Season 1 (2012)
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Episodes 4
Morocco
Yotam's journey starts in Morocco's most vibrant city, Marrakech, where he discovers the secrets of the tagine and explores the delicious street food. Yotam creates a succession of stunning recipes from the rooftop kitchen of his beautiful Riad: a barbecued leg of lamb with almonds and orange blossom sauce; herb infused cous cous with grilled cherry tomatoes; and sweet pastry 'cigars' with an almond and cinnamon filling. Yotam leaves Marrakech to visit the Atlas Mountains, where he meets and eats with the Berbers and learns their age-old method of making couscous. Yotam grills some beautifully fresh fish with a Moroccan twist, sea bass marinaded in chermoula and served with an herb and raisin salsa.
Read MoreIstanbul
Yotam's journey continues in Turkey's most historical and cultural city, Istanbul. He tastes fish from the magnificent waters of the Bosphorus, is amazed by beautiful local vegetables and samples mouth-watering street food. Yotam makes a pizza topped with spicy beef, a casserole with prawns, squid, tomatoes and cheese, creamy artichokes, baklava, and cinnamon rice pudding with cherry compote.
Read MoreTunisia
In one of North Africa's most popular holiday destinations, Yotam dines on the freshest fish, discovers the national obsession with fiery harissa paste, and samples spicy merguez sausages. Yotam's journey begins with a trip to an unusual open-air restaurant - set in an idyllic cove and managed by a hermit. Yotam grills a red mullet platter accompanied by a lemon and celery salad and a seafood pasta dish using fresh mussels, squid and luscious prawns. He tries his hand at making brik - a fried pastry snack containing soft egg and tuna - and makes mackerel salad with olives, green beans and turmeric croutons. Then there's a colourful dessert of grilled peaches, juicy apricots and ripe figs, coated in scented yoghurt. Yotam also finds a Jewish restaurant that serves their twist on Tunisian dishes and where he prepares succulent chicken and sweet corn meatballs, served with a tangy lemon salsa.
Read MoreIsrael
Yotam's Mediterranean journey concludes in the country where he grew up - Israel. In Tel Aviv, he explores Israel's freshest produce, samples seafood with a twist and cooks alongside cutting-edge chefs. Yotam explores the national obsession with hummus and begins by making the popular Mediterranean dish shakshuka, where eggs are gently poached in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, onion and hot chili peppers. Tel Aviv enjoys an enviable coastal location, and a morning fish market provides the best catch for Yotam's next recipe, which is grilled fishcakes with a creamy beetroot and horseradish relish. Excited by Israel's abundance of fruit and vegetables, Yotam travels to a remote farm to pick one of his favourite ingredients - pomegranate. He uses the fruit's brightly coloured seeds to make a tomato and pomegranate salad with pomegranate molasses and a fragrant garlic dressing.
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