Finding a little sunlight

My soul calls out to me seeking sympathy, whimpering for comfort from the enduring cold of winter: sticky braised meats, creamy potato purée or garlicky, golden roast root vegetables are unquestionably appropriate and irresistibly tempting.

Yet after the indulgence of Christmas and ensuing holiday time off in early January, my head suggests something more restrained. My head is not exactly urging austerity, but it is certainly telling me to cosy up to healthier options.

And then there is my heart, agreeing with both, while managing to throw a spanner into the works: would you not, it murmurs, like a taste of sunshine, to banish the dark evenings? To remind you that the sun will return?

A little foray into the eastern Mediterranean beckons. It is not strictly seasonal and I doubt I would consider this in the restaurant except in summertime, when such influences might subtly edge onto the menu. But at home, when beyond the cold glass of the kitchen windows all seems unendingly gloomy, a blast of sunshine flavours and colours lifts the spirits. A blend of Greek, Turkish and Lebanese influences makes for an inexpensive banquet of hummus, taramasalata, tabbouleh and flat breads. Yes, you can buy any of these, but making them yourself is simple, satisfying and will gratify your soul, heart and head.

Lemon and coriander hummus

Serves 6-8

200g dried chickpeas soaked overnight

2 cloves of garlic

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

250ml sesame paste (tahini)

Olive oil

Rounded dessertspoon of chopped coriander

Paprika to dust

Salt

Method

1 Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse under cold running water for ten seconds or so. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add 2 dessertspoons of olive oil and then bring to the boil and simmer until tender. This will take at least an hour, even up to 90 minutes. Ensure the water level is topped up so the chickpeas remain submerged during cooking. Once done, drain, reserve about 100ml of the cooking liquid and discard the rest of the water.

2 Peel the garlic and place on the edge of a chopping board. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and then crush the garlic with the side of a knife to form a coarse paste. Transfer to a food blender.

3 Using a microplane or the finest side of a box grater, zest the lemons over the blender so the zest falls into it with the garlic. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice out thoroughly, passing through a sieve to collect any pips before adding to the blender.

4 Add all the chickpeas to the blender along with the cooking water that you reserved.

5 Process to a smooth purée, then start adding the sesame paste, a little at a time. Once it is all added you can then add a dessert spoon or two of olive oil, depending on taste, with the motor running. Taste for seasoning, lemon and olive oil and adjust according to taste. Add the coriander and give the blender one final whizz to blend. Transfer to a presentation bowl and store in the fridge covered with clingfilm until needed. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving, dust with a little paprika then serve.

Aubergine and sesame puree

Serves 6-8

2 large aubergines

3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

Dessertspoon of sesame paste (tahini)

40g chopped parsley

Pinch of salt

Juice of 1 or 2 lemons, according to taste

To garnish: chopped parsley and paprika to sprinkle over at the end

1 Prick the aubergines all over with a fork then place on a baking sheet and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200C/gas mark 6 until soft and collapsed - this will take about 30-40 minutes, depending on the aubergines.

2 Leave to stand for a few minutes so they are still hot but just cool enough to handle. Cut in half lengthways. Scrape out the flesh with a spoon and transfer to a blender, discarding the skin. Add the rest of the ingredients and process to a coarse purée. Taste for seasoning - it is meant to be quite sharp with the lemon juice.

3 Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the paprika and parsley then serve at room temperature.

Onion flat bread

Makes 4 round loaves

2 tsp dried yeast

15g sugar

2.2kg strong bread flour plus more for dusting

250ml lukewarm water

500ml milk

20g salt

25ml vegetable oil

25g butter

2 red onions, peeled and sliced very finely

Olive oil to drizzle

Method

1 Dissolve the yeast, sugar and a teaspoon of flour in the warm water and stand for a few minutes until frothy.

2 Meanwhile, heat the milk and bring to a simmer then add to it the salt, oil, butter and allow to melt before transferring to a measuring jug. Top up with water to give 1ltr of liquid.

3 Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture and add the milk mixture. Stir in with your fingers to combine and bring the mix together to make a soft dough. Knead well; if it is too dry, add a touch more water. If it is too wet, add a sprinkling of flour to help the dough become soft and pliable and not overly sticky.

4 Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place so it doubles in size - this can take anything from an hour to two hours.

5 Knock the dough back into the bowl, by folding it over itself, for two or three minutes then cover again and leave to rise again.

6 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for five minutes. Now divide into four and roll each out rather as you might for pizza dough. Sprinkle the sliced onions over and press well into the dough; they should be embedded. Transfer on to baking sheets, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200C/gas mark 6 for 15-20 minutes, turning the baking tray round half-way through. When cooked, remove and allow to cool slightly before serving at once or at room temperature. They can be done in advance and re-warmed for a few minutes at 180C/gas mark 4. Serve with the above dishes. Tear into strips to dip into the hummus and aubergine purées.