Barbecued Sumac Chicken Food

MUSSAKHAN (ROAST CHICKEN WITH SUMAC AND RED ONIONS)

Steps:

• Slash the flesh of each piece of chicken diagonally a few times, around 3/4 inch apart, and then place the meat in a large bowl or plastic container. Add the lemon juice; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 tablespoons sumac; the garlic, cumin, allspice and cinnamon; and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub the mixture into the meat. Add the red onion and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate, 1 to 3 hours.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Transfer the meat, onion slices and any juices to a baking sheet and roast until the juices run clear when the chicken pieces are pierced at their thickest part, about 40 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, cover the baking sheet tightly in foil and set aside while you prepare the toppings.
• In a small skillet, cook the pine nuts in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel to drain.
• To serve, heat the naan or taboon bread in the oven until toasted and warmed and transfer to a platter. Arrange the chicken and red onion on top. Finish with a smattering of pine nuts, sumac and chopped parsley. Drizzle any remaining roasting juices so they soak into the bread, then drizzle with a little more olive oil.

THE ULTIMATE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.
• Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
• Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

CHICKEN OR STEAK WITH BALSAMIC BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• For the BBQ sauce:
• Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the chicken or steak:
• Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill. Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of a gas or charcoal grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.
• Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side. Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 degrees F for medium (about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side). Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.
• Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

YOGURT-MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• For the chicken shawarma: Combine the yogurt, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, onion powder, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric and 2 teaspoons salt and mix to combine.
• Add the chicken and toss to make sure every piece is fully coated and smothered in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Soak 3 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
• For the toum: Meanwhile, slice the garlic cloves in half and remove any green sprouts. Place the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and blend until it becomes a paste, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• With the food processor running, pour in 1/2 cup of the oil in a very thin stream; this should take about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the bowl. Turn on the processor again and stream in the lemon juice, then stream in another 1/2 cup of the oil very slowly. Add 1 tablespoon of the ice water and pulse to combine. Add another 1/2 cup of the oil, then the remaining 1 tablespoon ice water. Then add the remaining 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil until creamy and fully emulsified. The whole process should take about 20 minutes. The toum will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 2 months. Makes about 2 cups.
• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium high and set it up for both direct and indirect heat. (For a gas grill, leave one or two burners on low or off; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill.)
• For serving: Cut the onion in half and place one half cut-side down on a cutting board. Insert the wooden skewers in the onion, blunt side in. The skewers should be spaced apart equally from each other to form a triangle.
• Thread the pieces of marinated chicken onto all 3 skewers on top of each other with no space between them. When all the chicken pieces are threaded, top the skewers with the other half of the onion.
• Place the shawarma on the direct-heat side of the grill and cook, rotating every 3 to 4 minutes using a pair of sturdy tongs, until you achieve nice grill marks, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Move the shawarma to the indirect heat side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally so it cooks evenly on all sides, until the meat feels firm to the touch and the internal temperature reaches 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Transfer the shawarma to a cutting board. Cover the with a piece of aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Uncover and hold the shawarma upright on a sturdy cutting board. Cut the chicken into strips from the top to the bottom of the stack using a sharp knife.
• Spread a lavash all over with toum. Place some lettuce, onions with sumac, tomatoes and pickles on the lavash and add the sliced shawarma and some French fries. Wrap tightly and serve.

CHICKEN WITH LEMONS, SUMAC & SPICED YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Two things happen to the chicken. First, season the inside. In a bowl mix the lemons, olives, shallots and garlic with half the sumac and some salt. Scrunch them all together and add 1 tbsp of water. Open the bird up and pour the mix into the cavity.
• Then the outside. Take the oil and the rest of the sumac and rub onto the chicken, massaging it into every part possible. Roast for 11⁄2 hrs or until cooked through and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg.
• While the chicken is cooking, mix all the ingredients for the spiced yogurt with some salt - if you like it a little milder, deseed the chilli before slicing it. Carve the chicken and serve topped with a dollop of the yogurt.

SUMAC CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Rub sumac into the chicken breasts and pour balsamic vinegar over and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.
• Spray oven tray with olive oil spray or use baking paper lined tray and bake in 180degC (350degF) oven for 20-30 minutes or until cooked, depending on thickness of chicken breast.
• This can also be cooked on the stove top or bbq.