From the shores of Kauai where our friend Michael sends word that he’s busy in the kitchen whipping up all kinds of creations, come two marvelous recipes he has generously shared with us. The first is a marble cake his Aunt Poppi used to make for family gatherings, the same one his mom, Kitty, made for his birthday cakes, and now his wife, Mickie makes for him on special occasions. It is a classic, and although we adapted it to methods we use today, the original handwritten card he found in his mother’s handwriting made it all the more touching.
Also, Michael said he and Mickie were recently craving flavors of the Middle East and since travel is out of the question at the moment, they used the peppers and spices they had in the fridge to re-create a schwarma chicken dish inspired by one he’d seen on a blog called The Nosher. He says the aromas that filled their kitchen were magical and the finished product was delicious. It uses the technique of marinating and then roasting meat on skewers to keep it moist.
Mahalo, Michael!
- 8 ounces butter, softened
- 1⅔ cups sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 5 times [!]
- 5 eggs, unbeaten, to be added one at a time
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (or 2 squares Baker's chocolate)
- Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
- Grease and flour a bundt pan (the size is lost to history, but we are guessing a 10-cup would work here.)
- In a large bowl (or an electric mixer with a paddle attachment), cream butter until very light, add sugar and combine.
- Add whole eggs, one at a time until you do not see a trace of yolk before adding the next egg.
- Add vanilla.
- Add sifted flour and combine.
- Add salt and baking soda and combine.
- Turn the batter at once into the bundt pan.
- Melt the chocolate (you can do it in the microwave, 30 seconds should work)
- Using a butter knife, swirl the melted chocolate into the batter in the bundt pan. This will give you the marbled effect.
- Bake for one hour or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- 4 - 5 chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more to coat peppers if using
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander (the seed of cilantro but with a totally different taste)
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- 1 red pepper, cut in half and seeded (optional)
- 1 yellow pepper, cut in half and seeded (optional)
- 1 dozen cherry tomatoes (optional)
- 2 limes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to brush onto grill
- Combine the spices in a bowl. Add the cubed chicken, (and even the peppers and tomatoes if using), and olive oil and mix well to combine. Put into a large ziploc bag, seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
- Take 12 - 15 wooden or metal skewers (if you use wooden ones, soak them for half an hour so they don't burn on the grill) and thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers (Michael suggests threading them lengthwise so there's more area that hits the grill.)
- At this point you can also thread 6 cherry tomatoes onto skewers also.
- Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high and grease it by lightly brushing vegetable oil on the grates -- careful here. Use a long brush or use paper towels dipped in oil and use tongs to apply.
- Place the peppers and skewered tomatoes, if using, on the grill, and cook for about 5 minutes each side, until charred but not burnt.
- Place the kebabs on the grill and cook until golden brown, about 5 - 6 minutes per side. Use your long tongs to turn them -- it's ok if they're charred in places.
- Transfer to a platter, top with roasted red peppers if using, and scatter with parsley and sliced red onion, if desired. Another squeeze with fresh lime and then serve.
The marble cake is a family treasure, especially when it’s my birthday. When my mother made it, the cake was a bit dry and firm, but the way I liked it. Accompanied with a glass of milk, it’s the best.
I adapted the chicken schwarma recipe by using chicken breast and adding peppers, onions and tomatoes. The marinade was unchanged. Net result was great with wonderful aromas in my kitchen. Adding a squeeze of lime juice just prior to serving gave the chicken a little extra zest.
These recipes look amazing, can’t wait to try them. And also love the fact that this blog is back!!! Woohoo! 🙂
Welcome back Joan and Rhona!!! Have missed you!
These recipes are great. Joan and I were saying it reminds us of a marble bundt cake our mom made. I plan to make it this weekend.
The Schwarma recipe immediately caught my attention as Indian food is one of my favorites and I have all ingredients on hand. I made the rub. Pressed for time I tossed the chicken strips (2-3 inches long) in a bowl along with the oil, then refrigerated it for a couple of hours, When ready, I stir-fried the chicken in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. So so delicious. I have also used the rub on shrimp and roasted red potatoes. As a matter of fact, I love the Schwarma recipe so much I ended up quadrupling the recipe so I have the rub on hand!
Thank you Michael and Joan and Rhona
Mom’s bundt cakes were memorable, especially her marble cake. Leave it to you Jeri to take the Schwarma recipe and find all sorts of ways to use and adapt. Please send in a recipe soon. We love your creations.