• Eat Your Books

  Published in the US as Sirocco: Fabulous Flavors from the Middle East.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Pear, feta & honey toasts

  • Frogcake on June 05, 2016

    Yummy combination and very healthy. Perfect if you are in a rush in the morning!

• Sweet spice-roasted nuts

  • Lolly87654 on May 03, 2021

    We loved these, the lemon juice was the star in this for me as it lightened it, left to cool on the tray for 15 mins and when it hardened up broke it up into bowls, I used just under half the amount of nuts with exactly half quantities of the rest of the ingredients and it was really good!

  • KarinaFrancis on July 05, 2020

    Very addictive! Really easy to put together and a great sweet and salty snack. They seemed a bit greasy when they came out of the oven but once they cooled the butter must have absorbed. Great to serve with drinks.

• Dried broad bean & cashew nut dip

  • tekobo on December 02, 2020

    Delicious and simple to make. Used it as a side with roast chicken and roast potatoes.

• Hibiscus cooler

  • Frogcake on June 05, 2016

    I brought a glass cooler of this into work for our "wellness" week. Of course it's not expensive to make and really refreshing cold. It was much appreciated by my co-workers!

• Butterbean & za'atar dip

  • KarinaFrancis on July 05, 2020

    Delicious, quick and so easy. This came together in less than 10 minutes, I made a quick za’atar and sumac oil to drizzle on top

• Afghani-style smoked aubergine dip

  • Frogcake on June 05, 2016

    This was very easy to make and very tasty with toasted pita as recommended.

  • raybun on July 13, 2016

    Delicious flavours, lovely consistency. Went very well with the lamb apricot lollipops from the same book.

• Spiced beetroot yogurt

  • Frogcake on June 05, 2016

    Tried this and I wasn't so fond of the taste combinations. I will probably leave out the mint next time.

• Broccoli, barberry & chilli fritters

  • JJ2018 on April 21, 2018

    Couldn’t get barberries but used cranberries soaked in lemon juice and they were very tasty

• Courgette fries with sumac salt

  • tekobo on July 14, 2018

    Nice. No great shakes but a different way to use up courgettes.

  • Cvtbird on March 19, 2021

    You don’t need as much flour as listed in the recipe. The fries aren’t very crispy, but courgette fries rarely are. Very tasty esp the sumac salt.

• Feta bites with preserved lemon jam

  • etcjm on March 04, 2019

    Lovely to serve as part of many dishes. On rotation now. Nice with cranberry sauce as well.

  • JJ2018 on April 21, 2018

    Delicious but very rich. One for a tapas spread with more vegetable dishes as a counter balance

• Za'atar & goats' cheese puffs

  • joneshayley on December 03, 2017

    Lovely and ridiculously easy to make. I’ll make them again

  • Astrid5555 on September 03, 2016

    These are perfect for when you are having people around.They could not be easier, they look impressive and they taste great! Will go into regular party rotation!

• Grape leaf-baked feta

  • Ladyredspecs on February 11, 2019

    This is a delicious idea but a tad salty. Next time I will soak the cheese and the leaves to reduce their salt content

  • ChelseaP on July 08, 2022

    I didn't have a grape leaf so just baked it in the oven uncovered and it was really delicious.

• Pan-fried halloumi with pomegranate seeds, pea shoots & pomegranate molasses

  • Cvtbird on March 18, 2021

    I think there is much too much pomegranate molasses used in this recipe. It drowns the cheese. I’d recommend halving it.

  • KALW on January 20, 2023

    This recipe is now behind a paywall.

• Preserved lemon & baharat-marinated pork loin kebabs

  • etcjm on February 21, 2019

    Very tasty and unusual. I did reduce the number of preserved lemons to 2 instead of 5. Gave the zest without overpowering. Served with sweet potatoes and feta from the same book, pitta, onion, lettuce and beetroot. Yum.

  • joneshayley on February 17, 2019

    Easy and delicious, which is both rich and zesty. The baharat imparts an aromatic and vaguely exotic flavour, with salad and pitta breads, this is a hit

• Lamb, apricot & fennel seed lollipops

  • raybun on July 13, 2016

    Clever flavour combination with a delicious outcome. I took them, still warm, to a picnic so omitted the yogurt sauce but added the nigella seeds to the meatball mix. Served in pita with the afghani smoked aubergine dip.

• Quince-glazed chicken fillet skewers

  • raybun on July 10, 2016

    Great flavour combination. Perfect summer meal fare paired with a salad or in a pita.

  • JJ2018 on April 14, 2019

    These were really nice as part of a tapas selection - tasty and super quick to make.

  • stephengk on May 22, 2016

    Used Waitrose chicken fillets. No need to slice etc just use as they are. Used quince jelly Shirley got from neighbour in France. Great result.

• Orange, thyme & spice chicken wings

  • joneshayley on January 06, 2018

    Utterly delicious. Both spicy and sweet and savoury. Beautiful explosive flavours, that satisfy and sustain. Yum

  • tekobo on March 18, 2018

    Marinated and froze. Make more notes once cooked.

  • tekobo on April 13, 2018

    Defrosted and grilled on high heat. Very tasty, the marinade caramelises nicely. Do again!

  • KarinaFrancis on September 10, 2021

    These were pretty good. The orange marinade got a bit charred and stuck to the foil, but that didn’t make them less delicious. I didn’t have dried thyme so subbed za’atar.

• Eastern-style salmon tartare

  • Frenchfoodie on July 18, 2018

    Delicious, great spice balance, lovely lime tang. Still good the next day too.

• Apple, sumac, red onion & pomegranate salad

  • Tiganna on June 02, 2018

    Simple and refreshing. One to come back to in the autumn.

  • Cvtbird on March 19, 2021

    Could serve 8 rather than 6.

• Date, orange, almond & watercress salad

  • FritB on October 29, 2018

    Important to use nice and plump dates

  • KarinaFrancis on January 15, 2022

    Really nice, easy to pull together salad. Watercress is hard to find so I used rocket/spinach mix. Definitely make again, but my preference (slightly) is for the Ottolenghi version

• Fig, fresh pecorino & walnut salad with mixed leaves & balsamic vinegar

  • KarinaFrancis on March 14, 2021

    Loved the flavours in this salad, sweet figs, salty pecorino set off by the walnuts and balsamic dressing. Perfect autumn salad

• Maftoul salad

  • SugarFree_Vegan on July 03, 2016

    If you can find Maftoul (Oxfam shops sell it in their free trade section at the mo) it's well worth using, if you can't find it wholemeal Israli couscous (the giant one) would work too I think. This is lovely served with some halloumi or feta if you want something extra on the side.

• Freekah salad

  • Frogcake on September 25, 2016

    Lots of diverse tastes and textures in this very easy to assemble salad. I didn't have any pomegranate syrup so I sustituted it with buckwheat honey -not quite the same but still very, very delicious. A sprinkle of sea salt enhances the flavours.

  • Gups on July 10, 2022

    Substituted bulgur wheat for freekeh as it wasn't available. Halved recipe (using 1.5 cups bulgur uncooked) and further reduced pomegranate molasses to 45 mL (3 tablespoons) which was plenty. Also used fewer cranberries. Added salt and cracked pepper

  • Tiganna on September 10, 2017

    I had to substitute coarse Bulghur for the Freekeh as I couldn't find it anywhere in Frankfurt. Overall, great hit at the BBQ I took it to. Next time, I will try reducing the pomegranate molasses and the pomegranate seeds. For my taste, it was a bit on the sour side with the amounts specified. I also added some purple carrots and thought that was a nice addition to balance the sweetness of the cranberries. Next time, might add yet more. The recipe does not mention any salt, but very clearly needed.

  • Livia on April 27, 2020

    Only used 2 spoons pomegranate molasses and it was enough

  • Cvtbird on March 19, 2021

    Takes about 20 mins to make. Pretty sweet so good to have with something salty and savoury. I’d say it serves 8 to 10 people.

• Warm salad of spiced kale, bulgar wheat & Puy lentils

  • TrishaCP on May 29, 2017

    I thought this was just ok, and I definitely wouldn't make it again because it was a lot of work. prepping all of the ingredients She doesn't specify what type of bulghar to use (fine, medium, coarse), so I went with fine because that was all that I had on hand, but I think this would be better with a coarser type of bulghar. Many spices are added to the kale, but I didn't like the combination together in this dish, I think primarily because it was too lemon-forward with all of the zest as well as the juice. Just too much for me with the feta too.

  • tekobo on January 22, 2017

    I substituted quinoa for bulghar wheat and used cavolo nero. Tasty, crunchy, filling salad. Yum.

• Chickpea, red onion & parsley salad

  • Frogcake on July 30, 2016

    We really enjoyed this salad, which is light-tasting and quite lemony with the preserved lemon. I will make this one again. I used an orange-infused olive oil and a drizzle of white balsamic in place of the squeeze of lemon just because I served another salad along-side that had a lemon vinegrette. Nice to make in the summer season when parsley is in abundance.

• Black & white rice salad with chicken & mango

  • Cvtbird on March 19, 2021

    Needs salt. Lots of great flavours. I’d say serves 8.

• Eastern slaw

  • KarinaFrancis on July 07, 2020

    A real change from the usual slaw I was a bit hesitant about using ground spices in the dressing but it totally worked and the horseradish gave it some zing. I halved the salad but used the full amount of dressing.

• Prawn, broccolini, feta & almond salad

  • Charlotte_vandenberg on April 27, 2017

    Very easy and delicious, lot of prepping can be done in advance. Prawns very good.

• Sweet potatoes with baked feta

  • saarwouters on February 10, 2018

    We absolutely LOVED this! The combination of the sweet potato and the salty feta cheese with oregano is just brilliant. The potatoes were ready in 25 minutes in my oven (a bit shorter then the recipe calls for). Will make this again and again!

  • etcjm on February 21, 2019

    Lovely. Easy. Do again. Sweet potatoes always take longer than you think though!

  • Clog on May 09, 2023

    A real winner. Thouroughly recommended.

  • lou_weez on April 08, 2018

    This was voted a 'do again' recipe from the family. The sweet potato against the salty feta was delicious.

• Souk-spiced roots

  • Clog on November 14, 2022

    Excellent way to combine root veg for a side dish.

• Chickpea, butternut squash, preserved lemon & harissa tagine

  • Hansyhobs on March 21, 2022

    This was ok, but these veggie stews aren't really my thing so it was unlikely I was going to love it. 8 preserved lemons is a bit overkill so I wouldn't recommend using the full amount. Had this with rice

• Aubergine, pepper & tomato stew

  • sharifah on March 11, 2020

    Impressed with how easy and flavourful this dish is. Quite rich with a nice warming backnote from the spices. Would definitely make this again.

• Chickenberry rice

  • JJ2018 on April 24, 2019

    This was really nice. Made 1/3 recipe, used pack of chicken fillets and had no blueberries so left out. Used with pistachio not slivered, and steamed for about 35 mins. I was worried when serving it looked dry but was very tasty. Does need heavy seasoning though.

• Citrus & za'atar chicken

  • timhuddart on June 01, 2020

    Add the juice from the fruit to the spices and marinate for 24 hrs. I used chicken breast.

  • greedyrosie on May 12, 2020

    It was alright. Not one member of the family could detect ‘citrus’ though. I used chicken legs rather than a whole chicken and served with salad and flatbread.

  • TrishaCP on December 10, 2022

    I also marinated about 24 hours and it really made the seasoning permeate nicely. I agree that the citrus was a secondary note behind the za’atar.

  • Frogcake on November 10, 2016

    Delicious and so easy. This has just the right combination of spices and herbs, made into a paste and then put onto chicken. A quick, yummy supper in no time. Will make this again.

• Kofta burgers

  • Laurel21 on November 09, 2022

    I added salt with garlic because the recipe does not indicate salt and I think they lack intensity of flavor.

• Persian lamb, quince & saffron stew

  • apattin on February 02, 2017

    Problems with using lamb neck: all bones! Used shoulder chops instead, boned. Problems with the quince, because you cannot quarter a quince and expect to get it all golden on a frying pan, it browns unevenly. Next time I will cut the quince in smaller chunks. It would have been nice to get an idea of how much water to add. Taste was OK and hopefully better as the stew sits for a couple of days

• Six-hour Eastern-spiced pork belly

  • KarinaFrancis on July 18, 2020

    Finally after many fails and “nearly there’s” I made crackling that I’ve always dreamed of! This is really the best pork belly I’ve ever made, under the perfect crackling is meltingly tender and beautifully flavoured meat. I’ve found my go-to pork belly

  • Clog on October 14, 2022

    Superb flavours and the crackling is a work of wonder.

• Stir-fried tangy prawns

  • Astrid5555 on July 26, 2016

    Husband's verdict:"This was ok, but please do not repeat." And I agree. Made as written without the pickled chillies, way too tangy from the 6 preserved lemons. Won't repeat!

• Harissa mussels

  • joneshayley on January 22, 2019

    This was lovely , spicy and flavourful. A new way with mussels for me. I didn’t add the dill as my family don’t like it very much.

• Lemon, turmeric & black pepper salmon

  • ChelseaP on July 08, 2022

    One of my favourite ways to prepare salmon. Make sure to do the full amount of black pepper. So delicious!

• Blackberry tart with pistachio frangipane

  • ChelseaP on July 08, 2022

    This tart is such a winner!! It looks like you've put in heaps of effort but it couldn't be easier to make.

• Spiced apple, rosemary & pecan muffins

  • kateastoria on October 09, 2019

    Awkward directions said to add milk into flour before other wet ingredient, making integration difficult. Next time would add all wet into dry in the traditional way for muffins.

• Dark chocolate, cardamom & espresso mousse cake

  • sarahj22 on September 30, 2017

    I made this for a dinner party (served with vanilla ice cream) and it went down really well. Tastes rich and indulgent without being at all heavy, and the cardamom doesn't overpower. Not too much hassle to make and can be done well in advance. I'll definitely repeat for future occasions.

  • lorloff on December 11, 2022

    This was delicious but the directions were way off. It was very liquid after 15 minutes. I thought it would get better while it cooled but it did not. In the end I had to bake it for at least thirty minutes or more. I was adding 5 minutes at a time until a knife stuck in the cake came out clean from different locations on the cake. I used Mexican chocolate from Oaxaca will make again but will be prepared this time to cook it for as long as it takes.

  • SACarlson on July 29, 2018

    I found it to be too liquid after only 15 minutes in the oven. I let it cool for awhile with the oven off and the texture improved.

• Food52 by Talia Baiocchi

  The 2017 Piglet Tournament of Cookbooks, First Round: My Two Souths vs. Sirocco

  Full review