Saffron Chicken Kabobs, Couscous with Pistachios, Chickpeas, and Corn, and Green Salad with Herbs and Radishes

If you have not had Middle Eastern food, then you are missing out. This was one seriously delicious meal. I'm talking seriously delicious! It is so seriously delicious that you will not be able to focus on anything else while eating it. In fact, I was able to tune out my eight-year old daughter (for those of you who know young girls, you understand). You see, the child is never quiet. NEVER! She is either talking, humming, singing, blathering, arguing, you name it. I never heard a word she said throughout dinner. I was too busy marveling at all the fresh flavors, the textures, and the overall appeal of this dish. It was one of those meals where you are full, but you keep on eating anyway.

I have my friend Joanne, of Eats Well With Others, to thank for this meal. Joanne is now hosting Regional Recipes which is a monthly roundup of regional cuisines from around the world. This month, we are celebrating the cuisine of the Middle East. Believe me when I tell you that this is one delicious cuisine that uses fresh flavors and is very healthy, for the most part.

I borrowed a wonderful cookbook from the library called Feast From the Mideast by Faye Levy. I highly recommend it. I flipped through this cookbook for 5 minutes and was hooked. There are no pictures, not even black and white, but there are 350 delicious recipes. I actually preferred this cookbook to Claudia Roden's books. (Sorry, Claudia)

I have been wanting to cook with saffron for a really long time so I decided on the Saffron Chicken Kabobs. To go along with the kabobs, I chose the couscous and green salad with radishes (I love radishes).
Saffron Chicken Kabobs (Chich Tawouk)
*Adapted from Feast From the Mideast by Faye Levy*
Pinch saffron (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon) crushed
2 or 3 onions
3 tablespoons strained lemon or lime juice
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut in 1-1/4 inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large cherry or small plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter
Basil sprigs, chives and other fresh herbs
fresh pita bread
Put saffron in small cup and pour 2 tablespoons hot water over it. Let stand for 5 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon liquid saffron for basting chicken. Pour remaining saffron into bowl large enough to contain chicken. Finely grate 1/2 onion and add to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and mix well. Add chicken pieces to bowl and mix well. Cover and marinate for 2-6 hours in refrigerator.
Cut peppers in 1-1/4-inch squares. Quarter remaining onions. Remove chicken from marinade, brushing off bits of onion and discarding marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Thread chicken on skewers, alternating with pepper pieces, onions and tomatoes.
Heat barbecue, stove-top grill, or broiler and lightly oil rack. Combine remaining liquid saffron with oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Brush this basting liquid over chicken. Put kabobs on barbecue. Grill or broil about 10 minutes, until chicken is just cooked through but is still succulent, turning kabobs often and brushing them occasionally with basting liquid. To check, cut into a chunk- chicken should not be pink inside. Serve hot with herbs and fresh pita.

Couscous with Pistachios, Chickpeas, and Corn (Salat couscous im fistookim v'hummus)
*Adapted from Feast From the Mideast by Faye Levy*
3-4 tablespoons EVOO
1 onion, minced
1/2 large zucchini, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 cup couscous
2-4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 small garlic cloves, minched
pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 cup cooked or canned corn kernels, drained
1 - 15 oz- can chickpeas, drained
1/3 cup salted pistachios, toasted

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add zucchini, salt, and pepper and saute for 1 minute. cover and cook for 1 more minute. Remove vegetables to bowl. Add water, carrot, and a pinch of salt to saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add couscous and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 7 minutes.
Lightly spoon couscous mixture into large bowl and fluff with a fork. Add remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and mint, and mix lightly. Add corn, chickpeas, and sauteed zucchini mixture and toss lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve salad warm, cold, or at room temperature, sprinkled with pistachios.

Green Salad with Herbs and Radishes (Marul salatsi)
*Adapted from Feast From the Mideast by Faye Levy*
5-6 cups bite-size pieces romaine lettuce, or one 10 oz. package
3/4 to 1 cup coarsely chopped arugula or watercress (optional)
6 small red radishes, sliced
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or mint
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lmeon juice or white/red wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons EVOO
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup good-quality black olives, such as kalamata (optional)
Toss lettuce with arugula, radishes, green onions, parsley and dill in bowl. Whisk lemon juice with oil, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Pour over salad and toss lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve garnished with olives.

Notes/Results: I love this meal! Surprisingly, I think the radish salad might have been my favorite component of the meal. It was bright, fresh, lemony and had a bite to it. Of course, I could just be biased because I love radishes. The saffron chicken kabobs were tender and juicy and had a very mild flavor. I didn't really know what to expect of the saffron. For some reason, I expected it to have a very strong flavor, but it was somewhat mild and pleasant. The couscous salad was addictive. When you bite into it the corn and chickpeas burst in your mouth and the overall texture of the couscous is wonderful. You have the tenderness of the couscous, the crunch of the pistachios, and the sweet burst of the corn. Let's just say that this cook had her fair share directly out of the bowl. It's all about quality control, right?

Click HERE for information about Regional Recipes.

Hmmmm.....if only I had made the Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake:D