Middle Eastern Cookery Class – Halloumi, Flatbread, Hummus, Shirazi Salad, Sea Bass Zatar, Batatas Haras, Cherry Tomato Sauce, Saffron Aubergine
Middle Eastern Cookery Class Recipes
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You Cooked: Halloumi, Flatbread, Hummus, Shirazi Salad, Sea Bass Zaatar, Batatas Haras, Cherry Tomato Sauce.
Halloumi Zaatar (or Lemon Zest & Cumin Seeds)
Ingredients – Serves 2:
- – 1x block of halloumi, sliced into thick wedges
- – 1tsp of olive oil
- – 2tbsp of hummus
- – 1tbsp of zaatar or Lemon Zest & Cumin Seeds
- – Chopped herbs to garnish (coriander, mint, parsley and mint)
Method:
- Preheat a non-stick pan on medium heat and add the oil.
- Sauté the halloumi on both sides until golden brown.
- Leave on the side to cool own slightly and spread hummus on top.
- Finish with a sprinkle of zaatar (or lemons zest & cumin seeds) and chopped herbs.
- For a spicy taste use Harrisa Paste.
Khobz Flatbread
Ingredients – Makes 10
- 350ml of warm water (might need a little bit more, depending on strength of your flour)
- 1tsp of fast action dried yeast
- 2tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 600g strong white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1tbsp of caster sugar
- 1tsp of fine salt
Method
- Pour the water into a mixing bowl, stir in the yeast until dissolved.
- Add the oil, flour, sugar and salt, mix everything and form a quite firm dough, adding more water if too dry, more flour if too wet.
- Leave for 10 minutes covered before kneading it until smooth.
- Transfer into a floured bowl, cover and leave to proof for 60 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape into balls.
- Cover the balls and rest for 10 minutes.
- Flour the surface and roll them about 1 cm thick.
- Cover the rolled flatbread and rest for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat and get it smoking hot.
- Place one or two flatbread at time into your pan and cook on each side for roughly 2 minutes.
- Good indicator, when to flip, is if start seeing bubbles on top.
- Get a clean tea towel and stack your flatbreads in it and wrap tightly.
- Rest in the towel for 5 minutes, this will soften the flatbreads.
Hummus
Ingredients – Makes 1 cup:
- – 1 can chickpeas
- – 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 large lemon
- – 1/4 cup (60 ml) well-stirred tahini
- – 1 small garlic clove, minced
- – 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- – 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- – Salt to taste
- – 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) water
- – Dash ground paprika or sumac
Method:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
- Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice.
- Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.
- Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas.
- Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
- Most likely the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
- Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
- Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika.
- Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.
Shirazi Salad
Ingredients – serves 2
Ripped up handful of each of the following
- Fresh Parsley, Coriander, Mint and Chives
- 1/2 a large red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cucumber diced
- 100g cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 radishes sliced
- Splash of olive oil
- Pomegranate seeds
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Prepare your vegetables, rip up your herbs (or rough chop, especially the chives)
- Mix all together, then add the lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning – taste, adjust, serve!
Sea Bass Zaatar
Ingredients – Serves 4
4x seabass fillet, skin on
2 tbsp of zaatar
1 tsp of sumac
60 ml of olive oil
2tbsp of hummus
1 lemon, juice and zest
2tbsp of chopped coriander
Seasoning
Method
- Dry the seabass fillets with a kitchen towel or blue j-cloth.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, sprinkle a pinch of salt into your pan.
- Score the fish and rub the skin side with a little bit of oil.
- Place in the pan skin side down and press on it gently for 10-15 seconds, this will help to keep the skin flat.
- Season the top side of the fish with a little bit of salt and pepper as well.
- Cook until the meat starts turning white, flip and cook on the other side for a minute.
- Spread the hummus on the crispy skin, sprinkle mixture of zaatar and sumac on top.
- Serve immediately or, if you prefer warm topping, place in hot oven for 2 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped herbs and squeeze some lemon or lime juice all over it.
Batata Hara
Ingredients – Serves 2:
- – 6 medium-sized gold potatoes, peeled
- – 3 tbsp olive oil
- – 2 garlic cloves, minced
- – 2 tsp coriander seeds or a little more than 1 tsp ground coriander
- – 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more for later
- – 2 tsp ground turmeric
- – 1 lime, juice of
- – 1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
- – 1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- – 1 cup chopped fresh dill
- – Salt and pepper
Method:
- Peel the potatoes and place them in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and let them cook in the boiling water for 10 minutes or so. The potatoes should be cooked through but still firm.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool briefly. Cut the potatoes in smaller bite-size cubes or pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and coriander seeds. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the turmeric and the lime juice.
- Toss in the potatoes and mix well to coat. Add ½ of the fresh cilantro, parsley, and fresh dill. Cook for 4 more minutes. Add salt and black pepper to your taste.
- Remove from heat and top with more red pepper flakes and the remaining fresh herbs. You can serve this potato salad warm or at room temperature.
Moroccan Cherry Tomato Sauce
Ingredients – Serves 2:
- – 1 tablespoon olive oil
- – 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
- – 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp
- – 1 red chilli, chopped
- – 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste plus a pinch of sugar
- – 2 cups cherry tomatoes or similar amount of chopped tinned tomatoes
- – 1/4 cup water or more as needed
- – 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
- – ½ tsp of palm sugar
- – ½ a jar of sweet drop marinated chilli peppers, drained
- – 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- – 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- – 1tsp of pepper flakes (Turkish)
Method:
- Heat oil in medium pan. Sauté onions for 4-6 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic, spices, tomato paste (with a pinch of sugar). Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add cherry tomatoes, chilli and water. Bring to boil. Then lower heat to simmer, stirring occasionally. The total time will be about 10 minutes, after 5 minutes, help burst tomatoes by gently pressing with spatula or large spoon to burst them (careful not to squirt yourself).
- Stir in sweet drop peppers and coriander. Continue cooking until tomatoes form a sauce the consistency you like. More cooking will make it thicker. Add more water to thin it out if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings e.g., more salt, sugar.
Click Here for - Saffron and Harissa Aubergine
Additional Recipe to Try
Ingredients – Serves 2:
- – a pinch of saffron
- -1x aubergine, sliced
- – Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- – 1tsp of harissa
- -1tbsp of Greek yoghurt
- – Salt & Pepper
- – Oil for cooking
Method:
- Mix harissa, saffron, lemon juice and zest and yoghurt and coat the aubergine.
- Cover with cling film and refrigerate ideally overnight.
- Turn your oven on to 180C.
- Place a non-stick pan over high heat and add a splash of olive oil to it.
- Pan-fry the aubergines until golden brown on both sides and transfer them to the oven.
- Bake until soft and creamy.
We Hope You Enjoyed The Class
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