Za'atar chicken pilav with pistachios & pomegranate

For ➍

4 chicken legs

2 cloves garlic

1 tbs lemon juice

3 tbs za'atar

70 g pomegranate seeds

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

1 bunch of dill

4 tbs olive oil

50 g butter

2 large yellow onions

250 g basmati rice

40 cl poultry fond

75 g green pistachios

1 ts pilipili

1 bunch coriander

Peel the garlic and finely chop.

Cut the chicken thighs in half at the joint and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1 tbs salt and the garlic snippets. Toss together and refrigerate for min. 2 h.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Bake the chicken ± 7 m with the skin side down golden brown and crispy in a roasting pan.

Arrange in a baking dish, sprinkle the skin side with za'atar and roast for another 10 m.

Deglaze the casserole with poultry stock and heat.

Peel the onions and cut into fine half rings. Coarsely chop the pistachios.

Rinse the rice under running water until the rinse water is clear. Preheat the butter and oil in a shallow wide cast iron pot. Add the onion rings, sprinkle with salt and fry for 15 m until caramelised. Stir in the rice, pistachios, pilipili and warm poultry stock. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken on top of the rice. Pour the juices from the baking dish over.

Place in the oven for 45 m until the rice is soft. Cover the pan and let rest for 5 m.

Finely chop the parsley leaves, coarsely chop the coriander and dill and sprinkle over the chicken together with the pomegranate seeds. Serve.

Grilled aubergine with pomegranate & pistachio

For ➍
3 eggplants
¼ ts turmeric
1 tbs garam masala
peanut oil
3 tbs pistachios
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
1 pomegranate
2 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbs sugar cubes*
3 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp pilipili

Peel the garlic and shallots. Chop finely.
Chop the coriander and mint leaves until you have 1 tbs of each.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Place a saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic, sugar, vinegar, pilipili and 3 tbs water.
Boil for 1 m, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Stir in the chopped coriander, mint and 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds.
Rinse the salt from the aubergines and pat them dry.
Mix 3 tbs oil with the garam masala and turmeric into a paste and brush the aubergine slices with it.
Heat the grill pan and fry them on both sides in beautiful, black lines.
Arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with oil and continue cooking until the aubergines are soft.
Arrange the slices on a serving dish and spoon the dressing over it.
Garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, mint leaves and coriander.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve.
Serve as an opener or as a side dish at e.g. grilled lamb crown.

* Replace if necessary by honey. Or replace the wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar for a sweeter taste.

Marinated orange carpaccio & Aperol granita

For ➍
8 oranges, 4 for serving
2 tbs pistachios, minced
fresh mint
granita:
2.5 dl Aperol
2.5 dl water
200 g sugar
zest of 1 orange
marinade:
2 dl fresh orange juice
50 g sugar
½ vanilla pod
½ ts pink peppercorns
1 quill cinnamon
1 star anise
lemon peel & orange zest for decoration

Prepare the granita the day before. Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Let this syrup cool. Dilute 2.5 dl Aperol and add 2.5 dl syrup. Finish with orange peel and mix carefully. Pour into the ice cube tray and freeze for 12 h.*
For the marinade: bring all ingredients to a boil and let cool in the fridge.
Peel 1 orange per person, cut into thin slices and arrange on a freezer cooled deep plate.
Pour a little marinade over it. Decorate with mint and minced pistachios.
Just before serving, place a scoop (or a nice ball) of granita* over it.

*To make the granita ready for serving, mix lightly in a food processor. Continue with a fork.
The traditional method is to freeze the liquid for 2 h, or until the mixture is frozen around the edges. With a fork, draw ice from the edges towards the centre. Return to the freezer, and then repeat this process about 3-4 times, every 30 m, or until all of the granita mixture is formed of ice crystals. Serve immediately.

Kesksou belfoul (couscous with veal meatballs & broad beans)

For ➍
400 g fresh broad beans, cut
ground ginger
1 ts saffron
4 onions
400 g veal meat, minced*
5 slices of bread
1 bush of parsley
2 bushes of coriander
1 egg
1 ts cumin powder
1 ts cinnamon
2 tbs pistachio nuts (not salted), peeled/pistachio kernels**
salt & black pepper

Grate 2 onions, chop the parsley and 1 bush of coriander. Soak 5 slices of bread in water or milk. Press them dry. Mix onions, parsley, bread, meat, egg, ½ ts of cumin, 1 ts of cinnamon, 2 tbs of pistachio nuts**, salt & pepper. Roll the meatballs with wet hands.

Cut 2 large onions. Heat oil in the lower part of the couscoussière (or a deep skillet like a steamer). Add onions, black pepper, 1½ ts of ginger, 1 ts of saffron, 1 bush of coriander and salt. Sauté on low fire. Add 2 l of water (or enough to contain meatballs and beans).

When the broth is boiling, put in the meatballs. Boil for 20 m.

Put the couscous*** on top in the steaming pan. Cover.****

After 10 m, add the broad beans to the broth. Cover.

When ready, put the couscous on a plate.***** Decorate with meatballs and beans.

Serve broth in a separate bowl.

*Use chopped veal instead of meatballs. Cut into chunks, add to the onions, and braise. Add 2 l of water.
**Use pine nuts instead.
***Moisten couscous the traditional way before steaming, or use precooked. Remove couscous when ready.
****Or: steam couscous in another steamer or, when using precooked, add some of the broth to moisten the couscous.
*****Mix ½ tbs of butter through the couscous.

The secret ingredients of these meatballs are pistachio nuts. Native to Persia, their cultivation was spread by the Islamic conquest of the Mediterranean, and used in luxurious sweets. They add an unexpected taste and crunchy bite to the meatballs.