The Chouf mountains are the one area of Lebanon that I missed the most as an expat; I missed the smell of the parasol pines and the constant creaking noise of the crickets, so relentless that we would stop hearing it.
We stopped by the side of the road to buy some prickly pears and there was one car parked ahead of us: a BMW with a couple inside; out comes a young woman in a sleeveless, bustier skintight dress and spiked heels; beautiful and bronzed throughout; well this sight would have drawn stares and whistles in my time: not anymore!
We are flooded with our bodacious mountain tomatoes here so-called jabaliyeh.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups of Basmati or long-grain rice
• 2 cups of tomatoes, stewed for one hour in sauteed chopped onions and olive oil
• 1 cup or more of green peas
• 1 cup or more of shelled corn and 1 cup of chopped green pepper and carrot
• spices such as paprika, garlic, cumin
• 1 pound of sujuk sausages (or any spicy sausage of your choice)
Olive oil, as needed
METHOD:
1) Grate the tomatoes and collect all the juice and flesh in one big pot.
2) Chop some onions and fry in olive oil; add the tomatoes and stew for one hour over low heat.
3) Fry the rice in a bit of olive oil for a couple of minutes until translucent; add the stewed tomatoes and one cup of water with the spices.
4) Cover and simmer till the rice is cooked; about 10 minutes before, add the peas, corn, carrots and green peppers.
5) Roast the sujuk sausages in a 375F oven with a bit of oil until sizzling. Pat dry and serve on top of the rice. Can also be sauteed in a skillet and cut in chunks and added to the rice.
27 Comments
Looks delicious! I just made sujuk with eggs for my husband. The spicy flavor of the sujuk is fantastic.
Yummy! Those sausages look delicious. I wonder if they are little like the Turkish sausages carrying the same name (suçuk)…
Cheers,
Rosa
Liked your pilaf and sausage combination…Nice pictures of mountain.
I love anykind of pilaf, I am especially intriguw with sajuk sausage.
I love sujuk. My grandmother who came from Asia MInor used to make it with eggs at her house when I was little. I have so many food memories from her.
Oh wow!! Those sausages (and tomatoes!!) look fantastic!
I love all the photos from your trip, Joumana. 
YUm! I have sujuk in the fridge and I will make this for sure.
The thing I like most about sujuk is that you have a chance to showcase your favorite type of meal in a way that’s hard for people to resist. I love the way you have them guarding the rice like soldiers. Armenians always serve sujuk with eggs for breakfast, when you cook it you get this incredible smell, that wakes your family from a deep sleep and sends them straight to the kitchen.
Joumana you are very generous with your recipes.
How are you Joumana. I’m a fan of your blog. Finally something I can write to you about. The fruit is a type of passion fruit. We have it here in California as ornamental vines just like what you have there in the photos but the fruit is also edible. The ones found in more tropical climates like Hawaii or Central and South America are the ones sold in the market to be eaten as is or as juice.
Love the rice pilaf and all the pictures. I love to see that hill of green trees…so refreshing!
It looks so delicious and spicy
When I first looked at the second photo I thought I was looking at a field of grass. Then when I read your first sentence and saw parasol pines I looked more closely and saw them! How beautiful.
I take it you weren’t wearing a bustier and heels ?
Lovely pilaf. I love the addition of all the beautiful vegetables. That would be a great side dish to some tasty sausages.
Oh the times they are a changing. My girls are always reminding me that this is a new day, I remind them that good taste is timeless.
As for you recipe it looks so tasty and I certainly have load of tomatoes to use.
Mimi
Oh yes, one of those wonderful rice dishes. Must find out about these sausages… I am always learning and those guys are adorable… spicy too??? Perfect!
Chouf comme dans Chouf ouchouf?:)
Pilaf looks delicious!
What a beautiful rice dish, and those tomatoes look fabulous.
Have a wonderful weekend ahead.
*kisses* HH
Bodacious mountain tomatoes and busty women…hmm…which gets the most attention LOL.
Nice, simple, tasty recipe that’s versatile enough to be a great main meal or sidedish.
I hope you’re getting in some great fun and enough relaxation time ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Love all the photos! The rice dish looks so beautiful!
yumm, looks delish. love the beautiful photoes
I love all your pictures! I feel like I’m traveling with you.
The rice looks so tasty!
Everything looks delicious and savory and just packed full of wonderful flavors.
Lovely rice dish that would go well with many mains, I think. Well done!
Gosh, what a beautiful rice pilaf, especially surrounded by those sausages. It’s a combination I grew up enjoying. It looks so appealing to me now since it’s time for dinner.
We love sujuk. My husband’s uncle made some for us and it was the best!! We love to have it with eggs when we want something hearty for breakfast. I am sure it’s great with rice too.
That looks remarkably similar to a version of Tomato rice that my wife makes.
http://bloggermathai.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/the-best-tomato-rice/
I love the chouf and miss those beautiful pumpkins size tomatoes with garlic and sumac