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Chicken Shawarma with Toum and Pickles

18 servings

Pink Turnip Pickles

  • 710 mldistilled white vinegar
  • 355 mlcold water
  • 67 mlkosher salt
  • 1700 gwhite turnips, trimmed and peeled
  • 3small beet, trimmed and peeled
  • 9 clovesgarlic, peeled
  • 3jalapeño (or 1 tsp red chili flakes)
  • 15 mlpickling spice

Toum

  • 24 clovesgarlic, peeled, halved lengthwise, green sprouts removed
  • 15 mlkosher salt
  • 710 mlneutral oil, such as canola or safflower
  • 44 mllemon juice
  • 44 to 89 mlice water

Tahini Sauce

  • 235 mltahini
  • 3 clovesgarlic, minced
  • 3.5 mlkosher salt

Chicken Shawarma

  • 30 mlground turmeric
  • 7.5 mlground cumin
  • 44 mlsumac
  • 44 mlground coriander
  • 67 mlkosher salt
  • 3.5 mlblack pepper
  • 7.5 mlground allspice
  • 30 mlgranulated garlic
  • 30 mlonion powder
  • 30 mlcrushed dried mint (or mint salt)
  • 2 mlcayenne pepper, or more, to taste
  • 6lemon juice, juice of 2 lemons
  • 235 mlextra virgin olive oil
  • 3400 gboneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3large red onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 355 mlextra virgin olive oil, to oil the grill, baste and finish
  1. Pink Turnip Pickles Stir 710 ml distilled white vinegar, 355 ml cold water and 67 ml kosher salt together and leave a few minutes, stirring now and then, until the salt dissolves.
  2. Halve 1700 g white turnips, trimmed and peeled and 3 small beets, trimmed and peeled from top to bottom and cut them into 1.2 cm (½ in) wedges. Pierce 3 jalapeño (or 1 tsp red chili flakes) with a knife for mild heat, or split it lengthwise for more.
  3. Pack the turnips and beet into a quart jar in layers with 9 cloves garlic, peeled, tucking the jalapeño against the glass. Top with 15 ml pickling spice.
  4. Pour in the brine, leaving about 1.2 cm (½ in) of space at the top, close the lid and refrigerate. Shake the jar now and then for the first day or two to spread the beet colour. 3 days
  5. Toum Blitz 24 cloves garlic, peeled with 15 ml kosher salt in a food processor until minced, scraping down the bowl. By hand, grate the garlic finely into a bowl set on a towel so it does not slide.
  6. With the processor running or while whisking constantly, add a single drop of 710 ml neutral oil, such as canola or safflower from a teaspoon. Stop, scrape down the bowl, and add another drop. Keep going like this even though nothing seems to happen at first. 5 min to 10 min
  7. Once the garlic looks creamy, add the oil two or three drops at a time, scraping the bowl often, until it turns thick and spreadable. 5 min to 10 min
  8. Now pour in the rest of the oil in a slow, thin, steady stream. Taste as you go and add more oil if it is too fierce. The whole process can take up to 20 min.
  9. Finish by processing or whisking in 44 ml lemon juice and 44 to 89 ml ice water.
  10. Tahini Sauce Whisk 235 ml tahini, 3 cloves garlic and 3.5 ml kosher salt together. Set aside at room temperature until the chicken is grilled.
  11. Chicken Shawarma Whisk 30 ml ground turmeric, 7.5 ml ground cumin, 44 ml sumac, 44 ml ground coriander, 67 ml kosher salt, 3.5 ml black pepper, 7.5 ml ground allspice, 30 ml granulated garlic, 30 ml onion powder, 30 ml crushed dried mint (or mint salt) and 2 ml cayenne pepper in a small bowl, then whisk in 6 lemon juices and 235 ml extra virgin olive oil until fully combined.
  12. Put half of 3400 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a bowl with half the marinade and rub it well into every piece. Add the rest of the chicken and marinade and rub again. Cover and chill. 1 h to 24 h
  13. Heat the grill to medium-high. Thread the chicken and 3 large red onions onto skewers, keeping the chicken fairly loose so more of the edges char, and discard any leftover marinade.
  14. Oil the hot grates with a towel dipped in some of 355 ml extra virgin olive oil, to oil the grill, baste and finish, held in tongs. Grill the skewers with the lid down until charred at the edges and browned underneath. 0 °C · 8 min to 10 min
  15. Oil a fresh patch of grate, turn the skewers onto it, brush the tops with olive oil, close the lid and grill until charred and browned on the second side. 8 min to 10 min
  16. Push the chicken and onions off the skewers onto a board and slice the chicken about 1.2 cm (½ in) thick. Drizzle everything with more olive oil.
  17. Serve drizzled with the the tahini sauce, with more in a bowl, plus the the toum and the pink turnip pickles on the side.
  • Safety: garlic, peeled in oil can grow botulism at room temperature. Keep it in the fridge and use within 4 days. (USDA FSIS)
  • Safety: Large batch: cool quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, to below 5 °C within 6 hours, before refrigerating. (USDA FSIS)
  • Safety: These pickles are refrigerator pickles, not shelf stable: keep the jar in the fridge. (The author)
  • Safety: Toum is raw garlic in oil: keep it refrigerated and use it within 3 weeks. (The author)
  • Safety: Grill the chicken until it reaches 74°C in the thickest part, and discard the used marinade. (The author)
  • Safety: Poultry should reach 74 °C (165 °F) at the centre. (USDA FSIS)