Flavours of the Middle East

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Flavours of

the Middle East spiced and aromatic recipes from the ancient lands

Ghillie Bas¸an photography by Steve Painter

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Flavours of

the Middle East spiced and aromatic feasts from the ancient lands

Ghillie Bas¸an photography by Steve Painter

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

contents 6 12 22 56 80 104 128 158 160

introduction basic recipes mezze, salads and soups meat and poultry fish and seafood vegetables, grains and pickles sweet dishes and drinks index acknowledgements

© Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Fish soup with harissa and dried limes In the Middle East, fish soups are far less common than ones prepared with vegetables, pulses/beans or meat which is surprising given the abundance of fresh and sea water fish in many of the markets. In general, the tradition has been to grill or bake fish and serve it as a main course but there are several fish soups and stews of note; like this one prepared with limes that have been left out to dry in the sun to impart a musty, tangy flavour to the dish.

Variations of this soup can be tasted in Oman, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and along the North African coast.

2–3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 40 g/1 1⁄2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2–3 dried limes, pierced twice with a skewer 1 x 400 g can/14.5 oz. chopped tomatoes

sea salt

1 litre/1 quart fish stock or water

1–2 tablespoons Samna (page 13), or 1–2 tablespoons olive oil with a knob/pat of butter

900 g/2 lbs. firm, skinned fish fillets (such as sea bass, grouper, turbot, tuna, mackerel or trout), cut into bite-size pieces

2 onions, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

1–2 teaspoons granulated sugar or honey

a bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro, finely chopped

1–2 teaspoons ground turmeric 1–2 teaspoons Harissa (page 14)

Serves 4

Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic with the ginger and roughly half a teaspoon of salt to form a thick, almost smooth paste.

Heat the samna, or olive oil and butter in a heavy-based saucepan and stir in the onions for 2–3 minutes to soften them. Add the sugar along with the garlic and ginger paste and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Toss in the turmeric, harissa and dried limes for a minute, then stir in the tomatoes and fish stock. Bring the liquid to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle.

Season the liquid well with salt and pepper and add the fish chunks.

Cover the pan and continue to simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked. Check the seasoning, stir in half the coriander/cilantro and ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the rest of the coriander/cilantro and serve immediately.

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

vegetables, grains and pickles

Š Ryland Peters & Small 2014

From the aromatic tagines of Morocco to the sweet and sticky pastries that are a legacy of the Ottoman Empire, explore the rich culinary traditions of the Middle East and the Maghreb with these 65 authentic recipes.

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