Hummus and Co

At the heart of this book is that special, enveloping sense of generosity and hospitality for which the Middle East is famed. There are countless dips and spreads, relishes and rubs from Israel, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey that can turn a simple piece of fish or a lamb chop into a feast. There are dishes the kids will love - egg and chips with bastourma, moussaka and lamb pizza; slow dishes you can cook ahead such as moussaka or Persian meatball soup; fabulous warm vegetable dishes of braised broad beans, roasted pumpkin with cumin seeds and honey or silverbeet with harissa; and celebratory dishes for those times the whole family gets together, like chermoula- rubbed roasted leg of lamb and stuffed baby eggplants. Of course there are sweets and cakes, including pistachio panna cotta, polenta and olive oil cake, halva mousse cake, mastic bombe Alaska and a Turkish delight pavlova and there's a special feature on how to make your own fragrant tea blends at home. These are dishes you'll want to mix and match, full of grains, greens, lemony freshness and spice. Flavour notes are big: tahini, walnuts, coriander, pomegranate, eggplant, haloumi, Kalamata olives, grape vinegar; and the diversity is rich, from just-baked Israeli breads and vibrant dips, to slow-cooked meats, cheese-filled pastries, and layered cakes.