Lebanese Knafeh

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 1 package of shredded Kataifi  dough
• 1 cup  of butter melted
• 1 tablespoon melted Ghee
• 2 ½ cups of Akawi cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted pistachio coarsely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups of milk
• ½ cup of Semolina (fine)
• 1 tablespoon of Rose water

Syrup:

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon of rose water

PREPARATION:

1. Thinly slice the cheese into  patties and soak in water for an hour changing the water at least twice to  remove salt.
2. Next is to defrost the Kataifi dough. Remove from bag, and chop the log into 1 inch treads.
3. In a sauce pan, make syrup (add sugar, water, lemon juice and rose water) and bring to a boil for 7-10  minutes. Then heat down to low and keep warm.
4. In a large bowl, shred the  dough to make sure you have no clumps. Then add the melted butter and ghee while continuously shredding the dough and making sure it’s competently incorporated.
5. When this process is complete and the dough coated well with the butter and ghee, separate the dough into two equal portions.
6. In a pan ( 30*20cm), spread out the dough thoroughly, and gently press down.
7. Remove cheese from water and pat dry on paper towel.
8. In a sauce pan, cook the milk, semolina and rose water until thickened. Pour over the pressed dough in the tray and spread evenly ovoid touching the edges of the tray.
9.  Lay the cheese patties onto the semolina spread. Lay the second half of the dough onto the cheese so that it is evenly distributed. Gently press down making it even all over.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then place the pan in the middle for roughly 45 minutes. With a butter knife check the side to make sure bottom is browning.
11. Once golden brown on both sides, remove from oven then sprinkle with pistachio’s and then spoon half the sugar syrup over the Knafeh.
12. Serve warm with a spoonful of syrup over it. Once cooled you can reheated it in microwave for 30-40  seconds a slice and then pour some syrup over it.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 2 tbsp. oil for frying fish
• 4-6 pieces of white fish fillet ( Haddock or Cod)
• ½ cup of  flour to coat fish( mix with any seasoning you want) I used salt, a pinch of  black pepper, red chili pepper)
• ½ -cup of pine nuts
• 2 tbsp of oil for toasting pine nuts
• 3-medium onions diced
• 2 tbsp  of oil
• 1 tbsp of vegetable ghee
• 3-cups of  your favorite rice ( I used basmati)
• 1- tsp. turmeric powder
• 1- tsp of seven spice powder
• 1 ½ tsp of Salt ( as desired)
•  ½ tsp of black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp of rice spice “kapsi powder” ( can be found in any middle-eastern store)
• 3- cups of  beef stock
• 3-cups of water

PREPARATION:

1. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a deep pan and fry the pine nuts till light golden brown. Remove pine nuts from the oil and set aside.
2.  In the same pan, Coat the fish with flour and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked and light golden color. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In a pot, on medium heat add the onions with 2 tbsp of oil and ghee and fry till medium brown.
4. Add the rice, turmeric, all spices, salt and pepper and mix till the rice is well-coated with spices and oil.
5. Add the beef  stock, water, boil and then lower the heat. Cover the pan half way and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until rice is cooked and no more water in pan. ( MAKE SURE TO NEVER STIR RICE WHILE COOKING)
6. When the rice is finished, empty on a flat dish and arrange the fish fillets on top and garnish with pine nuts.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 4-large ripe bananas
• 1-cup sour cream
• 2- teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4- large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½  cups  white sugar
• 4- cups cake flour + 1 tablespoon for tray
• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1 cups of chopped pecans
• 2- teaspoon baking powder
• 2- teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ¼ cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray with non-stick oil then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and pat until evenly coated.
3. In the bowl of your food processor, place the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Process just until mixed and smooth. Add the eggs and process until combined.
4. In the bowl combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg  and ground cinnamon and mix well.
5. Add the softened butter, along with half the banana mixture, and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
6.  Add the remaining banana mixture and half of the chocolate chips and beat on medium for 1 minute.
7. Pour the batter into floured pan, smoothing the top. Then sprinkle with the pecans and rest of chocolate chips.
8.  Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and set aside to completely cool.
10. For garnish you can drizzle with chocolate syrup and extra pecans.

Lebanese Beef Makloubi

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

For step # 1

• 21/2-lbs  of  veal large chunks
• 3-table spoons of olive oil
• 1-large onion ( peeled and cut in half)
• 1-teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-cinnamon  sticks
• 1-teaspoon nutmeg
• 1-teaspoon all spice
• 1-teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 -teaspoon of red pepper flack
• 2-bay leafs
• 8 -cups of water

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• 2-large tomatoes, cut into  circles
• 1-large eggplant, cut into circle shapes and fried
• ½ pound of cauliflower, cut  into bite size and fried
•  3 cups of rice ( your choice, I used Basmati)
• 1-2 tablespoon of Salt ( add as  you desire or less)
• 3- tablespoons of ghee
• 1-cup of pine nuts ( fried in Oil until golden brown)
• 1 cup of blanched almonds ( fired in oil until golden brown)
• ½ cup of oil for brown pine   nuts and almonds

PREPARATION:

1. Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat and sauté veal meat and cook  for 1-2 minutes on each side. Add water, onion, cinnamon powder, and  sticks, nutmeg, all spice, black pepper, red pepper flack and bay leafs to the pot and cook again for 2 hours on medium heat or until meat is very tender.   Leave in stock once done ( taste stock for your liking of seasoning)
2. In a large pot, melt the ghee  and turn heat to low.
3.  Remove meat from stock and shred with a fork, then evenly place as your 1^st layer ( careful HOT)
4. Place tomato as 2nd layer into the pot then add eggplant as 3rd layer after that add the cauliflower.
5. Place the rice over the layers  and spread evenly.
6. Strain the stock and carefully pour  6 CUPS over the rice
7. Cover the pot and place it over  high heat until the water start to boil then reduce the heat to medium and keep until the Maklouba is cooked and no more water in pot. (NEVER stir rice)
8. Prepare flat serving plate and   quickly flip the pot over the plate then hit the pot with hand from  different places and gently lift it up.
9. Serve and enjoy Makloubi with your favorite side dish.

Kibbet Potato

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

• 3  cups #1 dark cracked wheat
• 1 medium white onion, finely graded
• 2-3 teaspoon salt (as desired)
• 2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of all spice
• 3 tablespoon of ground cumin
• 8 medium potatoes
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 5 cups of hot water
• 3-4 tablespoon of olive oil for  top.

Filling

• 3 large onions, chopped
• ¾ cup  chopped almonds
• ¾ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup ground sumac
• ½ cup of vegetable oil

PREPARATION:

• Peel and cut potatoes in half,  then wash and cook the potatoes until ready to be mashed.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl add (washed  and drain cracked wheat, salt, black pepper, all spice, and cumin), mix well and then add hot water and soak for at least 5 minutes.
• Once the mixture is soaked add the olive oil and grated onion. With two hands take the mixture and mix  between your palms until you get a smooth mixture (roughly 5 minutes).
• Drain water from potatoes and  add to the mixture then mash altogether with a potato masher until  everything is mix well.  Taste and  add extra seasoning for your liking.
• Meanwhile in frying pan, fry  the 3 chopped onions until golden brown and, then, add the chopped almonds  and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Place in a plate and set aside. In the same pan, toast the pine nuts until light golden brown, immediately,  remove from heat and place over the onion mixture and mix all together.
• Grease baking tray with olive  oil. Divide potato and crack wheat mixture into two portions; flatten half      of the potatoes in the tray. Cover it with filling mixture (onions, pine nuts and almonds), and, then sprinkle the sumac powder over the filling mixture.
•  Flatten the other half of the potato and creaked wheat on top. Score in diamond or square shape design through the      top.
• Brush the top with olive oil (3-4 tablespoons)
• Bake in 400 degrees oven until   brown (30-40) mintues. When cool, cut in diamond or square shape pieces to serve.
• serve warm or cold with side salad or my favorite cucumber and yogurt salad.