Skordalia is a beautifully simple smooth purée of waxy potatoes, lots of juicy garlic, lashings of vibrant extra-virgin olive oil, a generous splash of white wine vinegar and flat leaf parsley whipped together to create a classic Greek dip which is served at room temperature with a scattering of salty capers. Trust me, this bears…
Tag: Lemons
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Batzina is a traditional ‘pie’ from Thessaly in Greece which was originally made with just four ingredients: flour, cheese, milk and eggs; it’s name is derived from the word batzos which is a hard white goat and sheep’s cheese originating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…
Amirim Lemon-scented Labneh with Zhoug and Hazelnut and Thyme Dukkah
Labneh is a beautiful soft cheese simply made from strained yoghurt that can be eaten with pretty much everything and is a particularly good friend to rich and spicy mezze dishes. The first time I tasted it I was sat at a little linen-covered table on the edge of a vegetable garden in Amirim, an entirely vegetarian organic…
Sicilian Mafalda Corta Pasta di Gragnano with Lemon, Roasted Pistachios and Wild Rocket
It’s early morning at the top of Mercado del Capo in Palermo and the stalls are already piled high with this morning’s catch glistening with seawater, a playful light casting myriad rainbows across the benches. Mountains of lemons piled into baskets, purple garlic, bunches of wild mountain fennel , briny sea salt, spicy red chillies,…
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…
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…
Shuk Hummus with Smoked Chilli Harissa and Toasted Sesame Seeds
Machane Yehuda market in Jerusalem was the first full blown Middle Eastern market I ever visited and, for me, it was an absolutely mind-blowing experience with over 250 vendors and stall holders inviting me to sample their beautiful chaos of fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, pastries and halva, cheeses, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices all piled…
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…
Greek Tomato, White Bean and Caper Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil with Honey and Thyme-baked Feta
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…
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…
Cardamom and Dill 