The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Part 12

1 small octopus, weighing about 2 pounds 1 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar Salt and pepper 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley Octopus is usually sold cleaned and tenderized. But here is how you clean it if you have to do it yourself: Cut partway through the muscle which unites the tentacles to the inside of the head and discard all the contents of the head cavity. This involves pulling or cutting out the ink sac, the hard oval "beak," and the gelatinous innards. Turn the head inside out and wash well under running water. Squeeze or cut out the eyes and any cartilage. Remove anyscales which may be left on the suckers and wash the octopus thoroughly.

Blanch the octopus for 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain. Put it in a saucepan with the wine, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, and just enough water to cover. Simmer over very low heat for about 1-1 hours, until tender, adding water to keep it covered. Lift out the octopus and reduce the sauce.

Cut the octopus into 1-inch slices, and mix with the sauce and the olive oil.

Serve cold, sprinkled with parsley.

Usk.u.mru Dolmasu Stuffed Mackerel Serves 6 * A Turkish delicacy. A humble fish for a regal occasion. The skin of the fish is stuffed with its own flesh mixed with a rich filling. It is rolled in beaten egg, then in flour and breadcrumbs, and deep-fried in olive or nut oil. It is quite a bit of work but is delicious eaten hot or cold, as an entree or as a main dish. * A Turkish delicacy. A humble fish for a regal occasion. The skin of the fish is stuffed with its own flesh mixed with a rich filling. It is rolled in beaten egg, then in flour and breadcrumbs, and deep-fried in olive or nut oil. It is quite a bit of work but is delicious eaten hot or cold, as an entree or as a main dish.

6 small mackerel 2 eggs, lightly beaten Fine dry breadcrumbs Oil FOR THE THE STUFFING STUFFING.

1 large onion, finely chopped Olive oil 4 ounces sh.e.l.led walnuts, ground or pounded 2 ounces sh.e.l.led hazelnuts, ground or pounded 2 ounces raisins 2 teaspoons mixed spices (a mixture of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper) Salt cup each of chopped parsley and fresh dill or chervil Clean the fish and cut off their heads, but do not cut the bodies. Snap the backbones off near the tail. Rub the skins to loosen them and to soften the flesh. Then, using your hands, rub and squeeze the fish, starting from the tail, forcing the flesh and bones out of the loosened skin as though emptying a tube of paste. This is quite easily done, as the skin is very strong. Any tears in the skin can be mended by sewing them up with a needle and thread. Anothergood method for emptying the fish skins is to loosen them as above, then, holding the backbone firmly where it shows at the head, to pull the skin down, turning it inside out. Proceed as above. Remove the bones carefully and break up the flesh for the stuffing.

Prepare the stuffing. Fry the onions until soft and golden in 2 tablespoons oil. Add the nuts, raisins, spices, and salt to taste, and mix well. Add the fish and fry for 3 minutes longer. Stir in the chopped parsley and dill or chervil, and remove from the heat.

Fill the fish skins tightly with this mixture, closing the openings by sewing them up carefully. Dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve hot or cold.

Poultry TOUYOUR.

In the villages of most Middle Eastern countries, where it requires an eid el kibir eid el kibir, or a very important feast, to kill a lamb, poultry is the usual festive dish. Geese, ducks, hens, or fat chickens are the traditional festival queens. Often the birds are boiled first to provide the legendary wedding or other festive soups and, in Egypt, the melokheya melokheya (page 146). Sometimes the birds are filled with rich stuffings. They are cooked in an extraordinary variety of ways, and beautifully flavored and decorated following ancient traditions. Egyptians like to point to the tomb paintings which show that their ancestors in pharaonic times cooked geese and ducks and pigeons. (page 146). Sometimes the birds are filled with rich stuffings. They are cooked in an extraordinary variety of ways, and beautifully flavored and decorated following ancient traditions. Egyptians like to point to the tomb paintings which show that their ancestors in pharaonic times cooked geese and ducks and pigeons.

Maxime Rodinson, in his description of the ma.n.u.script of the Kitab al Wusla il al Habib Kitab al Wusla il al Habib, found in Syria, which is believed to have been written in the thirteenth century, notes over five hundred recipes for chicken, of which he has unfortunately fully translated and explained only a few. Among them are: Minced chicken and lamb rissoles Chicken with vinegar * Chicken boiled with crushed chickpeas Chicken with lemon or pomegranate sauce Chicken with rhubarb or quinces Chicken with hard-boiled egg yolks and herbs Chicken with pistachio nuts; with hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, or poppy seeds; with parsley, oranges, or rose jam; with plum jelly, yogurt, or mulberries Chicken with chickpeas, onions, and cinnamon, or spiced rice Chicken with pistachios, perfumed with rose water and musk A loaf of bread stuffed with chicken The luscious ingredients in the recipes are echoed in the dishes of today-in the fruit stews of Morocco, the walnut and hazelnut sauces of Turkey and Syria, and the chickpeas, onions, and lemons of Egypt.

Hamam Meshwi Broiled Mediterranean Pigeons, Squabs, or Poussins Serves 2-4 * One of the happiest memories of my childhood in Cairo is the outings in the company of several uncles, aunts, and cousins to an old restaurant called Le Cafe des Pigeons on the way to the Pyramids, where we feasted on charcoal-broiled baby pigeons. Huge platters, piled high with halved pigeons sprinkled with lemon juice and parsley, were brought to us in the ancient gardens of the restaurant, overgrown with jasmine and bougainvillea. The birds were so young and tender we could eat them bones and all. * One of the happiest memories of my childhood in Cairo is the outings in the company of several uncles, aunts, and cousins to an old restaurant called Le Cafe des Pigeons on the way to the Pyramids, where we feasted on charcoal-broiled baby pigeons. Huge platters, piled high with halved pigeons sprinkled with lemon juice and parsley, were brought to us in the ancient gardens of the restaurant, overgrown with jasmine and bougainvillea. The birds were so young and tender we could eat them bones and all.

Mediterranean pigeons are like squabs. You can also use poussins (small spring chickens) in the same way. They are best grilled over dying embers, where they acquire a most seductive flavor and aroma, but you can also cook them indoors, over the heat of a pumice-stone rock grill or under the broiler. Serve them with salad and pita bread.

2 Mediterranean pigeons, squabs, or poussins cup chopped flat-leaf parsley FOR THE THE MARINADE MARINADE.

Juice of 1-1 lemons 1 onion, liquefied in a blender or food processor 2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed (optional) 3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper Cut the pigeons, squabs, or poussins in half down the breastbone and through the back with kitchen shears or a bread knife. Cut the wing and leg joints just enough to pull them a little apart, so that the halves lie flat and cook more evenly. Or cut the birds into quarters. Refrigerate for about an hour, turning the pieces over at least once.

Place the marinated pieces on an oiled grill over glowing embers which are no longer smoking. Cook, basting with the marinade, and turning over once, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pieces are brown all over but still tender and juicy inside. Test one piece by cutting it with a knife. The juices should not be pink.

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Variations Turks like to flavor this with a little cinnamon instead of the garlic and lemon.

Brus.h.i.+ng with melted b.u.t.ter instead of the marinade produces a very succulent result.

A delicious variation is to marinate the chicken pieces for as long as possible in yogurt flavored with crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Sometimes dried crushed mint is added, and a little paprika is mixed with the yogurt to give the chicken an appetizing red color. The yogurt does not contribute very much to the flavor, but serves to tenderize the flesh of the chicken.

Pigeons or Squabs with Dates Serves 4 * The combination of chicken or meat with dates is very ancient in the Arab world. This recipe is inspired by a Moroccan one. I made it with baby partridge, which was delicious. You could also use small guinea hens or poussins. Use soft dried dates. * The combination of chicken or meat with dates is very ancient in the Arab world. This recipe is inspired by a Moroccan one. I made it with baby partridge, which was delicious. You could also use small guinea hens or poussins. Use soft dried dates.

2 inches fresh gingerroot, grated, or crushed in a garlic press to extract the juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons honey 4 young Mediterranean pigeons, squabs, or small poussins 10 ounces dates, pitted (Tunisian or Californian dates) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon cup toasted sesame seeds (optional) Mix the ginger and garlic with the olive oil and half the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon honey and beat well. Turn the birds in this marinade, and leave them in for hour. Arrange on a baking dish, breast side down, and roast in a preheated 425F oven for about 15 minutes. Turn them over and roast for another 10 minutes, or until they are done to your taste.

Put the dates in a pan and only just cover with water. Add cinnamon and the remaining honey and lemon and cook for 10 minutes, until the dates are soft and have absorbed the flavors. Serve the dates in the center and the pigeons around, and sprinkle all over with sesame seeds, if you like.

Saman bi Einab Quails with Grapes Serves 4 * A wonderful dish. Even those who think it is not worth cooking quail because the birds are too small think this is delightful. In Morocco, ground ginger is used, but with fresh ginger it is particularly delicious. I peel and cut the root into pieces and squeeze them through a garlic press to obtain the juice. But if you are used to grating ginger, do that. * A wonderful dish. Even those who think it is not worth cooking quail because the birds are too small think this is delightful. In Morocco, ground ginger is used, but with fresh ginger it is particularly delicious. I peel and cut the root into pieces and squeeze them through a garlic press to obtain the juice. But if you are used to grating ginger, do that.

8 quails 3 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil 5-6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter Salt and pepper 3 inches fresh gingerroot, or to taste, grated, or crushed in a garlic press to extract the juice 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 pound large seedless white grapes, washed and drained Quails are often sold with some remaining feathers, which need to be pulled or burnt off.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil with the b.u.t.ter. Put in the quails and saute briskly over medium heat for about 8 minutes, turning to brown them lightly all over, and adding salt, pepper, and ginger. Add the garlic, and cook moments more, until the aroma rises, then take off the heat.

Put the grapes with the remaining oil in a saucepan. Sprinkle with a little salt, and cook, with the lid on, over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the grapes are soft, stirring occasionally. Add them to the quails in the frying pan and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the quails are done to your liking.

Serve hot.

Bata wal Safargal Roast Duck with Quince Serves 4 * On a visit to Egypt, a hostess who invited me for dinner told us how she had run after the ducks that had escaped as she carried them home. There are many dishes of duck and chicken with quince in the Arab world. This one has the flavors of Morocco. The quince slices acquire a wonderful caramelized taste when they are fried. * On a visit to Egypt, a hostess who invited me for dinner told us how she had run after the ducks that had escaped as she carried them home. There are many dishes of duck and chicken with quince in the Arab world. This one has the flavors of Morocco. The quince slices acquire a wonderful caramelized taste when they are fried.

1 duck, weighing about 5 pounds 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more for frying quince Salt and pepper 2 medium-sized quinces (or 1 very large one), weighing about 1 pound 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon Juice of 2-2 lemons or more 3 tablespoons honey Rub the duck with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. p.r.i.c.k the skin with a fork in several places, so that the melted fat can ooze out. Put it, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan in a preheated 400F oven for about 2 hours, turning it over after an hour, until the skin is crisp and brown and the flesh still soft and juicy. Pour out the fat as it is released (at least twice).

Cook the quinces at the same time as the duck. Wash and scrub them and wrap each one in a piece of foil. Put them in an oven dish or on a baking sheet, and place them under the duck, where the oven is a little less hot. A large quince can take up to 1 hours to bake, medium ones about 1 hour (the time depends on their size and ripeness). Take them out when they feel a little soft when you press.

When cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters and cut away the hard cores, then cut each quarter into 2 slices-or 3 slices if the quince is large. (Do not peel them.) Keep aside.

When the duck is almost ready, fry the quince slices in shallow oil until brown (this gives them the delicious caramelized taste), then lift them out and drain on paper towels.

Prepare a sauce. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan, add a few tablespoons of water, and set the pan over high heat. Sc.r.a.pe up the browned bits, and stir in the ginger and cinnamon, the lemon juice and honey. Let it bubble up.

Serve the duck with the sauce poured over, accompanied by the fried quince. It's great.

Siman Meshwi Broiled Quail Serves 6 * Every year, migrating quails fly over the Mediterranean to Alexandria. Hundreds of the small birds fall, exhausted, on the dunes of the beaches of Agami, to be caught in large nets and collected in baskets. They are plucked and cleaned and marinated in a rich sauce, then grilled on the beaches over numerous little fires. Now quail farms are an important part of the local economy. Broiled quail are also a specialty of Lebanese restaurants, where they are served as mezze. The flavorings here are those of Alexandria. * Every year, migrating quails fly over the Mediterranean to Alexandria. Hundreds of the small birds fall, exhausted, on the dunes of the beaches of Agami, to be caught in large nets and collected in baskets. They are plucked and cleaned and marinated in a rich sauce, then grilled on the beaches over numerous little fires. Now quail farms are an important part of the local economy. Broiled quail are also a specialty of Lebanese restaurants, where they are served as mezze. The flavorings here are those of Alexandria.

6 quails 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt teaspoon ground c.u.min teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon ground cardamom 1 onion, blended to a cream in a food processor Pinch of cayenne pepper or ground chili pepper 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish 2 lemons, cut into wedges, to serve with Wash the quails. You may need to singe some stray feathers. Using kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut the birds open along the breastbone, then pull them out and flatten them as much as you can so that they cook evenly.

Mix the remaining ingredients except the parsley and lemon, and turn the birds in this marinade. Leave for 1 hour before cooking over glowing embers or under a hot broiler for 5-6 minutes, until browned all over but still juicy inside. Turn over once, leaving them longer with the bone side towards the fire, and be careful not to overcook.

Serve sprinkled with parsley, accompanied with lemon wedges.

Variation For a Lebanese flavor, marinate in a mixture of olive oil with the juice of 1 lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and salt and pepper.

Hamam Mahs.h.i.+ bil Burghul Pigeon, Squab, or Poussin Stuffed with Bulgur, Raisins, and Pine Nuts Serves 6 * In Cairo a few years ago, I was invited to dinner by a woman who was living alone in the family villa after her parents had died. While she spent a month in hospital with her sick mother, squatters had built dwellings in the large garden. By now it was a few years since they had settled in, and she couldn't get them out because of delays in the legal process. But I think she was lonely and had got used to them and was not trying too hard. The squatters had built a clay oven, and a dovecote where they kept pigeons; and chickens were running around. They grew all kinds of vegetables and herbs and gave her some of the produce. She watched their daily antics, noting that, while they quarreled all the time, the pigeons were loving and faithful towards each other. While her cook was preparing stuffed pigeons and minty broad beans with artichoke hearts for us, we watched the squatters cook their pigeons on the grill together with slices of eggplant and onion. Her recipe is one of my favorites. You will need the coa.r.s.e bulgur, available from Greek and Middle Eastern stores. For a large and varied meal, you can serve half a bird per person. There is a large amount of stuffing because people like to have more on the side. * In Cairo a few years ago, I was invited to dinner by a woman who was living alone in the family villa after her parents had died. While she spent a month in hospital with her sick mother, squatters had built dwellings in the large garden. By now it was a few years since they had settled in, and she couldn't get them out because of delays in the legal process. But I think she was lonely and had got used to them and was not trying too hard. The squatters had built a clay oven, and a dovecote where they kept pigeons; and chickens were running around. They grew all kinds of vegetables and herbs and gave her some of the produce. She watched their daily antics, noting that, while they quarreled all the time, the pigeons were loving and faithful towards each other. While her cook was preparing stuffed pigeons and minty broad beans with artichoke hearts for us, we watched the squatters cook their pigeons on the grill together with slices of eggplant and onion. Her recipe is one of my favorites. You will need the coa.r.s.e bulgur, available from Greek and Middle Eastern stores. For a large and varied meal, you can serve half a bird per person. There is a large amount of stuffing because people like to have more on the side.

Stuffed pigeon is one of the delicacies of Egypt, which you serve, as they say, "if you really want to show somebody you love them." The stuffing is most commonly rice or ferik ferik (young green wheat), but bulgur is an easier and delicious alternative. (young green wheat), but bulgur is an easier and delicious alternative.

1 large onion Juice of 1 lemon 6 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil Salt and pepper 1 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon allspice 6 baby Mediterranean pigeons, squabs, or small poussins FOR THE STUFFING.

4 cups chicken stock (page 143) (or you may use 2 chicken bouillon cubes) 1 pound coa.r.s.e-ground bulgur (cracked wheat) Salt and pepper 1 teaspoons cinnamon cup pine nuts 5 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or vegetable oil cup black or golden raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes For the marinade, put the onion, cut in pieces, the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a blender or food processor and liquidize. Marinate the birds in this mixture for hour.

For the stuffing, bring the stock to the boil in a pan, then add the bulgur, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Stir and cook, covered, over very low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the grain is tender.

Fry the pine nuts in 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter or oil, stirring and turning them, until lightly browned. Add the pine nuts, the drained raisins, and the remaining b.u.t.ter or oil to the cracked wheat in the pan, and mix well.

Spoon some of the stuffing into each of the birds so that the cavity is only three-quarters full, leaving room for the bulgur to expand. Secure the openings with toothpicks. Spread each bird with some of the marinade mixture and arrange in a baking dish, breast side down. Roast in a preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes, then turn over and roast for 20 minutes more, or until they are golden brown and the juices no longer run pink when you cut in the thick part of a thigh.

At the same time, reheat the remaining bulgur stuffing in a baking dish in the oven, covered with foil, for 15-20 minutes.

Variation For a Turkish stuffing, have 1 fried chopped onion and 1 cup coa.r.s.ely chopped walnuts instead of raisins and pine nuts, and flavor the bulgur with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and teaspoon allspice.

Frakh Ma'amra Mediterranean Pigeons or Squabs Stuffed with Couscous Serves 4 * Many years ago, hearing of her prestigious cooking, I went to see a woman in Casablanca. She received me in a pale-blue kaftan on a patio with turquoise-and-cobalt mosaics. She explained that her family was from Fez and that her cooking was Fa.s.si, which is reputedly the most refined regional cuisine of Morocco. She had three cooks working for her, but when she had guests, even only one or two, she said she spent at least six hours cooking in the kitchen herself. I asked if there were ways of shortening the cooking times. She said no. Her daughter, who was studying law in the States, interrupted: "Yes, there are shortcuts, you don't * Many years ago, hearing of her prestigious cooking, I went to see a woman in Casablanca. She received me in a pale-blue kaftan on a patio with turquoise-and-cobalt mosaics. She explained that her family was from Fez and that her cooking was Fa.s.si, which is reputedly the most refined regional cuisine of Morocco. She had three cooks working for her, but when she had guests, even only one or two, she said she spent at least six hours cooking in the kitchen herself. I asked if there were ways of shortening the cooking times. She said no. Her daughter, who was studying law in the States, interrupted: "Yes, there are shortcuts, you don't have have to take that long." Her mother was deeply offended. Were all those years that she had spent in the kitchen to please her family a waste, then? Were all her efforts to make things exquisite of little value? to take that long." Her mother was deeply offended. Were all those years that she had spent in the kitchen to please her family a waste, then? Were all her efforts to make things exquisite of little value?

We cannot, of course, aspire to the extraordinary refinements of the grand family kitchens of Morocco, but we can achieve quite delicious results without much trouble. One of the recipes the lovely lady gave me was for pigeons stuffed with couscous. When she had a party, she prepared a huge mountain of couscous and covered it with little pigeons, s.h.i.+ning and golden in their honey sauce.

This is an extremely easy version of the grand dish. Using quick-cooking couscous makes it easy. You can double the number of pigeons for a dinner party, but then you will need more large saucepans.

FOR THE STUFFING.

2 cups quick-cooking couscous Salt 1-2 tablespoons superfine sugar 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1-2 tablespoons orange-blossom water 3 tablespoons raisins, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes 1 cup blanched almonds 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 4 Mediterranean pigeons or squabs 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or sunflower oil 1 large onions, finely chopped or grated 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon ginger teaspoon saffron powder Salt and plenty of pepper 2 tablespoons honey To prepare the stuffing, moisten the couscous with 2 cups of warm salted water. Stir well, so that it is evenly absorbed. After about 10 minutes, stir in the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the cinnamon, and the orange-blossom water, and rub between your hands so as to break up any lumps. Add the drained raisins. Fry the almonds in the remaining oil, coa.r.s.ely chop them and stir them into the couscous.

Fill each pigeon or squab with about 3 tablespoons stuffing. They should not be too tightly packed, or the stuffing may burst out. Sew up the skin at both ends with cotton thread (or use toothpicks to secure), and reserve the remaining stuffing.

In a wide and heavy saucepan, put the 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or oil, the onions, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and salt. Add about 1 cups water and the stuffed pigeons or squabs.

Simmer gently, covered, for about 30 minutes, until the birds are tender, adding more water if necessary and turning them over at least once, ending up breast down, so that they are well impregnated with the sauce. Lift one out (to make a little room) and stir in the honey. Then return the squabs to the pan and continue to cook until the flesh is at melting tenderness.

At the same time, heat the remaining stuffing in a baking dish, covered with foil, in a 400F oven for about 20 minutes. Then stir in the b.u.t.ter.

To serve, make a mound of the stuffing and place the birds on top.

Mahs.h.i.+ bel Loz Mediterranean Pigeons or Squabs Stuffed with Meat and Pine Nuts Serves 4 * An Egyptian delicacy. * An Egyptian delicacy.

FOR THE STUFFING.

1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil pound ground beef Salt and pepper teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons pine nuts 4 small Mediterranean pigeons or squabs 2 onions, grated or finely chopped 4 tablespoons vegetable oil teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon cinnamon Juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper For the stuffing, fry the onion in the oil until golden. Add the meat, break it up with a fork, and stir, turning it over, for 2-3 minutes, until it changes color. Add salt and pepper, cinnamon, and pine nuts, and stir well.

Stuff the birds with this, and close the openings with toothpicks.

In a large pan or ca.s.serole, heat the onions in the oil until golden, and stir in the cardamom and cinnamon. Put in the pigeons or squabs, half-cover with water, and add lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, for -l hour, turning the birds over once, until they are very tender. Uncover towards the end to reduce the sauce, and serve hot.

s.h.i.+sh Taouk Chicken Kebab Serves 4 * Grilled chicken on skewers is part of the Arab kebab-house and restaurant trade. The flavoring here is Lebanese. Look at the variations for alternatives, and be careful not to overcook, as chicken pieces dry out quickly. Leg meat remains juicier than breast meat. * Grilled chicken on skewers is part of the Arab kebab-house and restaurant trade. The flavoring here is Lebanese. Look at the variations for alternatives, and be careful not to overcook, as chicken pieces dry out quickly. Leg meat remains juicier than breast meat.

4 boned and skinned chicken fillets- b.r.e.a.s.t.s or legs 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2-4 cloves garlic, crushed Juice of lemon Salt and pepper OPTIONAL GARNISHES.

4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 lemon, quartered 1 mild red onion, finely sliced 2 teaspoons sumac to sprinkle on Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Mix the oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and leave the chicken in this marinade for hour or longer, turning the pieces over once.

Thread onto flat-bladed skewers and cook over the glowing embers of a charcoal fire or under the broiler for 6-10 minutes, until lightly browned, turning the skewers over once, and brus.h.i.+ng with the marinade.

Serve on a bed of parsley, with lemon wedges and sliced onion. Sprinkle if you like with sumac (in which case, do not use the lemon wedges).

Variations For a Turkish marinade, liquidize in a food processor 1 onion with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

For a Moroccan flavor, use as a marinade teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon paprika, a good pinch of ground chili pepper, and salt mixed with 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

For an Iranian version, turn the chicken pieces in 4 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter mixed with teaspoon saffron powder, the juice of lemon, and some salt.

Djaj fil Forn Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic Serves 4 * * Djaj Djaj is the Arabic word for chicken; is the Arabic word for chicken; ferakh ferakh is an Egyptian term. Every day, the trams and buses coming into the towns from the villages are crowded with peasants carrying crates of live, cackling poultry. The chickens are killed and plucked at the market or poultry shops. This is a simple and homely but delicious Egyptian way of cooking the birds. is an Egyptian term. Every day, the trams and buses coming into the towns from the villages are crowded with peasants carrying crates of live, cackling poultry. The chickens are killed and plucked at the market or poultry shops. This is a simple and homely but delicious Egyptian way of cooking the birds.

A 3-4-pound chicken 2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil Juice of lemon Salt and pepper 2 cloves garlic, crushed Rub the chicken with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic. Put it breast side down in a roasting pan in a preheated 350F oven, so that the fat runs down and prevents the breast from drying out.

Roast for 1 to 1 hours, until well browned, turning the chicken breast side up about midway through. Test for doneness by cutting into a thigh with a pointed knife. The juices should run clear, not pink.

Variations Rub the chicken with a mixture of 2 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon allspice or ground cardamom, salt, and pepper.

Add 2 teaspoons ground c.u.min to the original marinade.

Liquidize in a blender or food processor 1 quartered onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon sumac, and rub the chicken with this mixture.

Chicken Sofrito Serves 4 * The chicken acquires a delicate, tangy flavor and pale-yellow tinge. It was a regular dish in my parents' home. Serve it hot with potatoes or with rice; as part of a cold buffet meal; or for a cold family meal in summer, accompanied by salads. * The chicken acquires a delicate, tangy flavor and pale-yellow tinge. It was a regular dish in my parents' home. Serve it hot with potatoes or with rice; as part of a cold buffet meal; or for a cold family meal in summer, accompanied by salads.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil Juice of -1 lemon teaspoon turmeric Salt and white pepper 4 cardamom pods, cracked A 3-4-pound chicken Put the oil and lemon juice in a large saucepan or ca.s.serole with a lid, along with a cupful of water, the turmeric, salt, white pepper, and cardamom pods. Bring to the boil, then place the chicken in the pan. Cover and cook over very low heat, turning the chicken over frequently, and adding another cupful of water as the juices are absorbed. Continue cooking for about 1 hours, until the chicken is very soft and tender. Adjust the seasoning and serve.

If serving cold, lift out the chicken, divide it into joints, remove the larger bones and skin, and arrange in a serving dish. If you prefer an absolutely clear jelly, skim any fat off the surface of the sauce, and use paper towels to remove the last traces. Pour over the chicken and allow it to become quite cold, covered, in the refrigerator. On cooling, the sauce will become a pale, lemony jelly and the chicken will be a very delicate off-white.

Ferakh bel Tamatem Sauteed Chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s with Tomatoes Serves 4 * This is a quick and simple way of cooking chicken. * This is a quick and simple way of cooking chicken.

1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil 4 boned chicken breast halves, with or without skin Salt and pepper 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces 1-2 teaspoons sugar teaspoon cinnamon Heat the b.u.t.ter with the oil in a skillet. Put in the chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s, season with salt and pepper, and brown them lightly on both sides.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is done but still juicy.

Tabaka Pilic Chicken with Plums Serves 6 * A Turkish dish of Georgian origin. Georgia borders on northwestern Turkey and is famous for plum trees and plum sauces. The traditional way to make this dish is to cut the chicken all the way down the back with kitchen shears or a bread knife, open it out, and cut away the bones. You season the flesh inside with crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, then close the chicken up, flatten it with a weight, and cook it in a pan gently in some b.u.t.ter for about 40 minutes, turning it over once. But I find it is easier and equally good to use chicken fillets. * A Turkish dish of Georgian origin. Georgia borders on northwestern Turkey and is famous for plum trees and plum sauces. The traditional way to make this dish is to cut the chicken all the way down the back with kitchen shears or a bread knife, open it out, and cut away the bones. You season the flesh inside with crushed garlic, salt, and pepper, then close the chicken up, flatten it with a weight, and cook it in a pan gently in some b.u.t.ter for about 40 minutes, turning it over once. But I find it is easier and equally good to use chicken fillets.

6 boned and skinned chicken fillets (a mix of b.r.e.a.s.t.s and legs) 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Salt and pepper 2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped 6 large or 12 small plums FOR THE THE SAUCE SAUCE.

4 tablespoons plum jam 1 tablespoon red- or white-wine vinegar 1 clove garlic, crushed Pinch of chili-pepper flakes or ground chili pepper In a large skillet, saute the chicken pieces in a mixture of b.u.t.ter and oil over very low heat for about 15-20 minutes, until they are no longer pink inside when you cut in with a knife. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and turn the pieces over at least once, adding garlic towards the end.

Put in the plums and cook briefly, turning them over, until they soften a little. Their skins will tear, but it doesn't matter.

For the sauce, heat the plum jam with the vinegar in a small saucepan, stir in the garlic and chili flakes or chili pepper, and cook for a few moments longer.

Serve the chicken pieces with the sauce poured over, garnished with the plums.

Ferakh bel Hummus Chicken with Chickpeas Serves 4-6 * This was a family favorite that my mother often made. * This was a family favorite that my mother often made.