Cauliflowerandchickenmakloubeh Recipes

CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKEN MAKLOUBEH

Steps:

• Soak the cauliflower in 5 cups of cold salty water for at least 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the chicken pieces until golden on both sides.
• Add the onion, peppercorns, cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the boiling water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat then cover with a lid and simmer for 40-50 minutes, checking regularly to make sure the mixture doesn't dry out.
• When the chicken pieces are tender, remove from the pan and reserve the stock.
• Meanwhile, drain the cauliflower pieces and pat dry on absorbent paper. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 375F and fry the cauliflower until golden (this may also be done, in batches, in a frying pan). Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• In a small frying pan, warm the ghee or clarified butter. Add the garlic, cook until softened and remove with a slotted spoon.
• Lay the chicken pieces on the base of a large ovenproof saucepan and arrange the fried cauliflower around the edges, leaving a gap in the middle. Add the fried garlic and ghee.
• Add the remaining salt, pepper, saffron (if using), ground cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and cumin.
• Pour in the reserved stock, place the pan on a medium heat and bring to the boil.
• Soak the rice in 4 1/2 cups boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and repeat.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Spoon the rice into the empty gap and then cover the cauliflower completely with the rest.
• Pour over enough stock to completely cover the rice. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until some of the stock is absorbed.
• Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
• To make the salad, mix the chopped cucumber, yogurt, salt and garlic together. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until needed. Just before serving, scatter the mint over.
• Remove the Makloubeh from the oven and leave to cool for 20 minutes.
• Place a large serving plate over the top of the pan and turn the whole lot over. The contents of the pan should come out in one piece onto the serving dish. Scatter with pine nuts.
• Serve the Makloubeh straight away with the cucumber and yogurt salad.

CHICKEN WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 mins before you want to cook it. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
• Lay the leafy stalks from the cauliflowers in a large roasting tray (to sit the chicken on). Set the cauliflower heads aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the garlic, thyme and a little salt and pepper. Carefully insert your fingers under the skin of the chicken breasts and loosen the skin from the breasts. Push most of the olive oil mixture under the skin, spreading it over the breast meat with your fingers. Sit the chicken on the cauliflower stalks.
• Drizzle the remaining olive oil mix over the chicken and rub it in well with your hands. Season with pepper and evenly crumble over the stock cube. Tightly cover the tray with foil. Cook for 1 hr 20 mins.
• In the meantime, break the cauliflower heads into florets. Once the cooking time is up, take the tray out of the oven and remove the foil. Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. While it's coming up to temperature, add the cauliflower florets to the roasting tray and pour in the chicken stock.
• Put the tray on the bottom shelf of the oven. Roast for 30-40 mins, or until the chicken is golden brown all over and the cauliflower is cooked. Halfway through the cooking time, baste the chicken with the juices and toss the cauliflower.
• To make the toasted sourdough, scatter the pieces of sourdough on a small baking tray 20 mins before the end of the chicken cooking time. Drizzle with the olive oil and season. Put on the top shelf of the oven for 15-20 mins, or until golden brown.
• Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the sourdough and mix well. Remove the chicken from the oven and leave to rest for 15 mins before carving. Serve the chicken with the roasted cauliflower, cauliflower stalks and toasted sourdough, spooning over the pan juices.

MALOOBA

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large pot with 6 cups water, onion, 2 tablespoons allspice, ground cardamom, cardamom seeds, whole cloves and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and cook until chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove chicken, strain and reserve broth.
• Soak the rice in water while waiting for the chicken to cook. When the chicken is almost done, drain the water off, and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of allspice.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the potatoes and cauliflower in the hot oil until browned. They do not need to fully cook.
• In a separate pot, layer fried potatoes on the bottom. This is done so that the rice will not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the cauliflower and tomatoes, and sprinkle a handful of rice over the vegetables. Remove the bones from the chicken and place the chicken in the pot. Cover with the rest of the rice. Pour in the reserved broth until it reaches a level about 1/2 inch above the level of the rice. Cover the pot, and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour, until rice is tender.
• When the liquid has absorbed, have a large round tray ready. Uncover the pot, and place the tray over the top. Invert so that the pan is upside down on top of the tray. Let stand for 5 minutes like this, then slowly remove the pot to let the food fall onto the tray.