Notes about Recipes in this book

• Grilled chicken wings with tahini

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    This is really just a review of the marinade. Made these with drumsticks, which I baked in a cast iron skillet in my oven at 425 until done. I only had half a lemon, but I think this was actually the right amount of lemon to use. Also, I only had time to marinate the chicken for about 45 minutes, but it turned out fine. I think an even longer marinade would be phenomenal, and I'm sure this chicken would be great on the grill. I forgot to make the tahini sauce. This was easy and good, definitely goes on the "do again" list.

  • Breadcrumbs on May 15, 2012

    p. 39 This was a huge hit for us. I made the recipe w boneless, skinless thighs which we marinated overnight. We grilled over charcoal and loved the flavour of the chicken with and without the sauce. The chicken was incredibly juicy and this is a marinade that truly infuses the meat with flavour vs just coating it. I can imagine how terrific this would be w wings as well and when I prepare that way, I’m going to add some chili flakes to the marinade as we like our wings spicy and I think the tahini would be a wonderful foil for the heat. Love this recipe! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846987#7339985

  • DKennedy on May 07, 2012

    Really easy and delicious. The tahini is great on its own or with the wings.

  • Astrid5555 on May 17, 2022

    Huge hit with the whole family, will definitely go into our regular BBQ chicken wings rotation. Did not make the sauce to go with it, still phenomenal.

  • stockholm28 on June 04, 2017

    This was delicious. I substituted boneless, skinless chicken thighs to make this a main and the chicken was really moist and flavorful. I grilled this on a gas grill. This recipe requires marinating for at least an hour.

• Hot chorizo with butter-bean and tomato salad (Chorizo con ensalada de judiones y tomates)

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    Loved everything about this dish! Great textural contrast between the crispy chorizo, soft beans, and juicy tomatoes.

  • DKennedy on May 07, 2012

    Wonderful. If using frozen butter beans, boil for 2 minutes and then cook for 15 minutes more. Drain thoroughly. Don Juana brand chorizo is perfect in this dish.

  • Dolcetto23 on February 25, 2021

    Made with canned cannellini beans and winter tomatoes and it was still good, eaten with some fresh sourdough bread. I'm sure it would be fantastic with butter beans and lovely tomatoes. Good sherry vinegar is key . . .

• Rice with pork, chorizo and spinach (Paella de cerdo con chorizo y espinaca)

  • westminstr on November 10, 2014

    I omitted the pork, subbed swiss chard for spinach, subbed aleppo pepper for noras, used water instead of chicken stock, reduced the oil probably by half. All of these choices were fine except the water. The dish really would have benefited from stock. Also, I had some grains of rice that didn't cook through all the way, I think it needed to rest for longer with the cover on. That said, it was still pretty good.

  • Pamsy on June 22, 2019

    Excellent and a nice change from the usual chicken/seafood paella. Good recipe for entertaining.

• Saffron rice

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    OK, time to confess that what I made had only a superficial resemblance to the recipe in the book. I was looking for a tasty rice dish to accompany the grilled tahini chicken wings (oven-baked drumsticks, in my case), and decided to use this recipe as inspiration for a far simpler dish. Here's what I did for 200 grams of basmati rice (= 1 cup on my scale): Melted 2 tb of butter (about 30 grams), sauteed 5 green cardamom pods, 3 black peppercorns, 1/2 a cinnamon stick, and a healthy pinch of crumbled saffron threads until fragrant, added the rice and toasted for about two minutes, added 1 cup of water and some salt, put the lid on, turned the heat way down, and cooked for 20 minutes. Fluffed and let sit covered in the pot for another 5 minutes. This made a very flavorful, aromatic rice pilaf for which I got rave reviews. I will definitely be repeating my simplified version of this dish, I could see it going well with many kinds of Indian/Middle Eastern flavors and was very easy.

  • amraub on November 04, 2012

    Served with Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce. Made an excellent pairing.

  • TrishaCP on February 22, 2021

    I would definitely use westminstr's method of cooking the rice in the future-though to be fair I didn't have basmati rice. (COVID cooking.) But it seems easier with the same result. The flavors are great.

  • Melanie on March 02, 2014

    Tasty and simple.

• Butterflied mackerel with paprika and garlic (Caballa con pimentón y ajo)

  • westminstr on July 07, 2014

    I made this dish this weekend and found it a bit lackluster. We had nice fresh mackerel and did it on the grill, so that part was lovely. But I didn't love the raw garlic and smoked paprika sprinkled on the fish after cooking. I felt the flavors didn't amalgamate and would have preferred these elements cooked. My smoked paprika is no longer the freshest so perhaps that had something to do with it. But I think I would have been happier just drizzling the cooked fish with lemon juice and perhaps a bit of olive oil.

• Roast chicken with harissa

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    I've done this twice, once more or less as written and once on drumsticks with no marination time. Conclusion: the chicken and harissa is a yummy combo but it is better to marinate if you can.

  • Breadcrumbs on May 02, 2012

    p. 217 -Delicious! I picked up a lovely, plump chicken at the butcher’s and though Melissa Clark was tempting me last weekend, I couldn’t stop thinking about this recipe that originally caught my eye when I flipped through the book in the bookstore. I used purchased Harissa. Given the Clark’s caution about doing so, I decided to taste my Harissa and indeed, it was a little bitter so I added some sweet pepper paste and some honey until the flavours balanced out. I placed a halved lemon and a head of garlic in the cavity of my bird prior to roasting, as we love those flavours w Harissa. Our aromatic bird emerged looking a little burnt in spots due to my addition of honey but thankfully it was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. The heat of the Harissa was just right and made for a really delicious roast. I’d definitely make this again. I served it with some warm Harissa-infused honey on the side for dipping. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846989#7313524

  • TrishaCP on January 10, 2019

    This was a nice (and easy) adaptation of basic roast chicken. We were only able to marinate it a few hours (chicken was defrosting), but I would try and marinate overnight next time for greater flavor.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    We made some structural changes in this recipe in that the chicken was spatchcocked and cooked on the grill. I coated the chicken with the harissa (Mustapha's, not homemade) (and rubbed some under the skin also), salt, and pepper, and let it rest in the fridge for the better part of the day. Guided by the notes for cooking a boned chicken, on page 216, we started the chicken in a cast iron skillet on the grill. When it came time to flip it, it was plopped onto the grill, and the pan came inside where I added the lemon juice and water to the drippings in the pan to make the sauce. This made a wonderful, tasty bird. And we really liked the cooking method; you end up with a smoky, grilled chicken, and pan drippings for a sauce. The best of both worlds. I served this with a bit of harissa on the side, and a mixed vegetable dish from Food of Spain. Nice combination, lovely dinner.

  • stockholm28 on June 20, 2020

    Loved this. The skin was so crispy and this was both flavorful and simple. I added some new potatoes to the roasting pan about 30 minutes in and they were also delicious.

• Breast of duck with pomegranate molasses

  • westminstr on April 01, 2015

    I've wanted to try this recipe for a long time. I agree with other reviewers that the cooking method does not produce crispy skin. Next time I would render the fat from the skin and really brown the skin before finishing in the oven. I used one large duck breast, a little over 1 pound, and cooking time would have been perfect in my slow oven. I actually pulled them early based on reviews, but they were a bit too rare and could have used a few extra minutes in the oven. I did a half recipe of the sauce and liked, didn't love, it. This was easy and flavorful but I think there are probably other duck recipes out there that I would like even better. Served with my easy version of saffron rice from this book and sauteed swiss chard.

  • kari500 on February 03, 2021

    Agree with others that this is delicious, and easy.

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Quick, easy, and delicious. As written, you don't end up with a crispy skin and I found the duck breast seemed slightly overcooked (I prefer medium rare). Next time, I'd like to try cooking skin side down on low until the fat is rendered off and then finishing in the oven for a much shorter period of time.

  • TrishaCP on February 22, 2021

    These are great flavors. I absolutely agree with other reviewers that you need to just go ahead and use your own method to cook the duck breasts.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Our breasts tended a tad closer to medium than medium rare, as Mr. NS doubted the cooking time. Next time we'll follow the recipe and get it right. But they were delicious anyway! I do like a bit of sweet with duck, but have often found chefs go overboard with the sweetness. The tart note in the pomegranate molasses was the perfect counterpoint. I served the breasts with Roden's braised artichokes and peas, and a couscous made with duck stock, chick peas, dates, pine nuts, scallions, and parsley. I want more duck in my life! Delicious!

  • Dolcetto23 on February 03, 2021

    A regular in our household. Really easy, and gorgeous. I also play the timings by ear, to make sure the fat is rendered and the skin all brown before pouring off most of the fat, flipping the meat and putting in the oven to finish off. We often have this with Roseval potatoes roasted with shiitake mushrooms and a bit of balsamic vinegar, and either quick fried okra with ginger, or chard.

• Blanched chard, dressed or braised (Acelgas)

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    This was super simple, but we loved it. Swiss chard is blanched in boiling water, drained and tossed with salt and pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. In my case, we skipped the pepper, and I cooked the greens in salty water which eliminated the need to add salt after cooking. The instructions call for blanching the leaves and then the stems sequentially, but I put the chopped stems in first and added the leaves when the stems were almost done. I cook greens several times a week, nearly always sauteed in olive oil with garlic. This was a good reminder to get out my boiling pot more often. The chard had a perfect, tender texture and the simple dressing of lemon juice and good quality olive oil was light, springy, and delicious. I used young red chard and the jewel-like colors of the cooked greens and stems were extremely attractive. My only regret is losing the cooking water when I drained the pot. It would have made a splendid soup base.

• Moors and Christians - black beans with rice (Moros y Cristianos)

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    A fairly ordinary pot of black beans served over white rice; overall I prefer Mexican-style beans cooked with epazote. I made the beans to accompany the harissa roasted chicken, and it paired well.

• Chickpea salad

  • westminstr on October 16, 2014

    I made this chickpea salad last night using canned chickpeas. I liked the salad but there was way too much chopping involved for me, prep took too long and not enough bang for the buck.

  • Breadcrumbs on May 09, 2012

    p. 246 Yum! Don’t let the long list of ingredients deter you; this dish comes together in no time to produce a flavour-packed salad that’s hearty and fresh tasting. Dressing ingredients of garlic, a chopped fresh chili, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, evoo, S&P are to be whisked together. Since the recipe calls for a large chili and 1/2 an onion I felt it would be easier to whisk the dressing without the veggies so I added them directly to the bowl along w the remaining ingredients then poured the dressing atop the lot before tossing to coat. We served this as a side dish this evening however tomorrow it will be re-purposed as lunches and undoubtedly it will make for a delicious, satisfying meal. I’m happy to recommend this one. FYI, I used a hot Hungarian pepper and approx 1/2c. of chopped red onion. The authors simply suggest 1/2 a red onion and since onion sizes vary and the flavours in my dish seemed quite balanced I thought the quantity I used was worth mentioning.

  • TrishaCP on August 04, 2018

    This was a great salad. I prepared this on a weeknight, and I didn't think the prep was too excessive given this can be a complete meal. I really love the mint and the chile here.

  • lils74 on July 28, 2018

    I've made this several times - in fact, I think it's the only recipe I've made to date from this book - and loved it each time. Generally I make a big batch and eat it for several days as a lunch, sometimes omitting the tomatoes if I'm making it for a few days as they don't tend to keep as well (for me at least). Have used mostly mint, not coriander, as it's what I have a pot of outside my door, and the flavor is fabulous.

• Tahini sauce

  • Breadcrumbs on May 15, 2012

    p. 255 I prepared this recipe as a component of another dish in this book; the Grilled Chicken Wings w Tahini on p.39. Prep for this dish is very simple. Garlic is crushed w salt, transferred to a small mixing bowl before whisking in tahini and then thinning out w lemon juice and water. The authors suggest 5 tbsp of water however I didn’t need much more than a tbsp to achieve the desired consistency of double cream. Sauce is then seasoned w S&P. This recipe produces a lovely, lemony tahini sauce that works wonderfully w the chicken recipe but also is delicious drizzled on eggs, rice and even my finger!! mr bc loved this too and I made another batch for lunches – perfect as a dip for veggies. This was a hit for us. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846987#7339985

  • DKennedy on May 07, 2012

    Perfect results.

• Patatas bravas

  • Breadcrumbs on May 02, 2012

    p. 232 - Who doesn’t love Patatas Bravas? This is one of my favourite Spanish dishes so I was keen to try the Moro version and I’m happy to report, this version did not disappoint. We really enjoyed it! The book suggests the sauce reduce for approx 5 mins but mine needed more time. Approx 20 additional minutes in fact. Instead of frying my potatoes, I’ve taken to roasting them. I peeled, then cut the potatoes into chunks before tossing in EVOO, paprika, S&P then roast them at 400F until tender, tossing at least once. To serve, the sauce is spooned atop the potatoes. The book suggests you can pass paprika and aioli at the table which we did. What takes this from good to great, IMHO is the roasted garlic aioli. We did have some of the tomato sauce left over so I froze it for another round of this dish. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846988#7313513

• Pinto beans with dill

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2015

    p. 244 - This produced a terrifically flavourful and unique bean salad. Prep is straight-forward beans are soaked overnight then boiled with parsley, sage, garlic, thyme, onion and tomato then drained with some cooking liquid reserved. When cool, dill, crushed garlic and evoo are added. In the wrap up S&S mention that this dish is terrific served with roasted tomatoes. I happened to have some on hand along with a few grilled green onions so I tossed those in as well. This was wonderful. Creamy beans, the tang of the tomato, the freshness of the dill. I’m so happy to have discovered this at the beginning of the summer months as it will undoubtedly become a bbq staple here. I’d highly recommend this recipe. I used borlotti vs pinto beans as S&S noted this would make a suitable substitute and we always have borlotti beans on hand. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846988?commentId=9615086#961

• Spanish marinade [for lamb]

  • Breadcrumbs on May 09, 2012

    p. 203 I was keen to give this a try since the ratio of lemon to other ingredients was off in the Spanish Marinade for fish in this book. (more info w that review) The ingredients in this marinade are quite similar but in this case red wine vinegar is the preferred acid with lemon juice suggested as an alternative. Luckily the authors provide a quantity for the vinegar in this instance. 2 tbsp is the suggested amount and then they go on to note - or the juice of a lemon. This leads me to conclude that lemons must be much smaller in London or, much less juicy than the ones we get here. In my case I had pork chops vs the lamb but I was keen to see how the flavours of the marinade came through so I felt a milder tasting meat was a good option. Our chops marinated for approx 1.5 hrs prior to being grilled on the gas bbq. I knew we were in better shape this time when the smoky, garlicky aroma of the marinade wafted from the grill to whet our appetites. Delicious and worth repeating.

• Spanish marinade [for fish]

  • Breadcrumbs on May 02, 2012

    p. 180 With a lovely piece of wild salmon on the menu for tonight, I was delighted to find this recipe for a Spanish marinade. Prep is super-simple and quick though the authors do suggest that the fish marinade in the fridge for 1 – 2 hours. After adding the juice of one lemon, the marinade is quite runny so I spooned it over top of the fish and then rubbed it in with the back of a spoon. I had plenty left over so I froze the rest for another night. While the fish looked lovely when it came out of the oven and the fish itself tasted good, there was very little flavour at all from the marinade. Next time I think I’d add the lemon juice by the tablespoon to taste. I think it just washed out the flavours. I served this with steamed brown basmati rice and some grilled asparagus with a honey & sherry vinaigrette from The New Spanish Table (reviewed in the adjunct thread). The asparagus was awesome!

• Fattoush

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2015

    p. 154 - I LOVE fattoush and mr bc, not so much so this version with some unconventional ingredients like cauliflower and radishes caught my eye thinking perhaps it might hold some appeal for mr bc too. Thankfully it did and mr bc loved it! The dressing is fresh and super-bright, the vegetables provide amazing contrast in colour and texture. We loved the crunch and slight richness of the butter-basted crispy bread. Whether you love Fattoush or you’re not a fan, I’d highly recommend this version. So fresh and flavourful. The dressing is perfect with just the right amount of tang. The butter pita take it over the top. A terrific salad perfect for summer bbqs! mr bc had 3 helpings. Seriously. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846987?commentId=9615064#9615064

• Moorish skewers (Pinchitos morunos)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 24, 2015

    p. 108 - I simply couldn’t resist these luscious-sounding kabobs. I made the marinade before work this morning and its aroma was so enticing I was thinking about these all day today. Let’s just say even the neighbours agreed this evening when mr bc was on the grill and had to field questions from onlookers from across the fence who wanted to know what was for dinner!! We loved the bold flavours of the marinade but we were also glad to have some Tzatziki and aioli on the side for dipping. Somehow I feel these need a sauce of sorts. They’re very juicy and flavourful but I get a bit bored so for me, I like the option of dunking the occasional piece. I’d definitely make these again. Yes, we did send a few skewers over the fence!! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846987?commentId=9615034#9615034

  • TrishaCP on July 26, 2015

    These were really wonderful-very flavorful and the pork was so tender. Like Breadcrumbs, I did serve these with a sauce (tzatziki), which I used but my husband thought the plain pork was just fine on its own. Served with flatbread and a tabbouleh from the Honey & Co book.

  • e_ballad on July 23, 2018

    Delicious. Tasty, tender, easy. I wonder if the pork could be marinated for longer, as this would be on regular midweek rotation if it wasn’t for the marinating for 2hrs before grilling.

• Baba ghanoush

  • ComeUndone on September 16, 2010

    Easy to make. Good basic recipe for this classic dip.

  • Hellyloves2cook on April 15, 2012

    My Favourite baba ghanoush recipe. I love the smokiness from the aubergines.

• Cecina with beetroot and almond sauce (Cecina con remolacha)

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Even my beet-averse boyfriend enjoyed this. The salty meat and almond sauce balanced the sweetness of the beets nicely. Substituted bresaola for cecina as recommended.

• Carrot and cumin salad with coriander

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Excellent salad with plenty of flavour.

  • Astrid5555 on March 21, 2020

    Best carrot salad I have made in a long time. Cooked the carrots just until still a little crunchy and not until tender as instructed, just my personal preference. Very flavorful, a definite keeper.

  • JulietTaylor on May 02, 2012

    This is a sensational recipe. I julienne the carrots because I prefer the look and the texture.

  • Charlotte_vandenberg on April 27, 2017

    Supereasy, very tasteful.

• Chicken stuffed with garlic and coriander

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Chicken was very moist and flavours permeated nicely.

  • Pamsy on September 11, 2019

    This is a lovely moist chicken with great flavour. Probably takes 40 mins prep time before it goes in the oven but you could do that well beforehand.

• Slow-cooked pork ribs with mushrooms, fino and rosemary (Costillas con setas)

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Delicious, earthy-flavoured ribs. I cooked in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours to make this a weeknight meal and to make sure the ribs were very tender. After sauteeing the mushrooms, the cooking liquid was poured in with them to simmer for a few minutes before serving.

  • DKennedy on May 07, 2012

    The ribs did not get tender. Otherwise, delicious.

• Cod baked with tahini sauce

  • amraub on November 04, 2012

    Ingredients listed include Tahini Sauce (essential) as well as Chickpea Salad and Saffron Rice (both less essential). I served with only the saffron rice. The fish came out great and the tahini sauce complimented the dish nicely. It was milder than I was expecting. The pomegranate garnish was an interesting addition, that I don't think I'd go out of the way to add if I didn't have on hand.

  • Yildiz100 on October 10, 2019

    I like this technique of cooking the fish. Less dry than just baking, less messy than just sauteeing. The tahini sauce only needs 3 tbsp of water. Quite garlicky, but very good. Be careful to thoroughly mash the garlic. Served this with the onion rice from "The Arab Table". Great combo.

• Roasted pork belly with fennel seeds (Cerdo al horno)

  • amraub on May 26, 2012

    I had a smaller piece of pork belly and ended up overcooking it, but the flavour was very nice. The skin crisped up beautifully. The authors note you can use pork loin instead.

• Pomegranate molasses dressing

  • amraub on May 12, 2012

    Excellent dressing. Nice and tart. Want to try with feta cheese.

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    The first time I tried it, the dressing was a bit sweet for me when paired with greens, which is odd, because the molasses by itself is so tart, I scrunch up my face when I taste it. It is very good with the feta. I did like the taste of it, and I want to try it with some other things that would stand up better to the flavor. I think it would be good on a chicken and vegetable chop salad. And for some reason, I want to try it with roasted sweet potatoes. The second time I made it was on a salad of greens, feta, and strawberries. I'm not sure what the difference was, but it was wonderful! Not too sweet, not too tart, just perfect

• Lamb pilav with cabbage and caraway

  • mcvl on August 08, 2011

    7 Aug 2011 This is great! I made it to showcase my husband's first-ever fermented pickles, made from garlic with caraway seed. If he keeps making the pickles, I'll keep making this dish.

• Fried liver with chopped salad and yoghurt and cumin sauce

  • mcvl on July 09, 2013

    Frankly, this is a little over-elaborate for home cooking. I simplified it in several ways. I cut the liver up so I could stir it into the salad instead of serving it on the side, and I made a single dressing from yoghurt, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice instead of two dressings, one yoghurt, one lemon. Quite tasty and nice as made, and I'm sure wonderful in the original, but too fussy for me.

• Clams with manzanilla (Almejas con manzanilla)

  • DKennedy on May 07, 2012

    An easy weeknight recipe. Wonderful. The entire family approved. Need 3 lbs. of clams for a main course for 4.

• Fish stew with peppers, almonds and saffron (Romesco de peix)

  • TrishaCP on February 02, 2016

    This was an incredibly flavorful and delicious stew that would be great for a dinner party. Since we weren't entertaining, we just used monkfish. I also used clam juice (more than the recipe required). It felt like I added lots of peppery ingredients (2 bell peppers and smoked paprika) but the final flavors were well-balanced.

  • metacritic on December 16, 2020

    This is a terrific, warming dish that I really should turn to more often than I do. it is perfect for the holidays, the seafood flavors boosted by rosemary, a soffrito, wine, and ground almonds. It is simple, despite being unusually delicious, perfect for a special meal or for any weekend night. I used shrimp instead of clams, as that is what I had on hand, but will look to repeat this soon with monkfish and clams.

  • Kduncan on December 28, 2020

    Ours came out with more liquid then it looked like in the picture. It's a pretty easy dish to make, and the flavors were fine. Overall this was a fine dish, but I probably won't make it again in the near future.

  • etcjm on February 21, 2023

    Excellent dish. I used mussels (couldn't get clams) and monkfish tail (not intentional - was supposed to fillet). You can prep well ahead and add fish/shellfish when you're nearly ready to serve. A lot of rosemary in the dish - however the balance of flavour was excellent. Could use any fish and I personally wouldn't use shellfish next time. I roughly ground the almonds, but next time would grind them finer, i guess I misinterpreted the instructions and it did affect the overall dish, I know next time!

• Roasted skate with caramelised garlic and sherry vinegar sauce (Raya con vinagre de Jerez)

  • blintz on October 16, 2019

    This is a simple, elegant, and delicious recipe for skate. Definitely company-ready. The garlic and sherry sauce is the secret and it would be fabulous on almost anything. The recipe suggests it for grilled lamb too.

• Fish tagine with potatoes, tomatoes and olives

  • blintz on January 09, 2016

    This is a delicious and company-worthy way to use hake or any thicker white fish. Cooked the potatoes and tomatoes at the same time as getting the fish marinating in the sauce, so when it was time for dinner it all went very quickly. Worked perfectly fine in a large covered skillet --alas no tagine! Used red and yellow baby peppers instead of green bell peppers and roasted them in the oven; didn't peel them or the potatoes.

  • Pamsy on May 31, 2019

    Easy, tasty recipe with ingredients I always have to hand. Bonus of one pot so not a lot of clearing up afterwards.

• Slow-cooked lamb with artichokes and mint (Cordero con alcachofas y hierbabuena)

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    Chopped onion is caramelized, and removed from the pan. The pieces of trimmed lamb are dusted with flour and browned, then garlic and thyme is added. Oloroso sherry goes into the pan and simmered briefly. Then the onions are returned, along with bay leaves and water to cover. The lamb simmers for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, with potatoes and artichokes going into the pot for the last 20 minutes. (Oh, I cheated here and used frozen artichoke hearts. It was a weeknight, after all.) Mint goes in at the last minute, and I used more mint as a garnish. This was a great treatment for a mediocre meat (Trader Joe's lamb). It was as tender as can be, and the flavors of sherry and herbs compensated for the meat's deficiency of same. I served it with two salads from other Spanish books, one with oranges and avocado, one with limas and romaine.

  • metacritic on September 29, 2020

    I had lamb neck and artichoke hearts in the freezer so this became dinner. A lovely, light dish that would be perfect in spring but was terrific on a warm autumn day. The sherry (it calls for quite a bit) gives complexity but not heaviness to the dish. Moro is a book that should be more celebrated than it is in the US.

• Almond tart with oloroso (Tarta de Santiago)

  • L.Nightshade on August 14, 2015

    The crust method was new for me. The dough contains flour, confectioner's sugar, butter, and an egg yolk. It gets very hard when chilled, and is then grated into a tart pan and is pressed around to make the shell. It was a little difficult to get the pressing even in the fluted edges, otherwise pretty easy. Once the crust is pre-baked, it is coated with a blend of membrillo and lemon juice, that has been heated and liquified. The next layer consists of butter, caster sugar, ground almonds, cinnamon, orange and lemon zest, eggs, and oloroso sherry. My tart took 40 minutes to bake, and I had to make a foil collar as the crust was getting pretty brown. I thought this was a wonderful creation! It's crispy but moist, and the flavors of membrillo, almonds, sherry, and citrus all stood out. I didn't serve it with anything, but creme fraiche is suggested, which would be nice. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846990?commentId=7945440#7945440

• Manchego with membrillo (Queso Manchego con membrillo)

  • L.Nightshade on August 01, 2012

    K, so it's a little silly to call this a recipe, but I did follow the instructions! Apparently, the tradition requires the cheese to be cut into eighth-of-a-wheel wedges, and then sliced at about 5mm, and the rind is left on. Each slice is then topped with a strip of membrillo (quince paste). It's a reliably tasty combination, which I've done before, but now I know I've got the measurements right! I served this last night before dinner with some olives and marcona almonds.

• Turlu turlu

  • saladdays on July 22, 2013

    A very good recipe, a Turkish version of ratatouille which uses lots of different vegetables and is well spiced. The addition of the chickpeas and passata at the end give it a lot more body and turn it into a main course. I served pitta bread with it. It is not quick to prepare and cook, so wouldn't recommend it as an after work meal.

• Bread with brewer's yeast

  • Melanie on March 28, 2014

    This bread was great! I used a ratio of 3 (white) : 1 (wholemeal) flour. The crust and crumb were delicious. I would consider making one loaf next time, the second loaf needs to be toasted.

• Flatbread

  • Allegra on April 24, 2013

    This has become my absolute favourite flatbread. Wonderful for a quick fix with its 45 min rising time. I find that I always have to add quite a bit extra flour for the correct consistency. It's not quite a pita, almost a naan, but always delicious. Soft and bubbly and beautiful. Goes splendidly with the spiced labneh recipe in the same book.

  • Yildiz100 on February 17, 2013

    Really nice pita type bread. Very good result for so little work. Could use a bit more salt.

• Roast almonds with paprika (Almendras con pimentón)

  • Allegra on April 24, 2013

    So simple, but absolutely addictive! A wonderful smoky flavour with minimal effort (unless you are like me and choose to blanch and peel almonds first. What a thankless task that is). I had some smoked sea salt that I mixed with regular salt and it created pure magic with the pimenton. Made a half recipe and really regretted not having more!

• Lentil soup with cumin

  • Yildiz100 on August 23, 2016

    Though the authors ate this in Morocco, it is to me the classic Lebanese lentil soup. I halved the recipe and it worked well. I think I might reduce the spinach by 25 grams (for the half recipe) next time. The spinach prep was a little unclear so I sauteed it quickly in olive oil with a clove of garlic, then chopped it before adding to the soup.

• Marinated fried fish (Pescado en adobo)

  • Yildiz100 on December 01, 2014

    I used the marinade on baked salmon. I definitely think this would be tastier on fried fish, but if I tried it again, I would reduce the amount of cumin.

• Broad bean and dill pilav

  • SashaJackson on April 07, 2017

    Very good indeed. Lovely with a preserved lemon chicken tagine.

• Mushroom and almond soup with fino (Sopa de setas)

  • stockholm28 on February 07, 2016

    A half-price sale on packages of assorted mushrooms (cremini, shitake, and oyster) and a search on EYB led me to this recipe. This is a fairly simple mushroom soup with the addition of some fino sherry and ground almonds. I love the Anya von Bremzen potato soup with almonds from “The New Spanish Table” so was intrigued by the addition of almonds at the end. This was a perfectly fine mushroom soup, but I did not find it to be particularly special.

• Beetroot with yoghurt

  • Barb_N on October 25, 2014

    A simple mezze- and easy to cheat. I bought cooked, sliced beets already seasoned and topped them with labneh to which I added juice from preserved lemons- salty and tart at once. Of the umpteen dishes I served this got the most raves,

• Aubergines with garlic, mint and chilli

  • Barb_N on October 25, 2014

    I have made a version of this with basil in the summer. I roast the eggplant after brushing it with oil- you get the soft center and the browned exterior without all the oiliness and mess. I liked the chili and mint combo- though I used red pepper flakes as I couldn't find red chilies at the store and wanted the color contrast.

• Marinated olives (Aceitunas aliñadas)

  • Barb_N on October 25, 2014

    This is a twist on recipes I have made before with orange and fennel seeds in the marinade. I didn't notice anything from the coriander seeds and I skipped the chiles (diner request) and parsley.

  • metacritic on January 14, 2023

    These are fantastic and incredibly easy to throw together in advance of company. They always receive warm appreciative remarks.

• Bitter chocolate, coffee and cardamom truffle cake

  • Barb_N on October 24, 2014

    This was an unmitigated disaster- a shame given the tasty ingredients. The instructions were descriptively specific (reduce by one third) but maddeningly vague on things like time and temperature. I reduced the milk exactly according to my measuring cup but when I mixed it and the melted chocolate into the barely whipped cream I knew there was too much liquid and it would not set. Sure enough, even after chilling almost 3 hours it was barely the consistency of a runny mousse, layered over a mess. I scooped the top off and served it as a mousse (hardly birthday-like) somewhat salvaging the dish. Too bad, the flavors were quite good together.

• Bread with tomato and cured ham (Pan con tomate y jamón)

  • MmeFleiss on December 13, 2015

    No chicken backs in this recipe. It should have garlic and olive oil added in the list of ingredients.

• Harira

  • e_ballad on July 03, 2017

    My favourite harira recipe to date! Loved this. Next time I'll be more generous with the water to flour ratio as it turned pretty lumpy, but that is only a minor criticism. Perfect for the depths of winter.

• Fish soup with dried limes

  • e_ballad on September 23, 2019

    I chickened out & used dried limes that I’d cut in half, rather than ground, as I was worried that their funk might be too much for the kidlet. This resulted in a wonderfully perfumed & delicately flavoured soup. To bolster into a ‘main meal’-style soup, adding fregola or a soup pasta like filini would work well.

• Cauliflower with saffron, pine nuts and raisins

  • e_ballad on November 14, 2016

    Very quick to prepare. A great combination of flavours. Recommend seasoning well.

• Okra with pomegranate molasses

  • tekobo on August 03, 2016

    Really simple to make. Nice, tangy flavour.

• Prawns in spiced tomato sauce with caraway

  • tekobo on January 02, 2020

    Firm favourite. Cooked numerous times since 2007. Always delicious.

• Chorizo with sherry (Chorizo al jerez)

  • metacritic on January 14, 2023

    Super easy and delicious recipe. A nice, near effortless starter.

• Tortilla

  • metacritic on January 14, 2023

    Terrific tortilla recipe. I oven baked the potatoes, rather than fried them. Otherwise, I followed the recipe to a T. Have made twice in short order.

• Poached chicken with freekeh and spices

  • Boffcat on January 04, 2022

    We made just the freekeh (without the chicken) - a two thirds batch, using 200g freekeh, would have happily served four. It wasn't as sweet as I had expected, perhaos because the sweet cinnamon spicing would have come from the chicken - instead, this had a decidedly savoury note. It was tasty, though.

• Malaga raisin ice-cream (Helado de pasas de Málaga)

  • Pamsy on May 02, 2020

    Wonderful flavours and texture. Not an everyday ice cream but definitely one for when you're entertaining. Best served with copious amounts of luscious PX!