Oklava Read online

  sauces: brown butter bread sauce

  cheese sauce 1, 2

  preserved lemon butter sauce

  preserved lemon hollandaise

  spicy tomato & bread sauce

  yoghurt sauce

  sausages:şeftali

  sea bass with caramelized shallot purée & pomegranate dressing

  seafood vermicelli with mussels, hake & prawns

  şeftali

  semolina: semolina cake

  semolina custard & filo böreks

  sesame seeds: pilavuna

  spiced beef & cheese sauce poğaças

  za’atar crumbs

  shallots: caramelized shallot purée

  spiced braised oxtail with shallots

  shepherd’s salad

  sherry vinegar caramel

  shrimps: brown shrimp kaygana

  see also prawns

  sivri biber relish

  smoked cod’s roe: tarama with fried mussels & mint oil

  smoked salsa

  smoked streaky bacon & Medjool date butter toasted sandwich

  sour cherry pearl barley, crispy kale, yoghurt, chilli butter & sheep’s cheese

  spice mixes: baharat

  çemen

  spinach & feta börek

  spring onions: cheese, spring onion, baharat & garlic böreks

  crispy fried spring onions, cheese sauce & çemen crumbs

  spicy red lentil köftes with lettuce, spring onions & lemon

  stews: spiced braised oxtail with shallots

  strawberries: muhallebi with strawberry jelly

  ricotta & vanilla kadayif with bergamot cream & strawberries

  suet: şeftali

  sumac: barbecued sweetcorn

  grilled quails with a palm sugar, sumac & oregano glaze

  pomegranate & sumac martini

  salad of baharat-roast duck with sumac onions

  sumac dressing

  sweetcorn, barbecued

  syrup, orange blossom

  syrup sponge stuffed with ricotta & walnuts

  T

  tahini: Mum’s hummus

  pistachio-crusted banana & tahini French toast

  tahini spiral

  tapenade, black olive & pepper

  tarama with fried mussels & mint oil

  tea: pomegranate iced tea

  traditional Turkish çay

  Turkish apple tea

  tiger prawns: seafood vermicelli with mussels, hake & prawns

  toast: chicken livers with garlic, rosemary, cumin & date butter on toast

  pistachio-crusted banana & tahini French toast

  smoked streaky bacon & Medjool date butter toasted sandwich

  tomatoes: artichoke & beef dolma

  bulgur pilav

  menemen

  salad of runner beans, cucumber, fennel & kale

  shepherd’s salad

  slow-cooked white beans with tomato, lemon & olive oil

  smoked salsa

  spicy tomato & bread sauce

  tomato-pomegranate salad 1, 2

  tomato-pomegranate salsa

  tomato, raw onion, purslane, crisp bread & mint salad

  tomato relish

  Turkish Bloody Mary

  vegetable dolmas

  trilece cake

  Turkish apple tea

  Turkish Bloody Mary

  Turkish coffee

  Turkish peppers see peppers

  turnip juice: pomegranate dressing

  U

  urfa chilli dressing

  urfa chilli mayonnaise

  V

  veal shish

  vegetable dolmas

  vermicelli: Mum’s pilav

  seafood vermicelli with mussels, hake & prawns

  vinegar: sherry vinegar caramel

  vodka: Medjool date, espresso & fennel martini

  pomegranate & sumac martini

  Turkish Bloody Mary

  W

  walnuts: chicken & garlic köfte pide

  Circassian chicken

  muhammara

  Romaine lettuce salad with candied walnuts

  salted walnuts

  syrup sponge stuffed with ricotta & walnuts

  tahini spiral

  whipped feta

  white beans: slow-cooked white beans with tomato, lemon & olive oil

  wine: Cypriot 75

  poached pear

  spiced braised oxtail with shallots

  Y

  yoghurt: at-home ayran

  crispy pomegranate-glazed lamb breast with yoghurt

  fennel yoghurt

  fried dried chilli yoghurt

  sour cherry pearl barley, crispy kale, yoghurt, chilli butter & sheep’s cheese

  yoghurt dressing

  yoghurt sauce

  Z

  za’atar: barbecued sweetcorn with sumac, garlic, lemon butter & za’atar

  za’atar crumbs

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Selin

  The hospitality industry is a notoriously difficult one to work in, but it is also full of people with an enormous amount of passion and kindness. On the road to opening Oklava, a huge number of people helped us in various ways, generous with their time and expertise. It is incredibly humbling to think that so many people helped because they wanted us to succeed – thank you to all of you.

  I have to specifically name some of them here though, for all of their help. So first of all I would like to thank all past and present team members at Oklava: you guys have been amazing and all worked so hard to create our beautiful little restaurant, and make mine and Laura’s dream a reality.

  Lucy, for always sticking by me. You were there with me from Kopapa to the pop-ups and from day one at Oklava. Your hard work and dedication make you an incredible chef and I am so proud of you.

  Nick, my super sous chef, I cannot thank you enough: this book would not have materialized if not for all your hard work and many, many hours spent in the kitchen covering me. Thank you for never getting annoyed by the fact that I would sit at the bar writing this book and boss you about at the same time! I am truly honoured to have you work by my side and I couldn’t do this without you.

  Laura, you are an amazing business partner and I couldn’t have imagined anyone better to work alongside me.

  Vince Cottam, my college mentor, you kickstarted so many opportunities for me and have always believed in me.

  Peter Gordon and Michael McGrath, working at The Providores was a magical time in my life, and I feel so fortunate to have worked in your restaurant. Peter, cooking in your kitchen, where I was encouraged to experiment and cook freely, has shaped me into the chef I am today. You are my hero.

  Hannah Norris, you have believed in me from day one. Thank you for championing me and my cooking.

  Zoe Ross for being a great support.

  Chris Terry, our photographer, his assistant Danny and Cynthia Inions our prop stylist, for coming out to Cyprus to shoot all the gorgeous photos and help shape the Oklava book. Mum, for supporting my career, inspiring so many of the recipes and coming out to Cyprus for the photo shoot to help me cook all the recipes. My sisters Sinem and Sibel, for convincing my parents it was OK for me to be a chef, and to my nieces and nephew Kayla, Joshan and Ella for being so incredibly excited about everything I do.

  All of my friends, but especially Tamara, Asya, Gabby, Harshini, Ruyan, Sophie and Danielle, for your encouragement and putting up with the fact you don’t see me very much as I’m always working.

  Everyone at Octopus, especially Stephanie Jackson for trusting that I could write this book; I’m not quite sure why she was so convinced I could do this but her gentle powers of persuasion certainly worked. Yasia Williams for totally understanding the Oklava vision and ethos and translating it into the book and Alex Stetter for being an incredibly patient editor.

  Finally, most of all I would like to thank Rebecca. You have been through this whole journey with me, supported me through highs and lows and always kept me believing that
Oklava would be a reality. I am eternally grateful to you for simply always being there and never giving up on me.

  Laura

  First and foremost I would like to thank my wonderful Mum and Dad, without whose never-ending support and encouragement I would not have had the courage to take this exciting journey with Selin. Thank you also to my sister Hannah and my loyal friends, who know who they are and have all done their bit to make Oklava a reality.

  I will second Selin’s thank yous, in particular a big thanks to our fantastic staff. Matt, Elisa and Steph have done a wonderful job of supporting me through our exciting first year and some of the brilliant (if we do say so ourselves) drinks recipes in this book would not be there without them. Thanks to all those in the industry who have helped both guide my career and make our dream of Oklava happen, particularly all those at Salt Yard Group, where I spent five happy years prior and learnt a huge amount.

  Thanks of course to Selin herself for being such a uniquely talented business partner and to her family, who welcomed us so warmly in Cyprus – particularly her grandparents and her mum Pervin, who has changed my idea of packing a suitcase well forever.

  Finally a mention for my little Ollie, who I was pregnant with during our opening and when writing this book. Thank you for inspiring me to keep pushing forwards and pursuing this dream, I only hope to make you proud.

  This book is dedicated to my Nene (Grandma) Bahire, for creating so much of my inspiration and forever pleasing others through your incredible cooking and loving heart.

  An Hachette UK Company

  www.hachette.co.uk

  First published in Great Britain

  in 2017 by Mitchell Beazley,

  a division of Octopus Publishing

  Group Ltd, Carmelite House,

  50 Victoria Embankment

  London EC4Y 0DZ

  www.octopusbooks.co.uk

  Text copyright © Selin Kiazim 2017

  Design & photography copyright © Octopus Publishing Group Ltd 2017

  All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Selin Kiazim asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  eISBN 9781784722470

  Publishing Director: Stephanie Jackson

  Art Director: Yasia Williams-Leedham

  Design: Grade Design

  Senior Editor: Alex Stetter

  Photography: Chris Terry

  Props Stylist: Cynthia Inions

  Senior Production Manager: Peter Hunt

  Ovens should be preheated to the specific temperature – if using a fan-assisted oven, follow manufacturer’s instructions for adjusting the time and the temperature.