MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKEN FILLO WRAP WITH TOMATO SAUCE, SAUTEED SPINACH AND CRISPY CUMIN POTATOES

Andrew Atwell, Executive Chef of the Las Vegas Convention Center

Ingredients
Roast Potatoes:
1 pound Red bliss potatoes, cut into ¼-inch thick wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin, ground
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Moroccan Spice:
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon, ginger, ground
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
½ teaspoon coriander, ground
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon allspice, ground
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground

Chicken Wrap:
1 pound chicken breast, sliced into ¼ -inch strips
1 tablespoon Moroccan Spice
4 ounces yellow onions, julienned
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces red and yellow peppers, julienned
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 ½ cups garbanzo beans, cooked
1 cup tomato sauce
1 pound basil, chopped
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste
1 set of Athens® Ready-to-Go Fillo DoughTM (5 sheets), thawed
2 ounces butter, clarified

Organic Baby Spinach:
1 pound organic baby spinach
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

1 cup tomato sauce fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

For potatoes, in a large saucepan, blanch potato wedges for 8 minutes. Strain, cool and dry on a clean kitchen towel, set aside.

For the Moroccan Spice, in a small bowl, combine cumin, ginger, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne, allspice and cloves.

For the Chicken Wrap, season chicken breast with 1 tablespoon Moroccan spice. In a large skillet, sauté yellow onions in olive oil until translucent. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through. Add red and yellow peppers, garlic, garbanzo beans, tomato sauce and basil, simmer for 3 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Spread on a sheet tray to cool, set aside.

Place 1 set (5 sheets) thawed Athens® Ready-To-Go Fillo DoughTM on work surface and cut into four, 6- by 9-inch rectangles. Place ¼ of the Moroccan chicken mixture on each rectangle. Fold fillo up over the filling rolling lengthwise. Fold side edges in to enclose the sides. Roll up to one end of fillo strip. Brush outside of roll with butter. Repeat three times. Refrigerate.

At service, bake Chicken Wraps in a preheated 350°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add blanched potatoes and cumin, sauté until potatoes are crispy and cooked through. Season with salt, pepper and cilantro. For spinach, heat olive oil in sauté pan. Add spinach and minced garlic, sauté until spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice the cooked Chicken Wraps in half on the bias. Place spinach in the center of the plate, drizzle tomato sauce (1 cup total) around the spinach. Place the Chicken Wraps on top of the spinach. Place the Crispy Potatoes on the plate and finish with a fresh rosemary sprig.

4 Servings

PEACHES & CREAM WITH BAKLAVA

Andrew Atwell, Executive Chef of the Las Vegas Convention Center

Ingredients
Spiced Honey:
1 quart honey
6 star anise seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
12 Cloves         
1 pinch nutmeg, ground

Baklava:
1 cup Pistachio nuts, candied (recipe follows)
1 cup Macadamia nuts candied (recipe follows)
¼ cup Hibiscus flowers, chopped (Native Australian Edible Flowers)
(or replace with pomegranate syrup)
¾ cup spiced honey
1 set Athens Ready-To-Go Fillo DoughTM (5 sheets), thawed
4 ounces butter, clarified
                                        
Poached Peaches:
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
6 anise seeds
3 fresh peaches, sliced into wedges
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Whipping Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla   

For honey, in a medium saucepan, combine honey with anise seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves and nutmeg. Heat over low heat for 5 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

For candied nuts, in a medium saucepan, simmer pistachio nuts in simple syrup for 4 to 6 minutes until nuts start to brighten in color. Drain and fry nuts in a fryer for 60 seconds or until golden brown. Chop nuts finely. Repeat process with Macadamia nuts.

For baklava filling, in a small bowl, combine nuts, chopped hibiscus flowers (or ¼ cup pomegranate syrup) and up to ¾ cup spiced honey to make a thick, pasty spreadable mixture.

Place 1 set (5 sheets) thawed Athens® Ready-to-Go Fillo DoughTM on a work surface. Brush surface with clarified butter, then layer with a second set (5 sheets) of Fillo Dough. Spread a 1½-inch strip of the nut mixture along the long side of the fillo dough. Fold the dough just over the filling and spread another strip of nut mixture along the fold. Then fold the entire strip to enclose. Transfer strip to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cut strip into 12 equal pieces on the bias, but do not separate. Bake in at 400°F until golden brown, or 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool before handling.

For peaches, in a small saucepan, melt butter with ginger, cinnamon sticks and anise seeds. Cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. Add peaches, cook over medium heat until fork-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and, if peaches are too tart, add granulated sugar. Remove from heat, cool, remove cinnamon sticks and anise seeds, chill until needed.

For whipped cream, in a small bowl, whip together whipping cream with granulated sugar and vanilla.

To serve, pipe whipped cream into the bottom of a martini glass. Top with a layer of chilled poached peaches. Place 3 pieces of baklava around the martini glass. Pipe a rosette of whipped cream in the middle of the poached peach and decorate with an edible hibiscus flower.

SHRIMP AND BRIE PARCELS ON FENNEL APPLE SLAW

Andrew Atwell, Executive Chef of the Las Vegas Convention Center

Ingredients
Shrimp Parcels:
8 pieces raw shrimp 16-20 count
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely chopped
1 set Athens® Ready-To-Go Fillo DoughTM (5 sheets), thawed
2 ounces butter, clarified
4 ounces Brie cheese, sliced into 2-inch strips (8 pieces)

Fennel and Apple Slaw:
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and julienned
1 fresh fennel bulb, blanched and julienned
1 tablespoon green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon Champagne
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Fresh cilantro, for garnish Thai sweet chili sauce, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. Season shrimp (16-20 count size) with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon zest. Place 1 set (5 sheets) thawed Athens Ready-To-Go Fillo DoughTM on work surface and brush with butter. Cut into eight, 6- by 4-inch rectangles. Place the shrimp onto the fillo, leaving the tail hanging over the edge of the fillo. Place one 2-inch slice of Brie cheese next to each shrimp, and wrap the fillo around the shrimp and Brie. Brush the outside of the pastry with butter and place on a sheet pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

For apple slaw, in a medium bowl, combine Granny Smith apples, fennel bulb and green onion. Just before service, season to taste with Champagne, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

To serve, place the slaw mix in the center of the plate and arrange 2 pieces of shrimp on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and drizzle with Thai sweet chili sauce.

4 servings