Beef over Za’atar-Spiced Rice with Lemon Labneh

Step 1

1 Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Combine in a bowl. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

Step 2

2 Cook & finish the rice: In a medium pot, combine the rice, currants, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Stir in the za’atar and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Step 3

3 Cook the vegetables: While the rice cooks, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the prepared onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Using a spoon, move the vegetables to one side of the pan.

Step 4

4 Cook the beef: Add the beef to the other side of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir the beef and vegetables to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the beef is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 5

5 Make the lemon labneh & serve your dish: While the beef cooks, in a bowl, combine the labneh and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the cooked beef and vegetables over the finished rice. Top with the lemon labneh and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Step 6

1 Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Combine in a bowl. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

Step 7

2 Cook & finish the rice: In a medium pot, combine the rice, currants, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Stir in the za’atar and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm.

Step 8

3 Cook the vegetables: While the rice cooks, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the prepared onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Using a spoon, move the vegetables to one side of the pan.

Step 9

4 Cook the beef: Add the beef to the other side of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir the beef and vegetables to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the beef is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Step 10

5 Make the lemon labneh & serve your dish: While the beef cooks, in a bowl, combine the labneh and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the cooked beef and vegetables over the finished rice. Top with the lemon labneh and chopped parsley. Enjoy!