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Herb & Citrus Chicken Skewers with Mint-Basil Sauce

Herb & Citrus Chicken Skewers with Mint-Basil Sauce

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Legend has it Kabab was invented by medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires. But mostly likely cooking pieces of meat over a flame has been around since humans began cooking with fire.

There are cultural variations to skewered food around the world: En Brochette as in the French technique, Satay of Malaysian or Indonesian origin , Souvlaki of Greece, Yakitori of Japan (which literally means “burnt chicken”),  Espetada of Portugal and my personal favorite Shish Kabab from Iran and surrounding Middle East countries- just to name a few.

It is a simple and practical way to cook and I want to share one of my favorite recipes with you. You can either grill these over fire or bake in the oven. Either way you end up with a tasty and juicy chicken. Drizzle it with my mint-basil sauce and you have a flavor explosion to boot!

The Ingredients:

For Chicken Skewers:
1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 red, green and yellow bell pepper each, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons lemon zest
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme (use 1/2 tbls regular thyme as an alternative)

For Basil Mint Sauce:
2 1/2  cups fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup cooked green peas
2 cloves garlic
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
6 tablespoons olive oil (plus more if needed)
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
Prepare marinade.
Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, garlic, rosemary, thyme and red chili flakes in a bowl.
Add chicken, add salt + pepper and mix so marinade coats chicken evenly.
Marinade over night if possible, if not 2-3 hours prior to cooking is fine too.
Cut peppers and onions into approximately 1 inch pieces.
Thread chicken and veggies on skewers and alternate for beautiful color pattern.
Make sure skewers are not too tightly packed so everything cooks evenly.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water prior to cooking so they don’t catch on fire.
Once you have everything on the skewers bake in a 375 degree over for approximately 25 minutes, turning skewers over every 10 minutes or so.
If grilling, keep on the flame until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally (approximately 10 minutes total).

For the sauce- combine mint, basil, peas, red wine vinegar, red chili flakes, S+P in a food processor.
Pulse a couple of times for a rough chop.
Pulse a few more times while simultaneously pouring in olive oil.
You can add water for a thinner consistency depending on preference.

Serve drizzled with green sauce and a splash of lemon juice and enjoy on top of salad or rice.

 

Panko-Crusted Dijon Cod & Fragrant Mediterranean Salad

Panko-Crusted Dijon Cod & Fragrant Mediterranean Salad

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Over the years I’ve enjoyed many delightful meals with my friend, Anjali. We both like beautiful and healthy food but never compromise flavor! So we teamed up for our next video to cook a delicious menu of panko crusted Dijon Cod fish and a fragrant Mediterranean salad with fresh herbs.

The fish is light and flaky with a tang of Dijon and cooks in a snap. The cucumber-tomato-feta salad is savory, fragrant and colorful.  Pair that with a chilled  Rose and fantastic company and you got yourself a fabulous meal!

Ingredients:

For the Cod:
1 lb. wild caught cod fish
2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup panko crumbs
2-3 teaspoon olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt + Pepper to taste

For the Salad:
1 lb tomatoes (either cherry, beefsteak or heirloom), chopped
1/2 large red onion, chopped
4-5 cucumbers (Persian cucumbers are more delicate and flavorful), chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 – 3/4 cup pitted + sliced Kalamata olives

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
3-4 tablespoons dried mint or 1/2 cup fresh mint
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine panko, 1 teaspoon olive oil, zest of  lemon and a pinch of salt + pepper in a bowl. Mix.
Squeeze juice of lemon on the cod.
Drizzle cod with remaining  2 teaspoons of olive oil and spread evenly on the fish.
Slather cod with Dijon mustard.
Cover all of the mustard with panko mixture.
Bake in oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until panko is slightly golden.

Prepare the salad while the fish bakes.
Chop onion and place in a bowl of water to reduce sharpness.
Combine chopped tomato, cucumber, red pepper, olives, feta cheese and mint.
In a separate bowl prepare dressing.
Finely chop the garlic and combine with red wine vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking quickly.
Add onion to salad mixture.
Pour dressing over the salad and fold gently to mix.

Serve with a chilled rose or white wine of your choice and enjoy!

 

Make The Best Steak Of Your Life!

Make The Best Steak Of Your Life!

Comments 8 comments

Hi Friends,

I’m excited to introduce the first video of our Basil and Roses YouTube Channel!

I team up with my cousin Kam to make the best steak of your life. Impressive doesn’t have to mean fancy. All you need is great ingredients and technique, fabulous company and wine doesn’t hurt either.

The recipe is below. Check us out and feel free to comment, share, try the recipe and give us feedback.
Happy cooking!

 

The Menu
Pan Seared Ribeye Steak
Smashed Potatoes
Dijon Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

For Steak
2 ribeye steaks (approx 1 lb each)
Sea salt + black pepper
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme each
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

For Asparagus
2 bunches asparagus (about 25 spears)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt + pepper to taste

For Potatoes
10-12 small red or yellow potatoes
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 – 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (adjust to taste)
olive oil for drizzling

Directions:
Generously salt your ribeye steak on both sides.
Pepper is not required, but I use fresh ground pepper as well.
Put aside.

Prepare potatoes.
Add baking soda and salt to water in a pot, bring to boil.
Add potatoes to boiling water and cook for approximately 20 minutes (until soft enough that a fork goes through easily).

While the potatoes boil, prepare the asparagus.
Cut thicker fibrous bottoms of asparagus spears (approximately 1 inch).
Using a peeler, shave each stalk into “ribbons” (this looks really pretty!)
Place in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt + pepper for the dressing.
Drizzle in olive oil while you whisk into dressing, until creamy.
Pour dressing over asparagus and fold gently to spread evenly across.
Let sit and put aside.

Take cooked potatoes out of boiling water and place on baking sheet.
Pat dry.
Using a potato masher (or bottom of a bottle), SMASH each potato down, flattening out the little bud.
Drizzle potatoes with olive oil.
Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and pepper.
Grate Parmesan cheese over each potato. Use as much as you like, about 1-2 table spoons per potato.
Place potatoes in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.
You can turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end to brown the top for extra crispiness.

While potatoes bake and asparagus marinates, we go back to our steak.
Heat your cast iron pan in the oven or stove top until it is super hot!
This is the trick to getting that nice sear on the outer part of your meat.
Place steak in super hot skillet and don’t mess with it for at least 30 seconds.
Cook on first side for approximately 3-4 minutes.
Flip your steak and sear the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
Add butter (or a couple of tablespoons of olive oil) to the pan along with fresh rosemary, thyme and garlic.
Note- using olive oil does mean a bit of smoke in in the kitchen when dealing with high heat.
Using pot holders, lift pan and tilt to one side so melted brown butter or oil gather.
Slowly spoon the brown butter over the steak multiple times.
The gorgeous flavors of the herbs and garlic marry with the steak for an awesome flavor.
Remove steak from the pan and LET IT REST for about 10 minutes. This is super important!
You want the meat to rest for juices to redistribute throughout the steak. Otherwise, you’ll lose all the juicy goodness when you cut into the steak prematurely.
Once rested, slice your steak cutting against the grain.

Serve with crispy smashed potatoes and asparagus and enjoy!

 

 

The Fire Of Our Lives

The Fire Of Our Lives

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There is something uniquely special about the appeal of fire, we love being around the warmth and glow it creates. There is something that draws us towards the bonfire and the hearth. I believe our memories- conscious or subconscious, personal or collective are a part of that draw. Most of us have treasured memories of people who have cooked for us- Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents, friends… We cherish these memories because they are a special reminder of the love and generosity we’ve received in our lifetime. We gather around the fire, and the hearth and our tables to pay homage to that gift. To quote Michael Pollan, “a good pot holds memories.“

Tahran, Iran circa 1970

Most cultures have some form of grilling tradition which usually results in groups of people in the family or community gathering around a fire and sharing a meal together. Kebabs in the Middle East, Asado in Argentina, Tandoor in India, Churrasco in Brazil, Luau in Hawaii, Sausage Sizzle in Australia,  Gogigui in Korea, Hibachi in Japan, Chuanr and Char Siu in China, Sataay in Southeast Asia, Lechon in the Philippines, Braii in South Africa (for which there is apparently a national day and anthem). And of course there is the classic American Backyard BBQ which many of us enjoyed this past Memorial Day Weekend.

Each of these traditions have their own unique style and flavor, but the common denominator is the communal aspect of the tradition. The lyrics in South Africa’s Braii anthem go “We stand united at the bonfire. We raise our glasses to the clear, blue sky, tell me your story and I’ll tell you mine.” Gathering around the grill is universal. When we don’t have an actual fire, we gather in our kitchens. Near the hearth, near the source of the fire, around those whom provide for us sustenance and satisfaction. One of my personal highlights of the year is that moment when I bring the turkey out of the oven on Thanksgiving day. Surrounded by friends and family who applaud and cheer as if I just invented bread! I love that moment and appreciate their gratitude. Everyone wants to take a picture with me and the turkey- which incidentally works out nicely, it gives our bird the right amount of time to rest.

As an avid cook, I may be biased on the importance of cooking and how it elevates our experience. Beyond my personal passion, there is an important evolutionary aspect of cooking that may be represented in the fires we gather around.

Cooking is what separates us from our evolutionary cousins, what made us civilized creatures. Learning to cook elevated humans from lone animal to more intelligent beings. Some neurologist believe the reason humans have bigger brains than gorillas is because we learned to cook. By using fire to cook our food, we spent less time foraging and less time chewing our food. This allowed us to get more energy out of our food, allowing our brains to grow. Although the human brain is 2% of our body mass, approximately 20% of what we consume fuels brain activity. The more calories we consumed, the more our brains grew.  With more time spent around the fire, we spend more time together and learned from one another.  This topic is artfully covered by the fantastic Michael Pollan in his book Cooked, now a stunning docu-series on Netflix. A visually captivating, poignant and educational series.

“The discovery of fire and its use with cooking completely change our evolutionary curve, enabling us to shrink our guts and grow our brains…The cook fire tamed us and socialized us by giving us the institution of the meal.” -Michael Pollan

This history of us is fascinating. Cooking plays a role in how we came to be creatures which have the capacity to enjoy life. A transformation occurred when we stopped cooking for survival, and started cooking for pleasure. So raise a glass to friends and loved ones who cook for you and who’s kitchens you’ve gathered around. Not only are they the source of many of our best experiences, it may also be that without them we would be a lot less intelligent!

I love to grill and summer BBQ’s are a wonderful way to gather around the fire for “old times” sake.

This week I’ll share my favorite grilling recipes with you. From the now (somewhat) famous
“Naz Burger”, to fun marinades for grilled chicken and fresh summer veggie recipes.

Happy Summer, my fellow humans!

Exquisite Hard-boiled Eggs

Exquisite Hard-boiled Eggs

Comments 4 comments

I love eggs. It is one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen and I enjoy different ways of cooking it. From a humble omelette to a sumptuous souffle, the options of what you can make with eggs are infinite. Eggs are an excellent wellspring of nutrition in a single source: they provide proteins, antioxidants, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals.

Omelettes are great on weekends, like this savory Scallion and Mushroom Turmeric Omelette.                  On weekdays the classic hard boiled egg end up on salads for lunch, an express breakfast on busier days or perfect mid-afternoon snack with a pinch of flakey sea salt.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “There is always a best way of doing everything, if it be to boil an egg.” I 100% agree with that statement. Here I share with you what I consider the best way to make hard-boiled eggs. It will be one the simplest and most satisfying dishes you make.

And since here at Basil and Roses we love flowers so much, we present our eggs shaped like one! It’s just beautiful and we think it will put a smile on your face.

The key to perfect hard-boiled eggs is to NOT boil them. You read correctly.

Directions:
Place eggs in water in a pot and cover with lid.
Make sure eggs are covered with at least 1 inch of water.
Bring water to boil.
As soon as water starts boiling, turn off the stove.
For a softer yolk, let sit for approximately 5 minutes.
Then run under cold water, peel and enjoy.
For the perfectly firm yolk, let sit for 10 minutes before running under cold water and peeling.
Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper.

To present like the beautiful flower above-
Cut 2 eggs in half, then cut the half into a quarter and arrange like a flower on the plate.

Plato said “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” This presentation and the incredible miracle that is the egg are two great examples of that notion.


Something salty compliments eggs well. Feta cheese is a great choice.
Here I served the eggs with a typical Persian breakfast of Feta, Tomato, herbs and pita (noon o  paneer o sabzi!)

Tequila-Lime Baked Fish Tacos

Tequila-Lime Baked Fish Tacos

Comments 3 comments

Fish tacos, how we love them so… truly one of my favorite things to eat. I enjoy indulging in crispy fried versions once in a while, but in general prefer a healthier baked or grilled version. With the immense flavor of this tequila-lime recipe nothing will be lost, promise! There is just something so gratifying about a good fish taco. All you need is a nice flaky fish, a zesty salsa with a kick, guacamole, a crunchy slaw and of course a nice amount of citrus and spice and everything nice!

My family loved this recipe and I hope you enjoy it too. With summer just beginning, this is the perfect dish to make for warm afternoons in the backyard served with a refreshing margarita!

¡Buen apetito!

Ingredients:
1 lb. wild-caught Cod fish
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup lime juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
salt + pepper
8 small corn or flour tortillas

Directions:
Cut fish into smallish pieces (approx 3-4 inches long).
Make the marinade by combining tequila, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno, S+P in a bowl.
This smells amazing! The alcohol burns off during cooking but the tequila flavor is awesome!
Place fish in the marinade and cover. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In the mean time, you can make the fun accompaniments for the tacos.
Once marinaded, place in preheated oven of 325 degrees F.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Vibrant and Colorful Mango Salsa

Vibrant and Colorful Mango Salsa

Comments 1 comment

This colorful salsa is fun to make, fun to eat and a feast on the eyes! The gorgeous colors make the table festive and the sweet and sour flavors are explosive! Great on fish tacos or as a dip.

 

Ingredients:
4 large and ripe mango, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lime (adjust to taste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Tortilla chips to scoop up all this flavor (I used these Tostitos Multigrain Scoops), they handle the chunky salsa well.
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
Combine cubed/chopped mango, red pepper, red onion and jalapeno.
Add cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt + pepper. Adjust to taste based on preference.
Fold gently to combine ingredients together.
Enjoy this savory, sweet and sour delight!

 

 

 

 

Nani’s Guacamole

Nani’s Guacamole

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I think avocado is the most magnificent fruits in the world! It is rich, creamy, earthy, nutty, and savory. Avocados also have great health benefits. The list is long but to name a few they are high in potassium, good fats and they are one of the few high protein fruits. I love it’s creamy texture and use it as a substitute for butter or oils often. And of course, nowhere is the beautiful avocado highlighted more than in a classic guacamole! I don’t use garlic or tomato’s in my recipe, but feel free to add them if it makes you happy…

P.S. This recipe also works really well for avocado toast. It’s excellent on toasted sourdough bread with a couple of slices of tomato and a pinch of sea salt. Yum!

 

Ingredients:
4 avocados
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice (adjust to taste)
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
Cut avocado into cubes, slightly mash it in a bowl. I like to leave it a bit chunky.
Add chopped cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, salt + pepper and mix.
Adjust salt and pepper levels to taste.

 

 

Salsa Fresca

Salsa Fresca

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Forget store-bought salsa, you can make a much better homemade version with a few simple ingredients.

This uncomplicated recipe is made with chopped tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, cilantro, and lime. A bright and tangy medley which can be enjoyed as a dip with chips, or great on top of tacos, nachos, burritos, grilled chicken or roasted meats.

Note — juicy tomatoes will result in a more watery salsa than plump Roma tomatoes. Adjust tomato type to your preference. You can also modify heat-levels by the amount of chilies used and omit cilantro if not a fan. 

Ingredients:
4-5 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice, adjust to taste
A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno or serrano chili, seeds removed and finely chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
Place chopped onions in a bowl and cover with lime juice and season with a pinch of salt. Let it sit allowing the onions to marinate and soften, set aside.
Chop the tomato, jalapeno and cilantro, then mix with the onion and lime juice. Season with salt and additional lime if desired.
Let the salsa stand at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes for flavors to meld and vegetables to soften. 

 

Azi’s Red Cabbage Slaw with Honey-Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

Azi’s Red Cabbage Slaw with Honey-Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette

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This was the first time I made this and it ended up being great. I love using red cabbage for it’s beautiful color, slightly bitter and peppery flavor and many health benefit- Vitamin C, A, K and dietary fiber to name a few. It adds a nice crunch to the otherwise soft textured fish taco and marinated in a honey-lime-cumin vinaigrette it became a great addition to our fiesta!

In case you’re wondering, it’s called “Azi’s Slaw” because my beautiful sister Azadeh was a big help in the recipe testing of this dish. She has always been a dream sous chef, putting up with my colorful antics in the kitchen… Thanks, Sis!

 

Ingredients:
1 whole red cabbage, cut into quarters and sliced into ribbons
For the vinaigrette-
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste and add more honey if you prefer the dressing sweeter)
1/3 cup lime juice
2 garlic cloves, mashed with the side of a knife
2 teaspoons cumin (plus a pinch just because I LOVE cumin!)
1 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika is even better if you have it)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Combine lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika in a mixing bowl.
Slowly add olive oil as you whisk dressing together.
Adding oil slowly while whisking helps emulsify the dressing so it won’t separate (science, baby!).
Add salt + pepper to taste as  you go along, adjust as needed.
Add dressing to cabbage and mix well.
Let sit for 20-30 minutes. It gets better after it sits for a while.
*It was even better the next day when we had the leftovers with chicken.