Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Ingredients:
Marinade -
1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced into strips)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 garlic cloves (minced)
Sauce-
½ cup plain reduced fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove (minced)
4 (6 inch) pitas
1 cup romaine lettuce (chopped)
2 tomatoes (diced) Step 1: In a medium bowl combine lemon juice, curry powder, olive oil, salt, cumin, and minced garlic. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Step 2: To prepare sauce- In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and 1 minced garlic clove. Set aside.
Step 3: Spray grill grates with cooking spray and Pre-heat the outdoor grill. Thread chicken onto skewers and place onto the grill. Grill for 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is fully cooked.
Step 4: Place pitas on the grill rack and grill for 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each plate. Top with chicken, lettuce, tomato and add dressing.

Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: 1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks) 3 tablespoons fresh garlic (minced) 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger (minced) oil (for cooking) ¾ cup green onions (chopped) 1 red bell pepper (sliced) 1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts Sauce- 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoons brown sugar ¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper (or more to your taste) ¼ cup water Step 1: to make the peanut sauce – In a bowl mix soy sauce, peanut butter. Add white wine vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside. Step 2: in large skillet heat oil. Add garlic, ginger and chicken. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside. Step 3: Add a tiny bit more oil to the pan and stir fry red bell peppers and green onions for about 2 minutes or until they have reached desired tenderness. Remove from pan and set aside. Step 4: Over medium heat add the peanut sauce mixture to the pan. Heat while stirring constantly. When sauce mixture starts to bubble add ¼ cup of water and mix well to thin it out a bit. Step 5: In a large serving dish add chicken, green onions, red bell pepper, and roasted peanuts. Add sauce and mix well. Serve with white rice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” cubes)
Flour
4 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Oil
3 firm tomatoes (cut into 1 inch chunks)
2 onions (cut into 1 inch chunks)
1 green pepper (cut into 1 inch chunks)
1 can pineapple chunks (reserve juice for sauce)
Sweet and Sour Sauce-
½ cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cornstarch Step 1: Mix egg yolks and soy sauce with a bit of water. Roll the chicken in flour, egg, and then flour again. Deep fry the chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes, and drain on paper towels. Step 2: Stir fry pepper and onions for about 1 minute so they are still crisp and colored. Remove from pan and set aside.
Step 3: Make sweet and sour sauce by mixing vinegar, sugar, salt, orange juice, pineapple juice, and ketchup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/8 cup of juice and stir in until thickened. Step 4: Add tomato and pineapple chunks to the sauce and heat thoroughly. Pour mixture gently over chicken. Pour your peppers and onions on and serve. (best served while chicken bits are crispy and vegetables are crunchy still)

Stuffed Lamb Leg Recipe

Ingredients: 1 boneless leg of lamb (butterflied and lightly pounded) about 3-4 pounds, 1/2 cup sliced onion, 1 cup sliced celery, 1 cup shredded carrot, 1/2 cup chopped capicollo ham, 3 tbsp. butter, sage, 2 tbsp. breadcrumbs, 1 egg, chopped parsley, 1/2 lemon, juiced, 3 ounce red wine, 2 teaspoon minced garlic.

Recipe: Season the meat with the salt, pepper, garlic and some sage. Sauté in the butter all of the vegetables and the capicollo, season, remove from heat and add the breadcrumbs, egg and parsley. Place the stuffing in the center of the lamb leg and roll up both ends. Secure with butcher's twine. Rub the meat with little olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. First sear the rolled lamb leg in a cast iron pan on the stove, then place it in a preheated oven and roast for approximately 1 hour at 475 F. or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F. When you remove the lamb from the pan, pour the wine in and scrape the bottom, reduce slightly and strain. Use the resulting sauce to pour over the lamb after slicing it.

RACK OF LAMB AU NATUREL

Ingredients for 2 portions:

1 larger rack of lamb,

1 sprig fresh rosemary,

pinch of thyme,

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste,

2 tbsp. oil,

1 tbsp. butter,

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar.

For Balsamic-honey-ginger reduction:

2 oz. balsamic vinegar,

1 teaspoon honey,

the tip of a teaspoon with ginger powder.

Recipe: Cut the rack of lamb to individual chops and marinate them with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan and brown the lamb chops on both sides and then finish them in a preheated oven to the desired doneness. For the balsamic-honey-ginger reduction, combine the ingredients in a pan and reduce until thick and bubbly. Drizzle reduction over the ready lamb. I served the rack of lamb for this photo with caramelized plantain, spring mix salad, okra and star-shaped polenta.

Sicilian Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup sliced Sicilian olives
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound each breast half to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add wine; cook 1 minute. Add olives and the next 4 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Sprinkle with basil.

Roast Chicken Recipe

• 1 Whole Chicken of about 3lbs.
• 1 Lemon cut in four lengthways
• 2 large air-dried chillis (or any chillis will do).
• 6 Cloves of garlic (skin on and bashed).
• 1 Each - large sprig of rosemary and thyme
• 10 Medium potatoes.
• 8 Medium carrots.
• Right - first peel the potatoes, scrape the carrots and leave to one side.
• Put a large pan of water on the heat (big enough to take the whole chicken) and bring it to the boil.
• Now - season the chicken inside with salt and black pepper.
• Stuff the cavity with your garlic, herbs lemon quarters (squeezing them inside the cavity first) and chillis.
• Then close up the skin using a wooden skewer or a cocktail stick.
• Now the exciting bit - plunge the bird into the boiling water - for five minutes - turning it over and over.
• Let it dry - either by hanging from a hook or placing on some absorbent kitchen paper for 30 minutes
• Meanwhile bring your potatoes to the boil and parpoil for five minutes. Remove from the heat - drain and leave them covered in their pan.
• Paint your bird with olive oil - season with salt and black pepper and place it in the oven on a large roasting tin at 350ºf/175ºc for thirty minutes.
• Toss your potatoes in olive oil and add them and the carrots to the roasting tin.
• Cook for a further 30 minutes - turning the vegetables once.
• Add a little water if necessary and cook for a further 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and arrange the chicken and vegetables on a serving dish.
• Make the gravy by deglazing the roasting tin with some water and thickening with a little slaked corn starch (Cornflour).