Off the Grill

Main Course

Chicken Kabab

Photo coming soon

3 lbs organic chicken drumettes (the portion of the chicken wings that look like small drumsticks)
2 lbs organic skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 large organic yellow or white onion
1/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
1 cup organic lemon juice
1/2 tsp organic ground saffron (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

1
Peel and cut the onion into quarters and add to a blender. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, saffron (if using), salt, and pepper, and blend until pureed.
2
Devein and cut the skinless, boneless thighs in half.
3
Place the chicken drumettes and thighs in a bowl and pour the pureed marinade over the chicken. Mix well, cover the bowl with foil, and refrigerate for 8 to 48 hours.
4
Skewer the thighs separately from the drumettes.
5
Turn the grill to medium-low and cover it until it's hot.
6
Place the drumette skewers on the grill first, uncovered — they'll take longer to cook.
7
Once the drumettes are halfway cooked, add the skewered thighs to the grill.
8
Turn the skewers periodically until they're well cooked.

I serve this recipe with long grain basmati rice, grilled eggplant and tomato salad, or cucumber mint salad, and a side of fresh herbs.

A Spanish-style marinade of citrus, cilantro, and jalapeño.

Photo coming soon

1
Remove the excess fat from the steak and cut into large portions, to fit into a resealable bag.
2
Wash the cilantro and cut into 1-inch lengths; add to the resealable bag.
3
Cut the jalapeño into 1/4-inch pieces and add to the cilantro.
4
Slice the onion and add to the resealable bag.
5
Add the juice of the orange, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced garlic to the bag.
6
Air out the bag as much as possible, and mix all the ingredients well by rubbing them onto the meat while in the bag.
7
Seal the bag completely and place it flat on a tray.
8
Place the tray on the top shelf of the fridge and marinate for 8 to 24 hours.
9
Turn the grill to medium-low heat and cover until hot.
10
Remove the meat from the bag and place it on the grill (do not cover the grill, as the meat will turn black).
11
Turn the meat occasionally until cooked to your desired temperature, then remove from heat.

I serve this dish with grilled corn on the cob, grilled bell peppers and onions, cilantro rice, salsa, guacamole, and flour tortillas.

Photo coming soon

2.5 lbs organic skinless, boneless chicken thighs (deveined), or organic skinless, bone-in chicken drumsticks/thighs
2 medium organic tomatoes
1 large organic white or yellow onion
1 tsp organic powdered saffron
Pinch of organic ground cinnamon
3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 small can organic tomato paste
1/3 cup hot water
Organic cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

1
Slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch circles and set aside.
2
Slice the onion into 1/4-inch circles and set aside separately.
3
In a bowl, combine the saffron, cayenne pepper (to your desired amount), the entire can of tomato paste, the cinnamon, and salt and pepper. Add the hot water and mix until the mixture becomes a loose paste.
4
In a large pan with a lid, add the olive oil and lay the chicken flat in the pan.
5
Place the sliced onions on top of the chicken pieces, followed by the sliced tomatoes.
6
Cover all the pieces with the tomato paste mixture, cover the pan, and place over medium heat.
7
Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 to 60 minutes.

Bone-in chicken takes longer to cook than boneless.
This dish is best served with plain white rice — Persian-style long grain basmati rice (see the Basmati Rice recipe in Rice Dishes).

1 bunch organic celery
2-2.5 lbs organic chuck stew beef
1 organic white or yellow onion
1 small can organic tomato paste
3 tbsp organic dried mint
2 cups boiling water
3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (for the onion)
3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil (for the celery and mint)
10-15 pieces sour grapes — unripened white grapes, available fresh or frozen at Persian markets (or substitute the juice of 1 lemon)
Organic cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

1
Peel and chop the onion into small pieces and add it to the pot with the olive oil. Place the pot, uncovered, over medium-low heat.
2
Meanwhile, remove the excess fat from the meat and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
3
Once the onions have turned golden, add the meat, salt, and pepper, and cover with the lid.
4
Cut off the thick bottom portion and the small top portion of the celery, separate each stalk, and wash thoroughly. Make sure the bottom of each stalk isn't too wide, so the pieces stay as evenly sized as possible.
5
Cut the celery stalks into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
6
After about 45 to 60 minutes, check the meat for tenderness with a fork.
7
In a large pan, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped celery, and the mint. Stir well over medium heat until the pieces are semi-soft, then remove from heat.
8
In a bowl, empty the tomato paste, add the cayenne pepper and boiling water, and mix well until the paste is completely dissolved and smooth.
9
Once the meat is cooked, add the celery mixture and the tomato paste mixture to the stew and mix well.
10
Cover with the lid and keep over medium-low heat until it begins to boil.
11
Add the sour grapes to the stew, lower the heat to low, and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

This stew is best served with plain white basmati rice (see the Basmati Rice recipe in Rice Dishes).

My mother's chicken curry is perhaps one of our family's favorite recipes, which I've since handed down to my kids.

Photo coming soon

2 lbs organic skinless, boneless chicken thighs, deveined and cut into 2-inch pieces (or cut at least in half)
1 tbsp organic unbleached flour (to thicken the stew)
2 large organic white or yellow onions, chopped
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 organic russet potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch squares
1 cup boiling water
3 heaping tbsp yellow Indian curry powder
2-3 cups water or organic chicken broth
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

1
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1.5-inch squares and place them in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.
2
In a deep pan with a lid, add the olive oil and place over medium-low heat.
3
Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and spread them out evenly for even heat distribution. Cook until golden.
4
Add the chicken to the sautéed onions and toss to combine. Cover with the lid and let the chicken cook.
5
In a bowl, combine the curry powder, flour, cayenne, and black pepper. Slowly add the boiling water, whisking as you go to avoid clumps, until you have a smooth, soft paste.
6
Pour the curry paste into the pan and mix well. Add the 2 to 3 cups of water or chicken broth, cover, and let the chicken cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
7
Once the chicken is fully cooked, drain the potatoes and add them to the pan. Cover again and check periodically until the potatoes are tender.

My mother's version used chicken drumettes as well — she'd painstakingly remove the skin and use a cleaver to cut each drumette in half, so the bone marrow would release even more flavor into the stew.
Russet potatoes cook faster than Yukon Gold potatoes; Yukon potatoes hold their shape better, while russets soften and give the stew a thicker consistency.
This dish is best served with white basmati rice, fresh herbs, or my salad.