While hospitality venues were forced to close for the majority of 2020, restaurant experiences were brought to thousands of homes throughout the UK, following the resounding success of meal kit launches. A crucial means of revenue for chefs and restaurateurs, the boom in restaurant meal kit delivery was also joined by a collection of new third-party delivery start-ups, including Dishpatch. Founded last year by Peter Butler and James Terry, Dishpatch was launched to “complement and support restaurants”, delivering high-end finish-at-home kits each Friday, from a collection of exciting restaurants.
A new addition to the Dishpatch repertoire, a Turkish-Cypriot feast from Selin Kiazim of Oklava is available to order. Featuring high-quality ingredients to generously feed two, and simple instructions for heating and preparing each dish, the Oklava Turkish-Cypriot supper is centred around Selin Kiazim’s version of iskender. Lamb kofte is grilled over coal to lend a bold smoky flavour (to be warmed in the oven), served with a rich, slowly simmered tomato sauce slicked with a little brown butter to add silkiness, all served over a bed of torn pitta.
The kofte is served alongside Cyprus potatoes famed for their creaminess and waxiness, roasted and tossed with confit garlic, pul biber, and smoky urfa chilli. The potatoes are then joined by a fresh herb mayo spiked with parsley, coriander, and tarragon. A salad of charred onion petals and pickled red cabbage is a particular highlight, finished with a fistful of parsley and tart pomegranate dressing, finished with a sprinkle of sumac.
Elsewhere, dolma, a classic dish of vine leaves stuffed with lemon-scented rice, are served, made to Selin’s mother’s recipe. “For Cypriots, life really revolves around eating,” explains Selin. “So I grew up eating these — my mum is famed for her dolma. It was very difficult to get the recipe though, as she never measures anything.”
One final treat for the morning after, the Oklava kit also features the ingredients to make a smoked bacon toasted sandwich with Selin’s famous Medjool date butter, made by The Estate Dairy and laced with Medjool date and black rice vinegar. A perfect weekend breakfast.
The Oklava kit is available with nationwide delivery with deliveries every Friday until Friday 15th October, priced at £40 for 2 people. Orders can be placed at the Dishpatch website.
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