When the sun’s out, few chefs cook with more warmth than Eran Tibi. The Israeli-born founder of Bala Baya and Kapara has built a following for his playful, sun-drenched take on Middle Eastern food – big on flavour, colour and the kind of generosity that turns a meal into a party.
For the season ahead, Tibi shares three vibrant recipes that make the most of barbecues, garden tables and long, lazy evenings with friends: smoky barbecued cabbage finished with romesco and seeds for crunch; a spatchcock poussin that’s brined, marinated and grilled until gloriously charred, served with pickled chilli and salsa; and a silky, classic hummus for scooping and sharing.
Each dish is easy, unfussy and exactly what we want to eat now – a reminder that when good food, good weather and good company meet, summer always tastes better.
Barbecued cabbage with romesco and seed crumble
“Hispi cabbage is a great option for grilling because its thick leaves hold up well over heat, although any cabbage variety will work,” says Tibi.
“Before grilling, blanch the cabbage in heavily salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then shock it in cold water to stop the cooking. This step seasons the cabbage and helps it stay vibrantly green by preserving the chlorophyll.
“When grilling, season it well with salt, pepper and olive oil. Don’t shy away from letting the edges char – burnt bits add a smoky, delicious complexity that’s especially good with vegetables. Serve it with a romesco sauce for dipping, which adds a nutty, tangy complement to the smokiness.
“To turn it into a more filling dish, top with creamy rosemary goat cheese. Finish with a crunchy garnish like mixed seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or dukkah – whatever textured, flavourful mix you have on hand.”
Ingredients:
For the cabbage:
1 whole hispi cabbage – washed and halved
Water
Salt
For the romesco sauce:
1kg red peppers
500g toasted almonds
5 garlic cloves
10 tbsp molasses
10 tsp smoked paprika
100g harissa paste
70g Maldon salt
500ml water
350ml olive oil
For the seed crumble:
1kg pumpkin seeds
1kg sunflower seeds
500g linseed
125g apple cider vinegar powder
Method:
For the cabbage:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Blanch the halved cabbage for 3-5 minutes, depending on size, with the lid on.
3. Transfer immediately to ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, strain and store for service.
4. When ready to serve, barbecue the cabbage cut-side down over medium-high heat until charred and smoky. Finish over indirect heat if needed to warm through.
For the romesco sauce:
5. Barbecue the red peppers until the skins are blistered and blackened. Peel and de-seed once cooled.
6. Toast almonds at 160C for 10 minutes.
7. In a Thermomix or high-speed blender, combine the peppers, almonds, garlic, molasses, smoked paprika, harissa, salt and water.
8. Blend until smooth, then emulsify slowly with the olive oil.
9. Adjust seasoning to taste.
For the seed crumble:
10. Place each seed type in separate pots of seasoned water (10% salt to water ratio).
11. Bring gently to the boil – do not allow to fully boil – then strain.
12. Dry roast all seeds at 160C, zero humidity, until crisp and dry.
13. Blitz roughly in a Robot Coupe or food processor.
14. Mix with apple cider vinegar powder and check the seasoning.
To serve:
15. Place cabbage on a plate, top with romesco sauce and seed crumble.
Barbecued spatchcock poussin with pickled chilli and salsa
“When cooking chicken, start by brining it before marinating, as this keeps the meat moist and flavourful and seasons deeply,” says Tibi. “For your brine, use a mixture of salt, sugar, water and aromatics like orange peel, lemon, herbs, za’atar or bay leaves, and make incisions in the thickest parts (such as the breasts and thighs) to help the brine penetrate.
“Brine for about 8 hours for a medium-sized chicken. Afterwards, marinate the chicken – ideally overnight – with a bold combination of salty (soy sauce, capers, anchovies), sweet (brown sugar, orange juice, molasses) and colourful elements (harissa, tomato paste, yoghurt).
“For BBQs, spatchcock the chicken by removing the backbone and flattening it, which allows for quicker, more even cooking. Grill it skin-side down first, then flip to the bone side, cooking over low to medium heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 65C.”
Ingredients:
For the spatchcock marinade (marinate for 8-10 hours):
500ml olive oil
200g paprika
6 cloves garlic
200g white onion
50g harissa
For the pickled chilli:
10 red chillies, julienned
50g sugar
200ml white wine vinegar
400ml water
10g salt
For the salsa:
1 bunch coriander
800g tomato concasse
100g red chilli, brunoised
50g oregano
100ml olive oil
100g onion
Method:
1. Marinate the chicken: combine olive oil, paprika, garlic, onion and harissa. Coat the spatchcock chicken thoroughly and marinate for a minimum of 8 hours, preferably 10.
2. Barbecue cooking: place the marinated spatchcock chicken over medium-high barbecue heat. Cook until the skin is well-charred and slightly crispy. Move to a cooler part of the barbecue or indirect heat. Close the lid and continue cooking for 9-12 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 75C and juices run clear.
3. Pickled chillies: slice chillies finely. In a saucepan, gently heat vinegar, water, sugar and salt until dissolved. Cool the liquid fully, then pour over the chillies. Chill to pickle while retaining texture and colour.
4. Salsa preparation: combine tomato concasse, red chilli, coriander, oregano, onion and olive oil. Mix well and season to taste before serving.
Hummus
“Our classic chickpea hummus recipe is the perfect addition to any meal,” says Tibi. “It is a delicious plant-based dish to enjoy at home with a freshly made pita or can be elevated by adding some braised lamb to elevate those flavours. To make our classic hummus, we simply blitz water and cooked chickpeas together, then whisk in tahini paste and lemon, and season with salt.”
Ingredients:
350ml tap water
60ml lemon juice
200g tahini
500g cooked chickpeas
Method:
For the hummus:
1. Blitz water and chickpeas together.
2. Whisk in tahini and lemon juice.
3. Season with salt to taste
To serve:
1. Spoon two-thirds of the hummus onto your chosen platter or bowl.
2. Option one: make a well-like hole in the middle of the hummus and add braised lamb in the well, followed by zhoug, a sprinkle of sumac and a large drizzle of olive oil
3. Option two: to also top with sliced apricots and toasted almonds
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