Foodie Lass LEBNANI Cookbook Review: A Journey Through Family, Food and the Flavours of Lebanon
LEBNANI is a well-written cookery book with an extremely relaxed vibe. I have always considered Lebanese food to be ideal for sharing and relaxing with friends. Chef Jad Youssef does give the reader a wonderful experience of sharing his Lebanese recipes through the use of fresh herbs and spices, highlighting the importance of sourcing fresh ingredients.
This is not just a cookery book full of recipes, it is Jad Youssef’s story of his life growing up in Beirut and beyond and how it shaped his relationship with food. The beautiful photography and family photos give the reader a more real understanding of Lebanese food, it’s history, and the culture.
The book chapters are very well defined: Lebanese Mornings, Mezza at Home, Classic Mezza, Tabkha (ever-day meals), Mashawi (grills), Sandwiches (street wraps), Helweyet (sweets) and Namlieh (the pantry).
LEBNANI cookbook describes 84 recipes from Jad Youssef’s own family kitchen and also features on the menu of his award-winning restaurant Lebnani in Surrey.
As the BBQ season is nearly here, I have chosen a char-grilled recipe using chicken. An abstract from the cookery book:
Jawaneh Meshwe
Chicken wings with garlic, coriander, lemon and chilli
Serves 4–5
If you grew up in Lebanon, you’ll know the smell of charcoal-grilled jawaneh. It’s the scent of rooftops in summer, of plastic tables pulled into alleyways, of cousins fighting over who gets the crispiest wing. In Tyre, it was the beach; in Beirut, it was the roof of our building; in the mountains, it was always under the pine trees. The marinade would already be soaking into the wings by noon, ready for a sunset grill with loud music, pickles, and half-cut lemons on the side. This wasn’t a sit-down meal – it was standing, chatting, dipping, licking your fingers, and wiping your mouth with khobez.
For the marinated wings
1.2kg chicken wings, cleaned and tips trimmed
6–8 large garlic cloves, finely grated
1½ tbsp fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tbsp Baharat (Lebanese 7 spices)
½ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 large lemons
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
Large handful of fresh coriander leaves, very finely chopped (about 40g)
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or leave seeds in for extra heat)
4–6 garlic cloves, finely grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
To prepare and cook the wings
Pat the cleaned and trimmed wings fully dry. Combine all the remaining ingredients
until thick and fragrant to make the marinade.
Pour the marinade over the wings, coat them thoroughly, then cover and marinate for
at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Bring the marinated wings to room temperature before cooking. Grill over charcoal
until golden, crisp, and lightly charred, flipping and basting often. Alternatively, you
can oven-roast the wings at 220°C (200°C fan) for 35–40 minutes, then briefly finish
them under a hot grill to char the skins
To prepare the sauce and serve
Simply mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in a large bowl. Toss the grilled wings in the garlic-coriander-chilli sauce and serve straight away with lemon wedges, toum (see page 203), and fries.
Time to enjoy the outdoors with this delicious BBQ recipe.
Lebnani is certainly a must-have cookery book to add to your kitchen bookshelf and ideal for all the armchair foodies out there. Photography by Mike Russell and published by Meze publishing. Available from all the usual book outlets.
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