Persiana Everyday: Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of Persiana Everyday: All New Recipes from the Best Selling Author of Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour.

Sabrina Ghayour is known for her strikingly vibrant dishes that are not only impressive to serve but each dish is packed with flavor. Each of her books has a special place on my bookshelf. Her latest, Persiana Everyday, is no different. I spent one afternoon reading this book and marking just about every recipe to try.

This all-new collection of more than 100 fuss-free, crowd-pleasing dishes for everyday eating is designed to ensure maximum flavour with the greatest of ease – including no-cook, quick-prep, quick-cook and one-pot dishes. Pork, cilantro and scallion meatballs with tamarind glaze; Sticky spiced-apple pork belly slices; and Lazy one-pan souvlaki & fried potatoes are three of the recipes that jumped out immediately along with the two dishes below we are sharing.

Fried feta parcels with honey – Serves 2
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The first time I ate this dish was at a beautiful hotel on the beach in Kefalonia. I was so taken by the simplicity of it, but also inwardly angry at myself – number one fan of all things feta – that I hadn’t thought of this combination myself. The only thing I have done differently from the hotel’s version is to cut the feta block into four pieces rather than keeping it whole, so there is more pastry to enjoy. Either way, you’ll be glad you made this, and if I could give you a piece of advice, keep some extra blocks of feta handy because you might want to use the rest of the filo pastry pack to make more of these gorgeous parcels.

  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • 200g block of feta cheese, cut into quarters
  • 1 sheet of filo pastry (about 480 x 250mm), cut into quarters
  • 2 heaped tablespoons clear honey

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, pour in about 1cm vegetable oil and bring to frying temperature (the oil must not be too hot: add a little piece of filo pastry – if it bubbles gently the oil is hot enough, if it sizzles aggressively the oil is too hot).

Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper.

Wrap each rectangle of feta in a piece of filo and use a little oil or water to seal the seam on the underside.

Gently lay the parcels in the hot oil, seam-side down, and fry them for a couple of minutes until you see the pastry on the underside turn golden and bubble up a little. Then very carefully turn the parcels over and fry the other side until crisp and golden brown.

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain, then serve on a plate drizzled with the honey.


Simple chicken parcels three ways: fennel & orange – Serves 2
Simple chicken parcels three ways: ras el hanout & lemon
Simple chicken parcels three ways: thyme, lime, cumin & pul biber

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I love roasting a whole bird, and pan-frying chicken is also good, but I can’t always be bothered. So this is where the ‘simple’ parcel baking method comes into play, where steam inside the parcel ‘roasts’ the chicken, keeping the meat lovely and juicy without charring. Here are three delicious citrus-perfumed recipes featuring very different marinades for you to try.

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 200g each (if using smaller ones, you will need to reduce the cooking time accordingly)
  • Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Fennel & orange

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

Ras el hanout & lemon

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 1 teaspoon ras el hanout

Thyme, lime, cumin & pul biber

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pul biber chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan), Gas Mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Tear off a sheet of baking paper large enough to generously enclose your 2 chicken breasts to form a parcel. Place the chicken breasts on one half of the sheet, then divide the ingredients for the marinade of your choice on to them and, using your hands, coat the surface of each breast thoroughly. Season generously with salt 
and pepper.

Gather one edge of the baking paper and fold over the chicken breasts to enclose them, then crimp the edges of the paper together tightly until you have a sealed parcel. Place on the lined tray and bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.

Remove from the oven and leave the chicken to rest in the parcel for a good 5 minutes before cutting it open and serving.

Recipes used with permission of the publisher.

Sabrina’s books are not to be missed. Be sure you add this title to your wishlist (or buy it now!) Enter below for a chance to win a copy.

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 November 1st, 2022.

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142 Comments

  • miggsy  on  August 17, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • Maefleur  on  August 17, 2022

    pomegranate chicken wings

  • sarahawker  on  August 17, 2022

    Simple chicken parcels three ways: thyme, lime, cumin & pul biber

  • Kristjudy  on  August 17, 2022

    Pomegranate chicken wings

  • hillsboroks  on  August 17, 2022

    I would love to try the Halloumi, bacon, date and apple salad.

  • ravensfan  on  August 17, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • tcjanes  on  August 17, 2022

    Lamb date chili stew.

  • matag  on  August 17, 2022

    Za’atar, paprika & garlic chicken

  • eliza  on  August 17, 2022

    Spiced coconut chickpeas

  • demomcook  on  August 17, 2022

    Spicy Nutty Roasted Cauliflower

  • akrupnick  on  August 18, 2022

    Harissa lemon chicken thighs

  • jlemoine  on  August 18, 2022

    I would make the chicken and cucumber salad first. There are so many good ones to choose from!

  • pavolva  on  August 18, 2022

    The za’atar, leek, potato, and Gruyère frittata sounds delicious.

  • LSanders  on  August 18, 2022

    Butternut, cardamon and tahini soup

  • nvernon  on  August 18, 2022

    Kofta, orzo & tomato bake with feta

  • kmn4  on  August 18, 2022

    Sage butter, feta & black pepper pasta

  • Shelley.b  on  August 18, 2022

    Za’atar, tomato, olive & feta pastries

  • MarciK  on  August 18, 2022

    Meatball & mushroom Stroganoff

  • sayeater  on  August 18, 2022

    Well it’s a Sabrina Ghayour book, so of course I want to try ALL the recipes. But today the Pomegranate-glazed aubergine with peanuts & spring onions jumped out at me.

  • DarcyVaughn  on  August 18, 2022

    Baked halloumi with lemon, wild thyme & honey

  • lean1  on  August 18, 2022

    Butternut harissa and coconut soup

  • AliceinCookbooks  on  August 18, 2022

    Sloppy sabs 🙂

  • mjes  on  August 19, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • dataentrytard  on  August 19, 2022

    Chicken & cucumber salad with pul biber & tahini lime dressing

  • Jennwalker314  on  August 19, 2022

    Tahini, Citrus chicken Kabobs

  • hrk  on  August 19, 2022

    Ash-e-reshteh

  • Shelmar  on  August 19, 2022

    My muhammara

  • kitchenclimbers  on  August 19, 2022

    pomegranate chicken wings

  • htomren  on  August 19, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • htomren  on  August 19, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • Mamarita  on  August 19, 2022

    Friend just made saffron rice with a crisp crust. Yum.

  • damjih  on  August 19, 2022

    Im always down to make a new muhammara recipe~

  • Marty_Mtl  on  August 19, 2022

    my flavourbomb beans on toast sounds delicious 🙂

  • Swoof  on  August 19, 2022

    I definitely want to try the chicken parcels three ways: ras el hanout & lemon

  • Swoof  on  August 19, 2022

    Pomegranate chicken wings sounds delicious!

  • RickPearson54  on  August 19, 2022

    sloppy sabs

  • Swoof  on  August 19, 2022

    Muhammara, without question.

  • jenlhawes  on  August 19, 2022

    You had me at fried feta…

  • Rosskat  on  August 19, 2022

    Sticky spiced-apple pork belly slices

  • j3g  on  August 19, 2022

    Braised celery with black pepper & garlic

    I’m on a “use celery as a vegetable” kick, and NEED MORE RECIPES.

  • davisesq212  on  August 19, 2022

    I would try the Bazaar spiced chickpea & feta salad first!

  • thecharlah  on  August 19, 2022

    Chicken & cucumber salad with pul biber & tahini lime dressing

  • Mariarosa  on  August 20, 2022

    Aromatic shrimp with rice & corn

  • trudys_person  on  August 20, 2022

    Fennel, feta, orange & pistachio salad sounds good for these hot summer days!

  • LaurenE  on  August 20, 2022

    Halloumi, bacon, date and apple salad

  • Ingridemery  on  August 21, 2022

    Wow it is hard to narrow it down as it all looks amazing though the first thing that caught my eye was the Pomegranate & harissa-roasted aubergine

  • rkosully  on  August 21, 2022

    First I would love to make the Baked halloumi with lemon, wild thyme, and honey.

  • kmorgens  on  August 21, 2022

    Jeweled tomato salad

  • kennethjohngilmour  on  August 22, 2022

    would like to try the sweet potato, sage & feta tart found on page 150 first

  • sarahteertzah  on  August 22, 2022

    Seared pepper steak & tomato salad with sweet & spicy lime dressing

  • tpresent  on  August 22, 2022

    Za’atar, Paprika, & Garlic Chicken

  • tpresent  on  August 22, 2022

    Za’atar, paprika, & garlic chicken

  • gallucci  on  August 22, 2022

    I’d start with Butternut, harissa & coconut soup, then Lamb, date & chilli stew

  • GreenhouseCheryl  on  August 22, 2022

    Bloody Mary spatchcocked chicken

  • PestoPaulo  on  August 24, 2022

    Spicy Nutty Roasted Cauliflower

  • Dannausc  on  August 25, 2022

    Harissa and lemon roasted chicken thighs

  • Leonard5854  on  August 26, 2022

    Meatball and mushroom Stroganoff

  • betsyradelow  on  August 26, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • acecil  on  August 26, 2022

    Pork, coriander & spring onion meatballs with tamarind glaze

  • reader1trees  on  August 26, 2022

    Yogurt, marjoram & pul biber flatbreads followed by Chewy pistachio bites.

  • JPurser  on  August 26, 2022

    I would make the Fennel, Feta, Orange + Pistachio Salad.

  • PeavineBlues  on  August 26, 2022

    Chelo ba Tahdig

  • Jenjeanh  on  August 26, 2022

    Sesame and spice roasted salmon sounds good to me or the shrimp and corn

  • TeresaP  on  August 27, 2022

    Za’atar, paprika & garlic chicken

  • roxlet  on  August 27, 2022

    Spiced coconut chickpeas

  • tamtamgold  on  August 27, 2022

    Fried Feta Parcels with Honey

  • youngsvnnhrs  on  August 28, 2022

    Za’atar, tomato, olive & feta pastries

  • BMeyer  on  August 28, 2022

    harissa lemon chicken thights

  • Icecream2  on  August 28, 2022

    Fried feta packets

  • chromiumman  on  August 29, 2022

    the muhammara

  • rosaB  on  August 30, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • Megsycle  on  August 30, 2022

    Baked halloumi with lemon, wild thyme & honey

  • Laura1  on  August 30, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • ChicagoJen  on  August 31, 2022

    I’d love to try a new muhammara recipe!

  • verorenee  on  August 31, 2022

    Tahini, citrus, chicken kebabs

  • minbody  on  September 1, 2022

    The za’atar, leek, potato, and Gruyère frittata

  • calguire  on  September 2, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • AIC  on  September 2, 2022

    Baked halloumi with lemon, wild thyme & honey

  • HelenNT  on  September 2, 2022

    Would love to try Sabrina’s “My muhammara”

  • dmass  on  September 2, 2022

    Fragrant roasted Haddock sounds good to me, along with the Fried Feta parcels with honey, which I will be trying straight away.

  • Megskitchen  on  September 3, 2022

    I would like to try Zaatar, Paprika and garlic chicken

  • banba1  on  September 3, 2022

    Spiced mushroom loqmeh lettuce wraps with yohurt & tamarind sauce

  • curafresh  on  September 3, 2022

    any of the different rice dishes

  • t.t  on  September 4, 2022

    Tahini, citrus, chicken kebabs

  • elysedc  on  September 4, 2022

    Jeweled tomato salad!

  • muddypuppy2  on  September 5, 2022

    Simple chicken parcels three ways: fennel & orange

  • fbrunetti  on  September 5, 2022

    Bazaar spiced chickpea & feta salad

  • antpantsii  on  September 5, 2022

    My muhamarra sounds interesting and probably delicious!

  • FigsandOkra  on  September 7, 2022

    Frosted lemon almond loaf cake sounds absolutely delicious and would probably make that first!

  • lindaeatsherbooks  on  September 9, 2022

    I would like to make the Ottoman puffs.

  • avonleajules  on  September 9, 2022

    Fried Feta Parcels with Honey

  • Redmoose31  on  September 9, 2022

    Rhubarb, rose & pistachio trifle pots

  • Magspags  on  September 9, 2022

    Fried Feta. Yum!

  • chefandra  on  September 10, 2022

    Curried yellow split peas with sweet potatoes & spinach (page 164)

  • clairew137  on  September 11, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • lselke  on  September 11, 2022

    Cheese, thyme, and walnut flatbreads with honey.

  • JenjiD  on  September 11, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • sioslo  on  September 12, 2022

    Everything looks tempting but loving lamb the lamb date chili stew would be my first.

  • Maryd8822  on  September 12, 2022

    Butternut, harissa & coconut soup

  • debbiehb  on  September 13, 2022

    Jeweled tomato salad

  • jezpurr  on  September 16, 2022

    Cardamon & mocha rice pudding!!!^_^

  • inflytur  on  September 17, 2022

    Butternut, harissa & coconut soup

  • teamkies  on  September 18, 2022

    Orange & dark chocolate rubble cake

  • dbielick  on  September 18, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • rchesser  on  September 20, 2022

    Harissa and lemon roasted chicken thigh.

  • janv  on  September 21, 2022

    fried feta packets

  • Pizzacat13  on  September 22, 2022

    The Sautéed Courgettes with Mint sounds like a lovely flavour combo.

  • Ren23  on  September 23, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • Jawilliams  on  September 23, 2022

    Fried Feta Parcels with Honey- This Fried Cheese with Honey food of the gods!

  • mph993  on  September 24, 2022

    Lazy one-pan souvlaki fried potatoes

  • amweeks  on  September 24, 2022

    I’d love to make the Ottoman puffs!

  • orchidlady01  on  September 29, 2022

    Za’atar, tomato, olive & feta pastries

  • jus062  on  September 30, 2022

    Pomegranate chicken wings

  • Sand9  on  September 30, 2022

    Frosted Lemon Almond Cake

  • trudys_person  on  October 3, 2022

    All three of the chicken recipes above sound great, and I’d love to try the Halloumi, bacon, date and apple salad. It sounds like a great main-course salad!

  • cellenly  on  October 4, 2022

    Butternut, cardamom & tahini soup

  • oduong930  on  October 6, 2022

    Za’atar, paprika & garlic chicken

  • Micklin  on  October 7, 2022

    Fig, beetroot, goat cheese, red chili & walnut salad!! This combo sounds amazing!

  • eggplantolive  on  October 7, 2022

    aromatic shrimp with rice and corn

  • Cjennings  on  October 7, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • saregama  on  October 9, 2022

    pom wings

  • CheesyKranskyLove  on  October 10, 2022

    The Fried feta parcels with honey looks fantastic

  • RSW  on  October 10, 2022

    Pistachio, cinnamon & brown sugar pastry twists

  • dwager  on  October 10, 2022

    Harissa and Lemon roasted Chicken Thighs

  • EmilyR  on  October 11, 2022

    Pistachio, cinnamon & brown sugar pastry twists

  • AnnaZed  on  October 15, 2022

    Tahini, citrus, chicken kebabs

  • Betsy77  on  October 17, 2022

    Those fried feta parcels look amazing

  • TammyDee  on  October 19, 2022

    Fried Feta Parcels with honey would definitely be my first recipe.

  • LeilaD  on  October 20, 2022

    Tahini & thyme mushrooms

  • JEWGAL777  on  October 21, 2022

    Baked Halloumi

  • Patrickn  on  October 22, 2022

    Simple one pan souvlaki and fried potatoes.

  • HomespunHouse  on  October 23, 2022

    fennel & orange chicken packets

  • tarae1204  on  October 24, 2022

    Halloumi, bacon, date and apple salad.

  • galeforcewind  on  October 24, 2022

    Come on, fried cheese parcels? How could I not?

  • Karla123  on  October 24, 2022

    Pomegranate-glazed aubergine with peanuts & spring onions

  • hettar7  on  October 26, 2022

    parmesan fennel and black pepper pastry twists

  • Plumberful  on  October 26, 2022

    Simple Chicken parcels three ways!

  • moralla  on  October 28, 2022

    Fried feta parcels with honey

  • leilx  on  October 30, 2022

    Parmesan, fennel and black pepper pastry twists or one of the sweet twists.

  • Pennyf  on  October 30, 2022

    Spiced coconut chickpeas

  • caliwoo  on  October 31, 2022

    parmesan-fennel–black-pepper

  • vinochic  on  November 1, 2022

    hard to pick just one… but right now I would try the butternut, harissa & coconut soup

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