Shish Kabob
Ingredients

• 2 lbs. leg of lamb
• 1 tbs of olive oil
• 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium sliced onion
• 3 medium sliced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• green pepper (optional)
• eggplant (optional)

Cut lamb (or beef if you prefer) into 1-inch cubes. Mix olive oil and lemon juice and rub into meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with slices of onion and tomatoes and a few bay leaves. Refrigerate for 4 or 5 hours.

Alternate meat and tomatoes, onions, green pepper, or eggplant (you can also choose other vegetables if you prefer!) on skewers- alternate flavors and colors, and add an occasional bay or mint leaf.

Broil over charcoal, or over an open wood fire or oven broiler to your liking.

Makloubit Betinjan
Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 15 mL (1tbsp) salt
• 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) long grain rice
• vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 kg (2 pounds) lean ground beef
• 7 mL (1 1/2 tsp) salt
• 2 mL (1/2 tsp) black pepper
• 3 mL (3/4 tsp) cinnamon
• 5 mL (1 tsp) allspice
• 375 mL (1 1/2 cups) boiling water
• 50 mL (1/4 cup) pine nuts fried in a bit of oil
• sprigs of parsley or cilantro (fresh coriander)

Peel eggplants, cut into cubes, sprinkle with salt and set aside for at least one hour. Soak the rice in boiling water to cover for one hour or more. (All this could be done in the morning if your plan to cook the meal in the afternoon.)

Squeeze eggplant to remove excess water and deep fry in oil (in batches) until well browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a heavy casserole pot. Pour out most of the oil, leaving 5-6 tbsp in the pot. Fry onions until golden, add meat and brown. Add to eggplant along with the spices and mix together well. Drain rice and spoon over meat mixture; spread out to cover. Pour boiling water over rice and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat to very low and cook until all water is absorbed (about 30 minutes).

Remove lid, invert a large platter over the top of the pot and flip over pot and platter together so the meal settles on the platter. Serve garnished with fried pine nuts. Garnish platter with either parsley or cilantro (fresh coriander).

Some people omit the flipping over stage; when the meal is cooked and ready to serve they just mix it together, garnish it and serve.

Serve with a salad of your choice. It is also delightfully delicious with yogurt on the side. Squeeze lemon juice over individual servings if desired. Makes 6 servings

Stuffed Vine Leaves (Yalangi)
Ingredients

• 500g vine leaves fresh
• 1 and 1/2 cup of washed rice
• 1 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 4 chopped tomatoes
• 4 chopped spring onions
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 3/4 cup of lemon juice
• 2 sliced potatoes
• salt and pepper

Dip the vine leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and put aside. If using the ones from the packet remove and wash a few times to get rid of the salt.
Combine the rice with the herbs, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Open the vine leaves on a board one at a time. Put 1 tsp of the mixture on each, fold in 2 sides then roll.. Repeat till you finish all the leaves or the stuffing.

Arrange the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a saucepan, then put all the stuffed vine leaves on top, cover with water.

Use a plate to fit inside the saucepan as a lid, to stop the vine leaves from opening. Cook on slow heat for 1 hour or till the leaves are well cooked. Serve cold

Makdous
Ingredients

• 1 pound of eggplant
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground walnuts
• cayenne
• olive oil

Poach eggplant in boiling water until softened. Remove and allow to cool. Slice eggplant from blossom end to 1/2 to 3/4 inch from stem end. Allow to drain.
Crush garlic with salt and mix with walnut meats and cayenne to taste. Divide mixture by number of eggplant and rub inner surfaces of eggplant with mixture. Place eggplant in sterilized jar, stem ends up. Cover jar and leave at room temperature overnight. Next morning, add oil to cover and seal jar.
Leave in cool spot or refrigerate until rich flavor develops, 10 to 14 days, then refrigerate. Will keep in refrigerator 2 to 3 weeks.

Hummos
Ingredients

• 1 cup of dried chick peas
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cup water
• juice of 2 and 1/2 lemons
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 3/4 cup water
• paprika
• olive oil
• 3/4 cup tahina

Spoon hummos onto a large platter, spread it flat and garnish with paprika and parsley, and if desired, flowerettes of radishes and olives. Drizzle with olive oil.
Serve with Arabic (pita) bread. Makes 5-7 servings Hoummos freezes well. It is ideal for entertaining, as part of a meal, or as a dip