Why this cookbook?
The uber-chic restaurant, run by Layo Paskin and Tomer Amedi, was met with wide critical acclaim when it opened in summer 2014. The unusual menu had everyone raving – it’s inspired by modern-day Jerusalem, with influences by the cultures of Spain, North Africa and the Levant. Essentially, it’s a blend of new and very old. And the food is delicious.
So is it worth the hype?
Surprisingly, yes. At the heart of it, this is food from the family table. Strip away all the buzz and you find serious authenticity. Authors Paskin and Amedi share stories about their mothers’ cooking and their heritage. As Paskin says in the introduction, the Palomar team is all second and third generations who have adopted London and “are united by our passion for food: food as the essence of our identities, our culture, our everyday lives and our celebrations”. It’s a melting pot, figuratively and literally.
Why culture is the most important ingredient
This is a book that shares rich cultures and culinary heritage. Paskin adds that “we start at home, watching and learning from the way our families adapt to new communities by combining the fundamentals of their own culture with the best of what they encounter”. Each chapter opens with a summary of the following recipes and their place in their culture while each recipe includes a few sentences about its provenance and what makes it unique. It adds a clear personal voice and a wonderful and rare insight into rich food traditions.
How is it organised?
The book starts with the store cupboard – the best basic dry goods, from couscous to tahini, plus great information about the spices needed for the recipes, and handy spice mixes that can be used throughout the book. From there, it’s a journey through the way of eating in Jerusalem – starting with mezze such as harissa and tapenade, to baba ganoush and matbucha.
The next chapter covers raw food: “A great way to start a meal”, Amedi says, “with food that is fresh, clean, healthy and natural.” Then it’s on to what they call The Main Act – main meals of all types including offal, variations on shakshuka, seafood, chicken and meat. The two final sections include pastry and breads, with the star recipe of challah, the traditional enriched Jewish bread accompaniment to every Friday night dinner. Simple, step-by-step pictures take you through the rolling and braiding of this staple – a highlight of the book.
Our pick?
Probably one of the standouts is a dish that has always been popular in the restaurant, and perhaps encapsulates the way the Palomar team blends London sensibilities with the flavours of the Middle East – Jerusalem mess. This fun dessert is a blend of labneh cream, almond crumble, apple jelly, strawberry coulis and meringue. “Eton mess, but Jerusalem style”, says the team. Also compelling: matbucha (get the recipe below). The name means "cooked salad" although it's more like a thick sauce. It's served as a side or part of a mezze table - delicious on fresh or toasted bread.
Cook the book
My mama makes this tomato and pepper mezze especially for Friday, and by 5pm (after 2–3 hours of cooking) the whole house is filled with an intoxicating peppery-garlicky smell.
Source: The Palomar Cookbook
I like to eat this straight from the pan and therefore wait for everybody to take theirs so that I can be last and keep the best bits to myself.
Fast traditional shakshuka Source: The Palomar Cookbook
I love the combination of hot and cold in salads, and pulses make the ideal candidates for either role.
Source: The Palomar Cookbook
This dish was born while we were in Jerusalem shooting the photos for this book, when my parents invited the whole gang for a Friday night meal. Needless to say my mama was ecstatic.
Recipes and images from The Palomar Cookbook by Layo Paskin and Tomer Amedi (Hachette Australia, $39.99, hbk).
Source: The Palomar Cookbook
