Middle Feast

Breaking Bread

If you’re a documentary fan with nothing better to do this weekend, and find yourself in the mood for a bit of good news from the Middle East, you could…

Nov 20, 2021 • 

David Cohen

April 2021

Moroccan chicken with tomatoes and saffron-honey jam

When it comes to outsiders working with Middle Eastern and North African cuisines, Diana Henry is something of an original. Her sweet-and-spice recipes…

Apr 26, 2021 • 

David Cohen

March 2021

Turkish-style baked eggs with yogurt, tomatoes and sage

This is a seriously hot recipe. Burning hot, actually, since I slightly injured myself cooking it the other night. Gotta be careful with those scalding…

Mar 28, 2021 • 

David Cohen

February 2021

Ottolenghi cometh

When I dice a chilled cucumber along with a couple of tomatoes, toss them together in a bowl with a bunch of chopped herbs, and drizzle…

Feb 1, 2021 • 

David Cohen

December 2020

Do the Moroccan snake

Social gatherings haven’t been quite the thing in 2020. Sooner or later, though, they will be back. This sweet Moroccan “snake cake”, which takes its…

Dec 23, 2020 • 

David Cohen

November 2020

North & South (& Middle East)

Middle East food fans here in Middle Earth (apologies to international subscribers reading this) are in for a treat with the newly relaunched North …

Nov 15, 2020 • 

David Cohen

June 2020

Iraqi-style chicken curry

It’s winter where I’m living. So, when I spotted a modestly priced colourful new cookbook of 100-plus curry dishes “from kitchens around the world” at…

Jun 25, 2020 • 

David Cohen

April 2020

Persian chickpea salad

People with an interest in these things like to point out that the Najmieh Batmanglij’s biggest claim to fame is being the mother of Rostam Batmanglij…

Apr 6, 2020 • 

David Cohen

Syrian semolina

A friend of mine on Facebook says he will soon not have to worry about social distancing during the pandemic. The reason: he’s scoffing so much that he…

Apr 3, 2020 • 

David Cohen

White wine pasta

Pasta isn’t a big deal in much of the Middle East, although there are some good Iraqi pasta dishes and a few decent Lebanese ones. This isn’t one of…

Apr 1, 2020 • 

David Cohen

March 2020

Red wine stew

This version of beef stew isn’t a Middle Eastern dish, but it’s certainly Mediterranean — a Spanish staple (estofado de buey) that you would learn at…

Mar 30, 2020 • 

David Cohen

Fried broccoli, beans and tomatoes

This is a common mezze dish in parts of the Middle East — partly because the ingredients are ubiquitous, partly because it’s next to impossible to cook…

Mar 30, 2020 • 

David Cohen