Category: Recipes

We often order Chicken Shawarma because there is a particular way to cook this chicken using a vertical spit. I love watching the chef as he carves through the meat as the meat rotates slowly. This type of cooking allows for intense heat to cook the chicken. In my kitchen I replicate this type of cooking using my broiler. I use a olive oil and tahini to help caramelize the chicken. My recipe also incorporates the Italian Gourmet Ketchup sent to me from @italyinaboxcanada. This ketchup has a smokey flavour which compliments the paprika. Try these wonderful quality Italian products in your cooking.

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a dish that comes from the Middle East. It is typically street food with a lot of flavour and spice. My recipe incorporates my Mediterranean spices from my kitchen. You can choose the spices you like. It is traditionally made with large chunks of meat such as lamb. I like to use chicken in mine and I find that chicken thighs are the most flavourful. I also make a sauce using tahini, yogurt and ketchup to dress the Shawarma; gotta get some tomato in here. Breast meat dries out too quickly. I hope you enjoy this!!

Ingredients For Chicken Shawarma

• 12 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon each of ground coriander, cinnamon and cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp red pepper chilli flakes (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive ( remove one tbsp)
• 1/4 cup tahini (divided)
• 2 tablespoons Italian Gourmet Ketchup
• 1 large red onion ( sliced into thick pieces)
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• Large bunch of parsley for dressing

Process

Cut each thigh into three strips. Slice your onion.

Stir together the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper chilli flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Set aside one tsp of this mixture for the yogurt sauce. 

Put the chicken and the onion into a large bowl.  Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss.  Place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.  Mix together the olive oil, 2 tbsp of tahini, the juice and zest of half a lemon, and some salt and pepper.  Pour this onto the chicken. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Line a pan with tin foil for easy roasting and clean-up.Put the chicken and the marinade onto the pan in an even layer.  Broil on high for 8 minutes and turn.  Return to the oven and broil for another 8 minutes.  

Make your yogurt/ketchup/tahini sauce.  Add the reserved 1 tbsp of spice mix to the yogurt and tahini.  Whisk this together and add in your reserved 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and some lemon zest. 

Remove from oven and serve with the tannin/ketchup/yogurt sauce.  We served it with rice and pita bread. 

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Chicken Shawarma

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• 12 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon each of ground coriander cinnamon and cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp red pepper chilli flakes optional
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive remove one tbsp
• 1/4 cup tahini divided
• 2 tablespoons Italian Gourmet Ketchup
• 1 large red onion sliced into thick pieces
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt
• Large bunch of parsley for dressing

Instructions

1. Cut each thigh into three strips. Slice your onion.
2. Stir together the cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper chilli flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside one tsp of this mixture for the yogurt sauce.
3. Put the chicken and the onion into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss. Place in refrigerator for about 2 hours.
4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Mix together the olive oil, 2 tbsp of tahini, the juice and zest of half a lemon, and some salt and pepper. Pour this onto the chicken. Let it sit for a few minutes.
5. Line a pan with tin foil for easy roasting and clean-up.
6. Put the chicken and the marinade onto the pan in an even layer. Broil on high for 8 minutes and turn. Return to the oven and broil for another 8 minutes.
7. Make your yogurt/ketchup/tahini sauce. Add the reserved 1 tbsp of spice mix to the yogurt and tahini. Whisk this together and add in your reserved olive oil, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and some lemon zest.

Chorizo is more commonly used in Spanish cooking.  Johnny Prosciutto makes a lovely lean, ready to eat Salumi Toscano Chorizo.  Today my Eggs With Chorizo And Spinach are a replica of something I ate in Spain.  I tried the recipe a few times and it is best when all the ingredients cook separately and then come together like in Chinese cooking.  I hope you like this and shop @johnnyprosciutto for this quality sausage. 

Chorizo VS Itaian Sausage

Italian sausage usually consists of pork and seasoned with fennel.  Chorizo includes some type of chilli peppers and is normally fermented, cured and smoked.  Found largely in Spanish cooking and famous for its spicy flavour, Chorizo is a breakfast food in Spain.

For another great egg recipe check out https://recipesatmytable.com/stuffed-polpette-with-eggs/

Ingredients For Eggs With Chorizo And spinach

• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil divided( more for drizzling)
• 2 small Italian buns cubed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes(optional)
• 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
• 2 cups spinach or kale
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Process

Whisk the eggs with some salt and pepper and set aside.Cut up the chorizo in slices and put into a dry pan over medium/high heat.  Cook until browned and then remove to a plate.

Put in 1 tbsp of olive oil into pan and brown your sliced bread making croutons.  When golden remove to a plate.

Place 1 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and add in your onion.  Salt and pepper lightly and add in the paprika.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Now go in with the tomato paste and toast.  Follow with the spinach.  When the spinach wilts, remove to a plate.

Take the remaining tbsp of olive oil and place in pan and scramble the eggs just until soft.  Take the pan off the heat Now add everything that was set aside back into the pan. 

Everything in the pan looks comforting. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve.  

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Eggs With Chorizo And Spinach

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• * 4 eggs
• * Salt and pepper
• * 1/4 tsp paprika
• * 1 large onion diced
• * 3 tbsp olive oil divided more for drizzling
• * 2 small Italian buns cubed
• * 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
• * 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
• * 2 cups spinach or kale
• * 2 tbsp tomato

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs with some salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Cut up the chorizo in slices and put into a dry pan over medium/high heat. Cook until browned and then remove to a plate.
3. Put in 1 tbsp of olive oil into pan and brown your sliced bread making croutons. When golden remove to a plate.
4. Place 1 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and add in your onion. Salt and pepper lightly and add in the paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes. Now go in with the tomato paste and toast. Follow with the spinach. When the spinach wilts, remove to a plate.
5. Take the remaining tbsp of olive oil and place in pan and scramble the eggs just until soft. Take the pan off the heat Now add everything that was set aside back into the pan.
6. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve.

As immigrants we ate a variety of meat and fish, but it was always in smaller quantities. Served as a secondo or second plate, my Onion and Fennel Beef Stew is a show stopper and we eat it as a main. I cook many of my dishes for two, but you can always double the recipes for a family of four. Included in this recipe is one of the greatest tips from my nonna to make your meat more tender.

To enhance the flavour of the dish, I finish with a splash of vinegar.  The vinegar adds brightness, tenderizes the meat and sharpens the taste. I used Pomegranate Vinegar from my friends @italyinaboxcanada (Zia Teresa’s Italy in a Box)The pomegranate combined with the orange juice and wine, give this dish the most exquisite gravy.  You can also finish the dish with fresh pomegranate seeds.

Does liquid tenderize meat?

Cooking in a lot of liquid does not make the meat more tender. In fact, nonna used little liquid to tenderize beef. Often the meat and all the spices cooked gently while releasing their own juices. The trick was that she also cooked at a lower temperature in the oven. First she covered the meat and then she would take off the lid to help it brown. This allowed for all the flavours to come together and for the meat to brown.

Ingredients For Onion and Fennel Beef Stew

• 1 lb stewing beef( cut into small cubes)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp Italian spices
• 2 large onions (sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 fennel bulb (sliced)
• a couple of anchovy fillets
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup of orange juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar ( I used pomegranate vinegar)
• chopped parsley or fennel fronds
• fresh pomogranite seeds for dressing at end (optional)

Process

Salt and pepper the beef to taste and set aside. I also added in my Italian spices to it. Take the pit out of your olives and slice.

In an oven proof pan or Dutch oven sauté the onions, fennel, anchovies and garlic for about 10 minutes. Add in your tomato paste and toast it for about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add in your beef. Toss everything and put into a 300 F oven for an hour.

Remove the pot from the oven and toss in the Kalamata olives. Return to the oven uncovered for another hour.

When it comes out of the oven, transfer everything to a bowl. Pour your wine into the pan and scrape up any brown bits. Reduce the wine to about half. Return the meat and vegetables back to this pan. Set on medium/low for about 15 minutes. Then add in the orange juice and cook for another 5 minutes.Turn the heat off and add the remaining olives, the red wine vinegar and some more salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley or fennel fronds and serve with rice, polenta or a good mash.