Taste of the season

Labneh with Radishes, Mint, Flatbreads & Za’atar

“I delight in food that is designed to be eaten with your fingers, or scooped up with bread or rice, and mezze – the small dishes associated with Middle Eastern cuisine (which I love) – is just that sort of food. This breakfast is a homage to Mohammed and Marguerite, the wonderfully kind and hospitable friends of a friend, with whom we stayed when travelling in Jordan. Our days with them always started with a breakfast like this, usually outside, accompanied by small, thick glasses of mint tea.

You can recreate this breakfast by assembling various elements that you can buy ready-made. Labneh is just thick Greek yoghurt that has been drained of all its liquid over 24 hours or so until it becomes like a cream or curd cheese. Regular cream cheese or quark will be a perfect substitute, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, which is