Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Ingredients:

Serves4 (main course) or 8 (first course or side dish)

* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

* 1 teaspoon minced garlic

* 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram or oregano

* 1 large eggplant, trimmed and cut into 8 (2.5cm -thick) rounds

* 350 g baby spinach

* 100 g crumbled feta (1/4 lb)

* 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Method:

*Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas).

* Whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, marjoram, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a small bowl.

*Brush both sides of eggplant slices with some of dressing. Season with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill eggplant, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cut into pieces.

*Toss spinach with enough dressing to coat and season with salt and pepper. Add eggplant, feta, and pine nuts and toss again.

Notes: Eggplant can be grilled, in batches if necessary, in a lightly oiled hot grill pan over medium-high heat. Eggplant can be grilled 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.

The slightly sweet, almost flowery flavor of marjoram adds a delicate note to this Middle Eastern-inspired salad, though oregano is also fine. To be sure the eggplant is tender, slice into it before taking it off the grill—when properly done, it will be moist all the way through.

Ingredients:

(per one demistasse cup)

1 cup water

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs finely ground coffee

Method:

1.Measure water and sugar in small saucepan (jezve). Dissolve the sugar in the water by bringing the mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in coffee. Return to heat and bring slowly back to a boil.

2.When the coffee begins to rise up remove from heat. Do not boil it. There should be a thick sediment on the bottom and a brown froth on the top.

3.Best way to Drink: Serve the coffee by pouring gradually into each cup to evenly distribute the sediment. Amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste.

Note: This is not coffee for faint-hearted! It is strong, but with full flavour. Coffee itself has to be finely ground into a powder (many modern grinders can’t grind so finely, so having one of the old-fashioned original style grinders is good idea).  As it is not filtered, let the sediment settle and then sip over it. Traditionally, and ideally, it is cooked in copper jezve (conical coffee pot with a long handle) which enhances the flavour of coffee and is served in small demistasse cups. Serve with Turkish delight and glass of water aside.

Ingredients:

* 250 g ground beef

* 250 g ground pork

* 250 g ground lamb

* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

* 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

* 1 teaspoon salt

* Finely chopped onions, for garnish

Method:

1. Mix together beef, pork, lamb, garlic,  chopped onions and salt until thoroughly combined.

2. Roll meat mixture into a long, 7-8 cm cylinders. Place on plastic wrap-lined plate, cover with more plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm.  Note: Sausages can be frozen at this point. When ready to use, thaw or cook from the frozen state.

3. Broil “cevapcici” on a charcoal grill or a preheated oven broiler rack coated with cooking spray 4 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the middle. Or they can be pan fried in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over high heat for a total of about 8 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides.

4. Serve in warmed or grilled Greek-style pita bread on a bed of chopped onions. Add on a side a dollop of sour cream, ajvar, sliced fresh peppers or tomatoes.

Ingredients:

350 ml water

Optional: substitute 30 ml water with rose water or add few drops of rose oil

100 ml orange juice

Juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon agar agar or vegetarian jelly crystals

450 g sugar

A few drops of pink or yellow food colouring (optional)

25g pistachios, skinned and finely chopped (optional)

1 oz/ 25g almonds, skinned and finely chopped (optional)

Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

1. Heat the water, orange and lemon juices in a heavy, non-stick saucepan.

2. Add the agar agar or vegetarian jelly crystals, and stir on a gentle heat until they have dissolved.

3. Add the sugar and food colouring, if using, and increase the heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the nuts, if using.

4. Remove from the heat and cool the mixture, stirring from time to time until it comes to room temperature.

5. Pour the mixture into a square or rectangular dish, and place the dish in a basin of ice-cold water. Cover the dish with a cloth, and leave it in the fridge until the Turkish delight has set.

6. Remove from the fridge and bring it back to room temperature. Cut into 24 squares using a greased knife, and dust with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container, or wrap in cellophane, tie with a colourful ribbon, and give to someone you love as a gift.

Note: Making Turkish delight – also known as locum – is complicated and labour-intensive, and many traditional recipes are closely guarded secrets of Turkish confectioners, whose families have followed them for centuries. This simplified recipe may not be as good as that served to the Sultans, but it is much lovelier than commercial ones. Do try it! Makes 24 pieces.

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb (Shoulder, roast, shank, etc.), cubed

Lamb Marinade:

1/4 cup of fresh rosemary, minced

1 clove garlic, minced fine

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced

1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced

Note: If you have to use dry herbs, crush them into a powder in a mortar and pestle and use less. How much less? That depends on the freshness of your dried herbs.

Method:

1. Combine all, except lamb, in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

2. In a plastic bag or any deep sided dish, add lamb and pour marinade over. Marinate for at least 2hours, preferably more (like 4).

3. When finished marinating, skewer meat cubes onto metal or wooden skewers. If using wood, make sure to soak for at least 20 minutes in warm water prior to cooking, to avoid charring.

4. Heat BBQ to medium high and grill for a few minutes on each side. Lamb should be served medium rare, so don’t cook it longer than 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:

1/2 of an English cucumber, partially peeled OR

1 whole  cucumber – peeled and seeded

1 cup plain yogurt (preferably Greek yogurt or regular yogurt strained through a cheesecloth)

1/3 cup sour cream

juice of 1/4 lemon

1 tsp. dill weed (optional)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Grate the cucumber and squeeze out all of the juice.

2. Mix all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Add cucumber.

3. Let stand in fridge for at least 1 hour.

4. Serve with pita chips as an appetizer or with Greek meatballs (recipe follows).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour

• 1 tsp Superfine sugar

• 1 tsp Dry yeast

• 1 tsp Salt

• 1 tsp Ghee or Oil

• Water as per requirement

Method:

•Take the yeast and dissolve it water taken in a bowl.

•Cover the mixture and leave it aside for 10 minutes.

•Now take the all purpose flour in a shallow tray and make a depression in the center.

•Add yeast, ghee, sugar and salt. Mix them properly.

•Add some more water if it is required.

•Put the mixture on a floured surface and make dough. Knead it well for 5-7 minutes.

•Keep it in a warm place for 1 hour and cover it so that it can rise.

•After due time period, make small balls out of the dough.

•Flatten each ball to make ovals of about 1 cm thickness.

•Put these ovals on a smeared heavy-duty aluminum foil.

•Grill it under a preheated broiler till golden brown color appears.

•Repeat the procedure with rest of the balls.

•Naans are ready to serve.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup short grain rice

8 cups water

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup un-salted butter

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup silvered pistachios

1/2 tsp ground saffron – dissolved in 2 tbs hot water

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup rose water

2 tbsp rice flour – dissolved in 2 cup water

Method:

Wash the rice.Combine the rice with 6 cups water and bring to boil. Simmer for 35 minutes until the rice is soft.

Add sugar and 2 more cups warm water and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the butter, almonds, saffron water, cardamom, and rose water – mix well, cook with very low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the dissolved rice flour and cook for 20 more minute.

Spoon the pudding into a bowl , decorate with cinnamon, almond and pistachio. Serve chilled.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

• 600g lamb meat, trimmed of fat and cubed

• 400g couscous

Marinade:

• 250g thick Greek style yoghurt

• 2 cloves crushed garlic

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Chilli flakes to taste

• Persian mild Seasoning (Masterfood or own mix*)

To Cook:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh root ginger

• 1 large brown onion, halved and finely sliced

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• Aprox. 250 mls water or chicken stock

• Salt and pepper to tatse

• 2 pinches of saffron threads

*Persian Mild Seasoning:

• 2 tbs ground coriander

• 2 tbs ground cumin

• 1tsp ground ginger

• 1tsp fenugreek

• ½ tsp ground allspice

• ½ tsp thyme

To garnish:

• 15g fresh coriander, chopped

• 25g pistachio and/or walnuts, roughly chopped

• seeds of 1 pomegranate

Method:

Marinate the lamb cubes with yoghurt, salt, pepper, minced garlic, chilli flakes and Persian seasoning by mixing it well to cover it all over. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs or overnight.

Heat the oil in the pan, then add the garlic, onions and ginger. Fry over a low heat, stirring frequently, until transparent and soft. Add ground cumin, coriander and nutmeg, stir for couple of minutes to just release the fragrance.

Add the marinated lamb to the pan along with complete marinade and fry on low for about 10min or until meat is browned and marinade half cooked by constant stirring. Add water to cover it well, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for about an hour or until meat is tender and water evaporated enough to create a thick sauce.

Sprinkle it with chopped coriander leaves and garnish with nuts and pomegranate seeds (optional) for authentic Persian dish.

Serve with Persian seasoned couscous or rice and fresh mixed greens salad or cucumber raita.

Persian seasoned Couscous:

Measure 400 ml water and bring to the boil (electrical jug is just right). Put couccous with salt, pepper and Persian seasoning into serving bowl and mix it well dry. Pour hot water over, add 1-2 tbs oil, tightly cover and set aside for 2-3 min. Use a fork to lightly fluff up the grains of couscous, then garnish (optional) with pistachios, coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

* 275g Basmati Rice

* 18 – 20 saffron threads (1/2 sachet)

* 1 tbspn boiling water

* 1 rounded tspn cardamom pods

* 1 rounded tspn coriander seeds

* 3 tbspn olive oil

* 75g dried cranberries

* 110g raisins

* 50g peeled pistachio nuts

* Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

* Rinse the rice in cold water and drain well.

* Mix the saffron with the boiling water and leave to infuse for 10 mins.

* Add rice to large pan of salted boiling water with the cardamom and coriander.

* Bring to the boil and leave to hard simmer for 8 – 10 mins until rice is al dente (soft on outside but firm in centre). Drain in a colander.

* Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the dried fruit and nuts and sauté for 1 min to plump up.

* Stir in the rice and the saffron liquid, season to taste and stir well to combine.

* Serve.

Note:  This beautifully fragrant and slightly sweet rice dish is great served with cold cuts of turkey or a gammon joint.