Mediterranean style Roasted Chicken with Garlic basted Roasted veggies

For a new twist to your traditional Christmas home roast, why not try a Mediterranean one.

Living and working in the Middle East esp. the cosmopolitan Dubai, you get to meet a whole lot of people from all over the world.

I have a fair share of friends from all over the Middle East. Learning their cultural cuisines was one of my favourite learning. So I did get a lot of recipes and tips from them.

This one is for the adventurous YOU who just doesn't want a traditional Christmas roast but exploring each year and wow-ing your guests and loved ones each time.

What you need:

For the Marinade

• 1 lemon
• 1 cup of Tomato paste or puree 
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tbsp coriander powder (freshly powdered from coriander seeds)
• A mix of herbs such as Marjoram,Oregano,Sumac,Thyme and Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder (freshly powdered from cumin seeds)
• 1 tbsp Salt

Other ingredients:

• Whole spices such as Bayleaf, Cinnamon, cloves
• 5-6 Garlic cloves - crushed
• 4-5 medium sized potatoes (skin-on), cleaned well
• 1200 gms chicken (skin-on)
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• Shallots/Onions, chopped

The Make:

Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Roasting Time: 1-1 hr and 20 minutes

1.Boil the potatoes with a few stabs in between (no need to cut them now) until half boiled. You can added carrots or other veggies too if you like.

2.Slit the chicken on all sides esp. legs taking care not to cut too much into the meat. On a non-stick roasting pan, add 2 tbsp EVOO, and brown the chicken on all sides, esp the legs as they take longer to cook.

3.Then wait for the chicken to cool down a bit and then add the whole spices in the roasting pan around the chicken. Also place the shallots around in the pan. Rub the marinade well on the chicken and in the cavity and into the slits made earlier.

4. Boil a lemon whole for 5-10 minutes. The larger lemons (not available here) need 10 minutes. Next stab in a couple of times around the lemon and stuff it into the cavity of the chook.

5. Toss in the boiled potatoes cut in quarters.

6. Roast chicken on wire rack (optionally) with the same roasting pan below at 150°C for an hour and then up to 20 minutes on 180°C breast side facing down until the skin is nicely crisp.

7. Meanwhile, to prep the roasted potatoes crush 5-6 cloves of garlic using a mortar and pestle (you can also use an electric grinder) add a little EVOO and further crush to a creamy garlic paste.

8. Add a dash of salt and marinade chopped tomatoes with the creamy paste. When the chook is ready, place the potatoes on a serving dish, pour the garlic paste with tomatoes and some of the juices from the roasting pan.

9. Add some lemon juice from the lemon from the chook's cavity and toss well.

Serve the roasted potatoes on the side of the chicken with some hummus and white rice if you need.

Bon Appetit! Hope you liked our Mediterranean style Christmas Chicken roast!

Try G'Gina's Kitchenette's Hummus recipe here

Tahini (Sesame seed paste)

Tahini is sesame seed paste which can be bought either at a store that sells Middle eastern ingredients or can be made at home. I chose the latter as at G'Gina's Kitchenette ingredients are mostly made from scratch or with healthier options included as much as possible.

This is a very simple recipe and requires very few ingredients as well. Tahini can be used as is or can be added to Hummus (Chickpeas dip) or Baba Ghanoush(eggplant based Middle eastern dish).

You need:

• 4 cups of sesame seeds
• 11/4 cup of sesame oil

The Make
Yield 3-4 cups | Preparation Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 5 minutes

1. Preheat a skillet. 

2. Lower the heat to medium-low and toast the seeds, tossing around frequently to avoid uneven browning or even burning. Remember to leave the sesame seeds, lightly browned only. If it ends up getting burnt please throw away the burnt seeds and restart.
3. Set the seeds aside and allow to cool to room temperature. It may take up to 10 minutes.
4. Add the sesame seeds to a grinder or a food processor and grind for about 2-3 beats on high.
5. Next add the oil in parts and blend for a minute and up to 2 minutes, checking for consistency. The Tahini should have a slightly runny texture. Add oil as required to reach required consistency.
6. Store the Tahini in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can be used up to 3 months.

Tahini can be drizzle on warm pita bread or even toast. Bon Appetit.