Sabrina Ghayour
Sabrina Ghayour was given her very first cook book at the tender age of 6 when a passion was ignited that just grows bigger. Inspired by the first TV Chefs of her generation, Madhur Jaffrey and Ken Hom, she spent years learning as much as she could about food from around the world. And of course Sabrina’s Persian heritage means that food is very much part of her cultural background.
Sabrina has worked in some of London’s finest 5 star hotels, Michelin starred restaurants and top Catering companies and also run her own events and catering business. Visit her blogspot here.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the country’s greatest Chefs and food critics and have traveled the world extensively to better understand ingredients, traditions and flavours from other lands’, she says “Not just the pleasure of eating, but cooking, using different ingredients, understanding tastes and textures and how to take a few simple ingredients and turn them into something truly special.”
Toad in the hole
Last week my recipe came from the exotic far flung reaches of Southeast Asia and this week, I am bring it back to ‘Good Old Blighty’ with one of the nation’s dishes, Toad in the hole. Yorkshire pudding batter enveloping as many plump and juicy sausages that you can fit into the dish, with a generous ladleing of meatylicious gravy.
Chicken and Vegetable Laksa
Comfort food, for me personally, does not always fall into the usual British ‘stodge’ categories of mash potatoes, stews and pies etc. I love Asian and Oriental dishes like noodles and soups and stews and this week my recipe comes from the farthest reaches of Southeast Asia, brimming with goodness and totally satisfying to boot.
Heavenly Hamburgers with Sweet Potato Wedges
Once in a while, we all just want to be a little naughty and indulge in one of our favourite foods, regardless of the fat/calorie content. Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but you can still do that and be healthy. I started making these burgers over a decade ago and they are just so popular in my family. I have made them for family everywhere from L.A. to Lausanne and it is a firm favourite.
Persian Braised Celery, Herb and Beef Stew (Khoreshteh Karafs)
This week my stress levels have kicked in to an all time high and not only am I craving comfort food, but also need the kind of dish that can be made in a large batch and eaten for a few days. Who on earth has time to cook every night when your workload is beyond hectic?
Tandoori salmon with a fresh tomato and coriander chutney
It is week 3 of my healthy eating recipe series and I am pleased to say I have been sticking to eating sensibly (can I just say that I count good quality chocolate as ‘sensible’) and have been getting creative in the kitchen again to bring you something tasty, easy and incredibly healthy.
Rare Beef with Asian Crunchy Salad
With the spirit of a New Year detox in mind, here is my next offering to you proving to you that making healthy yet delicious meals, needn’t be a laborious task. I love this dish, the salad is zest, crunchy and bursting with flavour.
Warming Winter Lentil Stew (Persian ‘Adassi’)
Last week I mentioned that I will be staying off the naughty foods for a while and sticking to good, wholesome, deliciously filling and naturally low fat foods and so here is the first in the series of healthy, but lip-smackingly good meals perfect for this time of year.
Lemon Drizzle Cake
When chocolate cake just isn’t doing it for me, this is simply the only choice for me. Something about moist vanilla sponge with a sharp citrusy sugared crust, satisfies my taste buds on all accounts.
Pistachio, White Chocolate and Orange Shortbread Cookies
This week, I dreamt up the perfect shortbread cookies studded with deliciously creamy chunks of white chocolate, crunchy pistachio nuts and perfumed with the grated zest of fresh oranges… They make for the most heavenly mouthful of crumbly, buttery goodness and a fabulous gift that anyone would be lucky to receive
Challah Bread
My wonderful friend in New York, Carrie (no, not the one from Sex and The City) very kindly shared this fantastic recipe with me and the results were so good, I just had to share it with you.
Moroccan Spiced Partridge with Beetroot, Horseradish and Potato Cakes
Most people think partridge is for the rich and countrified folk of our great nation. Not so, my friends… Partridge, when in season, is widely available in good supermarkets and butchers alike. It’s not as strong and gamey as you would believe and its size means it doesn’t take long to cook, so it is perfect for a quick cook meal.
Dark Chocolate ‘Moelleux’ Cake
I confess I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and would always choose savoury over sweet, however a honking great slab (notice I say ‘slab’ and not a girly ‘slice’) of devilishly good chocolate cake can always change my mind. Dark chocolate Moelleux cake is similar to a chocolate fondant cake, with a melting middle, but slightly less liquid than your average fondant, as well using only a little flour.
Persian Walnut, Pomegranate and Chicken Stew (Khoreshteh Fesenjan)
Concluding my series of Persian cookery, my final offering is a wonderful and special dish from Iran called Khoreshteh Fesenjan (‘Khoreshteh’ means ‘Stew of’) Fesenjan is a rich, glossy ragout of walnuts and pomegranate syrup with chicken which is served simply with some basmati rice.
Persian Herb Frittata (Kookoo Sabzi)
Continuing with the theme of Persian cooking, I bring you the second of my three traditional Persian recipes, in the hope that I can introduce you to the wonderfully diverse and authentic cuisine of the country in which I was born, Iran.
Persian Dried Lime, Beef and Split Pea Stew (Khoreshteh Gheymeh)
Wanting to share a little of my Persian heritage with you, I am bringing you 3 recipes over the next few weeks, to introduce you to the wonderfully diverse and authentic cuisine of the country in which I was born, Iran. The first is Persian Dried Lime, Beef and Split Pea Stew (Khoreshteh Gheymeh.
Catalan Seafood Stew
As Mussels are best at this time, I wanted to bring you a lovely dish from Spain that has all the warmth and vibrancy of summer with bags of flavour and an abundance of seafood which always reminds me on being on holiday. As the weather gets colder and greyer, this is just the type of dish that gives me the much-needed ‘sunshine’ to get me through the week.
Bacon, Sweetcorn and Potato Cakes
Similar to the Swiss classic Potato Rosti, but with the addition of egg, these lovely potato cakes are delicious, easy and versatile. It’s also a good recipe to make for children and even better, get them involved in the whole process! They are a great as snacks, as a side dish for roast chicken or a meal in itself!
‘Proper’ Chilli Con Carne
Chilli is really one of those dishes that has been globally annihilated. This Chilli recipe is an authentic and delicious one and contains a surprise ingredient of Cocoa that really adds a smokey depth of flavour.
Spiced Lamb Koftas
So many countries around the world have their own version of these meaty patties and it just goes to show you how versatile they can be. I love every single version of them, but here is my own version that borrows its earthy spices from the middle east, but takes its heat from the fiery chillies that the Indians use to flavour their version. I like to serve mine with aromatic Basmati rice, which makes the perfect accompaniment.
Leek & Mushroom Lasagna with Four Cheese Sauce
If you think this dish is just for vegetarians, you’d be wrong! I am usually a total carnivore, but this dish left me 100% satisfied! With its rich cheese and leek sauce and beefy mushroom bite, it’s a great alternative to meat and really easy to make!
