MOORISH CUISINE

Moorish cuisine comes from North African influences which date back centuries.  When travelling throughout southern Spain, Turkey and even France you will note flavours of cinnamon, cumin, caraway and cardamom.  Pulse are heavily used to enhance dishes and simmering ingredients together with such aromatics makes for warming, comforting dishes.

I have included a bunch of recipes which will pleasantly surprise you as flavours, textures and ingredients work so well together and are surprisingly good on the pocket.

TURKISH EGGS WITH YOGHURT, SAGE AND CHILLI

Turkish eggs are very fashionable at the moment and are seen on many menus.  This dish is is an odd combination of textures but works so harmoniously together that this will become your new favourite!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small bunch fresh sage leaves, picked from the stalks

1 garlic clove, crushed to a paste

350g thick greek style yoghurt

75g butter

1 dessert spoon white wine vinegar

4 eggs

1 tsp chilli flakes 

Method

Begin by making the caramelised, brown butter (This is widely used in Turkish cuisine). Melt the butter over the lowest heat in a small saucepan.  The butter will separate as it melts but don’t worry as it continues to cook the white parts will turn golden brown. This will give the butter a wonderful nutty, caramelised aroma.  But do watch it as you don’t want it to get too dark. Remove and set aside.

Strain the butter slowly as you want to remove as many of the dark bits so you are left with a clear brown butter.

Add the sage leaves and fry gently in the butter until crisp. Remove the sage leaves and drain on kitchen paper.

Bring a medium size pot of water to the boil over high heat.  Add the vinegar to the water.

Mix the crushed garlic with the yoghurt and season lightly with a little salt.

Stir the boiling water so you get a whirlpool effect and crack in the eggs one at a time. 

Whilst the eggs are poaching, get four plates ready, 

Spread out the garlic yoghurt onto the plates, making a small indent in the middle of each.  

When the eggs are cooked, drain and place on the yoghurt. 

Warm the butter and spoon over the eggs and yoghurt, add the crisp sage leaves and sprinkle over the chili flakes.