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Chicken with Kumquats

Chicken with Tamarind and Kumquats

Kumquats are in season- make this!!

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 to 1½ pounds boneless chicken thighs, skinned removed
  • Salt
  • 1 pack kumquats, sliced in half and deseeded
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
  • 1 tablespoon agave
  • Salt
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup mint, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Sprinkle salt on the chicken pieces. Brown both sides on high heat for about a minute or two each. Take out and keep aside. Add the kumquats and ginger and sauté for a minute on high heat. Add the orange juice, tamarind, sriracha and agave. Bring to a boil and reduce the sauce down to about a cup. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cover and cook for about 15 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add the cilantro and mint for garnish. Serve with coconut rice.

Brown Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Currants

I’ve almost stopped cooking white rice… I am able to transform brown rice into so many different dishes, that I don’t end up missing white rice. Try this one and you will be surprised!

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups brown rice, rinsed
  • 2 cups water

Heat a heavy saucepan with the butter, add the rice and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and salt. Bring to a boil and cook on a low medium heat with the lid mostly on the pan for 10 minutes or till the water has cooked off from the surface. Cover with lid and lower the heat to a very low and continue cooking for at least 20 minutes or till the rice is cooked through. Fluff the rice with a fork and let it cool.

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 to 5 green onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup currants
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • Salt

Heat a large frying pan with the olive oil. Add the green onions, garlic and cumin and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the almonds and currants and sauté for a minute. Add the cooled rice and sauté on medium heat. Add salt, parsley and mint. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Serve warm.

 

Middle Eastern Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

This is a great take on your regular, run of the mill, meatballs- not that any thing is wrong with that… but sometimes it is nice to change it up a bit…. they are really good to entertain with… I served mine with delicious couscous…

  • 1 pound ground pork (any ground meat can be used)
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs soaked in ½ cup milk (let sit for at least 10 mins)

Mix all the ingredients and set aside for at least an hour.

Tomato Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • Zest of one orange (keep juice aside)
  • 3 cups tomato sauce, homemade or canned crushed tomatoes
  • Salt

Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the tomato paste, fennel seeds, ground cumin, cinnamon and orange zest. Saute on medium heat for a minute and add the tomato sauce and the saved orange juice. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat with lid on for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Take lid off and increase heat and form meatballs and drop gently into the pan. Lower the heat to a simmer with the lid on and cook for 30 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt. Serve on top of couscous topped with yogurt sauce.

Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
  • ½ cup grated cucumber, water squeezed
  • ½ cup grated carrot, water squeezed.
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sumac

Mix all the ingredients and check for seasonings. Serve with meatballs.

Middle Eastern Style Meatballs1

Paneer Cheese Burgers with Cilantro Mayo

Everyone loves burgers- it is one of my family’s favorite things to eat… especially if they are homemade- your guests and you won’t miss meat at all!! These burgers are made with paneer (Indian cheese) and are packed with protein and flavor…

  • 1 pound paneer, grated
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped
  • ¼ cup mint, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves,
  • 1 cup grilled or regular frozen corn, chopped
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala

Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate it for an hour. Form 6 patties and keep aside.

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 slices cheddar cheese

Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the patties on both side on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes each. Place sliced cheese, cover with foil for a minute or two and serve on buns with slices of tomato,  arugula and cilantro mayo.

Cilantro Mayonnaise

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • Juice of half a lime
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Mix all the ingredients together and serve on buns with the burgers.

 

Moroccan Style Chicken with Vegetable Couscous

I love, love harissa- it is a Moroccan style sauce with lots of flavor including some spice and sweet red peppers. It is a great way to infuse loads of flavor if roasting or grilling meats, poultry or seafood…

  • 4 to 6 chicken thighs, bone in with skin on
  • 2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 preserved lemon, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Mix the harissa, oil, preserved lemon and salt in a small bowl and marinate the chicken with the mixture for 2 to 3 hours.

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares
  • Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat a large frying pan with the butter and olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces on high heat with skin side down- approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Take the chicken out and add the chopped vegetables and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and turn the heat off. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and roast in oven for 30 to 35 minutes or till chicken is cooked through. Take the chicken pieces out onto a platter and cover to keep warm. Take the vegetables out and chop roughly and keep aside. Take all the liquid out of the frying pan and separate the fat and keep aside. Use the remaining liquid for the chicken before serving- it’s full of yummy flavor!

Couscous

  • 2 remaining fat from the frying pan
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon harissa
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat couscous
  • Salt
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped

Reheat the same frying pan with the fat and olive oil. Add the chopped vegetables and the harissa. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Cover with lid and turn heat off and let the pan sit for 10 minutes. Take lid off and fluff couscous with fork. Garnish with cilantro and mint. Serve warm with chicken on top and a drizzle of the chicken liquid!

 

Rice Noodles with Shrimp Curry and Chinese Broccoli

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 8 allspice berries

Toast the spices in a dry cast iron pan on medium heat until fragrant and grind in a spice mill. Keep aside.

  • 1 pound rice noodles, cooked according to package directions. Drizzle a bit of oil, mix well and keep aside.
  •  2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemongrass, chopped finely
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Juice and zest of one large lime
  • Salt
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 14 ounces can of coconut milk
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 bunch Chinese broccoli, chopped
  • 3 green onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Heat a wok like pan with the coconut oil. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the lemongrass, garlic and ginger and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the spice mix, turmeric, cayenne pepper, juice and zest of lime, salt, fish sauce and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the Chinese broccoli and shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and add the green onion, mint, cilantro and basil.

Dip the noodles briefly in hot water, drain and add some to each serving bowl. Top with the shrimp curry and serve warm.

Tabbouleh

This is a yummy salad- perfect with the Middle Eastern feast I made. Fresh, flavorful and delicious….

  • ¼ cup red bulgur
  • 3 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 cups flat leaf parsley, minced
  • 1 cup fresh mint, minced
  • 1 cup cilantro, minced
  • ½ English cucumber, chopped
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground all spice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Transfer the bulgur to a medium bowl and pour about ½ cup hot water and let soak for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain and add to a serving bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half and take out all the meat with a spoon including the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl including all the other ingredients. Mix well, taste for seasonings and serve.