Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
(Makes 1 Dozen)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup overripe mashed banana (about 2 bananas)
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Line muffin tray with 12 paper muffin cups.
2. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in milk, oil and banana.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients until flour is just dissolved.
4. Spoon into muffin cups. Sprinkle muffins with chocolate chips.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated 400F oven. Immediately remove from pan.

Persian Chicken Noodle Soup
Adapted from Turmeric and Saffron
(Makes about 5 quarts)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 1 4lb whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 medium turnips, cubed
• 4 small carrots, chopped into small pieces
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 small tomatoes, remove the skin, chopped
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• A handful of vermicelli noodles
• 2 limes, juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 9-10 cups water (add more if necessary)

Directions:

1. In a large pot heat the olive oil and and the onion, garlic, turnip, carrots, tomatoes and celery.  Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken pieces, water and salt
3. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
4. Reduce heat to low simmer, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 50 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the soup and shred, discarding the bones. Set aside.
6. Cook for another 60-90 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
7. During the last half hour add the parsley and cilantro.
8. Boil the noodles as directed on package and place into bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles and stir in the lime juice.

Since each sauce had a different “purpose” it stands to reason that each sauce affected the other ingredients differently as well.  The easiest comparison to make would be dipping the chicken in the yogurt sauce vs. the harissa sauce.  The yogurt enhanced the lemony flavor of the chicken and helped cool off its spiciness.  The Harissa sauce is made of chilies and instead invigorated the chicken’s spicy seasoning.  This seems obvious now, but I really wasn’t expecting how different the “experiences” would be.  I came to notice that I enjoyed pairing the chicken more with the yogurt and mint sauces, and the flat bread with the harissa.   Later I realized I probably did this to help balance things out a little bit in terms of spiciness.  Although I also spooned generous portions of mint sauce and yogurt sauce on the bread as well so who knows really. This was one of those meals that I had a lot of fun making and eating.  I loved all three sauces and I still can’t decide on a favorite!

Three Moroccan Dipping Sauces
(makes 3 sauces)

Mint Cilantro Sauce
(Makes about 1 cup)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 1 large handful (about 3/4 cup) cilantro, minced
• 1/2 cup mint, minced
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• dash honey
• sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all together.

Harissa Sauce
(Makes about 1 cup)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 2 cups arbol chilies, dried
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp caraway, ground
• 2 tsp cumin
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juice
• sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Boil the chilies until soft after about 10 minutes. Drain the chilies.
2. Slice each chili down the center and wash in water to remove the seeds.
3. Grind the chilies in a food processor or mince with a knife until the chilies resemble a thick paste.
4. Mix all ingredients together, adding more oil, lemon juice or honey to get to a sauce-like consistency if necessary.

Yogurt Lemon Sauce
(Makes 3/4 cup)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup full fat plain yogurt
• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Directions:

1. Mix all together.

Flat breads and grilled meats are popular fare all over the world.  I was so impressed with the Lebanese version I made a few months ago.  I fell in love with the smorgasbord effect of the different condiments, seasoning, breads and meat.  All of the different parts came together in a beautiful way.  When there’s so many separate parts you can almost “choose your own adventure” (more about that in the sauces post).  I decided to try out this idea with a version of Roasted Moroccan Chicken–one of my favorite recipes.  This recipe takes the spice blend from the original recipe and uses it to season the chicken which is skewered and then grilled.  It worked out great with the Moroccan Flat Bread and was a perfect accompaniment with the dipping sauces.

Grilled Moroccan Chicken Skewers
(makes 2 servings)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 lemon, juice

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry spices.
2. In another bowl, toss the olive oil, salt and pepper with the chicken pieces.
3. Pour the spices over the chicken until evenly coated on every side.
4. Thread on a skewer and grill for several minutes on each side. Sprinkle the skewers with lemon juice.

Chipotle-Lime Roasted Chicken Tacos

Steak Tacos with Chipotle Cherry Salsa and Caramelized Onions

Cochinita Pibil Tamales with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Queso Fresco

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Salsa

Roasted Jalapeno and Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Korean Pulled Pork Tacos with Kimchi and Queso Fresco

Chile Verde Chicken Tamales

Korean Grilled Chicken Burrito with Pickled Onion & Cucumber Relish

Cochinita Pibil Tacos with Queso Fresco and Pickled Onions

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Salsa

Achiote Black Bean Tacos with Grilled Avocado and Goat Cheese

Chile Verde Roasted Pork Stew

Pork with Mole Negro Sauce

Cuban Pulled Pork Tacos with Red Cabbage and Jicama Slaw and Chipotle Mayo

Corn Esquites Salad with Avocado (Mexican Roasted Corn Salad)

]]> http://www.partial-ingredients.com/archives/4012/feed 0 http://www.partial-ingredients.com/archives/4007?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=moroccan-flat-bread http://www.partial-ingredients.com/archives/4007#comments Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:58:57 +0000 mschro http://www.partial-ingredients.com/?p=4007 Continue reading →]]> I love flat breads since they are the perfect vehicle for amazing sauces! I have always loved Moroccan food and have been making it for a few years.  This bread is not as flat as pita, but still works great as a dipping bread for sauces. The interior is pillowy, with not much crust on the outside.  It wasn’t difficult to make but it does require some monitoring as you don’t want the dough to over rise.  I was happy with how this turned out though I might try flattening the dough more to make it a little less thick next time.  This couldn’t have been a better bread to serve alongside several tasty sauces!

Moroccan Flat Bread
(makes 5 large flat breads)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 5 cups all purpose flour + extra for dusting
• 3 tbsp dry active yeast
• 2/3 cup cornmeal
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 1/2 cups water, tepid 110-115F
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup flour, sugar, salt, yeast and water in bowl. Stand, covered, in a warm place until bubbly.
2. Add remaining flour, and cornmeal into a large bowl. Add the oil. Add yeast mixture to the flour in the bowl. Mix with hands well to form a firm dough.
3. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
4. Stand covered in a warm place 20 minutes.
5. Shape into 5 flat rounds and score with an ‘X’ shape with a knife.
6. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and dust with the extra flour.
7. Stand, covered, until nearly doubled.
8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven 16-18 minutes or remove when the internal temperature reads 190F.

Ever since I made Irish Soda Bread Cranberry Scones I have been thinking about making another batch with a twist. I loved the fluffy texture of the previous batch and I wanted to keep that going. I took the basic ingredients of the first recipe and added chocolate chips and orange zest. It was so easy with great results! The texture and consistency was just like before only with the added bonus of orange and chocolate. The orange zest and chocolate were balanced perfectly and it reminded me more of a dessert than a breakfast scone. These were a huge hit so I will definitely be making these again!

Dark Chocolate Orange Scones
(Makes 8 scones)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 large orange, zest

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl.
2. Work the softened butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingertips until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the buttermilk and egg, chocolate chips, orange zest, and stir with a fork until the dough just begins to come together.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough just becomes cohesive and bumpy.
5. Pat dough into a round and use a knife to cut it into 8 wedges. Form each wedge into a round and place on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet.
6. Cut a cross shape into the top of each. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

The days are getting longer and each day feels a little bit closer to summer time! And what says summer more than barbeque grilled chicken sandwiches? I chose a simple recipe for barbeque sauce made with molasses, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and chipotle peppers. Then as a side I made some baked potato fries served with malt vinegar. I chose a smoky Gruyere cheese to go with the sandwich which paired very will with the flavors of the barbeque sauce. This was a tasty dish that I will definitely make again this summer!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Melted Gruyere
(makes 2 sandwiches)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 2 hamburger buns, toasted
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2-3 red onion slices
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2-3 slices gruyere
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp worcestershire
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 batch baked potato fries (optional)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, dijon mustard, worcestershire, garlic, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper.
2. Rub the chicken breasts with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Coat with the most of the barbeque sauce and set aside. There will be about 1/4 cup of the sauce leftover, set aside.
4. Meanwhile prepare your other ingredients and baked potato fries if using.
5. On a foreman or charcoal/gas grill, cook the chicken breasts. After a minute or so, add a slice of cheese on each chicken breast and cook until melted.
6. Coat with the rest of the reserved barbeque sauce.
7. Assemble the sandwiches and enjoy!

Roasted a whole chicken is a perfect meat for tacos because it is tender, flavorful and easy to shred. I chose a basic spice blend of smoked paprika, cumin, garlic and oregano for the chicken. Then I baked it in the oven for a few hours which gave me enough time to make some fresh Pico de Gallo and shredded manchego cheese. Manchego is a great cheese for tacos because it has the creaminess of queso fresco but with a little more tartness. The tacos turned out really well! The smoky flavor of the chicken worked nicely with the manchego and creamy avocado. The recipe for the chicken is pretty versatile so I’m sure I’ll be experimenting with different salsas and condiments next time!

Roasted Chicken Tacos with Manchego Cheese and Avocado
(makes 1 dozen tacos)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 1 4 1/4 – 4 1/2 lb whole chicken
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 batch Pico de Gallo
• 2 large avocados, sliced
• 3-4 oz. manchego cheese, shredded
• 12 soft corn taco shells
• cilantro, chopped for garnish
• sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. In a glass pan, rub the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the dry spices together.
3. Evenly rub on the spices and garlic (I usually cut 2 small holes along the breast to get some of the spices under the skin).
4. Pour the apple cider vinegar over the chicken and pat onto the skin.
5. Drizzle with honey and fill the pan with about a 1/2 inch of water. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 1 1/2 hours or until an internal thermometer reads 165F.
6. Meanwhile, assemble the other salsas and condiments.
7. Take the chicken out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before shredding.
8. Remove the meat from the bones and place in a large bowl. Shred with a knife and fork.  Pour a little of the drippings from the pan and let rest for another 3-5 minutes.
9. Add a few tablespoons of the chicken to each taco and dress with the manchego, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro and sour cream.

Whenever I’ve picked up store bought scones I’ve always been disappointed. This year with Saint Patrick’s Day around the corner I came across a recipe for these Irish Soda Bread Scones. Determined to like scones, I gave this recipe a try. The recipe was originally made as a full loaf bread so I don’t know how traditional these are to scone recipes. The fluffy, dense texture on the inside and the rough exterior was very scone-like. If it tastes like a scone and looks like a scone, it’s a scone right? It was fair enough for me, especially since these were so delicious. I loved the bursts of sweet and tart from the cranberries, which paired well with the caraway. Next time I might go a little crazy and add orange or lemon zest to the dough and see how that turns out.

Irish Soda Bread Cranberry Scones
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
(makes 8 scones)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup dried cranberries or currants
• 1 tsp caraway seeds, ground (or 1 tbsp whole)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.  Whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl.
2. Work the softened butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or your fingertips until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the buttermilk and egg, cranberries, caraway and stir with a fork until the dough just begins to come together.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough just becomes cohesive and bumpy.
5. Pat dough into a round and use a knife to cut it into 8 wedges. Form each wedge into a round and place on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet.
6. Cut a cross shape into the top of each. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.