Zaytinya - Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon by José Andrés.

Since Chef José Andrés opened the doors to his famed restaurant in Washington D.C. twenty years ago, Zaytinya has been full of people enjoying his creative adaptations of the classic dishes of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Now with locations in New York (2022) and South Beach (2023) as well as working on a Las Vegas location, the menu has always honored the region’s traditions while innovating and updating in José’s signature style - delicious, surprising, and made for sharing.

Zaytinya draws its name from the Turkish word for olive oil: the liquid gold that unites a region whose food still reflects the legacy of Ottoman culture. What unites the people of the Eastern Mediterranean is stronger than what divides them: the extraordinary food, ancient folklore, and the heartfelt philosophy of sharing a meal.

Above all, the dishes of Zaytinya are not just delicious but accessible for the home cook. From the smooth dips to the Sunday roasts, they will happily feed a family on a weeknight or friends over for weekend dinner.

This title is filled with gorgeous photography and inspirational recipes for cooks of all levels. Special thanks to the publisher for sharing two recipes for our Members to try now:

Greek zucchini fritters (Kolokythokeftedes) 
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Makes 16 fritters

It’s a mouthful, and many of our diners won’t attempt to say the name of this dish, and instead just point to the menu. But take the opportunity to learn a little Greek: “kolokythi” (zucchini) plus “keftedaki” (meatball). No matter how you say it (or not!), it’s one of our favorites - light fritters with a crunchy exterior and a sweet, creamy inside. I first tasted this dish in Santorini, where the rich volcanic soil of the Greek island makes for superb zucchini and tomatoes. If you can use in-season farmers’ market vegetables, the dish will be at its peak, but grocery-store zucchini will get you most of the way there. If you can’t find Kefalograviera, Manchego cheese can be substituted; just add a pinch more salt as Manchego is less salty than Kefalograviera.

For the caper-yogurt sauce:

• 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon caper brine, plus 1 tablespoon capers
• ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
• Extra-virgin olive oil

For the fritters:

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped mint
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 ounces Kefalograviera cheese, grated or shredded
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed

To make the sauce, whisk together the yogurt, caper brine, orange blossom water, 2 teaspoons of water, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add another teaspoon of water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the fritters, stir together the zucchini, scallions, parsley, mint, oregano, panko, cheese, flour, pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites in a medium bowl until firm peaks form, then fold into the zucchini mixture.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of zucchini batter onto the hot pan to form each fritter, using a spoon to pat them out to about 2 inches wide, and cook, turning once, until nicely browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Continue with the remaining batter, being careful not to crowd the pan, until you have 16 fritters. If you need to add a bit more oil to the pan, be sure to let it get hot before adding more batter.

To serve, remove the caper-yogurt sauce from the refrigerator, give it a good stir, then spread it in a shallow serving bowl set on a serving platter. Top the sauce with the whole capers, sprinkle with dried mint, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Arrange the fritters around the sauce.

Olive oil cake
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Makes 1 cake

I like to say that I have olive oil running through my veins. It’s deep in the DNA of all Mediterranean people and is one of the things that connects Spaniards like me to our neighbors in the Eastern Mediterranean. This cake is one of my favorite ways to serve olive oil for dessert. It’s rich but not heavy, sweet but not too much, and has a nice hint of lemon. Make sure to use good extra-virgin olive oil. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive stuff, but since there’s a whole cup in there, you want to use something high quality that’s not too spicy. This versatile cake pairs well with all kinds of fruit; try whatever is in season, like clementines, apricots, figs, or peaches.

• 1¼ cup (250 grams) sugar, divided, plus more for dusting
• 1 vanilla bean
• 4 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons (170 grams) cake flour, sifted
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
• (240 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 clementines

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Put ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (160 grams) of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Split the vanilla bean with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds from the bean into the sugar. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix on medium speed until everything is combined. Gradually add the sifted flour with the mixer running, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. After all the flour has been incorporated, keep the mixer running and drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream, scraping the bowl again. Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine the egg whites and salt in a large mixing bowl and whip on medium speed, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, until a light foam begins to form. Gradually add the remaining sugar (85 grams) to the egg whites and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, in three parts, until just combined. Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with oiled parchment paper, then pour in the airy batter, being careful to not deflate it. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is nicely browned. Test the cake by inserting a cake pick or paring knife in the center of the cake; if the tester comes out clean, it’s done. If not, continue to bake for a few minutes more, and test again. Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack, then remove from the springform pan.

While the cake is baking, prepare the whipped cream. Combine the heavy cream, orange blossom water, and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl and whip on medium-high speed, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, until soft, pillowy peaks begin to form, about 4 minutes.

Peel the clementines and separate into sections. With a clean dry towel, rub each section to remove as much of the white pith off the membrane as possible. Cut away the white center seam of each segment with a sharp knife or kitchen shears and remove any seeds. Then, using a serrated knife, slice the clementine in half lengthwise through the thick back part of the segment and spread open like a book.

Serve the cake warm or room temperature with spoonfuls of whipped cream, clementine segments, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Special thanks to the publisher for providing three copies of this title in our promotion. Entry options include answering the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you like to try first?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Once you log in and enter your member name you will be directed to the next entry option – the blog comment. After that, there are additional options that you can complete for more entries. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on May 21st, 2024.