Thai Coconut Curry Soup

I love Pinterest.  It keeps me organized (in an otherwise very unorganized life) with ideas that I'd like to implement someday.  Many of them will remain that way: someday.  But you know you have to act on a recipe when you've pinned it more than once--that's what happened with this soup.  I saw it a few months ago, made it, and liked it, but thought it needed more depth and more flavor.  I then promptly forgot all about it until a couple of weeks ago when I pinned it...and then realized that it was the same soup!  This time I got it right, though.  My daughter loved it, and although it could have been a tad spicier for me, it was just right for the kiddos.  It's an easy soup and comes together easily.  Make a double batch if you want leftovers because my family finished the whole pot in one sitting!

Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Adapted from Chef Michael Smith
Serves 4-6

2 14-ounce cans coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste
1/2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/2 serrano chile, minced
1/2-3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon lemongrass (from the tube--this is the only way I can get it!  If you want to use fresh lemongrass, check out the original recipe for the amount and how to use it.)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Zest of 3 limes
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, packed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated on a microplane or minced finely
1 cup snow peas, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 1" pieces
1 1/2 cups bok choi, chopped
3 green onions, sliced, a handful of green parts reserved for garnish
4 ounces rice noodles
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, a small handful reserved for garnish
Soy sauce, to taste

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Open the cans of coconut milk and scoop the heavy cream-like part off into the pot.  Add the curry pastes and serrano chile, cooking until the curry paste is incorporated and the mixture starts to sizzle.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is cooked through.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, chicken broth, carrot, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime zest and juice, brown sugar and ginger.  Simmer on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes.  Add the snow peas, bell pepper, bok choi, and green onions and cook for a couple of minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the noodles, submersing them gently under the liquid.  Let sit for about 5 minutes.  (Rice noodles do not need to cook like pasta; they just need to rehydrate.)

Add the cilantro and soy sauce to taste.  Serve hot, sprinkled with green onion and cilantro.

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From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie [Secret Recipe Club]

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 7 two 7 glass garden markers! The contest ends on Friday, April 27th.

It's Secret Recipe Club time again!  I drew Art from My Table, and I'm so glad I did.  My family had a tough time picking just one recipe to try: my daughter picked Pumpkin Oatmeal, I wanted Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites, and my husband wanted Chicken Pot Pie.  My husband won out, mostly because I wasn't hosting a party for the Brie Bites and because we needed an extra dinner last week, but those other recipes are on my list to make in the near future!  

Chellie cooks, writes and photographs for Art from My Table, and does a magnificent job of creating delicious-looking, yet accessible food.  And her Chicken Pot Pie is one of these recipes.  I made a few changes to suit my tastes, but her recipe is a great base recipe to experiment with.  This is definitely going into my regular rotation of meals...even my picky two year old ate the filling!

Because I wanted  to eat this for a busy mid-week meal, I prepared the pies in individual ramekins and froze them.  I added about 15 minutes of cooking time for the frozen pies.  This worked wonderfully--I popped the pies in the oven after work and then ran outside to play with the kids on a beautiful spring afternoon.  Go check out the original recipe for the base recipe and for a large pie; my instructions below are for 6-inch ramekins.

From-Scratch Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from Art from My Table
Makes three large individual portions

Cook's Note: If you'd like to freeze these for later use, throw them in the freezer, and when they are frozen through, wrap tightly in foil.  When you are ready to cook them, just throw them in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes longer.

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2/3 lb. cooked chicken breast, chopped
3 cups vegetables (I used equal amounts of green beans, peas, carrots, fennel.  Fresh or frozen work well here.)
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Pastry for two nine-inch pie crusts (I used Alice Waters' recipe from The Art of Simple Food, and will continue to use it for this recipe.)

Prepare the crust: Butter three 6-inch individual ramekins.  Line the ramekins with pie crust, cutting off excess with a sharp knife.  Roll out three portions that will cover the entire top of the ramekin and set aside.  (Because you are using ramekins instead of a large pie tin, you may need to incorporate the excess bits and reroll the crust to have enough to cover all three.)  Place the ramekins in the refrigerator until you're ready to fill them.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare the filling: In a large saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the flour, onions, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes or until the mixture becomes bubbly.  Stir in the wine and cook until incorporated.  Add the chicken stock, milk, thyme and rosemary, stirring until thick and bubbly.  Add the cooked chicken and vegetables.  Taste for seasoning.  Add salt or pepper to taste.

Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator.  Scoop the filling into the ramekins until they are completely full.  Cover each pie with your pre-rolled crust.  Pinch the edges so that the crust is sealed.  Cut vents in the top of each crust.

Place your ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Place in the oven and start checking on your pot pies after about 25-30 minutes.  (They could take up to 45 minutes to cook, but it's good to start checking early so they don't burn.)  They are done when the crusts are golden brown and the insides are bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

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Green Chile Enchiladas

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway for 7 two 7 glass garden markers! The contest ends on Friday, April 27th.

The other day I was telling someone that cooking Mexican food comes naturally to me.  I think it was growing up in Southern California that did it.  Mexican food was a staple in my diet growing up, and then living in San Diego during and after college just solidified those flavors in my head.  I know that different regions of Mexico offer different dishes and flavors, so I'm just calling my recipes the SoCal version of Mexican food.  :-)

Enchiladas are one of my favorite foods, period.  I don't remember learning how to make them...it's just stuck in my head as a recipe.  Basically a filled corn tortilla smothered in chili sauce and cheese and then baked, it's Mexican comfort food at its finest.  The stuffing variations are endless, but my favorite is seasoned chicken with pepperjack cheese--spicy and filling and luscious all rolled into a corn tortilla...yum!

Green Chile Enchiladas
Serves 6 (at least!)

Cook's Note: This is more of a method than a recipe.  Feel free to play with your fillings or leave the meat out for a vegetarian version.  This recipe also freezes well.  Just wrap well in foil and then bake a few minutes longer straight from the freezer.  (Be careful if using a glass pan--it could crack if placed in the oven straight from the freezer.  If using glass, let the enchiladas thaw a little before baking.)

2 small chicken breasts, about a pound's worth
1 bottle of beer
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
A couple of grinds of pepper
1/2 of a large block of pepperjack cheese, shredded
Corn tortillas
1 large can of green enchilada sauce (found in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store)

Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan.  Add the bottle of beer and add enough water to cover the chicken by a couple of inches.  Heat to a simmer and cook until the breasts are completely cooked through, about 10-20 minutes.  Remove the breasts from the liquid and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, shred the chicken using your fingers or two forks.  Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and mix to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave between a damp towel just until heated through, about 30 seconds.  Remove from the microwave, taking care not to burn yourself, and set aside.  Pour the enchilada sauce in a wide-mouthed bowl.  One by one, dip the tortilla into the sauce until completely covered.  Let the excess drip off into the bowl and then place the tortilla into your baking dish.  Spread about one tablespoon of chicken in a straight line across the middle of the tortilla.  Add about a tablespoon of cheese, and then roll the tortilla.  (The tortilla might rip a little.  This is okay.)  Push against the edge of the baking dish and then repeat with the rest of the tortillas until you can't fit any more. Pour about a half of a cup to a cup of the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, until all enchiladas are lightly coated.  Sprinkle with pepperjack cheese.

Place the enchiladas on the middle rack in the oven.  Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to get golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10-15 minutes. 

Serve with sour cream and/or guacamole.

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Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad: A Light Meal for Beautiful Fall Days

Last week I was given a basket of apples by some friends.  My kids love to eat them as snacks, but I've been trying to incorporate them into our meals since there are just too many to eat before they start going bad.  This weekend, I was home alone with the kids, and since cooking while rounding up a five year old and an 18 month old can be dangerous, I decided to go simple with a salad.  It was a beautiful fall day...probably one of the last that a salad would be satisfying as a supper.  I came up with this salad with a chicken breast and leftovers in my fridge--the best kinds of meals in my opinion!  Feel free to add other goodies into the salad, but for this version, I kept it simple with lettuce, apples, gruyère cheese and chicken.

Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad
Serves 2 as a meal

1-2 chicken breasts (depending on how much you'd like to eat)
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbl olive oil
Lettuce, enough to fill a medium or large bowl (I used Red and Green Leaf, but use your favorite here.)
2 small apples, chopped
2 oz. gruyère cheese, shredded

Honey Mustard and Apple Cider Salad Dressing:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbl apple cider
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
8-9 Tbl olive oil

In a large ziploc bag or in a shallow dish, combine the apple cider, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, thyme and olive oil until completely incorporated.  Add the chicken breast(s) and completely coat with the marinade.  Place in refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to overnight, turning the breasts a couple of times to marinate well.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and spray the skillet lightly with oil.  Add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides.  When the chicken is browned, cover the skillet lightly with foil and place in the oven for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts), or until the breast is done and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and place the chicken on a cutting board to rest and cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the lettuce, apples and cheese in a large bowl.  Make the dressing by whisking the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider and red wine vinegar until they are completely combined.  Drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking.  Taste.  If it's not sweet enough for you, add a little more honey.  If it's not tart enough for you, add a little more red wine vinegar.  If it's too tart, add a little more olive oil.  The flavoring on this dressing is up to you!

Toss the salad with the salad dressing until it is lightly coated, reserving a little dressing to drizzle over the completed salad.  Split the salad between the plates.

Slice the chicken and lay it nicely on each salad.  Drizzle with a little more salad dressing.  Serve immediately.

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Fried Chicken...A Kentucky Favorite

Can you believe that I've lived in the south for 10 years now and had never made fried chicken until last week?!  Crazy, huh?  I grew up on it, even if I was in California.  I remember that my great grandmother used to make it for us for Sunday lunches at her house, along with her famous potato salad and other fresh vegetables.  I finally decided to try my hand at it last week when our local butcher had some lovely thighs and drumsticks in.  And we weren't disappointed...I made a ton, so we feasted on it all week.  I think that this week, though, we'll have to make up for it by eating salads for dinner.  :-)

This recipe takes some hands-off time, but is really simple.  I used smoked paprika, but you could substitute other herbs and spices to make this recipe your own.

Smoked Paprika Fried Chicken
adapted from Everyday Food

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 Tbl smoked paprika, separated
1 quart buttermilk
3-4 lbs. chicken pieces (I used thighs, legs, and boneless skinless chicken breasts.)
3 cups vegetable oil

In a pie plate, mix the flour, cornstarch, one teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and one tablespoon of smoked paprika.  Transfer about 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to an airtight container and set aside.  In a large glass or ceramic bowl, whisk the buttermilk, one tablespoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and one tablespoon of smoked paprika.  Dip the chicken pieces into the flour in the pie pan, covering completely, but lightly, and then submerge in the buttermilk mixture.  Cover and refrigerate at least three hours or up to overnight.

When you are ready to fry the chicken, place a wire cooling rack over paper towels.  In a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet or pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees F over medium heat.  (A small cube of bread should brown in less than one minute.)  Transfer the reserved flour mixture to a clean pie pan.  In batches, remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off a little, and dredge in the flour mixture.

Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes per batch, turning once.  If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.  When the chicken is done, transfer to the wire rack to cool at least five minutes. 

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Green Chile Chicken Tamales

 

I grew up eating tamales for breakfast.  We'd often spend short vacations in northern Mexico, and every morning, my dad would take one of us kids to the local pastry shop so we could help choose the pastries for the morning.  The real treats, however, were the tamales tucked away in the back of the store.  My dad would get a dozen or two, and when we returned to the house, we would feast on Mexican pastries and tamales. 

 

Although I love these meat-filled, cornmeal-dough-wrapped cylinders of goodness, I had never attempted making them.  Suddenly, right before Christmas, I got the urge to try, and I talked my mom into helping me make them when I was visiting for the holidays.  I had heard that they were difficult and time consuming to make, but I had time--I was on vacation!  It turns out that they aren't difficult once you get the hang of stuffing them, but they are time consuming.  My suggestion would be to make the fillings a day ahead and then stuff them the following day.  Extra hands cut down on the work, as well, so if making these, make it a tamale party!  (My mom would like for me to point out here that her shopping skills and hands were crucial to this enterprise.)  And make extras--they freeze well, and you'll definitely want more of these! 

We made green chile chicken tamales, which aren't typical.  Most are made with beef or pork, and although we did make a batch of beef tamales, the chicken ones were the hands-down favorite.  The combination of the chiles and the tomatillos created a deep, rich flavor that works well with the chicken and corn masa.  If you've never had tamales, I encourage you to try them...just make sure to discard the corn husks before eating!

You will need to either invest in a tamale steamer, which is a large, tall pot with a steamer insert that sits a couple of inches above the bottom of the pan, or create something similar with gadgets you already have.  If you're cooking a big batch, I recommend investing in one of these, but if not, you could always use a steamer insert.  We were able to find a very large pot for about $20 at the local Mexican tienda, and if you don't make tamales very often, it could also be used to make stocks and soups. 

We didn't make the masa below because the local Mexican tiendas also sold freshly-made masa by the pound.  If you have that option, I highly recommend it--they make it every day and know exactly what the consistency should be.  If you don't have this option, then you can try the recipe below.

Buen provecho!

Green Chile Chicken Tamales
Adapted from Bon Apétit, May 2003
Makes about 2 dozen

1 8-ounce package dried corn husks (This can be found in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store or at a Mexican tienda.)

Filling:
1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
4 3-inch serrano chiles (or other spicy chile), stemmed and chopped (This can be adjusted for your level of heat.  When making the sauce, start with 1 or 2 chiles and add more to get it to the right heat level for you.)
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 Tbl olive oil
2 cups chicken broth (Homemade is preferable, but if you don't have any, use low-sodium.)
4 cups (packed) coarsely shredded cooked chicken, about 1 lb. (I poached chicken breasts, but you could also use a roasted or rotisserie chicken.)
2/3 cup chopped cilantro

Masa:
1 1/3 cup lard or solid vegetable shortening
1 1/2 tsp salt (omit if the masa already contains salt)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (omit if the masa already contains baking powder)
3 1/2 cups masa harina (can be found in the Mexican aisle at your grocery store)
2 1/4 cups warm water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Place the corn husks in a large pot or bowl and cover generously with water.  Place a heavy plate on top to weight them down.  Soak for at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the broiler.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place the tomatillos on the sheet.

Broil until the tomatillos blacken in spots, turning once, about 5 minutes on each side.  Move the tomatillos and juices to a food processors and allow to cool.  Add the chiles and the garlic to the processor and blend until a smooth puree forms.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the tomatillo-chile puree and boil for about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the broth, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly and is reduced to about 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.  Season with salt.  Add the chicken and cilantro.  (This can be made one day ahead.  Cover and chill if using later.)

If making your own masa, mix the lard or shortening with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Mix the masa harina and the warm water, then add it to the lard in four additions.  Reduce the speed to low and beat in 1 1/2 cups of broth, forming a tender dough.  If the dough seems firm, add more broth, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the dough is softened (similar to a very light cookie dough).

When you are ready to put your tamales together, fill the bottom of your tamale steamer with water so that it almost reaches the bottom of the steamer insert.  Line the insert with some of the corn husks.  Tear some of the other husks into long, thin strips (about 24 or enough to tie each tamale) and set aside. 

Using a very large husk or two smaller husks overlapping slightly, spread about 1/4 cup of the masa onto 2/3 of the husk, leaving about an inch at the widest part on the top and 1-2 inches at the narrow part on the bottom free of masa.

Spread about a heaping tablespoon of filling along the edge of the masa.

Fold the the long edge of the husk over the filling and roll, lifting the edge of the husk when the masa meets, and then rolling the rest of the way.

Fold the bottom part of the husk under the rolled tamale.

Lay the folded part onto a husk strip, pull it around the tamale and tie it gently into a knot.

As you finish each tamale, place it into the pot, open end up.

Continue placing them into the pot until the filling is used or the pot is full.  If the pot isn't full when you are ready to start cooking them, fill the empty spaces with loosely crumpled foil to prevent the tamales from falling over.

Bring the water in the pot to a boil.  Cover the pot and reduce the heat just enough so that the water doesn't boil away, but keep it high enough to continue to create steam.  Steam the tamales until the dough is firm and comes away from the husks easily, about 45 minutes.  Add more water to the pot as necessary as they cook to make sure that you don't burn the bottom of your pot.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Tamales can be served warm or at room temperature. 

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Chicken in a Red Sweet Pepper Sauce: A Go-To Indian Dish

It snowed here again last night, so I thought that I'd post another Indian dish to ward off the cold. This Chicken in a Red Sweet Pepper Sauce is a delicious, not-so-spicy (although you can change this if you'd like) dish. The ingredient list is longer than previous Indian dishes I've posted, but the work is worth it. We often double the amount of sauce for this dish, cook it with the chicken, and then freeze the second half of the sauce. Then all we have to do is add some chicken and we have a quick meal at another time. I also highly recommend serving it with Spiced Basmati Rice and some raita--a cool yogurt and cucumber sauce that works wonderfully with the red pepper.

Chicken in a Red Sweet Pepper Sauce
from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking

2 1/4 pounds chicken parts (We like thighs and drumsticks.)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 inch cube of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 1/2 Tbl blanched, slivered almonds
3/4 lb. sweet red peppers, trimmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 Tbl ground cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/8-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on your heat tolerance)
2 tsp salt
7 Tbl vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 Tbl lemon juice
1/2 tsp black pepper

If the chicken legs are whole, separate them from the thigh. Breasts should be cut into four parts. Skin all of the chicken pieces.

Combine onion, ginger, garlic, almonds, peppers, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until you have a paste.

Put the oil in a large, wide, and preferably non-stick pan and heat it over a medium-high heat. When hot, pour in all of the paste from the food processor or blender. Stir and fry the paste for 10-12 minutes or until you can see the oil forming tiny bubbles around it.

Put the chicken along with the water, lemon juice and black pepper into the pan. Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir a few times during the cooking period.

Serve with rice.

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A New Year's Resolution...and a Chicken Tagine

I am not the type of person to make New Year's resolutions. I don't think I've ever made one in the past, and I don't think I'll make a habit of it (mostly because I think that you can make changes any time of the year), but this year, I'm breaking my own rules. I am making a resolution to post at least once a week here. When I started this blog, I was working 10 hours a week virtually from Strasbourg, France. Now, I'm back in Kentucky (not really known as a hotspot for interesting ingredients), working full-time, five months pregnant, and trying to spend quality time with my 3-1/2-year-old daughter and husband. This hasn't left much time for cooking (or at least blog-worthy cooking).

But I miss this space to be creative, and I miss carrying on conversations with other food bloggers out there. So, I'm going to try my hardest to put what I can into writing here--and if that means only posting once a week, then so be it.

And after the trauma of my first trimester (in which I lost four pounds), I am finally interested in cooking again. Last night, I made a recipe from Bon Appétit--their Chicken Tagine with Fennel and Olives from the January 2010 issue along with their Couscous with Fresh Cilantro and Lemon Juice. Truthfully, I'm not sure why they call it a tagine since it's not cooked in the traditional tagine dish nor is it braised for long hours, but after tasting it, I don't really care! This was a fast, easy weeknight dinner that received two thumbs up from both my husband and myself, and even my daughter ate most of it. Full of flavor--just enough heat, the tang of the lemon juice, and the addition of the fresh cilantro really combined to make a tasty dish.

You can find the recipes in the links above, but I had to make my tagine with chicken breasts instead of thighs. Our grocery store was out of thighs, and since I'm not a big dark-meat chicken eater, I didn't mind the substitution. The breasts stayed moist and flavorful, though, so if you prefer those, then go for it! I would also add more olives next time, maybe even doubling the amount called for. I felt like I had to dig for them, and I really love olives.

Enjoy!

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Adventures in Okra: West African Stew

Lately, my CSA has been handing out okra like candy. I've had fried okra before since I lived in North Carolina during grad school, but had never tried to cook it myself. I'm not much of a fryer, so I went online to find something else to do with it, and came across a recipe for West African stew on Epicurious. I love peanut butter in savory dishes, so I thought this would be a winner.

I wasn't disappointed. This was a relatively easy dish, and although I'll be making some changes next time (reflected in the recipe below), there will be a next time. The okra was a little tough, but I think that could be remedied by letting it cook longer. And since okra isn't readily available everywhere or even during all seasons, my husband and I agreed that green beans would be a good substitute.

West African Stew
Adapted from Epicurious

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1 14-oz can whole tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl tomato paste
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced and mashed with 1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (You can go up to 1 1/4 tsp, but we found that 3/4 tsp gave it a nice kick without overpowering the other flavors.)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
Soy Sauce, to taste
1 lb. squash (or sweet potato)
10 oz okra, fresh or frozen, thawed if frozen
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Brown rice

Arrange the chicken on several plates or a tray and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

While waiting for the chicken, pulse the tomatoes in their juices in a processor or blender until finely chopped. Stir the 1/4 cup of water with the tomato paste in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk together the peanut butter and 1 cup of broth in another bowl until smooth.

Heat the oil in a 6-7-quart heavy-bottomed pot and brown the chicken over a moderately hot flame in batches, a few minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Lower the flame to a moderate heat and add the onions to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are golden around the edges, about 2-3 minutes. **At this point you can either leave the chicken breasts whole or cut into several slivers. If serving in a bowl, I suggest the slivers.**

Add the tomato mixture, tomato paste, garlic and cayenne to the onions and mix well. Then add the peanut butter mixture, the remaining 3/4 cup broth, and a couple of splashes of soy sauce and mix. Add the chicken into the sauce. (The chicken may not be covered completely.) Bring to a boil, uncovered, and then reduce the heat and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is very tender.

**Start cooking your rice now.**

Peel your squash and cut into chunks. Add the squash and okra in the last 10 minutes of cooking and let simmer 10-15 minutes, until the squash is tender, but not falling apart. Remove the okra and cut into thick slices and return to the stew.

Serve over brown rice.

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A Lovely Yellow Saffron Chicken

What? Were you expecting a Monday Mouthful entry instead of Saffron chicken? Or maybe you had high expectations and thought you might see the Monday Mouthful entry on Monday?! I'm getting to it...a little later than planned, but in the next couple of days, I promise! In the meantime, head on over to ChefE's Duck Duck Goose Cassoulet or My Carolina Kitchen's Black-Eyed Pea and Chicken Cassoulet and prepare to drool.

I do have a yummy recipe to share while you're waiting breathlessly for my version of cassoulet, though: Saffron Chicken from Giada De Laurentiis' Giada's Kitchen. (I actually think she calls it "Chicken Scaloppine with Saffron Cream Sauce," but I've decided that the title is too long.) You can see below for the recipe, which is pretty tasty, but I think next time I would add some olives to the mix to add a little more flavor to the subtleness of the saffron and cream.


Luckily, I thought the flavors sounded a little Spanish (Saffron will always equal Spain to me), so I bought some small black olives and Quark- and herb-stuffed peppers at a German grocery store to go along with it. It was delicious! So, all in all, this was a good, solid recipe that can withstand some stronger flavors along side or even in the dish itself.

Saffron Chicken
from Giada De Laurentiis' Giada's Kitchen

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound thin chicken cutlets (or chicken breasts pounded thin)
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning meat
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning meat
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the chicken broth and saffron threads, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine.

Simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Pour the sauce over the chicken. (Or in my case, I slid the chicken back into the sauce to reheat and absorb some of that lovely sauce until my pasta was ready.) Sprinkle with the parsley if desired and serve immediately.

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Balsamic Rosemary Chicken

I have a confession to make: I own two or three Rachel Ray cookbooks. I don't use them much any more, but back when I was newly married, working full time, and in charge of almost everything in our household because my husband was working on his dissertation and toward a tenure-track job, I just didn't have the time or energy to cook. I also didn't cook that well at that point. I liked to cook, and many of my college friends thought that I was a good cook, but we all know how high college-aged food standards are!

I started my self-taught cooking classes with Rachel Ray. Whatever your opinion of her, her recipes are easy to make and quick, and the ingredients are usually what you already have on hand. (I did find even back then, though, that her recipes tend to be a little bland...) Like I said, I don't use her cookbooks much any more, but I do owe a debt of gratitude for teaching me some kitchen basics.

One of her recipes that have remained a staple in our household, though, is her Balsamic Rosemary Chicken. The marinade helps keep the chicken moist, while also creating a nice caramelized crust once cooked. This is not a dish to serve when having a fancy dinner party, but makes an easy, tasty, and cheap (!) weeknight dinner with or without guests. Leftovers are great in salads or pasta...

Balsamic Rosemary Chicken
from Rachel Ray

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar, just enough to coat chicken lightly
2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
3 stems rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 Tbl, or about 1 Tbl dried rosemary
Salt and coarse black pepper
4 cloves garlic, cracked away from skin with a whack against the flat of your knife (at least...I usually add more.)

Coat chicken in balsamic vinegar, then olive oil. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper and let stand at least 10 minutes along with the garlic.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to the pan. Cook chicken 12 minutes, or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown, sweet finish on the chicken as it cooks.

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Leftover Rice Salad

It looks like spring has finally sprung here in Strasbourg! This little branch was trying to sneak in my dining room window today...

In celebration of the coming of spring, most of my groceries this week were fruits and veggies, and I was inspired to make a salad with leftovers from the last couple nights' dinners and some of those veggies I bought today. I have to confess that I tend to let food go to waste more than I'd like. I always save that little bit of leftover rice, pasta, half of tomato, etc., but then forget about it. I'm working at trying to be more creative in how I use those leftovers up, and between that and the promise of spring, I thought that a salad would be the perfect vehicle for the leftovers in my fridge--namely a little brown rice (from Joie de Vivre's Moroccan Minestrone--a later post), a half of a rosemary balsamic chicken breast, and a small handful of arugula.

The result was a very yummy and filling cold rice salad to which I added a handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped red bell peppers, and a simple homemade honey mustard dressing (equal parts Dijon mustard, honey and red wine vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper mixed with olive oil to taste). I think that maybe next time I'd add some sliced green onions (if I have any on hand), but I'm definitely making this again. It would be especially good as a lunch to pack for work once I return in the summer...

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Taste-Off: Chicken Piccata

One of my favorite Italian dishes is chicken piccata with angel hair pasta. I love the light tangy sauce with the delicate noodles, and for this picky chicken eater, the scaloppine is usually so tender that I forget I'm eating chicken. I vowed to try to make chicken piccata this year, and I have.

I found the first recipe over at the Food Network courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis. Our entire family really liked the flavor, but the sauce turned out really brown and ugly, and truth be told, it used just a little too much fat for my liking (6 whopping Tablespoons of butter and 5 Tablespoons of olive oil).


My husband loved it, and I made it several times until I came across another recipe that looked lighter at Cookography. Right away I saw several basic differences in the recipe, including a lot less fat (1 Tablespoon of oil and 4 Tablespoons of butter less to be exact) and the addition of some shallot and prosciutto to the sauce. You can just see the difference in color and texture of the sauce below:


I think I actually liked Cookography's version better.* It felt less heavy and I loved the saltiness and texture that the prosciutto added. My husband thinks he liked Giada's version better, but is willing to go with the lighter version to be healthier and because the taste is close to Giada's. Either way, Cookography's version tastes great and is just plain prettier, and so has made it into our regular meal rotation. Next time, though I think I'll added a few artichoke hearts to the mix...

*I made a couple of minor changes: pounded the chicken thin before cooking and used extra virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil.

**Just out of curiosity, I decided to plug the recipes into Calorie Count's Recipe Analysis program to see how they compared. (I knew both would be high in calories and fat, but we don't eat it that often to be really worried about it.) As expected, Giada's was higher in calories (by only 100 or so), but much higher in fat content (not that Cookography is going to win any low-fat cooking awards on this one!). I used extra virgin olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and it lowers the saturated fat percentage by 5 percentage points.

Giada's piccata:

Cookography's piccata:

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Experimenting "en Papillote" Style

Last week, I tried a completely new technique--en papillote. I was inspired by Cynthia Furey over at Furey & the Feast when I saw how simple it seemed to do...and I'm always looking for a new chicken recipe! Since this was the first time I've ever "en papilloted," I decided to follow her recipe almost to the tee, but of course, I always I have to change it just a little bit. Nothing major here, but I reduced the amount of olive oil because it seemed like a lot and used some frozen basil since that's what I had on hand. I also didn't tie the packets, but cut the paper into large heart shapes and folded the edges. Her method probably keeps the juices from leaking as mine did a little, but I just don't have the patience to dig out the string...


The result was a flavorful, moist piece of chicken that I served alongside some couscous cooked in chicken stock and mixed with parsley...all the better to soak up those yummy juices!

Chicken en Papillote with Basil and Cherry Tomotoes
slightly adapted from Furey & the Feast
Text-Only Version

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3 Tbl olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
6 Tbl white wine
15 cherry tomatoes (red and yellow), halved
3-6 tsp chopped or chiffonade basil (leaves or frozen)

Parchment paper, cut into three large hearts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place one chicken breast into each parchment paper hearts. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle each with 1 Tbl olive oil. Add 1/3 of the onion, garlic, tomatoes, garlic, and 1-2 tsp chopped basil onto the top of each breast. Drizzle with each with 2 Tbl of wine.


To fold the paper, start at the rounded end and fold a small piece over. Continue to do this, overlapping each fold, until you reach the point. Fold the point under the packet. Place the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the thermometer placed inside the chicken reads 165 degrees F.

Cut the paper open and serve.

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