13:50Bon Appétit
The Juiciest Grilled Kebabs You’ll Ever Make | Made in House | Bon Appétit
Learn how to master the prep, marinades, and fire management required to execute a flawless, five-protein Mediterranean-inspired kebab platter.
Cuisine
Levantine
Levantine cooking — mezze, charcoal grilling, tahini, sumac and preserved lemon — where balance of acid, fat and salt does the work.
Levantine cooking — mezze, charcoal grilling, tahini, sumac and preserved lemon — where balance of acid, fat and salt does the work.
13:50
7:05Middle Eats
The Secret To SMOOTH Homemade Hummus
Learn the professional Levantine technique for ultra-smooth hummus without peeling. Master the chemistry of alkaline boiling, ice-whipping, and stable tahini emulsification.
9:36Brian Lagerstrom
The Best One-Pan Breakfast You Can Make
Discover Brian Lagerstrom's masterclass in making the ultimate one-pan shakshuka, featuring a dual-texture tomato sauce and a fool-proof oven-baking method for perfect eggs.
Shorts & reels
Quick hits from the pass
Sixty-second clips — one idea, one trick, no preamble.
0:43The Mediterranean Dish
I make this salad at least 3x a week! (White Bean Salad Recipe) #beans
0:29The Mediterranean Dish
Sweet Potato Breakfast with Eggs (Healthy Breakfast Recipe!) #breakfastrecipe
0:54Ethan Chlebowski
This 10 minute Lamb Pita never fails me.
0:16Over The Fire Cooking by Derek Wolf
Late Night Beef Shawarma Recipe (In Description)
2:33The Culinary Institute of America
Grilled Eggplant Flatbread
Questions from the pass
Levantine: frequently asked
What geographical regions define Levantine cuisine?
Levantine cooking originates from the Eastern Mediterranean, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and parts of southern Turkey. The culinary style focuses on mezze, charcoal-grilled meats, and flatbreads. It relies heavily on olive oil, lemon, garlic, tahini, and spices like sumac and za'atar to balance rich fats with sharp acidity.
Why does tahini split when mixing sauce, and how do you fix it?
Tahini seizes when small amounts of water bind with its oil. To fix or prevent this, slowly whisk ice-cold water into the sesame paste. Start with a 1:1 ratio of tahini to cold water, whisking vigorously. It will first tighten, then emulsify into a smooth, pale, pourable sauce. Add lemon juice last to maintain stability.
What is the best way to use sumac in hot and cold dishes?
Sumac adds a sharp, fruity acidity similar to lemon juice, but without adding liquid. Use it raw as a finishing spice on fattoush salad, hummus, or sliced onions. For hot dishes, rub it onto lamb skewers or chicken musakhan before roasting or grilling over charcoal at high heat to balance the rendered fat.
Which parts of a preserved lemon should be used in Levantine recipes?
For most Levantine dishes, discard the flesh and seeds, which are overly salty and bitter. Rinse the rind thoroughly under cold water to remove excess brine, then finely dice or julienne it. Use the rind to cut through fat in fish marinades, tahini dressings, or grain salads like freekeh.
How do you prevent lamb kofta from falling off skewers on a charcoal grill?
Work the minced lamb with 20% fat and 2% salt until the proteins emulsify into a tacky paste; chill for two hours before shaping. Grill over direct, grey-ashed charcoal at roughly 230°C. Sear for two minutes without moving to form a crust, then turn frequently. Total cooking time is six to eight minutes.