Archive for the ‘: MEDITERRANEAN’ Category
Chicken Souvlaki & Rice (Pressure Cooker)
This is sort of a Greek'ish / Medditeranean dish (this dish is not skewered or grilled like the Greek version, just similar flavor), and the chicken and rice are cooked at the same time using a pressure cooker. I tailored this to use what I have on hand here locally. I made this in 1 Apr 2022, and it is delicious! I use my 9 liter (9½ quart) stove top pressure cooker with a pressure of 80 kPa (12 psi), so this will work equally well with electric pressure cookers. Follow all safety precautions for your model of pressure cooker.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Timer
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Marinade
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice from two small Thai limes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
For the Rice
- 1⅓ cup dry Jasmine rice
- 1½ cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Dice the chicken to about ¾ to 1 inch cubes and place in a bowl.
- Add the rest of the marinade ingredients to the chicken and mix together. Set this aside to marinate for 5-10 minutes.
- To your pressure cooker, add the dry rice and broth.
- After the chicken has marinated for 5-10 minutes, use a spoon and place the chicken on top of the rice in the cooker, do not mix together.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock in place, add the weight to the top. Place on high heat until the weight starts to spin and vent pressure then reduce the heat to low or medium low, so the weight still spins. Set your timer for 4 minutes.
- When 4 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and carefully move the pressure cooker to an unused burner. Set your timer for 5 minutes (this is a natural pressure release, just letting the cooker cool).
- When 5 minutes, use a chopstick or wooden spoon and tilt the weight for 10 seconds to vent pressure then release for a few seconds, then repeat this procedure until you have indication of zero pressure, such as the lid lock pin drops. This is a forced pressure release.
- When you have indications of zero pressure in the cooker, removed the weight then remove the lid.
- Give the chicken and rice a stir.
- Serve with sides of your choice.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use the juice of half a lemon in place of the lime juice.
Mediterranean Rice (Rice Cooker)
This is an easy and tasty seasoned rice. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry long grain rice
- 2⅓ cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder, Shortcut
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- black pepper, as desired
- ⅔ cup frozen peas and carrots
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except the peas and carrots, to your rice cooker. Stir to mix together. Press the Cook button and let the rice cooker complete its cook cycle.
- When the rice cooker switches to Warm setting, uncover and fluff with a paddle, add the frozen peas and carrots, mix in. Cover and leave on the Warm setting for 5-10 minutes.
- When the peas and carrots are heated through and tender, unplug the cooker, fluff again with the paddle.
- Serve as a side dish with any meal. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker).
Mediterranean Tuna Pasta
This is a tasty, and easy to assemble, pasta salad.
Ingredients
- 340 grams dry spiral pasta, or any bite size pasta, (12 oz)
- 2 cans tuna in olive oil, (about 185 g / 5 oz each)
- 1 cup tomato, drained of juice, chopped
- ¼ cup pitted green olives, sliced, or black olives
- ¼ cup red onion, diced, or brown onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons if using tuna packed in water
- 1½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, or as desired
- salt and pepper, to taste, as desired
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling, then add the pasta and cook until tender, drain. (I used small shell pasta.)
- While the water is heating for the pasta, let's prepare the rest of the salad. If the canned tuna in olive oil is good quality, no need to drain the oil, just add the tuna and oil into a large mixing bowl and omit adding the olive oil listed in the ingredients. If the tuna you are using is not good quality olive oil, or packed in soybean oil or water, drain those add the tuna to a large mixing bowl. Break up the large pieces with a fork. (I used 3 cans, 165 g / 5¾ oz each, I like a lot of tuna in a salad.)
- To the same mixing bowl, add the tomato, olives, onion, parsley, and capers.
- Mix together, this makes it easier to mix in the pasta.
- Add the pasta, cheese, olive oil, and lemon or lime juice. Gently mix together. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. At this point you can serve this warm as a side dish, I however decided to cover and place in the fridge for a few hours to chill to serve as a main dish.
- Serve as a side dish or as a main dish. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving as a main dish as this makes a lot.
Whitefish Fillets (Pressure Cooker)
This recipe comes from a very reliable source regarding pressure cooker usage. I figured if a pressure cooker makes vegetables, beans, and meats more flavorful, why not fish, so I researched and found this. For this you need a 3 quart or larger pressure cooker, electric or stove top. I will be using my 9 liter (9½ quart), 12 psi (80 kPa) stove top pressure cooker. This will use a steamer tray or basket in your pressure cooker. Follow all safety precautions for your model of pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 whitefish fillets, boneless, skinless
- 500 grams cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, or roma, sliced, (1 lb)
- salt and lemon pepper, as desired
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, or dried, as desired
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
Instructions
- Add 1½ cups of water to your pressure cooker. Add the steamer tray to your pressure cooker, or a steamer basket. For the basket, you can line that with parchment paper if desired.
- Add a layer of cherry tomato halves or sliced roma tomatoes to the tray.
- Add the fillets, season with salt, lemon pepper, and thyme, as desired.
- Place more tomatoes on top of the fillets.
For Stove Top Pressure Cooker, 12 psi
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and add the weight. Bring the heat up to high. When the weight (jiggler) starts to vent pressure, reduce heat to low or medium low to maintain pressure venting. Set your timer for 4 minutes.
- When 4 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and move the pressure cooker to an unused burner. Now we are going to do a normal pressure release. DO NOT pull the weight off the lid!Grab an oven mitt and just tilt the weight to the side to vent pressure, hold for 10 seconds, then let go for 10 seconds, repeat until the pressure is completely vented and the lid lock has dropped. THEN remove the weight and then open the lid. Since the fish is not in water, there is zero chance of creating a rapid boil that would possibly tear the fish up.
- Remove the fillets to plates, top with some of the tomatoes and sprinkle on the capers, add a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and salt and pepper as desired. Serve.
For Electric Pressure Cookers, with adjustable pressure settings
- For this type of pressure cooker, these are guidelines only, I have no experience using of these models, so use your best judgement. There is my disclaimer for these steps.
- Close the lid and turn the vent to sealing, and select Low pressure. Set your timer for 7 minutes, 8 for thick fillets. When the time is reached, do a normal pressure release, I assume you turn a lever to vent. When you have indication of zero pressure in the cooker, open the lid.
- Remove the fillets to plates, top with some of the tomatoes and sprinkle on the capers, add a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and salt as desired. Serve.
Notes
Low cost, 4 pangasius are about 96 Baht for 4 fillets. For 4 servings, this is about 75 cents per serving.
Honey Za’atar Hot Wings
Hot wings with a Mediterranean / Middle Eastern touch from two ingredients used. I made these on 10 Sep 2018, the chicken is outstanding, tender, juicy, excellent flavor.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet with Rack
- Foil
Ingredients
- 24 chicken wing sticks, or middle wings, skin on
For the Rub
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, or paprika
- 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ to 1 teaspoon if using Thai chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons za'atar
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste, or 2 tablespoons of Sriracha sauce
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- white sesame seeds, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200° C (400° F). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on the sheet. Oil the rack with some olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the Rub ingredients and mix together.
- Dry the wings with paper towels, add to the mixing bowl and toss together with the rub until all the wings are evenly coated.
- Place wings on the rack evenly so they are not touching.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Then place the baking sheet under your broiler (for counter top ovens, turn off the bottom coil and turn on the top coil) and broil until crispy, watch them so they do not burn. Remove from the broiler or oven.
- Now melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium heat, when melted, add the remaining Sauce ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and pour on the sauce and gently toss together until the wings are evenly coated.
- Place wings on a serving tray, garnish with sesame seeds if desired. (This is without the sauce, which I did not make, family is not keen on sweet sauces with honey.)
- Serve with rice or sides of your choice and enjoy.
Notes
I bought 24 wings that weighed 2 kilos (just under 4½ lbs) for 139 Baht. For 4 servings, which is very conservative, this is about $1.05 per serving.
Tzatziki Sauce
Creamy Mediterranean sauce with a base of Greek yogurt. Sounds absolutely wonderful. You will want to use this on everything!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup cucumber, seeded, shredded
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Mix everything together in a bowl and serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 4 hours.
- What to use Tzatziki Sauce on? Dipping sauce for Meats, Whitefish, Burgers, Sandwiches, Pitas and Wraps, Baked Potatoes, Salad Dressing, Vegetable Dip, Dipping Pita Bread, Dip for Chips, Add to Mashed Potatoes. Feel free to add something to the list.
Mediterranean Egg Salad I
I made this today, 26 Dec 2017, have another hour to chill before I taste it. One ingredient, za'atar, is tough to get here and I was pleased to have a friend of mine in the US send me some, initial taste, very good, taste after 2 hours chilling, perfect, on the go to list, and my Thai wife loved this!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon za'atar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
- ½ cup green olives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
- salt and black pepper
- toast, for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, za’atar, and lemon juice and add the rest of the ingredients.
- Toss with the eggs, olives, cilantro, onion, and pine nuts, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for an hour or two.
- Serve on toast.
Notes
Low cost.
