Malfouf - Lebanese Cabbage Rolls

You would think the best thing I took away from Memorial Day weekend was the fun with my family and extra time with my husband.

Nope. The food. Ok, yes fun with my family and husband, but really, let's talk about the food.

When my Lebanese Grandma asks me if I want to take left over dinner home with me I usually thankfully decline. Why? Because I dread that I would accidentally not eat it in time and run the risk of having to throw it away. I hate it when that happens. I am an excellent leftover eater. My husband, is not.

However, when my Grandma asked if anyone wanted to take leftover malfouf home, I could have stood on my chair, jumped up and down while raising my hand saying, "Yes! Yes! Pick me! Pick me!" My Mom raised me better than that though. I just squeaked out a little, "We would." from the end of the table.

Photo Credit // Mama's Lebanese Kitchen

We would = not if anyone else wants it, needs it, or could use it but really, I am the oldest granddaughter and most spoiled, so who has two thumbs and took a big bag of malfouf home??

This girl.

Even as I am writing this post, I look over to my empty plate where I just finished 3 rolls of malfouf for lunch. Cold. Yes people, I didn't even heat it up. I purposely put the remaining 8 rolls in the freezer as to savor them over the next few weeks. God only knows I could finish the bag here and now!

Mama's Lebanese Kitchen describes malfouf as, "a traditional Lebanese dish which involves rolling cabbage leaves with a stuffing of ground meat, rice, 7-spices (of course), then stacking them in a cooking pot in layers with garlic in between, and then simmering them on low heat in a sauce made with lemon juice, fried minced garlic, water and salt." My family adds tomato sauce or paste of some sort.

While they are not for everyone, they sure are for me. I am sure my Grandma makes (and this time she ordered some from church) malfouf differently, Mama's Lebanese Kitchen gives a very thorough recipe on their website with lots of pictures!

Is there anything your family makes or eats that you just can't help but take the leftovers of?