Oren, page 5
BEEF AND LAMB KOFTAS IN FRAGRANT TOMATO SAUCE
Koftas with rice was something I and a lot of kids would eat after school; the original version I used to have as a child will always have a place in my heart, but the recipe here is much improved. The sauce is richer, and I use a combination of lamb and beef, which gives the koftas a more complex flavour.
Serves about 6
For the tomato sauce
3½ tablespoons olive oil
12 large garlic cloves, peeled
75 g (2¾ oz) tomato purée (paste)
25 g (1 oz) ground cumin
25 g (1 oz) sweet paprika
1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) tinned whole tomatoes, chopped
20 g (¾ oz) sea salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
25 g (1 oz) oregano sprigs
3 dried red chillies (optional)
For the koftas
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef
300 g (10½ oz) minced (ground) lamb
150 g (5½ oz) onions, diced
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley (80 g/2¾ oz) leaves and some stalk, finely chopped
1 coriander (cilantro) bunch (80 g) leaves and some stalk, finely chopped
100 g (3½ oz) dried breadcrumbs
5 g (¼ oz) sea salt
6 g (¼ oz) ground cumin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
To serve
steamed basmati rice
pitas
Classic Tahini or shop-bought
First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the whole garlic cloves and sauté, without letting them colour, for 4–5 minutes. Add the tomato purée and sauté for a further 2 minutes, then add the cumin and paprika, and stir over low heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and the oregano (no need to pick the leaves). Bring the sauce to the boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour–1½ hours. The sauce is ready when most of the water has evaporated, but it should not be too thick. If using, add the dried chillies.
Make sure the meat is at room temperature before you make the koftas. Put the meat in large mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients, except the oil. Mix well with your hands until the mixture is evenly combined and there are no lumps of herbs in one area. Form into 20 balls or oval-shaped koftas and arrange on a tray.
Heat a wide frying pan (skillet) with some vegetable oil over a medium heat, and fry the koftas in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning them, until they are a nice golden colour all over. Remove from the pan to set aside and continue frying the rest of the koftas.
Heat the tomato sauce in wide, deep pan until it is almost boiling, then add the koftas to the sauce. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 30–35 minutes.
Serve with steamed basmati rice or in a pita with some tahini, if you like.
I use a lot of herbs in my cooking – in fact, I prefer to use fresh herbs over spices, as to me they act as an incredible enhancer to great ingredients, and are so versatile. I love coriander, parsley, chervil, fennel and chives, because often you can use the whole plant in different ways within one dish.
GREEN ZHOUG
Zhoug is a Yemenite spicy condiment: it’s almost like a salsa verde, but without the capers or anchovies. This is my version, which differs a little from a traditional zhoug, and it’s a bit more accessible and easier to make. The fresh coriander (cilantro) and ground coriander combine to make a zingy sauce that works with almost anything. It’s great with roasted vegetables, and delicious on a hummus plate. At the restaurant, we serve it with pork belly. Try it and see what you like to pair it with.
Makes 300 g (10½ oz)
150 g (5½ oz) coriander (cilantro), coarsely chopped and most of the stalks discarded
10 fresh green chillies, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
150 ml (5 fl oz/⅔ cup) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Place the coriander, chillies and garlic in a food processor and blitz for 2 minutes to get a smooth consistency yet with a bit of texture. Transfer to a bowl and gradually mix in the oil, ground coriander and salt. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 1 week.
IRAQI GREEN TORTILLA WITH LEMON AND TAHINI
Originated in Iraq, ‘eeja’ can also be found in the Iranian cuisine, where it is also known as ‘kuku sabzi’. My version is more similar to the Spanish tortilla as I don’t use any flour in the recipe. Don’t be put off by the quantity of herbs that are going in here: it all comes together really well. I love to serve this with tahini and lemon to create a very herby and fresh flavour. Any leftovers would work brilliantly in a sandwich.
Serves 3–4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
100 g (3½ oz) coriander (cilantro), finely chopped and discard the stalks
100 g (3½ oz) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped and discard the stalks
50 g (1¾ oz) mint, finely chopped and stalks discarded
30 g (1 oz) spring onions (scallions), finely sliced
6 large eggs
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons sea salt
To serve
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Classic Tahini or shop-bought
Chopped Salad (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas 4).
Heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and green chilli and fry for 6–8 minutes until the onion is caramelised.
Place the chopped herbs and sliced spring onions in a bowl. Crack the eggs into the same bowl. Add the caramelised onions, chilli, ground cumin and salt, and whisk everything together.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 26 cm (10 in) non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a medium-low heat. Let the pan heat up for 2 minutes then pour in the green egg mixture. Cook for 4–5 minutes then transfer to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide the tortilla onto a serving dish. Cut into portions and serve with lemon wedges, tahini and some chopped salad (optional).
FRESH HERB SALAD WITH CHERRIES AND ALMONDS
This dish is like summer to me: I find it so refreshing and delicious. We started serving it at the restaurant last year and it has proved really popular. Try to find very sweet, firm cherries – not the soft type. The contrast between the sweet cherries and the spicy chillies is delicious, while the herbs add a fresh flavour that ties it all together. I like to serve this interesting dish as a starter. This recipe a take-off on Hila Alpert’s iconic salad from the Basta in Tel Aviv.
Serves 2
14 cherries, stones removed
30 g (1 oz) coriander (cilantro), coarsely chopped and leaves discarded
30 g (1 oz) flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped and stalks discarded
15 g (½ oz) spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
50 g (1¾ oz) raw blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 mild green chilli, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice sea salt
Toss all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Season with salt to taste, and serve.
RAW COURGETTE SALAD WITH MINT, BASIL AND TOASTED ALMONDS
I actually prefer courgette (zucchini) raw rather than cooked, and this salad is a great way to try it this way if you haven’t before. Choose a lighter green courgette rather than one of the very dark ones: it will macerate beautifully in the dressing. Slicing the courgette thinly is important here, but don’t go too thin, as you want to retain a bit of bite. Herby, fresh flavours are exactly what courgette needs, so the mint and basil make the perfect pairing, while the toasted almonds add a delicious crunch.
Serves 2
1 large yellow courgette (zucchini), trimmed
1 large green courgette (zucchini), trimmed
30 g (1 oz) basil leaves, chopped and stems discarded
30 g (1 oz) mint leaves, chopped and stems discarded
20 ml (¾ fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
50 g (1¾ oz) flaked almonds, toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice the courgettes into 1 mm-thick strips using a mandoline. Place in a bowl with the herbs, olive oil, lemon juice and almonds, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently with your hands so that you don’t break the courgette strips. Serve immediately.
KOHLRABI WITH FRESH HERBS, CHILLI FLAKES AND TOASTED SOUR DOUGH
Like the Shaved Fennel and the Raw Courgette Salad, this dish takes a vegetable that is usually cooked and presents it raw, allowing the full flavour to be enjoyed. As with the fennel and courgette, it’s important for the kohlrabi to be thinly sliced and prepared with care to ensure the best possible texture for a salad.
The key thing is to make sure the kohlrabi is fresh – if you cut into a kohlrabi and it’s dry inside, it’s too old and won’t taste good. You want it to have some moisture. This dish has a little hint of spice from chilli flakes, which works well. I like to serve it as part of a selection of small plates or as a starter rather than as a side dish, as it’s quite robust.
Serves 2
4–5 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, bashed
2 slices of stale good-quality white sourdough, torn into 5 mm (¼ in) chunks
sea salt
juice of ½ lemon
2 large kohlrabi, peeled
30 g (1 oz) picked chervil leaves, chopped and stems discarded
3 spring onions (scallions), sliced
15 g (½ oz) picked coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped and stems discarded
2 teaspoons sweet pul biber (or dried chilli flakes)
freshly ground black pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic clove in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the chunks of sourdough and a pinch of salt and fry for 6–7 minutes until golden brown. Squeeze over the lemon juice and set aside.
Cut the kohlrabi into julienne strips of ½ cm. Put into a mixing bowl with the remaining 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil and all the other ingredients, including most of the toasted sourdough. Toss gently with your hands and top with the remaining toasted sourdough.
GREEN FALAFEL WITH TAHINI
I never used to like falafel all that much when I was growing up, but when I moved to the UK, it ended up being the first food from home that I missed, and I appreciate it so much more now. Here, I’ve used plenty of herbs to add flavour and give these falafels their green colour. It’s important not to overcook them – you want the outsides to be crisp, but the insides to be moist. So, make sure the oil is really hot, and don’t overcrowd the pan. That way, they’ll cook quickly and taste delicious. Fry them right before serving: you don’t want them sitting around.
Serves 4–6
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) dried chickpeas (garbanzos), soaked in plenty of water for 24 hours
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
15 g (½ oz) mild red chilli, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
120 g (4 oz) coriander (cilantro) leaves, coarsely chopped
120 g (4 oz) flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
15 g (½ oz) ground cumin
10 g (¼ oz) ground coriander
10 g (¼ oz) white sesame seeds
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
75 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) cold water
15 g (½ oz) sea salt
500 ml (17 fl oz/generous 2 cups) vegetable oil, for frying
Classic Tahini or shop-bought, to serve
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Mix the chopped onion, chilli, garlic and the fresh herbs in a bowl with the chickpeas. Using a meat mincer with a fine attachment, start passing the mixture through the grinder into a bowl. Once everything is minced, add the spices, sesame seeds, bicarbonate of soda, salt and the water. Mix well with your fingers, then store in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours before frying.
Once the falafel mixture has firmed up, then it is ready to begin rolling. Roll the falafel into small balls about 4 cm (1½ in) in diameter.
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 175°C (350°F). Pan-fry a small quantity of the mixture to check the seasoning, and make any adjustments as necessary. Fry the falafel in batches (the oil will cool down if you add too many) and fry for 3–4 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel or in a colander. Eat warm and serve with tahini.
GRILLED POTATOES WITH CORIANDER, LEMON AND GARLIC
This dish is inspired by a restaurant in Tel Aviv that sells Bukharian food. Alongside their meat dishes, they serve homemade chips tossed in coriander (cilantro), lemon and garlic. They taste great, so here I’ve done something similar with Charlotte potatoes, which are boiled then hand-crushed before being roasted in olive oil, grilled over charcoal and tossed in the flavourings. I’m giving away a big secret with this recipe, as they’re a huge favourite at the restaurant.
Serves 4 as a side
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) baby potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
15 g (½ oz) coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
sea salt
Preheat a charcoal grill or heat a griddle pan over a high heat.
Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 20–25 minutes until tender to the point of a knife but not mushy. Drain, then – once they are cool enough to handle – crush the potatoes with your hands slightly: this will help give them a crunchy texture after grilling.
Grill the potatoes for 20–25 minutes until slightly charred.
Toss the grilled potatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander and a generous pinch of sea salt.
CAESAR SALAD WITH CURED SARDINES AND LABEN KISHK
Caesar salad is one of my favourite dishes. Here, I’ve created my own version using our cured sardines instead of anchovies, and laben kishk in place of Parmesan. This dish is really popular at the restaurant, and has strong, bold flavours that complement each other perfectly.
Serves 2
15 leaves romaine or cos lettuce hearts (the white part)
handful of toasted sourdough
laben kishk or aged ricotta salata, for grating
For the Caesar dressing
75 g (2¾ oz/4 large) egg yolks
175 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) vegetable oil
20 g (¾ oz) Cured Sardines
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
25 g (1 oz) lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the Caesar dressing, whisk the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a bowl with a handheld whisk) for about 2 minutes. Slowly start dripping the oil into the egg yolks then drizzle in a steady, thin stream of the oil, until totally emulsified. Purée the sardines using a pestle and mortar, then add them to the mixture (emulsified). Continue whisking slowly, adding the garlic, lemon juice, water and salt and pepper.
Wash the salad leaves in a bowl of iced water and leave for 10 minutes, then drain and spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry gently with paper towel.
Place the leaves in a large mixing bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the Caesar dressing and toss gently with your hands, making sure every leaf is covered with the dressing. Or lightly dip each salad leaf in the dressing, making sure they are well coated. Place on serving plates, add the toasted sourdough and grate lots of laben kishk on top.
Where I come from, dishes that are predominately comprised of vegetables are common; it’s just part of my culinary heritage that vegetables are more often the stars of the show than animal proteins. When putting together a meal, vegetables are present in many forms – hot, cold, raw, fried – and a lot of my recipes are heavy with a citrussy tang to give sharp contrast to the accompanying dishes on the table.
SHAVED FENNEL WITH LEMON, OLIVE OIL AND BARREL-AGED FETA
I love fennel because it is a very versatile vegetable. If you’re serving it raw, it’s best to shave it into very thin slices using mandoline. When it is fresh it has a lovely anise note, but when roasted it delivers more depth of flavour and becomes wonderfully caramelised.
If you slice the fennel a little in advance, you can leave it to soften and marinate in the lemon juice, then just finish the dish with the remaining ingredients when you’re ready to serve. I love the anise flavour of this salad: it pairs beautifully with fish for a fresh, summery dish. A really good barrel-aged feta is important here to balance the flavours.
Serves 2
2 fennel bulbs, washed and halved lengthwise
30 g (1 oz) coriander (cilantro) leaves, picked
½ red onion, thinly sliced
20 ml (¾ fl oz) olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100 g (3½ oz) barrel-aged feta
Thinly shave the fennel using a mandoline. Place in a mixing bowl with the coriander and red onion, add the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently with your hands. Crumble the feta over the top and serve.
