Some traditions should be sacrosanct not because they perpetuate perfection but because they represent years of love, family bonds and connections. A close friend has for the past 16 years upheld her tradition of making a Thanksgiving dinner for friends. The size of the dinner parties has ranged from 10-30 people. She started this tradition […]
Rose, date and pistachio pot with gum mastic
The mere mention of certain smells and flavours bring back floods of childhood memories so intense that they stop me dead in my tracks. Rose cordial with ice-cold milk in a tall glass takes me straight back to the steps of my grandmother’s porch where I use to sit sipping it slowly so that it […]
Kid goat loin with spinach and whey cheese salad
Celebration of the end of the olive harvest Part 1 The olive harvest is nearing its end in the East Med and I am minded to mark this with a dish in celebration. I am also reminded of its true purpose rather than a popular substitution for vegetable oil. My father, who in his typical […]
Octopus in olive oil and white wine with bulghur wheat
Celebration of the end of the olive harvest part 2 Ingredients 1 kg of octopus 2 banana shallots 200ml of olive oil 200ml of white wine 100ml of water 2 bay leaves 5 whole black peppercorns Tablespoon of tomato paste Tablespoon of fresh oregano chopped to garnish Ingredients for bulghur wheat 200g of bulghur wheat […]
Rabbit Stew and Orzo
Cinnamon and spice and all things nice About 10 years ago my father gave me a book as present. It’s a cook book without any photos, dubious hand drawn illustrations and no portion sizes in any of the recipes. It is written unapologetically in a strong dialect with a glossary at the back to explain […]
Roast Leg of Goat (kid) with pumpkin in yogurt and sumac
Kid is actually softer on the palate than people may think. Yes it is earthy and flavourful but it can be a little more bashful than lamb which is why I don’t think it’s fair to the meat to cook it in something as strong as rosemary. Fresh oregano, thyme and lemon are the perfect […]
