‘Hey grazza I just got a kenwood food processer for my Bday and if has a glass mill, but I think it is more like a spice grinder, so have you got a spice recipe for lamb or chicken maybe some sort of rub I can put on a roast chicken. And a jus that will go with it. Unless the red wine jus from last week will go with it then I’ll make it again.

Cheers bo‘

Firstly, I’m gonna excuse the bad spelling and grammar in this one Queenie

a) Because it’s your birthday

b) I really think you are trying, and

3) I’m not much good at that shit myself

I have numerous “rubs” you could put on a “piece of chicken”. Each “rub” is 100 percent guaranteed to get a “result”. The clean up is a bit of bitch though… probably better to lay a bit of plastic down…

So to be absolutely honest and serious, (basically just how I’ve been since we met… Oh, it seems like an eternity ago. How we’ve laughed and cried, and that time I laughed at you when you were crying. Such fun…) there’s not many things more enjoyable in life then giving a piece of meat a good rub… I can’t help it… I’m sorry. Let’s move on…

So I’m guessing you want a dry rub if you want to use your new fangled spice grinder. So what about a Moroccan-esque spiced chicken or lamb, a pilaf which I am sure I have told you about before, pan juices (or jus gras*, if you want), and let’s make a labne.

To make the labne

Labne is a yoghurt cheese of middle eastern origins. The yoghurt is placed in a sieve or colander lined with muslin cloth or a paper filter or a clean chux will do the job. It is then ‘hung’ for at least 24 to 48 hours so the whey drains off and a thick, condensed yoghurt cheese remains.

Don’t be tempted to push the labne through the filter, let it do it’s thing in it’s own good time… trust me here.

1kg greek yoghurt

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lemon, juice & zest

1 Tbls thyme, pick & chop

4 Tbls mint, pick & chop

seasoning

mixed dried herbs to coat

Combine all ingredients except the dried herbs, hang in fridge for at least 24 hrs (over a bucket or something to collect the whey. Or this is gonna be one messy little adventure),.

If the labne is nice and solid, roll into small balls unless you are clever enough to quenelle, in which case do that, and roll through the dried herbs to coat. If is not thick and solid leave it for another day…

Do that now and I will get back to you with the spice rub later… go now. Are you waiting for a good-bye kiss??

*jus gras. Literally fatty juices. The yummy stuff in the bottom of the pan when you make a roast.