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Category: Entrees

Pistachio Crusted Chicken with Feta

yholmes 1 Comment

The pistachio crusted chicken at Sevan, a local Dallas BYOB Mediterranean restaurant, is a favorite in my dining crowd. There are many delicious entrées on the menu… but this is ALWAYS ordered. I gladly accepted the request to recreate this dish mainly so I can order a different entrée and know I won’t be deprived of my old standby favorite.

I have been visiting this family run restaurant for years and they consistently turn out wonderful food. If hummus is your thing – Sevan makes super creamy hummus with just the right amount of garlic and lemon. My suggestion and another “always order” is the Muhammara. An addictive spread of roasted red bell pepper, walnuts and pomegranate molasses will keep my seat at Sevan a permanent one.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
  • 1 cup chopped pistachios
  • 3/4 cup dry plain bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 ounces crumbled French Feta cheese
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten

For the Tomato Sauce:

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 ounces tomato paste (small can)
  • 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon sugar (depending on the sweetness of the canned tomatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

To make the sauce:

In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic and onion in oil until translucent.

Add tomato paste, tomatoes, water, wine, sugar, oregano and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat.

 

For the Chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three bowls: one containing flour to coat chicken breast, another containing the beaten egg, and the third containing chopped pistachios, breadcrumbs and oregano. Season all 3 with salt & pepper.

 

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add feta cheese, 2 teaspoons chopped pistachios and 1/2 clove minced garlic to one side of the flattened chicken breast. Fold over and secure with toothpicks to keep filling inside.

Coat breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture and then into the pistachio mixture. Set aside and finish breading the remaining chicken.

Heat olive oil in oven safe skillet over medium heat and sear chicken for approximately 3-4 minutes on one side and then flip over. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with tomato sauce and garnish with feta.

 

Braised Short Ribs with Coriander and Balsamic

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The Feb/March issue of Fine Cooking featured an exceptional build your own Short Ribs recipe. I appreciated the explanation of the method and the ability to change any ingredient and make it mine. I chose to use 2 of my favorite ingredients – coriander and balsamic vinegar – and they made me proud once again.

I am itching to make a new version with an Asian flair. Though I am certainly ready for Spring, I could handle a few more weeks of winter weather to reinvent this sick to your ribs meal.

Lots of crusty bread should be parked beside your bowl… dip away!

INGREDIENTS

  • 4-1/2 to 5 lb. English-style beef short ribs (8 to 12 ribs)
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 3 carrots, medium-diced
  • 2 stalks celery, medium-diced
  • 1 medium onion, medium-diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 whole dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoons paprika (smoked)
  • 1 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Season the ribs with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Add half of the ribs to the pot (or as many as will fit without overlap), and cook, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to a platter and repeat with the remaining ribs. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the pan.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, carrots, celery, and onions to the pan. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the aromatics are soft and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, coriander, paprika, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until well distributed and fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour the 1/2 cup red wine into the pot and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbs., about 1 minute.

Transfer all the ribs (and any juices that have accumulated) back into the pot. Pour the soy sauce, 2 cups red wine, and beef broth and 1 cup water over the ribs and using tongs, arrange the ribs as evenly as possible and no more than two layers deep.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and put the pot in the oven. Cook, turning the ribs with tongs about every 40 minutes, until they are fork tender, about 2-3/4 hours. (The meat may fall off most of the bones about midway through cooking; this does not mean that the ribs are fully tender.)

Transfer the ribs to a serving platter or dish. Let the sauce and solids sit in the pot for a few minutes to cool and with a shallow spoon, skim off as much of the fat as possible from the surface. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and add the vinegar.

Serve the ribs with the sauce spooned over, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Pork Loin with Cider and Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

yholmes 1 Comment

Pork and apples are a classic combination. I eat most of my apples with cheese and honestly getting a nice texture from a cooked apple can be tricky. So apple cider is a welcome ingredient already full of flavor from the allspice, cinnamon and cloves.

A few months ago I made a version of this pork recipe with my Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Ravioli. I had boneless center cut chops brined overnight in apple cider and peppercorns. This time a 6-chop pork loin roast was in the freezer begging to free up some space. Since it was on the bone I did not brine the meat but if you have a boneless tenderloin or chops I would suggest brining for a few hours to overnight.

I’ve given instructions below on how to prepare this with pork chops and skip the roasting part all together.

This was very simple to prepare and the payoff is much larger than the effort. I served with roasted cauliflower and Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes).

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 sprigs rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs sage, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • Salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (6-chop) pork rib roast
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 bundle thyme, tied with string
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine the chopped herbs with the garlic, crushed red pepper, a generous pinch of salt and enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub the paste on the outside of the pork rib roast.

Toss the onions with olive oil, and salt, and place in the bottom of a roasting pan or large oven proof skillet. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2/3 of the cider. Place the pork on top of the onions and place in the preheated oven. Roast the pork at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pork has developed a brown crust.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. If the crust on the pork starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.

Remove pork from oven and transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm. Place pan with onions and cider on burner over medium-high heat. Add remaining apple cider & chicken stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Cut the loin into chops & serve with the cider mustard sauce.

If using pork chops:

Rub the paste on the outside of the pork chops and set aside.

Preheat skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. When hot, add chops to the pan and brown on both sides until a nice crust forms. Remove chops from pan and set aside. In the same pan add onions or shallots and cook until translucent and soft. Deglaze the pan with apple cider scraping the brown bits off the bottom on the pan. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in whole grain mustard and butter to finish sauce.

Place pork chops back in the pan to heat through in the sauce.

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes & Cauliflower in Herb Butter

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, cut into large chunks
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, broken into bite size pieces
  • Salt & pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh herbs of your choice: sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss artichokes and cauliflower in olive oil, season with salt & pepper and toss in oven proof skillet. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove pan from oven and add 2 tablespoons butter and herbs. Toss to combine. Serve warm.

Sunny Paris Cod with Crispy Capers

yholmes 3 Comments

Penzeys Spices is an incredible store with an abundance of fresh herbs, spices and original blends. Penzeys’ storefronts are a rare find. Dallas is 1 of 2 lucky cities in Texas to have a store to walk in and be wowed by the many jars full of intoxicating aromas. They also have an online store and catalog.

“Sunny Paris” is a perfect name for a blend of shallots, green peppercorns, French basil, French tarragon, chervil, bay & dill… it smells warm. This is not a cheap blend of spices and history has it they actually stopped producing it due to it’s hefty cost. Thankfully the fans spoke and it’s back on the shelves. It is wonderful sprinkled on top of egg or in a dressing and such a warm flavor for fish. To taste such a dish, all you have to do is to check on the menu to know how much does a fish cost.

If you are in Dallas head to Penzeys and peruse their incredible variety of cinnamon from around the globe, original spice blends and pick up a few vanilla beans from Madagascar at a bargain price.

A special thank you to my great friend JEN L for the introduction to Penzeys and sharing your Sunny Paris with me.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound Atlantic cod, or any white flaky fish
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 lemon, zested
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper and Penzeys Sunny Paris spice blend.

Cut cod into 2 equal pieces. Pat dry with paper towel to remove any moisture and season both sides with salt & pepper and sprinkle ¼ tsp of Sunny Paris on each serving. Brush one side with Dijon mustard and top with breadcrumb mixture.

Preheat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add fish fillets and cook for 1 minute. Drizzle top of fish with a little olive oil and bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until fish is firm and done.

Meanwhile, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet. When hot add capers and fry until crispy – about 2-3 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain. Note: STAND BACK – they will pop.

Remove fish from oven and top with crispy capers and fresh lemon juice.

Louisiana Shrimp Salad

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Not exactly a “winter” dish but a refreshing break from the warm and filling soups and sides on the menu. Gulf shrimp has been a steal for the past month. I’ve been buying a pound a week and keeping them cooked in the fridge for snacking and salads.

This recipe is another from a friends grandmother, Pat Lacy. Simple and beautiful. This would make a beautiful appetizer served in endive leaves.

Tip: When cooking your shrimp, add some Old Bay and lemon juice to the cooking liquid for added flavor.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound cooked and cleaned shrimp
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, small dice
  • 1 cup celery, small dice
  • 1/2 cup red onion, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill pickle
  • 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Dash of Tobasco or hot sauce
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on lettuce. 4 servings.

Beef Kofta with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

yholmes 1 Comment

In a recent issue of Bon Appétit, meatballs made the list of favorite foods in 2009. I seemed to miss that trend on menus and magazines but nonetheless was inspired by the ethnic versions in the issue.

Kofta, in simplest terms, is a Middle Eastern meatball. The Bon Appétit recipe called for lamb but the beef roast in my freezer was begging to be used. So after a few whirls in the food processor my lean beef was meatball worthy. I saved myself some time and threw the onions in for a few spins. If you have lean beef the onions are key to keep the beef moist.

This yogurt sauce was also begging for something – my new favorite fiery ingredient – harissa. The paste of chili peppers, garlic, coriander and caraway took this sauce from blah to bold.

Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1/2 cup minced fresh mint
  • 1/4 cup coarsely grated onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 Whole Wheat pitas (warmed in oven or microwave)
  • 2 large onions, halved through core, cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices

Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon prepared Harissa
  • 1/2 Lemon, juiced
  • Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

For the Harissa Yogurt Sauce:

Stir all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Cover and chill.

For the Beef Kofta:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

Gently mix beef and next 9 ingredients in large bowl. Using 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (24 total).

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet used to cook onions; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté half of meatballs until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Top warm pita with yogurt sauce, onions and meatballs.

Mustard and Herb Crusted Salmon

yholmes 1 Comment

I do love a cold Sunday morning sipping hot coffee and planning a delicious Sunday dinner… that will take a good part of my day to prepare.

Yes, I love those meals that take entirely too long to chop all the veg, dirty up all the pots in the kitchen and ultimately fill my house with an aroma I won’t get from a 30 minute meal.

Those days are more plentiful recently, but some meals are meant to be simple. Like fish. This Mustard and Herb Crusted Salmon is so simple but tastes like a million bucks in less than 10 minutes.

The cooking method requires only broiling but make sure to use the middle oven rack. I had rosemary & thyme still growing but use any herb you have on hand and if you don’t have fresh, by all means use dried (just use 1/2 the amount as dried is more potent than fresh).

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound salmon fillets
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the broiler.

In a small bowl combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, oil, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey and lemon juice.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray or drizzle a little olive oil. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and spoon the mustard sauce over the fillets. Continue broiling until the fillets are just cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

 

Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato Ravioli in Pineapple Sage Brown Butter Sauce

yholmes 1 Comment

Making ravioli is easy when you don’t have to make the pasta. These beautiful little pillows are savory, delightfully sweet and very easy to make thanks to premade wonton wrappers.

I used Pineapple Sage as I had a ton of it in my garden and I had no idea what to do with it… but regular fresh sage will be just as wonderful.

Your efforts will not go without reward (these freeze VERY well and make about 4 dozen)… well worth the time to make them… and enjoy for a few months.

I served the ravioli as a side with an apple cider brined pork chop finished with a shallot cider pan sauce (recipe to come soon and may be the best thing I’ve come up with on the spot). These beauties would also be very impressive as an appetizer for the holidays.

Note: Wonton wrappers are found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 small to medium acorn squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
  • 1 sweet potato or yam
  • 1 tablespoons dark molasses
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup crème fraiche (substitute: cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 package round Wonton Wrappers (usually found in the freezer section)
  • Flour, for dusting board
  • 4 tablespoons sweet butter
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 2 ounces Parmesan, for grating

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a roasting pan. Scrub outside of sweet potato, pierce with fork in several places and place on roasting pan with acorn squash. Cook in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour.

Let cool to room temperature and scoop out flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with sweet potato until well combined.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon molasses and all the vinegar. Add to squash and sweet potato with crème fraiche, Parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well. The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Cover well and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

To fill the raviolis: Put 1 tablespoon squash filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around the filling. Moisten borders with water and fold in half. Press all the air out and seal firmly by pressing all around with fingertips. Lay raviolis out to dry on a lightly floured board or baking sheet and lightly flour the tops. Repeat until you run out of wrappers and/or filling.

To cook, boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve 2 ounces of the cooking water.

Uncooked, filled raviolis may be used immediately or frozen for 2 months. Lay them out on sheet pans and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer to plastic bag.

For the Sage Brown Butter: While raviolis are cooking, in a large saute pan, melt the butter with the sage and a pinch of salt until it foams and becomes light brown. Reserve.

On medium heat toss the cooked raviolis in the sage butter then transfer to a serving platter or dishes. Finish with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese.

 

Red & Green Verde Venison Enchiladas

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This recipe is for my friends Matt and Scott. Matt asked me a few months ago if I had a good recipe for venison. Sadly, I didn’t, as I’ve never cooked with venison meat. Shortly after my good friend Scott sent me home from a BBQ with ground venison from his hunting expeditions. What are the odds?

There are two variations: a green sauce with goat cheese and a New Mexico red sauce with chocolate and cinnamon. The green sauce was a complete cheat job as I doctored up a can on Goya green enchilada sauce. The red sauce is a culmination of many recipes I researched and many adjustments made when cooking the sauce.

I also snuck in some spinach and cremini mushrooms into the filling… I had them on hand and I’m always looking for a way to sneak in some veggies where they are unexpected.

Served with my favorite cabbage slaw.

Put leftover enchilada sauce in the freezer… I see a Tortilla Soup coming from my leftovers soon.

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground venison, or beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, medium cube
  • 1 – 12 ounce package chooped spinach, squeezed dry
  • 1 – 8 ounce package shredded colby-jack cheese
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 24 corn tortillas
  • Red enchilada sauce, recipe follows
  • Green enchilada sauce, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large heavy. Add venison meat, chopped onion and chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper and brown the meat, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are brown. Add chili powder and cilantro. Deglaze this with the chicken stock. Removed from heat and allow to cool.

For the Red enchilada sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup New Mexico chili powder
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 – 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon grated onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 ounce chocolate
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder, tomato paste, onion and cook for a minute. Add stock, tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and chocolate. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Adjust the seasonings.

For the Green enchilada sauce:

  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jar green Goya enchilada sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan heat 1 tsp canola oil, add onion, garlic and cumin. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add Goya enchilada sauce and cilantro. Stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Soften corn tortillas in a microwave oven, wrapped in a damp cloth for 20 seconds on high, until soft and pliable. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of venison mix into center of tortilla and top with cheese and roll. Place rolled enchiladas into a lightly oiled baking dish, seam side down.

For Green Enchiladas: Smother with green enchilada sauce and sprinkle with colby-jack cheese and goat cheese crumbles.

For Red Enchiladas: Smother with red enchilada sauce and sprinkle with colby-jack cheese.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

 

Spotlight Montréal: Meat Market (Chicken Sandwich with Harissa Mayo)

yholmes 2 Comments

Spotlight Montréal: Meat Market

website: http://www.meatmarketfood.com/

I had just returned from Québec City and was on the hunt for a seat outside, a glass of wine and a wifi connection. It had been several days with no internet and I was having withdrawals (and I had a TON of photos I needed to go through).

The Meat Market fit the bill with a decent wine selection and a perfect table for me on the sidewalk. The sweet potato fries I spied on another diners table didn’t hurt either.

I decided on the “East Meats West” sandwich as it was a flavor combination I’d never considered: Grilled chicken marinated in cinnamon & orange with harissa mayonnaise. I was so impressed with the combination it sent me on a 2 day hunt for harissa in Dallas. I finally found it at World Foods but Central Market now has it back in stock.

Harissa is a North African hot red sauce or paste. Main ingredients are chili peppers (often smoked or dried), garlic, coriander, caraway, or cumin, and usually olive oil.

The heat in harissa is not a painful heat…. it’s quite addictive. When I recreated this recipe I had a few friends over for a chilly evening on the patio. On the first bite my good friend Rhonda said “At first I thought oooh it’s spicy… and I want more”. It’s good stuff.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • ciabatta bread or rolls
  • 1/4 head red cabbage – cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • salt & pepper

For the marinade:

  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • Juice of 1/2 orange
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

For the harissa mayo:

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1-2 tsp. harissa paste
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

In a large plastic bag combine marinade ingredients (cinnamon, coriander. orange juice, orange zest, garlic & olive oil). Add chicken and marinade in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. When ready to grill, remove from marinade and salt & pepper chicken. Grill or bake until cooked through and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into pieces for sandwich.

In a medium skillet add cabbage and vinegar and cook on medium until cabbage is wilted but still has a small bite to it. Salt & pepper to taste.

For mayo: combine mayo, harissa and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to assemble sandwich.

To assemble sandwich spread mayo on both sides. Add a layer of cabbage on the bottom and top with the chicken breasts.

Serves 4

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