Lebanese or Middle Eastern food help please.

[IslaValargeone]

Could anyone point me in the direction of any tried and tested recipes from lebanese or Middle Eastern origin.
We do a round the world dinner thing with some friends, and my challenge is the aforementioned.
Thanks in advance.

You might like to have a look at these for inspiration into "Muslim Mediterranean" cuisine.

Claudia Roden's recipes are fabulous. I've tried lots of the recipes in her book of Middle Eastern Food.

Try some of Ottolenghi's recipes - he has a weekly column in the guardian - the link has all the recipes in date order - vegetarian recipes with a middle eastern influence. He has some recipes on his own website too.

Vote for Ottolenghi here

Have a look on the internet for Persian recipes. Beautiful food.

Yes Claudia Roden vote here too.

Middle Eastern Cooking or a more recent one Arabesque.

You could do an array of dips of various sorts - hummus, babaganoush/moutabal (aubergine and tahini), a yoghurty one, tabouleh. If you were feeling adventurous you could try making little fried pastries eg spinach and feta wrapped in filo.

If you live somewhere where there are some Turkish/Indian shops etc you could get some fairly authentic flatbreads - otherwise pitta bread from the supermarket would do.

Moro books are also very good too.

Thanks so much ladies, haven't yet decided, but my mouth has been watering at your suggestions.

My vote also goes for Claudia Roden's Arabesque - the recipes are so easy to make and taste heavenly.

Moro and Ottelenghi books brilliant too but somehow I use my Roden books (she has several) the most.

Some great recipes here (including Roden):
www.ummah.net/family/recipes.html

and here:
www.bbc.co.uk/food/cuisines/turkish_and_middle_eastern