.
12. Divide the dough into 2 balls and roll out on a floured surface. 
13. Cut into circles, choosing whatever size you prefer for your pasties.
14. Generously place some of the filling on one half of the circle, then fold the other half over the filling and seal the edges with a fork.
15. Arrange the pies on the prepared baking tray, leaving space between and bake for 20 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.

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