CHERMOULA CHICKEN WITH YOGHURT CHAPATIS & SALADS OF CHICKPEA & GREEN OLIVE, RED CABBAGE & CARROT, AND SPICED YOGHURT
Stephen Doyle
Chermoula:
Much of the preparation can be done beforehand, something of a necessity with this course.
The Chermoula can be made up to two days beforehand, but the Chapatis have to be made hot on the spot.
Ingredients:
3 t minced fresh garlic
1t salt, plus more for seasoning
2/3 cup of finely chopped coriander
2/3 cup of finely chopped Italian parsley
2 T ground cumin
1 T paprika
Pinch of cayenne (more if you like it hot)
4 T olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
Method:
Mash garlic and salt with the tines of a fork on a cutting board to form a paste. Sprinkle with cilantro and parsley; finely chop until almost a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne. Stir in olive oil and lemon juice; add additional salt to taste. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before use. Makes about 1/2 cup.
Chermoula Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 large whole chicken cut into 12 pieces
Method:
Cover the chicken pieces with water in a pot and bring slowly to the boil. Skim off froth that rises to the surface. Cover the pot with its lid and turn off the heat. Let the pieces steep in the residual heat for about 20 minutes.
Take chicken pieces out of the stock and drain. Reserve the stock for soup or risotto.
Smother both sides of the chicken pieces with the chermoula and grill both sides under the grill for approx. 5 mins each side until nicely browned. Serve with pitta bread, salads and spiced yoghurt.
Chickpea & Green Olive Salad:
Ingredients:
1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 capsicum, chopped finely
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 Lebanese cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
10 green olives, deseeded and chopped
1 stick of celery, washed and finely diced
1 t ground coriander
Oil and lemon juice dressing
Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and it's ready to serve.
Red Cabbage & Carrot Salad:
Ingredients:
1/8 to1/4 red cabbage, finely shredded
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing
Method:
Mix ingredients, dress lightly with some oil and vinegar and serve.
Spiced Yoghurt:
Ingredients:
1 cup of Greek yoghurt
1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T ground toasted cumin
Method:
Mix these ingredients and serve in a bowl with a spoon.
Yoghurt Chapati/Flatbread:
Ingredients:
500 gms SR Flour, plus a little extra for dusting
1 T sea salt
1 T baking powder
500 g Greek yoghurt
Method:
In a food processor, pulse ingredients until you have a dough. If your dough is a little wet you may have to add another sprinkling of flour.
Tip the dough out onto your work surface and dust with a little flour
Knead the dough for a minute or so to bring it together.
Divide the dough into about 12 equal pieces.
Dust a rolling pin with flour, then roll the pieces of dough into side -plate sized rounds.
Stack them between small sheets of greaseproof paper next to your stove ready to cook.
Have a griddle pan on high heat to get nice and hot.
Once it's really hot, cook each flatbread for a couple of minutes per side, until slightly puffy and lightly charred.
Serve immediately.
(Thanks to Jamie Oliver for this recipe).
Shortcuts:
Ask your butcher to cut up the chicken.
The chicken could be poached the day before the dinner party. You don't have to poach the chicken first, but I worry about undercooked chook if you just grill it. After grilling, maybe put it in a hot oven for 10 minutes before serving to ensure it is cooked through.
Prepare the chermoula one or two days beforehand.
Buy pitta bread instead of making chapattis and warm them as you serve.