Book review – Roast Lamb in the Olive Groves: A Mediterranean Cookbook

Roast Lamb in the Olive Groves: A Mediterranean Cookbook
Belinda Harley
Hardie Grant Books, £25

Right from the title this book promises a journey, not just through evocative flavours, but also through the laid-back lifestyle of the Greek island of Paxos.

As a rustic, heartfelt guide to island life, and packed with hearty, Venetian-influenced recipes, this book does not disappoint. Page after page showcases a traditional recipe, each introduced with an extra morsel of context and history, inviting us to become truly immersed in island life.

We are reminded that courgette balls (kolokithokeftedes) are perfect with cheese and mint; that the Paxiots are especially fond of beetroot, and that "growing your own" on the island is not merely a lifestyle choice but a necessity, especially in the non-tourist winter.

Every other picture offers a splash of life: a brightly-painted fishing boat; a quietly shabby doorway; a rugged hand squeezing the excess moisture from a tea
towel full of tzatziki.

The "mezze" section is perhaps the most useful for chefs; classic dips including rough-textured taramasalata, cucumber and dill mousse, and a clutch of chilled soups offer ample inspiration for those looking to add a little Mediterranean flavour to their menus; explained simply enough for the domestic cook, they would offer light work to a professional.

The carpaccios also offer food for thought: startlingly fresh fish is combined with fruity, bitter notes, such as orange, chilli, vodka jelly, cherries, rocket and capers, in a creative fashion that can't help but intrigue. Despite the meat-centred title, the islanders' vegetable- and fishcentric diet comes through: dishes
such as slow-cooked chickpea stew, aubergine with swordfish, and black cuttlefish risotto are lavishly represented (as is souvlaki and the eponymous roast lamb).

Sumptuous sections on desserts, "street food", fresh bread, and refreshing drinks are a welcome addition for anyone looking for a genuinely Greek spread.

And while professionals are unlikely to need the glossary of tips, such as how to bone a herring or spatchcock a bird, by the time they get to that point, any reader is likely to feel genuinely inspired, if not just to roast a lamb or fry a fish, but also to book a Greek holiday, and pronto.

By Hannah Thompson

If you liked this, you might enjoy:

• My Greek Kitchen, Mary Valle

• Snackistan: Street Food, Meze, Sally Butcher

• Polpo: A Venetian Cookbook (of Sorts), Russell Norman