Griddled Pita Stuffed with Sumac-spiced Meat (Arayes)

Griddled pita stuffed with sumac-spiced meat

Reversing the usual way kebab meat is cooked and then served in or with bread, in this recipe for Griddled Pita Stuffed with Sumac-spiced Meat from Eleanor Ford’s The Nutmeg Trail, the meat is wedged into a pita before being cooked over a griddle. Hailing from the Middle East and Levant the dish is known ... Read more »

Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

Whole Burnt Aubergine with Charred Egg Yolk, Tahini and Chilli Sauce

The first time you grill a whole aubergine on the barbeque or over open fire is a revelation! Such a very simple cooking method somehow transforms this vegetable into the very best it can be. In this recipe from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, each aubergine ... Read more »

Chicken Shish in Sweet Confit Garlic Marinade

Chicken shish in sweet confit garlic marinade

Although this delicious Chicken Shish in Sweet Confit Garlic Marinade recipes goes heavy on the garlic, the flavours are sweet and gentle, thanks to the way the garlic is gently cooked in oil until it becomes soft and mellowed, before going into the marinade. This dish is another barbeque winner from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over ... Read more »

Grilled Cabbage with Chilli Garlic Butter

Grilled Cabbage with Chilli Garlic Butter

Grilled cabbage is one of those dishes that’s surged in popularity over the last couple of years, and this fantastic Grilled Cabbage with Chilli Garlic Butter (from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich) is no doubt part of that phenomenon, very much the kind of food Sarit ... Read more »

Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich

Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around The Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich are the husband and wife chef duo behind the very successful Honey & Co  in London, sometimes affectionately referred to as the Honeys. Hailing from Israel, their food is full of the vibrant colours and flavours of the Levantine region that encompasses Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, amongst others. Their ... Read more »

Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf | Harem Pilav

Harem pilav (avocado, wine and mushroom pilau)

It’s likely this Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East carries influences from French colonialism in the region, given the use of white wine in the recipe. There’s a pleasingly retro vibe to the suggested presentation, and it’s a straightforward recipe for a midweek meal. ... Read more »

Syrian Pasta with Garlic-Tahini Sauce | Macaroni bil Tarator

Macaroni-bil-tarator

Known as Macaroni bil Tarator in Syria, this recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East is a simple but satisfying one, and can be ready in minutes if you make the tarator (garlic-tahini sauce) in advance. It can also be enjoyed hot or cold. We’ve adjusted quantities given for the ... Read more »

Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian

Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East by Arto der Haroutunian

Our love affair with Middle Eastern food began at Uni with a Manchester Asian sweet shop that inexplicably also sold Lebanese dishes. It was affirmed by Lebanese buffet lunches of amazing quality, freshness and value, discovered at the Phoenicia restaurant just off Kensington High Street. Although now closed, memories of the tantalising fragrance of garlic, ... Read more »

Onion, Chilli & Mint Marmalade (Muraba-e-Murch-e-Surkh wa Piaz)

Onion, chilli and mint marmalade

This Onion, Chilli and Mint Marmalade features a hefty kick of chilli that adds extra punch to its rich sweet and savoury flavours. The recipe is from Sally Butcher’s Veggiestan cookbook, now republished as a new edition for its 10th anniversary. It pairs equally well with soft and salty cheeses such as feta or goats cheese, ... Read more »