Notes about Recipes in this book

• Fennel and feta kofte with walnut tarator

  • consortiumlibrary on July 23, 2015

    I used skordalia instead of tarator, so notes are only about the fennel/feta kofte. Taking advice from a review found online ( http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/876223?page=2 - scroll down to review labelled "PURPLE CITRUS & SWEET PERFUME, Silvena Rowe"), I chopped the fennel in a food processor instead of slicing as recommended in recipe. Although the texture was quite loose, my kofte didn't fall apart in the oil. To further help avoid this problem, I scooped out the kofte onto a waxed paper lined baking sheet and refrigerated for 30 minutes before cooking. I also added a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to the kofte mix and am glad I did. Next time, I wouldn't use baking powder - it gives the kofte a cakey texture that I don't like - and would use panko/breadcrumbs instead of flour to thicken. I'd also add a little extra fennel seed. These had good flavor though and I'll try them again.

• Crispy spiced king prawns with avocado and tahini sauce

  • mcvl on May 05, 2018

    I used this recipe only for the sauce, which was very good -- I'm sure it would be delicious on the prawns.

• Egg and lemon soup with fresh crab and lemon balm

  • mcvl on June 29, 2014

    I like this very much! Many avgolemono-typoe recipes use only the juice of the lemon; hurrah for the zest as well. Instead of orzo, I zapped the eggwhite in the microwave and cut it into "noodles." And lacking lemon balm I used lemon thyme instead, a completely different flavor but also fresh and herby.

• Purslane, tomato and avocado salad

  • mcvl on May 18, 2022

    Purslane has a lovely texture but not enough taste to carry this off.

• Poussin with yoghurt and tarragon sauce

  • mcvl on February 15, 2020

    I really like this recipe! None of my grocers had fresh tarragon, so I revived some dry by soaking it in Pernod -- very successful, hurrah.

• Langoustines with orange saffron butter and swede tahini mash

  • mcvl on September 30, 2015

    Oh my golly, people, run out and make this recipe right now. I simplified it thus: (a) cubed and roasted the rutabagas (swedes) and did not mash them (b) used scallops instead of langoustines (c) used all the flavorings for both the seafood and the mash together (minus the olive oil) in a frying pan (d) right at the last minute stirred in the scallops and rutabaga cubes and heated the whole dish just long enough to cook the scallops (3 minutes) I served it over bread.

• Lentil, rice and lamb soup (Mahluta)

  • Emily Hope on May 29, 2013

    I made this using some lamb merguez sausage (two links) instead of plain ground lamb, added some ground coriander and dialed back the cumin a bit. I also topped with some caramelized onions I had around. We liked the soup quite a bit. It's very homey and comforting, and a nice way to stretch out a bit of meat into a meal. I do wonder if it might have been a bit bland without the tweaks (especially the use of merguez). Served with sauteed shredded zucchini tossed with herbs and greek yogurt.

• King prawn and blood orange charmola salad

  • Astrid5555 on January 01, 2019

    So delicious! Blood-orange avoiding husband declared this to be one of his favorite dishes ever, and I agree. I did not blanch the prawns though but sautéed them. A definite keeper!

• Mung beans with caramelised onions and nigella seeds

  • Astrid5555 on December 27, 2015

    This was an excellent side dish! Made ahead as suggested by other reviewer.

  • MissQuin on May 26, 2015

    The flavours work well and the nigella seeds make it a little different to your usual bean salads. I added more parsley than asked for (about half a cup instead of 2 tablespoons) and next time I would add even more. I think it's going to taste even better tomorrow once the flavours have all melded a little bit. Would be a great make-ahead vegetarian dish for a barbecue or picnic.

  • dinnermints on October 05, 2016

    Very, very good. The onions add a nice sweetness. I used slow-roasted tomatoes that I had in the freezer, and they were wonderful in this. I used 1/2 tsp of salt or so, and increased the mustard to 1 tsp. Also halved the amount of olive oil, used 3 T for the onions and 1 T for the dressing, worked out well.

• Wild asparagus and green herb tart with pomegranate dressing

  • Astrid5555 on April 24, 2015

    Used regular baby asparagus and store-bought pastry. Nevertheless, delicious! With those shortcuts weeknight dinner friendly! Will repeat.

• Lavender and honey glazed chicken with pine nut, chervil and honey sauce

  • meggan on May 04, 2012

    This was well loved by my husband who made the leftovers into a salad with arugula and hard boiled eggs. I substituted parsley for chervil and pistachios for pine nuts with good results.

• Lamb and pistachio kofte with tahini and pistachio sauce

  • LouiseStaley on October 25, 2012

    Served this with oven baked potatoes and steamed English spinach. Huge flavour return for minimal effort. The sauce quantity is very generous and I suspect will be great on salad too.

• Tahini, lemon and sumac sauce

  • dinnermints on June 25, 2015

    This was good with falafel, but there might be better tahini sauces out there.

• Poached asparagus with nasturtium sauce

  • dinnermints on June 07, 2015

    Nice mild peppery flavor, pretty dish.

• Vine-wrapped steamed turbot with yoghurt, walnut and dill sauce

  • Barb_N on February 27, 2019

    I simply steamed the fish (black cod) as I didn’t have vine leaves or want to make a separate trip to a Middle Eastern market. The sauce needed something- a touch of lemon juice from the zested lemon brightened it up. We were licking it off the spoon.

• Monkfish shawarma

  • Carol.Furness on October 05, 2014

    Very tasty.

• Chicken liver, potato and chilli salad

  • Carol.Furness on August 10, 2014

    Very tasty.

• Tomato, pomegranate and sumac salad with pomegranate dressing

  • lkgrover on June 19, 2020

    Excellent tomato salad/side dish with a blend of sweetness & spice.

• Crunchy red Swiss chard falafel

  • lkgrover on June 11, 2021

    Excellent chard falafel; similar to fritters. I garnished with turmeric (as pictured). I found the suggested tahini sauce too overpowering.

• Poached eggs with a yoghurt and paprika dressing (Gilibir)

  • lkgrover on June 23, 2020

    Interesting blend of tangy yogurt, sweet (mint), and spice (paprika) with eggs.

• Kadaifi schnitzel with pomegranate sauce

  • lkgrover on June 12, 2021

    Delicious! This Turkish "schnitzel" seems lighter than traditional Austrian schnitzel. I made with chicken breasts.

• Red lentil kofte with pomegranate and coriander salad

  • CallmeIshbel on November 22, 2016

    While the flavour is good the colour is completely different from the beautiful picture, considering the ingredients I am not surprised but still disappointed. Use a white not red onion, omit cumin and pomegranate molasses (put in a dressing) from cooking liquid to stop the cooking liquid browning which the lentils absorb. Doesn't hold together well.

• Fine Cooking

  ...a smattering of fables, poems, and stories lend this book depth and perspective. It’s a romantic ode to the beautiful traditions of a region that’s often overlooked and undercooked.

  Full review