Whether Mediterranean food is a long time favorite of yours or if you're looking to add variety to your dinner plans, The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen by Samantha Ferraro will have you cooking up easy, healthy, and flavorful dishes in no time. Ferraro's blog, The Little Ferraro Kitchen, features recipes and cooking videos for dishes inspired by locations around the world, but her latest book is one you'll want to add to your cookbook collection.
Za'atar Chicken Skewers
I love a simple and powerful spice rub. If you have the time, marinate the chicken for as long as you can so the flavors can develop. Serve with pita bread or, for an even healthier option, serve with fresh crisp lettuce leaves along with spicy Easy Homemade Harissa Sauce (page 144) or Magical Herb Tahini Sauce (page 147) and Quick Pickled Vegetables (page 41).
Yields 4 to 6 servings
- 2 lb (907 g) chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (14 g) za’atar
- 1 tsp allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
TO SERVE
- Pita bread
- Lettuce leaves
- Magical Herb Tahini Sauce (page 147)
- Quick Pickled Vegetables (page 41)
If using wooden skewers, soak for at least 30 minutes so they don’t burn when grilled.
In a large bowl or resealable bag, add the chicken, oil, za’atar, allspice, salt and Aleppo pepper and massage everything together well. Marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill or grill pan on high heat and skewer 4 to 5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer. Grill the chicken on both sides until fully cooked, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Once done, remove from the grill and allow to rest for a few minutes. Serve alongside pita bread, lettuce leaves, tahini sauce and pickles.
Fennel Fattoush Salad With Pistachios
I’ve been working on the term, “no more wimpy salads” since I started my blogging career. There is far too much delicious produce in the world to make it limp and boring. Fattoush salad is a common Mediterranean salad full of crunchy vegetables and crispy pita chips. Usually fried, these pita chips are baked until crisp instead to serve their crunchy purpose.
Yields 2 large salads or 4 first-course salads
- Pita chips
- 2 pita breads, cut into 8–10 wedges
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 tsp za'atar
- ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
- Citrus vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tsp ground sumac
- ¼ tsp salt
- Ground pepper
- Salad
- 1 large fennel bulb, peeled and sliced very thin using a mandoline, about 2 cups (300 g)
- 3 cups (75 g) baby arugula
- ¼ cup (40 g) chopped pistachios
- ½ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). On a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, lay out the pita wedges and drizzle with the oil, za'atar and salt. Toss well so everything is evenly coated. Bake the pita chips for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside. In a small bowl or glass jar, add the oil, honey, lemon zest and juice, sumac, salt and pepper and mix until combined to make the vinaigrette. Assemble the fennel, arugula, pistachios, mint and pita chips in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the vinaigrette and toss together. The salad will be lightly coated with the dressing but not overly dressed. Taste for seasoning and add more vinaigrette as needed.
Tip: Unless you have exceptional knife skills, invest in a mandoline to shave the fennel into paper-thin slices. The thin fennel blends beautifully with the peppery arugula and it will all be the same size.
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