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Labna and Tunisian dukkah with pickled spring vegetables recipe
- Cuisine:
- Serves 6-8
This homemade dukkah is divine – the chilli powder, saffron and turmeric add to its heady fragrance, making it the perfect partner for the creamy labna. Dukkah is great sprinkled on eggs, freshly seared fish or grilled chook. The pickle brine may be used to pickle just about any fresh spring vegetable. You’ll need to start the labna and pickles a few days before serving.
Ingredients
4 cups (1.1 kg) thick plain yoghurt100ml extra virgin olive oil
Warm flatbread and olives, to serve
Pickled spring vegetables
12 dutch (baby) carrots, peeled and trimmed if necessary
1 celery heart, cut into quarters with leaves intact
2 long red chillies, sliced diagonally
2 small bulbs fennel, peeled and each cut into 8 pieces
10 small golden shallots
1 tiny savoy cabbage (or ½ small savoy cabbage), outer leaves removed and cut into 6-8 wedges
1 spiral green cauliflower, cut into florets
12 mini cucumbers, split down the middle
1 large handful river salt flakes
2 tbsp mustard seeds
180g caster sugar
90g river salt flakes, extra
600ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 fresh bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
6 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
1 red chilli, split
Tunisian dukkah
150g pistachio kernels, chopped
150g blanched almonds, toasted and crushed
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of saffron threads
Preparation
To prepare the pickled vegetables, place all the vegetables and salt flakes in a large bowl. Using your hands, scrunch everything together really hard to bruise the vegetables and rub the salt through, then weigh down with a plate and set aside for at least 1 hour.Drain the accumulated water away from the vegetables, then squeeze them to remove any excess liquid. Pack into hot sterilised jars. (I usually wash the jars on the rinse cycle in the dishwasher, then remove while still hot and pack them immediately.)
Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes, then pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in the jars. Gently push the vegetables down so they’re completely covered in the liquid and allow to cool. Seal the jars with the lids, then cure in the fridge for at least 2-3 days before eating.
Spoon the yoghurt into a fine sieve lined with a clean Chux or J Cloth. Leave to drain over a bowl for 2 days until the yoghurt is very thick.
To make the dukkah, combine all the ingredients in a dry bowl. Store in an airtight container until needed.
Turn out the labna onto a serving platter and pour the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle generously with dukkah and serve with the pickles, warm flatbread and olives.
This recipe is an extract from Sunday Life food editor Karen Martini's cookbook, Feasting.
If you enjoyed this Labna and Tunisian dukkah with pickled spring vegetables recipe then browse more and our most popular hainanese chicken rice recipe.
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