Lebanese Menu

Lebanese Feast Menu

The ‘mezza’

This mezza menu consists of hand-made delicious items made from scratch using fresh ingredient. The mezza spread is an informal banquette style setting where guests help themselves to the selections provided. The mezza menu is best suited for a party of eight, with the maximum being 12 people, this allows the time available on arriving to hand prepare each selection. Also on offer for groups of 12 people are the mezza grazing platters, a totally different but very delicious service. Please click on the menu tab and select ‘Mezza Grazing Platters’.

The traditional mezza menu includes up to five different selections, included in the five are two dips as one selection. Please see the mezza selection for more details.

The mains menu (traditional table setting)

The mains menu is the centre attraction of the table, which includes three starters and optional dessert and coffee. A traditional style home cooked meal where guests help themselves or the host serves. Normally two or three main are selected for a setting of 12 people, more mains can be selected on request (please be aware there is a limit to the size of groups The Dinner Party Chef can cater for unless a special has been discussed).

To view photos of the meals described please click on the gallery link and browse the photos. If you see something that is not on the menu, please enquire, I may be able to provide the selected dish.


Mains menu

Please note that the quantities of these mains are ample and quite satisfying. As in the traditional manner, all foods prepared are not plated but served from serving ware by your dinner host or by guests, (‘V’ denotes vegetarian meals).

Please select 2 or 3 main course and 3 table starters.

Oven kibbe

Oven baked kibbeh in a tray. Two layers of spiced minced lamb, blended with cracked wheat and onion with a filling of coarse lamb and pine nuts in the centre. This moist and tender meal is served with natural set, minted or plain yogurt.

Oven baked kofta

Delicious lamb kofta rissoles baked with potato and tomato in a rich tomato sauce served with Lebanese rice. A great tasting dish!

Fassoulia

A filling dish of red kidney beans and tender lamb chunks cooked in a rich thick tomato sauce spiced in the traditional Lebanese style with a hint of pomegranate syrup. This dish is served with white fluffy Lebanese rice (includes egg noodles).

Arabic spiced slow cooked leg of lamb

A superb leg of lamb infused with garlic and spice, slow cooked for many hours until the meat falls of the bone. Served with seasoned potatoes baked with butter.

Moroccan Lamb

An amazing dish, slow cooked lamb infused with garlic and spiced with ‘Res El Hanout’, (Moroccan top of the shelf spice blend) with dried apricots, olives and served with saffron rice.

Lahem meshwi (lamb and chicken skewers)

Lamb and chicken skewers cooked on your BBQ or for best result, your charcoal or wood fire. Both the lamb and chicken are marinated in a selection of Middle Eastern spices and ingredients to produce succulent juicy tender skewers cooked to perfection.

Baked eggplant with lamb mince

A fabulous saucy rich dish of baked eggplant stuffed with lamb mince, pine nuts in a rich tomato and pomegranate sauce, served with Lebanese rice.

Kofta skewer

A delicious lamb kofta made with fresh herbs and spices which is best served with a little fresh natural pot set yoghurt. A great substitute for the lamb skewer.

Ijie with lentil rice pilaf

A vegetarian meal consisting of a vegetable oven frittata, accompanied with a lentil, white rice, and caramelised onion pilaf, finished with a squeeze of lemon. (V)

Fresh Green beans with tomato

A great healthy vegetarian meal of blanched green beans with fresh tomato, olives, onion and and dressed with olive oil and pomegranate molasses. (V)

Chicken rice

A simple rustic dish consisting of white rice cooked in freshly made chicken stock with coarse ground lamb, roasted pine nuts, almonds and chicken scattered through the rice.

Tabouleh

A salad made with continental parsley, tomato, mint, and onion blended with cracked wheat dressed with lemon juice, Australian extra virgin olive oil, and spices. Tabouleh is a great accompaniment to any of the mains described in this section. (V)

Fattoush

A rustic country style salad made with fresh garden vegetables and crispy Lebanese bread (croutons) spiced with sumac, dressed with Australian extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Fattoush like tabouleh is a great accompaniment to any of the mains described here. (V)

Kofta in tomato

A lovely saucy dish consisting of meat balls made with spiced lamb blended with onion and parsley, then immersed in a rich tomato sauce. Served with Lebanese white rice and flat bread.

Wahruk ayrish (rolled grapevine leaves)

Hand rolled grapevine leaves filled with finely chopped spiced lamb and white rice cooked in a rich tomato sauce with a hint of tangy pomegranate syrup. These rolls are stacked over tender lamb chops and slow cooked infusing them with all the flavours and spices of Lebanon. This is a sensational dish that stands on its own but can be accompanied with a side salad such as tabouleh.

Bemeh (okra bean and lamb)

A landmark dish seldom seen in restaurants, fried okra bean with chunks of tender lamb cooked in a rich spiced tomato and pomegranate sauce served with white Lebanese rice. Like the previous dish this is really a main dish but can be accompanied with a side salad. All it really needs is a little flat bread.

Snapper in tahini sauce

This superb main meal not only taste great but looks fantastic as a centre piece on the dinner table. Whole baked snapper or fillet baked with a special tahini sauce served with saffron and roasted pine nut rice. This dish can be made using snapper or any equivalent sized fish with white flaky flesh. Please note you will require a large sized oven to fit a 3-4 kilogram fish if you have requested whole snapper.

Please visit the photo gallery for some delicious ideas not listed here. If there is anything of interest that you wish to inquire about, please do not hesitate to ask.

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Entertainers

Bowl of Lebanese style mixed nuts.

Bowl of black or green olives.

Zaatar (Lebanese Dukkah) with olive oil

Lebanese flatbread

 

Table starters (dips)

Hummus, a delicious creamy chickpea, garlic, lemon and tahini dip.

Muhammara, a spicy tangy roasted walnut, roasted capsicum dip, garlic and pomegranate molasses dip.

Baba Ghanouj, smoky wood fire roasted eggplant blended with tahini, lemon and garlic topped with spices and drizzled with Australian extra virgin olive oil, (V).

Habanero and Capsicum cream cheese dip. A spicy dip with an after bite for the brave. A blend of capsicum, cream and feta cheese and habanero. Great with a glass of very cold beer!

Lebanese flat bread

 

Cheese Platter

Lebanese or Greek haloumi cheese, two very different types of cheese, if you haven’t tried the Lebanese version it is a must!

Kasseri Cheese, a soft nutty sheep milk cheese

Mediterranean pickled vegetables, a mix of pickled vegetables to be served alongside the cheeses, with optional olives.

Extras

Lebanese food is not generally spicy as we do not cook with chillies but serve a hot chilli sauce on the side. If you like your food hot please asks for our sensational chilli sauces and garlic dipping sauce.

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Mezza (smaller portions) please select up to 5 dishes, 2 types of dips are counted as one selection. Also for more variety see ‘Mezza Grazing Platters’ in the menu tab.

As in the traditional manner, all foods prepared are not plated but served from serving ware by your dinner host or by guests, (‘V’ denotes vegetarian meals).

Sambousik

A delicious hand prepared pastry filled with spiced lamb, onions and roasted pine nuts, 2 per person.

Kibbeh Balls

Balls of minced lamb spiced with traditional Lebanese spices blended with cracked wheat and onion with a filling of coarse lamb and pine nuts in the centre, 2 per person.

Lahem Mishwe (Lamb and Chicken Skewers)

Lamb and chicken skewers cooked on your BBQ or for best result, your charcoal or wood fire. Both the lamb and chicken are marinated in a selection of Middle Eastern spices and ingredients to produce succulent juicy tender skewers cooked to perfection.

Kofta Skewer

A delicious lamb kofta made with fresh herbs and spices which is best served with a little fresh natural pot set yoghurt

Falafel

A vegetarian patty consisting of chickpeas, broad beans, blended with herbs and spices rolled into balls and fried, (V).

Tabouleh

A salad made with continental parsley, tomato, mint, and onion blended with cracked wheat dressed with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and spices. Tabouleh is a great accompaniment to any of the mezza dishes described in this section, (V).

Chicken Rice

A simple rustic dish consisting of white rice cooked in freshly made chicken stock with coarse ground lamb, roasted pine nuts, almonds and chicken scattered through.

Lahem Bi Ahjeen

Delicious small round mini pizza style pastries topped with finely chopped lamb, tomato and onion.

Fatayer

A tasty hand-made vegetable pastry filled with a tangy combination of silver beet, tomato and onion, (V).

Optional additional fillings include fetta and black olives, 2 per person. Suggested accompaniments include any of the mezza dishes and salads.

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Gluten Free Option

Ingredients in recipes can be adjusted to provide gluten free options when possible, but no guarantee is provided that the gluten free purchased alternatives used are 100% free from gluten contamination.

 

Sample Menus


Please have a look at some menus that I have prepared for your inspiration. These menus cater to a broad range of tastes and events, and are a favourite of many of my regular clients. Enjoy!

Classic Dinner Menu

BBQ Menu

Vegeterian Menu

Seafood Dinner Menu

Mezza Feast Menu