The Latest Meditterannean craze, ZAATAR. I am seeing it on every menu, every restaurant that we visit. It is heartwarming to see and introduce newcomers to what we Lebanese, have used for a long time. This spice is used as a daily breakfast condiment. The most popular breakfast item in Lebanon is the zaatar bread called Manaesh; where a very generous amount of this spice is mixed with olive oil and spread on a round piece of dough and inserted into a wood burning oven for a few minutes and rolled into a taco and served. Manaesh is a breakfast item purchased on every corner in Lebanon and eaten on the go. Many people love it filled with a few slices of tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and fresh mint. Another version is with half melted cheese. I can go on and on about the varieties . The Lebanese people believe that Zaatar, a mixture of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds gives strength and clears the mind.

When we were growing up in Beirut, the teachers would tell us in class "what happened today, did you guys eat zaatar or not?"

RECIPE

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breast split in half lengthwise

1 avocado cubed

1/ 2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil

¾ cup bread crumbs

4 tablespoons of zaatar

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Toothpicks to secure the chicken

Cube the avocado and mix with the sundried tomatoes and set aside.

Pound the chicken breast slices to make them a bit thinner.

Mix the bread crumbs with the zaatar and set aside.

Dip each chicken breast into the bread crumb mixture on one side only and set on a foil.

Fill one half of each breast slice breast with the avocado/sundried tomato mixture. Top with the other half and secure with toothpicks. Redip the breast in the bread crumb mixture and set aside. Repeat with all the slices.