The Lebanese Kitchen is the authority on Lebanese food, and it’s got the heft to prove it. This weighty tome is one part cookbook and one part Lebanese culinary encyclopedia. The book’s brief introduction shares the story of home cook Salma Hage’s childhood spent on a farm in Lebanon and details about her time spent cooking for her family and working in catering. She also highlights the key staples of a Lebanese pantry and garden (nuts, seeds, fruits, spices, grains, legumes, etc.), and the multiple components of a typical Lebanese meal, from meze to mains to a final cup of coffee – never lightened with cream.
Hage is a no-nonsense instructor. There are no cutesy anecdotes, no memories of an uncle or grandmother to preface dishes. Only a handful of photos punctuate the book’s 500 recipes. Hage has no time for stories or pictures; she’s too busy teaching you seven variations of hummus, four different baklavas, dozens of kofte, kibbe, stews, roasts and more. Ever wanted to make your own pita bread, yogurt or zaatar blend? Hage has the answer.
Her butternut squash stew was a delicious dish of seasonal flavors. One of my favorite aspects of Middle Eastern and North African cooking is the surprising sweet-savory combinations. The stew marries earthy mushrooms and tomatoes with sweet squash, mild yellow curry and a fat cinnamon stick.
This largely hands-off recipe was simple to follow. Onions and garlic sweated together before getting a dusting of sweet curry powder.
Golden butternut squash, vibrant carrots and the last of the garden’s tomatoes tumbled into the pan, and the whole mélange took a swim in vegetable stock (I used chicken broth, as it was on hand.) for 30 minutes.
I carefully added mushrooms and chickpeas to the brimming pan. Ten minutes later, the squash was buttery soft and had just started to break down, thickening the dish without adding fats or flour. The chickpeas were still firm enough to pop in my mouth, and the mushrooms added chew to a stew that otherwise would have had the texture of baby food. It was warm, hearty and just happened to pair perfectly with an O’Fallon Pumpkin Ale – as did the second bowl with another brew.
Salma Hage’s Butternut Squash Stew 4 to 6 Servings
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. curry powder
1 carrot, sliced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large cubes
14 oz. chopped tomatoes
Generous 2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cinnamon stick
3 ¾ cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
14 oz. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (I used parsley.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened.
• Stir in the curry powder and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it releases its aroma.
• Add the carrot and butternut squash, increase the heat to medium, and stir well so that the vegetables are coated with curry powder and onion, then add the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and cinnamon stick.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the squash is nearly tender.
• Stir in the mushrooms and chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and serve immediately with chopped cilantro.
Reprinted with permission from Phaidon. What’s your favorite fall dish to pair with a pumpkin ale or Oktoberfest brew? Tell us about it in the comments section below for a chance to win a copy of The Lebanese Kitchen by Salma Hage. We’ll announce the winner in next week’s By the Book column.
This article appears in October 2013.