Canberra Times (Australia)
August 19, 2009 Wednesday
Final Edition
Treasure from the Mid-East
The classic Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian has been
reprinted in hardcover by Grub Street, London.
First published in Britain in 1982, the book has been out of print for
more than 20 years. My much-loved and well-used paperback copy
(published in 1984 by Pan Books) is one of my most read cookbooks.
Arto der Haroutunian was of southern Turkish and Armenian heritage. He
was born in Aleppo in Syria in 1940, where he spent his early
childhood. The family moved to Britain, where he spent the rest of his
life. He died at 47.
Arto der Haroutunian was a multi-talented person with many
interests. He was an architect, artist, restaurateur, translator of
Turkish, Arab, Persian and Armenian works, and composer.
He had a great interest in Middle Eastern food and collected recipes
from far and wide. He wrote 12 cookbooks and all are considered
classics. Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East was reprinted in 2008
by Grub Street. I can hardly wait for a copy of North African Cookery,
reprinted this year.
Middle Eastern Cookery is much more than a cookbook. The introduction
gives a detailed history of the region and the people. The book
contains an interesting collection of straightforward recipes for
mezze, soups, salads, egg dishes, vegetable dishes, pilavs, fish and
meat, desserts and sweets. There are no pictures or illustrations, but
every recipe comes with a comment, a piece of history, a fable or
song.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in the food of the Middle
East or who enjoy reading about food. Today’s recipes, taken from the
book, are ones I have made many times. They are ailazan a vegetable
stew from Armenia, and tzavarov, or burghul pilav. Burghul is a staple
food in the Middle East. It’s a basic recipe which can be brightened
with vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts or dried fruit.
Middle Eastern Cookery, by Arto der Haroutunian (Grub Street, London,
2008, $49.99).