Mama Green's Cookbook

4 servings

• 2large lemons, halved
• ¼cup tahini
• 2tablespoons honey
• 2tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking
• 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt
• 1 tea zaatar
• 1/2 sumac
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 or 2sprigs parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, gently torn or chopped
• Sumac (optional), for garnishing

Tip

• Into a large bowl, juice 1 lemon, then whisk together with the tahini, honey and olive oil until smooth. Transfer half the mixture to a small serving bowl. Season the chicken all over with salt and add to the large bowl; toss to coat.
• To grill the chicken, set a grill to medium-high. (If you’d like to cook the chicken in the oven or a skillet, see Tip.) Generously oil the grates, then add the chicken and cook until the bottom is charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Use tongs to turn over the thighs and continue to grill until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces; turn thighs over again if necessary. Move thighs to a cooler part of the grill if browning too quickly.
• Remove chicken from grill and let cool 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the reserved sauce and season as needed with salt, and loosen the consistency by adding half the lemon juice or a tablespoon of water. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken, drizzle with the sauce or serve on the side, and garnish with the parsley and sumac, if using.

• This chicken recipe can be cooked on the grill, in the oven or on the stovetop. If you’d like to roast the chicken, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and add 1 tablespoon of oil, spreading to coat. Add the chicken in a single layer and roast until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. If you’d like to cook the chicken on the stovetop, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Decrease heat to medium, and, working in two batches, sauté the chicken until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the thighs, flipping after 7 to minutes when they easily release from the pan.

YIELD: 1 LEAF-SHAPED FLATBREAD

PREFERMENT
 120g (1 cup) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
 Pinch of yeast
 120g (1/2 cup) water

FINAL DOUGH
 All of the preferment
 360g (3 cups) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
 3/4 teaspoon yeast
 236g (1 cup) water
 56g (2 ounces) fresh Asiago cheese, cut into 1/4” cubes

TOPPING
 2 TBLE Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

2 garlic cloves (pre-roasted)
 14g (2 tablespoons) one oz Asiago cheese, shredded
 Coarse salt, to taste

Directions

PREFERMENT

1. Mix the flour, yeast, and water until well blended. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours.
3. 
   FINAL DOUGH
4. For the final dough: Place all the final dough ingredients,
   except the cheese, in the bowl with the ripe preferment. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes
5. Knead the dough until smooth, with a minimal addition of flour. Since dough is very sticky, this will require some special techniques.
7. Knead the dough by folding the far edge of the dough in half
   toward you. Press the dough with the palms of your hands
   and push lightly, down and away. Rotate the dough 90º.
8. Continue this process (fold, push, turn) until the dough is
   smooth and springy, about 5 minutes. Handle the dough
   very gently at first, then as the dough increases in strength,
   increase the pressure. Can also cut dough into small pieces and throw them in a pile on counter, gather them up together with bench scraper and then cut and throw multiple times.
9. Add the Asiago cheese chunks during the last few minutes
   of kneading. The dough will still be very soft and moist.
10. Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic,
    then let rise for about 30 minutes-60 minutes until almost doubled. preheat oven to 500 degrees F, preferable with baking stone.
11. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then fold
    the dough to give it more strength. Place the dough back
    in the bowl, cover, and allow to rest another 30 minutes.
12. When the dough has fermented, turn it out onto a well floured work area and sprinkle with flour. Gently flatten
    the dough and stretch it into a triangle measuring about
    15×12
13. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Using a
    bench knife held perpendicular to the dough, make cuts
    to create a leaf or ladder pattern in the dough.
14. Use your fingers to open and stretch all the cuts in the
    dough.
15. 
    TOPPING
16. Brush the loaf with olive oil, sprinkle with grated Asiago
    cheese, roasted garlic cloves and coarse salt to taste.
17. Let flatbread rest 10 minutes before baking.
18. Bake the Fougasse in a preheated 500°F oven

1. Mix the flour, yeast, and water until well blended. Cover and leave at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours.
   FINAL DOUGH
2. For the final dough: Place all the final dough ingredients,
   except the cheese, in the bowl with the ripe preferment.
3. Mix until the dough begins to hold together. The dough
   should be quite slack (loose and sticky). You may need to
   add more water if conditions are dry.
4. Lightly flour your work surface, then turn the dough out of
   the bowl.
5. Knead the dough by folding the far edge of the dough in half
   toward you. Press the dough with the palms of your hands
   and push lightly, down and away. Rotate the dough 90º.
6. Continue this process (fold, push, turn) until the dough is
   smooth and springy, about 5 minutes. Handle the dough
   very gently at first, then as the dough increases in strength,
   increase the pressure. If the dough sticks, scrape your work
   surface clean with your bench knife, then sprinkle the
   kneading surface lightly with flour.
7. Add the Asiago cheese chunks during the last few minutes
   of kneading. The dough will still be very soft and moist.
8. Return the dough to the bowl, cover tightly with plastic,
   then let rise for about 30 minutes.
9. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then fold
   the dough to give it more strength. Place the dough back
   in the bowl, cover, and allow to rest another 30 minutes.
10. When the dough has fermented, turn it out onto a wellfloured work area and sprinkle with flour. Gently flatten
    the dough and stretch it into a triangle measuring about
    10” at the base.
11. Place the dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Using a
    bench knife held perpendicular to the dough, make cuts
    to create a leaf or ladder pattern in the dough.
12. Use your fingers to open and stretch all the cuts in the
    dough.
    TOPPING
13. Brush the loaf with olive oil, sprinkle with grated Asiago
    cheese and coarse salt to taste.
14. Let flatbread rest 10 minutes before baking.
15. Bake the Fougasse in a preheated 500°F

2 T K salt for cup of water

4 T K salt or 3 T table salt for

1 quart water

one hour per pound

If over brine, rinse with water before using

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 500ºF. Have 2 rimmed baking sheets ready.
2. Place 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and stir with a fork until a dough begins to form. Use your hands to knead until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until a smooth, tight ball forms, about 5 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces (about 31 grams each). Roll each into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Lightly flour a work surface. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll into a very thin, about 6-inch round. Place 3 on each baking sheet in a single layer without touching. Prick all over with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with kosher salt if desired.
5. Bake until bubbles form on the top, about 3 minutes. Flip the matzos and bake until bubbling and browned along the edges, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks in a single layer and let cool to room temperature. Repeat rolling and baking the remaining dough balls.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large apples, thickly sliced 1 large pear, thickly sliced
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 5 Medjool dates, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup unsalted, raw chopped mixed nuts (I used almonds, hazel nuts and pistachios)
• 1/2 pomegranate, seeded
• 1/2-1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Tiny pinch of cardamom
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

PREPARATION

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F.

2. Wash and thickly cut fruit.

3. Line baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. Add fruit and drizzle with olive oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom and salt.

4. Roast for approximately 45-60 minutes until soft, lightly browned. In the last 20 minutes, add chopped dates. In the last 5-10 minutes, add raisins.

5. While fruit is roasting, toast nuts until browned. Cut and seed pomegranate.

6. Remove fruit from oven. Let sit for a couple of minutes.

7. Transfer fruit to serving platter. Fold in nuts. Add pomegranate seeds and drizzle pomegranate molasses over top. Serve warm.

Leftovers? Enjoy over a bowl of oatmeal or blend into a smoothie.