Pavlova

• This recipe is a family holiday favorite for Easter and Christmas!!
• (Recipe courtesy of Sally's Baking Addiction)
• 
  
• 4 large egg whites (use the yolks for lemon curd!)*
• 1 cup (200g) superfine sugar*
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar*
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Preliminary note: you will quickly reduce the oven to 200°F (93°C) in step 4.)
2. With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 30 seconds between, then continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 more minutes. The peaks should be stiff enough that you can hold the whisk upright and the peaks won’t move. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 more minute. The peaks should still be very stiff. If not, keep on mixing on high speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cream of tartar and cornstarch.
3. Spread the pavlova mixture into an 8-9-inch circle (see note for mini size). You can make decorative peaks with the back of a large spoon if desired. Make sure the edges are relatively tall and there is a nice dip in the center.
4. Place pavlova in the oven. As soon as you close the oven door, reduce heat to 200°F (93°C). The pavlova will stay in the oven as it cools down to 200°F (93°C). Bake until the pavlova is firm and dry, about 90 minutes total. Rotate the baking sheet if you notice some spots browning. Try to limit how many times you open the oven as the cool air will interrupt the baking.
5. Turn the oven off and let the pavlova cool inside the oven. Once the pavlova is cool, you can store it covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or serve right away.
6. Once cool, top the pavlova with whipped cream and assorted toppings. Slice and serve.

Resurrection Rolls (Easter)

Ingredients:

Rolls:

1/2 c warm milk
1 T sugar
2 tsp yeast
3 T melted butter
3 T sugar
1 egg room temp, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 c flour

Filling:

4 large marshmallows
3 T sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 T melted butter

Directions:

1. Add milk, 1 T sugar and yeast to mixer with dough hook.  Mix 5-10 min until foamy.
2. Add butter, 3 T sugar, egg and vanilla.  Mix to combine.
3. Add dry ingredients, mix unti ltack ball forms.
4. Knead until smooth.
5. Place in greased bowl and rise 1 hr until doubled in size.
6. Combine cinnamon and sugar.
7. When dough has risen, roll into 14" circle.  Cut into 8 pieces (like pie sections)
8. Cut marshmallows in half. Dip in butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture, place in center of each piece.
9. Form dough around marshamallow and seal edges well.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Flatbread recipe (no yeast)

courtesy of Recipe Tin Eats 

(recipetin eats.com)

Ingredients

• 2 cups / 300g plain flour (all purpose flour) (level cups, unsifted, not packed), + keep 1/4 cup extra for dusting & adjusting dough
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tbsp / 50g butter (1.75 oz)
• 3/4 cup / 185 ml milk
• 1/2 tbsp oil (for cooking)

Instructions

• Combine butter and milk and heat until butter is just melted - on stove or in microwave.
• Combine 2 cups flour, salt, butter and milk.
• Sprinkle work surface with flour then knead for a few minutes until it is smooth - it doesn't need much kneading. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky.
• Wrap with cling wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
• Dust bench top with flour, cut dough into 4 pieces, roll into balls, then roll out into about 1/8" / 0.3cm thick rounds.
• Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a non stick pan over medium heat - or lower if you have a heavy based skillet. (Note 1)
• Place one flatbread in the pan, cook for around 1- 1 1/2 minutes - it should bubble up (see photo in post)- then flip and cook the other side, pressing down if it puffs up. There should be a smallish golden brown spots on both sides.
• Stack the cooked bread and keep wrapped with a tea towel - the moisture helps soften the surface, making them even more pliable.
• Continue to cook with remaining pieces.
• Optional: Brush or spray bread with olive oil or melted butter, for a more luxurious finish. Or even with melted butter mixed with minced garlic for a garlic butter version!

 Recipe Notes:

1. Higher heat and the thinner the dough = crispier crust, though still pliable inside, the thin crispy crust on the outside might crack when you roll it. This is how I make naan. The larger darker brown spots on the bread (see image in post) make it look like authentic naan, just like what you get at Indian restaurants!

2. STORING: Dough keeps in the refrigerator for around 3 days. Tip: Roll out the rounds, ready to cook. Just make sure you use baking paper or cling wrap to keep the pieces separated, flour will not suffice.

Cooked breads keep really well in the freezer!

3. Works great with WHOLE WHEAT flour, does not work with almond flour. See note 4 for Gluten Free.

4. Dairy free / vegan substitutions: A reader tried the original recipe then reported back that it also worked just as great substituting the butter with olive oil and almond milk for the dairy milk to make it a vegan / dairy free version. Brilliant! Another reader has also made this with coconut oil and reported it works great.

5. This works pretty well with Gluten Free flour. You may need a bit of extra flour to roll it out - just add more as required. The texture is a bit different - a bit chewy, and you may not be able to roll them out into neat rounds like pictured. 

6. Use this for: Gyros, Souvlaki, as naan for curries like Butter Chicken, Chickpea Curry or Beef Rendang.

Chicken Schwarma

Recipe video above. This Middle Eastern chicken is incredibly aromatic. The marinade is very quick to prepare and the chicken can be frozen in the marinade, then defrosted prior to cooking. It is best cooked on the outdoor grill / BBQ, but I usually make it on the stove. Serve with a simple salad and flatbread laid out on a large platter and let your guests make their own wraps.

Ingredients

• 2lb /1 kg chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless (Note 3)

MARINADE

• 1 large garlic clove , minced (or 2 small cloves)
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp to make it not spicy)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil

YOGHURT SAUCE

• 1 cup Greek yoghurt
• 1 clove garlic , crushed
• 1 tsp cumin
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

TO SERVE

• 6 flatbreads (Lebanese or pita bread orhomemade soft flatbreads)
• Sliced lettuce (cos or iceberg)
• Tomato slices

Instructions

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag (or bowl).
• Add the chicken and use your hands to make sure each piece is coated. If using a ziplock bag, I find it convenient to close the bag then massage the bag to disperse the rub all over each chicken piece.
• Marinate overnight or up to 24 hours.
• Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and put in the fridge until required (it will last for 3 days in the fridge).
• Heat grill/BBQ (or large heavy based pan on stove) on medium high. You should not need to oil it because the marinade has oil in it and also thigh fillets have fat. But if you are worried then oil your hotplate/grill. (See notes for baking)
• Place chicken on the grill and cook the first side for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes (the 2nd side takes less time).
• Remove chicken from the grill and cover loosely with foil. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

TO SERVE

• Slice chicken and pile onto platter alongside flatbreads, Salad and the Yoghurt Sauce.
• To make a wrap, get a piece of flatbread and smear with Yoghurt Sauce. Top with a bit of lettuce and tomato and Chicken Shawarma. Roll up and enjoy!

 Recipe Notes:

1. MAKE AHEAD: Pop the marinade and chicken in a ziplock bag and freeze straight away. Then as it defrosts, it will marinate!

This also works well made ahead, which I recently did when I made this for 50 people as part of a multi-course meal. I grilled it in the morning and cut it up. Then prior to serving it was just heated up in the microwave. Toss it with the juices pooled at the bottom of the dish and no one will guess it was cooked earlier in the day!

2. If using large lebanese bread as pictured (diameter is almost 30cm/1 foot), you need around 300g/10oz of chicken per person (raw) to fully fill them out without tucking the ends in. 200 - 250g/7 - 8oz per person seems to be enough on average, but I always end up providing more!

3. Chicken - I use 6 pieces approx 5oz/150g each.

Chicken breast: I feel strongly that this is best made with thigh because it's got more fat so you get beautiful caramelisation. But it's still super tasty made with chicken breast. The best way is to cut them in half horizontally to make 2 thin steaks no thicker than 1 cm/ 2/5" each. If needed, pound lightly. Marinate per recipe. Then cook on a high heat (not medium high per recipe) for just 2 minutes on each side until golden. They will be juicy and beautiful inside!

4. Suggestions for things to make on the side:

* Mejadra (pictured in post) - Middle Eastern lentil rice
* Chickpea Rice Pilaf- slightly less spiced than Mejadra
* Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad (a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, skip the spicing of chickpeas to keep it fresher)
* Also see 7 Course Arabian Feast (summary below recipe)
*

5. BAKING: Cooking on a BBQ or stove is best to get the caramelisation. Baking doesn't yield quite the same flavour - but still very good! Bake at 425F/220C for 20 - 25 minutes until a browned.

6. Nutrition for chicken only because flatbreads vary so much in size and calories.Assuming 6 servings.

Slow Cooker Lamb Schwarma

Ingredients

• 2kg / 4 lb lamb shoulder (bone in) or 1.7 kg / 3.5 lb butterflied lamb leg (Note 1)

SHAWARMA PASTE:

• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground cardamon
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp = not spicy)
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (ordinary also ok)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup / 65 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 - 3 tbsp / 40 - 60 ml lemon juice

COOKING:

• 2 cups / 500 ml water

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan forced / convection).
• Place Paste ingredients in a bowl, starting with 2 tbsp lemon juice, and mix. It should be a wet paste that can be slathered onto the lamb (see video).
• Place lamb in a large roasting pan. Slather all over with paste. Optional: Marinate 24 hours (not mandatory, I usually skip).
• Position the lamb with the fat side up. Pour water around, cover tightly with foil.
• Roast 3 hours, removing from the oven 2 - 3 times to spoon over pan juices (ie baste).
• Remove foil. Meat should be tender - check with 2 forks.
• Baste again, then return to oven for 30 minutes to get a nice crust.
• Remove lamb from roasting pan - reserve juices.

FINISH ON BBQ, OPTIONAL (NOTE 2):

• Cool the lamb for 20 minutes or so (so it firms up slightly, easier to handle).
• If you used shoulder, pull the meat off the bone in 4 or 5 chunks (see video).
• Preheat BBQ to medium and oil if required.
• Coat lamb in pan juices. Sear on both sides until deep golden and a crust forms. Dab with pan juices on both sides.

SERVING:

• Slice or shred lamb, as desired. Drizzle with plenty of juices.
• Make Lamb Shawarma wraps by serving with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and minted yoghurt (Note 3) or pile over Lemon Herbed Couscous (Note 4) and garnish with pomegranate seeds and parsley or chopped coriander/cilantro (if desired). Both pictured in post.

 Recipe Notes:

1. Both lamb leg and shoulder are great for this recipe. Lamb shoulder is fattier than leg so it will be juicier, and because of this it will reheat better (ie still be really juicy when reheated). However, leg reheats great too, especially because there's plenty of pan juices to drizzle over the slice or shredded meat. If using leg, butterflied leg is ideal because the slather can be rubbed all over the meat. (Butterflied lamb leg is lamb leg with the bone removed.)

However, this can be made with bone in lamb leg but if you do so, do not skip the marinating time.

Marinating is optional for this recipe because the slow cooking time allows the spices to penetrate and also the pan juices drizzled on the lamb has such an intense flavour.

2. Finishing on the BBQ is optional. It creates an amazing crust, and is a great way to reheat lamb if you make ahead and in the spirit of gatherings!

3. Minted Yoghurt: Plain Greek yoghurt + finely chopped mint + lemon juice + olive oil + salt & pepper. Optional 1/2 garlic clove, minced. Set aside 20 minutes.

4. Lemon Herb Couscous: Combine 3/4 cup raisins or sultanas (or other dried fruit of choice) with 1.5 cups each couscous and hot boiled vegetable stock. Cover with cling wrap, leave for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork. Stir through lots of finely chopped parsley and mint, lemon zest, juice, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil to taste.

5. MAKE AHEAD: I like to use shoulder for making ahead because it reheats better simply because it has more fat marbled through the meat. Let it cool then refrigerate in the pan juices. Reheat in the oven covered at 160C/320F for around 20 minutes or microwave. Or bring to room temperature then BBQ on medium (per recipe) to reheat, basting as you go.

6. SERVINGS: A 2 kg / 4 lb shoulder will serve 5 hungry or 6 normal servings, the leg will serve 6 - 7 (it shrinks less).

7. SLOW COOKER: This would be terrific to do in a slow cooker as long as the lamb will fit (which mine would not!). Reduce water to 1 cup and slow cook for 10 hours on low, then transfer the lamb either to the oven (including juices in the slow cooker) or finish it on the BBQ. The Slow Cooker Roast Lamb Leg video shows how to do these steps (just the rub is different).

8. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings and that all pan juices are consumed which they probably won't be, so the calories are higher than it should be (especially because there's lots of fat in the juices).