Turkish Chicken

This chicken is absolutely delicious and fairly easy to prepare. The couscous that is used with it can be used with many different dishes.

Here's what you'll need-

For the couscous-

3/4 cup of couscous

1 cup of chicken broth

1 Tbs of butter

6 dried apricots, diced

1/4 cup dried currants

Chopped fresh mint

For the Chicken

2 whole chicken legs (legs and thighs attached)

2 whole pears sliced in half

2 Tbs butter

Cinnamon

Honey

1 tsp zatar seasoning

Dried garlic 

Salt 

Pepper

Walnuts or pecans finely chopped

Asparagus 

Creme fraiche

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place chicken in cast iron skillet. Rub the skin with butter and place remainder of butter in pan. Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic. Then coat with zatar seasoning, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with nuts. Place pears slice side up on a sheet pan and drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place both the pears and chicken in the oven. I place a probe thermometer in the chicken and cook until 165 degrees. 

Meanwhile, blanch asparagus  for 3 minutes in boiling water and set aside. When the chicken is getting close to temp, bring the broth and butter to a boil. When boiling add couscous, apricots, and currants. Immediately remove from heat, stirr the ingridients, cover and let set for 5 minutes. Sauté the asparagus in butter with garlic salt and pepper. 

Plate the couscous and garnish with mint. Place chicken on top of couscous and pour the juices from the skillet over the chicken. Plate the asparagus and top with creme fraiche. Since the pears take a little longer than the chicken, you can plate everything else and then pull out the pears. When making this dish I would highly recommend not skipping out on the asparagus. Since the chicken, the couscous and the pears are sweet you really need a savory element and you can't beat asparagus and creme fraiche. I hop you enjoy this meal. I finished the meal with some baklava.  

Lamb Stuffed Eggplant

 This is one of my new go to dishes. It's easy, delicious and healthy (gluten free!). It will become a Mediterranean favorite in your household.

Here's what you need-

1 large eggplant 

3/4 pound ground lamb

Olive oil

1/2 a large onion

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp fresh grated turmeric

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Pinch of saffron

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup short grain brown rice

2 Tbs butter 

1 cup water
fresh grated parmesean

    First, combine rice, water and butter in a small pot. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cook until al dente  about 40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the indside. It's ok if you don't get all the meat out. Brush the shell lightly with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the eggplant into small cubes and put in a large sauté pan over medium heat with a little olive oil. When the eggplant becomes slightly translucent add onions. When they start to become translucent add lamb, garlic,  turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, safron, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients and cook until lamb is cooked through. Remove from the stove and add the cooked rice. Stuff the mixture into the eggplant shells, top with parmesean. Put the stuffed eggplant halves back in the oven  until the cheese starts to brown (about 15 minutes). Remove from oven and plate, preferably with a tomato and greens salad. And enjoy.

Moroccan Chicken Schnitzel

What a great recipe to start my blog! This is a creation of mine inspired by my time in the Middle East. 

What you need-

1 large chicken breast

2 tbs butter

2 eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tbs zatar seasoning

1/2 tsp turmeric 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cardamom

Salt and pepper

1 large Tomatoe 

1 cucumber 

1tsp olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

Chives 

Hummus 

Pita

To start, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Then pound the chicken thin and cut in half for two portions. Mix flour and seasonings. Make an egg wash out of the eggs and a couple spoons of cold water. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour then the eggs then back in the flour. Melt butter in the skillet. Sauté the chicken in the skillet making sure you brown both sides. Make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly. Then start on the salad. Dice the tomatoe and cucumber. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve schnitzel with grilled pita, salad, and hummus topped with fried chives. It is pictured below with breaded fried Thai chilies. They are extremely spicy so if you like spice they can be a great accompaniment to this dish. I hope you enjoy and let me know how this recipe works for you.