Dajaj Muhammara Recipes

MUHAMMARA

Steps:

• Place the peppers in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse several times, until they are reduced to a pulp. Add the walnuts, bread crumbs, spices, and sugar and process until the ingredients are ground and amalgamated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients. Process to a paste, scraping down the processor from time to time. Taste and adjust salt. If desired, thin out with a little more olive oil. Refrigerate until close to serving time, then bring to room temperature to serve, with vegetables and/or bread.

SHAWARMA DJAJ -- CHICKEN SHAWARMA (LEBANON -- MIDDLE EAST)

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with 1/2 cup of onion, lemon juice, olive oil & spices, then add the thyme before adding the salt to taste.
• Stir well & then let marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then place chicken breasts in a roasting pan & bake for 25-30 minutes or until done.
• Remove from the oven & shred the chicken into slivers.
• Open oval pitas at the seam to create a large pocket, then spread a tablespoon of garlic sauce on the bottom half before filling each pits with equal amounts of sandwich ingredients (i.e. chicken, tomato, onion, gherkins, mint & parsley).
• Wrap the bottom of the 'sandwiches' with a napkin & serve immediately.

MARK BITTMAN'S ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH BUTTER OR OLIVE OIL (PLU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put the oil or butter in a roasting pan and put the pan in the oven for a couple of minutes, until the oil is hot or the butter melts. Add the chicken and turn it couple of times in the fat, leaving it skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return the pan to the oven.
• After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, toss about 1/4 of the herb or herb mixture over it and turn the pieces. Sprinkle on another quarter of the herb and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over (now skin side up again), add another quarter of the herb, and cook until the chicken is done (you'll see clear juices if you make a small cut in the meat near the bone) a total of 30-40 minutes at most. Garnish with the remaining herb and skim excess fat from the pan juices if necessary; serve, with some of the juices spooned over it.
• Variations:
• Add several cloves of garlic (20 wouldn't be too many).
• Add a cup or so of chopped onion, shallot, or leek.
• Add a cup or so of sliced fresh mushrooms, after the first 15 minutes of roasting.
• Add 2-3 lemons (oranges and limes are good, too). When the chicken is done, squeeze the hot lemon juice over it.
• Use Compound Butter, Flavored Oil, or a Vinaigrette from the beginning of the cooking or as a basting sauce during the cooking.
• Stir in a dollop of grainy French-style mustard when the chicken is done.
• Add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some black olives after turning the chicken skin side up again.
• Stir in a cup of any salsa in the last 10 minutes of cooking or spoon on top of the cooked chicken before serving.

SYRIAN TANGY RED PEPPER AND NUT DIP - MUHAMMARA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the pine nuts and almonds.
• and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly golden, about.
• 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the nuts to a plate.
• Add the walnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 3.
• minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a food processor and let cool completely.
• Add the pistachios and cashews and pulse until the nuts are finely.
• chopped. Scrape the finely chopped nuts into a medium bowl.
• Add the bell peppers and onion to the food processor and pulse until.
• finely chopped. Transfer the pepper mixture to a fine-mesh sieve and press.
• to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the mixture to the chopped.
• nuts. Stir in the pine nuts, almonds, bread crumbs and olive oil. Season.
• with salt and cayenne and serve.
• Serve With Warm pita.

MIDDLE EAST MUHAMMARA

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, throw in walnuts and sauté until they become more fragrant; toss often, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a food processor.
• Add roasted red peppers, breadcrumbs, oil, garlic, tomato paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin, paprika, aleppo pepper, and salt; process until blended but not completely smooth, keeping the mixture slightly coarse. The process time shouldn't take more than 1 minute. Half way through, clean the sides of the bowl; taste and adjust if necessary.
• Transfer the muhammara in a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend together.
• When ready to serve, sprinkle chopped walnuts, fresh parsley and drizzle about ½ tablespoons oil if desired. Yield 2 cups.

KUWAITI CURRIED CHICKEN (QUWARMAH ALA DAJAJ)

Steps:

• Rinse and wipe chicken pieces dry and sprinkle with salt.
• Combine baharat and turmeric and rub half onto chicken pieces. Leave for 15 minutes.
• Heat olive oil and brown chicken pieces on each side. Remove to plate.
• Add onion and fry gently until transparent.
• Add garlic, ginger, remaining spice mixture, and cinnamon bark to the onion and fry for 5 minutes stirring often.
• Add tomato sauce, water, salt to taste, and loomi pierced twice with a skewer or loomi powder. Bring to a high simmer.
• Add chicken pieces and okra if using, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 hours until chicken is tender and sauce is thick.
• Serve hot with Recipe #79179 or other basmati rice dish and salad.
• Enjoy!

MARK BITTMAN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F Put the oil or butter in a roasting pan and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes, until the oil is hot or the butter melts. Add the chicken and turn it a couple of times in the fat, leaving it skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and return the pan to the oven.
• After the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, toss about one-quarter of the herb, if you're using any, over it and turn the pieces. Sprinkle on another quarter of the herb and roast for another 10 minutes.
• Turn the chicken over (now skin side up again), add another quarter of the herb, and cook until the chicken is done (you'll see clear juices if you make a small cut in the meat near the bone), a total of 30 to 40 minutes at most. Garnish with the remaining herb and skim excess fat from the pan juices if necessary; serve, with some of the juices spooned over it.
• ROAST CHICKEN PARTS WITH BLACK BEANS VARIATION: First, soak 2 tablespoons fermented black beans in water, sherry, or wine to cover. In place of the butter or olive oil, use peanut oil or a neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn. Mix together 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 minced scallions, 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar or honey. Drain the black beans and add them to this mixture; thin it to a paste, if necessary, with a little more soy sauce. In Step 1, spread a little of this mixture all over the raw chicken and put the chicken in the roasting pan; return the pan to the oven. Proceed with Steps 2 and 3, using the soy-based mixture for basting in place of the herb mixture.
• MORE VARIATIONS: You can combine these ideas at will; it's hard to go wrong here. Add with the chicken at the beginning of cooking unless otherwise specified. (1) Add a few sprigs of a stronger herb like thyme, sage, oregano, or rosemary. (2) Add several (or many!) cloves of garlic. (3) Add a cup or so of chopped onion, shallot, or leek. (4) Add a cup or so of sliced fresh mushrooms, after the first 15 minutes of roasting. (5) Add a lot of hot dried chiles, a couple of roasted, soaked, and chopped milder chiles, or both. (6) Add 2 or 3 lemons (oranges and limes are good too), cut in half; when the chicken is done, squeeze the hot lemon juice over it. (7) Use peanut oil instead of olive oil and add several slices of ginger and garlic after turning the chicken skin side up again. When chicken is done, drizzle with soy sauce and dark sesame oil, then garnish with scallions and/or cilantro. (8) Use Compound Butter, Flavored Oil, or Vinaigrette from the beginning of the cooking or as a basting sauce during cooking. (9) Rub the chicken with 1/2 cup or so of Pesto or any other herb paste from the beginning of the cooking. (10) Stir in a dollop of grainy French-style mustard when the chicken is done. (11) Add a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes and some black olives after turning the chicken skin side up again. (12) Stir in a cup of any salsa in the last 10 minutes of cooking or spoon on top of the cooked chicken before serving. (13) Stir a couple tablespoons of any curry powder into a cup of yogurt or coconut milk and spoon or brush it on as a basting sauce during cooking.

TURKISH MUHAMMARA

Steps:

• In mortar using pestle, pound walnuts into very small pieces. (Don't do this in food processor or it will turn to paste.).
• Transfer to large mixing bowl and add feta, bread crumbs, oil, garlic, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice, tomato paste, hot paprika mix, sweet peppers, oil-packed crushed red peppers, hot sauce, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, oregano, black pepper, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder and sugar.
• Mix very well by hand, squeezing and mixing.
• In small bowl, combine yellow and green onions.
• Sprinkle with salt.
• Let stand several minutes.
• Squeeze mixture by hand, discarding liquid.
• Add onions to walnut mixture and mix well by hand.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to let flavours develop. Serve with pita, bread or crackers. (Keeps several days. If needed, drizzle with olive oil before serving to loosen mixture.).