Samantha Ferraro is sharing her love of all Mediterranean flavors in a new cookbook: “One Pot Mediterranean.” The author loves citrus, spices and showcasing recipes that cooks of all skill levels can prepare.
“A lot of Mediterranean recipes are and can be made in one pot,” Ferraro, the author of “Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen,” told the Journal. “I am so excited about [sharing] all the hearty soups, braises and stews that I love to make.” As her mother is Sephardic, Ferraro grew up eating a lot of Sephardic and Jewish foods. “I grew up with food around me, but I wasn’t mature enough to really appreciate it until I was older,” Ferraro said. “When I was in my mid-20s, which was a number of years ago, I was missing those flavors that I grew up on.” Ferraro started asking her mother, her aunt, everyone, “How did you make this?”
At the same time, she started her website, Little Ferraro Kitchen, where she was exploring food and sharing these older, traditional Mediterranean recipes. While her friends were not familiar with them, she would get emails from strangers who connected with her recipes.
“They were like, ‘My Sephardic grandmother made that too,’” Ferraro said. “And that would start a conversation. I would learn even more about a recipe … and I was just hooked.”
Ferraro not only loved that connection, she enjoyed reexperiencing those flavors as an adult, which is what inspired a lot of her recipes. “The Turkish stuffed peppers are a riff off of my mom’s stuffed peppers recipe,” she said. “The Turkish green beans over Yogurt were inspired by a childhood favorite, fasulye (green bean stew).”
“One Pot Mediterranean” includes more than 70 recipes, with each chapter broken up into different main proteins, along with a final chapter on salads to bring the whole meal together. “All of the one-pot recipes are seasoned with vibrant spices, fresh herbs and some with the additions of dried fruit and nuts for different textures and flavors,” she said.
Whereas “Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen” is a great introductory cookbook for people who want to dive into those flavors, “One Pot Mediterranean” focuses on the main course.
“We’re creating something savory and delicious in one pot,” she said. “I love one-pot cooking because you can have proteins, grains and vegetables in one pot and then transfer the entire dish right to the table.”
Ferraro suggests readers start by making her Garlic-Lemon Chicken with Saffron Pearl Couscous and Zucchini.
”Whether you grew up eating Mediterranean flavors or not, my wish is that these recipes make it into your kitchen and inspire a legacy of cooking with bold, fresh and vibrant Mediterranean ingredients.”
“The chicken starts with an aromatic marinade that includes thyme, lemon zest and garlic and then braises in a saffron infused stock with Pearl couscous and Zucchini,” she said. “All of the flavors work so well together and the chicken becomes incredibly tender with the chewy couscous. It’s truly delicious! … Whether you grew up eating Mediterranean flavors or not, my wish is that these recipes make it into your kitchen and inspire a legacy of cooking with bold, fresh and vibrant Mediterranean ingredients,” she said.
Photo courtesy of Little Ferraro Kitchen
Samantha Ferraro’s Garlic-Lemon Chicken with Saffron Pearl Couscous and Zucchini
from “One Pot Mediterranean Cookbook”
Chicken Marinade
2 lb (907 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken
thighs
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
1 tsp dried thyme
1⁄2 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper
1⁄2 lemon, zested and juiced
1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp (90 ml) olive oil,
divided
Pearl Couscous
Pinch of saffron
1 tbsp (15 ml) warm water
1 shallot, diced
1 medium fennel bulb, diced
2 Tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as
Pinot Grigio
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup (150 g) dried pearl couscous
21⁄2 cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken
stock
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and season with the chopped garlic, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of olive oil. Use your hands to evenly coat the chicken all over, and set aside. If you have the time, marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 8 hours.
While the chicken marinates, preheat the oven to 375°F, and add a pinch of saffron to the warm water to steep while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Heat a wide Dutch oven over medium-to-high heat, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil. Place the chicken thighs in the Dutch oven, skin side down, and sear the chicken until the skin is a deep golden color, then flip over and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Once the chicken is seared on both sides, transfer it to a plate.
To make the couscous, to the same Dutch oven, add the shallot and fennel, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Stir in the tomato paste and saffron water, and use a spatula to break up the paste so it melts into the oil. Next, pour in the white wine, and use a spatula to scrape any meaty bits from the bottom. Add the zucchini and couscous, and pour in the chicken stock. Give everything a gentle mix to evenly distribute all of the ingredients.
Return the chicken, skin side up, and any accumulated juices into the Dutch oven.
Cover and position the Dutch oven on the middle rack in the oven, and cook for 25 to 28 minutes, until at least half of the liquid has absorbed. Remove the lid, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown and the pearl couscous is tender.
Garnish the chicken with parsley, and serve the chicken with the couscous and vegetables.
For more on Samantha Ferraro, check out the interview on Taste Buds with Deb on JewishJournal.com.
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