Food & Dining

Integral to summer eating is an undercurrent of sensuality. It’s the heat, and the spice, and the suggestion of smoulder in the air – something that Chef Beau, at Middle Eastern supper club The Ottomani, understands very well. “We heavily emphasise our cuisine through primal flavours and ancient techniques, creating a unique sensory experience,” he says. “Combining the core of Middle Eastern food with age-old pit oven techniques, we are able to create flavour profiles with a depth that is impossible to duplicate using modern equipment.”

The love of fire and grilling isn’t new to Chef Beau; it’s been inculcated since childhood. “Camping trips, beach trips, park trips… anywhere with a grill, or even an open fire if the opportunity arose! We would always experiment with cooking various dishes over fire, just to see what would happen.”

“Summer is such a great time for trying all the awesome ingredients that are in season, I like to embrace this idea by allowing the vibrancy to shine, while utilising fire as a cooking technique to emphasise the flavour of my favourite summertime ingredients.”

Cabbage Sprouts with Sweet Potato Dumplings

YOU’LL NEED
• Brussels sprouts
• Green cabbage shoots
• Red watercress

FOR THE SWEET POTATO DUMPLINGS
• 300g sweet potato flesh, roasted
• 150g plain flour, sifted
• 1 egg yolk
• 20g mihalic cheese, grated
• 5g salt

FOR THE SPICED MACADAMIA NUT
• 250g macadamia nut
• 1g fenugreek
• 1g white pepper
• 4g fine salt
• 1g sweet paprika
• 5g Baharat

FOR THE LEEK KASHK
• 1kg Greek natural yoghurt
• 1kg water
• 2 tsp salt
• 160g brown onions (char on grill)
• 110g leek tops (char on grill)
• 5g garlic
• 50g extra virgin olive oil
• 10g Fino Greek Honey
• 10g sherry vinegar
• 70g water

FOR THE ISOT BUTTER (à la minute)
• Sumac onion
• Butter
• Gnocchi
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest
• Thyme leaf

INSTRUCTIONS (you will need to start some steps the night before)

1. First blanch the brussels sprouts, then char them and the green cabbage shoots.

2. For the leek kashk, first reduce the Greek yoghurt, water and salt together on low heat for around three to three and a half hours, strain through a cheesecloth overnight.

3. Then combine the strained kashk with the remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roll them into 20g balls, dry overnight and then roll in leek ash.

4. For the spiced macadamia nut, dry roast the nuts for about two to three minutes. Then mix in the spices and oil and roast for a further two to three minutes. Take off the heat and pulse in a blender when cool.

5. Plate the brussels sprouts and cabbage shoots with the leek rolled kashk, spiced macadamia nut and red watercress, finishing with the isot butter.

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