Cookbook Craze—February 2015

I admit it, I have a lot of cookbooks. More than will fit on the shelves. I decided to go back to some of my favorites and take a second look at why I fell in love with them in the first place. Either there was a recipe that was a must-try, or the design and photography were so intriguing that I just had to bring it home. Come along with me each month to explore a cookbook and the recipe that 'had me at hello'.

Celebrations with Carmela's Cucina by Carmela Tursi Hobbins

Tursi's Latin King is a beloved Italian restaurant in our city. It's been around for decades and is an iconic destination when you want to celebrate with an evening out or take friends for a special culinary treat. Chicken Spiedini is their famous dish—something like an Italian chicken kebab—breaded and grilled on a skewer, and served with a garlicky sauce and spaghetti. It's crispy and flavorful, and something I order on special occasions.

I was so pleased to receive this cookbook for Christmas and noticed the Tursi name of the author. I eagerly flipped through the pages to find the famous Chicken Spiedini recipe. I couldn't wait to try it out for our next family occasion. But, due to some family health issues, I couldn't use any oils or butter. So, I improvised, and substituted all the olive oil and butter in the recipe with chicken broth. It was a success. From then on, I always fix the spiedini recipe using this method, and my family loves the results. So, here's to you Carmela and Tursi's Latin King restaurant, thanks for the spiedini, and for years of happy and tasty memorable occasions. Here's my take on Chicken Spiedini:

Chicken Spiedini

CHICKEN SPIEDINI
Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

For marinade:
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt

For coating:
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, dried oregano and basil

For sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
pinch red pepper flakes

1. Mix marinade ingredients together in a glass baking dish and toss with the chicken pieces to coat. Marinate in the fridge 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450. Dredge chicken pieces in bread coating mixture and let rest 15 minutes. Place chicken on metal skewers and on a baking sheet lined with non-stick foil. Bake 15 minutes, turn halfway through. Turn on broiler for a couple of minutes so bread crumbs brown if necessary.

3. Place sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat through about 5 minutes. To serve, drizzle chicken skewers with sauce.