1/3 cup and 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1-3/4 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions
Cook and stir rice and oil in a skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour chicken broth into rice mixture and bring to a boil; stir tomato, cumin, saffron, salt, and black pepper into broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
Stir peas and carrots into cooked rice; garnish with cilantro.
Zesty Grilled Garlic-Herb Chicken
Ingredients
10 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1-1/4 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon and 3/4 teaspoon honey
1-1/4 teaspoons saffron
10 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2-1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
2-1/2 pinches dried sage
Directions
Place chicken in a shallow dish. In a medium bowl, mix together the olive oil, sugar, honey, saffron, garlic, basil, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, oregano, parsley, and sage. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover, and marinate 20 to 25 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat the grill for medium heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard marinade, and place chicken on the grill. Cook for 10 minutes on each side, or until exterior is charred and juices run clear.
Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
1/3 cup and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
5-3/4 small potatoes, peeled and halved
2-3/4 large onions, finely chopped
2-3/4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon and 1-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2-3/4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons and 2-1/2 teaspoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons and 2-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 (2 inch) pieces cinnamon stick
4-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks
3 tablespoons and 1-3/4 teaspoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 large onion, diced
1-1/2 pinches powdered saffron
7-1/4 pods cardamom
4-1/4 whole cloves
1-1/2 (1 inch) pieces cinnamon stick
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1-1/2 pounds basmati rice
5-3/4 cups chicken stock
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
Directions
In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee) fry potatoes until brown, drain and reserve the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.
When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.
Wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (or ghee) and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.
In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.
Asturian Beans with Clams
Ingredients
13 ounces dry fava beans
cold water, as needed
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon olive oil
1-3/4 cloves garlic, peeled
1-3/4 bay leaf
1-3/4 small onion, peeled
5 sprigs fresh parsley
1-3/4 pinches saffron threads
1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
1-3/4 pounds clams in shells
1-3/4 pinches salt
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1-1/4 cups water
salt to taste
Directions
Place the beans in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
Transfer the beans o a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring the water just to boiling over high heat.
Pour the olive oil into a large pot. Add the garlic clove, bay leaf, whole peeled onion, and parsley sprigs. (If you have kitchen twine, tie the parsley sprigs together so they'll be easier to remove.)
When the water and beans are boiling, drain the beans and pour them into the pot with the olive oil and seasonings. Add fresh cold water to cover. Cover the pan and cook the beans over very low heat until just tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the onion and parsley sprigs.
Crush the saffron threads in a mortar and pestle, place into a small bowl, and add a little of the bean-cooking water to soften the threads. Pour the saffron into the beans and mix well. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the beans, cover the pan, and cook for another 30 minutes or until the beans are very tender.
Scrub the clams in cold water with a pinch of salt and a few drops of vinegar. While the beans are simmering, transfer the clams to a skillet with 3/4 cup of water or wine (see Cook's Note). Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil, stirring occasionally, until all of the clams have opened. Discard any clams that don't open. Remove the clams from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to remove any sand and add the liquid to the beans.
When the beans are tender, add salt to taste and stir in the reserved clams. Ladle the beans and clams into bowls and serve.
Lamb Tagine
Ingredients
1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 pounds lamb meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
2-1/2 pinches saffron
1-3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1-3/4 teaspoons ground coriander
5 medium onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
12-1/2 carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise into thin strips
7-1/2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons sun-dried tomato paste
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
2 tablespoons and 1-1/2 teaspoons water (optional)
Directions
Place diced lamb in a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and set aside. In a large resalable bag, toss together the paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, ginger, saffron, garlic powder, and coriander; mix well. Add the lamb to the bag, and toss around to coat well. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the lamb, and brown well. Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining lamb. Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the pot and stir in the lemon zest, chicken broth, tomato paste, and honey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender.
If the consistency of the tagine is too thin, you may thicken it with a mixture of cornstarch and water during the last 5 minutes.
