Books for Cooks

The Luck of the Lebanese

By Holly Rowland

The sun is shining, hopefully, as I write this, because it’s summertime and fun-time for all the lucky ones who aren’t chained to indoor jobs. Some lucky ones may travel to exotic places; others may have to stay home and travel via their tummies, just the way I am planning to do! Here are two cookbooks to guide the way. Here we go . . .

The Irish Spirit by Margaret M. Johnson, a Raincoast/Chronicle book, $29.95

The best-selling Irish cooking expert and author of “The Irish Heritage Cookbook” has added the spirits of ale, stout, cider or whiskey to the Emerald Isle’s favourite recipes, embellished with many fascinating touches of history plus the histories of legendary drinks. These recipes are devilishly enticing - Apple-Whiskey Paté, Smoked Salmon and Crab Roulades with Walnut Vinaigrette, Chops in Locke’s (Irish whiskey), Cider-Glazed Baked Ham, just to mention a few. Here are two recipes you are sure to love. The soda bread is better than my own recipe, and the pork chops are great on the BBQ or grill!

Brown Soda Bread
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease baking sheet. 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole-wheat flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 cup plus 1 tbsp. quick-cooking oatmeal		1 tsp. baking powder 2 ¼ cups buttermilk ½ tsp. salt 1 large egg, slightly beaten
In a large bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the whole-wheat flour and one cup of the oats. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk and the egg. With a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture forms a soft dough. With floured hands, form the dough into 2 rounds. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oatmeal. N.B. This is when I make a cross in the centre of each round with a sharp knife, optional, of course! Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the tops are browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Biddy-Brined Pork Chops Serves 6 as a main course N.B. I haven’t had much success with today’s pork. Sometimes I find it tough but this brine method makes it tender.
5 cups water 6 allspice berries ½ cup coarse salt 1 bay leaf Preheat oven to 325F. Grease baking sheet.		½ cup light brown sugar 6 bone-in centre-cut pork chops, 1-1/4 to 1-½ thick 3 bottles Red Biddy* Serve with boiled new potatoes

In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add the salt and brown sugar and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, or until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the ale, allspice, and the bay leaf. Cool to room temperature. Put the pork chops into a large re-sealable bag, pour the beer brine in, seal, and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, turning bag periodically. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or pre-heat a gas grill to medium-high. Remove chops from marinade and pat dry. Grill the chops for about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the chops registers 145°F to 150°F. Move the chops to a cooler part of the grill if the chops are browning too quickly. Remove to a platter, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with apple chutney and potatoes. Both recipes are included in book. * Biddy is the name of the Irish Brewery. Pilsner beer works well. *The Lebanese Cookbook* by Hussien Dekmak Kyle Cathie, Raincoast Book, $38.95 I adore Lebanese food! It’s healthy as well as delicious and the Lebanese diet is based on grains, fresh vegetables, olive oil, garlic, fish, lamb and chicken. Hussien was born in Beirut, trained in London, and opened Le Mignon in 1997. In his book you’ll find all those marvelous dishes you love and just how to make them in your own kitchen. And BBQ fans will be able to create mouth-watering kebabs and “stuff” that will satisfy everyone lucky enough to come to your backyard! And there are lots of dishes for vegetarians, too.

Chickpea Dip Serves 4
500 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed thoroughly 2 tbsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) salt 100 g ice*		200 g tahini 4 tbsp. lemon juice N.B. Buy good-quality tahini. It shouldn’t taste too bitter. Cheaper brands use peanuts and don’t taste good.
Place chickpeas in a large pan with plenty of fresh cold water and the soda. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes until soft to the touch. Remove pan from the heat and stir well to loosen the skins from the chickpeas. Drain away the water and skins so just the chickpeas are left. Rinse thoroughly. Place chickpeas in a food-processor and whiz with a little salt to a smooth puree. Add the ice, tahini, and some of the lemon juice. Whiz again, adding about 500 ml of water in a steady stream, until the mixture is smooth and the consistency of a creamy paste. Pour in the remaining lemon juice and add more salt to taste. N.B. This recipe makes a large batch which will keep for 1 week in the fridge. Once refrigerated, the hummus will thicken, so make it quite thin to begin with. Garlic lovers may add garlic if it pleases them! The ice is to cool the food processor.

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