Category Archives: Main

Greek Lamb Souvlaki, Garlicky bean mash and Tzaziki

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Delicious lamb skewers, perfect for any occasion.

Makes about 8 – 10 Skewers

INGREDIENTS:  Lamb Souvlaki

  • 2 lbs. lamb, cubed,  cut from leg or shoulder
  • 5 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 1/4 tsp. Chili flakes
  • 1/2 lemon (juice)
  • 1 tbsp. fresh Oregano, or 2 tsp. dried
  • 1 tbsp. fresh Thyme, leafs only, or 2 tsp. dried
  • 1/2 tsp. dried mint (dried works better than fresh in this case)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 10 metal or wooden skewers (soak wooden)

INGREDIENTS:  Tzaziki sauce

  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 of a cup extra virgin olive oil
  • IMG_128018 oz. thick Greek yogurt
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • a pinch of salt

INGREDIENTS:  Garlicky Bean mash 

  • 2 cans of white beans
  • 1 tbsp. + 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. chicken stock powder

INSTRUCTIONS:Lamb Souvlaki

  1. Prepare the marinade for the lamb Souvlaki. Soak the skewers if they are wooden to prevent burning.
  2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients without the salt! Adding the salt at this stage would result in dry meat as it will extract the moisture from the lamb.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate overnight for the best result. If you are in a hurry, just marinate while you prepare your coals.
  4. Remove the lamb from the marinade and thread the pieces onto your wooden or metal skewers. Season the lamb generously with salt just before grilling.
  5. When the coals are covered in a thin layer of grey ash, it’s time to grill. Make sure there are no flames. Grill the lamb for about 4-5 minutes, (depending on how big you’ve cut the cubes), turning to grill evenly.

Tip: Place Pita bread or flat bread on the Bbq to heat up for a minute or two. Serve with a Greek Salad and Tzaziki

INSTRUCTIONS: Tzaziki

  1. Remove the skin and the seeds of the cucumber and grate it into a large bowl. Season with salt and leave aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Wrap the grated cucumber in a towel and squeeze as hard as you can to remove the liquid. Place the cucumber in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Leave to chill for a while in the fridge if you can. Left overs must be stored in the fridge.

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INSTRUCTIONS: Garlicky Bean Mash

  1. Start by frying 4 garlic slices for decorating the bean mash.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a little saucepan. Peel and slice the cloves of garlic in thin slices.
  3. Fry gently in the oil until golden. Be careful not to burn them as they will taste very bitter. It should take about 3  minutes on medium heat. Remove from oil and transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Pour the oil into a little bowl and reserve. We will add this to the mash later.
  4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan a gently fry the onion until golden, about four minutes. Add the sprig of rosemary and the remaining garlic. Fry for another minute before adding the cumin and the drained beans.
  5. Cook the beans for about 10 minutes adding a little water if necessary. Remove from heat. Also remove the rosemary.
  6. Transfer to food processor. Process until the mash is smooth. Add one tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of the reserved garlic infused oil. Return to pan to heat up gently if necessary.
  7. Put in a bowl and drizzle with some of the remaining oil and scatter over the fried garlic slices. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Not quite what you’re looking for? How about this Skewered Chicken Ras el Hanout on home made Flatbread with Sun dried Tomato Hummus and Garlic Dill Yoghurt dip.

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Quinoa Tabbouléh with Chickpeas and Pomegranite Seeds

5 Replies

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Serves 4 as a side

Quinoa is such a versatile grain, I love it! It’s cooked in minutes and basically you can do anything you like with it once it’s cooked. Plus point; it freezes really well too. Just put it in a zip lock bag in the freezer and scoop out what you need.

During the Summer, when it’s too warm to eat hot dishes I like making salads like these, where there is some sort of grain involved and you have your veggies and carbs in one dish.

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Tabbouleh is a middle eastern dish usually made with Bulgur, a kind of dried cracked wheat, but I like to use Quinoa instead since it has a lot more protein, less carbs and more fibre. Also it’s Gluten free.  Quinoa to me is a super grain, the seeds grow on large feather like branches and can be black, red or white. In Inca quinoa means “mother grain”, and I can see why.

However when you cook Quinoa it is very important that you rinse the seeds very well before cooking since they are covered in saponin, a bitter substance that works like a natural insect repellant for the plant.

Ingredients;

  • 1 1/2 C. Quinoa
  • 3 C. Stock, vegetable or chicken
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 C. Pomegranite seeds
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup good olive oil
  • Himalayan salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
  • 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1  cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

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Method;

Cook the Quinoa according to package instructions or;

Wash the Quinoa thoroughly and put in a pan, add the stock. Bring to a gently boil and cook with the lid on the pan for about 10 – 12 minutes , taste and check  to see if the Quinoa is done.

Place the Quinoa in a large bowl and let it cool before adding the chickpeas, pom seeds, scallions, cucumber, herbs, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss and serve either cooled or at room temperature. Great with grilled meats!

Enjoy

Looking for more great recipes to try?  Be sure to check out this Watermelon Salad

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Cambozola Grilled Chicken on Peperonata with Parpadelle

3 Replies

  

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Serves 4

I bought one of those big bags of red bell peppers on the market the other day without  really having a plan. Ghee….

When I came home I realized that I had tons and tons of tomatoes too so I thought it best to start making a Peperonata, to freeze some, to have some straight away and keep some in the fridge for over sandwiches and pizzas.

Then when dinner time came around, I wanted to use some of the Peperonata so I came up with this recipe.

Grilled Chicken and melted Cambozola complemented the sweetness of the peppers just perfectly.

Cambozola is a cow’s milk cheese that is a combination of a French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola. It melts perfectly!

Lets make the Peperonata first.

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Ingredients;

  • 5 red peppers , washed. Green stalk removed and cut in strips
  • 4 tomatoes, green tip removed and cut into chunks
  • 4 onions , peeled and sliced
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 C. water
  • A handful  chopped parsley
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. Capers
  • 2 tbsp. Black (Greek Thassos)* olives
  • Salt and pepper

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Method:

In a large pan heat the olive oil and add the onions and garlic, glaze for three minutes or so and the add the peppers. Sauté 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and add the water.

Cook for about 10 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Add the parsley, capers and olives.

Cook for an other 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

You can even preserve the Peperonata in sterilized jars!

Ingredients for the dish;

  • 4 small chicken breast, flattened with a mallet
  • olive oil cooking spray
  • salt and pepper
  • 12 oz. Parpadelle
  • 1 C. Peperonata
  • 4 thick slices Cambozola

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Method;

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a good amount of salt and add the parpadelle.

Cook al dente for about 7 minutes or according to package instructions.

It is best to flatten the chicken breasts between two pieces of cling film or baking parchment.

Heat a griddle pan on high. Meanwhile season the chicken breast and spray on both sides with oil. Cook in the griddle pan for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. After turning the first time put the slices of Cambozola on the chicken and let them melt.

Drain the pasta, toss with a little olive oil.

To serve, place some parpadelle on a plate, cover with peperonata and top with grilled cambozola chicken.

Buon appetito!

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  • Greek Thassos olives are dried salty olives. I love them but feel free to use any black olive you like or have in your pantry.

Pollo al Ajillo, Chicken in Garlic Sauce .

18 Replies

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Pollo al Ajillo is one of my favorite Spanish dishes, besides Fideuá and Paella. This particular dish has tons of Garlic, White wine, Rosemary, Thyme and good Olive oil. You can serve it with potatoes cooked along with the Chicken or leave them out and just serve with some crusty Baguette.

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2 1⁄2 lb. or 1 whole Chicken cut in to 12 pieces
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper or use Poultry seasoning if you like
  • 12 garlic cloves separated, unpeeled
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 1 glass dry white wine
  • 3/4 – 1 cup chicken broth
  • 6 medium peeled potatoes, about 3⁄4 lb. (375 g) total, cut in slices or quarters
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs, 4 fresh sprigs Rosemary
  • 2 bay leafs
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped Rosemary
  • Some parsley to scatter over for serving.

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INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches as needed to avoid crowding, add the chicken to the hot pan, skin side down, and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer each batch, skin side up, to a large baking dish or a round one (like mine). Scatter over the chopped rosemary and put the remaining thyme and rosemary twigs tucked between the chicken pieces. Set aside.

Pre heat the oven to 375° F.

Do not wipe the pan clean and keep it over medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan.

Add the garlic cloves to the saucepan and the chopped onion cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and beginning to soften, add the sliced garlic and 1 tbsp. flour. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, stock and bay leafs and let bubble for a few minutes.Pour the sauce over the chicken.

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Wash the potatoes, leave the skin on and cut them length wise in four. Tuck between the chicken pieces. . They’ll absorb the chicken flavour and will taste amazing.

Bake in the oven uncovered for about 40-50 minutes. The potatoes should be tender and the chicken opaque throughout and the juices should run clear when pierced with a fork. Serve immediately scattered with some freshly chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

Great served with Green Beans with Chorizo & Thyme