Hashweh

Have I mentioned Lebanese food is sooooo tasty? We had this for dinner last week or the week before, and I forgot about it, but oh when I saw this picture I got hungry all over again!  I’ll post the simple recipe for fattoush too….mmm..fattoush, and I wonder why I can’t stop eating?!?

Best of all, although it requires a few pans, it’s relatively easy to throw together!  Usually this is served as a side dish with chicken, which does seem a bit odd to first contemplate since it has beef in it, but hey – it’s good so what else really matters?

Hashweh (the rice and meat dish pictured)

• 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 c. rice
• 4 1/4 c. vegetable or chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted

Add rice to a small to medium size pot on medium heat.  Let the rice start to toast just slightly, you can add a bit of butter if you’d like, and then add the broth.  Stir to combine and increase the heat to medium-high.  Once it reaches a boil, cover the pot and allow to cook for approximately 10 minutes.  (While it is cooking for those 10 minutes start the directions for the meat below.)  Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to finish cooking, another 10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Brown the meat in 1 tbsp. of butter.  The traditional way is to brown it in all the butter; however, although this dish uses more fat than I usually do as it’s essential to making sure it’s not too dry.  So what I like to do is brown it, drain most of the fat then add the remaining butter.  When I add the remaining butter I also add in the salt, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.

Combine the rice, meat, and pine nuts and serve!