Authors: Ana Sortun

Spice (3 page)

Dukkah is incredibly versatile. I’ve seen versions that include nigella seeds and dried mint. It can be eaten as a simple bread condiment along with olive oil, but it’s also delicious on seared sea scallops and duck, or in a salad of raw fennel and orange. Dukkah is also fantastic in the summertime sprinkled on sliced tomatoes.

At Oleana, our menu begins with the
prêt-à-manger
, which are bread condiments. This recipe is for two of the most popular ones.

S
ERVES 8

For the Carrot Purée

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for dipping

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

4 teaspoons harissa (page 152)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Torn pieces of French baguette

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dukkah

½ cup blanched almonds

3 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

¼ cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To Make the Carrot Purée

1.
In a large saucepan over high heat, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and return them to the saucepan. Cook for 30 seconds over medium heat to thoroughly dry them. Remove the carrots from the heat and coarsely mash them with a fork or whisk. You should have a coarsely ground carrot purée that sticks together but still has rough pieces throughout.

2.
Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, cumin, ginger, and garlic. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

To Make the Dukkah

1.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a work surface to cool, and then finely chop them.

2.
Put the coriander and cumin seeds in the same skillet and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and allow them to cool completely before coarsely grinding.

3.
In a medium bowl, combine the almonds with the ground spices.

4.
Put the sesame seeds in the skillet and toast them over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the spice grinder.

5.
Toast the coconut in the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the toasted coconut to the grinder and let it cool completely.

6.
Grind the sesame seeds and coconut to a coarse powder. Combine with the almond and spice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

7.
Serve the dukkah and carrot purée in separate bowls with torn chunks of crispy baguette and olive oil. Dunk the bread in the oil, dredge it in the dukkah, and spread on the carrots.

Chickpea Crepes

In Nice, they call these crepes
socca
. In the north of Italy, they call them
farinata
. The crepes are made from chickpea flour, which can be found at Indian markets or online at www.kalustyans.com. Chickpea crepes are served hot and with plenty of freshly ground pepper and sometimes lots of grated Parmesan cheese. I like to use cumin in them because it pairs so beautifully with chickpeas.

These crepes aren’t thin like French crepes, but they are thinner than pancakes—about 1/8 inch thick. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they’re delicious served instead of bread with Carrot Purée and Egyptian Spice Mix (page 6). You can make the crepes ahead of time and warm them in the oven with the cheese and oil, just before serving. Cut them into wedges and pass them around for a great snack or hors d’oeuvre.

M
AKES SİX
8-
İNCH CREPES THAT SERVE
6
TO
12

1½ cups chickpea flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

1½ cups water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus about 3 tablespoons for cooking and drizzling

4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the water and continue whisking until it forms a batter. You may see some small lumps that will dissolve while the crepes are cooking, but whisk the mixture until it’s as smooth as possible.

3.
Whisk in the ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese and let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

4.
Using an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add a little less than ½ cup of the batter to the pan, swirling the pan so the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan to the edges. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the batter crisps around the edges and the crepe flips easily without breaking. It needs to cook a bit longer than most other pancakes or crepes because the chickpea flour is dense. Make sure the first side is a little brown, and then flip and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes.

5.
Place the crepes in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet, the smoother side facing up.

6.
Repeat the crepe-making process until the batter is gone (if you use a smaller skillet, it may make more pancakes).

7.
Sprinkle each crepe with a little of the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan and drizzle less than a teaspoon of olive oil over each. Bake for about 4 minutes until the edges crisp up and the cheese melts. Cut each crepe into 4 to 6 wedges and serve immediately with more freshly ground pepper.

Fried Haloumi Cheese with Pear and Spiced Dates

Haloumi
is a sheep’s milk cheese from Cyprus. It’s brined like feta but it has a firm texture that is perfect for frying. There is no need to bread or flour the cheese before frying; you don’t even need to use oil in the pan. The cheese browns naturally from the sugar in the brine and keeps its shape. Haloumi is often flavored with dried mint, which goes perfectly with pears and dates. It’s also beautiful paired with grilled peaches and red peppers during the summer months. To add drama, sugar, and a slight anise flavor, carefully flambé the dish with ouzo at the table.

You can make the dates ahead of time and brown the pear in a separate pan, at the same time you’re browning the haloumi, to speed up the process a bit.

S
ERVES
4