Lebanese Tostada

April 13, 2010  •  Category:

I live in Texas, my kids are Texans and I love Tex-Mex food, OK?

However, I am also Lebanese and I want to enjoy one of the best mezzedishes in Lebanese cuisine, hummus with minced lamb and pine nuts. If the table has fifty mezze dishes, this  is the first one everybody  will go for! Meat is sizzling and shiny with lamb grease, the pine nuts are golden and the hummus is smooth and velvety. All the other mezze dishes can wait!


You don’t like lamb. Not a problem, use beef then!

In a tostada form,  thismezze dish becomes a meal in itself,  instead of one of fiftydishes or so.

I used beef sirloin, but my first choice would have been lamb.

Marinate the meat  a bit,  get it tender and you hit a home run.

INGREDIENTS: 4 to 6 servings

  • 1 pound of top sirloin steak or your steak of choice, lamb or beef- You can also use ground lamb or beef
  • yogurt for the marinade (1/2 cup)-if using ground meat, skip this step!
  • lemon juice (1/4 cup), olive oil (1/3 cup) and spices for the marinade: pepper, paprika, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, thyme or anything you feel like using
  • half a basket of organic cherry tomatoes (the other ones have no flavor, they are just acidic)
  • half a bunch of green onions, chopped fine
  • a few sprigs of parsley or any other herb of your choice
  • a tub of hummus, doctored up with extra lemon juice, garlic and tahini if needed
  • 3 pita breads, split and toasted

METHOD:

  1. Marinate the meat in a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice and olive oil; add the spices of your choice. Let it sit for as long as you like, up to 2 days. If using ground lamb or beef, no need to worry about this step.
  2. Toast the pita in a 300f oven till crisp and golden.
  3. Doctor up the hummus with a dash of garlic, lemon juice and tahini the day you plan to eat it.
  4. When ready, slice the meat in thin slices and pat dry; fry in a bit of olive oil for a couple of minutes on each side.
  5. Plop a generous quantity of hummus on each pita bread; Place a few slices of meat in the middle; add a few cherry tomatoes, green onions and a sprinkle of parsley. Serve immediately.

 




Comments

73 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Mariana says:

    That is interesting that from all the mezze array this is the first to be ‘tackled’. I do a similar thing with bruschettas. I have ones with pesto and cheese, capsicum, proscuitto, sundried tomatoes, caponata, but the first ones to always go are the lamb, marinated eggplant topped with tzatziki. Not quite the same as yours but the drift is similar. Your recipe really is mouthwatering. Infact after perusing your blog just now, I am starving!!

  2. Dinners & Dreams says:

    Hummus with lamb sounds fantastic. I love the bracelet cakes from the
    previous recipe 🙂

    Nisrine

  3. Fig and Cherry says:

    I love the way you use Lebanese recipes and cooking techniques and adapt them to the American palette! I’m calling it Leb-Tex, OK? 🙂

  4. Stella says:

    Hey Joumana, I love the way your food is a mix between Tex Mex and Lebanese sometimes. Cauldron Boy is from Texas and he says there is nothing like real Tex Mex. Lebanese is also one of his favorite cuisines (especially schwarma and so many of the salads). I might have to copy this recipe for him…
    Hope you are doing well! Leila saida…Stella

  5. Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie) says:

    This looks so good. I love mezze. I have been looking for dried chick peas to no avail in my little city. I’m just new here so still learning about it. This is such a good, quick dinner.

  6. rebecca says:

    oh wow I am so hungry looking at this made a lamb curry this week, love lamb

  7. Bria @ WestofPersia says:

    Look so delicious! I can relate to the Tex Mex thing, having grown up in Texas. Nice work!

  8. [ec_vancouver] || js says:

    Oooh, Lebanese tostada sounds brilliant! I love the flavour combinations.

  9. Mimi says:

    Great Lebanese twist on a Mexican staple. You have a fantastic way of marrying the two cultures.
    Mimi

  10. Arlette says:

    I am coming for Dinner, this is my favourite

  11. Olive says:

    looks delicious, it sounds simple and easy to make, my family will love this.. Thanks ! 🙂
    @ Stella, I love shawarma too 🙂

  12. fériel says:

    Hello, I am happy to discover this wonderful blog, I love Lebanese cuisine and your blog is a real treat for the eyes.
    Hope to read you

  13. Not Quite Nigella says:

    hehe your neighbours must be beating down your door to come over! 😀

  14. Meeta says:

    hummus and lamb are my fave combination! i love this especially as it’s a quick weeknight dinner fix!

  15. Priya says:

    I learn so many delicious dishes through ur spacen this tostada looks fabulous..thanks for sharing..

  16. Sushma Mallya says:

    Lovely pic, looks fantastic..

  17. Rosa says:

    Oh, that is a dish which would have a lot of success at my place! My boyfriend and I we love such scrumptious specialities!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  18. Cherine says:

    I love this recipe! I’m drooling in front of your photo!!

  19. grace says:

    i won’t lie–i love mexican tostadas. and even though i love mexican tostadas, i’d definitely bypass them for a couple of your lebanese-style creations. hello, hummus! what a great dish, and what a wonderful blog you’ve made–i’m enjoying it very much!

  20. peter says:

    I WANT LAMB! I want mezedes! I want to sample all the array of dishes. I want to be served a bread bracelet!

    Some fusion of influences are great (like this one) but it’s a fine line. Some get it – many don’t.

  21. Rita says:

    Thank you for your visit; love Lebanese food and this might be where I wll learn hot to prepare it properly. Great presentation and photos.
    Rita

  22. Lydia says:

    Brilliant! Can’t wait to try this. I have a boneless leg of lamb I was planning to grill this weekend, so I’m all set.

  23. Susan says:

    Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. I am so glad you did, because now I have found this fantastic blog that you write. I will be back often. Your blog looks beautiful. Susan

  24. Nadege says:

    That looks fantastic and should be easy to make. Thank you!

  25. 5 Star Foodie says:

    The lamb sounds so flavorful and delicious! I love this fusion dish!

  26. deeba says:

    What a great take on tostada. Beautiful flavours as well. Love the look of your blog. So refreshing!

  27. Cara says:

    My husband would be thrilled if I made these for dinner. I would love them too 🙂

  28. Sylva says:

    What a wonderful blog you’ve got! For 2 days I’ve been reading all the new and the old posts. This tostada looks wonderful. I’ll make it today. Thank you.

  29. Angie's Recipes says:

    That looks beyond DELICIOUS! And the whole presentation is simply elegant and irresistible.

  30. fimère says:

    moi aussi c’est l’agneau que je préfère, la viande est plus tendre et aussi à mon goût plus savoureuse
    j’aime beaucoup cette préparation riche et savoureuse
    bonne journée

  31. Christine @ Fresh says:

    I love this Lebanese twist on Tex Mex! It looks refreshing and delicious!

  32. Nadjibella says:

    C’est toujours un plaisir de te rendre visite : il y a le plaisir de l’œil et une promesse garantie pour la palais.
    Tes adaptations de la cuisine libanaises sont très intéressante.
    A bientôt.

  33. Will Donovan says:

    this is so very very very very awesome

  34. Doria says:

    Très jolie recette que je découvre !
    J’aime beaucoup venir te voir pour tes plats qui changent complètement des miens et j’adore ça !
    Je te souhaite une très belle soirée de ce mercredi,
    Bisous, Doria

  35. MaryMoh says:

    Wow..I love the beautiful presentation. Makes me want to eat 2 plates!

  36. Wizzythestick says:

    Oh fabulous flavours and what a lovely idea for dinner. My family would love these

  37. Joanne says:

    I swear, I should have been born Middle Eastern. This is basically ALL that I crave! These look amazing.

  38. Sook says:

    I have never had this before but looks so wonderful!!

  39. Barbara says:

    Yowee! This is a great combination of a tostada and a great mezze dish. I want lamb, thank you, and hummus and pine nuts! Super job, Joumana!

  40. Juliana says:

    Love your version of tostada…sure it looks so tasty…lovely dish Jourmana!

  41. Hannah says:

    What about ground kangaroo? Lebanese-Aussie hummus heaven is what I think 😀

  42. Nancy says:

    Okay, you had me at lamb grease! I am a lamb fanatic, and combining it with hummus and pine nuts sounds amazing. Next party I will be making this!

  43. Ivy says:

    Oh love this twist of yours. It’s making me drool and it’s only 8 a.m.

  44. sweetlife says:

    great tostadas..surely upped the tex mex version instantly..yum

    sweetlife

  45. Devaki says:

    Dear Joumana – You had me at sizzling lamb with tasted pine nuts!!! How utterly mouthwatering & delicious.

    Too bad we are not neighbors….you’d have to chase me out with a broomstick 😉

    Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

  46. joudie kalla says:

    One word…. YUMM!!!!

  47. Sophie says:

    I so love the Lebanse twist on food & things like this!

    fab food, Joumana!

  48. Mimi Cooks says:

    great recipe…I could eat your photos…so clear and beautiful! thanks for sharing.

  49. Jamie says:

    Another fabulous meal! I love serving slices of marinated cooked lamb, tomatoes, hummus and tortillas (that’s all I can get) for a picnic dinner in front of a rugby match or film. This is now making me hungry and I have to make this soon. Lovely!

  50. T.W. Barritt says:

    The thought of every one of these flavors is making me very hungry right now! Based on the photo, I can see why people go for this first!

  51. Fouad @ The Food Blog says:

    Wow Joumana. I have to queue up to comment on your blog now hehehehe.
    It’s worth it though. Awesome idea. The beef looks great. It really does glisten. Pine nuts would probably go well too 🙂 Keep up the great work!!

  52. Conor @ HoldtheBeef says:

    Oh yes oh yes I love this meal! I think I would eat almost anything if there was delicious hummus on it, but this also happens to have delicious lamb, oh my!

  53. TastyTrix says:

    Would you hate me if I used seitan? ; ) Though as always … you really tempt me to give up this whole veggie thing and chow down on some lamb. How do you do that???

  54. Doria says:

    Je te souhaite une très belle soirée de ce jeudi,
    Bisous, Doria

  55. Marysol says:

    Well, I have Cuban, Spaniard and Lebanese blood running through my veins, and while my palate may get a little confused by all my favorite cuisines (Cuban, Lebanese, Spanish, Italian, and the list goes on), they’re all still embraced and enjoyed with equal passion.
    I wonder if that makes me a foodie.

    In any case, Jourmana, your Tostada looks increíblemente magnífico.

  56. Mary says:

    This looks wonderfully flavorful. It’s so nice to have recipes that combine the place we are in with the places we have been. I’m sure your Texas cowboys really loved this. I know I would. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary

  57. Astra Libris says:

    Lamb and hummus is the most heavenly combination… and with your gorgeous yogurt marinade… Oh my goodness, suffice to say I’m VERY excited about fixing this soon! 🙂

  58. lisa says:

    I’m sort of the same way, Joumana…I have Irish, Filipino, and Spanish blood in me, and my favorite cuisines run in every direction. I grew up exposed to food from many different cultures — you get wonderful flavors when you combine them! This is a great example!

  59. Erica says:

    I do the same thing with Colombian cuisine……I love mixing cuisines and flavors! This looks amazing as usual 🙂

  60. Louise says:

    I’m on my way to Texas, “as we speak!” OMGoodness!!! I have lamb for stew in the freezer, home made yogurt and all the other ingredients!!! I am so saving this recipe, Joumana!

    I’m sure it won’t look as yummy as yours but I sure am going to give it a go!!! I’ll let you know what happens.

    Thanks for sharing…

  61. OysterCulture says:

    I love this Lebanese rift on Texas food, looks amazing and so darn tasty – cannot wait to try!

  62. alwayswinner786 says:

    So yummy! Trying it this weekend!

  63. Michelle says:

    I never thought to use lamb in tostadas before. But cutting the meat into strips is how I made Tacos! Gorgeous photos!

  64. Kitchen Butterfly says:

    Yummy, yummy, yummy. I especially love the last photo!

  65. Anita says:

    Roll me up a couple of these, I’m about to lick the screen 🙂

  66. Mona says:

    The mere sight of making me hungry Joumana. Yummy!

  67. sewa mobil murah says:

    I do the same thing with Colombian cuisine……I love mixing cuisines and flavors! This looks amazing as usual

  68. pitiboudin says:

    dès que le soleil pointe le bout de son nez, je suis irrésistiblement attirée vers les pages de ton blog…. bizarre non?

  69. heni says:

    Love it! TexTex dish Lebanesized!!!! Mmmm

  70. domi says:

    Excellentissime, quelle belle idée je les imagines bien avec une version mini pour un apéro surprise……très, très joli

  71. huong dan choi game says:

    I will try to create delicious food and good articles like you. Thanks a lot

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