Having come to caraway late in life, we’re now making up for lost time by seeking out recipes that really show off this lovely spice. In his book, Spice: A Cook’s Companion Mark describes Caraway’s flavour as “a cross between cumin and thyme, with a nudge of orange peel, mint and aniseed” and we could ... Read more »
Menemen: Turkish One-Pan Eggs
Although it’s commonly served for breakfast, Menemen – aka Turkish Eggs – is also excellent as a quick lunch or light evening meal. This one-pan recipe comes from the ‘Van Life Cookbook: Resourceful recipes for life on the road: from small spaces to the great outdoors’ by Danny Jack and Hailee Kukura. This recipe is ... Read more »
Turkish Ezme
For many years, ezme has been one of my favourite side dishes when visiting the many Turkish restaurants of North London. A simple cold dish of chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and red peppers with lots of parsley and mint, ezme is the perfect foil to kebabs such as adana kofte, chicken and lamb cis, and ... Read more »
Ruangan Chaman | Paneer in Tomato Curry
This Himalayan recipe for a simple paneer in tomato curry is a revelation. Slicing the paneer into thin strips rather than cubes (as is more typical in the Indian cooking I’m familiar with) means more surface area to be fried. It really changes the textural mouthfeel of the paneer! The recipe is from Romy Gill’s ... Read more »
Tomato and Onion Curry
This Tomato and Onion Curry is not like other Indian curries I’ve made; I’m used to recipes where tomatoes are integral to the curry’s base, cooked down to melt into a rich, thick gravy redolent with onion, ginger and spices. But in this wonderfully quick and easy recipe from Urvashi Roe’s Biting Biting, the tomatoes ... Read more »
White Miso, Tomato and Mushroom Penne
Tomatoes and mushrooms are naturally high in umami flavours, as is miso paste. The combination creates a deliciously savoury and simple pasta dish, perfect for quick meals. The recipe is from The Ultimate Japanese Noodles Cookbook by Masahiro Kasahara. You can switch the nameko mushrooms out for other varieties if you can’t find nameko. Tomatoes ... Read more »
BBQ Piri Piri Chicken Thighs with Tomato and Onion Salad
In the era of Nando’s – the ubiquitous South African restaurant chain specialising in peri-peri chicken – this fiery chicken recipe has become a favourite across the UK. It’s a dish born of European colonisation and global trade. The Portuguese traded chillies and many other products from the Americas to Europe, and across their colonies ... Read more »
BBQ Charred Tomatoes with Cool Yoghurt, Pomegranate Molasses and Herbs
There’s something very wonderful about sweet, charred tomatoes still warm from the barbeque served on cool, tangy natural yoghurt. That pairing is taken into the realm of magical with the addition of a pomegranate molasses dressing and fresh mint and basil. The recipe is the first one I marked to make once I’d raced through ... Read more »
Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf | Harem Pilav
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 »
Smoky Paprika Chicken with Warm Cannellini Beans
The premise of Rosie Reynolds’ The Shortcut Cook is to share classic recipes with clever shortcuts to make them easier, faster and tastier. This Smoky paprika chicken with warm cannellini beans makes double use of a smoky paprika mayonnaise as both marinade and dip, resulting in moist chicken with crispy skin. Adding ripe tomatoes to ... Read more »