Special Chicken

This is a recipe that I made up. Equipment 14-inch cast-iron skillet Ingredients Olive oil, as needed 16 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 2 medium onions 2 shallots ¼ cup capers, rinsed 2 red bell peppers Juice of one lemon 3 chicken breasts; sliced into cutlets 16 ounces fresh spinach leaves; washed 1 ¼ cups chicken broth 3/4 cup white wine All-purpose flour (to dredge chicken) Preparation Prep Chicken Working with 1 breast at a time, starting on thick side, cut breasts in half horizontally. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge in flour. Set aside. Cook Vegetables Heat olive oil in 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms- cook until soft. Add onions and shallots- cook until soft. Add bell pepper ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until liquid has evaporated and vegetables begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add capers and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Set aside. Cook Chicken Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 3 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining 3 cutlets and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Finish Discard any oil remaining in skillet. De-glaze skillet with additional wine and/or broth. Add spinach; cook until wilted. Lay chicken atop spinach. Pour vegetables over chicken. Simmer until ready to serve. Serve.

January 31, 2018

Rice Pudding

Source http://allrecipes.com/recipe/24059/creamy-rice-pudding/ Change Log Added lavender Dropped butter In place of vanilla, use vanilla infused bourbon Increased vanilla Added cardamon pods Added cinnamon sticks Added preference for short-grain rice Ingredients 1 ½ cups water ¾ cup uncooked short-grain white rice ¼ teaspoon dried lavender (optional) 3 cinnamon sticks 2 cups oat milk, divided (preferably whole) 1/3 cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 2/3 cup golden raisins 4 cardamon pods; seeds ground 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (and/or bourbon) Preparation Cook Rice Bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil in a saucepan Stir rice into boiling water Add lavender Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes Add Milk Add to rice: ...

March 13, 2017

Morrocan Chicken Stew with Cous-Cous

This recipe is perfect for a cold winter night. The warm spices of south France and Spain combine to flavor this slow cooking dish. If you don’t have any spices from a Provençal market, my Moroccan Seasoning recipe is a very solid stand-in. This recipe contains no definite quantities; use it as a basic map and improvise (as I did) to create your own version of this delicious dish. Special Equipment Large, heavy bottom stew pot Ingredients Chicken thighs; bone in, skin removed Dried apricots White mushrooms Onion Peppers Potatoes Moroccan Seasoning Salt to taste Chicken (or other) stock Cous-Cous Brown sugar Preparation Chop vegetables, add to pot. Add chicken thighs. Add apricots. Fill with enough stock and/or water to cover. Add Moroccan Seasoning. Simmer for two or so hours, till chicken is cooked and vegetables are soft. Taste Additions of salt, seasoning, and sugar should be done in moderation and slowly. Add, stir, taste, let simmer, taste again… add more of whatever as needed. Repeat. ...

September 28, 2015

Ethiopian Style Chickpea Stew

Source http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/ethiopian-style-chickpea-stew Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 450°F Ingredients 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground coriander ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional) ½ teaspoon ground ginger 2 cans no-salt-added chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) , rinsed and drained 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped 1 medium red onion , chopped 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger , peeled and finely chopped 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1 pound red potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks 4 carrots , cut into 1-inch chunks Preparation Spices Stir together in a small bowl; set spice mixture aside: Paprika Salt Allspice Black pepper Cardamom Cloves Coriander Cayenne Fenugreek Ginger Roast Chickpeas Toss chickpeas with a tablespoon of the oil on a large rimmed baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Roast chickpeas, stirring occasionally, until somewhat dried out and just golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes; set aside. Cook Base Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add to the pot: Garlic Onion Chopped ginger Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until spices are toasted and very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes more. Add Roasted Chickpeas Stir in and bring to a boil: Broth Potatoes Carrots Reserved chickpeas Finish Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until potatoes and carrots are just tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover pot and simmer until stew is thickened and potatoes and carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes more. Ladle stew into bowls.

September 26, 2015

Lemonade

Simple lemonade. Serve with a shot of vodka (chili pepper vodka is great!), tequila, or rum. Ingredients 1.75 cups granulated sugar 1.50 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (~ 8 to 10 medium lemons) 1 + 7 cups cold water Preparation Simple Syrup In a small sauce pan, combine the first 1 cup of water with sugar. Stir occasionally over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Squeeze Lemons Render 1.5 cups of lemon juice. Strain. Chill until ready to use. Combine Combine simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining 7 cups cold water. Chill until ready to serve.

May 10, 2015

Bean and Sausage Soup

This recipe was modified to remove the kale and yield more of a stew type of consistency. Source http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kale-and-white-bean-soup-106153 Equipment 8 quart soup/stew pot Ingredients 455 grams (1 lb) dried beans (half of each: Great Northern and Pinto) 2 onions, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 5 cups chicken broth 2 qt water 1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa (optional), sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick 8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces Preparation Soak Beans (I found this was not sufficient; needs a better method) ...

March 1, 2015

Sauced Shrimp with Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley

This recipe has been modified slightly to include the addition of dry white wine and reduction of butter from 3 to 1 tablespoons. Source http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sauteed-shrimp-with-lemon-garlic-and-parsley-51262060 Ingredients 1 pound fresh, medium-sized shrimp 1 bunch flat leaf parsley 4 cloves garlic 1 lemon ½ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoons butter Sea salt Freshly cracked pepper Preparation Clean and devein shrimp In cold water, clean and devein shrimp. Set aside on a paper towel to absorb any excess water. Saute In a large saute pan on medium-low heat, add enough olive oil to coat. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Add your shrimp so they are all even on the bottom of the pan. Add the zest of one lemon Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and flip. Deglaze with wine Add wine and deglaze pan. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. Finish Finish with: Handful of fresh chopped parsley The juice of the lemon One tablespoon of butter. Serve Serve hot with a baguette for dipping and/or with pasta. ...

March 1, 2015

Chráime

Ingredients 2 large baking potatoes 2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½ inch thick wedges 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed Chili peppers, quartered and seeded (your choice of the freshest available or personal favorite): 1 to 2 pimiento (cherry bomb) peppers (my personal favorite) –or– 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers (perfectly good, and readily available) –or– 1 to 2 serrano peppers (good for heat, but not much flavor) salt, to taste 1¼ to 1½ pounds of white fish fillets (tilapia, sole, halibut, or cod) 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 3 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 1 cup water ⅓ cup olive oil coarse salt, to taste Preparation In a large flame-proof casserole or Dutch oven, build the casserole: Set the potato slices on the bottom. Scatter the bell peppers, garlic, and chili peppers over the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Place the fish on top and sprinkle it with paprika and salt. Add the tomatoes and cilantro or parsley. Pour the water in at the edges. Sprinkle the top with oil Sprinkle generously with salt. Set the pan over high heat, cover, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through. Check the pan after 20 minutes; if there seems to be too much liquid, uncover the pan for the remaining cooking time. At this point, the casserole should be fully cooked and ready to serve, however, I’ve found that cooking for an extra hour, uncovered, over low heat really brings the flavors together and is really worth the extra time. ...

February 1, 2015

Sauerkraut, Onions, and Mushrooms

The title says it all. This recipe pairs well with Potato Dumplings Ingredients 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 1 medium purple onion, chopped 16 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped 32 ounces sauerkraut, drained Broth, as needed (vegetable, chicken, beef, etc. Your choice) Salt Olive Oil Preparation In a large skillet, combine onions and mushrooms. Add some salt. Add enough olive oil to lightly coat and prevent sticking. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms and onions soften. Uncover and continue over low heat, stirring frequently, until mushrooms turn deep brown and liquid has cooked off. Add sauerkraut; stir to combine. Cover; stir frequently to prevent burning; add broth as needed to maintain moisture. Cook until sauerkraut turns deep brown. Serve You may serve as is, or compliment with as side dish. ...

January 4, 2015

Aunt Bill's Brown Candy

This is a rich, dense caramel candy which require the simultaneous effort of two people, a lot of sweat, a lot of elbow grease and a highly durable electric mixer. Info Recipe dictated by: Cheryl Sigler Special Equipment 9" cast-iron (or heavy) skillet 1 ½ gallon heavy bottom pot Heavy duty electric mixer 9x13" baking pan 2 people Ingredients 6 cups Sugar 2 cups Milk ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda ½ cup Butter 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Preparation Butter the Using a cast-iron skillet Slowly heat 2 cups sugar stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until caramelized. Using a heavy bottom pot While the sugar is caramelizing, boil milk and remaining 4 cups sugar. Combine Reduce milk mixture to a slow boil and insert a candy thermometer. Slowly pour caramelized sugar, in a thing thread, while beating constantly, into milk mixture. Boil until firm ball stage (250°F) Remove From Heat Remove from heat. Add baking soda, beat well. Add butter, beat well. Pour into mixer bowl Cool for 20 minutes, or until you can touch the side of the pot with your bare hand. Pour mixture into electric mixer bowl. Add vanilla. Beat on medium/high speed until mixture takes on a heavy dull appearance. Pour into buttered pan.

November 26, 2014