Chicken shish kebab recipe

Details

• Cuisine: Middle Eastern
• Recipe Type: Chicken
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 70 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

For the confit garlic and garlic oil

1. First, make the confit garlic and garlic oil. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.
2. Place the garlic in a deep 25cm/10inch cast-iron pan or roasting tray, along with the herbs and bay leaves. Add enough oil to cover.
3. Tightly cover the pan with tin foil and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the garlic cloves have caramelised and softened. The flesh should ooze out of the skins with the lightest of pressure.
4. Transfer to a sterilised Kilner jar or similar storage vessel. Keep, covered in oil, refrigerated for up to 2 months. Retain the excess oil for drizzling over everything.

For the quick-preserved lemon pickle

1. Put the lemon zest strips and juice in a pan and set over medium-low heat. Cook for 12–15 minutes until completely softened but still holding shape. The lemon juice should be on a gentle, rolling simmer as opposed to an aggressive boil. Be careful not to overcook the lemon skin, as it will fall apart and disintegrate into unmanageably small pieces. The idea is to have long strips of softened, tender zest still intact.
2. Transfer the lemon zest with any remaining juice to an airtight jar and keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

For the toum (garlic sauce)

1. Blitz the garlic in a food processor with the vinegar and lemon juice until finely chopped. Pour in the egg white and pulse to combine.
2. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil in a slow-but-steady stream to emulsify.
3. Continue blitzing until the sauce has emulsified and thickened, with a consistency similar to double cream. It should be silky smooth and pungent.
4. Season with salt to taste. Store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 week.

For the Middle Eastern slaw

1. For the dressing, whisk the maple syrup, date syrup, pomegranate molasses and vinegar together in a bowl.
2. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. For the slaw, cut the halved red cabbage in half again, peel off the outer layers, and cut out the core. Slice the cabbage as thinly as you can, preferably using a mandoline, but in the absence of one, a sharp knife and some handy knife skills will suffice.
4. Toss the shredded cabbage in the salt, ensuring it’s well mixed through. Set the cabbage in a colander over a sink, and place a heavy weight atop to act as a press – I like to use a small bowl filled with water for this – enabling the cabbage to release some of its juices and soften whilst retaining crunch.
5. Allow the cabbage to press for an hour, before transferring it to a large bowl with the onion and chilli.
6. Thinly slice the beetroot and carrot into flat strips, using a mandoline (if available), or with a sharp knife, and cut each strip into matchsticks, about 10cm in length.
7. Mix all the ingredients together in the bowl, along with the lemon zest, herbs and half the pecans and set aside, refrigerated, until ready to serve.
8. Dress the slaw just prior to serving, and toss well with your hands to ensure the salad is evenly coated. Garnish the salad with the reserved pecans, some picked dill fronds and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

For the buttermilk shish kebab

1. Put the buttermilk, spices, garlic, garlic oil, hot red pepper paste, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and onion in a bowl and stir together to combine.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and massage the mixture into the chicken to ensure it’s evenly distributed and well coated. Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge for 4–6 hours or preferably overnight.
3. Skewer the chicken pieces intermittently with the red and green pepper and the red onion.
4. Set a barbecue up for direct grilling, ensuring that you are cooking on medium-hot embers. Grill the skewers directly over the burning coals, turning frequently to ensure both sides are well coloured and the chicken is cooked all the way through when checked with a knife.
5. Brush the pitas or flatbreads with a little olive oil mixed with a few drops of water, and warm through briefly on the grill. They can be placed directly on top of the skewers if there isn’t sufficient room in the barbecue.
6. Remove the pitas and transfer to a serving platter. Place the skewered chicken thighs atop, brushed with olive oil. Scatter the spring onion and oregano leaves liberally over the skewers, along with the confit garlic cloves and lemon pickle.

This kebab is great served with garlic sauce, Middle Eastern slaw and lemon pickle.

This recipe is from Berber & Q by Josh Katz (Ebury Press, £25). Photography by James Murphy.