Ingredients
Fattoush or Peasant Salad:
- 2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)
- 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, small dice
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems
- 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems
- 1/2 to 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 2 pieces of pita bread toasted until golden brown, broken into pieces the size of a quarter
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of pepper
Directions
In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients well.
Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 to 1 cup dressing. Serve immediately.
Hummus or Chick Pea Dip:
- 2 (16-ounce) cans chick peas, drained, reserve juice
- 4 to 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 1/2 cup (or more) lemon juice
Drain and dry chick peas. Put garlic in food processor and mince. Add chick peas and mince, scraping down the sides. Add salt, tahini and lemon juice. Mix. Taste. Add enough reserve chick pea juice to make a thick creamy consistency. You should be able to make an indentation in the hummus with a back of a spoon. Check taste again for additional lemon or salt.
Serve on a platter and garnish with radishes, tomato roses, reserve chick peas, parsley and or cayenne pepper. Serve with olive oil and fresh pita bread.
Baba Ghanoush or Eggplant and Tahini dip:
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and put upside down on a greased foil lined pan. Put under a broiler until the outside skin is charred black and the pulp inside is soft (15 to 30 minutes). Scrape out eggplant and put in bowl to cool, preferably in refrigerator for several hours. Pour off extra liquid before using.
In a food processor, mince garlic, and scrape down sides. Add eggplant, salt, and 1/4 cup tahini. Pulse the food processor to mix. Slowly add lemon juice. Taste. Adjust salt and lemon or tahini.
Serve on a shallow platter and garnish with chopped parsley, miniature eggplant, tomato or radish roses. Serve with Lebanese pita bread.
* Home Cook
Food Network Kitchens have not tested this recipe and therefore cannot make representation as to the results.
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By DadToTwoKazakhQTs
Massachusetts
on October 16, 2011
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So you have a point of reference, these comments are coming from 30+ years of either cooking with, or carrying the torch for, my grandmother who was born in Lebanon.
Fattoush: She never used the lettuce, but that may have been a matter of her preference. Also, she added sliced radishes and fresh sweet peas and deleted the green pepper. I tend to go heavier on the lemon juice than the olive oil, and make a bit more dressing - but I live for lemon and garlic! Very tasty as written. Note, REALLY tasty the next day when dressing has had a chance to soak into the Syrian Bread. Pack leftover (if any in a zip-top and roll it towards the top before closing all the way, to get the best absorption.
Hummus, I agree to less tahini. A little less salt as well. Personal taste.
Baba Ghannouj, spot on, although we always double or triple and it usually takes about 20 minutes under the broiler. Depends on the size. :-
Thanks for sharing the recipes!
By Annesia2011
on September 27, 2011
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I tried the Baba Ghannouj and it was very tasty. I think that the tahinni sauce was also to much. I will used less went I make it the second time around. I garnished with olive oil and parsley.
By Chef #1396027
chapel hill, NC
on July 03, 2011
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This is a review of the Baba Gannouj only. This is a good recipe, but I feel 2 tablespoons tahinni is enough. Cutting down on it gives you a more silky consistancy which we like.
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