Mediterranean

Ripe tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, and red onion with crumbled feta and a simple oregano dressing.

Charred red peppers blended with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and cumin — a rich, smoky dip.

Silky, deeply flavoured hummus made from scratch with dried chickpeas, lemon, garlic, and olive oil — completely tahini-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Finished with a generous drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley. The kind of hummus that makes the shop-bought version impossible to go back to.

Tender vine leaves wrapped around a fragrant filling of long-grain rice, fresh herbs, lemon zest, and toasted pine-nut-free aromatics — braised slowly in olive oil and lemon juice until silky and deeply flavoured. Served at room temperature with lemon wedges. Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, sesame-free, and nut-free.

Chunky courgette, red and yellow peppers, red onion, and cherry tomatoes threaded onto skewers, marinated in lemon, garlic, and herbs, then grilled until charred and tender. A vibrant, naturally vegan starter that tastes of open fire and summer. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

A bright, crunchy Lebanese bread salad of romaine, cucumber, tomato, radish, spring onion, and fresh herbs tossed in a bold sumac and lemon dressing — with gluten-free flatbread croutons baked until shatteringly crisp. Dairy-free, egg-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and naturally vegan.

Tender chunks of chicken thigh marinated in a deeply spiced yogurt-free, dairy-free blend of olive oil, lemon, garlic, and warm Turkish spices — grilled over high heat until charred at the edges and juicy within. A classic Turkish mezze starter, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Fluffy quinoa tossed with roasted courgette, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon dressing.

A beloved Greek summer dish of ripe tomatoes and peppers hollowed out and filled with a fragrant herb and rice stuffing, then slow-baked in olive oil until the vegetables are completely tender and the rice is fluffy and infused with their sweet juices. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

A deeply satisfying, slow-simmered stew of chickpeas, courgette, peppers, tomatoes, and wilted spinach in a rich, spiced tomato broth fragrant with cumin, smoked paprika, and fresh herbs. Hearty enough to be a complete meal, and better the next day. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

One of the great dishes of the Lebanese table — brown lentils and long-grain rice slow-cooked together in spiced olive oil until tender and fragrant, then crowned with a mountain of deeply caramelised, almost crispy fried onions. Simple, deeply satisfying, and completely plant-based. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

The Greek answer to ratatouille — thick rounds of courgette, potato, aubergine, and tomato layered in a roasting dish with red onion, garlic, and a generous pour of olive oil, then slow-roasted until everything is meltingly tender, caramelised at the edges, and deeply fragrant with oregano and fresh herbs. A dish that is greater than the sum of its parts. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Halved aubergines roasted until golden and tender, then filled with a fragrant stuffing of spiced rice, tomatoes, onion, pine-nut-free aromatics, and fresh herbs, and baked again until the filling is fluffy and the aubergine skin is silky. A dish found across the Mediterranean from Turkey to Lebanon to Greece. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Whole sea bass marinated in lemon, garlic, and herbs, grilled until crispy-skinned and served with roasted vegetables.

Bone-in chicken pieces marinated in a bold mixture of lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and dried oregano, then slow-roasted with potato wedges until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, the meat is falling-tender, and the pan juices have reduced to a glossy, intensely flavoured sauce. The definitive Greek roast chicken. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

A deeply fragrant, slow-braised Moroccan chicken tagine with green olives, preserved lemon, and a warm spice blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon — completely nut-free. Bone-in chicken pieces braise low and slow in a saffron-scented broth until the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce is rich, glossy, and intensely flavoured. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Whole sea bream or sea bass stuffed with lemon, garlic, and a generous bundle of fresh herbs, rubbed all over with a fragrant olive oil and spice paste, then grilled over high heat until the skin is charred and crisp and the flesh inside is moist, flaky, and deeply perfumed. The simplest and most honest way to cook a whole fish. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Tender cubes of lamb shoulder marinated overnight in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and dried oregano, then threaded onto skewers and grilled over fierce heat until charred on the outside and juicy within. Served with warm gluten-free flatbread or rice, fresh tomato, red onion, and a squeeze of lemon. The definitive Greek street food, made at home. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

Slow-braised lamb shoulder with chickpeas, carrots, courgette, and sweet potato in a deeply spiced tomato broth fragrant with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, and a whisper of saffron. Richer and more substantial than the chicken tagine, with the lamb falling apart into the sauce after a long, gentle braise. Completely nut-free. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sesame-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

A beautifully moist, fragrant Greek-style cake made with extra-virgin olive oil and fine semolina, soaked while still warm in a sharp lemon syrup that perfumes every crumb. Dairy-free, nut-free, and deeply lemony — the olive oil gives the crumb a tender, almost silky texture that butter cannot replicate, and the semolina adds a gentle golden bite. A classic of the Greek table, naturally suited to allergy-friendly baking.

The beloved Turkish classic — a silky, gently sweetened rice pudding made dairy-free with full-fat coconut milk and oat milk, cooked slowly on the hob until thick and creamy, then poured into individual clay bowls and finished under a hot grill until the top is deeply caramelised and blistered. The contrast between the burnished, slightly bitter top and the cool, fragrant, vanilla-scented pudding beneath is what makes sütlaç one of the great desserts of the Mediterranean table. Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and egg-free.

One of the most elegant and effortless desserts in the Moroccan repertoire — thin rounds of sweet, juicy orange dressed with a fragrant orange blossom and rose water syrup, dusted generously with cinnamon, and scattered with fresh mint. Served cold, it is refreshing, perfumed, and deeply satisfying after a rich tagine or spiced main. Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and vegan — nothing but fruit, spice, and floral water.

A bracingly sharp, intensely lemony sorbet made with nothing but fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar syrup, and a little egg white for a silky, scoopable texture. Served in hollowed-out lemon shells for a classic Greek taverna presentation. Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and sesame-free — pure, clean, and deeply refreshing after a rich Mediterranean meal.

Fresh figs halved and baked in a fragrant syrup of fresh orange juice, honey, cinnamon, and a splash of orange blossom water until they are soft, jammy, and deeply caramelised at the edges. One of the simplest and most beautiful desserts of the Mediterranean table — ready in under 30 minutes and naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and vegan. Serve warm with a drizzle of the sticky, spiced pan juices.