I’ve found some outstanding books at our library lately even though I had to be on waiting list after waiting list. Zaytinya by José Andrés was definitely worth the wait.
About the Book:
A vibrant celebration of the shared flavors and traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean
Since Chef José Andrés opened the doors to his restaurant Zaytinya twenty years ago, food lovers have savored his creative adaptations of the classic dishes of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Zaytinya’s menu has always showcased the region’s extraordinary food traditions while innovating in José’s signature style: delicious, surprising, and made for sharing.
From crispy fried vegetables and perfectly spiced seafood to tender grilled kebabs and warm, fluffy pita, these recipes are simply irresistible as well as accessible to the home cook. The smooth dips and delectable roasts will happily feed a family on a weeknight or friends over for weekend dinner.
Zaytinya—which draws its name from the Turkish word for olive oil—brings to life the ingredients, techniques, dishes, and histories that are central to the way many of us love to eat today.
What I thought…
I love quotable authors and Andrés doesn’t disappoint.
I found myself just where I love to be, one foot in the old and one foot in the new—eating an old recipe that survives in the hands of a young cook. (1)
I always say that I don’t open restaurants, I tell stories (1)
Both of these statements set up the philosophy and the goal of his most recent cookbook (and the restaurant of the same name). Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey and Lebanon is his attempt to capture the rich traditions of small plates, mezze, and how he turned traditional ancient recipes into his own. (His restaurant, Zaytinya, opened in 2002; this cookbook contains the final results and is a compendium of recipes from that establishment.)
Andrés states early on in the book that most of the ingredients that he once considered exotic are now easily found in most grocery stores (and of course, online). Thankfully he gives the reader permission to substitute. “Don’t turn back if you realize you are missing a one little ingredient” (13). Page 341 does offer resources for items you might truly need to pull off a dish though.
For one unfamiliar the Mediterranean pantry, this book offers explanations and definitions for everything: yogurt and labneh; rice, beans, legumes and grains; herbs and spices; fruits, veggies and nuts; and sweeteners. This latter section was the most interesting to me. While the more familiar orange blossom water and pomegranate molasses are discussed, the more obscure (at least to me) thyme flower honey is mentioned. (Strangely enough, tahini is discussed here, too.)
As always, I love good spice mix recipes and Andrés provides them: Lebanese Seven Spice, Golden Baharat, Sumac Rose Spice, Hawayej (a Yemeni spice mix), and Mushroom Garlic Salt. I have my own garlic confit recipe but his is simple, just garlic and a good olive oil. Other condiment recipes included are Harissa Chili Crisp, Green Mint Oil, Sumac Onions, Pickled Red Onions, Preserved Lemons, Cardamom Apricots, Turmeric Pickles, Oven-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Cypriot Olive Mix, Spiced Smoked Walnuts and Candied Walnuts. Who would not want all of these things in their pantry?
I have probably tried four new hummus recipes this summer so I was drawn to his version, “Hommus” (46). The ingredients are the same but the prep is the key. Dried beans are soaked in a baking soda/water mixture overnight, rinsed, and then cooked in a new baking soda mixture. As fall is here, I will also try his Butternut Hommus (48). Know that there are the other “traditional” recipes like tzatziki, baba ghannouge, muhammara, etc. Ladolemono is a delicious lemon-honey dressing that can be used on anything—mixed into Greek yogurt for a sauce or as a marinade for chicken and lamb (60). This dressing is also used in the Crispy Brussles Sprouts Afelia (186). I really can’t wait for the holidays to pull out recipes like Toum (Whipped Garlic Sauce) (68) and Garlicky Potato Spread (Skordalia) (73). Also, that Hommus!!!!
He includes a guide for creating an Eastern Mediterranean Cheese Plate (78-79), referencing back to recipes like those staple recipes like the olives and apricots mentioned above. Again, I can’t wait for the holidays to pull this board out. The cheese section is mouth watering. Fresh Goat Cheese Shaklish (84) are goat cheese balls rolled in za’atar and marinated in a thyme olive oil. I feel like I could make a meal of those.
The soup and salad section again harkens back to the pantry with more uses for that lemon dressing. Most of the salads are dressed simply to highlight the flavors of the fresh veggies. I have to mention the Circassian Chicken Salad (Çerkez Tavuğu) (108). Panko bread crumbs are soaked in milk then emulsified into a creamy dressing with toasted walnuts, garlic, and cilantro and tossed into shredded chicken. To even elevate the dish more it’s garnished with candied walnuts and turmeric pickled raisins. The soup recipes begin with a basic chicken stock recipe but also includes recipes for Chicken Avgolemono, Red Lentil, Tomato and Trahana, Chilled Yogurt, and Cucumber Melon soups.
The breads section combines the practical with the challenging. One Dough Three Ways (129) is mixed in a stand mixer with a dough hook. That’s my kind of recipe. This dough is used in pita, pide, and lahmacun. I loved the accompanying pide recipes especially the za’atar one (130). The challenges come the phyllo section. While the instructions seemed to cover the process, I will probably never try this. There is also a recipe for lavash.
I was most excited about a falafel recipe (181) and I found that in the Rice, Beans, Grains and Eggs section. I loved all the fresh ingredients like all the fresh herbs, kale and spinach. The same goes for the vegetable section. Andrés sees veggies as one of his life works:
Most of you know by now that I am on a mission to change the way people think about vegetables. I believe one of the roles I’m supposed to play on this beautiful earth is to encourage you to put more vegetables on your table and help elevate them to greatness. (178)
The Crispy Brussels Sprouts Afelia (a favorite at his restaurant and with his family) sounds amazing with a coriander-yogurt-honey-lemon dressing (186). The sprouts are almost deep fat fried to the perfect crispiness and then dressed. This recipe might make it on our holiday table. There are lots of crispy and fried recipes in this section but Andrés also includes a treatise on smoking and adding that level of complexity to these beloved veggies.
I feel the need to abbreviate this review because I’m sure I’ve lost a few of you by now. Know that there are seafood, meats, “Sweets, Tea & Coffee,” and “Wines, Spirits & Cocktails” recipes, too.
If you’re still reading, you can purchase your own Kindle copy of Zaytinya for just $2.99. I will now have time to dig into the dessert and cocktail sections!
I’m linking up with Foodies Read.
