Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

Greek Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

Souvlaki captures all the tastes of Greece and so these chicken skewers will not only transport you back to the azure sea and clear skies, but delight your tastebuds!

10 chicken breasts, skin removed
60ml olive oil
the juice of one lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
30ml dried oregano
salt and pepper
10-24 wooden skewers

Cut each chicken breast into 3 equal sized pieces.
Add the chicken and all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and rub everything together with you hands so that the chicken gets coated with it.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (you may leave it overnight).

Cut the wooden skewers to fit inside your griddle pan.
Now thread 4-5 pieces of chicken onto a skewer. Lay it flat on a work surface and push another skewer through all the pieces of chicken so that you have to parallel skewers.
Place a griddle pan on high heat and wait for it to warm up.
Cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning 2/3 times during cooking. You may add a few splashes of olive oil if you think the pan needs it.
Serve warm or at room temperature with plenty of lemon on the side.

Traditional Greek Sofrito from Corfu

Traditional Greek Sofrito from Corfu

Greek Sofrito is originally from the island of Corfu. It is a hearty and delicious meal of beef cooked in a garlic and vinegar sauce which in turn produces a fork-tender beef stew that literally melts in one’s mouth. This is a very traditional version and a staple food in every household …. I do hope you give it a try!

1kg beef shank, cut into chunks
125ml flour
30ml butter
80ml olive oil
8 cloves of garlic, sliced
80ml white wine vinegar
80ml white wine
450ml beef stock
125ml parsley, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
fresh lemon wedges

Add the beef chunks to a large mixing bowl and season the beef with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and mix the chunks with your hands so that each piece of meat gets covered in a thin coating of flour.
Add the butter and olive oil to a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the beef in small batches and sauté until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan, add another batch and keep going until all of the beef is browned.
Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the white wine vinegar, white wine, beef stock and beef chunks.
Simmer until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and glossy – about 40 minutes.
Scatter over the parsley and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve the Sofrito on chunky mashed potato and drizzle over a squeeze of lemon juice.

Pan-Fried Tarragon Chicken

Pan-Fried Tarragon Chicken

This is one of those easy mid-week meals that takes no time at all to prepare and leaves one surprised at the amount of punchy flavour and goodness on a plate! The sauce is enough for 6 – 8 chicken breasts but equally for 4.

6 – 8 chicken breasts, skin removed
5ml garlic powder
15ml dried tarragon
60ml + 30ml butter
15ml lemon juice
250ml sour cream

Dry the chicken breasts and place them on a chopping board.
Drizzle with the smallest amount of vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Mix the garlic powder and tarragon and sprinkle evenly over the breasts. Rub the mixture over the chicken with your fingers.
Put a heavy-base pan (skillet) onto medium-high heat and allow it to warm up.
Add 2 chicken breasts to the hot pan and cook for about 6 minutes without moving them around.
Flip the breasts and add 15ml of the butter to the pan. Cook the chicken for another 6 minutes.
Remove the cooked breasts from the pan, set aside and keep covered while you cook the rest.
Turn the heat down to low and add the 30ml butter, lemon juice and sour cream to the pan and simmer for one minute.
Place the cooked chicken back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for another 6 minutes to warm it through.
Serve with a crisp green salad.