Jad Youssef Photo: Matt Russell
The chef and restaurateur Jad Youssef grew up in Beirut during the 1970s and 80s. “I was born just two years after the civil war shattered Lebanon’s peace,” he writes in the introduction to his debut cookbook, Lebnani. “Life was complicated, but even in the shadow of war, something stronger always pulled us together: family and food. Despite falling bombs and regular power cuts, the question in our home every morning remained the same: ‘What shall we eat today?’”
Food was central to Jad’s life growing up: his father ran a pastry shop, his mum taught him that cooking should be honest and come from the heart, and his grandparents and aunties taught him how to make pomegranate molasses or za’atar from scratch.
Food, he says, is deeply rooted in his country’s culture. “No matter what happens, we gather, we cook, and we eat together. Whatever was taking place outside our door, the kitchen remained our sanctuary.”
The youngest of six siblings, he left Lebanon at the end of the 90s. He is the founder of Yalla Yalla, which brought Lebanese street food to London, and for the past six years has run his restaurant, also called Lebnani, in Surrey.
Given the global situation into which Lebnani is published, with his country again being bombed, his words have a special poignancy. As he writes: “Lebanon is a small country – you can cross it north to south in just a few hours – but within its borders lies a world rich in history, culture, beauty, and, sadly, conflict. To the north and east lies Syria; to the south, Palestine; to the west, the Mediterranean Sea.”
Here he shares his recipe for a tray-baked chicken dish which he boasts was always a weekend favourite. “One big tray in the middle of the table, the scent of garlic and lemon filling the house, and everyone fighting over the crispiest piece of potato. My mother would start prepping it early in the day, seasoning every layer by hand, making sure nothing was dry or bland. It was the kind of meal that brought the neighbours in, uninvited but always welcome – you just had to follow your nose.”
Jad suggests serving it with special Lebanese rice, the recipe for which is included here.
Words by Jane Ferguson
Photographs by Matt Russell
Jad’s djej b’sayniyeh (tray-baked chicken with potatoes, garlic, lemon and coriander)
You can use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer – whichever cut you choose, remember that bone-in chicken will always have better flavour. For even more garlicky punch, leave some of the garlic cloves whole in the traybake and mash the roasted garlic into the potatoes before serving. Don’t skip the coriander – it gives the dish its southern character. Leftovers (if there are any!) are even better the next day.
Serves 4–5
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (about 1.4–1.6kg), cut into 6-8 pieces
16 large garlic cloves, skin on, finely grated
250ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
150ml olive oil
1½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ tsp baharat (Lebanese seven-spice seasoning)
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
800g Maris Piper or chipping potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-1.5cm rounds
1 large bunch fresh coriander (about 80g), washed, picked and finely chopped
200ml water
Method
Preheat oven to 220C (200C fan).
Rinse the chicken pieces thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry with kitchen paper. In a bowl, toss them with half the grated garlic, half the lemon juice, half the olive oil, and all the spices, salt, and pepper. Leave the chicken to marinate for at least 30 mins (or up to 2 hrs in the fridge).
Rinse the sliced potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch and pat dry. Layer them in a large baking tray and season lightly with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil with the chopped coriander and water to make a fragrant dressing. Place the marinated chicken pieces on top of the potatoes, skin side up. Pour the dressing all over the traybake, making sure the potatoes are well coated. Use your hands to rub everything in gently.
Cover the tray with foil and bake in the oven for 45 mins. Uncover, baste the chicken in all the juices, then roast for another 25-30 mins until golden and slightly crisp on top.
Serve hot in the tray alongside Lebanese rice with vermicelli (see below) or a simple salad, and lemon wedges.
Rez m’falfal (Lebanese rice with vermicelli)
In our house, my mother cooked this almost daily. The sound of the vermicelli toasting in olive oil or samneh (clarified butter) was the first sign that lunch was coming. It is not just a side dish though – it soaks up the broth of the tabkha (main dish), balances strong flavours, and completes the table.
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp samneh or a mix of both (this is authentic and gives the best flavour)
100g fine wheat vermicelli
300g basmati or long-grain rice, washed and soaked in cold water for 20 mins, then drained
600ml boiling water, or light chicken broth if you want extra flavour
2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Method
Heat the olive oil, samneh or both in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the vermicelli and sauté gently, stirring constantly, until it turns a rich golden brown. Watch it carefully so the vermicelli does not burn.
Once the vermicelli is evenly golden, add the drained rice. Stir gently to coat the rice with the oil and vermicelli.
Add the boiling water and salt. Stir once to combine, then bring back to a gentle boil. Turn the heat down as low as possible, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let it simmer undisturbed for 25–28 mins. Do not lift the lid or move the pot during cooking.
When the rice is ready, it should be tender, the grains separate and fluffy. Remove from the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 mins. Fluff gently with a fork before serving.
Serve hot with your tabkha – this is the true Lebanese way.
Lebnani is published by Meze (£28)