Weave a Thousand Flavors

Tired of Leftover Roast Bird? It's Chicken, Fennel & Sweet Potato Soup to the Rescue

How many times have you closed the refrigerator door to that half-eaten roasted chicken that you have been picking on all week?

Well, here's a soup that will have you waiting for that chook carcass in your fridge.

Just think rich stock flavored with fennel with the scent of anise, natural sweetness of sweet potatoes enhanced with the flavor of brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg? I hope that got you to sit up and take notice!

This is such a staple during the cooler months in our home and especially wonderful during busy days, cleaning days, 'I'm-bored-of-cooking-days' and 'I-am-soccer-mom-of-the-year' - days and  of course my favorite 'leave-me-curled-up on-the-couch-with-a-book' days.

So for what ever ails you or for no reason what so ever, just simply because the air is crisp and the trees are barren,  I hope you'll put this on your menu.

 

My whoop dee doo with leftovers ~ Candied Yam & Turkey Patties

After the rather large gluttonous feast of yesterday, I have no business eating for a week! 

So thank goodness, I have 3 ravenous boys (err, a man) to help polish off the leftovers. I'm like a vulture when it comes to leftovers - we're going to pick them bones clean down to the teeny tiniest morsel.

Fact remains that since Thanksgiving, I'm all turkey schmurkeyed out. I have probably eaten my weight in bird and am determined to stay away from turkey recipes for a while. But fact remains, I've still got the detritus of yesterday's meal to deal with.

But then providence has its own plans and send a dazzling smile my way - no I didn't win the lottery and you'd think among  the gargantuan crisis of world hunger, poverty and global warming, the Big Guy may be a wee bit too busy to keep an eye on my refrigerator and pantry supplies, eh?

But no sirree, I receive a link on face book by da man, culinary teacher extraordinaire Richard Grausman, pointing the way to Chef Cole Kraft's recipe from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts for his Yam and Turkey Croquettes.

You get it don't ya - the whole connectivity bit? I mean come on people, who do I have to dig up from his subterranean resting place, Carl Jung?

Anyway, providence need say no more. I donned my flowery apron and off I went slightly adapting Chef Kraft's original recipe taking artistic liberties and all. The end result, I must confess is as dazzling as a smile from sky above.

Waking up from Post Thanksgiving Haze ~ Asian style Stir-fry Cashew Chicken

 

 
 

It's official! I am suffering from PTGS - Post Traumatic Guest Syndrome

We've had a houseful of friends Thanksgiving week and what a blast it's been! 6 growns-ups, 4 kids and 1 very big dog - 'nuf said. But after a week of  laughter, gossip, tall tales and avoidable ones, brunches, large Thanksgiving feasts,  meals, meals and more meals, hours of sightseeing, hot cups of chai, beer and wine  flowing at the rate of our very own personal river and whining kids, the last of the guests have gone.

And that leaves me with the dirties -  dishes, laundry, you name it and it needs washing, a refrigerator filled with useless sugary delights and a mound of turkey - none of which can be put together to make one decent meal.

So what do I do? I bury my head in my goose-down and go for a zzz.....a long 12 hour zzz...wake up and do some more zzz....ing. It has now been 48 hours and even I am running out of excuses for not creating a hot dinner. If it were up to me, I'll keep eating that cold turkey and stay in bed for another week. But it's not! I have a hubby who got up and went to work and kids that went to school and so I too must do just that - get up!

And what's on the menu tonight? Chinese.

Not the 'authentic' Chinese but the anglicized, take-away China King type grub - homemade.

 Delicious, somewhat greasy and always comforting, on such evenings, I turn towards my roots and my love for dhaaba or roadside eats and whip this up in  jiffy. Recognizable in its Chinese roots, I would draw the line authenticity there and no further. This one is all about a little bit of this and a little bit of that and full on flavor.

On days like tonight, this hits the spot. It's either this or cold turkey!

About Thyme! - Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms in a Thyme-Dijon Cream

As you know, the trip to the farmers market couple of days ago had me purchasing a large bunch of a lofty herb - thyme. Why am I giving thyme such an exalted status you ask? Well, one needs only hold a sprig of thyme and gently pull the tender leaves from stems to be awash with this amazing fragrant aroma - a trace of clove & pepper and one knows beyond a shadow of doubt that great things are to be expected from this herb.

Thyme has the ability to take a lowly chicken breast (which I intend to fix today - no offense chicken but you get the point) and render it with flavor befitting fine company.

Now add some mushrooms, Dijon mustard and sour cream and you have a dinner fit for Royalty (or at least some very picky kids)

I have a confession to make  - chicken breasts are not my favorite meat. Well, think about it, most times you cook a chicken breast you get a dried out tail – you know the point section of the breast at and the thick part at the top is still all pink on the inside.  Thankfully, I have learnt the hard way, and many food disaster tantrums later, that there are ways to get perfectly moist chicken breasts –   

• Marinating the breasts with some rub or a marinade (in today's recipe some Whatever Whenever dry rub ) and some oil.

• Uniform heat which brings me to my old trusted cast iron pan. Let’s put it this way - you could go out and buy a heavy bottomed pan for $150 bucks ; or just use grandma’s cast iron pan. Well, if it’s good enough for grandma it’s good enough for me (I’ve always wanted to say that)

• Butterfly the chicken breasts so you get a thinner cut of meat that cooks quickly and does not dry out

I am going to do all of the above.

Back to those chicken breasts -  You want to begin by placing washed defrosted chicken breasts on a cutting board. Place a hand firmly over the breast. Hold a sharp knife – not serrated, a chef’s knife - perpendicular to the meat at the thickest portion and start slicing. Stop before you cut all the way through so when you open up each breast you have a butterfly –hence the process of butter - flying the chicken breasts. Get it?  Repeat until all chicken is cut this way.

Why is there no photo of this you ask?…..well, can you say learning curve? I am still getting a handle on when to shoot and when to let go...smiles...

Back to the chicken, people!  

So now we place our cut meat in a large baking dish. Stay away from metal. Glass will do nicely. Put some of our awesome Whatever Whenever dry rub on and drizzle olive oil on the chicken. Rub all over. 

 

Garlic - Don’t you just love garlic? Lay the garlic cloves flat on a clean cutting board. Place the flat blade of your knife over the garlic cloves and hit down hard.

This will separate the clove from its skin. Discard the skin and chop up the garlic.  

Mushrooms - The mushrooms need simply be wiped with a damp cloth and are ready to slice. Soaking in water will lead to absorption and that is not a good for optimum flavor.  

Thyme - Once that’s out of the way get about 2 tbs of thyme leaves by pulling leaves from the stem

Heat the cast iron pan or a heavy bottomed pan on the stove till it gets  angry hot.  

Add olive oil heat till fuming and add the butter. Quickly before the butter burns, place the chicken breasts in the pan in a single layer.

Cook's Note - I cook chicken the same way I cook a tuna steak – I watch for the color to change from pink to opaque cream half way to the thickness of the breast and then turn it over.

This way, my chicken always remains moist and has a lovely golden brown color.   Once all the chicken is cooked, remove in a platter.

To the same pan, add some more olive oil if needed. Now add the garlic sauté till you have that wonderful aroma fill the air and the garlic takes on that nice lightly browned color.  

Add the finely chopped red onion and continue to sauté. Once the onion is soft, add the sliced mushrooms. Stir.

Cook's Note - Hold back the urge to add some more butter, oil or liquid. I know the mushrooms look dry but give it a few minutes that they will release copious amounts of stored water and get all soft and limp. That is when you’re ready for the next step.

Now add the sour cream & Dijon mustard. Stir till well mixed. Do not add any water at this point. Add the thyme, taste and adjust salt and pepper.  

Return all the chicken to the pan along with au jus in platter and ¼ cup water. The chicken can overlap and be in a pile - no matter. Spoon the sauce as best you can all over the chicken. Lower the flame to low. Cover with a tight lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Cook's note – Feel free to try variations such as deglazing the pan with some white wine or substituting the sour cream with heavy cream. 

Arrange chicken on the serving platter with sauce on top. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve.

I served this to my family with steamed broccoli and a simple fresh salad. My 3 year old lets out a ‘oohhh..’ when it arrives at the table which is awesome considering the only other thing he says when I bring dinner to the table is ‘that gross’!

Once everyone is served and I take my first bite, my first thought is – delicate flavor, smooth finish. I like the slight tartness from the sour cream, the heady scent of thyme and the hint of a sweet finish as it coats the back of my throat. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. 

Now if only we  had a bottle of chilled Brancott Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Paretai 2008 (New Zealand) Maybe a trip to the bottle shop is in order!

Recipe for

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH MUSHROOMS IN A THYME-DIJON CREAM

Serves 4-6

Preparation time  - 20 minutes (can be done in advance)

Cooking time - 40 minutes

Shopping list

6 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

6 cups Fresh Mushrooms                                        

3/4 cup Sour cream

2 tbs Dijon Mustard

1/2 medium Red Onion

6 Garlic cloves

2 tbs Thyme leaves

2 tbs Whatever Whenever dry rub

2 tbs Olive oil – for marinating 

3-4 tbs Olive oil – for sautéing

3-4 tbs Butter – for sautéing

1/4 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 cup Water                             

Preparation

Chicken breasts - Butterfly the chicken, marinate in glass dish with the rub and 2 tbs olive oil. Rub the rub all over the chicken and leave aside for at least an hour. More the merrier.

Fresh Mushrooms – Wipe with damp cloth and slice. I use both caps and stems

Red onion – Peel and finely chop

Garlic cloves – Peel and chop

Thyme – Gather leaves by pulling sprig through fingers.

Cooking Method

Heat the cast iron pan or a heavy bottomed pan on the stove on medium high heat till it is angry hot.

Add 3 tbs  olive oil first till fuming. Add 3 tbs butter and before it browns immediately, add the marinated chicken in a single layer and cook on each side till it is golden brown.

Do not keep flipping the breasts. Watch for the color on one side to change from pink to opaque cream half way to the thickness of the breast and then turn it over. Cook chicken in batches if necessary. Remove chicken to a platter and set aside.

In the same pan, add a tbs of olive oil and butter (if pan is dry and it is needed) and add the garlic. Saute till it turns a nice golden color.

Add the finely chopped red onion and continue to sauté. Once the onion is soft, add the sliced mushrooms & stir.

Do not add any more butter, oil or liquid. Continue sautéing mushrooms release stored water and turns soft and limp.

Now lower heat to medium and add the sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt and sugar. Stir till well mixed.

Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce as best you can all over the chicken. Add thyme leaves, crushing between fingers to release the oils and aroma.

Add the water and lower flame to lowest setting. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove to the platter and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve immediately with side of vegetables, potatoes or crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Recipe for

Whatever Whenever' Dry Rub

Shopping list

• 1 ½ tbs Paprika
  
• 2  tbs Brown sugar
  
• 1  tbs Garlic powder
  
• 1/2  tbs Black pepper
  
• 1  tbs Onion powder
  
• 1  tbs Thyme leaves
  
• 1  tbs Oregano leaves
• 1/2  tbs Cayenne Pepper
  
• 1/4 tbs Turmeric 
  
• 1/2 tbs cumin powder
• 1-1/2 tbs salt
  

Preparation
Place all ingredients, one by one, in a screw top glass jar or any plastic container with tight lid. Close lid tightly and shake for 30 seconds vigorously to combine all above ingredients in a thoroughly dry airtight container.

Store in a dry and cool place.

Do you have a favorite Chicken recipe you would like to share with us? If so please let us know about it in the comments.We would love to hear from you!

Kicked Up Chicken Teriyaki Drumsticks

 
This right here is rocket science.....nawt!

But it one of those things that qualifies as 'Pillars of my Kitchen'.

What I mean by that is : if I used the last sprinkle of my truffle salt , I probably won't pull the car out of the driveway in my jammies in the wee hours, haul my kids in their jammies into the back, forget the make-up and make it at neck breaking speed to the nearest store to get that last bottle of truffle salt.

No, ma'am.

But if I run out of everything that's needed to make this week's batch of my kicked up Teriyaki sauce, I probably would. So just remember the next time you run into someone at the store who looks like she just rolled out of bed and the ghouls are chasing her, that's probably me!

Now here's why, whether it's chicken breasts, wings,  thighs or drumsticks (the size of them reminds you that they want to grow up to be turkey legs) like I've got today, this homemade teriyaki sauce works oh so well that I don't recall the last time I picked up a bottle of Kikko......infact, kikko who?

And since it takes all of five minutes to put together as long as you're not suffering from carpal tunnel and can wield a whisk, I say what's stopping you? So go on, get you some drumsticks....naow.

 

Lacey Chicken Kababs

 

Lacey kababs that is kababs rolled in egg are very popular with the Parsi community in India. The Parsis are India's largest Zoroastrian community - ancient Persians. The influence of Arabic led to a drop in the 'p' sound in the Persian language, changing "Parsi" to "Farsi" (the name by which the language is now known).

This peace loving genteel community are so much a part of India's secular fabric and are interwoven like colorful strands in a rich dari (rug).

Affectionately known by other communities as Paarsi baawaas they represent an entrepreneurial spirit, an overwhelming love for the Queen of England (so much so that most of them will stand up and salute at the television when the Queen shows, affectionately calling her "my Raani'), a love for western classical music and unique foods including their fish that is sweet and tangy.

These lacey cutlets traditionally made with ground goat (mutton) are just as delicious made with leftover chicken. The term 'lacey' because of the 'lace' that forms when the kababs are dipped in breadcrumbs and then in egg rather than the traditional method the other way around - egg first followed by breadcrumbs.

The result is a light airy coating that I love and makes a nice change to the crispy breadcrumb coating that we're all so used to.

Give it a go and what better way jazz up leftover cooked chicken? 

Pollo Alla Diavolo {Devil's Chicken} - Dijon-Pepper rubbed Roast Chicken served with Jalapeno Chile Oil

Some days I feel like the Chicken in Chicken little screaming away that the sky is falling! On such days when nothing goes your way and the stars seem out of alignment, there is not much you can do except go with the flow and hope that the day reaches a close with some rapidity. 

It is on such days that I always make Devil's Chicken - yes there is some irony to that and I realized that just as I was writing this. This recipe has been on my monthly roast chicken rotation for nearly 5 years now and I stumbled upon it quite by accident.

We were on our annual, 'week on the beach' vacation in Emerald Isle, North Carolina and it had been raining all week. Can you imagine, being rained in for the whole week, the one week you, Mr. Hubby, the kids and Sydney, our faithful Golden Retriever head for the beach?

I refer you back to line 1, para 1 of this post. 'Nuf said.

Anyway, it was our last night there and we so needed a pick me up. So I am in the kitchen wondering what to fix for dinner and I come across some recipes stuffed in one of the drawers. The owner of the beach house obviously was a foodie herself because I loved her kitchen - it was always immaculate and beautifully stocked.

So anyway, I came across this hand scrawled recipe for Pollo Alla Diavolo, (no measurements mind you)  and it had only needed a few ingredients to fix. Most of which I had and I was sure I could convince Mr. Hubby to prance in the rain to the car and do to grocery run for me. Which he thankfully did and let me tell you - when we took the first bite into this chicken, there was complete silence on the table. No one said a word, not even the kids, we just kept going till the only thing left was the carcass of the bird.It was so good! And it was just we needed.

It must be the essence of Jalapeno chile (which is very different to the heat of the chile by the way) that  works so well with the flavors of the chicken that rendered us absolutely speechless.  Since then its been my rock of Gibraltar in the kitchen on 'such' days.

Over the years I have come across many recipes for Pollo Alla Diavolo - some with red pepper, some with hot sauce and some even where you beat the chicken with a brick!

It was recently, when I received one of Mario Batali's books as a gift that I noticed the similarity between the recipe I make, to the recipe in his book. However this version is all mine - I follow my own measurements & cooking method.

May be one day I will try and make it Batali's way but then again, if it ain't broke why fix it?

So here goes ~

 

Mum's Rassavala Chicken - A classic Chicken stew from India flavored with cumin, yogurt & spices

 
 
I grew up on this, my Mum's chicken stew. Utterly simple, utterly nourishing & utterly divine!

My memories of this, one of my favorite chicken preparations is Mum perched on the greenish-black 'kota' stone kitchen counter top, a foot stool below her to help her up from her 5 ft height. The situation only compounded by the fact that atop the stove were my mother's very old tall copper & iron ore pots & if she didn't perch herself onto the counter top, there was no way mum would see past the side of the pot much less in the pot!

I  know this is a food blog but that doesn't mean I can't share tidbits about building materials can I? So just 'coz you asked, 'kota' stone is a fine-grained variety of limestone quarried in the 'Kota' district in Rajasthan, India. Moving on...

My mother has a lot of patience when it comes to cooking which is at complete odds with my style & she often refers to me as 'the tornado in the kitchen'. 

So when Mum makes one of her signature dishes, she'd always pull out the footstool and seat herself up on the counter top and patiently get cooking. I'd dare not do this in my home with the cheap particle board & plywood construction frame  - I reckon me being a fat girl in a fat body, I'd bring the entire freakin' counter top down, cabinets & all!

Anyway, back home Dad being an Architect, our counter tops (frame and all) are custom designed in stone & short of an actual tornado (not talking about moi here) nothing is going to bring it down!

Growing up, one of my most vivid memories whenever this chicken was being cooked is that as soon as the chicken broth was done, Mum would have made extra and call me for my 'thaakath' drink which in Hindi means 'strength potion'. There was no arguing here, not that I would - I mean it was delicious but even if it was hotter (as in chilly hot) than usual, there would be no arguments and I'd have to drink a cup of it down.

Incidentally, I've tried this with my own kids and it doesn't work - they run the other way as soon they hear me calling & see one of my nameless creations cooking in the pot!

....... breathe Devaki.... breathe.....

 

Roasted Citrus & Spice Chicken Drumsticks with Root Vegetables

On days such as this

I fix this

Its hard to remain under the weather when the scent of oranges and spices fills the air. It also helps that I can't stop myself from licking spoonfuls of marinade before it gets on the chicken. Yea, its that good!

Its enough to put a spring in my step or at the very least kick start my taste buds!  The fact that its quick & easy to throw together is an added bonus.

This recipe has been a kitchen staple of mine since the first few months that we landed in the US. I first read the recipe in a magazine at the dentists office - Woman's Day  or something or the other it was called (the magazine that is - our dentist was Dr. Newman :) As I quickly rushed through the list of ingredients, it stayed with me.  It helped that it listed only a couple - chicken drumsticks, red chilly powder, brown sugar, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Since I'm missing the gene that allows me to follow a recipe to the letter, I have since added my own spin - with orange juice, orange rind, & cumin powder. And if I may say so, we're better for it!

Hokkien Style Chicken with Leeks & Cucumber

Imagine a cool breeze on a sweltering summer's day - now imagine being able to taste it! That's the first thought that came to mind as I took a bite of dinner.

What a marvelous combination of cool cucumber, leeks and succulent chicken.This dish exemplifies the very essence of Hokkien style cooking - complex but  refined flavors with no 'loud' overtones.

It is one of predominant styles of cooking in Singapore - the others being Cantonese, Teochew & Hakka styles. When I was given this recipe  by one of my Singaporean room mates  at University,  I had to try it and it's stuck with me ever since.

Super quick and easy to fix, this is once again a perfect example of  a few, fresh ingredients coming together in a jiffy to create explosive flavors.

Tellicherry Pepper Chicken From South India's Malabar coast

Here's a sign from a tiger sanctuary in Southern India....I figured we could all use a few laughs at the first of this week even though it has absolutely nothing to do with food!

Tellicherry Pepper Chicken ~ Succulent Chicken with Pepper, Spices & aromatic Kari leaves

My mother has always admired strong spirited women - being one herself & coming from a family of such women, this comes as no surprise.

I have always seen my mother heavily involved in community service. She once took on the daunting task of planting & maintaining 100 trees in the streets of our suburb in Mumbai.  One day I came home from school to find her knee deep in earthworms because she decided that the redundant triangular patch of dirt outside our kitchen window, in our apartment building would best serve as a vermicompost pit.

Needless to say, she's  also the one with the heartiest laughter in the room!

I would often hear her speak of a women she  admired one of whom was Thangam. E. Phillip who was best known for her role as the Dean of Dadar Catering College in Mumbai & her philanthropy as she worked  to launch the UN's Freedom From Hunger campaign

Her pinnacle of recognition was when she earned India's highest honor the Padmashree, for her service to the development of hotel and catering education & was honored with the Knighthood of the Order of "Cordon Bleu Du Sant Esprit' from France.

This is her recipe and has been a staple in my mother's kitchen and this recipe along with the memories of her story continue to reside in mine.

Black Tellicherry peppercorns are some of the finest in the world with their large size and robust, pungent flavors & heady aroma. They reign supreme in the town of Tellicherry on the Malabar Coast of Southern India.

It would be best to seek Tellicherry peppercorns  for this recipe but you may substitute with regular peppercorns. Omission of kari leaves however, is not recommended. These are easily available at an Indo-Pak grocery store.

The ingredients for this dish are - young skinless chicken, yellow onions, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, Tellicherry peppercorns, kari leaves, vegetable oil & salt.

   

Chicken -  Skin the chicken & cut at all the joints. Cut the each breast into 4 pieces.  Cut & discard excess fat.

Garlic - Peel & set aside

Ginger - Peel & roughly chop

Cilantro - Wash leaves, discard stems & finely chop. Place in a bowl of water till ready to use. Discard water & drain before using as a garnish

  

Masala {Spice} Paste- In a mini chopper place the peppercorns and pulverize till the peppercorns have broken down into small pieces. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and finely chop for a few seconds. Add 6-8 tbs water and blend to a fine paste.

  

Place the chicken in a large pan. Pour the masala paste over the chicken. Rinse the mini-chopper bowl with 1/3 cup water and our over the chicken. Stir to mix.

Over medium heat, allow the chicken to cook, covered with a tight lid,  for 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile prepare the onions -

Yellow onions - Peel & roughly quarter. In a rinsed out mini chopper, chop till fine. Do not allow it to turn into a paste.

In a separate large saute pan (large enough to accommodate the chicken)  heat the vegetable oil till fuming. Add the curry leaves & as soon as it sizzles, add the chopped onions.

  

Saute over medium heat for 15-20 minutes till onions are soft and very light brown.

Once the chicken has been cooking for 30 minutes transfer the chicken to the onions and stir till well mixed.  Cook for about another 15 minutes covered with a tight lid till the chicken is soft & completely cooked.

Taste & adjust seasonings.  Remove to a serving bowl & sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves.

Indian meals are traditionally served in metal plates called thalis like the one in the pic above. These are made of metal - Gold for kings, stainless steel & brass for daily use. Silver thalis are reserved for special occasions.

Since this chicken is traditional to South India, it is eaten with plain steamed rice. The chicken is very tender & moist and the flavors of the peppercorns though robust, is subdued and adds just the right touch of heat without setting your mouth on fire. 

The flavors & aroma of the spices and the peppercorns is mouthwatering and savory. The meal was delicious & was devoured by the kids as well.

I also love how easy and uncomplicated a preparation it is for a weeknight dinner. A simple tomato, cucumber, cilantro salad  & a lemon vinaigrette on the side is a refreshing accompaniment.

Recipe for

TELLICHERRY PEPPER CHICKEN

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Cooking Time - 45 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

Young whole chicken, defrosted

2 small yellow onions

1 strand kari leaves  

4 tbs vegetable oil

1/3 cup water

4-5 sprigs cilantro

Masala {Spice} paste -

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbs Tellicherry peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

8 garlic cloves

1" piece fresh ginger root

1-1/2 tsp salt

6-8 tbs water

Preparation -

Chicken -  Skin the chicken & cut at all the joints. Cut the each breast into 4 pieces.  Cut & discard excess fat.

Garlic - Peel & set aside

Ginger - Peel & roughly chop

Cilantro - Wash leaves, discard stems & finely chop. Place in a bowl of water till ready to use. Discard water & drain before using as a garnish

Masala {Spice} Paste- In a mini chopper place the peppercorns and pulverize till the peppercorns have broken down into small pieces. Add the ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and finely chop for a few seconds. Add 6-8 tbs water and blend to a fine paste.

Yellow onions - Peel & roughly quarter. In a rinsed out mini chopper, chop till fine. Do not allow it to turn into a paste.

Cooking Method -

Place the chicken in a large pan. Pour the masala paste over the chicken. Rinse the mini-chopper bowl with 1/3 cup water and our over the chicken. Stir to mix.

Over medium heat, allow the chicken to cook, covered with a tight lid,  for 30 minutes.

In a large separate saute pan (large enough to accommodate the chicken)  heat the vegetable oil till fuming. Add the curry leaves & as soon as it sizzles, add the chopped onions.

Saute over medium heat for 15-20 minutes till onions are soft and very light brown.

Once the chicken has been cooking for 30 minutes transfer the chicken to the onions and stir till well mixed.

Cook for about another 15 minutes covered with a tight lid till the chicken is soft & completely cooked.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves.

Enjoy with steamed white rice !

{Hariyali Tangdi kabab} A Succulent 'Green' Tandoori specialty of Grilled Chicken Legs marinated in a blend of Yogurt, Herbs & Spices

There are countless varieties and styles of Tandoori cooking. Unfortunately for most, if you have only ever eaten at a 'run of the mill' Indian restaurant here in the US, then you have probably tasted but one or two styles of tandoori cooking - doused in orange food coloring! With this recipe you are in for a welcome refreshing surprise!

It is hard to imagine that anyone would sink to their knees in rapturous delight at sight of chicken leg quarters on sale for $0.77 cents/lb. But then most people don't know that these humble chicken appendages are essential to preparing one of the finest fresh herb tandoori delicacies in the North Indian kabab repertoire! - Hariyali Tangdi kababs.

A direct translation of this dish - Hariyali Tangdi kabab - are leg (chicken) kababs  in an abundance of greens & herbs. Quite honestly, there is no better explanation.

In this kabab preparation, skinless chicken leg quarters are marinated overnight or for at least 4 hours in a blend of yogurt, spinach, green bell pepper, bird green chillies, garlic, ginger, mint leaves, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. The enzymes in the yogurt act as a meat tenderizer which is the secret behind achieving super tender & moist meat as a result.

Traditionally, these & all North Indian kababs are cooked in a  clay oven, known as tandoor. It used to cook everything from a variety of breads such as Naan & Tandoori roti to a vast selection of kababs which are marinated grilled meats, seafood & vegetables.

The traditional tandoor is a clay oven fired by charcoal. And despite an advent of modern contraptions it is nearly impossible to achieve the flavor & the aroma that comes from grilling in a traditional tandoor. However, in the modern kitchen, a gas grill, a gas broiler or charcoal grill do manage to produce fabulous results so we just may be able to overlook not having a charcoal tandoor in our kitchens!

If you are ever going to begin cooking wonderful mouthwatering kababs at home, I urge you begin with this one.  With a whir of a mini-chopper, a little bit of planning for the marination, 20 minutes on a grill or broiler & you will be in culinary heaven. By the way, I do not recommend that you substitute with chicken breasts because they have a tendency to dry out.

Hariyali Tangdi kababs  are also a marvelous dish to serve at a large party because you can produce massive amounts cheaply & quickly without anyone ever realizing that they are eating economical cuts of chicken as they will be so enthralled by its flavor. Promise!

So here goes -

 

In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder.

Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid.

 

Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides.

 

Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. 

Cover & refrigerate for 24 hours or set aside on the counter top for 4 hours.

A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler.

Gas Grill or Charcoal grill -  Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using 'direct' grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side

Broiler  (which is the method I'll be using since my gas grill is out of commission - aagghh....Don't ask!) 

 

If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot.

Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. 

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.

Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes.

The clean intense flavors of the herb infused chicken is refreshing and and at the same time rich and complex. Its like a little flavor explosion with every bite.

The kachumbar served on the side, is a refreshing salad of red onions, tomatoes, lime juice & cilantro and it constantly refreshes the palette with each bite and complements the chicken perfectly!

Brilliant with Naan, plain roti or tandoori rotis.

 

Helpful Tips from Zander (blog reader & friend) who fixed this (smiles) :

1. Cook the chicken longer then you think. At first was a little under done at the bone.

2. Ghee makes nice fire when mixed with hot coals. Have a water sprayer standing by to kill the flames

3. Breast meat works fine just don’t over cook.

 

 

Recipe for

{HARIYALI TANGDI KABAB} TANDOORI GRILLED CHICKEN LEGS MARINATED IN A BLEND OF YOGURT, HERBS & SPICES 

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Marination time - 4 - 24 hours

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list

4-6 (large family pack) chicken leg quarters

1/2 cup yogurt

3 garlic cloves

1" piece fresh ginger root

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1'section'  green bell pepper

1/4 cup mint

2 green chillies

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

3/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbs lemon juice

Preparation -

Marinade - In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid.

Chicken - Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides.

Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. 

Cover & set aside for a minimum of 4 hours or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Cooking Method -

A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler.

Gas Grill or Charcoal grill -  Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using 'direct' grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side

Broiler - If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot.  Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. 

Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side.

Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown.

Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

I've got Snail Mail & Just in time for a Splendid No-Roll Chicken & Pecan Crumb Pie

I love it when the likes of Christmas morning arrives unexpectedly!

Well, it feels like Christmas to me because when the knock on the door revealed the man-in-brown holding a rather large box, I was eager with anticipation at the possibility that it could very well be my coveted and awaited Emile Henry 9" pie dish. Hooray!

This is wonderful timing because it coincides with a conversation I've had with Leslie, one of the owners at the quaint Wildflower Cafe in Clearwater, Florida. They have a wonderfully idyllic neighborhood cafe tucked away which serves a wonderful breakfast, brunches and don't even get me started on their pies!

During a visit many years ago I still remember their excellent Chicken & Pecan pie was. Anyway, I got on the telephone and decided to ask for the recipe because I was pining for a slice and I don't think Mr. Hubby is interested in buying me a $544 air ticket any time soon!

As Leslie pointed out the recipe was also featured in their local newspaper.

Why is the timing providential? Because Pie meets Dish my friends!

For those of you who've hung out with me in the kitchen these last 3 months you probably know that where most women salivates over their Oscar de la Renta's, I salivate over my bake ware & cook ware and as far as I'm concerned Emile Henry & Mauviel top my drool list!

I look past the detritus of my package opening session cluttered around me in a hope to get it cleaned up before Mr. Hubby comes in through the door and starts tsk-ing in displeasure. And finally revealed is this -

Wow! First thought, look how thick it is! My no-names pie dish that I've had for years tends to overcook my pies in spots & is half the thickness of this baby plus, I love the color! A beautiful glistening red, technically a 'cerise' - none of that 'can't quite put my finger on it - could go 2 shades this way or that way'.

I also love that beautiful scalloped edge which I think will be perfect homemade pies - reminiscent of the pinched edges, don't you think? And it can go from freezer to oven!

So lets get started and put the dish to good use so we can start digging into this.....

This I promise you, this pie is going to be on top of your list for holidays, brunches, potlucks, day after Thanksgiving & every other occasion that requires a stress-free fabulous dinner prepared in advance. You know why?

Because its even better, when you bake it, cool it, refrigerate it and then eat it! How great is that? Finally a dish that's made for us busy worker bees.

Also, absolutely brilliant with chutneys and marmalade (in fact I wouldn't advise you miss it for the world) I served it with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the recipe for which is here but you can serve it with any favorite fruit chutney or marmalade of your choice.

The ingredients for this recipe can be divided into the filling & the pie crust (base & topping)

The filling -

Use leftover rotisserie chicken (both dark & white meat in equal quantities for a moist filling), red Spanish or vidalia onion, Tabasco sauce, dried dill, sour cream, mayonnaise, eggs, chicken stock, shredded cheddar cheese.

Chicken - De-bone and chop the chicken.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.

Eggs - Crack & dispose shell. Beat with a fork & set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add beaten eggs, chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped onions, Tabasco, dill & shredded cheese.

With a spatula stir. Add the chicken stock and stir again. Once well blended, set aside.

Pie crust & topping -

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Gather the ingredients - all purpose flour, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pecans, vegetable oil & paprika.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients. Use a spatula or use your clean hands. Mix until all the ingredients are completely blended and a crumbly mixture is formed.

Use non-stick baking spray and generously spray the inside of the 9" pie dish - base and side walls.

Separate the mixture into 2 equal parts. Use one half for the base and set aside the other half for the topping.

Using clean hands, spread the mixture (the half for the base) as best you can and press along the sides and the walls so it of as uniform thickness as possible.

Keep pressing the mixture down so it stays in position.

Bake the pie base ion the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will show only a slight browning but not considerable color difference.

Spoon all the contents of the filling into the baked base.

Sprinkle the other half of the crumb topping uniformly over the pie.

Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Do not open the oven door or mess with it in any way during the baking process.

And what you get is the pie with a wonderful crumbly top - gorgeous texture as you can see!

Set the pie aside for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving or else the filling will be runny. If you are serving the next day, allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate.

Cut into the pie and the filling is firm but moist and not at all dry. The base and topping is like a streusel texture, flaky & cheesy.

Serve it with some wonderful fruit chutney. I served mine with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the post for which is here

The pie filling is so very creamy and flavorful. The cheese and pecan pie crust and base provide a wonderful textural and flavor variation to the creaminess of the filling.

Very pleasing to the eye and the belly. I will be making this again and again. Given the ease of preparation it's on my must-do list for brunches!

With little bites of the chutney, the pie is elevated to a whole other level. The spicy-tart-sweet flavors from the chutney, work beautifully with all the elements of the pie. This would be great even with a simple orange marmalade in a pinch me thinks.

I have to say, the Emile Henry pie dish has done its job admirably - there was no uneven browning at all. One must attribute this to the thickness & that burgundy clay they use. I'm thrilled with it and can't wait to use it for all my summer fruit pies!Yum!

Recipe for

Splendid No-Roll, Chicken & Pecan Crumb Pie

Adapted from the Original recipe by Wildflower Cafe, Clearwater, Florida

Please Note - I have used artistic liberties & adjusted quantities of some the ingredients from the original recipe. These differences have been highlighted with cross-outs.

Preparation time - 30 minutes

Baking time- 1 hour

Shopping list

Filling-

12 oz cooked chicken 13 oz cooked rotisserie chicken, chopped

3 eggs

1-1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chicken stock

3 dashes Tabasco sauce

3/4 tsp dill 1 tsp dried dill

3 oz shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped vidalia or red onion

Pie base & topping -

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 tbs vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

6 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation -

The filling -

Chicken - De-bone and chop the chicken.

Onion - Peel, discard the skin and finely chop.

Eggs - Crack & dispose shell. Beat with a fork & set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add beaten eggs, chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped onions, Tabasco, dill & shredded cheese. With a spatula stir. Add the chicken stock and stir again. Once well blended, set aside.

Baking method -

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Gather the ingredients for the pie crust & topping - all purpose flour, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped pecans, vegetable oil & paprika.

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients. Use a spatula or use your clean hands. Mix until all the ingredients are completely blended and a crumbly mixture is formed.

Use non-stick baking spray and generously spray the inside of the 9" pie dish - base and side walls. Empty the contents of the crumbly mixture into the pie dish.

Separate the mixture into 2 equal parts. Use one half for the base and set aside the other half for the topping.

Using clean hands, spread the mixture (the half for the base) as best you can and press along the sides and the walls so it of as uniform thickness as possible.

Keep pressing the mixture down so it stays in position.

Bake the pie base ion the preheated oven for 15 minutes. It will show only a slight browning but not considerable color difference.

Spoon all the contents of the filling into the baked base.

Sprinkle the other half of the crumb topping uniformly over the pie.

Place in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Set the pie aside for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving or else the filling will be runny. If you are serving the next day, allow the pie to cool completely and then refrigerate.

Serve with some wonderful fruit chutney. I served mine with I served it with my special Chutney de POM, Kumquats, Jalapeno & Ginger - the recipe for which is here

Enjoy!

 

Fusion Cobb Salad

 Tandoori Chicken tenderloins served on a bed of fresh lettuce, herbs & vegetables, tossed with a ginger-honey dressing & finished with raisins & tortilla crisps

It's spring & there's nothing funny about that where I'm concerned! I have yet to shed the 7 lbs I have put on from Christmas...from Christmas, you hear me? I want to scream. It's Easter next week and I'm still stuck with Christmas weight! Ugh....

So when I first began finalizing plans for dinner tonight, it had to be a salad and before I entered the kitchen, I had every intention of preparing  a classic Cobb salad.

Somewhere along the way, once I opened the refrigerator door, I was seduced by the variety of herbs & fresh produce in my refrigerator (other than those called for Cobb's salad) a half finished container of plain yogurt, a lonesome tortilla in its bag & the scant golden raisins waiting to be used. And very soon plans drifted from traditional Cobb salad to what can only be called a Fusion Cobb salad.

There is some irony to the fact that Robert Cobb himself invented the salad back in the 1930's in California in a similar fashion, using items he had found in the refrigerator at his restaurant - The Brown Derby. So it gives me some comfort that since there was method to his madness,  perhaps such will also be the case in mine!

The recipe can be categorized into 5 sections -

• Tandoori Chicken & its marinade
  
• Dressing 
• Salad
• Garnishes & tortilla Crisps
• Assembly

Chicken -

  

In the container of a mini chopper or blender gather together ingredients for the chicken marinade - yogurt, cilantro, mint, roughly chopped ginger, peeled garlic cloves, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cream & salt. Pulverize to a  paste.

Pour into a dish (not metal) with the defrosted chicken tenderloins & marinate for  anywhere from 1-4 hours. Longer the better. Set aside.

 

Dressing - In a cleaned out bowl of the mini-chopper or blender, add the juice of freshly squeezed lemon, grated ginger, olive oil, honey, sugar if you're using, chopped mint leaves, crushed garlic, chopped 'Thai' red chilly & salt.

Pulverize until it is completely blended to a fine, smooth consistency. Refrigerate till ready to use. 

Salad-  Begin preparations approx 45 minutes to an hour before serving time.

Prepare all ingredients for the salad - hearts of romaine lettuce, fresh cilantro, mint, red bell pepper, black olives, avocado, red onion, tomatoes & cucumber.

Hearts of romaine lettuce - Wash, discard any brown or discolored leaves. Tear with hand or kitchen  shears to approx 1" bite size pieces.

Place in a large mixing bowl lined with kitchen paper towels.  

Using a kitchen paper towel pat dry the lettuce to remove as much moisture as possible. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the other ingredients.

 

Avocado -  Cut an avocado into half. Retain the other half with the seed, in the refrigerator.  Score the avocado with a knife in a criss-cross fashion. Do not cut into the skin.

Turn the avocado inside-out so the fleshy square come away from the skin. Set aside on a large platter.

 

Herbs & olives -  Wash & finely chop the mint & cilantro. Halve the black olives & set aside on the platter with the avocados.

Vegetables - 

 Red onion - Peel & finely slice in semi-circles

Tomatoes - Wash & dice

Cucumber - Peel leaving alternate strips intact (for looks), cut lengthwise & cut into 1/4" semi-circles.

Gather all the vegetables on the platter.  Refrigerate till further use. 

 

 

Chicken -  If using the oven, turn the oven to 'broil' setting. If using a gas grill or charcoal grill, heat to medium-high.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard excess marinade.

In the broiler pan, place the tenderloins on a baking stone or parchment lined baking tray (sprayed with non-stick spray) & cook the tenderloins for about 8-9 minutes or until cooked. Baste with 'ghee' or olive oil. Grill for another 8-9 minutes. Baste with olive oil or ghee & set aside.

Cook until no longer pink but do not overcook or they will dry out.

If using the gas or charcoal grill, grill the tenderloins until golden brown and cooked through about 6-7 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill or broiler pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Tortilla Crisps -

 

Use any tortilla you have at hand or buy the kind you would use later on for wraps etc.  The one I had on hand was a honey wheat tortilla. It is a little stale so it is  perfect for the tortilla crisps.

Using a serrated bread knife, cut the tortilla in half. Overlap the edges & cut into radial shapes like pizza triangles. Heat olive oil in a small pan & heat on medium heat till  hot but not fuming.

 

Add one tortilla triangle at a time & fry till to a lovely golden brown. 

Assembly- 

 

Remove the lettuce from the refrigerator. Discard the kitchen paper towels. Add all the herbs & vegetables. Add half the dressing & toss.

Cook's Note - I would serve the extra dressing on the side. Nothing worse than having way  too much dressing to begin with. This way everyone can help themselves to more at the table.

Sprinkle the garnishes - the raisins & crumbled aged cheddar cheese. Mound the Chicken tenderloins over the salad & serve with the tortilla crisps.

This salad can  best be described as a palimpsest of flavors. The zesty tang in the lemon dressing carries a hint of sweetness throughout, while the ginger & minty aromas amp up the flavors in the salad. The raisins add a touch of whimsy & sweeten the palette most unexpectedly.

The chicken with its moist tender flesh is an explosion of flavors with the cumin, spices  & yogurt set against the refreshing canvas of the salad.

A perfect, light dinner with the tortilla crisps adding just the right touch of crunch!

Recipe for

Fusion Cobb Salad ~ Tandoori Chicken tenderloins served on a bed of fresh lettuce, herbs & vegetables, tossed with a ginger-honey dressing & finished with raisins & tortilla crisps

Preparation time - 40 minutes

Cooking time - 20 minutes

Serves 4

Shopping list - 

8-12 chicken tenderloins (1 packet)

Marinade -

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1" fresh  ginger root

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbs heavy cream

2 tbs lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

Salad -

1 - 1/2 bundles hearts of romaine lettuce (6-8 cups torn leaves)

3 Roma tomatoes

1/2 ripe avocado

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

8 black olives

1 English cucumber (1 cup sliced)

Dressing -

1/4 cup+ 1 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3  garlic cloves

1-1/2" fresh ginger root

1 'Thai' red chilly

1/8 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbs honey

1/2 tsp powdered sugar (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

Garnish-

1 large tortilla

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 oz aged cheddar cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup for deep-frying

Preparation

Garlic Cloves - Peel & crush. Discard skin

Ginger -  Scrape skin off with a knife. Roughly chop " piece for marinade. Grate 1-1/2" ginger for dressing (to make 3 tsp)

Chicken & Marinade-  In the container of a mini chopper or blender gather together ingredients for the marinade - yogurt, cilantro (for marinade only), mint (for marinade only), roughly chopped ginger, 3 crushed garlic cloves, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, cream & salt.  Pulverize to a  paste.

Pour into a dish (not metal) with the defrosted chicken tenderloins & marinate for 1-4 hours. Set aside. Longer the batter.

Thai red chilly - Finely chop. Set aside. Wash hands thoroughly with soap & water to get rid of chilly oils.

Mint (for Dressing) -  Wash & roughly chop.

Dressing - In a cleaned out bowl of the mini-chopper or blender, add freshly squeezed lemon juice, grated ginger, olive oil, honey, sugar, chopped mint leaves, crushed garlic, chopped 'Thai' red chilly & salt. Pulverize until to a fine, smooth consistency. Refrigerate till ready to use.

Salad -

Hearts of romaine lettuce - Wash, discard any brown or discolored leaves. Tear with hand or kitchen  shears to approx 1" bite size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl lined with kitchen paper towels. Using a kitchen paper towel pat dry the lettuce to remove as much moisture as possible. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the other ingredients.

Avocado - Cut an avocado into half. Retain the other half with the seed, in the refrigerator.  Score the avocado with a knife in a criss-cross fashion. Do not cut into the skin.  Turn inside out to separate avocado fruit from skin. Set aside on a large platter.

Red onion - Peel & finely slice in semi-circles

Tomatoes - Wash & dice

Olives - Remove from liquid & halve (lengthwise)

Cucumber - Peel leaving alternate strips intact (for looks), cut lengthwise & cut into 1/4" semi-circles. 

Mint  & Cilantro (for Salad) -  Wash & finely chop.

Gather all the vegetables on the platter.  Refrigerate till further use. 

Cooking Method -

Chicken -  If using the oven, turn the oven to 'broil' setting. If using a gas grill or charcoal grill, heat to medium-high.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard excess marinade.

 In the broiler pan, place the tenderloins on a baking stone or parchment lined baking tray (sprayed with non-stick spray) & cook the tenderloins for 8-9  minutes. Baste with 'ghee' or olive oil. Grill for another 8-9 minutes. Baste with olive oil or ghee & set aside.

If using the gas or charcoal grill, grill the tenderloins until golden brown and cooked through about 6-7 minutes on each side.

Remove from the grill or broiler pan and let rest for 10 minutes.

Tortilla Crisps - Using a serrated bread knife, cut the tortilla in half. Overlap the edges & cut into radial shapes like pizza triangles.

Heat olive oil in a small pan & heat on medium heat till  hot but not fuming. Add one tortilla triangle at a time & fry till to a lovely golden brown. 

Assembly- 

Remove the lettuce from the refrigerator. Discard the kitchen paper towels. Add all the herbs & vegetables. Add half the dressing & toss. Serve remaining dressing table side.

Sprinkle the garnishes - the raisins & crumpled aged cheddar cheese. Mound the Chicken tenderloins over the salad & serve with the tortilla crisps.

Enjoy!

Perfectly Perfect Roast Chicken with a 3-herb Medley

 
There are few meals more heartening & comfort giving than a perfectly roasted chicken served with potatoes & roast vegetables.

All the same, how many times has it come about that you have people over to dinner and you are just about ready to serve, you pull the Chicken out of the oven and carve, only to realize the insides are all pink?

Now you are in a state of borderline panic, put the chicken back in the oven, set the timer for another 10-15 minutes, all the while sipping wine and prancing about nervously hoping it all works out. By now the breast is probably dry & the thigh meat still looks a shade of pink.

Sounds familiar? I have been there and done that more times than I care to remember.

Until one fine day, I stumbled upon a technique for the perfect roast Chicken every time. It all fell into place the morning I began making my annual, from scratch, Duck l'Orange recipe.

I realized that the reason the duck is so tender and moist with a crispy skin on the outside is because we cook it at very high temperatures which, in turn, melts the fat off rapidly giving us a crispy exterior with  a perfectly cooked tender interior.

Well, the same technique actually applies to  its humbler cousin - the chicken.

Having found the perfect roasting method  that allows me to kiss my Chicken anxieties good bye,  I have clung to it with 'hoops of steel' (thank you, Shakespeare!)  and no matter what  roasting temperature a recipe calls for, never again shall I roast at 325 deg F or 350 deg F when I can achieve perfection at 400 deg F!

So to begin, we need to do 2 things -

• Remove the butter from the fridge so it softens while we work on the chicken.
  

• Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.

We  need a roasting bird that has been defrosted and washed with the giblets, heart, neck and liver set aside.

   

With the help of sharp kitchen shears,  proceed to cut away the tail and the 2 fat flaps on either side of the chicken cavity.

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Gather all the ingredients  required for the herb rub.

With an herb cutter or a sharp kitchen knife, finely chop the rosemary and sage. Separate the thyme leaves from the stem by gently pulling through the fingers.  Finely chop the garlic as well.

Cooks Note- I never use an  electric chopper to chop fresh herbs because I think it turns  the herbs black on the edges and they lose their original aroma.  I prefer chopping by hand. The only exception to this rule is parsley.

Set aside 1 tbs of herbs to be used later for the gravy.

In a small bowl gather the softened butter, olive oil, chopped garlic and the remaining fresh chopped herbs.

With a fork whip the herb mix till well blended. Set aside.

Roughly dice the carrots, celery and onions. Place the vegetables at the  bottom of the roasting pan along with the giblets, heart, neck and liver. The vegetables etc. will flavor the pan drippings for the gravy.

I'm using my favorite Emile Henry roasting pan which I love. I love its curved outward shape as it curves out because it  gives that little bit of extra room around the chicken to place the veggies all around it.

Place the chicken in the roasting pan over the vegetables. With your fingers, loosen the skin on the breast so the herb can be applied under the skin.

Rub the olive oil and pepper (hold back on the salt) all over the chicken - turn the chicken over so you do this on both sides.  Squeeze the lime or lemon juice all over the chicken as well.

Rub salt and pepper in the cavity of the chicken and place the lime or lemon halves in the cavity.

Apply the herb rub liberally under the breast skin. Also apply all over the chicken in the front and back.

Cooks Note- As you may have noticed, I held back the salt earlier.This is because I like to rain the salt over the chicken so that it has a nice uniform coating.

This results in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin - in fact you will be able to see the baked salt once the chicken is roasted.

To rain salt, turn the chicken breast side down. Hold 1/2 tbs Salt in a spoon in your right and gently tap so the salt 'rains down' on the chicken. Turn over and with another 1/2 tbs salt, repeat all over the front of the chicken.

Place the chicken in the preheated oven and set the timer for 40 minutes. Once the timer goes off,  pour 1 cup chicken stock in the base of the roasting pan. 

Cook's Note - At this half way point in the roasting process, I make a cut in the  skin that extends from the leg to breast (which covers the thigh joint) because more times than not, that is the part that takes longest to cook, all the while drying out the breast meat. But cutting the skin,  allows the  to get to the thigh joint and cooks it thoroughly. 

Continue roasting the bird for approx another 1/2 hour.

If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the thigh and roast till it read s 165-170 deg F. In my case, I simply lift the chicken with two wooden spoons and tilt it slightly over a  white plate, so the juices run out of the cavity. If  the pan juices run clear, the chicken is  ready to serve.

Set onto a cutting board and rest for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the gravy.

Drain off as much of floating chicken fat as you can from the roasting pan.

 

For the gravy, sieve all the pan juices into a pan. Add the fresh herbs and juice of 1/4 lime or lemon.

On a medium flame, let the gravy simmer for approx 10 minutes or until it has slightly thickened.Taste and adjust seasonings.

 

Carve the chicken and serve onto a warm platter along with the gravy . The herbs and lemony flavors are quite refreshing and come together in a perfect blend. The chicken with its perfect crispy salted skin and moist tender meat is a delight for grown ups and kids alike!

Recipe for

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN WITH A 3-HERB MEDLEY

Serves 4

Shopping list

1 large roasting chicken - approx 5 lbs

4 sprigs  fresh rosemary

8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh sage

1 large carrot

2 stalks celery

1 large onion

2 tbs fresh chopped garlic

2 tbs olive oil

2 oz butter

3/4 lime or 1 lemon

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tbs salt

Preparation -

Chicken -  Defrost and wash the bird.   Using sharp kitchen shears,  cut away the tail and the 2 fat flaps on either side of the chicken cavity. Place the giblets, heart, neck and liver at the bottom on the roasting pan.

Vegetables - Wash, peel and roughly dice the carrots and the onions. Wash and roughly dice the celery. Place at the  bottom of the roasting pan.

Fresh herbs -  Finely chop the rosemary and sage. Separate the thyme leaves from the stem by gently pulling through the fingers. 

Garlic - Peel and finely chop.

Herb Butter - In a small bowl place together the softened butter, olive oil, chopped garlic and fresh chopped herbs. Set aside 1 tbs of herbs to be used later for the gravy. With a fork, whip the herb mix till well blended. Set aside.

Cooking Method -

Preheat oven to 400 deg F

Place the chicken in the roasting pan over the vegetables. With your fingers loosen the skin covering the chicken breast.

Rub the olive oil and pepper (hold back on the salt) all over  on the front as well as the back.  Rub salt and pepper in the cavity of the chicken and place the lime or lemon half in the cavity.

Apply the herb rub liberally all over the chicken as well as  under the skin on the breast.

Turn the chicken over, breast side down and rain 1/2 tbs  salt. Turn over and with another 1/2 tbs salt do the same in a uniform coating. This results in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin when roasted.

Place the chicken in the preheated oven.  Set the timer for 40 minutes. Once the timer goes off,  pour 1 cup chicken stock in the base of the roasting pan.

Cook's Note - At this half way point in the roasting process, I make a cut in the  skin that extends from the leg to breast (which covers the thigh joint) because more times than not, that is the part that takes longest to cook, all the while drying out the breast meat. But cutting the skin,  allows the  to get to the thigh joint and cooks it thoroughly.

Continue roasting for approx another 1/2 hour.

If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the thigh and roast till it reads 165-170 deg F.

Cooks Note- You can also lift the chicken with two wooden spoons and tilt it slightly over a  white plate, so the juices run out of the cavity. If  the pan juices run clear , the chicken is  ready to serve.

Set the chicken onto a cutting board and rest for 10-15 minutes.

For the gravy, drain off as much of floating chicken fat as you can from the roasting pan.

Sieve all the pan drippings into a sauce pan. Add the fresh herbs and juice of 1/4 lime/lemon.

On a medium flame, let the gravy simmer for approx 10 minutes or until it has slightly thickened.

Taste and adjust seasonings.  Remove to a gravy boat or jug.

Carve the chicken and serve with gravy and sides.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite Roast Chicken story or recipe you would like to share with us? If so please let us know about it in the comments.We would love to hear from you!

Meet the 3 musketeers of stir-fry - A chicken, yellow squash and red pepper stir-fry in a delicious savory sauce

If there is one thing I know with some certainty is that one should never take ones stir-fry too seriously. The most successful stir-fry's I have ever eaten and prepared are ones that have no more that a couple of fresh ingredients and a few seasonings. In fact I am quick to turn over the page,  when I come across a recipe that over embellishes this simple home grown dish.

Which is  exactly why today was the perfect day for a stir-fry. As I rummage through my fridge's meager contents owing to my procrastination in going grocery shopping (and having used up the offerings of the last trip) I realize I am in fact, equipped to prepare a perfect stir-fry. I quickly pull out a lonesome skinless chicken breast that sits on the top shelf in a zip-lock bag, a bunch of green onions, a quarter red bell pepper, half an onion, 2 yellow squashes, fresh cilantro, garlic cloves and voila we're nearly there!

Next stop the pantry cabinet -

for what I like to call the 3 musketeers of stir-fry namely, soy sauce, oyster sauce and a red chilli sauce or paste. Personally, I have a great affinity with sriracha. In addition, pull out the bottle of sesame oil, salt, sugar and we are in business.

Begin preparations on the fresh produce -stir-fry isn't one of the cooking items to tackle without having completed all the preparations prior to starting on the stove. Because we get going, things move very quickly.

  
 

To chop garlic -  Separate the cloves from the bulb. Place a chef's kitchen knife over the cloves and hit down hard with the heel of your hand. Discard garlic skin and begin to chop the garlic cloves. Use your knife edge as a pivot and place your hand down firmly bringing the knife up and down till all the garlic has been chopped.

Red bell pepper - Slice the quartered red bell pepper into 1/4" thick slices.

Onions - Peel and dice the the onions into large chunks.

Yellow squash -

Wash and cut the ends of the yellow squash. Discard the ends. Cut into 1 " long pieces, 1/4" thick.

Green onions - Wash and cut the spring onion in  2 inch lengths.

Ginger - Take a 1" knob of ginger and slice into very thin slices.

Chicken - 

Thinly slice the chicken breast with a sharp Chef's knife no more than 1/8" thick. Marinate with salt, sugar, pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Set aside.

Cilantro - Wash and roughly chop a handful of cilantro and immerse into a bowl of clean water. It's the best way to get the soil and dirt out as it settles to the bottom.

Sauce - Measure out the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sriracha or chilli paste and sugar. Stir. Set aside.

To wok or not ? - That is the question -

Most people at this point would head for a wok which is exactly what you should do, if you have a very high flame - I mean one of those marvelous wok burners capable of spewing out 100,000 BTU's. A wok is only as good as its heat source. So it heats up really quickly - in a flash  in fact - and then as soon as you put in the first ingredient it gives it that wonderful smoky flavor and cools down just as rapidly,  instantly turning into a useless piece of metal. So what you need when using a wok is a heat source that can keep the wok fired up at immense temperatures.

Well, since I do not have such a heat source  yet (we all have our dreams) I prefer to head for a utensil that is actually going to retain the heat once it builds up so I prefer a stainless steel heavy bottomed saute pan. Alright enough said,  here we go -

 

Rule # 1 - Start on high flame and keep it there!

Heat oil till absolutely fuming and add Onions and Garlic. 

Saute till the Garlic turns a golden brown color (mine looks a bit past golden but we're not going to worry about that...smiles..)

Add the yellow squash which looks firm to begin with and saute for about 10 minutes or till it turns translucent.

 

 

 

Add the red bell pepper and continue to saute till the squash has begun to brown on the edges, about another 3-5 minutes.

 

 
Add the marinated chicken and keep stirring aggressively until the chicken turns from pink to opaque. Add the green onions and sauce ingredients and stir rapidly. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Remove to a serving platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with steamed rice.

This turned out to be a perfect meal for us on a lazy evening. I hope you'll love this as much as we did. Can't wait to hear all about it!

Recipe for

CHICKEN AND YELLOW SQUASH STIR-FRY
Serves 2-3

Preparation time -15 minutes

Cooking time - 15 minutes

Shopping list - (Or raid the fridge list)

1 skinless and boneless, chicken breast

2 yellow squash

1/4 large red bell pepper                        

6 cloves garlic

1/2 medium  Onion

a bunch cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbs oyster sauce

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp sriracha or hot chilly paste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Marinade -

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp corn starch

Preparation

Chicken breasts - Thinly slice, marinate in glass dish with marinade ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Sauce - Combine the sauce ingredients, stir and set aside.

Green onions – Wash and cut the spring onion in  2 inch lengths. Discard root tips.

Red bell pepper – Wash and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices

Onion – Peel and dice into large chunks

Garlic cloves – Peel, discard skin and chop

Cilantro – Wash and roughly chop a handful of cilantro and immerse into a bowl of clean water. Use only leaves floating on water surface when ready to sue. Discard water.

Cooking Method

Start on a high flame and keep it there.

Heat the wok or saute pan for a few minutes till it is very hot.

Add oil and heat till  fuming. Add the onions and the garlic and saute till the garlic gets a deep brown color.

Add the yellow squash  and continue stirring till the the squash has turned slightly translucent, about 10 minutes.

Now add the red bell pepper and saute till the yellow squash begins to brown at the edges, about another 3-5 minutes. 

Add the marinated chicken and continue to stir aggressively till the chicken turns from pink to opaque.

Add the green onions and th sauce ingredients. Stir rapidly for a few minutes till the sauce has thoroughly coated the stir-fry.

Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Remove from flame and pour  1 tsp sesame oil all over.

Remove to a serving platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with fresh steamed rice.

Enjoy!

 

 

Do you have a favorite stir-fry recipe you would like to share? If so please let us know about it in the comments. I would love to hear from you!