Lubyee Bil Lahmi or Lubyee bi Laham or Lubia...

...or fasolakia me arni, if you're Greek :)

I love almost every type of cuisine but if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Lebanese. It's probably a bit of a cop out, really, because it's just so similar to Greek food. That's probably why I like it, eh? I could honestly eat Middle Eastern or Mediterranean food every day for the rest of my life and I would be okay with that. Actually, I had Lebanese for 3 meals last week alone.

Lubyee bi laham (or any varation of that spelling) is a Lebanese lamb and green bean stew. Greeks make almost the same thing, with slightly different spices, and occasionally with okra instead of lamb. It is one of my absolute favorite things to eat, no matter who makes it. I grew up in a city with a population that was about 50% Arabic. In other words, I was extremely spoiled with Middle Eastern food. The local restaurants were authentic and the foods my friends' parents made me were, too! There are some great Lebanese joints in Chicago but I haven't found one that is totally up to par with Dearborn. But, that doesn't stop me from getting my fill of shawarma, kofta, pilaf, fattoush and jerusalem salad in a week, apparently.

This recipe is basically a combination of the one from Ally's blog, Culinary Infatuation, and the one from Katie's blog. Good Things Catered. Both  have some Lebanese blood in them so I knew it had to be good.

And good it was. So tasty, so comforting. Letting this simmer for a few hours is seriously killer. It smells SO good. I was ready to dive into it before I had even added the green beans. Like Ally, we  had this over some Middle Eastern couscous, which I already had in my cabinet. I just toasted it in olive oil and then cooked in a mixture of water and broth.

This was a little too liquidy, so next time I'll simmer uncovered for a few minutes at the end to thicken.

Lubyee (2)

Lubyee bi Laham
Serves 4 

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. lamb stew meat
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
allspice (errr, I never know how much because I only have the whole allspice and I throw in quite a few; maybe 1/2--3/4 tsp. if you have it ground?)
1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed  
salt and pepper

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and then add the oil. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions and cook until tender. Add the garlic, sauteing until fragrant. Pour in the water and crushed tomatoes, deglazing the pot and scraping up all the browned bits. Add salt, pepper and allspice and bring to a boil. Put the lamb back in. Cover and turn the heat to low, simmering for 1-2 hours.

Add the green beans and simmer covered for an additional hour.

If you need to thicken the stew, simmer uncovered for a few additional minutes at the end.

Lubyee

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 300 / Fat: 10 / Carbs: 26 / Fiber: 5g / Protein: 28.5