Shish Tawook-Chicken Kebab Skewers and Yellow Rice with Nuts

Shish Tawook is traditionally served as a part of a Kebab trio of Lamb or Beef kebab and kafta kebab. Shish means skewer and Tawook is Turkish for chicken. This trio is usually served in a split pita to keep it warm and a spread of Mezza dishes that include Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouleh, and a variety of cold and warm dishes eaten with copious amounts of Pita Bread.


Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, skinless                         4-6 peeled garlic cloves
and boneless                                             2 tbs. canola oil
Juice of 1 lemon                                        ½ tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika                                        ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper*
1 tsp. black pepper                                   ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
* You can substitute with medium hot chili
Bamboo Skewers soaked in water for about half hour

Directions:

Trim chicken breasts removing any fat. Cut breasts into 1” cubes. Place in a bowl. Place oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a food processor and process until a paste is formed. Add garlic mixture to chicken and mix until chicken is covered. Marinate chicken for half hour. Start your grill or grill pan, temperature should be high at first so you can sear the chicken. Grill for about 3 minutes until you get grill marks, turning skewers then grilling for 3 more minutes, then moving skewers to a less hot area. If you are using a grill pan lower the heat to medium low. You can test the doneness of the chicken by piercing it with a fork; if the liquid comes out clear then the chicken is done.

Variations and Serving Suggestions:
You can keep breasts whole and grill that way.
For a round meal, serve with yellow rice sautéed mushrooms or any favorite vegetable and a romaine salad tossed in lemon juice vinaigrette.

Stuff  it in a pita sandwich with hummus, tomatoes, lettuce and pickles.
Latin Version:
Add to the marinade ½ tsp. of each, ground cumin, ground coriander and oregano. Serve in a taco with salsa and guacamole.
Italian Version:
Add ½ tsp. dry basil, cook the chicken in a skillet and serve it with pasta.
Asian Version:
Omit salt and add 1tbs.of grated ginger and 2tbs. of low sodium tamari or soy sauce and you will have an Asian version. Present it with a peanut sauce as an appetizer or with white rice and a vegetable stir fry.
Yellow Rice with Nuts

This is my version of spice rice that the Lebanese traditionally serve with poached chicken. Spice Rice or Roz Mofalfal is cooked with chicken broth cinnamon, all spice, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves; topped with fried in butter or ghee. Mine is simpler but as tasty.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice         4 cups water or chicken stock
1/4 cup golden raisins                      2 tbs. butter                              
1 tsp. ground turmeric                     ½ tsp. cardamom powder
½ tsp. black pepper                         1tsp. salt
Garnish:
1/8 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds          2 tbs. butter or oil
Or a combination of both
Instructions:
Melt you butter in a wide bottomed pan on medium high heat. Sauté golden raisins until plump. Add washed rice and fry for a few minutes while stirring constantly. Add spices and salt and mix, add water and cover. When water starts boiling mix once, reduce heat to low and cook until water is completely and rice is fluffy. While the rice is cooking toast your nuts on medium low heat stirring constantly until golden brown, remove immediately off the stove and ladle it onto a bowl to stop cooking. Top the rice with the nuts and serve.

Thum- A Lebanese Equivalent to Garlic Aioli

This sauce/spread is very addictive if you love garlic. It is similar to Aioli except that it is made without an egg yolk. It gets milder after a day or two and it can keep for at least three weeks. Be patient while making it especially when you are adding the oil, the slower the stream the fluffier and lighter the sauce. The sauce may separate if you add the oil too fast.
Ingredients:
6 cloves of peeled garlic 3 tbs. water
1 ½ -2 cups canola oil 1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. citric acid or juice of 1 lemon or to taste
Instructions:
In a food processor chop garlic, while motor is running add water, salt, citric acid or lemon juice. Add oil in a slow stream and continue processing until sauce is fluffy and light resembling whipped cream .
Serving Suggestions:
We traditionally serve this sauce with roast chicken, grilled chicken or Shish Tawook. It can be used instead of mayo in sandwiches, with seafood or garlic bread.

Baked Ejjeh(Frittata Or Crust-less Quiche)

Ejjeh is a popular Lebanese dish that is similar to Latkes except that is usually made with squash and herbs or just herbs. It is fried in olive oil and serve in a pita with tomatoes or a salad. My Mom usually made them from the pulp leftover from another dish; stuffed courgettes/squash. We used to patiently wait around to steal them as they come out against Mom’s protest. In later days, to our disappointment, she started making a healthier baked version of the same dish. It comes out like a quish without the crust and the cheese or like a frittata. Mom’s recipe included fresh dill and parsley and that’s what I like to do. You can choose your own like tarragon, chives or whatever is on hand. This recipe is quick paired with a green salad dressed in a vinaigrette is perfect for lunch, packed for a picnic and even a light summer dinner. I like it in a pita with tomatoes and salt. Yummmmmy……
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 medium size zucchini, shredded
½ medium size yellow onion, finely diced
3 tbs. chives or scallions, freshly chopped
½ bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped
3 dill fronds, finely chopped
6 tbs. Rice flour or All Purpose flour
6 eggs , well beaten
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper ¼ tsp. chili flakes (optional)
3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil for cooking
Instructions:

Heat your oven at 350 degrees. Prep all your ingredients. Beat the eggs with the salt, spices and herbs. Mix all the ingredients together. Brush a 12”x8” or equivalent roasting pan (I prefer Pyrex) with the oil making sure to paint the sides, place pan in oven until oil starts smoking. Pour mix in pan; spread evenly and bake for 30 minutes. Turn broiler on low and broil for 3 minutes until top is golden. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Variations: You can add half a cup of crumbled feta cheese to the mix but make sure to decrease amount of salt. For an Italian taste sprinkle with parmesan cheese before you broil it. Asparagus, spinach, kale or chard; blanched an chopped would be a great substitute to zucchini.