So tasty and an absolute doddle to prepare. We served with some crusty bread and baked halloumi. Delicious!
Za’atar, paprika & garlic chicken – serves 3
6 large chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 heaped tbsp za’atar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic granules
finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½
Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.
Line a baking tray with paper.
Put the chicken thighs into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and add the spices, lemon zest and juice and lots of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to coat the chicken in the mixture.
Put the chicken onto the lined tray and roast for 1 hour or until well browned and cooked through (you can check at 45 minute if your thighs are small).
(Original recipe from Persian Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
We’ve made plenty of fish and tahini dishes before but particularly liked this one with the additions of zingy za’atar and fresh spinch.
Wine suggestion: this works brilliantly with a juicy, crisp Verdejo, especially those that come from Rueda in Spain. Crunchy, juicy apples, lemons and grapefuit. In our glass was Dominio la Granadilla which demonstrates a passionate family all working together and speaking of the place they grew up.
Za’atar salmon and tahini – serves 4
4 salmon fillets (about 600g in total), skin on
2 tbsp za’atar
2 tsp sumac, plus and extra ½ tsp for sprinkling at the end
4 tbsp olive oil
250g baby spinach
90g tahini
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
3½ tbsp lemon juice
1½ tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves
Heat the oven to 220C Fan.
Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper and season.
Mix the za’atar and sumac together in a small bowl, then sprinkle this over the top of the salmon to form a crust.
Put a large ovenproof sauté pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of the oil. When the pan is hot, add the spinach with a little seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted.
Set the salmon fillets on top of the spinach, skin side down, then drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tbsp of oil. Bake in the hot oven for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whick the tahini, garlic, 2½ tbsp of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and 100ml of water together until smooth. It will be quite runny.
Pour the tahini around the salmon (but not over the fish) and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Spoon over the rest of the lemon juice and oil and top with the coriander and extra sprinkle of sumac.
(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 