COOK'S CORNER

Distinct Middle Eastern flavors at The Grape Leaf

Nancy Miller
Special to the Courier-Journal

A lack of civil engineering jobs was a stroke of good luck for Louisville dining. When Nabil Al-Saba, a civil engineer by training, left Dubai to return to Louisville in 1989, he couldn’t find a job in his field. His solution to the employment dilemma was to open the Pita Palace, one of the first local Middle Eastern restaurants.

He closed that restaurant and opened The Grape Leaf in 1992. “It’s amazing, really, how things have changed here. I have seen several Middle Eastern restaurants come and go, but each one added its own unique food. Now there are several,” he says.

Al-Saba credits variety and simplicity for the popularity of Middle Eastern food, adding that some of the cuisine’s dishes, such as hummus, have made their way onto the menus of many restaurants and into home kitchens. “In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s you had to look hard to find a can of chickpeas in a grocery store. Now it’s possible to find the ingredients for practically any Middle Eastern dish you might want to cook,” he says. “And the prices are so much better. It’s interesting that we take all of that for granted today.”

COOK'S CORNER RECIPES

He has the pulse on American tastes and doesn’t mind cooking to suit them, but he introduces distinctive Middle Eastern touches. Salmon and rack of lamb are on his menu but are spiced The Grape Leaf way. The restaurant’s cod tagine is a sweet and sour dish of fish, onions, honey, fresh lemon, cilantro and olives. Al-Saba says it may be a new taste to some customers but that once they eat it, they love it.

The chef and restaurateur likes the freedom to experiment with recipes and admits that he rarely sticks to them, unless it’s lentil soup for which he never deviates from his mother’s recipe.

He and his wife, Lynley, work in close partnership. “She’s the backbone of the business, helping with menus and the atmosphere and the business side of things. I used to think I had good taste when it came to the interior of the restaurant, but I realized I didn’t. Every time I’d suggest a color, she said, ‘No, use another color.’ I said ‘OK’ because I knew she was right,” he laughs.

Al-Saba appreciates the help he receives from other people, too. When he wasn’t successful growing molokhia, a plant in the okra family, he gave the seeds to a customer who was able to grow it for him. Molokhia, which is also a dish, is used in several Grape Leaf recipes, including a soup that is also made with collard greens.

“I’m proud of being on Frankfort Avenue. The street has come alive in a beautiful way,” he says. A year and a half ago, he opened Zad on Grinstead Drive, a dining spot that he says has some similarities to The Grape Leaf although Zad’s dining room and kitchen are smaller. Are The Grape Leaf and Zad the beginning of a restaurant empire? “No. I have my hands full with two restaurants. I’m very satisfied.”

The Grape Leaf,2217 Frankfort Avenue, (502)897-1774,grapeleafonline.com;Zad,1616 Grinstead Drive, (502)569-1122,zadlouisville.com

Roasted Cauliflower and Date Salad

Serves 4

1/2 cup raw sliced almonds (or whole and coarsely chop after baking)

8 tablespoons cooked organic green lentils, cooled

1 head of cauliflower cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch florets

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

10 dates, pitted and chopped

1/2 small red onion, sliced

20 grape tomatoes

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

4 cups loosely packed mixed greens (kale, spinach, romaine)

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Spread the almonds in a pie plate. Toast 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Increase the oven temperature to 425˚.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, cumin and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, turning occasionally until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.

In a large bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, honey, and two tablespoons of water until smooth. Add the lentils and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Scrape the roasted cauliflower into the bowl. Add the toasted almonds, dates, onion, tomatoes, bell pepper and greens. Toss the salad, transfer to a plate and serve.

Lamb Chops with Grape Leaf Salsa Verde

Serves 4

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, finely chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Four 10-ounce lamb loin chops

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Salsa Verde

1/2 cup jarred grape leaves, chopped

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 teaspoon chopped oregano

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano, rosemary, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Warm over moderately low heat the herbs are fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Let the marinade cool completely, then transfer it to a resealable plastic bag. Add the lamb chops, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight. Let the lamb chops come to room temperature before grilling.

To make the salsa verde: In a food processor, pulse the grape leaves with the garlic, parsley and oregano until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and lemon juice; pulse until blended. Season salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl.

Light a grill. Remove the lamb chops from the marinade. Season with salt and black pepper. Grill, turning once, until the lamb is lightly charred, about 10 minutes. Close the grill and cook over moderate heat until the lamb is medium-rare, seven to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the lamb to plates, and let rest for five minutes. Top with the salsa verde.

Walnut Baklava with Chocolate Chips

Serves 20

4 cups walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 package phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

3/4 cup water (add 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, if desired)

Preheat oven to 350˚. In a food processor, finely chop the walnuts with the cinnamon, cardamom and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

Brush an 11̋ x 17 ̋ metal baking pan with some of the melted butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo in the pan; trim the edges to fit, and brush with butter. Repeat with seven more phyllo sheets, brushing butter between each layer. Spread 2 1/2 cups of the walnut filling evenly over the phyllo. Top with another eight sheets of butter-brushed phyllo and the remaining 2 1/2 cups of walnut filling. Cover with eight more buttered phyllo sheets, buttering the top well. Refrigerate the baklava for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.

With a small, sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Bake the baklava for 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups of sugar with the water (add the orange blossom water, if desired). Bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear. Pour the hot syrup evenly over the baklava and let cool completely before serving.