CHAPTER 4
Sandwiches and Soups
Sandwiches in Lebanon are made with pita bread, which is half as thin as the pita breads found in the U.S. Many Lebanese children are sent off to school with a pita bread sandwich rolled and filled with yogurt cheese, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and a drizzle of olive oil. The only other traditional sandwiches are the shawarma ones on the rotating spit, made to order, with either beef or chicken and falafel.
Soups are often associated with religious holidays or communities. Lentil soup, flavored with cilantro pesto, is a big favorite; the boost of flavor from the cilantro pesto, coupled with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, is the best winter soup I know of.
Sandwiches
Yogurt Cheese and Veggie Roll-Ups (Arooss Labneh)
YIELD: 1 ROLL-UP
Arooss labneh is the quintessential sandwich that every Lebanese kid remembers taking to school in the morning or eating upon returning home in the afternoon. I have even seen grown-ups go wild for this labneh roll-up. Whenever we had friends or relatives visit Lebanon, I’d take them on the obligatory tour of the main landmarks. Baalbek, an extraordinary site of Roman temples, was an absolute no-miss: the tour bus would stop in Chtaura, a town right before Baalbek, where a string of sandwich shops serve labneh with homemade bread from a famous dairy farm nearby. Throngs of people would hurl themselves out of the bus and storm the deli, barking orders for that sandwich—“Get me a labneh sandwich!”—as if they had been starved for days.
Ingredients:
Pita bread
½ cup yogurt cheese (see recipe on p. 56)
¼ cup olives
1 tomato, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
6 fresh mint leaves or ½ tablespoon dry powdered mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
Open one pita bread and slather the yogurt cheese on it. Scatter the olives, tomato, cucumber, and mint on top and drizzle with the olive oil. Roll up and serve. This recipe is for an 8-inch pita; increase the amount of cheese if the pita is larger or to taste.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich (Sheesh Tawook)
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
This sandwich, called sheesh tawook sandwich in Lebanon, is what my son and his friends lived on all summer while vacationing in the Chouf Mountains. This sandwich is made up of pieces of seasoned chicken chunks. The chicken can be baked, grilled, or panfried. It is served with a coating of garlic cream (called toom), a few french fries, and a few pickles, and is rolled up in a large pita. In Lebanon, butcher shops sell the chicken already seasoned so all one needs to do is bake it in the oven for a few minutes. When seasoning the chicken yourself, it is best to marinate it overnight.
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks and marinated overnight
Marinade for the chicken:
½ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar (apple cider, white wine, or rice)
½ cup olive oil
1 onion, pureed in a blender
1 tablespoon garlic paste (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
½ cup ketchup (see note below)
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground Aleppo pepper (or paprika) or chili powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling:
1 cup garlic cream (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
2 cups french fries (frozen or fresh), panfried (or baked)
Pickles
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
4 pitas (more as needed)
Trimmings:
Radishes in a bowl of ice water, sliced tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and/or sliced green bell peppers
The night before:
In a large bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together to combine. Add the chicken, making sure each piece is coated. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Directions:
1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the plastic wrap from the casserole dish and bake the chicken with the marinade for 10 minutes. Bake the fries at the same time as the chicken. (If you prefer, you may panfry the chicken in a skillet with the french fries instead.)
2) Drain the marinade (you may reserve it and freeze it to recycle later if you like) and broil the chicken until nice brown spots appear here and there.
3) Split open one pita and slather one side with garlic cream. Place a few chicken pieces on the pita, add some french fries and a few pickles, and sprinkle with some parsley. Roll it up using a piece of aluminum foil or kitchen paper to hold it tight and serve immediately with the trimmings on the side.
NOTE: Although ketchup is widely used in this marinade, it can be replaced by tomato paste or tomato puree. Some prefer to substitute plain yogurt instead of ketchup. To save time, use a spice mix for the chicken, which is available in all Middle Eastern stores.
Kafta Sandwich
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
The idea behind this sandwich is speed and convenience. The meat paste (kafta) can be prepared in minutes with a food processor. It can also be made in advance (see Basics, p. 33), refrigerated, and used later. Kafta is slathered on pitas, quickly baked and savored as a delicious sandwich with all the trimmings.
Ingredients:
2 small onions, 1 chopped, the other sliced in rings for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon hot (or mild) ground Aleppo pepper or ground paprika (optional)
¾ pound ground beef
1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
½ cup tomato paste (more if needed)
4 pitas (around 8 inches)
Topping:
2 tablespoons sumac
1 cup cherry tomatoes (or 1 large tomato, sliced)
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup pickles (optional)
Directions:
1) Sprinkle the chopped onions with the salt, all spice, cinnamon, and pepper, and toss a bit to combine; set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the topping ingredients. Squeeze the onions dry and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the meat and ½ cup of the parsley. Process for 3 minutes or until the mixture turns pasty and smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Using a spatula, smear one quarter of the tomato paste on top of each of the pitas, then smear one quarter of the meat paste on top of the tomato paste, spreading it as evenly as possible. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes or so, or until the meat is cooked.
3) Remove from the oven and serve open-faced, topped with the sliced onions, the remaining parsley, the sumac, and other topping ingredients (tomatoes, peppers, and pickles).
VARIATION: The topping ingredients could be dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Beef Shawarma Sandwich
YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
Beef (and chicken) shawarma roasting on a spit is a ubiquitous sight in Beirut, or any village in Lebanon. It is an Ottoman legacy of more than four hundred years of the Turkish power controlling the region.
The shawarma spit rotating continuously with the flames licking the meat slices spurs the appetite of passers-by. The meat is kept moist by virtue of a large piece of lamb tail fat (called leeyeh), strategically placed at the very top. When the fat melts, it drips on the meat, keeping it basted with fat. Lamb tail fat is sold in butcher shops in Lebanon, just as lard is sold in North America. To prepare shawarma at home, marinate the meat overnight in a special mixture of spices. At serving time, fry or bake the meat slices rapidly and assemble the sandwich with all the trimmings in minutes. It is far easier to bake the seasoned meat slices (they will cook in minutes in a 350-degree F oven), topped with sliced tomatoes and onions.
Ingredients:
2 pounds meat (use lamb fillet or beef sirloin)
2 medium onions, grated or chopped fine
1 tablespoon garlic paste
⅓ cup shawarma spices (either from ready-made spice mix or read suggested list below)
¾ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
½ cup lard, bacon fat, or olive oil
8 pita breads (or more, as needed)
6 medium tomatoes, sliced
Pickles
2 cups tarator sauce (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
Shawarma spices:
½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and 5 mastic pebbles ground with a dash of salt in a small mortar until powdery. These spices are mixed in a small bowl and added to the marinade.
Directions:
1) Place the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to make it easier to cut into small pieces (or use an electric knife). Cut the meat into thin and long pieces (about 2 inches long and ⅓ inch wide) and place in a bowl with the onion and garlic. Add the shawarma spice mix and toss to combine. Whisk the vinegar and oil and add it to the bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (or longer).
2) To panfry: Remove the meat from the bowl and dry it on paper towels. Reserve the marinade.
3) Heat the lard, bacon fat, or oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the meat and panfry for 3 to 5 minutes.
4) To bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drain the meat and put it in an ovenproof pan. Top with the sliced tomatoes and onions and ¾ cup of the reserved marinade. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 15 minutes or until cooked.
5) Split open the first pita and insert several meat slices, tomato slices, pickles, and a generous dollop of tarator sauce. Proceed with the other sandwiches.
Po’boy Sandwich, Lebanese-Style
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
This delicious Po’boy sandwich can be put together quickly with a supply of shredded cabbage and a bowl of tarator sauce from the fridge. The crisp cabbage smothered in the lemony and garlicky tarator pairs well with the smooth creaminess of the fish fillet. Wrapped in a pita roll, it is an ideal sandwich any day!
Ingredients:
1 pound white fish fillets
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin (optional)
Pinch ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground paprika or chili powder
½ cup chopped parsley
2 lemons, sliced thin
2 cups shredded white cabbage
1 cup tarator sauce (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
4 pita breads
1 cup chopped pickles
Directions:
1) Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the fillets on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil. Brush them with the oil and sprinkle them with salt, cumin, pepper, and paprika. Sprinkle parsley on top of the fillets and cover them with the lemon slices. Bake for 12 minutes or until done. Transfer to a platter and break apart into chunks.
2) Mix the cabbage and tarator sauce in a bowl.
3) Open each pita and fill with the fish chunks and cabbage and sauce. Add bits of pickles if desired. Roll up and serve.
Falafel Sandwich
YIELD: 40 TO 50 FALAFELS
This humble street food, born in Egypt (where it is called ta’amiyah), has traveled quite a distance—first to Lebanon (where it is called falafel) and Syria, and now to the Western world. I suspect our Lebanese forefathers who fled to Egypt during the Ottoman period may have brought it back home to Lebanon. In any case, the Lebanese version differs from the Egyptian one in that the Lebanese falafel contains chickpeas in paste.
I recommend using a meat grinder to make a smooth falafel dough, otherwise a food processor will do. Falafel molds, which ensure uniform patties, are sold in all Middle Eastern stores. A cookie dough or ice-cream scoop is fine to use instead (or a tablespoon), if you don’t have a mold.
Ingredients:
1½ cups yellow dried fava beans and ½ cup chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground hot Aleppo pepper or chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 large leek, chopped (discard the fibrous tip), or 3 scallions
2 cups cilantro, chopped
2 cups Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic paste
1 tablespoon flour or fine bulgur
Oil bath (6 cups of vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Tarator sauce (see Chapter 2, “Basics”), for serving
Trimmings:
Pita bread, pickles, sliced tomatoes, fresh mint and radishes, baby arugula
Directions:
1) Drain the beans and chickpeas and spread them flat on a towel to dry. Put them in a meat grinder and run through once. (If you don’t have a meat grinder, pulse the beans and chickpeas in a food processor until well ground.)
2) Add the spices, herbs, and flour and run through the meat grinder (or food processor) again. The dough should be smooth and a bit sticky. Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and put in the fridge.
3) In a deep pot, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge, add the baking powder and baking soda, and mix well. Shape the falafel patties, gently drop them into the hot oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove the falafel with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately with the tarator sauce and trimmings.
NOTE: The falafel patties can be frozen prior to frying and used as desired. Some people like to add an egg to the dough, though I’d only try this if you are planning to make the falafel right away. To save time, use a couple of tablespoons of falafel spices instead of the spices in the ingredients list. They can be found in any Middle Eastern store or online. If you are planning to make falafel and kibbeh a lot, I’d recommend investing in a meat grinder; the texture obtained through this appliance cannot be duplicated in a food processor. The food processor is just a satisfactory option, not the best.
Roasted Cauliflower and Potato Sandwich
YIELD: 4 SANDWICHES
The idea for this sandwich came to me after I spent time at a major food exhibit in Beirut geared to restaurants and hotels. One of the most popular stands was a shawarma chain with American-inspired merchandising (salads in boxes to shake, and other such gimmicks). I read their menu and saw a cauliflower shawarma and a potato shawarma sandwich. What a perfect choice for a vegetarian! The following week I tried both versions. This is a home version of the two sandwiches combined.
Ingredients:
½ head cauliflower, boiled briefly for 4 minutes in salted boiling water, then drained thoroughly
2 cups frozen french fries (ready to bake)
1 cup olive oil (or a combo of olive oil and vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mild or hot Aleppo pepper or paprika (optional)
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 pita breads (more as needed; Lebanese pita bread is larger in size)
1 cup tarator sauce (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
4 tomatoes, sliced
2 cups sliced pickles (cucumber)
½ cup chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1) Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
2) Break the cauliflower into florets and place on the baking sheet. Place the french fries alongside the cauliflower florets. Douse in the oil and sprinkle with the salt, Aleppo pepper or paprika, and black pepper. Roast in the oven until the florets have brown spots and the fries are soft and crispy, about 20 minutes. Toss the cauliflower gently during the baking process to make sure it gets roasted all over.
1) Open a pita and place some of the florets and a few French fries on the bread, add some tarator sauce, a few tomato slices, and pickles, and sprinkle with parsley. Roll up and serve.
NOTE: The veggies can be fried instead of roasted, which would improve their flavor immensely (though it does add calories). After parboiling the cauliflower, drain it, cut it into florets, and fry it in a skillet with the potatoes. The cauliflower is boiled first due to a belief among Lebanese cooks that this step will reduce its gas-inducing properties.
Soups
Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard (Adass Bel-Hamud)
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
Lentil soups are very popular in Lebanon. This one is traditional, rustic, and hearty. It is the perfect antidote for a cold when one feels the need for strength. It is made with the large green lentils sold in every supermarket across the United States. It was my favorite soup growing up— and my daughter’s as well—and remains so today.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup green lentils
6 cups water or veggie stock
1 bunch Swiss chard (may substitute kale, radish greens, turnip greens, or spinach), chopped
1 package cilantro pesto (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
3 medium lemons (2 juiced and one quartered) (about ⅓ cup juice)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a soup pot and sauté the onions until golden. Add the lentils to the pot with the water or stock. Simmer until the lentils are cooked, about 45 minutes. Add the chard or greens to the soup immediately and simmer 10 minutes longer. Add the cilantro pesto the last 3 minutes of cooking, stirring to combine. Add the lemon juice to the soup. Serve warm, offering lemon quarters to squeeze more fresh lemon juice into one’s individual bowl as desired.
VARIATIONS: This soup has many versions. Some like to add a cup of elbow pasta the last ten minutes of cooking; others like to add diced potatoes or zucchini. The greens can be split into stalks and leaves, with the stalks recycled into a dip (see recipe in Chapter 5).
Mixed Vegetable Soup (Shorbet al-Khudra)
YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
A light and healthful soup prepared with a medley of leftover vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
salt, to taste
6 cups water
2 large tomatoes, diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium zucchinis, tops sliced off and sliced
2 leeks, sliced (with fibrous tips sliced off)
3 medium onions, chopped
½ celery bunch, tips cut off and the stalks chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ cup vermicelli, broken into small pieces
For serving:
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic paste
Directions:
Put the meat, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, pepper, salt, and water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, skimming the froth from the surface of the soup until it no longer appears. Add the tomatoes, carrots, zucchinis, leeks, onions, celery, potatoes, parsley, cinnamon, and allspice, and simmer for one hour longer until all the vegetables are cooked. Add the pasta the last 10 minutes of cooking. A drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of garlic paste can be added the last 10 minutes for a fresh kick of flavor.
NOTE: The soup can be pureed with an immersion blender. Prior to adding the veggies, strain the stock and place all the meat pieces on a separate plate. Add the veggies to the broth in the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes. Once the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, puree with the immersion blender, then add the meat chunks back in. Heat the soup for 15 minutes more, add the olive oil and garlic paste, and serve.
Traditional Lentil Soup (Adass Soup)
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
Lentil soup is traditional for breaking the fast during the holy month of Ramadan, along with fattoush salad. It is absolutely satisfying, especially with fried croutons (kaak).
Ingredients:
6 cups water
1 bouillon cube (optional)
1 cup red lentils
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cumin (or more to taste)
4 tablespoons clarified butter
2 cups pita croutons (see Chapter 2, “Basics”)
Directions:
Put the water and bouillon cube in a Dutch oven and add the lentils, potatoes, onions, carrots, salt, allspice, and cumin. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover and simmer for 1 hour. Uncover if the soup is too watery.
Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet and fry the croutons until golden and crisp. Remove from the butter and set on paper towels to drain.
Puree the soup. Serve with the fried croutons.