Product Description

Every one of the 12 cookbooks Arto der Haroutunian wrote became a classic; his thoughtful, erudite writing helped to explain to westerners the subtlety, complexity and diversity of Middle Eastern and North African cooking. In Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East he collected together a treasury of recipes. The cooking of vegetables is treated with reverence in the in the lands that make up the rich and varied tapestry of the Middle East. The people depend on the grains and pulses, nuts, vegetables and fruits of the region for their daily food. Here are warm and spicy stuffed vegetables, cool and fragrant soups, delicate preserves, pilafs, breads, pickles, relishes and pastries.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4033 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 288 pages

Review
I found it hard to put this hard-backed recipe book down. My eye was instantly drawn to Suma-flavoured kufta, a traditional recipe from Southern Turkey consisting of bulgur, fresh herbs and finely chopped vegetables; the addition of sumac powder lifts the dish out of the ordinary. The lack of any photographs does not detract from the appeal of this book which will give a real boost to any vegetarian food enthusiast looking for something a little more unusual. For example, take 20 lemons, salt, paprika, and olive oil, follow the method and after 4 weeks you have beautiful orange-coloured lemons in oil to use as a pickle. The origins of these recipes are diverse and include Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Greece, The Lebanon and more. --The Vegetarian

Stella Magazine, 29 June 2008
Arto der Haroutunian's brilliant book ... long out of print, has just been reissued by Grub Street.

About the Author
Arto der Haroutunian was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1940 and grew up in the Levant, but came to England with his parents as a child and remained here for most of his life. He studied architecture at Manchester University and established a career designing restaurants, clubs and hotels. In 1970, in partnership with his brother, he opened the first Armenian restaurant in Manchester which eventually became a successful chain of six restaurants and two hotels. Given his passion for cooking it was a natural progression that he should then begin to write cookery books as they combined his love of food with his great interest in the history and culture of the region. It was his belief that the rich culinary tradition of the Middle East is the main source of many of our Western cuisines and his books were intended as an introduction to that tradition. All the many cookbooks written by Der Haroutunian have now been out of print for many years and second hand copies fetch hundreds of pounds. He died in 1987 at the untimely age of 47. He is survived by his wife and son who still live in Manchester. As well as his passion for cooking, Arto der Haroutunian was a painter of international reputation who exhibited all over the world. His other interests included composing music and translating Turkish, Arab, Persian and Armenian authors. He was a true polymath.

Customer Reviews

A must for those who enjoy cooking great dishes
This critically acclaimed book is packed with fantastic, inspiring recipes and it's hardly surprising that it has recently received such excellent reviews. A unique and enlightening insight into Middle Eastern cookery, the book includes extensive, easy to follow recipes and is a must for vegetarian and non-vegetarians alike. Artos distinctive way of combining his mouth watering recipes with interesting stories makes this book a must for those who simply enjoy the experience of cooking great dishes. The copy I was given many years ago has seen extensive use and I'm very please to see that his `Middle Eastern Cookery' book will shortly be available.

Groundbreaking and mouthwatering
This is one of the first cookbooks about middle eastern cookery (or any cuisine) that combined interesting and informative points about history and culture to give a real flavour of the middle east. The recipes are easy to follow, work really well and use ingredients easily available in the UK. Those adapted from recipes with meat into vegetarian recipes, are delicious and do not leave you feeling you need a meat accompaniment. My friends all enjoy the food and want to buy copies of the book. Alas, it seems to be out of print and I only have a second-hand copy. It's about time the publisher issued a reprint, as no changes are needed to this perfect book.

Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East
A must in every food enthusiast's kitchen. The recipes are simple and from a multicultural and multisocial part of the world. Serving a combination of dishes from the different cultures brings harmony to the table, to the eys and to the tastebuds. Very informative and easy to follow recipes. Arto shows a deep understanding of the cultures of the region. I look forward to the publication of his other books.