While I always loved food, it took many experiences to discover my own cooking and incorporate my Californian Iranian upbringing. I crave simple, delicious food, rather than anything overly complicated; I use what some may think is a ridiculous amount of herbs, have more vinegars than oils and prefer fruit-based desserts over chocolate. I want you to love these recipes, but what I really hope is that you take the nuggets of info and techniques, and integrate them into your own cooking routine.
Kufteh – a different kind of meatball (pictured top)
Kufteh is Farsi for “meatballs”, and they are made throughout Iran in various sizes – including kufteh tabrizi, which are enormous and the size of two human fists – and with various fillings. These tennis ball-sized ones are stuffed with herbs, rice and turmeric, and are cooked in a bright, spicy tomato sauce that isn’t very Iranian at all. The meatballs and sauce can be made up to a day ahead. Leave to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate; reheat over a medium-low heat.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 4
1 egg
¾ cup (135g) cooked long-grain white rice, cooled
½ cup (30g) finely chopped herbs – a mix of chives, dill, parsley and tarragon, plus extra for serving
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
½ tsp ground turmeric
1¼lb (570g) lamb, pork or turkey mince, or a mixture
Flaky sea salt
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 pints (450g) cherry or sungold tomatoes
In a large bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the rice, herbs, two tablespoons of the olive oil and the turmeric, until evenly combined. Add the mince and a teaspoon and a half of salt, then, using your hands like the claws in the arcade machine, mix until well combined. Gently roll the mixture into meatballs slightly smaller than a tennis ball, but bigger than the meatballs you find at Ikea, placing each one on a large plate after you roll it – you don’t want to pack the mixture super-tight, because you want the kufteh to be light.
In a large heavy pot on a medium heat, warm the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onion and garlic, and stir to coat. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until the onion and garlic are soft and pale golden in colour. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes, until the tomato paste starts to stick to the base of the pot and darkens slightly.
Toss the tomatoes into the pot and cook for seven to nine minutes, until most of them have burst – use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. If at this stage the mix looks dry, add a splash of the water to loosen things up. Once most of the tomatoes have broken down, pour in two cups (450ml) of water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for five to 10 minutes more, until it has slightly reduced but is still quite brothy.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and, one at a time, drop in the meatballs. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer, occasionally spooning some sauce over the kufteh (not a must, but it’s what I do), for 20-30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and can be easily broken with a fork.
Ladle the meatballs and sauce into bowls or serve straight from the pot, topped with more herbs and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Apple and blackberry crisp with cinnamon crunch
A crisp is the ultimate dessert for people who claim they don’t bake, because it’s impossible to mess up. I like mine with a good amount of crumb, in this case inspired by cinnamon toast crunch. For extra crunch, I throw in some panko with the flour, but you could use nuts, oats or whatever makes you happy. The fruit breaks down and turns into luscious pie filling, and if you don’t like my combo, use 3-4lb (1.4-2kg) of whatever fruit you want.
Prep 15 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 8
For the cinnamon crunch
¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (45g) panko breadcrumbs
½ cup (150g) light brown sugar
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp flaky sea salt
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
For the fruit
3lb (1.4kg) apples, cut into 2½cm-thick wedges
12oz (340g) blackberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted
3.5oz (100g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Heavy/double cream or ice-cream, to serve
To make the cinnamon crunch, mix the flour, panko, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the melted butter and work it in with your fingers or a fork until there are no dry spots remaining and the mixture looks very crumbly but holds together when squeezed. You’ll have bits of crumble that are as small as sand and larger ones about the size of a quarter or two-pence piece. Set aside in the fridge.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. In a large bowl, toss the apples, blackberries, granulated sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the fruit mixture into a 30cm cast-iron skillet or 2¾-litre baking dish. Scatter the cinnamon crunch over the top, and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is crisp and lightly browned and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Remove, leave to rest and cool slightly, then serve in generous portions topped with a spoonful of fresh cream or a scoop of ice-cream.
