Jewelled Table recipes: from spiced kishk pizzettes to smoked cod tajen

The second cookbook to come from Lebanese-American Bethany Kehdy is all about the kind of eating at home where sides, accompaniments and condiments reign

Learn how to prepare a Middle Eastern feast (Nassima Rothacker)

Man’oushet kishk – spiced kishk pizzettes

These little pizzettes are inspired by my aunt Janane. Her table always has little pizzettes with ham and black olives, which I loved devouring. Sujuk is a heavily-spiced, semi-dry sausage. Feel free to substitute the sujuk for chorizo.

Makes 32-40 (serves 8-12 as part of a multi-course menu)

Prep: 25 minutes, plus preparing and resting the dough
Cook: 25 minutes

1 x quantity Arabic bread dough (see below)

For the topping

7tbsp kishk flour, or crumbled firm labneh or feta
½​tsp flaky sea salt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2tsp dried mint
2tsp smoked paprika
2tsp Aleppo pepper flakes or dried chilli flakes
½​tsp ground turmeric
2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
175-200g sujuk, or chorizo, diced
3-4 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced, or 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes

Make the pastry dough according to the recipe below. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the filling and combine with 250ml hot water. Stir well. The texture should be spreadable but not very wet. Preheat the oven to 200C and grease a baking sheet with oil.

Divide the dough into four balls. Take one dough ball and roll it out to about ½cm thick and then, using a ramekin, or a 7cm pastry cutter, cut out about eight rounds. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread about ½tsp of the kishk mixture on top of each round and top with a tomato slice. Bake in the oven for about seven minutes, or until the edges of the pizzettes are golden and crispy. Repeat with the remaining three balls.

Serve with a selection of mezze dishes, if you like. You can also freeze the pizzettes baked or unbaked for up to eight weeks in an airtight container. To heat, pop them straight into an oven preheated to 200C for 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Arabic bread

Makes 40-45 puffs, 6cm in diameter
Prep: 25 minutes plus 1 hour for rising
Cook: 5 minutes

300g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
½tsp flaky sea salt
1tsp caster (superfine) sugar
60ml olive oil
1tsp dried active yeast

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and salt, and pour in the oil. Mix well with your hands. Add the yeast to 150ml lukewarm water and stir until dissolved. Pour the water and yeast mixture into the flour and oil mixture, little by little, combining with your hands as you go, until a ball forms.

You may find that you need more or less water. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and continue kneading until smooth and elastic. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, then score the top with a knife to loosen the surface tension. Cover with a damp, clean tea towel and place in a warm, draught-free place for about an hour or until doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knock it back, then knead gently before rolling it into a log. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. Preheat the oven to 230C and place a large baking sheet in the oven to warm up.

Divide the log into four balls of equal size, each weighing about 125g. Lightly flour the work surface and use a rolling pin to roll out each ball to 5mm thick circles, and using a 6cm pastry cutter, stamp about 12 circles, flouring the surface as necessary. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and scraps. You should end up with roughly 40-48 rounds.

Place the rounds on the warmed baking sheet, spacing them apart to avoid overcrowding. Lightly sprinkle the surfaces of the rounds with water and bake for about five minutes, or until the top and edges are lightly golden and a pocket of air has formed. Do not cook them for longer than one minute after the air pocket has formed, otherwise they will be brittle. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.

Remove the breads from the oven and serve immediately. If you’re making the breads in advance, cover them with a damp tea towel and allow to cool, then store in a resealable plastic bag. The breads can be kept, wrapped, in a fridge for up to 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Allow 20-30 minutes defrosting time before microwaving briefly or baking in a hot oven for 2-3 minutes to heat through.

(Bethany Kehdy)

Tajen samak​ – smoked cod tajen with clementine and bronzed onion tahini

The tajen here is the name of the shallow pan used to traditionally prepare the dish. I like to use a shallow baking dish that I can transfer directly to the table to serve.

Serves 4

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

80ml olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic head, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp ground turmeric
1tbsp ground cumin
1tbsp ground ginger
½​tbsp ground black pepper
½tsp white pepper
½tbsp dried tarragon
250ml tahini
Juice of 1 grapefruit
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 clementines or 1 orange, peeled and roughly chopped
240ml white wine
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
750g lightly smoked cod, haddock or halibut fillets
2tbsp flaked almonds, lightly toasted
2tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
Fresh tarragon or coriander, finely chopped
Lemon wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease an ovenproof dish with 2tbsp of the oil. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil and cook the onions for 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic, spices and dried tarragon, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini, grapefruit and lemon juices with about 250ml water. You want the mixture to be a thick and pourable consistency, but not runny.

Once the onions have sweated down, add the clementines, increase the heat to high and let them brown along the edges for about a minute. Pour over the wine, and allow to simmer and evaporate for about 1-2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the tahini mixture and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the mixture has thickened and looks like it will nicely enrobe the fish. Set aside.

Arrange the cod fillets in the greased dish and season with salt and pepper, then roast for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through and opaque. Pour the warm tahini sauce over the fish and grill on high for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds, pine nuts and fresh tarragon or coriander. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

(Nassima Rothacker)

Mutabal al jazar – carrot and caraway mutabal with cashew and date browned butter

This is an absolute stunner of a dip – the bowl has never failed to be wiped clean.

Serves 6-8 as part of a multi-course menu

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20-25 minutes

500g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
½tsp caraway seeds
2-3tbsp tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
Aysh pita pyramids (see below) or pita crisps, to serve (optional)
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the topping

75g butter
45g raw unsalted cashews
60g pitted dates, finely chopped
Pinch of ground cinnamon
2tbsp shredded coconut

Fill a large pan with salted water and add the carrots. Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well. Heat a small frying pan and toast the caraway seeds until aromatic. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a food processor or using a hand blender, blitz the carrots with the caraway seeds. Add the tahini and lemon juice, and season to taste with salt.

Divide the carrot mutabal between two serving bowls. Using a spoon, make a well in the centre. Set aside while you make the topping. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, until bubbling, then add the cashews and toss to coat. Fry for 1-2 minutes, tossing often, until the cashews are light golden brown in colour and the butter nicely browned. Remove from the heat, add the dates and cinnamon and stir well.

Spoon half the mixture into the well of each serving bowl, drizzling over the browned butter. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut and serve immediately with Arabic pita pyramids, if you like.

Aysh pita pyramids

I dislike using the word “pita”, since it’s reminiscent of thick, chewy, unpliable supermarket breads… but it adds alliteration. Make sure you’re using the thin, Lebanese-style flatbread, which you can buy in various diameters. Lavoush or naan bread will work, too. These are great to have as crisp bites to be dipped into za’atar and olive oil, labneh or crumbled to add texture to salads.

Serves about 8

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1-2 minutes

3-4 small Lebanese flatbreads
1-2tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Ground sumac and/or za’atar​ blend (optional)

Preheat the grill to high. Use a knife to slice through the centres of the flatbreads, then use kitchen shears to cut across diagonally, each time in an opposing manner to yield pyramid-like shapes.

Arrange on the tray under the grill, and drizzle with the oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. If using, sprinkle with the sumac and/or za’atar. Grill for 1-2 minutes, or until they are golden and crisp. Serve with dip of choice. Keeps well in an airtight container for up to a week.

“The Jewelled Table” by Bethany Kehdy (Hardie Grant, £25). Photography © Nassima Rothacker