This beautifully fragrant plate of roasted chickpeas and tomatoes infused with saffron is inspired by ingredients I picked up at Marché Forville which is positioned at the at the bottom of the Le Suquet district in Cannes just a stone’s throw from the Old Port. The market itself is very traditional and focused entirely on local…
Tag: Dill
Kremidopita, a Greek Onion Pie with Feta, Herbs and Lemon
Salty from the sea, our feet bejewelled with black volcanic sand, it was was a given during that high summer in Santorini that we would seek respite from the shimmering heat of the beach from midday onwards. A nearby taverna became our favourite. We never ventured inside. Instead we sat on little blue chairs shaded…
Greek Island Tzatziki with Dill and Mint
Originating from the Ottoman Empire, this is my version of the popular Greek dish, tzatziki (known as cacık in Turkey). It’s simply a bowl of authentic Greek yoghurt getting it on with little cubes of crunchy cucumber, lots of finely chopped garlic, briny sea salt, a generous glug of grassy Kalamata olive oil, an audacious…
Greek Feta, Romano Pepper and Tomato Saganaki
In Greece ‘saganaki’ is a term used to describe a variety of small dishes made in a traditional two-handled frying pan (the name being derived from the Turkish word ‘sahan’ meaning a copper dish). Very often, the same word is used to describe cheese cooked this way – namely kasseri, kefalotyri or kefalograviera – which…
Elena’s Greek Spanakopita, a Greens, Feta, Anari and Herb Filo Pie
This is the best recipe for the classic Greek spanakopita I know – believe me when I say I have tried dozens of them during my lifetime. It’s inspired by my friend Elena whom I met on the tiny island of Paxos one hot and sultry evening. She used to run a teeny tiny little…
Persian Beetroot Borani with Yoghurt and Dill
Borani is a Persian yoghurt-based dip that usually includes cooked vegetables such as spinach or beetroot. There seem to be no precise rules in respect of the ingredients used but this version is one of my favourites. Ironically the first time I was served it we were sitting atop a candlelit roof-top terrace of a…
Sami’s Koosa Mahshi, Stuffed Peppers with Golden Sultanas, Pine Kernels and Amba Spice
A few years ago, I made a lone trip to Ephesus, a port city in Turkey which was once revered as the most important and largest metropolis of the old Mediterranean world. As I gingerly walked its dusty streets, my sandalled feet slipping on stones worn down by time, I noticed the signs etched into…
Aya Yorgi Fasulye Piyaz, Turkish White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs
An early morning walk through the dusty streets of Istanbul down to the banks of the Bosphorus, a long and choppy crossing over the Sea of Marmara, a death-defying ride on a horse-pulled phaeton (there are no cars on Büyükada, the largest of the Princes Islands, just mad horsemen) followed by a hot and steamy…
Batzina, a Greek Courgette, Feta and Mint Pie
Batzina is a traditional ‘pie’ from Thessaly in Greece which was originally made with just four ingredients: flour, cheese, milk and eggs; it’s name is derived from the word batzos which is a hard white goat and sheep’s cheese originating in Western Macedonia. This version, which also features grated courgettes, is inspired by my friend…
Cihangir Potato and Asparagus Salad with Kalamata Olives, Dill and Mint
High above the heart of the richly historical neighbourhood of Cihangir in Istanbul there is a restaurant of unparalleled beauty complete with a wonderful terrace from which one can enjoy panoramic views of the mouth of the Bosphorus and the first bridge. Here the elegant wooden furniture is bleached by the sun and the tables are covered with…
Cardamom and Dill 