Around the Med in Three Nights: unearthedⓇ Mediterranean Cooking Series | My Soho Times

If Venitian cicchetti or Andalusian tapas is your idea of food heaven this summer, you’ve landed on the right page. The cooking series curated by unearthedⓇ, a Med Deli brand, showcased the expertise of three remarkable chefs and cookery book authors. Their goal? To guide British home cooks on a journey of cultural discovery and culinary mastery from the comfort of their own kitchens. Food writer Melina Zachariou shares more.

The unearthed cooking series gave us a cooking masterclass with filling flair. Over the course of three separate demonstrations at the Divertimenti Cookery School in Kensington, unearthedⓇ took us around the Mediterranean in three nights, with three chefs, and a selection of their delicious ingredients lovingly woven into every recipe.

Day 1: FLAVOURS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DEMONSTRATION WITH JO PRATT

Part one was a Mediterranean-inspired trio of dishes cooked by the wonderfully soothing Jo Pratt. She gave us three irresistible dishes straight fromThe flexible family cookbook,– a brilliant piece of work that gives you the options to cook for your family flexibly and healthily at the same time. Each menu was incredibly simple and you could get a three-course meal in under an hour with prep done ahead of time. 

We started with Mediterranean baked peppers stuffed with olives, provolone and French charcuterie. Slightly spicy and earthy, the peppers complimented a plate of fluffy, saffron and dill baked rice. 

For the mains, we travelled to the streets of Greece with a juicy chicken souvlaki (and halloumi versions for vegetarians) lovingly drenched in an oregano and mint oil dressing with a generous dollop of homemade tzatziki on the side. You could really smell the aromas of grated garlic, chopped mint and fresh oregano permeating the kitchen. 

The evening ended with a sticky citrus and Greek yoghurt cake which was probably my favourite dish of the evening. It was tangy and sharp with different textures owing to the chewy caramelised orange segments on top. Served with fresh yoghurt and chopped pistachios, I could have eaten this straight from the baking pan. 

Day 2: ‘CUCINA DEL VENETO’ COOKBOOK SIGNING AND DEMO WITH URSULA FERRIGNO

On our second night, we jumped over to Venice with Ursula Ferrigno. Her enthusiasm and love for food were obvious and it was a treat to watch a pastaio (pasta maker) teach us how to make pasta first-hand. 

We started off with three different cicchetti: roasted pepper and tuna topped with unearthedⓇ kalamata olives, broad bean puree and prosciutto small plates. If you enjoy tapas these little beauties are the ones for you. The tuna cicchetti was soft and delicate, crunchy and punchy all at the same time whereas the broad bean version was such a unique flavour you couldn’t help but go back for seconds. If you want the Med in a bite, the final one is for you. The freshness of the figs married with the meaty prosciutto and soft mozzarella is a combo not to be tampered with. 

Dish two was the Venetian pasta and duck. I admire any chef who knows that the only way to cook pasta is in boiling, salted water – as salty as the ocean. The dish itself was garlicky, zesty and moreish. Her book: cucina del veneto has so many delicious recipes to try including this one which I cannot wait to do myself.

What I enjoyed taking away most from the evening besides the food, was the knowledge passed down to me by Ursula herself. She talked us through the taboos of cooking with or without olive oils, the different balsamics, and her life as a cooking teacher in Venice, and more. It was a cooking lesson with history. 

Day 3: ‘COCINA DE ANDALUCIA’ COOKBOOK DEMO & SIGNING WITH MARÍA JOSÉ SEVILLA

The final evening landed us in the streets of Andalusia with Maria Jose Sevilla and her son, serving delicious plates from her cookbook Cocina de Andalucia.

We started off with what I would call an upgraded egg on toast duo: Fried quail egg and serrano ham on mini toasts and Spanish chorizo in Oloroso Sherry. This is an incredibly quick recipe that is perfect for when you want to host friends for breakfast. 

First, the meat version. Maria cooked the chorizo slowly, releasing all the precious oils into the pan before adding a splash of sherry. The room filled with a gloriously sweet, smoky, earthy aroma that settled as the alcohol burnt away gently in the pan. She explained to us the pimenton in the chorizo is what gives it that beautiful deep red colour and the amount of garlic and spice selection depends on the region in Spain.

For dish two, arrange a generous layer of delicate serrano ham on toasted bread before adding some gently fried quail eggs on top. The only debate will be how much you cook the eggs but it’s a preference! 

We also had a traditional potato omelette with caramelised onion and beautiful pan fried scallops served on soft silky cauliflower cream but my highlight of the evening had to be a dish called Chupito de remolacha y fresas. This was a unique take on gazpacho served in a chupito – a shot glass. In a blend combine raw garlic, tomato, strawberry and beetroot juice seasoning with salt as you go. Serve in shot glasses topped with a very small piece of anchovy and creme fraiche and you’ll be making this all throughout your summer. We ended the evening with a delicious homemade ice cream entwined with nougat topped with juicy currants.

It’s safe to say both Divertimenti and unearthed® provided a wonderful trio of evenings hosted by three exceptionally talented chefs. The quality of the ingredients and the ease of the recipes means anyone can do this at home quickly and affordably. Will you be bringing the essesence of the Med to your home this Summer?

Purchase unearthedⓇ products at various supermarkets here www.foodsunearthed.co.uk/where-to-buy

Written by Melina Zachariou @melina_zachariou

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