We woke up to the sound of bees and the distant toll of a single church bell. The women in the small white houses that surrounded ours prepared for their day by sweeping their jewel bright bougainvillea lined courtyards quietly talking to their neighbours. Theirs were animated conversations that I wanted to be part of…
Tag: Lemons
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 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…
Medina Spiced Bulgur Wheat and Chickpeas with a Yoghurt, Preserved Lemon and Mint Dressing
“The desert landscape is always at its best in the half-light of dawn or dusk. The sense of distance lacks: a ridge nearby can be a far-off mountain range, each small detail can take on the importance of a major variant on the countryside’s repetitious theme. The coming of day promises a change; it is…
Greek Wild Oregano-roasted Tomatoes and Whipped Feta on Garlicky Sourdough
Thinking ahead for a vibrant working lunch, I drizzled a tray of lusciously ripe plum tomatoes with olive oil, a flourish of organic oregano and plenty of sea salt and placed it in a low oven for a couple of hours. As they slowly caramelised, I was immediately transported to a recent visit to Corfu old…
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…
Valencian Saffron Rice with Asparagus, Orange and Carne de Ñora
Since the beginning of the 19th century Valencia has been a major grower and trader of oranges largely down to the fact that the long daylight hours of brilliant sunshine combined with mild winter temperatures produce the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavours. Oranges were originally introduced to the city by the Moors in…
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…
Greek Gigantes, White Beans With Tomatoes, Lemon and Herbs
This is the kind of dish I like to make when I want something that’s easy to prepare but packed with goodness and subtle summery flavours that have the super power to instantly transport me to my happy place – basically, a two up two down beach house with a summer kitchen anywhere along the…
Alhambra Saffron-infused ‘Cracked’ Roast Potatoes with Andalusían Queen Olives and Lemon
This recipe is inspired by a glorious spring evening in Granada in the heart of Andalusía, a mesmerisingly beautiful and exotic city that I hold deep in my heart. I love the Moorish architecture with its stones still warm from the sun, the streets shaded by old orange trees their boughs heavy with fruit and…
