Notes about Recipes in this book

• Lebanese seven spice

  • rmardel on July 04, 2024

    I made this on a whim and haven't yet made the recipes in the book that call for this spice. The aroma from the spice blend is intoxicating. I used it to dust carrots before roasting and the sweetness combined with the heat of the pepper and the warm savoriness of the coriander worked very well. Seems similar to a blend I've used called baharat, but sweeter. This will, in all likelihood, become a staple.

• Sumac rose spice

  • bernalgirl on July 04, 2024

    Absolutely loved very on the scallop recipe in this cookbook and I can’t wait to try it on salmon.

• Garlic confit

  • pattyatbryce on July 22, 2024

    I like the recipe in Gjelina better. It also stores with the olive oil protecting the garlic, which lasts a long time in the fridge. The garlic was great in this one, but I like the oven method better and the longer storage.

• Sumac onions

  • rmardel on July 08, 2024

    Basic sumac onion recipe is simple to make and yields excellent results. We doubled the sumac and added additional allspice as well, to suit our taste. I think this would also be variable, depending on the specific nature of the particular sweet onion used.

  • bernalgirl on August 03, 2024

    I like this recipe even better than yo Ottolenghi version

  • twoyolks on January 10, 2026

    I liked these a lot, even just eating them plain. I did use red onions as they were the only sweet onions I had. I also used less sumac because that's all I had.

• Cardamom apricots

  • michalow on June 04, 2024

    Now that I've tried these, I think I will need to have them in my fridge at all times. So far, I've found them to be delicious with both brie and waffles. My only modification was to reduce the turmeric from 1.5 tsp to 1 tsp, and I think they have just enough of a subtle bitter note, so I'll stick with this in the future. Note that the turmeric makes these apricots and their syrup prone to staining.

• Turmeric pickled vegetables

  • rmardel on July 04, 2024

    Excellent pickles with a lovely warmth added by the turmeric. I used an assortment of summer veggies: carrot, red bell pepper and green beans for my first batch and they worked well. The green beans were not as successful but I think this would be excellent with yellow wax beans, and with cauliflower in season.

  • bernalgirl on August 03, 2024

    An easy and delicious quick pickle. I strained the brine and pickled carrots and radishes. Worth making again.

• Cypriot olive mix

  • Gilbatron on April 26, 2026

    Benefits from a day of two in the fridge. Much more than the sum of its parts. Easy addition to any mezze spread

• Hommus

  • michalow on June 01, 2024

    This technique definitely yields a distinctly different hummus compared to others I've made using the very same ingredients. I was surprised to find I did not love it (despite having enjoyed plenty of hummus at both Zaytinya and Lebanese Taverna, whose recipe Andrés says this is based on). The texture is lovely--smooth and airy. But it has an odd sweetness to it, despite the ample amount of lemon juice. I think this must come from the concentrated bean-cooking water. I mitigated this by serving the hummus topped with a swirl of pomegranate molasses, and this worked well. But I'll go back to the Jerusalem or Zahav-style hummus for my next batch.

• Butternut hommus

  • hlange on May 09, 2024

    Nice but not really memorable. I needed to cover the squash while it was roasting in order for it to cook through in the allotted time which the recipe didn't specify.

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    I roasted the squash until very well done which may have enhanced its flavor. Used za'atar I had bought in Amman, Jordan at a local market and the pumpkin seeds but could not find pumpkin oil locally so just used some olive oil. It's a nice change from hummus with chickpeas. Good, but not a Wow. The pumpkin oil might kick up the flavor more. I used Soom tahini but might try one recommended by Adeena Sussman in her cookbook Sababa if I have time to order online. I think the brand of tahini could make a difference in the flavor profile.

  • twoyolks on January 10, 2026

    I thought this was excellent. I did add some lemon juice as I felt it needed acid. I omitted the pumpkin seeds and oil as I had neither.

• Tzatziki

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    Possibly my favorite version to date, I love the combination of yogurt and labneh, the subtlety of the garlic confit (no recipe, something I keep on hand) and the slight heat and earthiness of the white pepper.

  • pattyatbryce on July 22, 2024

    Great version of a classic. Definite go-to recipe.

• Roasted pepper and walnut spread (Muhammara)

  • sometimes on January 24, 2025

    Straightforward and tasty version of this dish. In the future might do a double batch to make it more blender friendly for a smoother texture and my own convenience, but really no notes

  • gregorio_inkp6y on May 16, 2026

    Cheated by using jarred fire roasted peppers. Also lightly toasted the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat. Everything came together easily. A family favorite and one I’ll be making again to pair with grilled meats and veg.

• Creamy caviar spread (Taramosalata)

  • pattyatbryce on August 02, 2024

    You have to like caviar to eat this, but it has great flavor and the texture is better than any I've had in a restaurant. I subbed salmon roe based on availability, and really enjoyed it. My husband never wants to order it in a restaurant, so I made it when he was on travel. Happy Wife!

• Lemon-honey dressing (Ladolemono)

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    A very simple dressing, I added Mediterranean oregano, Urfa chile, and a good pinch of ground bay leaves and liked it much better.

  • pattyatbryce on July 21, 2024

    Very simple. Tasted great with the grilled whole fish recipe in this book.

• Whipped labneh

  • pattyatbryce on July 14, 2024

    Very easy and great with the Smoky Mushrooms from the same book.

• Yellow split pea spread (Fava Santorini)

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    This is silky, savory and gorgeous. Mine wasn’t as bright yellow as the picture and I could stand more saffron flavor so I’d increase this next time. It was wonderful with the Horta salata and I plan to try the grilled octopus recipe as well.

  • Gilbatron on April 26, 2026

    Extremely delicious! Works as a soup, too if you add more liquid

• Roasted red pepper and feta spread (Htipiti)

  • bernalgirl on August 10, 2024

    I added a jot more red wine vinegar and thyme, and left it all chunky — this was a mistake in terms of mouthfeel. We really enjoyed this although my husband thought it would be even better with minced anchovy added.

• Whipped garlic sauce (Toum)

  • twoyolks on January 09, 2026

    I tried to make this in a mini food processor and it didn't emulsify for me.

  • lucia_dbdl2m on May 26, 2026

    Really delicious but difficult. My toum broke. I had to fix by starting with an egg white and a fourth of my broken sauce and re-emulsify

• Garlicky potato spread (Skordalia)

  • Gilbatron on April 26, 2026

    Go easy on the vinegar, it was too overpowering for me. Otherwise great dish, but I had to add more potatoes to make it work after following the recipe verbatim first.

• Yellow squash skordalia

  • pattyatbryce on July 21, 2024

    Made with zucchini based on the quality of veg at the store. We liked, but didn't love. The garlic was overpowering.

• Spiced tomato sauce

  • hlange on May 15, 2024

    Nice flavor. We would have preferred to have had the seeds & skins of the fresh tomatoes removed for sauce. Next time I'd just use all canned.

  • pattyatbryce on July 14, 2024

    I really enjoyed this sauce and used it for the Tomato Saganaki in the same book.

  • bernalgirl on August 15, 2024

    I eliminated the cinnamon and boosted it a bit with Burlap & Barrel tomato powder and could see making this again any time I wanted to go in a Greek direction, this is a silky, tomato-forward basic sauce, even reducing the final addition of olive oil by half.

  • lockerpaint on January 07, 2026

    Came out EXTREMELY acidic. It’s possible I made some mistake, but I’ve never had this result with similar recipes.

• Seared halloumi with citrus and dates

  • IdleExpatter on May 16, 2026

    Loved this. Excellent contrasts in flavor and texture. Definitely worth repeating.

• Lemony greens salad (Horta salata)

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    I used kale, rainbow chard, beet and turnip greens, increasing the recipe by 1/3, and doubled the Kalamata olives, believing you should have one with every bite. I do not regret this choice. I would cook the greens longer next time for a softer, silkier texture. I made the yellow split pea spread the day before and already had the dressing so this came together very easily.

• Fattoush

  • bernalgirl on July 03, 2024

    A very nice rendition of one of my favorite salads. I skipped the pomegranate seeds as they’re out of season here but added hearts of palm and avocado. The dressing offers zip to the salad, and is not too sweet.

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    Served as part of a cookbook dinner. The fattoush is bright and lively. Great eye appeal and the flavors fresh and crisp. The vinaigrette is well balanced and compliments the flavors well. Would definitely make again.

  • IdleExpatter on May 16, 2026

    Bright, colorful, flavorful. Fair amount of chopping, but the chopping is 95% of the work.

• Watermelon and feta salad (Karpouzi me feta)

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    This may be my favorite take on a watermelon and feta salad, I expect to eat this all summer long and may bring it to a 4th of July barbecue. I will decrease the honey slightly and double the Kalamata olives to increase the chance of one in every bite.

• Greek mixed lettuce salad (Maroulosalata)

  • bernalgirl on July 04, 2024

    Nothing groundbreaking here, just a nice herby green salad with a sprightly vinaigrette that goes with anything. I topped mine with feta and appreciated the briny addition.

• Roasted beet salad (Patzarosalata)

  • bernalgirl on July 04, 2024

    This salad is really special. I pressure-cooked my beets and used supremed navel oranges. I also added the za’atar into the whipped lebneh. I layered the platter with lebneh, arugula, and beets and oranges tossed in the vinaigrette, then topped with flaky salt. None of the steps are that time-consuming and the finished dish is both gorgeous and delicious.

  • meggan on February 01, 2025

    Nice enough. Nothing spectacular

• Citrus and olive salad (Portakal salatasi)

  • pattyatbryce on February 15, 2026

    I love a good citrus salad in the winter and this went nicely with rich lamb chops with whipped labneh. Definitely did not disappoint.

• Circassian chicken salad (Çerkez tavugu)

  • rmardel on July 08, 2024

    This was not a hit for me. Although the dressing is lighter and silkier than a mayonnaise dressing, it was too bready for my taste. The pickled golden raisins are fabulous though, and I want to throw them on everything.

• Chicken soup avgolemono

  • Shelmar on April 05, 2024

    Had this dish in DC, hope recipe is as good as restaurant version!

  • MissKoo on June 10, 2024

    Excellent soup, with a few caveats. Made this for a solo dinner. The combination of ingredients and layers of flavor they provide are lovely as is the visual presentation. It is not a soup to tackle if you have limited time or are in a hurry. Each element -- the chicken, the kale, the sautéed vegetables, the orzo, the lemon soup -- is prepared separately. When cooking the carrot-onion-celery mixture under cover I found that the small amount of water added evaporated more quickly than anticipated and veggies charred slightly. So I would keep a close eye on those veg and also would salt them when preparing. The recipe does not call for that but think it essential. Also the lemon broth/soup needed some flavor enhancement. I added more salt, and most of the lemon zest and dill. I wanted to boost the flavor profile and knew that I would have leftovers for 2-3 more servings -- easier in that instance to have the herbs and zest incorporated with the soup. Would definitely make again.

• Red lentil soup (Mercimek çorbasi)

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    Served as starter soup at Cookbook group dinner. It has a number of elements, so definitely a soup that needs some lead time. It is very much a comfort soup for chillier weather. The spinach, green lentils, and yogurt are wonderful additions to stir into the red lentil soup which would even be good unadorned. Nice complex flavors and visually interesting.

• Cucumber melon soup

  • rmardel on July 08, 2024

    I was pleasantly surprised with this soup. Even with a less than ripe melon, the soup was bright, cooling and refreshing. Although I think it would be fabulous with a ripe melon, it is also worth remembering as a way to use up honeydew melons that do not live up to their promise.

• Falafel

  • Ntesfai on December 09, 2025

    I made this falafel. It tasted delicious, but I did run into some issues. -lack of specification of amount of herbs to add -only the first dozen falafel successfully fried, the rest fell apart as they hit the oil. I suspect it’s because of moisture content -imo, deep frying is quite the endeavor for a home cook All of the issues could have been addressed with better instructions.

• White bean stew (Piyaz)

  • RThoma on May 08, 2024

    Delicious bean stew! The beans' skins remained a bit hard and chewy, even after the beans themselves were fully cooked, but overall, a very flavorful recipe.

  • bernalgirl on July 24, 2024

    While I quibble with the bean cooking method, this dish is unusual for me and surprisingly delicious. I balked at cooking the beans with just onion and potato, and chose to add salt, kombu, a pinch of chile flakes, and olive oil. I don’t know what the potato does but I enjoyed eating it with a bowl of beans for lunch. I used the largest bean I had on hand, Rancho Gordo snow caps, which resulted in a very brown but thoroughly delicious dish. I love the depth of the sundried tomatoes offset by the ladolemono vinaigrette. Also, I doubled the kale and halved the fresh dill at the end.

• Greek-style omeleta

  • anyah_h60oih on March 31, 2026

    Took extra cook time but this is very tasty!! Subbed feta for a leftover dill havarti I had, would be excellent either way. Eat with a lemony salad and bread!!

• Crispy Brussels sprouts afelia

  • Logan92995 on November 09, 2024

    These tasted great, but fell slightly short of the actual thing. Wasn't overly keen on the coriander seeds; I don't mind them, but they are much more subtle in the dish at the actual restaurant.

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    Side dish served for group Cookbook dinner. The person who prepared them said these are absolutely amazing immediately after being fried. Unfortunately she had to cook them several hours ahead and they got a bit too crispy being reheated under the broiler. Still very tasty. She made them again the next day and suggested 1. toasting the coriander seeds for enhanced flavor, and 2. using pomegranate seeds instead of barberries. We really didn't notice the barberries at all. Currants might a substitute also. We all loved the coriander dressing.

  • twoyolks on February 12, 2025

    Fried Brussels sprouts are always tasty and the combination of the yogurt and the dressing worked really well. I did think that the yogurt was a bit too acidic and could've used more honey. I also drizzled some pomegranate molasses over it which helped tame the acid a bit.

  • bernalgirl on March 02, 2026

    This combination of flavors was a hit although I “uncheffed” the recipe itself. It calls for two yogurt sauces, top and bottom, plus I was out of barberries, so I added crushed the coriander to the dill and garlic confit yogurt sauce that is spread across the serving plate, layered the Brussels sprouts, and topped with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses in place of the honey and barberries. The flavors absolutely sing! However next time I will roast or pan-char the Brussels sprouts, as deep frying them at home results in a mess without much benefit in flavor. I also might top with crushed pistachios for added texture.

• Greek zucchini fritters (Kolokythokeftedes)

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    I made these to have on hand for snacking or as an addition to breakfast. They are very good with the Manchego cheese and reheat nicely. The caper-yogurt sauce bumps up the flavor considerably.

  • Stephenn31 on May 11, 2025

    These are the kind of crispy fritters I dream of. Very good. I added a bit of cucumber to the yogurt dip and omitted the orange blossom water for a more traditional flavour. The panko really makes these crispy as compared to the usual over floured version

• Carrot fritters with pistachio sauce (Havuç köftesi)

  • MissKoo on April 07, 2024

    This was my favorite menu item during many years living in the DC area and eating at Zaytinya. The recipe isn't difficult but it is time consuming. Made the pistachio sauce a few days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Wonderful flavors but may have roasted the pistachios just a bit too long and would opt for shorter roasting time and checking carefully after six minutes or so. The fritters are ambrosial -- very light and with subtle but complex flavors. They come together quickly in a food processor once the ingredients are all prepped. Used a scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons) and scale to make uniformly sized fritters and kept in the refrigerator overnight before deep fat frying. Brought these to a cocktail group gathering and received rave reviews. Would definitely make again and definitely recommend making the sauce and fritter batter a day or two ahead of time. A bit fussy but worth the effort.

• Okra and tomato stew (Bamya)

  • michalow on May 25, 2024

    I made this with frozen okra, canned chickpeas, and canned tomatoes, and for what was effectively a pantry meal, it was really delicious.. It feels like a lot of steps, but once you've made the tomato sauce (I skipped the pureeing and left this chunky), fried the chickpeas, and cooked up the okra, it's mostly a matter of stirring things together. I'm undecided whether it's worth frying the chickpeas--might skip this next time and just let them simmer in the stew.

• Grilled asparagus with smoked labneh

  • pattyatbryce on August 26, 2024

    The smoked labneh and preserved lemon took a standard grilled asparagus over the top! We used applewood chips because the store was out of cherry.

• Cypriot-style potatoes with coriander and wine (Patates antinahtes)

  • bernalgirl on July 09, 2024

    These potatoes are completely addictive!Although I found the fragrance of wine off-putting at first, the flavor and texture are both peak comfort food. These would benefit from a light garnish of chives or parsley as they are rather rich.

  • rmardel on July 09, 2024

    These were wonderful! My grandson cooked these, and although they got a little but over-crunchy in places they were still delicious. The delicacy of the wine and honey added a subtle aroma and rounded out the flavors of the coriander seeds and cilantro in an addictive way.

  • pattyatbryce on July 18, 2024

    These were good and it was fun to try a new way to cook potatoes. We liked these, but weren't in love with them.

  • sometimes on December 31, 2024

    Made as written except that I turned the potatoes over halfway through boiling. I enjoyed these. The copious coriander and dry rose (used Los Dos) was a very tasty combination. Holidays being what they are I used the last bag of baby potatoes at the store; some of the larger ones were, while cooked, a bit firm. I will get all tiny ones in the future. The addition of wine at the end did kill off some of the crispiness which was unfortunate. Will make again and play around with it a bit; very convenient way to make crispy potatoes and overall a solid recipe

  • BatCityGirl on April 18, 2026

    Cooking prep and time were off. Had to microwave potatoes to get them to cook. Maybe my baby potatoes were too big?

• Smoky mushroom kapnista

  • pattyatbryce on July 14, 2024

    Really delicious! Would make a great vegetarian main dish. We used a Weber grill as the smoker and put the mushrooms on foil to avoid ruining a good pan.

  • bernalgirl on August 10, 2024

    Serve with whipped labneh

• Tomato saganaki

  • pattyatbryce on July 14, 2024

    A labor of love with sub-recipes, but worth the effort. Wonderful flavor. Spiced Tomato Sauce was not optional. Pernod used instead of ouzo and Manchego used for Kefalograviera. Otherwise made as written.

• Buttery shrimp with dill (Garides me ánitho)

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    Such a simple preparation, the mustard and lemon blends beautifully with slowly cooked shrimp and shallots, the sauce is lush even while reducing the butter. I used chives in place of dill to suit our tastes.

  • pattyatbryce on July 11, 2024

    So easy to make and so much flavor to be had. Good bread is a must for the wonderful sauce. My store only had smaller shrimp, so I removed them from the pan once cooked and proceeded with finishing the sauce to prevent rubbery protein. Worked perfectly.

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    Made these for cookbook group dinner. It's a wonderfully easy recipe to prep and cooks quickly. The dill and butter sauce is just lovely. The whole grain mustard and lemon add just the right amount of flavor. Rave reviews. Would definitely make again.

  • TrishaCP on November 27, 2024

    I too reduced the butter by half and it was still wonderful.

  • IdleExpatter on May 16, 2026

    Super easy, very tasty. Not much more than the sum of its parts, but the parts sum up well!

• Seared scallops with tzatziki

  • bernalgirl on July 08, 2024

    So simple, I’ll be hard-pressed to make another scallop recipe in summer. I served the scallops and tzatziki separately, unsure how my family would take to the combination, and it turned out we all loved the balance of flavors and textures the cool sauce provided.

• Pomona

  • jenburkholder on April 14, 2024

    Refreshing, light, and (as promised in the book) appealing to even an anise-hater. Perfect summer drink.

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    The starter cocktail for cookbook group dinner. Everyone loved it. it is bright and refreshing and pretty in the glass. The ouzo does not have an overwhelming anise flavor at all. It tasted terrific in November but would even be better on a hot day during the summer. Definitely a keeper recipe.

• Meatballs in spiced tomato sauce (Soutzoukakia)

  • hlange on May 16, 2024

    The meatballs needed something more. They were just ground beef and a couple of seasonings. After cooking their texture was tough.

  • pattyatbryce on July 18, 2024

    I had leftover spiced sauce from making the Tomato Saginaki and thought this would be a good use. I agree with hlange that the meatballs were just so-so. I'd make the saginaki again with the extra sauce next time.

  • lockerpaint on January 07, 2026

    Just normal meatballs, and I strongly disliked the sauce.

• Greek butter cookies (Koulourakia)

  • hlange on May 21, 2024

    These were awful. I tossed them and I've never had to do that before.

• Grilled whole fish

  • pattyatbryce on July 21, 2024

    Our first try at a whole fish. A 1.5 lb trout was perfect for 2 of us. An excellent preparation and super easy. We both want to make again soon.

• Grilled lamb chops

  • pattyatbryce on July 22, 2024

    We cooked as a full rack to not overcook the meat. The sides were all great, but I chose to skip the harissa chili crisp and just only put a little harissa on the side.

• Slow-roasted pastirma-style rib eyes

  • bernalgirl on July 24, 2024

    This is a special occasion dish for a family that eats very little beef. With 3 lbs of ribeye and many tablespoons of spices, it is also a spendy dish. But the pastirma rub and slow roasting produces the most luscious result. I wanted a simpler base than the accompanying greens recipe so I tossed arugula with sumac onions in the ladolemono vinaigrette and would do so again. I’d also try this with tri-tip or skirt steak.

• Chicken youvetsi

  • bernalgirl on August 15, 2024

    This was very meh for us. Partly my fault for leaning into oregano and marjoram and away from the warm spices, but the liquid ratio felt off. If I were to make again I would add half again the amount of stock, simmer till the orzo is not quite al dente, then add 1/2 the amount of tomato sauce. As written it felt like it was drowning in tomato sauce, and was all-around more bland that our usual comfort food.

• Turkish coffee chocolate cake

  • MissKoo on November 17, 2024

    The grand finale for cookbook group dinner. OMG. The cakes were served hot out of the oven with the coffee syrup and mastic ice cream (vanilla and anise were substituted for the mastic). Fabulous flavor combination and the cake centers were perfectly oozy. It is a very, very rich dessert so best served with a relatively light meal or maybe on its own in the middle of the afternoon with tea or coffee. Would be equally good with good store bought vanilla ice cream.

• Shawarma spice roast chicken

  • twoyolks on February 12, 2025

    This was a solidly mediocre roast chicken. The spice blend didn't really add much flavor.

• Seven spice lamb leg with lemon potatoes

  • pattyatbryce on August 04, 2025

    I just made the potatoes to go with grilled lamb chops. The technique did not work for me. The potatoes were too wet after boiling and just didn't crisp up. Oven portion needs to be much hotter to dry them and brown them. Otherwise, I'd try again using my standard technique of just roasting the potatoes without boiling.

  • IdleExpatter on May 16, 2026

    Exceptionally good. Spectacular flavor, great end result, and honestly not at all difficult. Wouldn't change a thing!

• Köfte kebab

  • twoyolks on January 10, 2026

    Probably my favorite köfte recipe. It's easy to make and quite flavorful. I did have some issues turning the meat on the skewers but that's mostly related to the small skewers I used.

• Lebanese sour

  • SueMaynard on February 22, 2026

    Missing from ingredient list: red wine, lemon juice. This is a favorite cocktail in our house when we have a little extra red wine left over from dinner the night before - simple and tasty!

• Marinated chicken kebabs (Shish taouk)

  • lucia_dbdl2m on May 26, 2026

    Flavorful and delicious but not necessarily a standout chicken kebab. Would make again. Highly recommend with the toum

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