Lubyi Bil-Lahm Masallat (Black-Eyed Bean and Lamb Salad)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lamb shoulder (can also substitute with a different meat or no meat at all for vegetarian version)
• 2 lbs. fresh black eyed beans
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (1 tsp for lamb marinade, rest for cooking)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 bell pepper of any color, julienned
• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• green onion, chopped
• cilantro for garnish
• (optional) toasted broken-up pieces of pita bread

Dressing - 1/2 cup olive oil - 1 lemon, juiced - salt black pepper - 1 teaspoon za 'atar

Cooking/Assembling

1. soak beans over night. remove from water (preserve water) in a pot, turn heat up to high and add the beans and stir and cook for a minute, then add water and boil for 15 minutes or until to softened liking. remove from water and set aside to let cool down.
2. cut up lamb (choice of meat) into 1 inch cubes/pieces. in a bowl combine 1 tsp olive oil, cinnamon salt and 1 of the garlic cloves chopped and lamb (meat choice). mix well and let sit in fridge for at least 1 hour.
3. add the rest of the oil to a frying pan on high heat. add in the rest of the garlic. once garlic is fragrant, add in the lamb (meat choice) and stir together on now medium heat until meat is cooked. remove from pan and set aside to cool down.
4. once the beans and meat have completely cooled down, combine in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients. combine dressing ingredients in a bottle. shake well before pouring over salad. pour dressing over salad and if you decided to use them, sprinkle over the toasted pita bread pieces and garnish with cilantro. I like to serve this with baba ganoush or hummus and toasted pine nuts and olives.

bon appetit