Cauliflower shawarma (pictured above)
Prep 15 min
Cooking 10 min
Serves 2-4
1 whole cauliflower, outer leaves trimmed
For the spiced butter
40g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ tbsp coriander, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground sumac
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cardamom
For the tahini sauce
100g tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
100ml iced water
To serve
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1½ tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 small green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1 tsp dried rose petals
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Whisk all the butter ingredients well until slightly stiff with no streaks. Set aside until needed – just bring to to room temperature before use.
Trim the cauliflower, leaving some leafy remnants behind – they taste delicious and look great when burnt and crisped. Parboil in salted water for seven minutes or so, until tender to a knife, but al dente. Set aside to dry, then brush liberally with the spiced butter – retain some of the butter for brushing later – and season well.
Heat the oven to 240C/465F/gas 9) and roast for up to seven minutes, until lightly charred all over, then finish on the barbecue for a few minutes for a final hit of smokiness, basting it periodically with any leftover butter.
Mix the tahini with the lemon juice and garlic (if using).in a bowl, gradually whisk in the iced water to a thick sauce with the consistency of honey, then season to taste. Alternatively, you can blitz the tahini in a food processor or whisk together using a stand mixer, adding the water gradually to combine.
To serve, transfer the whole cauliflower to a serving plate, spoon over the tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses, then finish by sprinkling with the pine nuts, green chilli, pomegranate seeds, rose petals, parsley and oil.
Buttermilk chicken shish kebab
Prep 10 min
Marinade 4 hr+
Cooking 15 min
Serves 4-6
For the marinade
100ml buttermilk
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp hot red pepper paste (biber salcasi)
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ onion, sliced
For the chicken
8 chicken thighs, boned, skinned and quartered
2 green and 2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
1 red onion, peeled and quartered
4 thin metal skewers, 40–45cm long
To serve
Pittas or flatbread
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to brush
Spring onion, chopped
Fresh oregano leaves
Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken, massage the marinade into the meat until well coated, cover and leave in the fridge for at least four hours – preferably overnight.
Put the chicken pieces on the skewers, alternating with chunks of red and green pepper and red onion.
Grill the skewers directly over medium-hot embers, turning frequently to ensure both sides are well coloured and the chicken is cooked all the way through – check with a knife (or to 70C with a thermometer).
Brush the pittas or flatbreads with a little olive oil mixed with a few drops of water, and warm through briefly on the grill.
To serve, transfer the pittas to a big plate, put the kebabs on another, brush with olive oil, then scatter with the spring onion and oregano leaves.
Lamb chops with anchovy butter
Prep 10 min
Marinate 2 hr
Cook 10 min
Serves 6-12
For the lamb chops
½ onion, finely grated
2 tbsp full-fat natural yoghurt
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
12 whole lamb chops
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
For the cumin spice rub
2 tbsp cumin seeds
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp smoked paprika
For the anchovy butter
80g unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
10 anchovies in olive oil, finely chopped
1 tbsp picked lemon thyme leaves
Mix the onion, yoghurt, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat. Leave covered in the fridge for at least two hours.
For the rub, put the cumin and caraway seeds in a heavy-based pan and toast on a medium-high heat until smoking and fragrant but not burnt. Take off the heat and transfer to a bowl, add the pepper, sugar, salt and paprika, stir to combine, then grind the spices to a powder with a pestle and mortar. Set aside.
Next, make the anchovy butter by melting the butter in a small frying pan over a medium-low heat, add the garlic and fry until soft, whisking until it darkens to a nut-brown – four to five minutes – then add the lemon juice, anchovies and lemon thyme. Continue to cook for a few minutes, then set aside. Reheat when ready to serve.
For the meat, scrape off the excess marinade, dredge the chops in the rub and put on the grill directly above hot embers. Cook for two to three minutes on each side, until nicely charred around the edges, the fat crisped and golden, but still soft to the touch and pink on the inside.
Toss the cooked chops in a bowl with any remaining rub and the parsley. Pile the chops on a plate and serve piping hot, with the lemon yoghurt and anchovy butter spooned over, and more parsley.
Watermelon and grilled manouri
Prep 15 min
Cooking 10 min
Serves 4
For the salsa verde
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dijon mustard
½ shallot, finely chopped
6-8 pitted green olives, finely chopped
1 anchovy fillet, minced
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mint, finely shredded
For the watermelon and manouri
150g manouri cheese, cut into 1cm thick wedges
500g watermelon, cut into chunks
1 handful picked mint leaves
2 tbsp whole almonds, toasted and chopped
2 green chillies, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
First make the salsa verde. Whisk the lemon juice and mustard in a bowl, then add the shallot, olives, anchovy, capers and garlic. Whisk the oil into the sauce, then set aside until required. The salsa verde can be made several hours ahead of time, but don’t add the mint until just before serving.
Over hot embers – or on a smoking-hot cast-iron griddle pan – cook the manouri until charred on both sides.
Transfer to a serving platter alongside the watermelon chunks. Add the mint leaves to the salsa verde, drizzle it over the salad, then garnish with some more picked mint leaves, the almonds, chillies and a final drizzle of oil.
Recipes from Berber and Q by Josh Katz, out now (Ebury)
- Food styling: Ellie Mulligan. Prop styling: Anna Wilkins
