Make any meal A FEAST
A Middle Eastern breakfast the cook can enjoy
“Quick and easy, full-flavoured but not overly ingredient-intensive or labour-intensive: That has become my thing,” Sabrina Ghayour says.
Since her award-winning debut cookbook, Persiana (Mitchell Beazley, 2014), the British-Iranian chef has garnered a loyal following for her straightforward yet inspiring Middle East-influenced recipes.
“It just shows people are always open to new experiences if they’re done in a simple, unintimidating way,” Ghayour says of Persiana’s success.
In Feasts (Weldon Owen, 2018), her third book, Ghayour sought to capture the spirit of the lively and frequent gatherings of her childhood. Growing up in a Persian household, the Tehran-born, London-based chef says that “endless parties” were paramount.
She channelled her food memories from this “golden era” into the book’s more than 90 recipes. Conducive to both special occasions and everyday life, Ghayour’s spread showcases abundant flavour.
From a cheesy frittata spiced with pul biber chili flakes (recipe follows) to a leg of lamb garnished with vibrant pomegranate salsa or an elegant rose and fig millefeuille, the food in Feasts is attainable and sophisticated.
For a leisurely breakfast get-together, Ghayour suggests choosing two items — one sweet, the other savoury — and to ease the pressure on the host, rounding them out with a few prepared foods.
“I like feasts where I can sit down. I was guilty for probably the first 35 years of my life (of ) cooking and never sitting down with people. Never. From the time I was a kid cooking to the time I was an adult,” she says.
“Get a few breads in, some cheese, some pastries if you want and take a load off. Just keep it nice and simple — people will be happy. If you’re relaxed, that’s when people enjoy themselves.”
Recipes excerpted from Feasts: Middle Eastern Food to Savor & Share by Sabrina Ghayour (Weldon Owen).
Serves: 4-6
Vegetable oil
1/2 red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) strips, then diced into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces
1/2 green pepper, cut into 1/2inch (1.25-cm) strips, then diced into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces 4 spring onions, thinly sliced from root to tip
8 oz (226 g) feta cheese, broken into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) chunks 4 oz (114 g) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp (15 mL) pul biber chili flakes (see note)
1/2 small bunch (about 1/2 oz/14 g) dill, finely chopped 1/2 small bunch (about 1/2 oz/14 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
8 large eggs, beaten Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Drizzle a little oil into a large, ovenproof frying pan and set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the peppers and fry for one minute, stirring to prevent them from taking on colour or burning. Mix in the spring onions, feta, Cheddar, pul biber, dill, and cilantro.
3. Season the beaten eggs well with salt and pepper and pour them over the ingredients in the pan, then shake the pan to ensure the egg spreads evenly around the pan and coats all the contents.
4. Cook until you see the edges of the frittata begin to solidify, about 2 minutes, then transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the frittata is cooked, 10-12 minutes; insert a knife into the centre to ensure the egg is cooked through.
5. Either slide or flip the frittata onto a plate and serve, or serve straight from the pan. The leftovers are delicious served at room temperature.
Note: Versatile and mild, pul biber (aka Aleppo pepper) is widely used in Middle Eastern cuisines. Find it at spice shops, Middle Eastern grocery stores or online.
CARAMELIZED BANANA CRÊPES Makes 12
3/4 cup (180 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (195 mL) milk
1/4 cup (60 mL) water
4 tbsp (60 mL) salted butter, melted, plus an additional 6 tbsp (90 mL)
1 heaping tbsp (15 mL) superfine sugar
For the topping:
3-4 tbsp (45-60 mL) superfine sugar
3 large or 4 small bananas, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick slices
4 tbsp (60 mL) salted butter 3/4 cup (180 mL) pistachio nuts, roughly chopped Honey
1. To make the crêpe batter, put the flour, salt, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Combine the milk and water in a small pitcher, then blend the liquid into the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing well with either a fork or an electric mixer to beat out any lumps. Mix in 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of melted butter and the sugar, then transfer the mixture to a measuring pitcher and set aside.
2. Set a heatproof plate over a pan of simmering water — you can keep the cooked crêpes warm by stacking them on this plate.
3. Heat a 7-inch (18-cm) frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the melted butter and tilt the pan to spread it around the base of the pan. Quickly pour in just enough crêpe batter to barely coat the base (you want a nice, thin crêpe, not a pancake) and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly.
4. Cook until the edges start to curl up, about 1 minute. Then use a knife to tease the edge of the crêpes over to check if the underside is golden and, if so, flip the crêpe (use a spatula if you like) and cook until the underside is golden brown, a further 30 seconds or so.
5. Transfer the crêpe to the warm plate and cover with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding 1 teaspoon (5 mL) melted butter to the pan each time. Keep the crêpes warm while you cook the topping.
6. Put the superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Dip the 2 cut sides of each banana slice into the sugar to coat.
7. Put 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the butter into a large frying pan set over high heat. Add half the banana slices and fry until slightly caramelized, or no more than 1 minute on each side. Remove from the pan and repeat with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter and banana slices.
8. To serve, place a few banana slices across half of each crêpe. Scatter over the pistachios and drizzle a little honey over each. Fold into quarters and serve immediately.