Which countries are part of the Middle East varies depending on who you ask. From a food perspective, the flavours of Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine (the Levant), Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, The UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar (the countries of the Arabian Gulf), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt (North Africa) all have a lot in common. The influences crosses borders to neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Xinjjiang in China, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Sudan, Somalia, Zanzibar and Greece too; as well as the Middle Eastern/Arabic influence on Malaysian and Indonesian cuisines.
Pita Crisps With this not-even-really-a-recipe, you’ll never buy pita crisps again, nor will you ever waste a piece of leftover Lebanese bread! Perfect with hummus or any dips, crumbled over salads, alongside soups or just as a moreish snack on their own with a glass of the gorgeous copper-hued La Nebbia Col Fondo naturally sparkling […]
Shish Kebab Grilling meat on a skewer over coals is one of the most basic forms of cooking. So kebabs, in their many forms, are popular throughout a huge area covering the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, the Caucasus and on to the Indian sub-continent (from whence they spread to South East Asia as satays). There’s […]
Kisir (Turkish Tabouli) I’m a fan of traditional recipes but every now and then I prefer to do things my way. And I’ve always made tabouli with far more cracked wheat than any Lebanese cook ever would. Then I realised I wasn’t making tabbouli, I was making the kisir I enjoyed so much in Turkey. […]
Hummus I was taught to make hummus by a Cypriot friend’s grandmother and her recipe produces the smoothest, creamiest hummus I’ve ever had. She insisted that you should remove the skin from the chickpeas to get a smoother texture. I find it quite therapeutic popping them out of their little casings, but you can leave […]
Bresaola, Watercress & Egg Salad I fell in love with bresaola when I was researching A Lombardian Cookbook in Italy with Alessandro Pavoni. A specialty of Lombardy, bresaola is salt-cured beef eye round that’s dried in the crisp Alpine air. Virtually identical to Swiss bündnerfleisch (viande des Grisons) from just across the border in the […]
Baked Vegetarian Kibbeh I love the classic torpedo-shaped balls of kibbeh that often appear as part of Lebanese mezze – but baked kibbeh (kibbeh bil sanieh) is more popular as a family meal and much quicker to make. This vegetarian kibbeh is slightly crumblier than the one made with minced lamb, but just as delicious. […]
Chopped Salad Of course we all love to cook – but occasionally, there just isn’t time. That’s when I whip up a big bowl of this delicious chopped salad which keeps well for days in the fridge. Found all over the Middle East, it makes an interesting alternative to a leafy green salad (which doesn’t […]
Turkish Lentil Soup I lived on this delicious lentil soup when I was in Turkey for three months in 1988. My recipe is adapted from one that I had on the Black Sea coast made by a young lady called Zerrin. A Turkish friend translated for me as she told us how to make it […]
Spiced Orange Ice Cream Sandwich I created these spiced orange ice cream sandwiches as ‘hot & cold cross buns’ for Good Friday, using a cross template cut from cardboard to decorate the top. They’re great anytime though decorated with other shapes, such as a heart for Valentine’s Day, or left plain. The flavouring for the […]
Middle Eastern Zucchini Soup I love soup at any time of year – and fresh green veggie soups are so quick and easy. This is not a traditional Middle Eastern dish, just my take on zucchini soup. Cumin is one of my favourite spices and it adds a lovely fragrant earthiness to this soup, while […]
