This past week hubby and I escaped for a few days to our favorite destination spot, Los Cabo, Mexico.

We try to go there a few times a year and don’t stay long, usually just four or five days, just enough get-away time that we come back feeling rested and refreshed.

We are Hilton Honors members, so we always stay at the Hilton resort, and most times our room is paid for with our rewards points. There have been very few times that we have had to pay for our stay, which is really nice.

We’ve sometimes tried other hotels, but that’s always been a mistake.

We don’t do much when we go – except for during whale season.

A few times we have rented a car and driven to Todos Santos, a small town a few hours away, that has taken on the flair of an artists community.

Todos Santos lays claim to the “Hotel California” of Eagles fame. But the claim seems dubious; it’s hard to get a straight answer when you ask.

It does have a Hotel California, and we have eaten there but never stayed overnight. (We are afraid we wouldn’t be able to check out.)

The hotel is cram-packed with Eagle’s memorabilia and Mexican wares, which makes it quite interesting to visit. The colors of Mexico are so vivid and beautiful, and the restaurant is so quaint that it is enjoyable, regardless of actually fame.

Anyway, there are two dishes I ate on this trip that were so yummy. One of them is a Curry Chicken Wrap, which was really scrumptious and served with a Mediterranean couscous that was just as awesome.

Curry is an umbrella term for many dishes around the world, particularly in Asia, that are simmered in or covered with a sauce full of spices and herbs.

If you’re thinking you don’t like curry, you are really limiting yourself. There are literally thousands of different curry blends that range from sweet and mild to hot and spicy.

There is no one specific “curry” – it’s just a combination of flavors and textures, usually served with meat, chicken, fish, vegetables or even fruit.

The recipe I have uses a very mild blend – so delicious.

There are probably as many curry seasoning blends as there are cooks who make curry, and most of them contain anywhere from five or six to as many as 30 different herbs and spices.

As a convenience, curry powder blends are sold in most grocery stores. The trick is to taste a few different ones until you find one that suits you.

Many commercially produced curry powders are somewhat yellow, to one degree or another. This is due to the use of turmeric in the blends. The more turmeric, the more yellow the curry.

Here’s the recipe for the curry chicken wrap and the couscous.

You won’t be disappointed!

Mediterranean Couscous with Cranberries

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-pound) box Israeli couscous
3 cups chicken stock
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a medium saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook until toasted and lightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Carefully add the stock, and the juice of 1 lemon, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the couscous is tender, but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the couscous.

In a large bowl, toss the cooked couscous with the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and allow it to cool. Add the basil and mint, dried cranberries, and almonds; toss to combine and serve.

Curry Chicken Wrap

3 split (1 1/2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Mango chutney
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
6 flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked; set-aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, broth, chutney, curry powder, and salt to taste in the bowl of a food processor or blender; process until smooth.
Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Fill the center of each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Fold the 2 sides of the tortilla over the filling so that the sides overlap. Roll the tortilla from bottom to top, and cut in half diagonally.