Staying with our Middle Eastern theme, I want to share these two wonderful Persian recipes. When I bought my first house, I was lucky enough to live next to some fantastic neighbors with whom I remain close friends.
And, even more lucky for me, my neighbor’s mother was a fabulous cook and made the best Persian food and frankly the first Persian food I had ever tasted. I am always surprised with how little people know about Persian food, when it is one of the great cuisines of the world.
Here are some of her recipes and I hope she will share some more with us later in the year, so we can all expand our understanding of this unique and interesting food.
Kebabs
This is so basic and yet so wonderful. The key is to make sure that you marinate the meat for at least 24 hours and 48 hours is better. This recipe is made with chicken, but you could use lamb or beef also.
Ingredients
Chicken Thighs
One bunch Green Onions, about 6
3 Lemons, juiced
½ cup Olive Oil
10 leaves fresh Mint
Salt and Pepper
Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Put the chicken into a deep-dish baking pan or a plastic freezer bag and cover in the marinade.
Allow chicken to marinade for 24 to 48 hours and then grill over medium coals until completely cooked and crispy on the outside.
Serve with Persian or Basmati rice and Salad e’ Shirazee.
Salad e’ Shirazee
This is a refreshing salad from Persia. My neighbor’s mother, as mentioned, was a wonderful cook and she offered this as a personal recipe, which was reflective of her home. This is refreshing and wonderful when served with kebabs.
Ingredients
4 pickling Cucumbers
4 Cherry Tomatoes
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, juiced
4 Basil leaves
8 Mint leaves
4 Radish leaves
1 Chive stalk
Chop all ingredients and transfer to a bowl. Salt and pepper to taste, then add olive oil and lemon as a dressing. Chill for one hour prior to serving.
The Louisville Chef 