Orient Express Silvena Rowe

I have an exam coming up (I think, it’s one of several things that isn’t very clear about a course I’m going on next week concerning spirits and distillation) and to aid revision I went to the Scottish ones this weekend where there are less distractions (allegedly, though it’s possible I went there because he cooks for me and brings me cups of tea at regular intervals). I was so dedicated to the cause that I left my laptop behind and also left home without a work of fiction about me – for the first time in years.

Fortunately the wine and spirit education trust provides a reasonably entertaining as well as informative text book so reading it wasn’t the chore it might have been, but being without a computer felt weird. Far stranger than it should have really because the laptop I’ve become so attached to has only been a feature for the last 2 years (internet in the home – not even that long). What all of this has to do with Silvena Rowe is that after using a couple of recipes (all excellent) and reading through some more it’s clicked that she rarely uses salt.

Salt – can you imagine cooking without it? Again, it shouldn’t be a stretch for me, I spent a year cooking in a nursery where salt was a forbidden addition. I was under the impression that I wasn’t a heavy user but as I cooked tonight I kept checking the instructions in a slightly disbelieving way to make sure it wasn’t needed.

The recipe in question was chilli – scented king prawn and feta guvech. Guvech is apparently a sort of Bulgarian pot which gives its name to the stews you make in them (and this is why I missed the internet). I’m not sure how traditional Rowe’s version is (probably not very, there is a definite fusion feeling here) but it’s incredibly quick taking only 20 minutes, simple, and presumably quite healthy. The end result is impressive and destined to become a regular feature (we meant to take a picture before finding we’d eaten the whole dish) which keeps happening with Rowe’s recipes. ‘Orient Express’ is every bit as good as ‘Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume’, it’s pretty much more of the same with more emphasis on throwing together and cooking quickly (although some things need to be marinated or similar ahead of time).

I know there is no shortage of ‘express’ cookbooks around but I like the personality of this one. The flavour profiles (the chapters are romantically titles Emerald Spice and Gold Dust, Fire and Noble Velvet, Purple Citrus and Summer Breeze, Sweet Eucalyptus and Liquid Gold, and Exotic Perfume and Delicate Fragrance) suit me Emerald Spice and Gold Dust translates as Za’atar and Saffron, Fire and Noble Velvet is Chilli and Cumin. A few key spices in the cupboard and you’re ready to go, and as long as you have the key components in place the details take care of themselves (I don’t much like improvising because in practice when I do everything ends up tasting the same, but I do like it when you can tinker with a recipe a bit to make it suit you).

I have no end of good intentions regarding this book and eating properly after late finishes at work – we’ll see how that goes but either way this is a brilliant book.

Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume – Silvena Rowe

I’ve resisted this book ever since it came out about a year ago despite my step mothers partisanship for it (she’s a professional chef and we share enthusiasms for quite a lot of cook books). I assumed that I already had enough books covering Middle Eastern food, and that really Claudia Roden should be enough for anyone, and so she is for the classic and strictly authentic sense, but when it comes to Silvena Rowe I’ve come to admit the error of my ways.

It seems I really am late to the party on this one, even the blonde who professes to hate cooking knows of and admires Silvena (this is because she has a sensible sort of job that gives her whole weekends off and lets her watch Saturday Kitchen whilst I’m flogging wine to people who can’t remember what was recommended on it but won’t take anything else...) The damascene moment came courtesy of Mary (book binder, maker of fair isle goodies, producer of exquisite embroideries, and damn fine cook). Mary loves this book too but more than that she invited us for dinner and produced what felt like it had to be the whole book. I wish I’d taken pictures.

We had Suzme rolled in Za’atar sumac and pistachios, fennel and feta kofte with walnut tarator, avocado and sumac whip, tomato pomegranate and sumac salad, Lamb kebabs, pistachio revani with passion fruit syrup, pink peppercorn and pistachio meringues (there was also an amazing artichoke and bean salad, and a very good lamb stew, fruit, and ice-cream but they had a different provenance). I think I’ve remembered everything – it was really incredible food and there was an awe inspiring amount of it – it’s become legend between my sister and I. Mind you since I picked my copy up from the post office this afternoon I’ve made seared monkfish with rose petal salt (except it was vanilla which I already had, and not rose which likes to sit quietly for 24 hours before it’s ready) pilaf with pistachio almond and currents, and the really amazing tomato and pomegranate salad.

I also made some pomegranate molasses (litre of pomegranate juice, 115grams of sugar and 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, heat gently until the sugar dissolves and simmer for about an hour until only about a quarter of the liquid is left and you have a thick syrupy mixture.) and revani (semolina cake which I didn’t know before so I’m sharing now) with almonds and strawberry syrup - because to be honest they’re a lot cheaper than passion fruit at the moment.

It’s a book that doesn’t seem to want to let you cook just one thing but I like that about it. Everything I tried tonight was commendably quick and easy, some dishes need a bit of preparation in advance but it’s all marinating which isn’t terribly demanding. Everything looks amazing which makes the bits which do demand effort far more appealing and overall it’s a darn exciting book. Which is good because I’ve also got the next one – ‘Orient Express’, report to follow soon.