Spiced Chicken Pita with Eggplant Puree and Pomegranate

Ufra, Aleppo and Sumac

It's always been a pet peeve of mine to hear TV chefs tempt and tease their audience by saying that they wish that people could smell what's going on in their kitchen. (Even worse when corny references to "smell-o-vision" are made.) While it's true that the fragrances that develop play a huge part in what makes cooking so enjoyable, I believe expressions like that should only be used when you really mean it. Last night, somewhere between all the searing, toasting and roasting, the fragrances just bloomed and captivated the kitchen and I couldn't help but think - I wish you could smell what's going on in here today..

Toasting Spices

The key to great dishes is layers of flavor and with that comes aromas that build the excitement and anticipation that enhance the whole art of cooking. Calling on influences from the Middle East and Mediterranean cuisine, this dish was simple by design but bold in flavor. Zesty sumac, earthy urfa and spicy aleppo were the main flavor components and together, once toasted with a touch of lemon zest, they created such an intoxicating aroma, it left me wishing I could have captured those scents.

Roasted Eggplant and Lemon

While those aromatic spices were toasting away, in the oven, the eggplant was roasting, gently softening along with half of a lemon. Light and perfumey, the fruity scents grew more powerful as the flavors concentrated and deepened. Once cooled, the eggplant was peeled and whipped into a puree along with a hint of nutty tahini and a couple drops of rich pomegranate molasses to add a sweet and tangy note, that smelled just as good as they tasted.

Spice-Rubbed Chicken Breast

That aromatic toasted spice blend was used, along with olive oil and lemon juice, to dust over chicken before the outsides got seared and then it was into the oven, while whole wheat pita bread toasted away. To finish it all off, the chicken was thinly sliced and peppered with just a bit more of the spice blend and laid over the whipped eggplant and warmed pita. Pomegranate seeds were then dotted on top to provide a surprising little "pop" with each bite and fresh chopped mint and slivered scallions provided a bright and fresh flavor.

I attribute all of these intoxicating smells wafting out of the kitchen to the use of ingredients and combinations that are relatively new to me. I'm making a conscious effort to push myself to try new cuisines and flavors and it seems I can't get enough of learning about food, utilizing different techniques and creating new dishes. The added bonus of the personal satisfaction gained from giving the kitchen an enticing aroma and great food to match is what keeps me motivated and ready to get started on the next meal.

Garlic and Lemons, Allston, MA

The other day I had a discussion with someone as to what classifies a restaurant as a "hole in the wall". I think we can all agree this classification means that it has to be small in size. But does it also need to be dumpy looking and small in size? Or can it be trendy and modern while not seating many people? I stood my ground that a "hole in the wall" has to be something that looks sort of sketchy and if you were traveling from out of town you'd walk right past it, dismissing it in the name of uncertainty. However, the locals know the real deal. That shady looking spot turns out food that should not be missed.

Garlic and Lemons falls into the category of "hole in the wall" in my book. With only a brightly lit sign to mark its place on Harvard Ave, this small cafeteria-style restaurant doesn't offer many frills. Seating only about 20 guests, the main focus of this small space is the open kitchen and it's your first hint that something good is happening. Rows of crisp and vibrant salads, dips and rice are on display and it's also hard for your eyes to not be drawn to the marry-go-rounds of spinning meats.

Offering vegetarian and meat options of traditional Middle Eastern dishes, not to be missed is the spicy chicken. A neat pile of delicately slivered meat with spiced up ends makes it hard for you to want to try anything else. But please do. The Tabbouleh is full of freshly minced parsley and the Cucumber Salad is spiked with dots of bright and citrusy Sumac. The baba ganoush is fresh and consistently creamy with fresh eggplant and nutty hints of Tahini and the smooth, cooling garlic sauce balances everything right out. The kebabs are rich with Middle Eastern spices and salty, in a good way. Nothing on my plate on any of my visits was left untouched or under appreciated.

There are few restaurants that I frequent in the city and that's certainly not to be a knock on the food scene here in Boston. There's just so many places to try and it seems a new one is popping up every other week and for that reason, I don't like to go to the same place twice. There's just too much to explore. (Okay, well not that often at least). Garlic and Lemons is the exception to that rule. Maybe it's not fair for me to be partial to this place because I have a well defined soft-spot for that whole Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Cuisine, which I could eat daily and be a happy girl. On the other hand, because of that reason, I've eaten at many places offering up a similar type of fare and I don't know what it is, but Garlic and Lemons is notch above most others in the same category.

Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Is there a limit to how much one person can make and then blog about gnocchi? If there is, I'm sure I've hit that mark a long time ago. I'm sorry, one last post about it and then I'll put my obsession to rest. At least until next winter. Deal?

Toasting Cumin Seeds

This time I did something a little different.  Instead of using potatoes as the base of the gnocchi dough, I used pureed roasted carrots.  With the addition of flour, (remember when we talked about the role of flour in gnocchi? Same rules apply.) toasted and crushed cumin seeds, cinnamon and just a teensy bit of tomato paste to help preserve the beautifully bright fiery orange color, these aren't your average gnocchi.  To serve them, I blistered up the sides a bit in a hot skillet with a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finished with a little squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Roasted Carrot Puree

For the final result, I topped the roasted carrot gnocchi with some bright, toasted pistachios.  I want to pause for just a moment and talk about how underrated and under appreciated pistachios are. They have such an earthy sweetness about them and their flavor is so neutral that they work well in all sorts of dishes; spicy, sweet, earthy and rustic, ethnic or domestic favorites and specialties.  And the color! Oh the color. That bright green that perks up even more after a good toasting, it's a great option for many recipes.  I particularly liked how the pistachios worked in this dish because not only did they provide a nice little crunching "pop", I loved the contrast of green against the bright orange of the carrots.

Fresh Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi

Roasted and Spiced Carrot Gnocchi


- 7-8 large carrots, washed and peeled
- Extra Virgin Olive oil for drizzling and for pan frying
- 1 egg
- 1 TBS cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- A pinch cinnamon
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- About 1 cup flour (this will vary, use this recipe as a guide), plus more for rolling
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- A couple drops fresh lime juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Start by cutting the carrots into even sized sticks.  Drizzle them in olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Roast in a 375 degree oven until they are cooked all the way through and starting to brown a little on each side.  While still warm, puree with a hand blender until carrots are an even texture.  Season with toasted and ground cumin seeds and cinnamon. Add tomato paste and adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste.  Mixture should be a little heavier seasoned because other ingredients will still be added.  Add egg, mix thoroughly and gradually add the flour until the dough just comes together and doesn't stick to your hand when you press into it.  Gently roll out the dough into long snakes and cut them into bite sized pieces and lay them onto a floured surface.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

In a large pot, boil salted water. Add gnocchi and carefully give it a stir. Once the gnocchi float, take them out of the pot and drizzle with some olive oil to avoid sticking.  Meanwhile, heat a skillet until very hot and add the olive oiled gnocchi to the pan. Quick fry it until the edges start to blister.  Toss with lime juice, top with pistachios and serve immediately.

Quinoa Tabbouleh (Kind of..)

Somewhere around noon, at any company in any city, USA:

Friendly Co-worker: "Wanna go grab some lunch?"
You: "No, thanks I'm trying to save some money so I actually brought mine from home today"
Friendly Co-worker: "Oh yeah?  Whatdya bring?"
You: "I made up some Quinoa Tabbouleh last night to have for lunch for the next couple of days"
Friendly Co-worker: (Looking confused because they have no idea what Quinoa is) "Well aren't you a fancy pants!" (Okay, I'm pretty sure no one uses the expression "fancy pants" but you get the point)

Now here, you have a couple of options as to how to respond to your friendly co-worker.  You can roll your eyes and flippantly say, "Pffftttpp, I know" or you can tell them the truth.  If you can make rice (or at least own a rice maker) and if you can cut up some vegetables then you can make Quinoa Tabbouleh.  The hardest part is learning how to say Quinoa.  (It's Keen-wah.)

I think it's pretty easy to get into a rut when it comes to trying to save some money by bring your own lunch to work.  A plain old plastic PB&J will only take you so far before you start to crack, demanding variety.  I feel that it's really important to change things up a bit.  I like to have something exciting to look forward to and to know that at some time around noon, I will pause from my hectic day and savor a homemade lunch.  To me, lunch signifies the halfway point.  The morning is behind you and you've got the afternoon to go before the evening is yours.  Why shouldn't you want to savor that moment and make it is as delicious as possible?

Quinoa is actually a seed that cooks up like rice but has a sweet subtle bite to it.  It's also loaded with protein and fiber.  Here, I combined elements of a traditional Middle Eastern Tabbouleh (cucumber, mint, lemon and olive oil) and added tomatoes and thinly sliced green onions.  It's crunchy, its satisfying, it refreshing and its bright colors are like happiness in a bowl.  Simply put, it's the perfect way to give your lunch a much needed shake up.

What the heck is a tagine?

Today was the perfect day to hide out from the bitter cold in my small Boston kitchen and pull out my brand new tagine. Right about now you might be finding yourself asking, "what the heck is a tagine"? I'll be honest, I found myself asking a similar thought as I opened up this odd shaped dish on Christmas morning. I had seen them before and knew it was of Moroccan origin but that was about it. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to read up on and play around with this new toy.

A tagine, pictured to the right, is a traditional Moroccan pan of sorts that was traditionally made from clay. It has a shallow, but heavy bottom pan and then it has a removable cone shaped lid. It is used to cook meats and vegetables slowly and over low heat. The cone shaped top is meant to allow steam to rise, trap it and then let this beautifully flavored condensation slide back down into the meat, accentuating the flavors. Pulling from Greek inspirations, I created an oregano and a chili marinade for the chicken and then placed it on top of a bed of fresh sliced lemons, whole garlic cloves, some leftover champagne from New Years Eve, and a bay leaf. I then placed the lid on top, set my burner to a low setting, and let it go. This by far was the hardest part for me. As patience is not my virtue (especially in the kitchen) I had to distract myself so that I wouldn't open the lid (opening the lid causes the ever-important steam to escape, defeating the purpose of using this method of cooking). However, when I finally decided that it was time to take a peek, (a good three hours later!) what I was left with was this deliciously moist chicken with such an intense flavor and a sweet lemony-champagne broth. Starting with some baby spinach leaves, I placed the chicken on top and drizzled some of the lemon-champagne broth over. This slightly wilted the spinach and created a mass of earthy goodness. Paired with a simple, but absolutely addictive Israeli couscous salad with cranberries and pistachios, this meal ensured many, many future creations by way of the tagine.

Below is my recipe. Although it was fun cooking with the tagine, if you don't have one on hand, you could get great results from slowly baking the chicken. Just be sure to brown the outside of the chicken first, then bake it slowly in a tightly covered dish.

For the chicken marinade:

~ 2 tbs dried oregano

~ Chili powder to taste (depending on how hot you like it or you can omit this altogether)

~ 1/2 tsp cumin

~ drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

~ Couple pinches of salt and black pepper

~ A couple splashes of white wine or champagne

For the broth:

- Enough lemon slices to cover the pan (reserve at least one slice for the couscous)

~ 1 c. white wine or champagne

- 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

- 1 whole dried bay leaf

*For this dish, I used four small, thinly sliced chicken breasts. Adjust the recipe according to the size and amount of chicken.

Mix all of the ingredients for the rub together in a medium-sized bowl. The marinade should be a little watery, but still have a thick consistency to it. Add the chicken to the marinade and coat it completely, set aside and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. After the chicken has marinated for some time, pat it dry. Heat some olive oil in the pan and quickly brown the chicken. Do not heat it through. Pull the chicken from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile, lay the lemon slices on the bottom of the pan. Pour in the wine or champagne. Add the garlic cloves and lay the chicken on top of the bed of lemons. Pour the remaining marinade on top of the chicken and top with the bay leaf. Cover the chicken and let it slowly bake for 3-4 hours, depending on the size and quantity of chicken. Serve on top of fresh spinach and drizzle lemon broth over the dish.

Cranberry Pistachio Couscous Salad

- 1 1/3 c. Israeli couscous (can be found in most grocery stores. Regular couscous, orzo pasta or wild rice would also work well)

- 1 3/4 c. chicken stock

~ 1/4 c. toasted pistachios

~ 1/4 c. dried cranberries

- large handful of roughly chopped scallions

- 1 lemon slice

- salt and pepper to taste

~ 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

In a small saucepan, bring chicken stock and lemon slice to a boil. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the couscous in olive oil until it starts to turn light brown. Discard of the lemon and add the boiling stock to the couscous. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Let the couscous cook for 10-12 minutes until it is fluffy. Add the cranberries, pistachios, and green onions. Gently stir to combine. Season to taste. Serve alongside the chicken and spinach.