Name: Zatar Lebanese Tapas & Bars Lebanese Wine Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 tbs good-quality Arak (or pastis/unsweetened anise liqueur); 3 tbs fresh orange juice; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water); 1 dash Angostura or orange bitters (optional); 6 to taste ice cubes; 60 ml club soda or chilled sparkling water; 1 unit thin orange wheel or twist (for garnish); 1 unit fresh mint sprig (optional garnish); 1 cup hummus (store-bought or homemade); 1 cup labneh (strained yogurt) or thick Greek yogurt; 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup pitted Kalamata or mixed olives; 1 cup fresh cucumbers, sliced; 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 6 unit radishes, thinly sliced; 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 2 unit toasted pita wedges (cut from 2 pitas); 1 cup fried eggplant slices (optional warm element); 2 tsp toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts (for labneh garnish); 1 tsp sumac (for sprinkling); 0.5 tsp sea salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 unit lemon wedges (for serving)

Chilled Sauvignon Blanc

Vida Mezcal, Domaine de Canton, ginger shrub, simple syrup, lemon juice; on the rock, stemmed

GOLDEN EMBERS

Join us for Happy Hour, where delightful drinks and tasty bites come together to elevate your evening with friends.

Happy Hour

OLD FASHIONED

pair wonderfully with Lebanese wine or a cocktail made with licorice-y Arak

Chill a rocks glass or highball in the freezer for a few minutes. In a mixing glass or shaker, combine 3 tbs Arak, 3 tbs fresh orange juice, 1 tbs fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp simple syrup. Add a dash of bitters if using.

Build the cocktail

Fill the shaker or mixing glass with ice. Stir briskly for 15–20 seconds (or if you prefer a shaken, slightly cloudier drink, shake 8–10 seconds). This chills and lightly dilutes the strong anise flavor so it pairs better with food.

Add ice and dilute

Strain into the chilled rocks or highball glass over fresh ice (3–4 cubes). Top with 60 ml chilled club soda (adjust to taste) and gently stir once to integrate. Garnish with an orange wheel or twist and optional mint sprig. Serve immediately alongside the mezze plate.

Serve

Spoon 1 cup labneh into a shallow serving bowl. Use the back of the spoon to make a shallow well in the center. Drizzle 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over the labneh, sprinkle 2 tsp toasted pine nuts or walnuts, a pinch (about 1/2 tsp) of sea salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp sumac across the top. Scatter a few chopped parsley leaves on top.

Prepare labneh platter

Spoon 1 cup hummus onto another shallow plate. Create a shallow well in the center, drizzle 1 tbs olive oil, and dust a pinch of sumac. Optionally garnish with a few whole chickpeas or a sprinkle of paprika.

Plate hummus

Arrange 1 cup sliced cucumbers, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and 6 thinly sliced radishes on a serving board or platter. Place 1 cup pitted olives in a small bowl. Scatter remaining parsley around the board for freshness.

Assemble vegetables and olives

If using fried eggplant: slice eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds, salt lightly and let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium-high, fry eggplant until golden and tender (2–3 minutes per side). Drain on paper towel and season with a little salt. Serve warm on the board.

Warm element (optional)

Cut 2 pita breads into wedges and toast or warm briefly in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 5–7 minutes, or warm in a dry skillet until edges are slightly crisp. Brush lightly with remaining 1 tbs olive oil if desired.

Toast pita

Arrange the labneh, hummus, warm eggplant (if using), olives, vegetables and toasted pita on a large platter. Add lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over vegetables or into the labneh. Encourage guests to dip and enjoy with sips of Lebanese wine or the Arak cocktail. The creamy labneh and hummus, bright vegetables and toasty pita complement the licorice notes of Arak and the acidity/fruit of Lebanese wines.

Finish and serve

good-quality Arak (or pastis/unsweetened anise liqueur)

fresh orange juice

fresh lemon juice

simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

Angostura or orange bitters (optional)

ice cubes

club soda or chilled sparkling water

thin orange wheel or twist (for garnish)

fresh mint sprig (optional garnish)

hummus (store-bought or homemade)

labneh (strained yogurt) or thick Greek yogurt

extra-virgin olive oil

pitted Kalamata or mixed olives

fresh cucumbers, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

radishes, thinly sliced

fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

toasted pita wedges (cut from 2 pitas)

fried eggplant slices (optional warm element)

toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts (for labneh garnish)

sumac (for sprinkling)

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

lemon wedges (for serving)

Lebanese wine

Perfect meal for a group, a bite size of traditional shawarma served with fries

CHICKEN SHAWARMA ARABI STYLE PLATTER

combination of grilled beef kabobs, shish taouk and kofta skewers served with rice

MIXED BROCHETTE

hummus, spicy hummus, fattoush, baba ghannouj, cheese cigars, falafel, grape leaves

MEZZE

arugula, red onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, sumac

ROCCA SALAD (arugula)

mixture of lamb and beef roasted served with rice and tzatziki sauce

GYRO PLATE

grilled kafta skewer served with vermicelli rice and warm tahini

KAFTA & TAHINI

Make Lebanese Wine Recipe in just 30m. pair wonderfully with Lebanese wine or a cocktail made with licorice-y Arak

Lebanese Wine Recipe

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

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