These recipes have been provided by our guest chef John Gregory-Smith
Sabich Salad
Serves 4
For the salad
2 free range eggs
6-8 tbsp olive oil for frying
2 aubergines, sliced lengthways into ½ cm rounds
1 tbsp chaat masala – optional
200g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced
½ cucumber, deseeded and finely sliced
1 tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
A handful of chopped parsley leaves
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
For the dressing
The juice of a lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
½ green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
Sea salt and pepper
For the garnish
2 pickled turnips, roughly chopped
4 tbsp tahini
Method
1. Cook the eggs in a pan of simmering water for 6-8 minutes or until hard-boiled. Drain and leave to cool in a bowl of cold water. Once cool, drain, peel and slice into rounds.
2. Heat a griddle until smoking over a high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over both side of the aubergines and season well with salt and pepper. Griddle for 2-4 minutes a side until golden and tender. Place onto kitchen paper and pat off any excess oil. Scatter over the chaat masala if suing and set to one side.
3. Put the tomatoes, spring onion, cucumber, chickpeas and most of the parsley and coriander into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon, olive oil, chilli and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together.
4. Tip the salad onto a serving dish. Top with the aubergines and sliced eggs. Scatter over the pickles and remaining herbs. Drizzle over the tahini and serve immediately.
Fattoush with grilled sumac chicken and feta
Serves 4
For the chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
The juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp sumac
A pinch of pul biber or chilli flakes
60g Greek yogurt
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sea salt
For the salad
50g flat bread, ripped into bit sized pieces
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
½ cucumber, deseeded and finely sliced
200g tomatoes, roughly chopped
2g spring onions, roughly sliced
100g radishes, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly sliced
A handful of roughly chopped mint leaves
30g feta
For the dressing
2 tbsp. olive oil
The juice of a lemon
1 tsp sumac
Sea salt
Method
1. Mix the olive oil, garlic, lemon, sumac, pul biber if using, yogurt and good pinch of salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken and mix well until completely coated. Cover and leave to marinade for one hour or overnight.
2. Preheat the grill to high and place the chicken on a grilling rack. Grill for 4-6 minutes each side, or until cooked through and golden. Leave to rest for a few minutes and then slice thinly.
3. Meanwhile, heat the 2 inches of oil for deep-frying over a high heat in a deep saucepan. Add the bread and fry for about 1 minute until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper.
4. Mix the cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, radish peppers and mint together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon, sumac and a good pinch of salt. Pour over the salad and toss together.
5. Tip the salad onto a serving dish and top with the chicken. Crumble over the feta and serve immediately.
Tuna orange and herb salad
Serves 4
8 tbsp olive oil
4 room temperature tuna steaks (aprox 120g each)
3 oranges
The juice of a lemon
2 tsp English mustard
2 tsp caster sugar
2 handfuls of finely chopped dill leaves
2 handfuls of finely chopped parsley leaves
6 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tin green lentils, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp capers, drained
40g toasted pinenuts
1 tsp sumac
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Heat half the oil in a large pan over a high heat. Season both sides of the tuna with salt and pepper and sear for 30-60 seconds a side until charred on the outside and pink in the middle. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2. To make the dressing, whisk the juice of an orange, the lemon, mustard, sugar and a good pinch of salt and pepper together with the remaining olive oil.
3. Tip the herbs, spring onions, lentils and capers into a mixing bowl. Segment the remaining oranges and add to the salad. Pour over three quarters of the dressing and toss together. Tip onto a serving dish.
4. Finely slice the tuna and arrange over the salad. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the tuna. Garnish with the pine nuts and sumac and serve immediately.
Halloumi and beet bowls
If you don’t fancy cooking the beet on a BBQ, you can roast them in a hot oven at 200 degrees fan for about hour. Just cut the beets into chunks, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, use shop bought cooked beetroots.
Serves 4
4 beetroots, washed (aprox 450g)
250g Greek yogurt
The juice of 2 lemons
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g pack of cooked quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil
80g baby spinach
250g halloumi, sliced
A handful of mint leaves
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Heat a BBQ to high. Wrap the beetroots in tin foil and roast in the embers of the bbq for about an hour or until you can easily push a skewer all the way through. Leave to cool. Cut into chunks, removing any of the hard stalk, and chuck into a blender. Add the yogurt, the juice of a lemon, garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Tip the quinoa into the pan and toast for 30 seconds. Add a splash of water and mix well. The quinoa will puff up and soften. Tip into a mixing bowl and add the remaining lemon, 2 tbsp of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the spinach and toss together.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the halloumi for 1-2 minutes a side until golden.
4. To serve, swirl the beetroot around a serving dish. Spoon over the quinoa and top with the halloumi. Scatter over the mint leaves and black and white sesame seeds. Serve immediately.