Comptoir Libanais: A Feast of Lebanese-Style Home Cooking

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Most of the recipes I try contain lettuce in varying quantities, either little gem, or the larger version, cos – but the recipe in Jerusalem (passed down from Tamimi’s mum) omits it, as does Claudia Roden. Fattoush is, I believe, rather a moveable feast – Anissa Helou writes in her book Lebanese Cuisine that “you can make it with whatever salad ingredients you have available as long as you use sumac” (and, presumably, bread). Blanch the lasange sheets in boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until slightly softened, then lay two or three sheets in the bottom of an oven proof dish, with around 1 litre capacity. Spread over half the roasted vegetables. Fill in any gaps with bits of spinach water left over in the pan. They also look very pretty, as do Comptoir Libanais and Honey & Co’s pomegranate seeds, which should supply a lovely burst of sweetness – but pomegranates at this time of year tend to be disappointingly dry, so I wouldn’t bother. And. whilst his London restaurants Levant, Pasha and Kenza put glamour into Middle Eastern cuisine, it is Comptoir Libanais that has begun introducing Lebanese food to the high street, providing relaxed canteen style dining with light Arabic cooking, served in the friendly and accessible way demanded by many customers today.

Steam the spinach leaves by putting them in a pan with a good splash of water and heat just to the point where they wilt, but not so that they lose their texture. And Tony points to just how healthy Lebanese food is: “The food of Lebanon is so healthy, I even lived on charcoal grilled meats and mezze for over a year whilst training and preparing for my 250 kilometre marathon – and lost 60 lbs in wight!”Everyone uses some sort of raising agent, whether bicarbonate of soda or baking powder, to make their falafel extra fluffy. As there doesn't seem to be much in the way of acid in the recipe, I'm not surprised to find that Ottolenghi and Tamimi and Roden's baking powder proves more effective. Vegetables Ground coriander and cumin are also pretty much a given, and I like the fiery sweetness of Helou's Lebanese seven-spice powder, with its ginger, cinnamon and allspice, which balances beautifully with the savoury garlic and peppery herbs. Some recipes use cayenne pepper, paprika or chilli flakes too – I find the warmth of the ginger sufficient for a dish that is rarely hot as opposed to spicy, but if you feel the need, add a shake to taste. Salt is also extremely important in a dish that, badly seasoned, can tend towards the dull, which is why it's a good idea to fry up a little to test the mixture before shaping. Chilling, shaping and cooking His next move was the acquisition at the end of 2005 of Pasha from Richard Caring of Caprice Holdings, transforming it into the most opulent and seductive restaurant of its kind in the capital. He then launched Kenza, a feast of Middle Eastern craftsmanship and rich design, in the City of London in 2007. Like tabbouleh, this is a dish that requires a generous hand with the herbs, as Helou reminds us. The usual suspects, parsley and mint, are the most popular choices, although Honey & Co go for the rather intriguing oregano, which I love, but which tastes dangerously uncanonical. Roden’s coriander is similarly daring – I think it works, but others aren’t convinced. In any case, parsley and mint just taste right; and if it ain’t broke …

Feta, tahini and yoghurt replace the Parmesan and béchamel sauce, while vegetables replace the mince in this Lebanese twist on a classic. Tamimi’s mother used a homemade yoghurt dressing that the pair believe was probably her own creation. “Sami can’t recall anyone else in the neighbourhood making it.” It is indeed “terribly comforting”, and both richer and more cooling than your average fattoush – it’s a dish for when you want something a little more substantial. They do fast food properly in the Middle East: chargrilled meaty wraps; crisp, wafer-thin pastries; and, of course, the almost ubiquitous falafel fritter. Once almost exclusively the preserve of the vegetarian in the kebab shop, more authentic versions, heaped with nutty tahini sauce and punchy salads, are increasingly charming British punters away from the burger van. Hot and crunchy on the outside, fluffy and herby within, it's no wonder so many countries want to claim the falafel as their own.

Comptoir Libanais Express

Ground coriander and cumin are also pretty much a given, and I like the fiery sweetness of Helou's Lebanese seven-spice powder, with its ginger, cinnamon and allspice, which balances beautifully with the savoury garlic and peppery herbs. Some recipes use cayenne pepper, paprika or chilli flakes too - I find the warmth of the ginger sufficient for a dish that is rarely hot as opposed to spicy, but if you feel the need, add a shake to taste. The first Comptoir Libanais opened at Westfield Shopping Centre in November 2008, with four more following in London. Further openings include Duke of York Square in Chelsea (pictured below), Bluewater in Kent, and in the London airports – with more to come. Last September, Random House published Comptoir Libanais: A Feast of Lebanese-Style Home Cooking, showcasing just how easy, healthy and accessible Lebanese food is for everyone. Bringing together the passion of owner Tony Kitous, the extraordinary designs of award-winning graphic artist Rana Salam, and bestselling author and photographer Dan Lepard, the Comptoir Libanais cookbook blends a vibrant culinary tradition with modern flavours and cooking methods

By the time the pomegranates are in season, tomatoes won’t be, and tomatoes are( in my opinion, at least) key here. I like the idea of using a variety of colours and sizes, chopped “two or three different ways … to give the salad some texture”, as Honey & Co recommends, but go with whatever looks best if you don’t have a big choice; cherry tomatoes are usually the safest bet, but everything should be decent in midsummer. There’s no need to peel them as Roden does but, if they seem watery, rather than solid, you might be advised to core them, as in Baxter’s recipe. Indeed, you can find good falafel everywhere from Baghdad to Bawshar - but, unless you live near one of the small, but growing, number of decent vendors here in Britain, your best bet might be to make your own. Thankfully, it's really quite simple. Pulses Some recipes also use dried mint, too, but its more aniseedy flavour spoils the fresh flavour of the other kind as far as most testers are concerned, with one likening it to their grandma’s mint sauce in a not entirely complimentary way. Look, I am not a chef and I don’t want to pretend that I am. I’m a self-taught, passionate home cook who adores Lebanese food. My love of Lebanese food is very simple. I enjoy sharing good food: food that’s healthy, delicious, and above all, simple and honest. And that’s what this book is about. I wanted to share my passion, and I honestly believe that once you get close to Lebanese food, you’ll want to share it with your family and friends, and you’ll get hooked on it too.

Vegetables

Roll the mixture into small, flattish balls, about 5-6cm across, and roll briefly in the sesame seeds.

I’m keener on ingredients that add more in the way of texture and flavour, with cucumber falling firmly into the first camp (unless you thinly slice it and salt it for an hour, as Roden’s recipe in Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book suggests, when it tastes pretty good, but feels distinctly limp). Try, as Ottolenghi and Tamimi write, “to get small cucumbers for this … they are worlds apart from the large ones we normally get in most UK supermarkets” – less watery, and with more bite. If you can’t find them, then scoop out the seeds, as Baxter suggests. Put the aubergine, peppers and courgette into a large roasting tin and drizzle over the oil. Season, then toss everything together with a large metal spoon so that the pieces are well coated in the oil. Roast in the oven for 30 mins until golden. I’m also sharing a 20% discount on your next Comptoir Libanais restaurant bill if you visit the location in Utrecht! The food is meant for sharing, so there’s plenty of choice, with everything from dips to mezze bites, savoury flatbreads, tagines, wraps, salads, pastries and cakes – they even bake their own Moroccan bread. This wouldn't be a Middle Eastern recipe without heaps of fresh herbs. Forget the sad little supermarket bundles and try to find yourself a proper market stall bouquet, if possible. Parsley is popular, used by everyone but Helou, but so is coriander, which makes its way into all the recipes. I like a combination of the two – the sharp, pepperiness of parsley and the aromatic freshness of coriander, both in sufficient quantity to turn the mixture a bold green colour.The Cookbook is officially called Comptoir Libanais – feasts from the Middle East (translated in Dutch to ‘Comptoir Libanais Feest! – Feestelijke recepten uit de Libanees Mediterrane keuken’). The book is filled with recipes to make a party from every meal. It’s really inviting to ask your friends over and have a food party. There are recipes for breakfast, mezze, salads, grilled dishes, fish, soups and stews, grains and desserts in the book. I’m sharing the recipe of one of the dips from the book, as for me this is the perfect healthy party food. I made the Artichoke and Tahin dip from the Comptoir Libanais cookbook and I’m sharing the recipe with you below. This dip is healthy and vegan!