Unusual chicken skewers

As you might have noticed, I was away for about 10 days and just got back last Sunday night. So I apologize for not visiting much the blogs I normally follow eagerly or leaving comments. I've also been experiencing problems opening some of the blogs, but from what I hear around it seems to be a problem with many other people using IE. I hope this thing won't last, because according to my reader there are lots of posts out there to check.

However, I was absent because I went to Bosnia and Croatia, visiting friends and family. As usual, there was a lot of food everywhere, beer and wine were never missing on our table. The result was that my daughter told me one day I had a lasagna and ćevapi belly. What...??? And my summer holidays at the seaside are still to come. How am I going to fit into my bathing suit? Should I pretend I was pregnant again? No, I don't think that would work. So, I had better change something in the next few weeks regarding the food I eat. The weather's being helpful - it's so hot that I can't even imagine turning on the oven, and all the cooking has to be reduced to essential really.
With the help from my favourite food magazine, Cucina Moderna, I prepered these Rosemary skewers. They were delicious and light, perfect for a summer dinner. And NO feeling of guilt. Check them out for yourself.

Oh, yes, before I forget, in case you were wondering what ĆEVAPI were, here they are:



Now, back to my recipe for today.

ROSEMARY CHICKEN SKEWERS

chicken breasts (4 slices, then cut in 2 lengthwise)
250 g plain white yogurt
9 rosemary sprigs
4 sage leaves
grated rind of 2 organic lemons
2 tblspoons extravirgin olive oil
salt, pepper

Using a mezzaluna, mince finely sage and rosemary leaves (one sprig). Mix them with yogurt and finely grated lemon rind, oil, salt and pepper.

Cut chicken breasts into thin slices and then cut each of them in half, lenghtwise.

Immerse the chicken slices into marinade and let rest for about 2 hours in the fridge.
Remove the chicken from the marinate and roll each slice around a rosemary sprig.

Brush with little oil, season with salt and pepper and grill (I used grilling pan, and covered them for 2 minutes in the end to be sure the chicken was done on the inside), or cook 20 minutes in the oven at 180°C.
Serve with salad of your choice and enjoy this perfect, flavorfull summer dish. I also served them with some slow roasted tomatoes.
And, of course, remove the rosemary spring before eating.



SPIEDINI DI POLLO AL ROSMARINO

4 fettine di petto di pollo
250 g di yogurt
4 foglie di salvia
9 rametti di rosmarino
la scorza di 2 limoni non trattati
2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine d'oliva
sale, pepe

Battete le fettine di pollo e tagliatele a metà nel senso della lunghezza.
Mescolate lo yogurt con l'olio, la scorza di limone e gli aghi di un rametto di rosmarino tritati con la salvia, regolate di sale e pepe.
Immergete il pollo nella marinata e mescolate bene. Lasciate riposare per circa 2 ore al fresco.
Sgocciolate il pollo della marinata e avvolgete ogni fettina su un rametto di rosmarino.
Spennellate gli spiedini con un po' di olio, salate, pepate e cuoceteli sulla griglia calda finché saranno dorati o infornate a 180°C per 20 minuti.
Servite con una bella insalata, e BUON APPETITO



RAŽNJIĆI OD PILETINE S RUŽMARINOM

4 tanka pileća fileta
250 g jogurta
4 lista žalfije
9 grančica ružmarina
naribana korica 2 neprskana limuna
2 žlice djevičanskog maslinovog ulja
sol, papar

Istucite pileće filete i prerežite napola po dužini.
Sitno nasjeckajte listiće jedne grančice ružmarina i žalfiju. Pomiješajte ih s jogurtom, sitno naribanom limunovom koricom i uljem, posolite i popaprite.
Stavite meso u marinadu i dobro pomiješajte. Ostavite na hladnom 2 sata.
Izvadite meso iz marinade i svaki komad savijte oko jedne grančice ružmarina.
Malo nauljite, posolite i popaprite pa ispecite u gril tavi, na rošitilju ili pecite 20 minuta u pećnici na 180°C.