Category: Recipes

Doner double helping

vbnelligan1 Comment

Foolishly, I didn’t get a final picture because I was too busy eating it, so this action. Shot midway through cooking will have to do.

Before I start on my recipe, it’s key to note that I got major inspiration/followed much of this recipe with my own little custom bits.  To be very clear, the custom bits here for me are a different mix of spices and the utilisation of lamb as well as chicken, so I do owe a ton to the recipe and method.

I would probably change things the next time I do this as the lamb could have been more tender and the chicken a bit more charred, but suffice it to say that there was none left at the end of the dinner and I cooked a ton of it.

Chicken gyros/kebabs/doner

Ingredients

  • 500g boneless chicken thighs
  • 2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 dl greek yoghurt
  • 2 shallots, diced

Method

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together into a bowl.  Make sure the spices are all mixed together and the chicken is fully covered.
  2. Marinate for an hour or two minimum and ideally overnight.
  3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C Fan/220C Conventional
  4. Using a set of two metal skewers or three bamboo skewers, take one piece of thigh meat at a time and stick them on the skewers ‘folding’ the chicken meat as you do it (i.e. if you lay out the chicken thigh, pierce one end and then fold the meat and pierce the other end)
  5. Do this until all chicken is on the skewer and then get it central
  6. Place the chicken on top of a oven roasting dish so that it doesn’t sit on the bottom of the pan (see picture)
  7. Bake for 30 mins and then turn the skewers, coating both sides in the juice from the pan
  8. Bake for a further 20-30 mins
  9. Place under the grill to get a bit more colour if needed
  10. Let the meat stand for 5-10 mins and then carve by standing the skewers vertically and then carving the meat off
  11. Serve in flat breads with tsatsiki, hummus, tomatoes, feta cheese and hot sauce

Lamb gyros/debas/doner

The chicken gyros on their own are fantastic, but I’m a big fan of mixing the meats, so for me the chicken/lamb gyros is the best.  You can also just go with lamb.  I’ve been meaning to try this version from Mob Kitchen, but I was thinking of doing it using my own ground lamb and likely a few different spices.  It may pop up here at some point.

Ingredients

  • 450g lamb loin filets
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method

  1. Cut the lamb into 3-4 cm chunks and mix all of the ingredients together into a bowl.  Make sure the spices are all mixed together and the lamb is fully covered.
  2. Marinate for an hour or two minimum and ideally overnight.
  3. Pre-heat the oven to 200C Fan/220C Conventional
  4. Using a set of two metal skewers or three bamboo skewers, place the lamb chunks onto the skewers
  5. Place the lamb on top of a oven roasting dish so that it doesn’t sit on the bottom of the pan (see picture)
  6. Bake for 30 mins and then turn the skewers, coating both sides in the juice from the pan
  7. Bake for a further 20 mins
  8. Place under the grill to get a bit more colour if needed
  9. Let the meat stand for 5-10 mins and then carve by standing the skewers vertically and then carving the meat off
  10. Serve in flat breads with tsatsiki, hummus, tomatoes, feta cheese and hot sauce

Double helping of taco filling

vbnelliganLeave a comment

img_0048As previously mentioned, I’m a big fan of Mexican food (I also like Tex Mex, but preference is towards Mexican).  Starting about a year ago, unless I’m in the mood for a naughty, quick and easy Old El Paso taco kit, I make my tortillas from scratch using masa harina.  It takes a bit of extra time, but I think it’s well worth it – particularly if you’re making quesadillas or tostados as the corn base which is masa harina gives the most spectacular crunch when it’s fried.  The basic instructions will be on the back of the pack of masa harina, but essentially you mix the correct amount of masa harina with water, let it rest and then dry fry the little discs that you press out.

I probably make this every four to six weeks, so it’s not super often, but a complete staple of the yearly food routine in the kitchen.  There are so many different variations of fillings that you can do and I haven’t even started to explore the half of them, but here is one new one that I tried and a classic.  One is a vegetarian option and the other is most definitely not.

Pulled smokey jackfruit

I saw an article in the Guardian recently about jackfruit and was completely intrigued.  It’s apparently an absolutely enormous fruit that grows on a tree and the fruit is fibrous, relatively protein rich and is being used as a substitute for pork in any recipe where pork is pulled.  The version that I got was pieces in a small tin from the shop (had to go to Whole Foods for this one as it wasn’t in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose or Co-op) and I have to say that it worked quite well in the tacos, but it didn’t taste as good on its own two days later.  Next time, I’ll probably try a Pibil type version for it.

Ingredients

  • 1 tin jackfruit pieces
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red tomato, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 chipotle chilies
  • 4 chile de arbol
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp marjoram
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 3 dl water

Method

  1. Add the red onion and garlic to a medium pot with vegetable oil
  2. When softened, add chillies, herbs and honey
  3. Stir in chopped tomato and jackfruit
  4. Cover with water, bring to a boil and then simmer
  5. Cook until jackfruit is soft and then pull apart into threads
  6. Cook until reduced and most of the liquid is absorbed
  7. Serve in tacos with salsa fresca, hot sauce and pickled radishes or red onions

Classic roadside chicken tacos

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs, deboned
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 chipotle chilies
  • 4 chile de arbol
  • 1 ancho chili
  • 3 tsp fresh coriander, chopped
  • 2 limes, squeezed
  • 1 – 1 1/2 dl olive oil
  • 1 tsp allspice

Method

  1. Place everything except for the chicken into a blender and blitz to a fine paste
  2. Marinade the chicken in the mixture for at least an hour in the fridge
  3. Using a cast iron grill (or if possible a BBQ) cook the chicken until the juices run clear
  4. Rest for 10 mins and then chop into cubes or strips as you wish
  5. Serve in tacos with salsa fresca, hot sauce and pickled radishes or red onions