Labaneya Spinach And Yogurt Soup Food

SPINACH AND YOGURT SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the flour, salt, tarragon, nutmeg and cayenne, and heat until fragrant. Stir in spinach (undrained) and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat, and puree in a food processor or blender in batches. Return to the saucepan, and whisk in yogurt. Heat through, but do not boil. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Ladle into bowls, and float a lemon slice on top of each serving.

LEBANESE SPINACH AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan set over low-moderate heat, saute the onion in a drizzle of oil with a pinch of salt until transparent and starting to brown, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the water, stock, lentils, and spices, and bring to a simmer.
• Cook, covered, until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• In the meantime, drain the spinach in a colander and squeeze by handfuls to remove as much liquid as possible.
• In a large skillet, saute the spinach in batches with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt until cooked and almost crisp.
• Transfer the cooked spinach to a plate and set aside.
• Once the lentils are tender, add the vermicilli pieces and cook until the pasta is nearly tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the sauteed spinach and juice of half a lemon to the pot, stir well, and add salt and pepper.
• Add more lemon if you like, or pass around wedges at the table.
• Ladle into bowls and top with cilantro.

SPINACH AND YOGURT SOUP

Steps:

• Wash and drain spinach; remove any large stems.
• Cut into strips.
• Heat oil in large saucepan and saute garlic, onion, and green onions until soft.
• Stir in rice; add 3 1/2 cups water and the turmeric.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, then add spinach, cooking 5-7 minutes more, until rice is tender.
• Lower heat on soup.
• Stir yogurt briskly, then add to soup.
• Stir only to blend, and heat just until soup is heated through.
• Do not boil, or yogurt will curdle.
• Serve.
• As a suggestion, serve with fresh flatbreads with olive oil, olives, lemon wedges, and a plate of fresh herbs.

LINA'S AWESOME LEBANESE SPINACH, BEEF & RICE!

Steps:

• In a cooking pot, add olive oil and heat for a moment. Add onions and sauté. Add ground beef and cook until beef is brown. Add allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix. Add spinach and sauté with meat for a moment. Once it's all mixed well together, add water to the pot , just enough to cover the spinach Cover and let the spinach meat mixure boil and then turn it down to medium heat and let it simmer/boil for a good 30 minutes. Meanwhile, get a sauté pan and add some olive oil, the garlic, and the chopped cilantro and sauté' that mixture together. Add cilantro/garlic mixture to the spinach (after the spinach has cooked for 30 minutes). Cover and let it simmer for about 15 more minutes. Serve with rice and squeeze lemon juice on top!
• • Using frozen chopped spinach works better than fresh spinach. It does not turn out the same if you use fresh. The frozen chopped is much better. I have tried both. Trust me!
• • Be sure when adding water to the pot that you don't add too much. You want just enough to cover the spinach. The spinach will release some water too!
• • Squeezing the lemon on top of the spinach dish when it's being served is the most important part of the dish! Don't forget to do that, or you'll miss out on the awesome taste of this dish!

LABANEYA (SPINACH AND YOGURT SOUP)

Steps:

• Prep spinach ( de-stem and wash fresh, or thaw frozen). Squeeze out excess water from frozen or cut fresh in 1/2 inch ribbons.
• Fry onion in oil until soft. Add 1 clove of crushed garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.
• Add spinach, liquid, scallions, rice, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes (test to see rice is finished cooking).
• Mix yogurt with second garlic (optional) and add mint. Beat the mixture into the soup- do not let it boil or it'll curdle. Heat through very gently and cautiously.
• Persian Jews use dill instead of the mint.
• For Turkish touch garnish with dribble of 1 Tbsp mixed with 2 Tbsp sizzling hot butter.

MIDDLE EASTERN SPINACH WITH SPICES AND YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat and add the clove, allspice berries, and coriander seeds or cumin seeds. Heat, shaking the pan, until the spices begin to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes, then grind in a spice mill. Add the cinnamon, and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to a paste, and stir into the yogurt. Set aside.
• Place the baby spinach in a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water, and chop coarsely.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the pine nuts. Cook, stirring, until they begin color (2 to 3 minutes), then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the spices to the oil. When they begin to sizzle, cook for about 30 seconds and add the spinach, toasted pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is heated through and coated with the oil and spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the yogurt over the top. This is very nice served with Arabic bread.