Month: November 2011

Tandoori Chicken

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I always thought that this dish was made with a brightly colored reddish orange paste that stained the fingers and I was surprised to be told by my Indian friends that they do not use any artificial coloring in their food, as they feel it is not healthy. And all this time, I thought it was the spices that gave it that color.

 
This is very simple to prepare and is fantastic when marinated overnight and then cooked on the grill or under a very hot broiler.
 
It will melt in your mouth like butter, and it is a wonderful way to grill most any meat. This can also be used to make the most amazing baby lamp chops.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless Chicken Breast
1 tsp. crushed fresh Ginger
5 tsp crushed Garlic
1 Tbsp of fresh Coriander, chopped
Juice of one Lemon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Turmeric
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Dhania Zeera(available at any Indian market)
1 tsp. Garam Masala(available at any Indian market)
2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp. Yogurt
 
Preparation:
 
Blend all ingredients together, except heavy cream and yogurt, and pour over chicken and coat well. Then add heavy cream and yogurt and mix thoroughly. Marinate overnight and grill until done.
 
Serve with chutney, basmati rice and naan bread (flat Indian bread, but warm pita will substitute).

Lemon and Clove Cookies

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I found a version of these cookies in the Chez Panisse Cookbook by Alice Waters. I am always amazed by her ability to take the simplest ingredients and combine them to create something that is a perfect blend of each ingredient.

While they are lovely just as they are, I did add a bit more lemon zest, and I dust them with a little powdered sugar when they are still warm from the oven

Ingredients:
 
½ lb of Butter softened
2 Tbsp Lemon zest
1 tsp Vanilla extract
¼ tsp of ground Cloves
2 1/3 cups of AP Flour
¾ cups of White Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
Pinch of Salt
Powdered Sugar for dusting
 

Preparation:

Sift the dry ingredients together. Cream the butter until whipped and then add the rest of the wet ingredients and then incorporate the dry little by little.

 
Once it forms a dough, remove the dough from the mixer and split into two equal halves. Roll each half out into a 2 inch roll, wrap in plastic wrap and then put into the refrigerator for 2-12 hours.
 
Hint: If you find the dough to be tacky, just sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on your counter and continue rolling it out.
 
When ready to cook, preheat the over to 350, and then cut into ½ inch thick cookies an bake for 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. After removing from the oven, give them a light dusting of sifted powdered sugar.
 
 

Arroz con Pollo

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This is one of those dishes that’s a perfect example of comfort food. It is almost a national dish and will instantly remind you of sunny Spain. There are so many variations on this dish, each reflecting the unique regional produce of Spain.

There is one ingredient that I feel is essential is the smoked sweet paprika. 
 
Ingredients:
 
8 Chicken thighs or one whole roaster cut up
1 link of Chorizo sausage, cut into small pieces
6 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of Garlic, sliced
One Large Onion, chopped
One Red Pepper, chopped
1/2 cup Peas
1/2 cup Carrots, cubed
2 cups of medium grain Rice, a Spanish arroz or paella rice is perfect as well.
4 cups of Chicken stock, warmed
2 Bay leaves
1 pinch of Saffron
2 Tbsp of smoked sweet Paprika
2 dried whole Chilies, if desired.
Juice of one Lemon
¼ cup of Madeira
 
 
Preparation:
 
Place the olive oil in a cast iron casserole (Le Cruset is perfect) or some pot with a cover that can go from stovetop to oven. Over medium heat bring the oil up to temperature, and then brown the chicken. Remove from oil and set aside.
 
Now add sliced chorizo, garlic, chopped onion and chopped red pepper, peas and carrots and cook until onions are brown and soft. Add all spices and combine well.
 
Add juice of lemon and the Madeira and allow alcohol to cook away. Then add the rice and coat thoroughly with oil. Add warmed stock and saffron, mix well and then add back the chicken and bring to a slight boil.
 
Cover and put into a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and then recover and allow to rest on stove top for 5 minutes. 

Braciole- Italian Meat Parcels

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This is a wonderful Sunday meal and tastes just like your Nonna was cooking all day. These little meat parcels are a common dish in Italy, but often go by other names depending on the specific region. It can be made with pork or beef. As an added benefit, the house smells amazing.

Ingredients:

Parcels:
6 pieces of pork or beef pounded flat, like a scaloppini. About 2 lbs.
Aged Provolone Cheese
Romano Cheese
Parsley
Garlic, crushed
Prosciutto, sliced thin
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Butchers Twine
Sauce:
1 large Onion, finely chopped
½ cup Carrot, finely chopped
½ cup Celery, finely chopped
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup Marsala Wine
3 28 oz cans of crushed Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper
Preparation:
Begin by preparing your sauce. Take a large cast iron or heavy duty pan and heat the olive oil. Then add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and pepper and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until translucent. Then add Marsala wine and cook until alcohol is gone. Then add tomatoes and bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 1 -2 hours. More is better.
While the sauce is simmering, prepare your braciole. Lay the flatten piece of meat flat and cut into parcels. Layer with the cheese, prosciutto, parsley and a little bit of crushed garlic. Add a bit of pepper, but no salt, as the prosciutto is salty enough.
Tie up with the butchers twine, by making a first circle around the parcel and tying a knot and then going around 3-4 more times until you are at the end, make another knot and then come back vertically to bring the ends together and tie it off.
Heat your olive oil in a sauté pan, and brown the parcels thoroughly until browned on all sides and gently transfer them to the simmering sauce for at least 45 minutes.
Remove them from the sauce, then cut off the twine, and allow to rest covered for 10 minutes while you prepare your pasta. Serve with pasta of your choice, sauce and extra Romano cheese.

Thai Masaman Curry

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Thai curries use coconut milk as a base, and while some southern Indian curries also use coconut milk, Thai curries have unique curry paste blends. Thai curries come in different colors and each are unique as to their make up and as to which meats work well with each.
Normally the standard curries are red (chicken,beef or seafood), green (chicken with Thai eggplant), yellow,(chicken, beef or seafood) Penang (beef, chicken or seafood) and Masaman(beef or chicken). I have arranged them in order of spiciness from hottest to mildest.
However, the pastes can be deceiving as all can still be quite spicy, but you can control the heat by cutting down the amount of curry paste or using a milder version.
Ingredients:

1 lb of Beef or Chicken, cubed in 2 -3 inch pieces. Boneless short ribs or chicken thighs
2- 3 Tbsp Masaman Curry Paste. Maesri, in the can is a good quality brand.
2 – 14 oz cans of Coconut milk
1 large Potato peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 large Onion, cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 medium Red Pepper, cubed into 1 inch pieces
5 Green Cardamom pods, or ½ tsp ground cardamom
1 Cinnamon stick, or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Sugar
Juice of one Lime
Preparation:
Bring 1 ½ cans of coconut milk and curry paste to a simmer and then add beef or chicken and cook until tender. Beef will take a bit longer and should be cooked for at least 30 minutes prior to adding the other ingredients.
Once meat has cooked add the onions, red pepper and all other spices. Allow to cook for an additional 15 minutes and then taste for sweetness and sourness and add sugar and lime juice as needed. If the mixture becomes too thick, you can add your reserved  coconut milk.
After mixture is cooked through, approx 30 minutes, then serve over jasmine rice.