♥︎Roasted cauliflower salad with pancetta & baby potatoes

For ➍ 

50 g pancetta♥︎

1 cauliflower 

400 g baby potatoes 

2 cloves garlic 

½ lemon, juice 

10 g flat-leaf parsley

400 g chickpeas 

200 g hummus 

5 Medjool dates 

5 cl tahini 

1 tbs za'atar 

4 tbs olive oil 

salt & pepper 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

Rinse the baby potatoes and cut them into wedges. 

Cut the cauliflower into florets and the slices of pancetta in half. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and drain. 

Stir the za'atar through the olive oil, squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the cauliflower, chickpeas, baby potatoes and pancetta and mix thoroughly. 

Peel and halve the garlic and mix with the vegetables. 

Roast the vegetables and pancetta in the oven for 25 m until cooked and crispy. 

Stir the tahini into the hummus and spoon a generous amount of the mixture onto each plate. 

Spoon the roasted vegetables and bacon on top and finish with a generous amount of finely chopped parsley and pieces of date.

♥︎Replace with heart-friendly alternative like turkey.

Roast chicken with dates, olives & capers

For ➍
8 chicken legs, drumstick & thigh attached, skin on (2 kg net)
5 garlic cloves, crushed
15 g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
3 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
100 g green olives, pitted
60 g capers, plus 2 tbs of their juices
70 g Medjoul dates, pitted & quartered lengthways
2 bay leaves
12 cl dry white wine
1 tbs date syrup or treacle
salt & black pepper

Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 m (or up to 70 m, depending on the meat pieces' size), basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

This Ottolenghi favourite was inspired by the 1980's recipe for Chicken Marbella, a popular dish on Jewish pass over meals. Created in NYC, it blended influences from North Africa and Spain, as well as the mixing of poultry and fruit from Persia and the Middle East.

Omani lamb & date stew

For ➍
1-2 ts crushed red pepper
1 ts ground turmeric
1 ts ground ginger
1 ts ground cinnamon
½ ts salt
1 kg boneless leg of lamb (or beef or camel meat),  cut into 2.5 cm pieces (or double weight with bones)
2 tbs olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 dl beef bouillon
1 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs cold water
225 g pitted dates (soaked in 5 dl water overnight, then mashed by hand or in a food processor*).
cooked white rice
30 g toasted slivered almonds*

In a mixing bowl combine the spices and salt. Coat the meat with the seasoning mixture. In a large, heavy skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, in the hot oil. Add onions and garlic, and stir to combine. Pour the broth over all.
Bring to a boil. Then, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for a couple of hours or till the meat is tender. Skim fat from the surface of the juices. Stir cornstarch into the cold water. Add to meat in the pan and stir.
Add the dates, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer another 15 m or till mixture is slightly thickened and bubbly.
Serve hot over white rice and garnish with toasted almonds.

*Optional.