With ‘Levantine Harvest’, her first cookbook, Lara Ariss bring her signature love of medleys of flavour together with a keen appreciation for fresh seasonal produce and a gratifyingly straightforward approach to preparing food. We bring you some deliciously healthy recipes to indulge your sweet tooth…
Oatmeal and Date Cookies
These cookies are soft and wonderfully crumbly, perfect for breakfast on the go or afternoon treat with family and friends. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Makes: 30 cookies
175g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
250g oatmeal
225g butter
280g light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp clear honey
2 tsp rosewater
140g Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1cm pieces
80g golden raisins
70g walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Add the cinnamon and oatmeal.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add the honey and rosewater, and mix to combine. Fold in the dry ingredients, and stir in the dates and raisins, and the walnuts, if desired.
Drop a teaspoonful (about 30 or 40g) of the dough onto the baking sheets, about 5cm apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Pomegranate and Labneh Cups
It’s an unconventional approach to labneh, but this quick and easy sweet treat is perfect for surprise guests, or any time you need a quick fix.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
500g labneh
30g caster sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp rosewater
Seeds of 2 pomegranates
Combine the labneh, sugar, orange zest and rosewater in a medium bowl.
Divide the pomegranate seeds into serving bowls and top each with 2 tbsp of the labneh mixture.
Apricot Leather Smoothie with Dried Fruit and Nuts
Apricot leather is called qamar eldeen in Arabic, which is also the name for the drink it is best known for. Pieces of the dried fruit are soaked in warm water until they are dissolved to make a thick, sweet drink, which is traditionally sprinkled with pine nuts and served to break the fast at sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. This recipe includes dried fruits and nuts and is called khashef, also consumed during Ramadan as a dessert. However, it can be enjoyed at any time of year, as a dessert or for breakfast, as the combination of ingredients is a good energy boost.
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus overnight and refrigeration
Serves: 4 to 6
250g (1 sheet) apricot leather, coarsely chopped
60g almonds, blanched
40g pine nuts
40g pistachios, blanched
200g dried apricots
500g prunes
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange blossom water 1 tbsp rosewaterSoak the apricot leather overnight in 375ml water in a large bowl at room temperature.
Soak the apricot leather overnight in 375ml water in a large bowl at room temperature.
Stir the almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, dried apricots and prunes into the apricot leather mixture. Stir in the lemon juice, orange blossom water and rosewater.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
To serve, ladle the smoothie and dried fruit and nuts into bowls.
Baked Nectarines with Mastic Ice Cream
There is no better way to freshen up during the summer heat than with fresh nectarines – one of my favourite fruits – and they are even better baked with a drizzle of honey and some ice cream. If blueberries are unavailable, they can easily be replaced with a locally grown variety like strawberries.
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus freezing or churning
Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
For the ice cream
1l milk
60g corn our
70g caster sugar
1/4 tsp mastic, crushed
1 tsp orange blossom water
For the baked nectarines
4 nectarines, halved and stoned 100g blueberries
4 tbsp clear honey
Pour 500ml of the milk in a medium pot over low heat. Stir constantly and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Mix 250ml of the milk and the corn our in a small bowl.
Strain all the milk into a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and stir constantly until the milk starts to thicken, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Stir in the mastic and orange blossom water. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes a thick custard, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Place the mixture in the freezer for 6 to 8 hours, whisking every hour until the ice cream reaches the desired consistency. Alternatively, if you have an ice-cream machine, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Place the nectarines side by side in a shallow ovenproof dish and toss in the blueberries. Drizzle with the honey.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the fruit is tender.
To serve, divide the fruit into serving bowls and top each with a scoop of ice cream.