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
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.