Several years ago I came across a gorgeous little concept store/café just behind the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. It’s one of those places that seems so effortlessly chic where the food is personal, fresh and made with love of the contemplative kind. Its walls are lined with blonde wooden shelves each carrying a collection of…
Tag: Dill
Greek Kritharaki with Feta, Tomatoes, Olives and Wild Oregano
‘Each day had a tranquility a timelessness about it so that you wished it would never end. But then the dark skin of the night would peel off and there would be a fresh day waiting for us glossy and colourful as a child’s transfer and with the same tinge of unreality’ – Gerald Durrell. I…
Greek Ospriada, a Mixed Bean, Bulgur and Herb Salad
Ospriada is a mixture of dried legumes – including black eyed beans, fat and medium white beans, kidney beans, black beans and green lentils – which are gently cultivated on quiet and tranquil organic farms close to the little known Prespa Lakes which are tucked between the borders of Albania ,the former Yugoslav Republic of…
Greek Kritharaki with Lemon, Herbs and Pine Kernels
Here’s a beautifully bright pasta dish to brighten up your day whatever the season. There’s something extraordinarily comforting about eating kritharaki (kριθαράκι) or orzo; it’s the luxe softness of it I think as well as its ability to soak up all your favourite flavours be they rich or light. This vibrant lemony herb-packed recipe is…
Turkish Freekeh and Radicchio Salad with a Pomegranate and Balsamic Dressing
This recipe is loosely inspired by the roasted freekeh-stuffed cabbage rolls I have enjoyed in southern Turkey but, because this is such a busy time of year, I wanted to devise an alternative recipe that would come together quickly for last night’s supper and which would make use of some of the stuff I have…
Elena’s Greek Spanakopita, a Greens, Feta, Anari and Herb Filo Pie with Tahini and Lemon Sauce
Living off the land is something Greeks do as a matter of course and wild greens (horta) are some of the most sought-after food items in nature’s larder. This is a lesson we too can learn, especially right now when fresh greens are sometimes hard to come by (I’m writing this during the Covid-19 lockdown)….
Umbrian Farro Pilaf with Fennel, Roasted Grapes and Mozzarella
Waking up in Umbria to a view of golden Autumnal vineyards, distant mountains and white mist, the church bells ring out across the valley as the market stall holders quietly prepare for their first customers. There are tables piled high with the region’s seasonal bounty including the last of the grapes, sacks of farro, lentils,…
Greek Feta, Romano Pepper and Tomato Saganaki
In Greece the term saganaki is a term used to describe a variety of small dishes made in a traditional two-handled frying pan. The name comes from the Turkish word sahan meaning a copper dish. Very often, the term is used to describe cheese cooked this way – namely kasseri, kefalotyri, kefalograviera or another firm Greek…
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 Gigantes with Tomatoes, Wild Oregano, Dill and Mint
I’ve just read this passage in Katherine Wilson’s wonderful book, ‘Only in Naples, Lessons in Food and Famiglia’: “In Neapolitan culture, foods that could potentially damage children’s health include crackers, ketchup, hot dogs, cold milk, anything in a can, anything that has ever been frozen and anything that has ever been in a microwave. Oh,…
