Tabletop Travels to Lebanon with Simone Lawson of Sassool
We recently launched an exciting new Tabletop Travels Instagram Live series! We’re virtually traveling and cooking our way around the world. Tune in!
Our first segment took us to Lebanon with Simone Lawson of Sassool restaurant. She taught us how to make traditional Lebanese mezze recipes, which we are sharing below. If you missed our Instagram Live last night, visit us on Tabletop Media Group’s Instagram TV page to watch!
Beet and Yogurt Dip
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Fresh Red Beets | boiled and peeled
Labneh Yogurt | 1 ½ cup
Garlic Cloves | 4
Salt | 2 tsp
Olive oil | 1 tsp
Mint Leaves | 8
Fresh Lemon | ½ (for juice)
Directions
Boil beets for about 1 hour; then cool before peeling. The skin should rub off easily. Shred the peeled beets and collect in a small mixing bowl.
In a mortar, mash the garlic cloves again, then add salt and continue to mash until the garlic turns into a paste. Add in the olive oil and stir to mix together. Then add this dressing to the beets, followed by the yogurt and lemon juice from ½ a lemon.
Chop the mint leaves up finely. Add the mint in with the dip ingredients and mix well. Taste and add extra salt if needed.
Plate the beet dip into a serving bowl and garnish mint leaves
Special Diet Information
Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Cauliflower with Tahini Dressing
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Cauliflower | 1 head
Vegetable Oil | For frying
For Tahini
Tahini | ½ cup
Garlic Cloves | 3
Salt | 1 tsp
Olive Oil | 1 tsp
Water | 1 Tablespoon
Fresh Lemon | ½ (for juice)
Directions
Wash the Cauliflower, chop the base off and detach the crowns from the stalk.
In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to 350.
Put the cauliflower into the hot oil and allow frying for about 6 minutes….until golden brown.
While the cauliflower is frying, crush the garlic cloves in a mortar, then add in 1 tsp salt, followed by 1 tsp olive oil and lemon juice from ½ a lemon.
Add the garlic mix to a small mixing bowl and whisk together with the tahini and water to complete the dressing.
Remove the cauliflower from the frying pan when golden brown, and place on a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil. After oil has absorbed into paper towels arrange cauliflower pieces onto a platter, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and fresh diced parsley. Tahini can be drizzled over OR used as a dip.
Special Diet Information
Gluten Free, Vegan
Battata Harra (Spicy Potatoes)
Yield: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Gold Potatoes | 2, Peeled and Cubed
Vegetable Oil | For frying
Garlic Cloves | 2 minced
Parsley | 1 bunch, diced (will use some of this for garnish)
Olive Oil | 1 Tablespoon
Falafel Spice | 1 tsp
Fresh Lemon | ½ (for juice)
Salt | 1 tsp
Directions
Peel and cube 2 gold potatoes
In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil to 350.
Put the cubed potatoes into the hot oil and allow frying for about 4 minutes….until golden brown.
While the potatoes are frying, in a sauté pan, bring the olive oil to medium heat, and then add in the minced garlic. When the garlic begins to be fragrant, add in the falafel spice and a small handful of parsley (reserve the rest of the parsley for garnish). Mix together.
Remove the potatoes from the frying pan when golden brown, and place on a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, squeeze lemon juice from ½ a lemon into the bowl. Remove the spice/garlic mixture from the heat and add into the bowl. Then add in the fried potato cubes, and toss until the potatoes are coated evenly. Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt over the potatoes and toss once more.
Special Diet Information
Gluten Free, Vegan
Garlic Cilantro Shrimp
Yield: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Fresh or Frozen Shrimp, peeled, with tail | 1 lb
Garlic Cloves | 3
Salt | 1 tsp
Olive oil | 2 tsp
Cilantro | 1 bunch chopped finely
Fresh Lemon | ½ (for juice)
Directions
If shrimp is frozen, thaw before cooking. Sauté the shrimp until very light pink. Then remove from the heat.
In a mortar, mash the garlic cloves, then add in salt to release the juices and mash again. Add in the olive oil and stir to mix together.
In a mixing bowl, add the garlic dressing to the bowl as well as the cilantro. Squeeze half a lemon for the juice and mix everything together. Add in the shrimp and toss to coat well.
Plate up and garnish lemon slices.
Special Diet Information
Gluten Free, Dairy free