Grilled Carrots with Dill Yogurt Sauce

The last time I was in Charleston, South Carolina it was a gray, rainy, chilly day. In the weeks prior to a return trip back, rain was again in the weather forecast. As I have learned or at least try to remind myself, weather can be rather unpredictable and not necessarily influenced by wishful thinking, fingers/toes crossed, or even a rain dance. But there are times when one has to put rationality aside. This was one of them. Yet, even as I got on the plane, rain remained in the forecast. I had been second guessing this group running trip ever since I had committed to it months ago. Maybe the rain forecast was as omen. Steady inclines/hills and heat/humidity are things frequently causing me to whine. Having to give up control of my time/space on a trip is enough to cause some minor hyperventilation. So, if you have asked me a year ago if I would travel more than 900 miles to run a 10K race (one having a significant incline) on a hot/humid day with 40,000+ runners and stay in house with 9 other people I had never traveled with before, more than likely I would have said without hesitation 'no thank you'. However, funny things happen when you give yourself permission to leave your comfort zone, when you stop looking for (bad) omens, and when you allow yourself to take a leap of faith. Literally and figuratively the sun comes out. After a night of tornado warnings and hurricane-like pounding rain, blue skies miraculously appeared shortly before the start of our 10K race. A validating omen on many different levels.

While my whining days over heat, humidity, and hills are (unfortunately) far from over, my perceptions of what traveling with an eclectic group of fellow runners could be like has been forever altered. From having 'family' meals together, to exploring parts of Charleston, to a night of karaoke, to a morning run along the ocean, to unexpected kindnesses, to great meals in some incredible restaurants, to being open to possibility, to waking every morning with the view of the ocean, everything about this trip was positively memorable. One changing me in some unexpected ways. So if you asked me again if I would make another group road trip again, I would only hope the next running venue would be a little cooler, a little flatter. Although I would probably still obsess about the weather.

When friends suggested we order a plate of radishes with soft creamy butter and sea salt as an appetizer at the The Publican restaurant in Chicago, I probably made one of those 'really, are you serious?' faces. Up until that point, I had probably consumed less than two radishes over the course of my lifetime. I can't remember the other appetizer we ordered that day, but I do remember the radishes. In just one bite of a radish half slathered in some soft, creamy butter and topped with a hint of sea salt I instantly knew my lifetime consumption of radishes was about to change. So when I saw a recipe for The Publican's Barbecued Carrots with Yogurt and Pecans, I knew my love for carrots was about to be deepened. And let's just say, if I had radishes and carrots served The Publican way growing up, chances are I might be a vegetarian or at least, have strong vegetarian tendencies.

Prior to making these Grilled Carrots with Dill Yogurt Sauce I thought nothing could top the flavor of oven roasted carrots. Apparently my vision for the possibilities of carrots was a bit narrow. Now having tasted carrots marinated in a myriad of spices, grilled until slightly charred, drizzled with yogurt dill sauce, topped with toasted pecans, and served with a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice, it might be awhile before an oven roasted carrot passes my lips.

The Publican's recipe calls for one pound of small carrots. But since I couldn't find them I went with several bunches (somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 pounds) of slightly larger carrots, but ones still having their beautiful green tops. Whether you find the smaller ones or the slightly larger (but not too large) ones or not may not really matter. However, look for the carrots that haven't had their tops cut off. After peeling and cutting them in half lengthwise, they are parboiled in boiling salted water for approximately 4 minutes (or until crisp tender). This size carrot took only 4 minutes to get to that point.

The parboiled carrots are then marinated in a spice and olive oil mixture for 1 to 3 hours. One look at this sweet and savory array (sweet smoked paprika, celery salt, onion powder, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, Aleppo pepper, and dark brown sugar), you might think 'I don't stock all of those spices in my cupboard. Or 'not sure I would like this combination of spices'. Next! But don't let preconceived notions keep you from these carrots and definitely don't throw in the towel just yet. As this is an obstacle you can easily overcome without spending a fortune on jars of spices you might not use regularly. Nowadays many grocery and spice stores allow you to buy many different spices in whatever quantity you need (Whole Foods was my source for some of them).

The fragrance of this spice mixture is intoxicating. It is a prelude of what is to come.

Is is easier to rub the olive oil spice mixture into the carrots if done on a large baking sheet (rather than a bowl). Additionally, you don't risk breaking any of them. The longer you allow the carrots to marinate the more they take on the flavor of the spices (my marinating time was 90 minutes).

While the carrots marinate you can make the Dill Yogurt Sauce. After mixing the full fat yogurt, buttermilk, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh dill, some sea salt and black pepper, cover and refrigerate. This is one of those sauces greatly benefitting from having some 'resting' time. There was more than enough of the spice mixture to coat almost 2 pounds of carrots, however, I increased the proportions of the ingredients in the sauce as I wanted to have some to serve on the side.

Having a gas grill means we can grill year round here in the midwest. But these grilled carrots can also be made on an indoor grill pan (if you don't have a gas grill). Placing the carrots cut side down, they grill until they begin to char and the sugars caramelize (about 3-4 minutes).

Transfer the grilled carrots to a large platter, drizzle with some of the Yogurt Dill Sauce, sprinkle with the toasted pecans, and finish with some freshly squeezed lemon juice. The sweet spicy taste of the grilled carrots are balanced with the cool, creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce and splash of lemon juice. Together with the crunch of the roasted pecans, this is an incredibly satisfying, almost over-the-top, unexpected delicious side or appetizer dish made with carrots.

If there was one recipe to take your summer barbecue from good to great, it would be these Grilled Carrots with Dill Yogurt Sauce. They would be a great prelude to a meal as well as pair well with grilled chicken, steak, or lamb. However, I could have made a meal out of these incredibly sweet and savory carrots. I really like carrots, but until now, never knew they could taste this good.

Because most of the preparation can be done ahead of time, they may one of the easiest appetizer or side dishes you make. Sit back and watch how their expectations around the taste of carrots is changed forever.  I wouldn't be surprised if your consumption of carrots increases significantly. Or if you give some thought to becoming a vegetarian (at least for a day).

Recipe
Grilled Carrots with Dill Yogurt Sauce (an ever so slight adaptation to The Publican restaurant's Barbecue Carrots with Yogurt and Pecans recipe)

Ingredients
Carrots
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or cayenne pepper)
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2-2 pounds fresh carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted, roughly chopped

Dill Yogurt Sauce
3/4 cup (7 ounce container) of full-fat yogurt (recommend Fage Total)
3 Tablespoons buttermilk
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
1 whole lemon, cut into quarters for serving

Directions
Dill Yogurt Sauce
1. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, buttermilk, dill, and lemon juice. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate. (Note: Sauce can be made 1-2 days in advance.)

Carrots
1. Combine dark brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, celery salt. granulated garlic, onion powder, Aleppo pepper, kosher salt and black pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Bring a medium-large of salted water saucepan to a boil. Add carrots and cook for approximately 4 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain and transfer carrots to a large sheet pan.
3. Add extra-virgin olive to the spice mixture and rub on carrots to coat. Allow carrots to marinate in spice-olive oil mixture for 1-3 hours.
4. Heat grill to medium-high heat (or can use a stove top grill pan). Grill carrots, cut side down until lightly charred and slightly caramelized (approximately 3 minutes). 
5. Transfer carrots to a platter. Drizzle with Dill Yogurt Sauce and roughly chopped pecans. Lightly squeeze a lemon half over the carrots. Serve immediately with additional Dill Yogurt Sauce and lemon quarters. 

Images from Charleston, South Carolina.

Deviled Eggs

The more colorful signs of spring are only just beginning to emerge here in the midwest. As if on cue, the Forsythia bushes, the Magnolia tree, some Crocus, Creeping Periwinkle, and a few clusters of daffodils all revealed their gloriousness this past Easter weekend. Finally returning some long awaited color to the brown landscape. If, by some miracle or wishful thinking, the wind and rain are kept to a minimum over the next couple of weeks, the lifespan of these relatively short-lived, somewhat fragile blossoms may be lengthened. 

Later this week I am heading to South Carolina. First to spend some long overdue time with a friend I met years back in Colorado. While our life paths getting us both to the same place at the same time were different, our connection to one another was immediate. Unbeknownst to us at the time, it was the beginning of a life-changing, life-enhancing, life-long friendship. And ever since that first meeting, we have both worked to maintain this valued long-distance friendship. Although we talk on the phone, text, and keep up with one another on social media, nothing replaces, further sustains, or deepens the foundation of a friendship more than being able to spend some quality time together.

On second part of the trip, I, along with some of the members of my running group will be running a 10k race across one of Charleston's most scenic bridges. The second part of this trip caused to me to obsess over the weather forecast slightly more than usual. While the rational part of me understands the weather is well outside of my sphere of influence (and control), the irrational part hopes my prayers for sun-filled, rain-free days will be heard and answered by the good weather Gods or Goddesses. Let's hope irrationality prevails because we are all looking forward to experiencing this iconic 'scenic' run as well as spending some time at the beach. Because when you live in the midwest, a 70 degree day is a beach day.

My trepidation over making Deviled Eggs has been due in large part to being 'hard-boiled' egg challenged. No matter how many of the 'fool-proof, perfect every time hard-boiled egg' recipes attempted over the years (and there have been at least a dozen), my eggs were consistently imperfect. Either I made a mess of them in the peeling process or the yolks were over/under done. Trust me when I say there is only so much hard-boiled egg failure one can take. With there being a significant amount of time and distance between me and the making of Deviled Eggs, I was finally able to put my ego aside, muster up all of my hard-boiling egg courage, and try one more time. 

Either the stars were aligned or this hard-boiled egg recipe is the real deal. Finally, I have found the perfect, fool-proof one.

This hard-boiling egg technique begins with bringing a pot of water to a boil and then carefully adding the eggs. Once all of the eggs have been added, the heat is reduced to a simmer and a lid is placed on the pot. After 10 minutes, the eggs are removed and immediately submerged in a bowl of iced water until they are cool enough to handle. Not only did these eggs peel easily, but the yolks were done perfectly! 

There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of filling recipes for Deviled Eggs, some even having claims of being the 'best' or the 'greatest'. And let's not forget the long standing family favorites passed down from generation to generation. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I had a blank deviled egg slate.

So when I came across the Hillstone Restaurant Group's "Greatest" Deviled Egg recipe posted by Bon Appetit my curiosity was peaked. And my 'how can I make even better?' competitiveness went into overdrive. After looking at the ingredient list, I immediately knew what the game changer options were going to be. Either Maille's Dijon Mustard or their new Mustard with Carrot and a Hint of Shallot instead of a yellow mustard. One taste of the complex, slightly intense flavor of the Mustard with Carrot and a Hint of Shallot and the choice was easy as I knew it would be the perfect compliment to the mayonnaise, celery, scallions, drained pickle relish, parsley, kosher salt, pepper, and hard-boiled egg yolks.

I tried to keep the ingredient proportions the same as the inspiration recipe, however. there will be one possibly, two changes the next time I make these Deviled Eggs: Reduce the 3 Tablespoons of drained pickle relish to 2 Tablespoons to better balance all of the flavors in the filling as well as consider using a mild ChowChow instead of a pickle relish. But I will definitely keep the relish as one of the ingredients.

How you fill the egg whites will purely depend on your desired finished look to the Deviled Eggs (a little fancy or a little rustic). The use of a pastry bag with a larger round tip put the finished look of these eggs somewhere between fancy and rustic.

The finishing touch to the filled eggs is another light sprinkle of black pepper and freshly chopped parsley.

Once filled the eggs they are ready to be served and devoured. However, if you allow the filling to chill, its' flavors are further deepened and the sinfully deliciousness factor goes up exponentially.

These Deviled Eggs will definitely be making repeat appearances and subsequent disappearances here. Especially now that I have mastered making the perfect hard-boiled egg. Sometimes good things really do come to those who aren't afraid to stop trying.

A very special thanks to Maille for sending me their incredibly delicious Spring/Summer collection of mustards.

Recipe
Deviled Eggs (several adaptions to Hillstone Restaurant Group's Deviled Egg recipe)

Ingredients
12 large eggs, taken out of the refrigerator at least an hour before boiling
4 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
4 1/2 Tablespoons very finely chopped celery
2-3 Tablespoons finely chopped drained pickle relish or ChowChow (recommend Stonewall Kitchen's Farmhouse Relish)
3 Tablespoons very finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
3 teaspoons dijon mustard (highly recommend Maille's Mustard with Carrot and a Hint of Shallot)
3 teaspoons finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
3 dashes of hot sauce
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a medium sized pot filled with water to a boil.
2. Gently add eggs, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Drain and transfer to a bowl filled with cold water and ice. Let sit long enough to handle. Peel eggs.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, celery, relish, dijon mustard, scallions, parsley, and 2 dashes of hot sauce. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. 
5. Halve eggs lengthwise. Scoop out yolks into the mayonnaise-mustard mixture. Place whites on a platter.
6. Gently mash yolks into dressing until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Using a pastry bag (or forks), fill egg halves with mixture.
8. Lightly sprinkle top of eggs with black pepper and finely chopped parsley. Chill and/or serve immediately.
Note: Eggs can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store egg white halves and filling separately. Fill just before serving.
Biggest takeaway: Allow the filling to chill slightly (at least 2 hours or overnight) before filling the eggs.

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

After a week of a couple of 'all my fault' driving mishaps, I was in serious need of some therapy. The unanticipated expense of a new tire took retail therapy off the table. So the next best therapeutic option had to involve dark chocolate. What was it going to take to soothe my distressed soul? One of those sold only once a year dark chocolate coconut cream eggs I had been resisting for the past month or a warm, gooey Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, a la mode, of course. My first thought was 'why choose, why not have both?'. Uncharacteristically I decided my crisis intervention option meant choosing only one of them. I can only attribute this significant decision-making departure to being in a cross-training delirious-induced state. Who knew cross-training could have this added benefit?

The final decision all came down to: 'Store-bought or homemade?' Homemade won. It usually does.

A million years ago I tasted a Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie that left a permanent impression on my warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie loving palate. I managed to get the recipe but it somehow vanished from my disorganized stack of handwritten recipes. Over the years I had tried a few other recipes, but none of them were 'anything to write home about'. Not willing to give up (perseverance is my middle name), I thought it was time to go on the hunt for another one.

While embarking on another Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie research project, I discovered none of the dozens of recipes I came across had a common butter to flour to sugar ratio. Which meant I had to choose one that seemed closest to the recipe I sort of remembered. Ultimately I went with one fully assembled and baked in a cast iron skillet. Will share my takeaways on that baking process ahead. The initial (and permanent) change I made to this untested recipe was using a combination of both dark and light brown sugars. The post cookie making change will be to slightly reduce the amount of all-purpose flour (either using a scant 1 1/2 cups or reducing it all the way down to 1 1/4 cups) to create an even gooey-er cookie.

After making Tara's Chocolate Chip Cookies, I have been forever converted into a chopped chocolate versus chocolate chip cookie fan. And at the moment Trader Joe's Pound Plus Dark Chocolate is my favorite chocolate bar to chop up. I used somewhere between 7 and 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in this skillet cookie.

So let's talk about the cookie assembly process. The inspiration recipe called for melting the butter in the cast iron skillet followed by mixing in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla and a brief (5 minute) cooling off period before the egg was added. I waited almost 10 minutes and worked furiously to prevent the incorporated the egg from scrambling. After a sigh of it all worked out relief, I added in the dry ingredients. The batter was very, very thick (and didn't resemble at all the recipe blogger's photo). Again, I worried mixing too much would toughen the cookie dough and/or would be too thick to fully incorporate the chopped chocolate. That shouldn't have been my worry. When adding the chocolate to the batter (which was still rather warm from being in the cast iron skillet), some of the chards of chocolate began to melt. While having some of the chocolate melt is not necessarily a bad thing, having it all melt would have defeated the chocolate chip look to the cookie.

So while I think I have now found (and tweaked) a Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie as good as or maybe even better than the one I remember, I will make a change to the assembly process. Once the butter is melted, I will pour it into a medium sized bowl before mixing in the sugars and vanilla. Mixing the butter and sugars together in a bowl versus the pan should not only help to cool the mixture down faster but should eliminate any other issues caused by the residual heat of the pan. From there, I will mix in the egg, add the dry ingredients, stir in the chopped dark chocolate, and then transfer to the more than likely still warm cast iron pan. Before placing the pan in a preheated 350 degree oven, I will lightly sprinkle the top with sea salt.

The baking time on the skillet ranges from 20-25 minutes if baking in a 10 inch (if measured across the top) cast iron baking pan. If using an 8 inch cast iron baking pan the baking time could be slightly longer. Any pan bigger than 10 inches would make for a large, crispy, not likely to be gooey cookie. And the added deliciousness factor to this cookie is its' gooeyness.

I loved the idea of having Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie right out of the pan served communally, with everyone being able to gather round and dig in. If your family and friends aren't into that kind of dessert eating fun, well then just let them scoop their warm, gooey cookie into a bowl. Regardless of how you decide to serve it, the vanilla ice cream is a must! But for what it's worth, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you there is something incredibly magical about eating and sharing a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with melting vanilla ice cream right out of the pan with friends.

Not because this Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie had high therapeutic value or that it was really easy to make will I make it again (my version), but because it was really, really, really delicious. So delicious, that maybe I won't be too upset if the Easter Bunny doesn't drop off one of those dark chocolate coconut eggs this year. Just to be on the safe side, I better not drive that day.

Recipe
Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (slight adaptation to Tasty Kitchen's Dark Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (equal parts of dark and light brown sugars)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg, room temperature
A scant 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or consider reducing flour to 1 1/4 cups for a more gooey cookie)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
7-8 ounces of dark or semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped (recommend Trader Joe's Pound Plus Dark Chocolate) Note: If you don't have a scale, use a generously filled cup of chopped chocolate.
Sea Salt
Vanilla Ice Cream (Ben and Jerry's Vanilla is my favorite) and for added decadence caramel sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter. Pour the butter into a medium sized bowl and mix in the granulated sugar, brown sugars, and vanilla until the sugars have completely melted. Allow to cool for at least 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the egg and mix until it is fully incorporated. Note: You could use either a whisk or hand held mixer.
4. Stir in dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
5. Add chopped chocolate.
6. Transfer batter to the cast iron skillet, pressing down lightly to ensure the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan and has the same relative thickness. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top of the cookie is golden on the edges and top but still soft in the center. 
8. Scoop and serve warm in bowls with slightly softened vanilla ice cream or top with several scoops of vanilla ice cream and hand out spoons.

Notes: (1) I used Lodge's 10 inch skillet (Top dimension: 10 inches, Bottom dimension: 8 inches) in the making of this Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie and (2) the inspiration recipe is linked in this posting, just in case you want to try your hand at making and baking the cookie all in one pan.

Scenes from the Tucson landscape.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki

"The beautiful Spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." Harriet Ann Jacobs. Of the four seasons, spring had long been my least favorite. Yet over the last several years, I have developed a deeper appreciation and fondness for nature's rebirth and renewal. Beyond having color restored to the landscape, spring's return symbolically reminds us we have another chance to renew those friendships we have allowed to go dormant, to resurrect those lists of resolutions we have made over the years, and to recommit to making time for what reenergizes us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Spring truly is the season of perennial second chances.

While going through the stacks of food magazines I have acquired over the years, I recently spent time revisiting the dog-earred pages of recipes I never got around to making. Maybe it was a brief conversation about food with someone who had recently been to the Middle East or maybe I am always drawn to recipes made with interesting spices responsible for gravitating me toward one of the famed Istanbul chef Musa Dagdeviren recipes shared in a July (2009) edition of Bon Appetit. If I ever needed a legitimate reason to rationalize my magazine saving (aka hoarding) tendencies, especially in this day and age, Musa's recipe for Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebobs with Aleppo Pepper would qualify. 

It has been quite awhile since any of the recipes posted to the blog were worthy of being placed on my highly selective 'last meal' list. That hiatus ends today. One bite of this Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki had me seriously wondering if I died and gone to (wishful thinking) heaven.

Seriously, this may be the best grilled chicken dish ever! As much as I have been reluctant to serve the same dish to family and friends over and over again, this Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki just might be the exception. The grilled spiced marinated chicken served with a cool Tzatkiki sauce (along with warm, grilled Naan) will transport your palate to a culinary world you may have never experienced. And one you probably will never want to leave.

One of the many beauties of this recipe is that everything can be prepared the morning or day before you are ready to serve it. And actually, marinating the chicken longer than three hours in a mixture of (full-fat) yogurt, Aleppo pepper, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, tomato paste and extra-virgin olive oil further deepens its flavor.

Miss Bossy Pants, my alter ego, says 'for optimal flavor and moistness use full-fat yogurt (Fage Total) in your marinade and only skinless, boneless chicken thighs'. Miss People Pleaser, another alter ego, completely agrees with Miss Bossy Pants' recommendations. There is more than enough marinade for at least 2 1/2 pounds, if not 2 3/4 pounds, of chicken instead of the original 2 1/4 pounds recommendation in Musa's original recipe as once the chicken is marinated it is discarded. Being someone who skews to 'the more garlic the better', I used 8 cloves of garlic. If you don't live at that end of the garlic continuum, use 6 (large) cloves.

While the chicken is marinating, you can make the Tzatziki. There are many versions of Tzatziki recipes out there, but not surprisingly, Ina's seems to be best.

For the thickest, creamiest Tzatziki Sauce use an English (seedless) cucumber and yes, the full-fat yogurt (Fage Total). The cucumber can either be coarsely grated on a box grater or in a food processor (but why make more of a mess when you don't have to). Whichever option you choose, as much of the grated cucumber's moisture needs to be squeezed out (a paper towel or cheesecloth works) or the sauce will end up being too watery. And again, the longer it marinades the better the flavor.

Don't forget to soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before you skewer on pieces of chicken (I put 3 three pieces on each one) or they may catch fire on the grill.

The chicken skewers cook for 12-16 minutes on a medium-hot grill (turning frequently to ensure they cook evenly).

The flavors of the spices along with the char of the moist marinated grilled chicken thighs pair perfectly with the creamy, dilled Tzatziki Sauce. This is a chicken destined to awakened your senses in the best of ways. Served with a Curried Israeli Couscous Salad and/or roasted spiced carrots (recipe coming soon) along with plenty of grilled Naan, this Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki is an absolutely perfect, beyond deliciousness, almost effortless, mouth-watering, last-meal worthy meal for entertaining family and friends. It doesn't get any easier or better than that. Happy Spring, happy renewal!

Recipe
Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki (slight adaptions to the Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Aleppo Pepper recipe shared in Bon Appetit (July 2009) and to Ina Garten's Tzatziki recipe)

Ingredients
Chicken
1 1/2 Tablespoons Aleppo Pepper plus 1 Tablespoon warm water*
8 ounces whole-milk (full-fat) plain Greek yogurt (highly recommend Fage Total)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed (I like garlic, so I went with 8 cloves)
1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds 
2 1/4 to 2 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or a combination of chicken thighs and/or chicken breasts) cut into 1 1/4" strips (depending on how much chicken used, yield will be 10-12 skewers)

For serving: 
1 lemon cut into wedges
Naan or soft pita bread 

*Note: Instead of the Aleppo pepper you can use 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika combined with 2 Tablespoons warm water.

Tzatziki
14 ounces whole-milk (full-fat) plain Greek yogurt (highly recommend Fage Total)
1 large English cucumber, unpeeled 
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 3-4 garlic cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Chicken
1. In a large bowl, add Aleppo pepper and water. Stir and let stand until thick paste forms (approximately 5 minutes).
2. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and whisk to blend.
3. Stir in garlic and lemon slices.
4. Mix in chicken. Cover and chill at least 3 hours (or up to overnight).
5. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
6. Thread 3 pieces of chicken on skewers (if using wooden skewers soak in water at least 1 hour before assembly in order to prevent them from catching fire on the grill). Discard marinade.
7. Sprinkle skewers with kosher salt, pepper, and Hungarian paprika (or additional Aleppo pepper).
8. Grill chicken skewers until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally (approximately 12-16 minutes). 
9. Transfer to a platter, surround with lemon wedges.
10. Serve with warmed naan (or pita bread) and tzatziki.

Tzatziki
1. Place yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
2. On a box grater coarsely grate the cucumber. Put grated cucumber in a cheesecloth or paper towel to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add to yogurt mixture.
3. Cover and chill at least 2 hours (or overnight).

Spring images from Tohono Chul Park, a Botanical Garden in Tucson, Arizona.