Moroccan delights
When we speak of Mediterranean cuisine, we usually talk about the European countries of Italy, France, Spain, the Balkan states, Greece, North Africa, the Middle East and Turkey. There are 21 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the cuisine coming out of this balmy region is unquestionably the best in the world.
While the food coming out of the Islamic nations in the region like Turkey and Morocco tend to be traditional, there are great fusion foods emerging from Morocco these days.
Moroccan Lemon & Herb Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
4 chicken skinless breasts, halved
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (use quarter tbsp if using dried rosemary)
1 tbsp parsley, chopped (use quarter tbsp if using dried
parsley)
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (use half tsp if using dried thyme)
1½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp black pepper powder
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp red chilli paste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges for serving
Bamboo / wooden skewers
Method
Cut the chicken breasts in cubes (not strips). Mix all ingredients with half the olive oil in a mixing bowl and add the chicken pieces. Marinate for 30 minutes. In the meantime, soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes so they will not burn.
Light the barbecue or preheat the grill and thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers. Cook the chicken on the grill, turning and brushing with the remaining oil for about 10 minutes or till the chicken is tender and golden.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Risotto with Tomato and Basil
While cooking risotto, one must ensure to get risotto rice for the creamy, starchy texture this dish is known for or one might end up with a gloopy khichdi.
Ingredients
2 cups risotto rice
1/3 cup white wine
1 small onion, finely chopped
90 gm butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped (do not use tomato puree for this dish)
3 cups vegetable stock (use stock cubes if in a hurry)
18-20 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn (keep a few whole ones aside for garnishing)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Method
In a heavy-bottomed pan, sauté the onion in two tbsp of butter till they are soft. Add tomatoes and simmer on low heat till the tomatoes have blended with the onions (around 15 minutes).
Melt another 2 tbsp of butter in a frying pan over high heat and add the rice, stirring continuously. Pour in the wine and cook till the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomato-onion sauce and the basil. Stir in the vegetable stock half cup at a time. Stir and ensure that the stock is soaked by the rice before adding the next batch of stock. This should take around 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining butter and Parmesan cheese. The risotto should be really creamy by now. Cover and let it stand for a minute. Garnish with basil leaves and serve hot.
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