Come and get it!

Subscribe to get the scoop on all the latest juicy bits.

The Amiable Cooks

Just another WordPress site

Middle Eastern Steak Pitas

by Leave a Comment

middle eastern steak pitas 1-1

Middle Eastern food (such as from the countries of Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Algeria, just to name a few) is FANTASTIC. Middle Eastern cooking usually has something to do with warm spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, such as tomatoes, cucumbers and mint. This dish is the epitome of spicy (though not hot) and fresh. Instead of a spice list a mile long, this recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice. Genius. The aforementioned flavors, as well as tahini, garlic and lemon, make for the most interesting and pleasant flavor combination EVER. Like many Middle Eastern dishes, this is sort of a communal dish… and eating it your hands is super fun. The next time you’re in the mood for some beef, give this exotic yet easy recipe a try. You’re in for a real treat

Tip (unsponsored): Eating this dish with lavash instead of pitas or naan (both delicious options too) helps keep it from feeling too heavy. We love the lavash (with the breads) and tahini (by the hummus and tzatziki in the cooler) at Trader Joe’s. Also, we love to use heirloom tomatoes for this cucumber salad. It’s a shame that we have to buy “antique” sort of tomatoes in order to enjoy the way a fresh tomato should taste (and used to taste… is it just us?), but we do. Freezing your steak for about 10 minutes before you cut it will make for easier slicing.

middle eastern steak pitas ingredients - 1

Have your kids help you juice the lemons and tear mint leaves, remembering to draw their attention to these gorgeous aromas. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits some of the ingredients will provide their bodies:

  • Tahini (sesame paste) is a great protein, which helps your muscles and tissues repair themselves when they are damaged.
  • Cucumbers provide your body with B vitamins, which can help you feel more energetic.
  • Tomatoes, eaten fresh, have tons of vitamin C, which helps your skin look good.

Since Egypt is one of the 22 Middle Eastern countries, let’s learn a few things about Egypt and it’s people:

  • Even though children are required to attend school for 6 years, many do not. Around half of the people cannot read. Aren’t you grateful to know how to read so you can learn things for yourself?
  • Just like math class, children also study their religion in school, whether it’s Christian or Muslim.
  • The most popular dish is seasoned fava beans, dating back to ancient times.

Adapted slightly from Middle Eastern Steak Pitas

middle eastern steak pitas collage

Middle Eastern Steak Pitas
 
Print
Prep time
Active time
Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $22
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1¼ pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint (or parsley, if you prefer)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 3 small Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped
  • 4 grilled pocketless pitas, naan, OR 8 slices lavash
Instructions
  1. Combine the steak, onion, pumpkin pie spice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl; toss well to coat. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
  2. Whisk the tahini, the remaining garlic and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl; stir in the tomatoes and cucumbers.
  3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush the pitas with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates. Working in batches, add the meat and onion to the skillet in a single layer and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
  4. Serve the steak and onion on the pitas with the cucumber salad. Top with the remaining herbs.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 632 Fat: 30 g Saturated fat: 7 g Carbohydrates: 49 g Sodium: 869 mg Fiber: 5 g Protein: 41 g Cholesterol: 54 mg

 

 

 

 

Caribbean Chicken Roti

by Leave a Comment

Caribbean Chicken Roti-1

A roti is a curried stew, usually wrapped in some sort of flatbread (or roti). Sound interesting? What if we told you that this is one of the most flavorful dishes we’ve made in a while? More interested? And here’s the kicker: it’s a one-pot meal. You’re in, right? This is SO good and fun to eat. The thing we love about Caribbean food is that it’s a cool fusion of a few cuisine’s, like African, Indian, Asian, and Spanish, and you see some of those influences in these ingredients: curry powder, allspice, coconut milk, a hot pepper (or chose a mild one if you don’t love heat), and lavash bread. The chicken thighs turn out super tender and full of the flavors of those wonderful spices. You will be so happy with the heartiness and exotic feel of this awesome dish.

Caribbean Chicken Roti ingredients - 1

Tip (unsponsored): We buy our wheat lavash at Trader Joe’s, but we’ve seen it at other markets, like Sprouts. Make sure your coconut milk is unsweetened, as this dish has the perfect amount of sweetness as it is.

Have your children help you combine the spices, giving them the opportunity to inhale deeply and enjoy the interesting scents. This helps to make memories with your children and they will remember this fun time with you as they smell these scents later in life. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Peas contain folate, which can help prevent obesity.
  • Allspice can help your body from becoming inflamed.
  • Coconut milk has lots of fiber, which helps keep the sugars in your blood at a healthy level.

A few facts about the Caribbean and it’s people:

  • The Caribbean is made up of several hundreds of islands, but people on live on a few of them.
  • Part of the movie series “Pirates of the Caribbean” were actually filmed in the Caribbean.
  • There are tons of churches in Jamaica, which is part of the Caribbean.

Adapted from Caribbean Chicken Roti

Caribbean Chicken Roti
 
Print
Prep time
Active time
Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $14
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1½ teaspoons curry powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 3 sprigs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds), quartered
  • 1 13 .5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (do not shake)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping
  • ½ serrano chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 10 -ounce package lavash flatbread (5 pieces)
  • 2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
Instructions
  1. Combine the curry powder, allspice, chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat; set aside.
  2. Skim 2 tablespoons of the solid cream off the top of the coconut milk; transfer to a large Dutch oven or pot and melt over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.
  3. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro, chile and thyme sprigs to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot along with ¼ cup water; stir. Add the coconut milk (including any remaining coconut cream from the can). Tear 1 lavash into small pieces; add to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
  4. Just before serving, warm the remaining lavash in the microwave. Remove the thyme sprigs from the pot and stir in the peas and carrots. Cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro and serve with the remaining lavash.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 615 Fat: 29 g Saturated fat: 20 g Carbohydrates: 49 g Sodium: 1,045 mg Fiber: 8 g Protein: 44 g Cholesterol: 141 mg

 

Arugula-Prosciutto Flatbread Pizzas

by Leave a Comment

- 1 8.45.12 AM

There’s something gorgeous and quite impressive about a flatbread pizza, especially one with a few layers of toppings that add dimension, color and flavor. This bright and versatile pizza can be cut into smaller squares or triangles and served as an appetizer or cut in half as shown and served for lunch or dinner. The lavash makes for a delightfully light and crunchy crust, perfect if you aren’t in the mood for a bunch of bread (can I just mention that this is low-calorie at 450?!). The fontina and prosciutto are a flavorful combination and make things look and taste more refined that your typical pizza. There’s also something about adding a salad-like mixture atop our pizzas that makes us very, very happy. The arugula, fennel, parsley and red onion add wonderful crunch and interest, due to a peppery bite. A few crumbles of pungent gorgonzola lends the final punch that makes this dish so flavorful in all of it’s dimensions.

arugula prosciutto flatbread pizzas ingredients - 1

Grilling the lavash results in a crisp, flavorful crust.

arugula prosciutto flatbread pizzas grilling lavash-1

Tip (unsponsored):  We found our wheat lavash, fontina, prosciutto, arugula, fennel (comes in packs of 2 at my store), balsamic (their “gold” label is wonderful), and gorgonzola at Trader Joe’s.

Have your kids help you brush the lavash with oil and top the pizzas. As you prepare and eat this meal together, teach them about the health advantages of a few of the ingredients:

  • Arugula is high in vitamin K, which makes your bones strong and your brain healthy.
  • Fennel has lots of fiber, which is good for your heart.
  • Balsamic vinegar is made with grapes that have lots of antioxidants, which help keep you from getting sick.

A few facts about Italy and it’s people:

  • Pizza first became popular in Naples, where the first true pizzeria opened in 1830.
  • Many of the world’s most famous masterpieces in art and music come from Italian artists, such as the Mona Lisa and the inventions of the piano and violin. The story Pinocchio was written by an Italian author.
  • Italian women usually only have one child.

arugula-prosciutto pizzas collage

From: Arugula-Prosciutto Flatbread Pizzas

Arugula-Prosciutto Flatbread Pizzas
 
Print
Prep time
Active time
Total time
 
Author:
Difficulty: easy
Est. Cost: $11
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 pieces lavash or other flatbread, halved
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn
  • 4 cups baby arugula
  • 1 bulb fennel, halved, cored and thinly sliced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat a grill to medium.
  2. Lightly brush the lavash with olive oil, then grill until marked on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  3. Flip the bread and immediately top with the fontina.
  4. Continue grilling until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
  5. Transfer to a platter and top with the prosciutto.
  6. Combine the arugula, fennel, parsley and red onion in a large bowl.
  7. Drizzle with the vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper and toss.
  8. Pile on top of the pizzas; sprinkle with the gorgonzola.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 450 Fat: 25 g Saturated fat: 11 g Carbohydrates: 33 g Sodium: 1220 mg Cholesterol: 70 mg

 

Newsletter

subscribe for email updates!

STAY CONNECTED