Bittman's Chicken and Rice

CHICKEN WITH RICE, THE EASY WAY

Time: 30 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, about 8 ounces, peeled and sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 chicken, cut up into serving pieces

1 1/2 cups white rice

Pinch saffron, optional

Freshly minced parsley or cilantro for garnish

Lemon or lime wedges.

1. Set 3 cups of water to boil. Place olive oil in a large skillet that can be covered, and turn heat to medium-high. Add onions and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and become translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skin from chicken.

2. Add rice to onions; stir until each grain glistens; sprinkle with saffron, and stir. Nestle chicken in rice, add a little more salt and pepper and pour in the boiling water. Turn heat to medium-low, and cover.

3. Cook 20 minutes, until all water is absorbed and chicken is cooked through. (You can keep this warm over a very low flame for another 15 minutes; it will retain its heat for 15 minutes beyond that.) Garnish and serve with lemon or lime.

Quick Chicken Stroganoff

I had a can of cream of mushroom soup and knew that there was a recipe out there that could turn it into a quick dinner. I looked up the Campbell's site, as much as I hate product placement :) This was actually good, and made me realize that I can really just throw some chicken breasts on heat and turn out a filling meal. I don't know why I lean towards the complicated when it comes to dinner...

Quick Mushroom Chicken Bake - from Campbell's Kitchen

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
Lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, crushed
Ground black pepper
12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles

To make:
1. Season both sides of the chicken with the lemon pepper seasoning. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until well browned on both sides. Place the chicken into a 2-quart baking dish.
2. Stir the soup, mushrooms, milk, cheese and garlic in a small bowl. Season with the black pepper. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (use a thermometer to cook to an internal temperature of 165 F). Prepare the noodles as per package instructions. Serve the chicken and sauce over the cooked noodles.

Chicken and Risotto

I like the food network, but lately I've just been sick of the late night shows that are all I end up watching because I get home from work at 6 or 7pm. I mean how many cake-making challenges can a person watch? But since we got DVR I've been recording some of the daytime shows when they actually cook food. Sandra Lee is one of them, and though I know a lot of people complain that she uses a lot of supermarket/prepared ingredients like spice mixes, etc., it's really the most realistic way to cook for some people who either need to save money or save time. I am often that person, and then other times I want to do everything from scratch. One episode of Sandra's Money Saving Meals involved a Chicken Scaloppine and Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Risotto. I was intrigued to make the risotto because I've never done it before and she made it look so easy. Simple it was not, but the meal is really something anybody could try and be relatively successful at. And it tasted yummy. All I need to figure out is how to prevent the risotto from sticking to the bottom of the skillet like that Iranian burnt rice :P

Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Risotto

from Sandra Lee

This recipe actually makes quite a bit of risotto, because it's designed to make a second recipe as leftovers. I just made the whole thing cause it's that good that I knew I would want more :)

Ingredients:
1 head garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
3 cans water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the top off the head of garlic. Put it on a large square of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of the extra-virgin olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap the foil around and over the garlic. Roast until it is soft, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Pour the 2 cans of broth into a saucepan, over low heat, and add 3 cans of water. Bring to a simmer.
In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute to toast.
Add 2 ladles full of hot broth to the pan and gently stir the rice. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Adjust the heat so that the pan is just gently bubbling. Continue adding broth and stirring until all the broth is used and the rice is cooked but not mushy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Once the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is nice and creamy, stir in the butter, Parmesan and the garlic pulp. Cover and let rest for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Chicken Scaloppine

adapted from Sandra Lee

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Slice the breasts in half, lengthwise. Pound the 4 pieces between sheets of plastic wrap to flatten them, about 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Coat the chicken with the flour, shaking off any excess.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and butter. Mix together and when the butter has melted add the chicken, working in batches, until they are golden brown, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, to a serving platter, cover and keep warm. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook it over high heat until it reduces by half and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley and basil. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken serve with the Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Risotto.

Kung Pao Chicken

I was looking at a Chinese menu and suddenly had a hankering for Kung Pao Chicken. I looked around to see if Mark Bittman had a recipe and ta-da he did. I like to look for his stuff first because he's big on making things simple.












Kung Pao Chicken (China)
Mark Bittman

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or other dry sherry substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1-1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 6 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and cut into squares
• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and cut into squares
• 5 dried chili peppers
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 scallion, trimmed and chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Whisk the cornstarch into the vinegar until it dissolves, then coat the chicken pieces with the mixture. Marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2. Heat half the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring only occasionally, until wilted and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a bowl. Add the remaining oil and the chili peppers; cook until they're slightly blackened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds, then stir in the chicken. Cook the chicken, stirring constantly, until it loses its pinkness, about 5 minutes.

3. Turn the heat to low, then sprinkle the sugar over the chicken; stir in the soy sauce and the bell peppers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove from the heat, then stir in the sesame oil and scallions. Garnish with peanuts and serve over white rice.

Lemony Chicken

This had a different name in the Cook's Country issue that I got it from, but this is how I think of it. It's a nice blend of citrus and capers, which I'm convinced is the only combination that capers are tolerable in :)

Lemon Chicken Strips

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. of boneless chicken breast cut lengthwise into tenderloin size strips
salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp drained capers, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup juice from 2 lemons
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half the chicken unil golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil; repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

2. Add 1 tbsp butter, garlic, and capers to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and lemon juice and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in parsley and remaining butter. Stir in browned chicken along with any accumulated juices and season with salt and pepper.

Spicy Roast Chicken for dummies

I've been in a cooking slump again (I wonder if it's seasonal?) but I picked up the Everyday Food book yesterday and felt rejuvinated. I don't know what it is about that cookbook, but it really makes me want to cook/bake.

I posted a recipe for a really easy roast turkey breast a while back from the Cook's Illustrated series, but this one was even easier in my opinion. The base recipe doesn't involve a spice rub, just butter, salt and pepper. I made some chile spice rub and covered the chicken with it before roasting. My whole house smelled so yummy while this was in the oven!

Easy Roasted Chicken with Chile Rub from Everyday Food's Great Food Fast

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken with skin (3 - 3 1/2 lbs), rinsed and patted dry
2 tbsp butter, at room temperature

Chile rub-
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp chili powder (substitute some paprika if you don't want it too spicy)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp coarse salt

To make:
1. Preheat the oven to 425. Mix the chile rub ingredients in a little bowl. Combine 4 tsp of chile rub with the butter till well combined, and store the rest in an airtight jar or spice tin. Spread all over both sides of chicken and a little under the skin covering the breast.

2. Tie the chicken legs together and tuck the wings under the chicken if you want. Place the chicken (breast up) on a rack set in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 when inserted in the thickest part of a thigh (avoid bone) for 45-50 minutes. Serve, or let cool before refrigerating, up to 3 days, covered.

Sesame-broiled Chicken Wings

I made these wings a while ago, but I'm just posting the recipe now. A real winner!

Sesame-broiled Chicken Wings, from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Time: 30 minutes, plus time to preheat the broiler

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs chicken wings, rinsed and patted dry with paper towels, cut into 3 pieces at the joints. Save the wing tips (the smallest piece) for stock (freeze).
2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp minced and peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp dark sesame oil

To make:
1. Preheat the broiler. The rack should be 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Put the chicken pieces in a bowl, add 1 tbsp of oil and some salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the pieces in a roasting pan and cook, turning after 4-5 minutes or when the first side is beginning to brown.

2. Meanwhile, combine the remaining tbsp of oil with the remaining ingredients. After the second side is beginning to brown, brush the wings with some of the oil mixture. Continue to cook, turning once or twice more until nicely browned all over, about 15-20 minutes total. Give a final brush, and serve.

Thai cooking at home

I'm a big proponent of thai cooking at home, so it was nice to see an America's Test Kitchen episode about cooking good asian food at home. I'm hoping to try these two recipes this week.

Thai Chicken Soup
from America's Test Kitchen

If you want a soup with less fat, it is possible to substitute light coconut milk for one or both cans of regular coconut milk. Fresh lemon grass can be omitted, but the soup will lack some complexity. Don't be tempted to use jarred or dried lemon grass-their flavor is characterless. If you want a spicier soup, add more red curry paste to taste. For a more substantial meal, serve the soup over 2 to 3 cups of cooked jasmine rice. The soup can be prepared through step 1 up to one day ahead of time and refrigerated, but it should be completed immediately before serving, as the chicken and mushrooms can easily overcook.

6-8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course

1	teaspoon vegetable oil
3	stalks lemon grass , tough outer leaves removed, bottom 5 inches halved lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
3	large shallots , chopped
8	sprigs fresh cilantro leaves , chopped coarse
3	tablespoons fish sauce
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
2	(14-ounce) cans coconut milk , well-shaken
1	tablespoon sugar
1/2	pound white mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts , halved lengthwise and sliced on bias into 1/8-inch-thick pieces (see below)
3	tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2 to 3 limes
2	teaspoons red curry paste (Thai)
Garnish
1/2	cup fresh cilantro leaves
2	serrano chiles , sliced thin
2	scallions , sliced thin on bias
1	lime , cut into wedges

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add lemon grass, shallots, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon fish sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until just softened, 2 to 5 minutes (vegetables should not brown). Stir in chicken broth and 1 can coconut milk; bring to simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavors have blended, 10 minutes. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer and discard solids in strainer. Rinse saucepan and return broth mixture to pan.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Stir remaining can coconut milk and sugar into broth mixture and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove soup from heat.

3. Combine lime juice, curry paste, and remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce in small bowl; stir into soup. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, chiles, and scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedges.


Step-by-Step: Slicing Chicken Breasts
Our Thai-Style Chicken Soup calls for thin slices of boneless, skinless chicken breast that will cook in just a minute or two. To make slicing easier, place the chicken in the freezer for 30 minutes, then cut the breasts in half lengthwise. Firmer, narrower pieces of chicken will be easier to slice on the bias into 1/8-inch-thick slices.


Stir-Fried Portobellos with Ginger-Oyster Sauce
from the Episode: Asian Take-Out at Home

This stir-fry cooks quickly, so have everything chopped and ready before you begin cooking. Serve with steamed white rice.

Serves 3 to 4

Glaze
2	tablespoons soy sauce
2	tablespoons sugar
1/4	cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Sauce
1	tablespoon soy sauce
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3	tablespoons oyster sauce
2	teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1	tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetables
2	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
4	teaspoons minced fresh ginger
4	tablespoons vegetable oil
6 - 8	portobello mushrooms (each 4 to 6 inches), stems discarded, gills removed (see below), and cut into 2-inch wedges (about 7 cups)
2	cups carrots (sliced), or other longer-cooking vegetable from the chart below
1/2	cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1	cup snow peas or other quick-cooking vegetable from the chart below
1	pound leafy greens from chart below
1	tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Whisk glaze ingredients in small bowl; whisk sauce ingredients in separate small bowl. In third small bowl, mix garlic and ginger with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Set bowls aside.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn mushrooms and reduce heat to medium; cook until second sides are browned and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; add glaze mixture and cook, stirring, until glaze is thick and mushrooms are coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to plate; rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cover skillet; cook until carrots are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer carrots to plate with mushrooms.

4. Heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add snow peas and bok choy stems or napa cabbage cores and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add leafy greens and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, about 1 minute. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon or spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into greens.

5. Return all vegetables to skillet along with sauce. Toss to combine and cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and vegetables are coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, top with sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.

Choosing and Preparing Vegetables for a Stir-Fry
Portobello mushrooms and eggplant are the mainstays in our stir-fries. As for the other vegetables, use those called for in the recipe or switch them with another vegetable from the same category below. We recommend using one harder, longer-cooking vegetable paired with quicker-cooking vegetable and a leafy green (either napa cabbage or bok choy).

Longer-cooking vegetables (to yield 2 cups)

• 4 small carrots, peeled, sliced on bias 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 pound broccoli, stalks discarded, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound cauliflower, core removed, florets cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 pound medium asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed, cut on bias into 1 1/2-inch lengths

Quicker-cooking vegetables (to yield 1 cup)

• 1 medium bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ounces snow peas, strings and tough ends trimmed
• 3 medium ribs celery, ends trimmed, cut on bias 1/2 inch thick
• 1 small zucchini or summer squash, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and cut on bias 1/4 inch thick

Leafy Greens (to yield 2 cups stems and 4 cups greens)

• 1 small bok choy or napa cabbage (about 1 pound), stems/cores and greens separated, stems/cores cut into 1/4-inch strips, greens into 3/4-inch-thick strips

Step-by-Step: Preparing Vegetables for Stir-Frying

Portobello Mushrooms: After removing the stem, gently scrape the underside of the mushroom with a dinner spoon to remove the feathery gills, which can impart a muddy taste to the stir-fry.	Zucchini: Halve zucchini lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds from each half with a small spoon. Cut in half lengthwise again, then cut into 1/4-inch slices on a 45-degree bias.
Napa Cabbage: Separate leaves, removing the core of each leaf with a wedge-shaped cut. Slice the leafy greens crosswise into 3/4-inch strips. Cut the cores into 1/4-inch strips.

Update 2/3/08: I tried both these recipes and they were both delicious. The chicken soup was very easy, and has almost gotten me hooked on soups, which is an accomplishment. The stir-fry was great when it was done but man was that labor intensive. I want to say buy all these veggies cleaned and chopped for you but I don't believe in recommending that so I can't :( It's more cost-effective to do it yourself, but maybe try to prep in advance when you have the time. This is the first time I made portobellos, and I love them. Will try again.... on a weekend. :)

Chicken Parm

To quote Anthony Bourdain in Egypt - "There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy." I couldn't have said it better. :) I don't know why I never tried to make this before, but I am determined to try everything in my Great Food Fast cookbook, and so I continue my quest. I had some Chicken Parmigiana at Chez Sameera once, and it was delicious. But then, everything she makes is delicious! So I tried my hand at it, using a recipe from the book, though Sameera's cookbook has a similarly good recipe which is slightly different (she adds some italian seasoning to the coating and adds sauce over the chicken as well before baking instead of broiling). The recipe below is a slight variation on the version in the Great Food Fast book.

Chicken Parmigiana

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breast

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 cups jarred tomato sauce

4 tbsp. olive oil

6 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Directions

1. Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets that are 1/2-inch thick. If your slices are too thick, try pounding them flat, while they are covered by plastic wrap, with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small saucepan. I deal with unevenly shaped breasts by butterflying them where they are too thick, which means you cut it horizontally almost all the way through, and then open it up to lay flat (making sure the halves are still connected). You can really make each cutlet any size you want, either 1 portion per cutlet or 1/2 a portion.

2. Turn on the broiler.

3. Coat the chicken: Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow bowl. Crack open the egg in another dish. Season both sides of each chicken cutlet with a dash of salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet in the egg, let the excess egg drip off, and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly.

4. Spread the tomato sauce (add a little water if necessary) onto a rimmed baking sheet or dish(10 x 15-inch is fine). Heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place half of the chicken cutlets in the skillet. Cook until golden, 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned chicken to the baking dish, placing them on top of the sauce. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil and repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

5. Top each cultlet with a slice of mozzarella. Broil about 4 inches from the heat source until the sauce is hot and cheese is melted and lightly browned in spots, about 5-8 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and spoon over some of the tomato sauce from the baking sheet. Serve with a light salad dressed with oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, or a side of pasta.

Chicken Do Piaza

I'm trying to plan my week of cooking ahead of time to minimize on the grocery store trips, which are getting excessive. I'm hoping this pre-planning will also mean saving money. If any of you have tips on planning and cooking meals, let me know! This is a recipe I'm planning to make this week, if all goes well :)

Chicken Do Piaza (from Sameera's cookbook)
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 medium onions, sliced
3 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garlic/ginger paste
1 whole chicken, cut into parts
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Put onions, oil, salt, chili powder, turmeric, garlic/ginger paste, and 1/4 cup water in a pot and let it cook, covered, as the onions become tender and fall apart.
2. Add chicken to pot. Add more water if needed until chicken is finished cooking.
3. The onions should complete cooking with the chicken, and it will all come together. water should be dissolved and the dish should start to release a tiny bit of oil.
4. Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro and cook for 1 minute.

Can also be made with mutton (will require longer cooking time).

Chicken and Rice with Indian Spices

This is another favorite CI recipe that is super easy and akin to Chicken Biryani when you think about it. It's not spicy at all which is great for my hubby and for anyone who likes desi food but can't handle the usual spice overdose.

Chicken and Rice with Indian Spices (from Cook's Illustrated online)
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces (without wings) (3-4 lbs.), rinsed, patted dry
table salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 medium green bell peppers, cored and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced fine
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp table salt

Instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces liberally on both sides with salt and ground black pepper. Heat oil until shimmering in large, heavy, non-reactive Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken pieces skin side down; cook, without moving them, until well browned, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over with tongs and cook, again without moving them, until well browned on second side, about 6 minutes longer. Remove from pot and set aside.
   
   

2. Pour all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot; return to burner. Reduce heat to medium; add cinnamon stick, sauté, stirring with wooden spoon until it unfurls, about 15 seconds. Add onion and green bell pepers and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ground turmeric, coriander, and cumin and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute longer. Stir in rice and cook, stirring frequently, until coated and glistening, about 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes with liquid from can, salt, and 2 cups water, scraping browned bits off pot bottom with wooden spoon.
   

3. Return chicken thighs and legs to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add chicken breast pieces and stir ingredients gently until rice is thoroughly mixed; replace cover and simmer until both rice and chicken are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cover pot, and allow dish to rest for 5 minutes; serve immediately.

Chicken Fajitas

Wow November was a crazy month. What with vacation and work travel I don't remember cooking at all that month. :P But I did collect some recipes from my mother-in-law which I will post when I get them organized.

Chicken Fajitas Indoors (from Cooks Illustrated online)

Serves 4 to 6
(Optional Accompaniments: guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lime wedges)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
6 tbsp and 2 tsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, minced (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
salt and ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs.), pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds (don't separate rings)
1 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 large green bell pepper, quartered and seeded
8-12 plain flour tortillas (6-inch)
1 cup shredded chedder or Monterey Jack cheese

To make:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade in small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to remaining marinade. Place chicken in marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

2. Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position (about 8 inches from heating element) and second rack to lower-middle position; heat broiler.

3. Brush both sides of onion rounds and peppers with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion rounds and peppers (skin sides up) in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Wrap tortillas securely in foil in two packets, each containing half of tortillas.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Swirl oil to coat skillet, then arrange chicken smooth side down in skillet in single layer; cook without moving chicken, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken; continue to cook until second sides are well browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning chicken once or twice, until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest 5 minutes.

5. While chicken is cooking, place baking sheet with vegetables in oven on upper rack; place tortilla packets on lower rack. Broil vegetables until spottily charred and peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer peppers to cutting board. Flip onion rounds and continue to broil until charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Turn off broiler and remove vegetables, leaving tortillas in oven until needed.

6. Separate onions into rings and place in medium bowl; slice bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips and place in bowl with onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in separate bowl; arrange chicken and vegetables on large platter and serve with warmed tortillas and shredded cheese.
   

Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Speaking of new cookbooks, I've become attached to Martha Stewart Living's Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I borrowed it from the library when I saw it in the top ten cookbook bestsellers on Amazon, and I've already renewed it 4 times. :)

I've been relying on it more recently since my husband has decided he can't handle spicy food (this is the man who told me he could tolerate more spice than I could when we first got married). This is a great recipe with lots of flavor but not too many ingredients, which is why I really like this book in general. Simple, good food.

Mediterranean Chicken Stew
Prep time: 30 min
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5)
1 tsp white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining tsp oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley.

Serve over polenta or with couscous (my preference :)).

The recipe can also be made with peeled and deveined shrimp; replace chickpeas with cannellini beans.

Chicken Biryani

My hyderabadi cookbook always comes to the rescue. I had some chicken pieces defrosting at home and I thought it was the perfect time to make biryani. I went online looking for some recipes, but they all seemed to require too many ingredients and too many steps. Even using pre-made biryani masala there was still too much to do and it was giving me a headache. So I went home and pulled out the trusty cookbook and found a recipe for biryani after 6 dozen recipes for pullao. What's up with hyderabadi's and pullao?!

This recipe wasn't simple, but it had minimum steps and didn't require a lot of standing over a pot or pan; which I like, because it gave me the opportunity to do other things, like make corn pudding. :) It also turned out well, and had the color I was looking for without adding artificial biryani color that some recipes suggest using. I used chicken in this recipe, but you could use any meat.

Chicken Biryani (Chicken and Rice)

8 servings.

For rice:

4 cups rice

2, 2" cinnamon sticks

4 cardamom pods

4 cloves

4 green chillies

10 mint leaves

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp saffron

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

For chicken:

1 1/2 cups shortening (or veg oil)

2 lbs chicken in pieces

2 medium onions, sliced

1 tbsp ground ginger and garlic

1 cup yogurt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

8 ground almonds (I left this out, not a fan of too much sweet)

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground coconut

4 cloves

4 cardamom pods

2, 2" cinnamon sticks

1 tsp salt

Cook chicken:

Heat shortening and brown sliced onions. Add all ingredients and cook until liquid dries. Add 2 cups of water, and cook until chicken is tender and water has dried. Fry 3 minutes or until oil separates. 

Cook rice:

Soak saffron in milk. Wash rice and set aside. Boil 12 cups of water with remaining ingredients, except lemon juice. Add rice and cook until half done. Drain the rice.

To make biryani:

Remove half of rice to another container, and spread chicken and gravy over first half in pot. Reserve a little of gravy for top of rice. Cover with other half of rice, and remaining gravy. Sprinkle saffron milk over top, and add lemon juice. Cover and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Before serving, blend rice and chicken together.

Peshawari Murgh Tanghri

This is a recipe from Sola - thanks!

If you don't have a pressure cooker (which I don't - should I?), you should seal the pot with dough (flour + water), or you can use foil under the lid.

Peshawari Murgh Tanghri

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs and legs- 4
Yogurt- 1/2 cup
Dhania pwdr- 1 tsp
Haldi- 1/2 tsp
Zeera pwdr- 1/2 tsp
garam masala- 1/2 tsp
lal masala (chilli powder) - 1/2 tsp
ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
green chilli paste- 1 tsp
salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients and marinate chicken for 1 hr. Cook in pressure cooker for 9-10 mins with little water. Brown the pieces in a pan with little oil. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Chicken Korma

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes because its so easy but reminds me of home cooking. It's from my mom, and she's one of those people that eschews measurements, so you might want to fiddle with the amounts depending on your preference.

Chicken Korma

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 2lb. whole chicken cut in pieces

4 oz. finely sliced onion

1/4 cup oil

1 cup yogurt

1 heaping tbsp garlic paste

1 flat tbsp ginger paste

2 heaping tbsp onion paste

1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder

1 tsp mircha (chilli) powder

salt

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Mix garlic, ginger, onion, coriander, chilli powder, and salt with yogurt and chicken pieces.

2. Heat oil in large pot and fry onions until golden. Remove onions with slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Add garam masala to oil and add chicken mix. On high heat, stir fry chicken until fragrant.

4. Add 2-3 cups of water, golden onions, and sugar, and cover with lid. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until chicken is done.

Yummy Chicken Pulao

I heart chicken pulao that I get at my friend's pakistani homes, especially Amina Chief with her very spicy, very flavorful, absolutely dreamy pulao. Yesterday I decided to try my hand at it and found a good recipe online that I made several adjustments to. The end result was delicious!

I'm posting the recipe with my adjustments here:

Chicken Pulao

3 cups rice
1 cup natural, low fat yogurt
1 whole chicken
1 large tomato, diced
2 medium onions, sliced fine
2 potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces
2-4 green chillies, chopped roughly
chili powder to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 star anise
2 tsp whole cumin
2 inches cinnamon
2 large bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cardamom pods
1 inch ginger and 4 garlic cloves, pureed
3 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt to taste
Handful chopped cilantro
Handful chopped mint
---
In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over a high flame. When it is hot, add the whole spices.

As they sizzle up in seconds add the onions and fry for five minutes until golden brown.

Then add the ginger and garlic and fry for another five minutes until the whole mixture goes a darker shade of brown. Add the turmeric, chili powder (optional), the chillies and the chicken.

Stir vigorously for five minutes until the chicken is brown all over. Now, add the yogurt and leave the chicken to cook on a high flame, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If it does, add a little water.

When chicken is halfway cooked, add potatoes and tomatoes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the rice and fry for a minute or so.

Add about 4.5 cups to cook the rice.
(Very important: If the yogurt has let out a lot of water, then adjust how much water you add here; you don't want to end up with too much liquid or mushy rice.)

Once you have done this, don’t stir the rice because it will get all mushy.
Turn heat down, cover and cook until rice is cooked through. Take a peek to make sure there is enough water once or twice.

When the water dries up and the rice is cooked, the pulao is ready.

Add cilantro and mint and serve with raita.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

This peanut butter theme is completely unintentional :) I just came across this recipe and it sounded like a quick way to make chicken for a sandwich. I used the grilled chicken to fill half pita pockets along with romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, tomato slices, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of ranch or other creamy dressing.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of chilli powder
2 chicken breast halves (~ 1 lb)

1. Coat grill with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium.
2. In small bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken.
3. Slice each chicken breast in half, to create 4 total filets.
4. Place filets on grill without crowding and brush with peanut butter mixture.
5. Grill for 6 minutes, turn and brush with more mixture, and grill for 6 more minutes until chicken is no longer pink or internal temperature is 165 degrees. (On a foreman grill, grill for 7-8 minutes depending on thickness of filet.)

Serves 4.

Sesame Noodles

Our latest culinary has been Sesame Noodles. This recipe from Cooks Illustrated is so delicious, better than you find at most restaurants..and very substantial as a meal. I haven't actually made them with the chicken yet, but I'm sure that will be even better.

This is one of the easiest recipe ever and highly successful.

Let me know how it turns out for you.

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

9/2004

We prefer the flavor and texture of chunky peanut butter in the sauce; in particular, we like conventional chunky peanut butter because it tends to be sweeter than natural or old-fashioned versions.

Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
water (hot)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon table salt
1 pound fresh Asian noodles or 12 ounces dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 scallions , sliced thin on diagonal
1 medium carrot , grated


1. Toast sesame seeds in medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in small bowl. In blender or food processor, puree remaining 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 5 tablespoons; set blender jar or workbowl aside.

2. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Spray broiler pan top with vegetable cooking spray; place chicken breasts on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink when cut into and registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside. Add salt and noodles to boiling water; boil noodles until tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch; drain again. In large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add shredded chicken, scallions, carrot, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with portion of reserved sesame seeds, and serve.

More French Cooking...

I'm starting to appreciate the beauty in French cuisine...it's touted around the world as the fanciest and best tasting, most sophisticated cuisine. In America we can't appreciate the full beauty of it...French restaurants are hard to come by, very expensive and off limits for Muslims...they cook with a lot of pork and/or wine.

Lately I've been reading the autobiography of a New York magazine restaurant critic...every few months she goes on an eating tour of France. She writes mostly about French restaurants, in New York and in France. Reading her book, I'm compelled to think French food is the epitome of food. And that's not just her opinion, she's been working since the 1970's and that is what's going on in the food world around her. But her to each his/her own. I wouldn't put it at the top of my list.

So I revisited out salad nicoise and french onion soup, (see last month's post for the recipes).

Our main dish was Chicken with forty cloves of garlic, and trust me, you'll want every last clove, because it's absolutely delicious. And yes, I went out and bought a Dutch oven for this occasion. We're in love, my dutch oven and I. It's a beautiful red Tramontina from Target and was highly rated by Cook's Illustrated. I'll try more dishes and keep you posted on our relationship.

Here's the recipe for the main dish, which should be served with a great loaf of bread to sop up all the amazing sauce. It's from Ina Garten of Food Network.


Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating: 5 Stars

Copyright 2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved
3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.