10 Best Middle Eastern Cooking, Food & Wine Books

A soulful tour of Palestinian cooking today from the Ottolenghi restaurants ‘ executive chef and partner–120 recipes shaped by his personal story as well as the history of Palestine. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Forbes • Bon App etit • NPR • San Francisco Chronicle • Food Network • Food & Wine • The Guardian • Smithsonian Magazine • Publishers Weekly • Library Journal • “Truly, one of the best cookbooks of the year so far.”– Bon App etit The story of Palestine’s food is really the story of its people. When the events of 1948 forced residents from all regions of Palestine together into one compressed land, recipes that were once closely guarded family secrets were shared and passed between different groups in an effort to ensure that they were not lost forever. In Falastin (pronounced “fa-la-steen”), Sami Tamimi retraces the lineage and evolution of his country’s cuisine, born of its agriculturally optimal geography, its distinct culinary traditions, and Palestinian cooks’ ingenuity and resourcefulness. Tamimi covers the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River–East Jerusalem and the West Bank, up north to the Galilee and the coastal cities of Haifa and Akka, inland to Nazareth, and then south to Hebron and the coastal Gaza Strip–recounting his upbringing with eleven siblings and his decision to leave home at seventeen to cook in West Jerusalem, where he met and first worked with Yotam Ottolenghi. From refugee-camp cooks to the home kitchens of Gaza and the mill of a master tahini maker, Tamimi teases out the vestiges of an ancient culinary tradition as he records the derivations of a dynamic cuisine and people in more than 130 transporting photographs and 120 recipes, including: • Hassan’s Easy Eggs with Za’atar and Lemon • Fish Kofta with Yogurt, Sumac, and Chile • Pulled-Lamb Schwarma Sandwich • Labneh Cheesecake with Roasted Apricots, Honey, and Cardamom Named after the Palestinian newspaper that brought together a diverse people, Falastin is a vision of a cuisine, a culture, and a way of life as experienced by one influential chef.

“We should all be cooking like Adeena Sussman.” — The Wall Street Journal ” Sababa is a breath of fresh, sunny air.” — The New York Times In an Israeli cookbook as personal as it is global, Adeena Sussman celebrates the tableau of flavors the region has to offer, in all its staggering and delicious variety In Hebrew (derived from the original Arabic), sababa means “everything is awesome,” and it’s this sunny spirit with which the American food writer and expat Adeena Sussman cooks and dreams up meals in her Tel Aviv kitchen. Every morning, Sussman makes her way through the bustling stalls of Shuk Hacarmel , her local market, which sells irresistibly fresh ingredients and tempting snacks–juicy ripe figs and cherries, locally made halvah, addictive street food, and delectable cheeses and olives. In Sababa , Sussman presents 125 recipes for dishes inspired by this culinary wonderland and by the wide- varying influences surrounding her in Israel. Americans have begun to instinctively crave the spicy, bright flavors of Israeli cuisine, and in this timely cookbook, Sussman shows readers how to use border-crossing kitchen staples– tahini, sumac, silan (date syrup), harissa, za’atar—to delicious effect, while also introducing more exotic spices and ingredients. From Freekeh and Roasted Grape Salad and Crudo with Cherries and Squeezed Tomatoes, to Schug Marinated Lamb Chops and Tahini Caramel Tart, Sussman’s recipes make a riot of fresh tastes accessible and effortless for the home cook. Filled with transporting storytelling, Sababa is the ultimate, everyday guide to the Israeli kitchen.

A collection of 120 recipes exploring the flavors of Jerusalem from the New York Times bestselling author of Plenty , one of the most lauded cookbooks of 2011. In Jerusalem , Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi explore the vibrant cuisine of their home city–with its diverse Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. Both men were born in Jerusalem in the same year–Tamimi on the Arab east side and Ottolenghi in the Jewish west. This stunning cookbook offers 120 recipes from their unique cross-cultural perspective, from inventive vegetable dishes to sweet, rich desserts. With five bustling restaurants in London and two stellar cookbooks, Ottolenghi is one of the most respected chefs in the world; in Jerusalem, he and Tamimi have collaborated to produce their most personal cookbook yet.

Discover a playful new take on Middle Eastern cuisine with more than 100 fresh, flavorful recipes. ” Finally! Eden Grinshpan is letting us in on her secrets of her healthful and deliriously delicious cooking. Giant flavors, pops of color everywhere and dishes you’ll crave forever. It’s the Eden way!”–Bobby Flay NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY DELISH AND LIBRARY JOURNAL Eden Grinshpan’s accessible cooking is full of bright tastes and textures that reflect her Israeli heritage and laid-back but thoughtful style. In Eating Out Loud, Eden introduces readers to a whirlwind of exciting flavors, mixing and matching simple, traditional ingredients in new ways: roasted whole heads of broccoli topped with herbaceous yogurt and crunchy, spice-infused dukkah; a toasted pita salad full of juicy summer peaches, tomatoes, and a bevy of fresh herbs; and babka that becomes pull-apart morning buns, layered with chocolate and tahini and sticky with a salted sugar glaze, to name a few. For anyone who loves a big, boisterous spirit both on the plate and around the table, Eating Out Loud is the perfect guide to the kind of meal–full of family and friends eating with their hands, double-dipping, and letting loose –that you never want to end.

Winner of the IACP 2019 First Book Award presented by The Julia Child Foundation Like Madhur Jaffrey and Marcella Hazan before her, Naz Deravian will introduce the pleasures and secrets of her mother culture’s cooking to a broad audience that has no idea what it’s been missing. America will not only fall in love with Persian cooking, it’ll fall in love with Naz.” – Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: The Four Elements of Good Cooking Naz Deravian lays out the multi-hued canvas of a Persian meal, with 100+ recipes adapted to an American home kitchen and interspersed with Naz’s celebrated essays exploring the idea of home. At eight years old, Naz Deravian left Iran with her family during the height of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and hostage crisis. Over the following ten years, they emigrated from Iran to Rome to Vancouver, carrying with them books of Persian poetry, tiny jars of saffron threads, and always, the knowledge that home can be found in a simple, perfect pot of rice. As they traverse the world in search of a place to land, Naz’s family finds comfort and familiarity in pots of hearty aash, steaming pomegranate and walnut chicken, and of course, tahdig: the crispy, golden jewels of rice that form a crust at the bottom of the pot. The best part, saved for last. In Bottom of the Pot , Naz, now an award-winning writer and passionate home cook based in LA, opens up to us a world of fragrant rose petals and tart dried limes, music and poetry, and the bittersweet twin pulls of assimilation and nostalgia. In over 100 recipes, Naz introduces us to Persian food made from a global perspective, at home in an American kitchen.

James Beard Award winner of Outstanding Restaurant (2019) James Beard Award winner of Outstanding Chef (2017) James Beard Book of the Year and Best International Cookbook (2016) The James Beard Award -winning chef and co-owner of Philadelphia’s Zahav restaurant reinterprets the glorious cuisine of Israel for American home kitchens. Ever since he opened Zahav in 2008, chef Michael Solomonov has been turning heads with his original interpretations of modern Israeli cuisine, attracting notice from the New York Times , Bon App etit, (“an utter and total revelation”) , and Eater ( “Zahav defines Israeli cooking in America”). Zahav showcases the melting-pot cooking of Israel, especially the influences of the Middle East, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Eastern Europe. Solomonov’s food includes little dishes called mezze , such as the restaurant’s insanely popular fried cauliflower; a hummus so ethereal that it put Zahav on the culinary map; and a pink lentil soup with lamb meatballs that one critic called “Jerusalem in a bowl.” It also includes a majestic dome of Persian wedding rice and a whole roasted lamb shoulder with pomegranate and chickpeas that’s a celebration in itself. All Solomonov’s dishes are brilliantly adapted to local and seasonal ingredients. Zahav tells an authoritative and personal story of how Solomonov embraced the food of his birthplace. With its blend of technique and passion, this book shows readers how to make his food their own.

The hotly anticipated follow-up to London chef Yotam Ottolenghi ‘s bestselling and award-winning cookbook Plenty , featuring more than 150 vegetarian dishes organized by cooking method. Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the world’s most beloved culinary talents. In this follow-up to his bestselling Plenty , he continues to explore the diverse realm of vegetarian food with a wholly original approach. Organized by cooking method, more than 150 dazzling recipes emphasize spices, seasonality, and bold flavors. From inspired salads to hearty main dishes and luscious desserts, Plenty More is a must-have for vegetarians and omnivores alike. This visually stunning collection will change the way you cook and eat vegetables

Available for the first time in an American edition, this debut cookbook, from bestselling authors Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi of Plenty and Jerusalem , features 140 recipes culled from the popular Ottolenghi restaurants and inspired by the diverse culinary traditions of the Mediterranean. Yotam Ottolenghi’s four eponymous restaurants–each a patisserie, deli, restaurant, and bakery rolled into one–are among London’s most popular culinary destinations. Now available for the first time in an American edition and updated with US measurements throughout, this debut cookbook from the celebrated, bestselling authors of Jerusalem and Plenty features 140 recipes culled from the popular Ottolenghi restaurants and inspired by the diverse culinary traditions of the Mediterranean. The recipes reflect the authors’ upbringings in Jerusalem yet also incorporate culinary traditions from California, Italy, and North Africa, among others. Featuring abundant produce and numerous fish and meat dishes, as well as Ottolenghi’s famed cakes and breads, Ottolenghi invites you into a world of inventive flavors and fresh, vibrant cooking.

Tagines are the rich and aromatic casseroles that form the basis of traditional Moroccan cooking. These hearty one-pot meals, flavored with fragrant spices, are cooked and served from an elegant, specially designed cooking vessel, also called a tagine. In Ghillie Basan’s collection of deliciously authentic recipes you will find some of the best-loved classics of the Moroccan kitchen, such as the sumptuous Lamb Tagine with Dates, Almonds, and Pistachios, and the tangy Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon, Green Olives, and Thyme. Also included are less traditional but equally delicious recipes for beef and fish–try Beef Tagine with Sweet Potatoes, Peas, and Ginger or a tagine of Monkfish, Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Black Olives. Substantial vegetable tagines include Baby Eggplant with Cilantro and Mint, and Butternut Squash, Shallots, Golden Raisins, and Almonds. Recipes for variations on couscous, the classic accompaniment to tagines, are also given, plus plenty of ideas for fresh- tasting salads and vegetable sides to serve alongside and complete your Moroccan-style feast.