Moroccan Style Chicken Kabobs On Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds

Pin It

I am in love with Ras El Hanout.  No, he is not a tall, dark and handsome Arab, although I wish it were. Ras El Hanout is an exotic and aromatic North African spice blend used in grilled meats, curries and tagines. The name is Arabic for "head of the shop" and implies the best spices the seller has to offer.

There is no definitive combination of spices in the mix.  Each shop, company or person may have its own blend which can consist of over a dozen spices. Commonly used ingredients are cardamon, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek and turmeric. To this mix, some spices, particular to the region, may be toasted and added to the blend.

I have been experimenting with Ras El Hanout ever since I fell in love with Yotam Ottolenghi's cooking.   I bought all three of his cookbooks and promptly  ordered a bunch of spices from Williams Sonoma.  Ras El Hanout was one of them.  I have already posted two of his recipes, here and here.  Lately,with everything that is going on in this house, cooking has been simple and I have not had a chance to dig deep into his books; but the other night I added this spice blend to the chicken kabobs we were having for dinner.  We loved it.  They were spicy, aromatic and full of flavor.  Everything you would dream about in the perfect grilled chicken.

Ras El Hanout can be ordered  on several sites on the Internet, including Amazon.  As a benchmark, I strongly recommend the blend on the Williams Sonoma website,  but have included a simple recipe below.

Before you say anything, I know soy sauce is not part of Moroccan cuisine and neither are Vidalia onions,  or tomatoes for that matter, but it works.  The world has shrunk and now everything is available everywhere.  Let's take advantage of it and bend the rules once in awhile,  when and if appropriate.   Trust me, this really works!

Accompany with  Yellow Rice Pilaf With Raisins And Almonds but substitute saffron for turmeric. 

Moroccan Style Chicken Kabobs

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs

Marinade

1 TB Ras El Hanout
4 garlic cloves mashed
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil

1 Vidalia or Spanish onion
4 cherry tomatoes
1 red, yellow or orange pepper
Salt and pepper

Directions

Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces.  In a bowl mix the rest of the ingredients.  Marinade the chicken for at least 1/2 hour. 

Quarter the onions and cut the peppers into 1 inch pieces.  

Skewer the chicken, tomatoes, onions and peppers, alternating.  Drizzle the chicken marinade over the kabobs.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides.

Light the grill and cook on medium high until chicken is done.  If it begins to char too much, lower the temperature and move kabobs to the back of the grill.

Optional but good:  Accompany with sour cream, mango chutney and avocado slices with oil and vinegar. Pita bread can be substituted for the rice.

Ras El Hanout

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cumin\
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds\
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preparation:


In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined well. Spice blend keeps in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 month.

All photos except #2 Lindaraxa
Photo #2 Williams Sonoma

Lindaraxa has not received payment for mentioning any of the products in this post..

Ottolenghi...Couscous With Grilled Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Pin It

I may be stuck in a small town on a lake in Northern Georgia, but believe me, I have ears to the ground everywhere...and I mean everywhere.   Luckily,  two of my best friends live in big cities, New York and Paris, and they are both gourmets and gourmands who still travel the world in the pursuit of pleasure. Or so I thought...

It was on a trip to Miami last month, that I was handed a copy of Ottolenghi, The Cookbook, by one of my scouts.  I must admit that, initially,  I was ho hum about it and did not give it a second look.  That was until I came home and, on a trip to the local library, was surprised to find a copy on the shelves.  Hmmm...Lindaraxa prides herself on being on top of the latest trends, particularly in cooking, so how come I had never heard of this before. Where were my scouts! Worse, if it was at the local library in my little town in Georgia it was old news!

With time on my hands and snow on the ground, I devoured the first book, and then the second and a third.  Finally a cookbook that was new, fresh and innovative.  For months I had complained that there was nothing new in the world of cooking that excited the imagination.  Well, at long last, here it was...Ottolenghi.

Born in Jerusalem and a resident of the U.K  since 1995, Yotam Ottolenghi has written a vegetarian column for the Guardian since 2008 called The New Vegetarian based on recipes from his restaurants. No, he is not a vegetarian, trust me.  He attended the Cordon Bleu in London and together with his partner, Sami Tamami, owns four eponymous restaurants—each a patisserie, deli, restaurant, and bakery rolled into one—in some of London’s chicest neighborhoods.

Ottolenghi, The Cookbook features 140 recipes culled from the popular restaurants and inspired by the diverse culinary traditions of the Mediterranean. They reflect the authors’ upbringings in Jerusalem, yet also incorporate culinary traditions from California, Italy, and North Africa, among others. Featuring abundant produce and numerous fish and meat dishes, as well as Ottolenghi’s famed cakes and breads, Ottolenghi invites you into a world of inventive flavors and fresh, vibrant cooking.

 

His other two cookbooks, Plenty and Jerusalem have been runaway bestsellers here and in UK.  The U.S. editions came out in the Fall of 2013 to rave reviews, one of them from the New York Times.

The excitement over Jerusalem, the newest cookbook, has led to clubs, Facebook pages  and cooking marathons.  And where was I? Sad to say, asleep at the wheel! In all fairness to myself, I can understand this lapse in my life.  It is not the type of cuisine that has ever interested me until I actually held three of his books in my hand and was marveled at the combinations of flavors and the creativity and originality of the recipes.

Tonight, I am correcting this lapse and stepping into the world of Ottolenghi with a side dish to accompany the leg of lamb roasting in the oven, after marinading for four hours in Dijon mustard, rosemary leaves, olive oil, garlic paste and Lea & Perrins Sauce. For the couscous,  I chose a very conservative recipe to begin with which, unfortunately, is not in the cookbooks but on his website. I played around with the measurements.  It was divine.   Little steps...
  

 

Couscous With Grilled Cherry Tomatoes And Fresh Herbs

Serves 8

 

Ingredients:

6 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, sliced into 2mm thick rings (400g net)

1 tsp honey

½ tsp ras el hanout spice mix*

2 oz golden raisins or sultanas

1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

2 cups couscous

1 oz unsalted butter, cut into dice

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped

25g (1 1/2 oz) rocket, roughly chopped (did not add, don't ask)

1 oz coriander, roughly chopped

1 oz parsley, roughly chopped

1 oz mint, roughly torn

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp argan oil, or olive oil if unavailable

Salt and black pepper

Directions:

 

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.
 

Start by caramelising the onions. Place a medium sauté pan on a medium to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the onions, honey, ras el hanout, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cook for 15-30 minutes, on until the onions are soft, dark brown and sweet. Remove from the heat, stir in the raisins or sultanas and set aside.

 Place a ridged griddle pan on high heat and leave until piping hot. Mix the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of oil and cook on the hot pan for about 4 minutes, until the skin is slightly charred and the flesh is soft, turning occasionally. Set aside.

 Line the base and sides of a roasting tin, approximately 20 x 30 centimeters, with baking paper and put in the couscous, along with ½ a teaspoon of salt. Pour over 3 1/2 cups of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir and leave to soak for 10 minutes, covered with foil. Dot the soaked couscous with the butter cubes, cover with foil again and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and fluff up with a fork

.

Once the couscous has cooled slightly transfer it into a large bowl. Add the onion and raisin mix and stir. Add the cumin seeds, garlic, almonds, rocket and most of the herbs, leaving a little to the end. Finally add the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper and mix gently.

Gradually transfer the couscous to a serving platter scattering with the cherry tomatoes as you go. Finish with a sprinkle of herbs and drizzle with argan oil.

IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY!

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful dinner party menu this would make with a cucumber and yogurt salad!

*This is something you can mix together at home.  I used a Thai mix which has most everything, but added coriander seeds which I love.

Recipe adapted from Ottolenghi
Photos #1,6, 7, 8 Lindaraxa
all other Google

The Experts Weigh In!...Wine Suggestions for the Moroccan Apricot and Lamb Tagine

Pin It I have recently joined a wine group on Linkedin called Wines & Spirits.

After I published my post for the Apricot Lamb Tagine, I thought it would be fun to approach them for their suggestions on what wines to serve with the tagine. This is what they came up with. Keep in mind, these are not your average wine drinkers, but very sophisticated wine connoisseurs and collectors, so enjoy!

Jan De Ceuster
Experienced consumer PR consultant, with particular strong experience in travel & hospitality and wine & gastronomy

"I would suggest a Sicilian Nero d'Avola, a modern style Calabrase based on, a Puglian Primitivo or a sound Californian Zinfandel. "

Jim Ruxin
Owner, JKR Productions, Inc.

"I agree with Jan's suggestions. This dish might even take a late harvest zin with light to moderate sweetness, depending on the strength of the fruit presence in the dish. As a foil to that sweetness, you might go in the other direction with an Amarone, or even a negro amaro such as Feudi Serpico, 1998, 1999 and 2001 are particularly good. "

Mark Norman
Director of Marketing and Business Development at The Wine Societies

"I would go with an ancient vine (old vine) zinfandel or ancient vine (old vine) petite sirah...I make a lamp chop with a port and fig reduction and both go extremely well with that! I would suspect that your recipe is slightly spicy so the heavier (ancient vine / old vine) wines would stand up well! "

Greg Tuttle
Wine Operations Manager at Total Wine & More

"At a recent training meeting, our wine managers enjoyed both old vine zinfandel and elegant Russian River pinot noir with various Moroccan tagines. In spite of their rich seasoning, the pinot noir was not overwhelmed and compliemented the sweet spicing of the dishes and the flavors of the preserved fruits. I like Jan's Nero d'Avola suggestion as well – a medium-bodied tannat or tannat blend from Uruguay might also be a fun pairing. "

Mike Potashnik
Publisher, International Wine Review

"How about an off dry Riesling for a Chicken leg tangine? What about a Rioja for minted lamb kabobs? How about Chateau Musar for either "

Abby Wine
Southwest Wine Travel Examiner, Examiner.com

"Greetings, it is possible to get an Algerian wine. Be sure to consult a professional, as these wines can be highly acidic, not so well balanced. Of course, people have been eating North African food with French, Spanish, and Italian wines for centuries. You might consider a red blend from Corbieres, one of the largest and most southerly wine sub-regions in France. The vineyards of Corbieres hug the Mediterranean coast. The typical varietals in a Corbieres blend are the same as those in a Cote du Rhone, and the wines tend to be full-bodied. I love a good Corbieres because you can taste the Mediterranean sunshine, and it really stimulates the appetite. The French are experts at blending these wines to pair with all manner of Mediterranean cuisines, including North African style dishes. Several North African states were French colonies for centuries, so the cuisines and winemaking of both areas are intimately connected. Within my area of particular expertise, I would pair this with the 2007 Sangiovese from Village of Elgin Winery in the Sonoita, AZ AVA. That is a fantastic, natural wine with the same touch of sunshine. It is a little lighter than most Corbieres blends, very well balanced, with a hint of sweetness that will really bring out the dried fruit in this dish. Good luck! "

The final choice is up to you...but what a choice!


You can see more comments and connect to the Wine & Spirits Group in Linkedin by clicking:

http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=44979&discussionID=5700817&commentID=5446444&goback=%2Eanh_44979#commentID_5446444.

Dinner in Marrakesh...Apricot Lamb Tagine

Pin It This North African stew is named for the traditional dish it is cooked in. A tagine is a clay pot that consists of a shallow round base and a cone shaped lid designed to allow the moisture to flow back down into the base during cooking. The stews known as tagines are oftened thickened and flavored with dried fruit. The recipe here contains apricots, but prunes raisins and dates are also common.

In France, tagines are often accompanied by couscous, while flatbread is more typical in Morocco. I think yellow rice or jasmine rice would also be nice, particularly for a dinner party where some of the guests might not like couscous.

This recipe for Apricot Lamb Tagine uses a wonderful blend of Moroccan spices to season the meat before it is braised and falls apart. Near the end of the cooking, dried fruit and honey are added for a bit of sweetness and red pepper flakes for some heat. The combination of the flavourful slow braised lamb with the spices and the sweet dried fruit and the warmth is simply amazing. It's a wonderful dish to serve at a dinner party, as you can prepare it the day before.

Choosing a wine is the tricky part of this exercise due to the spiciness, sweetness and heat combination in this dish. I frankly prefer a dry rose with character, such as Bandol or Tavel, or a red like a Syrah or Shiraz. Make sure the latter is served at the right temperature (65 degrees) by chilling it a bit in the fridge. 30 minutes should do it. For the right temperature to serve red wines, particularly in the summer click here,

*After I published this post, I asked members of the Wines & Spirits Group at Linkedin to weigh in with their recommendations. This is what they came up with.

The Bellini Sorbetto with Amaretti Cookies would be a nice dessert.


Makes 4 servings



Ingredients:

2 tsps paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pinches of saffron
3 1/2 cups of water
1 teaspoon lemon (zest)
2 1/2 pound lamb stew meat*
3 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 TB honey
1 beef cube
6 oz dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
red pepper flakes to taste
or Harissa*
1/2 cup slivered onions
Chopped parsley


Directions:


1. Mix the paprika, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom, salt, cayenne pepper, lemon zest and oil in a ziplock bag. Add the lamb, mix well and marinate in the fridge for a few hours to overnight.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the saffron into the water in a small saucepan and set aside for 10 minutes, then just heat to simmer (saffron is not soluble in oil so you must first soak it in water to release flavors).

3. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven.

4. Add the lamb, brown well on all sides and set aside.

5. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

6. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for about a minute.

7. Add the lamb, tomato paste, the bay leaf, cinnamon sticks and cover with the saffron water. Add bouillon cube.

8. Bring to a boil, cover, put in the oven and cook for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until the lamb is almost tender. Halfway through skim fat and turn lamb pieces over so they cook more evenly.

9. Add the honey. Add the apricots and raisins, submerge them and continue cooking covered until the apricots fall apart and the sauce thickens, about another 30 minutes. If the sauce hasn't thickened, remove the lid. You can also mash some of the apricots to help the sauce thicken, or dissolve 1 tsp. corn starch in water (if all else fails) and add to the stew.

10. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon sticks, add more salt and red pepper flakes (or harissa) if necessary.

11. Add the slivered almonds and parsley to garnish.

12. Serve with couscous on the side. You can also serve with yellow rice.

*Harissa is a fiery blend of hot chiles, garlic, spices and olive oil that is often used to embolden stews and other African dishes. It is available in Middle Eastern and specialty stores. For me its a bit over the top but if you have the fortitude, go for it! Below is a photo of a tagine.