AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: The Whole Beast (Recipe: Chopped Liver) DATE: 3/25/2010 03:17:00 PM ----- BODY:

Passover preparations serendipitously began yesterday. As I was shopping for regular staples and dinner, I noticed that whole chickens were on sale. At $1.69/pound at Whole Paycheck Foods, I decided to stock up. And then I remembered that I have 10 guests coming for the first seder next week. This was the perfect time to start in on the chicken soup that would provide the medium for my matzah balls.

I bought 3 chickens, and immediately got to work breaking them down. I separated the birds into 4 groups – breasts, thighs, livers and, of course, stock parts – the bones, drums and wings that will go into making the chicken soup. After all, there’s so much flavor in the bones. Industrious chefs have long known that the bones make the best, most flavorful stock, even more so than the meat. And I must confess, I’m not a big fan of chicken drums or wings (unless they’re deep-fried) so they go into the stock-pile as well.

The chicken breasts and thighs were immediately frozen for a later meal.

I tossed the “stock-parts” with some salt and pepper, and roasted them in the oven. This accomplished two functions. First, the fat rendered away from the bones which will yield me a cleaner stock. As a bonus, I now have schmaltz for my matzah balls. Best of all, the bones achieve a dark, rich color that will make for a more flavorful stock.

Remember the chicken drums I tossed into my stock pile? When the bones have finished roasting, after about 30 minutes at 400F, the chicken legs are cooked through. I pick the meat off the bone and save that separately to put in my matzah ball soup. If I were to put them in the stock pot along with the bones, I wouldn’t have the meat for my soup. Yes, I could fetch it out after the stock was finished. But that would be more hassle than it’s worth. But more unfortunate, the meat would have lost all its flavor to the broth. Better to pick it out now, and add it back at the end.

Inside the chickens is a little pouch that contains the gizzards and neck. I never know how many livers I might get. Though each chicken only have one, the little pouch could have three or none. In this case, I had three in each: enough to make chopped liver. Chicken liver mousse with cognac and butter would also be delicious, but I was feeling particularly Jewish.

I also felt particularly thrifty and resourceful last night. From my three birds, I yielded:

6 boneless chicken breasts (retail value: $22)
6 chicken thighs (retail value: $8)
½ pint chopped liver (retail value: $2)
Chicken schmaltz (priceless)
1+ gallon chicken stock/soup (retail value: $12)

Chopped Liver
This recipe could not be simpler… with only 4 ingredients. I prefer chopping it by hand – the flavor and texture is better. Some people “chop” it in the food processor.

3 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or chicken fat
1 large onions, diced
1 lb. fresh chicken livers
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put eggs in cold water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 1 minute. Cover the pot and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and place under cold running water until cold. Peel.

2. Meanwhile, put chicken livers on a paper towel to blot dry. Season with salt and pepper. heat oil or chicken fat in a large sauté pan. Add onions, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onions start to brown. Season the livers with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Cook until they are cooked through and firm, about 5 minutes.

3. Chop everything together, by hand or in a food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:3/26/2010 01:17:00 PM I love chopped liver...I mean love it. You did well with all your chickens!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Food Vigilante DATE:3/27/2010 12:26:00 AM Many kudos for processing the whole chickens yourself! Such a great idea that more people need to consider.

I'll be back!

FV ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:3/27/2010 03:23:00 PM Quite a project, but I know what you mean about the satisfaction you get from making the most out of your food purchase. Happy Passover, Julia! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous tasteofbeirut DATE:3/28/2010 09:42:00 PM i am impressed with all that work! Happy Passover to you! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Lori Lynn DATE:4/03/2010 05:52:00 PM I hope you're having a very Happy Passover Julia.
We love chopped liver! I'm sure your simple recipe was excellent. We had one a lot more complicated, but that was the job for my cousin Davida.
LL ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Comfort (and Joy) DATE: 2/12/2010 03:43:00 PM ----- BODY:
Cultures around the world have tricks for re-purposing leftovers into something delicious… The British recycle Sunday dinner into Bubble and Squeak – potato and cabbage patties with leftover mashers and braised cabbage. The Chinese fry day-old rice to refresh it with scraps of meats and vegetables. And Americans mix together all the Thanksgiving leftovers to come up with pot pie.

Is it coincidence that these dishes represent comfort food?

Of course, I didn’t make pot pie at Thanksgiving – though it would have been perfect with leftover pie dough scraps, creamed mushrooms, turkey, green beans and gravy all mixed together. Instead, I waited until a weekend when I hunkered down to cook.

I was cooking for a friend who recently lost her husband after a long battle of with MS.

I sensed she hadn’t been eating well, so I devised a strategy to provide both nourishment and a restorative. A nice meal always lifts my spirits, so I opted for my new favorite lobster dish that she could enjoy on the evening I stopped by. I made a quart of chicken soup to feed the soul,  and a few pot pies to offer a little comfort.

Pot pie is the perfect freezer food as it can be made in individual ramekins and baked without defrosting. I was able to use up broccoli stems, some carrots and a few random mushrooms. You can use whatever vegetables you like. Once assembled, I put them in the freezer so they can be baked whenever you’re in need of a little comfort.
Chicken Pot Pie
This isn’t so much a recipe as it is a suggestion.
1 – 2 potatoes
3 tbs. butter
3 tbs. flour
¼ cup white wine
3 cups liquid – a combination of chicken broth, cream and/or milk.
Cooked chicken, cut into ½ bite size pieces
Diced carrots
Broccoli or peas
Mushrooms
Pie dough – frozen or use your favorite recipe
Salt and pepper
Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme or basil

1. Cut potatoes into ½ inch dice. Put in a pot of cold water. Add salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain.
2. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for two minutes or until butter bubbles up again. Add wine first then the liquid slowly, whisking constantly.
3. When liquid is incorporated, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer.
4. Add vegetables and chicken. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper. Add fresh herbs.
5. Put filing in ramekins.
6. Cut pie dough to match the ramekins in size. Top each ramekin with dough.
7. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
8. Serve with a salad.


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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:2/12/2010 05:13:00 PM I love your suggestions, I would hunker down with this anytime! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:2/12/2010 11:50:00 PM I love pot pies! My favorite thing is plunging the crust into the filling and letting it get a bit gooey. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:2/14/2010 08:18:00 PM I hadn't really thought of pot pies for winter leftovers, but what a great idea. We used to have them (from the freezer) when I was a kid, but wouldn't it be fun to make one from "scratch?" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger ~~louise~~ DATE:2/17/2010 08:36:00 AM I absolutely agree. Why is it I never thought to keep a fresh stash in the freezer. I will change that immediately! Thanks for sharing, Julia. I do hope your friend is feeling better each day... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger grace DATE:2/28/2010 07:39:00 AM of all the things considered comfort foods by americans, chicken pot pie ranks right up there with buttery mashed potatoes and saucy lasagna for me. i like your suggestions--i've never considered freezing individual portions, but it's a great idea! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Persimmons Unpuckered DATE: 2/10/2010 04:40:00 AM ----- BODY:
Most of my childhood food memories are good ones. I remember the first dish I ever made on my own: chicken simmered in wine and seasoned salt.  I remember my mom taking me for sushi lunch on the day before my Bat Mitzah. And I remember making a gingerbread house that required a late-night bicycle run to get marshmallow fluff.

And there were a few bad ones… mostly involving foods which had that astringent aftertaste reminiscent of overly tannic wines (though growing up I couldn’t have defined that). Pecans were the first, and I later discovered I was allergic anyways, and the other was persimmons. Those sweet, creamy winter fruits can be lusciously rich. But if they’re under-ripe they can make you pucker like you’ve been sucking on lemons.

I don’t scare easily, but I’ve shied away from them ever since… they can be expensive and didn’t want to open the persimmon only to discover it was astringently under ripe. When I was at the market last week, a little bird whispered in my ear, reminding me that Fuyu persimmons don’t have that problem and I decided to give them another whirl.

When I got home, I tentatively cut it open and gingerly nibbled at the meat. The flavor was somewhat cloying but no sign of tannins. It was tasty, but didn’t feel like a snacking fruit. Maybe it was just too sweet for me? It needed something to balance it.

As luck would have it, I had a perfectly ripe avocado at the same time. A quick Google search revealed that the two would pair beautifully along with a little miso, ginger and lemon. And into the kitchen I went to prepare dinner.

This was a quick and delicious dinner. But it requires careful planning to have a ripe avocado *and* a ripe persimmon at the same time. If you can do it, it’s well worth it!

Fuyu Persimmon and Avocado Salad with Roast Chicken
I served this on a bed of wilted spinach.

2 chicken breasts
1 ½ tbs. miso
1 tbs. chopped ginger
1 tsp. chopped garlic
¼ tsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. canola oil
Salt and pepper

1. Mix miso, ginger, garlic, chili and oil.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Schmear miso all over chicken and let marinate for 20 minutes or more.
3. Bake chicken in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes of cooking. While chcicken is cooking, prepare the salad
Salad
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons miso paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 ripe avocado
1 ripe Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together lemon juice, miso, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This dressing should be a bit more acidic than you typically prefer as it will soften with the avocado and persimmon.
Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then thinly slice crosswise. Gently toss together avocados, persimmons, and dressing.


Serve salad with chicken.




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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:2/10/2010 10:21:00 AM I'm new to persimmons too and I've recently discovered I love them. This recipe looks great - what a good combo! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:2/10/2010 03:52:00 PM I love persimmons, though I never see them in the markets near me. I can imagine the combination with the avocado, and it would be wonderful. I'm bookmarking. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:2/10/2010 05:48:00 PM I have never tried persimmons. I'll add it to the list. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:2/11/2010 04:10:00 PM I have never had a persimmons before - I'll be on the look out the next time I shop - its just something that's never been on my radar.

Your dish looks amazing! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger ~~louise~~ DATE:2/17/2010 08:43:00 AM I too have never tried persimmons. I'm not quite sure as to why. I do have an avocado in desperate need of a dish though. I may just have to guacamole it, again! Thanks for sharing, Julia... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Foodiemommy DATE:2/23/2010 07:56:00 PM I am so glad you shared this. I have tried to appreciate persimmons but must keep eating them...wrong! This way looks much easier than a persimmon pudding. Russo's, here I come... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Winter Break (Recipe: Brussels Sprouts "Carbonara") DATE: 1/20/2010 04:42:00 AM ----- BODY:

Perhaps my biggest gardening challenge is that I want to grow more vegetables than I have room for in my tiny little patch. The upshot is that I crowd my plants, trying to squeeze as much in as possible, and my vegetables tend to be smaller since they don’t have as much room to spread out and grow.

So my plants are smaller than the “supermarket size” benchmark. As I harvest throughout the season, I try to thin the plants so that the survivors will have more room to grow. And I try to hold out and wait until the vegetables get bigger. With Brussels sprouts, I have an additional challenge: the weather. I want them to get decent sized, but also survive a few day frost to help sweeten these petite cabbages.


This year, winter arrived with a vengeance, and I didn’t have a chance to harvest all the Brussels sprouts before they were buried in a layer of snow. And while the snow melted off the plants, they never fully defrosted so that I could cut them off the stock… until this weekend.

I had about a 5 hour window on Saturday, after the temperatures had been above freezing for 2 days and the plants had thawed, and before the next cold front passed through. I harvested enough for a delightful meal. The rest will wait until the next thaw.

Brussels Sprouts “Carbonara”
I had intended to make a carbonara style pasta dish, substituting Brussels Sprouts for the spring peas. But as I rummaged through the refrigerator, I discovered I had run out of bacon. I did have smoked chicken in the freezer, so I added that instead – giving the dish a meaty, smoky, rich flavor. And in an attempt to keep my diet healthy, I added just a few tablespoons of cream to keep the pasta moist, but didn’t make it rich and gooey as is more traditional.

½ pound pasta
2 chicken thighs, smoked, or two slices of bacon, diced
Brussel sprouts
2 tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, ch
Pinch chili flakes
3 tbs. cream
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese – at least 1/4 cup, but use more if you’d like.
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt.
2. Meanwhile, cut Brussels in half. Toss them with olive oil (or bacon if using), salt and pepper. But them in the oven to roast for 15 minutes.
3. Boil pasta for 1 minute less than the package instructions.
4. After the Brussels have roasted 15 minutes, toss them with garlic and chili flakes. Return to oven for an additional 5 minutes to toast the garlic.
5. Drain pasta. Toss with cream, Parmesan. Add chicken and Brussels. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (and lemon juice)


I'm submitting this to January's "Grow Your Own" round-up.  Originally, started by Andrea of Andrea's Recipes, Nate and Annie have picked up hosting responsibilities.  

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Peter M DATE:1/20/2010 06:24:00 AM This is a fab twist on this pasta favourite! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:1/20/2010 09:06:00 AM I'm jealous that you grow your own Brussels sprouts, and this is a fantastic makeover of the traditional pasta dish. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Ravenous Couple DATE:1/20/2010 09:43:00 AM so glad you're able to save the brussel sprouts...it's really rare to ever see the entire stalk like that. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:1/20/2010 01:58:00 PM What a cool recipe with a twist! NIce. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Unknown DATE:1/20/2010 03:57:00 PM Last Sunday, I went out in the snow, after dark, and harvested a small stalk of Brussels sprouts to serve to old friends from Hoboken. They are adventurous in their food consumption and great culinary creators......but alas, no room for a garden of their own. Those were delicious, but like your own crop, on the small side as I planted them in September. It was worth the wait! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:1/20/2010 07:31:00 PM Who could resist this? Even a dedicated Brussels sprouts hater would cave! It sounds incredible! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:1/22/2010 12:59:00 AM Man, I would love this. I assume small and frosted and defrosted didn't mean they lost any flavor. You didn't indicate that it did. That seems so funny to me. I know nothing of gardening, but I will be getting a house in about 18 months and I'm going to be asking for advice! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Julia DATE:1/22/2010 07:28:00 AM Peter M, T.W. and noble pig - Thanks! Though, I'm thinking it was quite generous to call it "Carbonara"

Ravenous Couple -- The stalks are showing up more and more in the market, though usually not this late into the season (winter).

Pegmal -- your friends are lucky that you could share with them.

Reeni - never understood how someone could dislike brussels -- especially the frost bitten which are sweeter.

Melissa -- all the could actually improved the flavor -- made them sweeter. And surprisingly, the texture didn't suffer either. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Laziness - Thwarted (Recipe: Chicken Tikka Masala) DATE: 12/30/2009 08:50:00 AM ----- BODY:

With all the holiday mayhem, I craved a simple dinner. The convenience food aisle at the supermarket beckoned my lazy alter-ego, and my taste buds responded with a cry out for Chicken Tikka Masala. Unfortunately, the market no longer carried my favorite brand of Indian simmer sauces, the prepared sauces that only require the addition of meat to create a complete “freshly prepared” meal.

I was left to my own devices… and a semi-well-stocked pantry.

I started with a recipe from Alosha’s Kitchen…and chicken from the freezer, canned tomatoes from the summer and left-over cream from lord-knows-what. But as I scanned the ingredient list, I realized modifications would be necessary.

I didn’t have yogurt to marinate the chicken, but I did have a scootch of left-over sour cream from this year’s latke-fest. I didn’t have garam malsala – an Indian spice blend – but did have most of the ingredients. And the recipe called for grilling the chicken first before simmering it – and I had no interest in adding the extra step of precooking the chicken, much less digging out the grill from under its blanket of snow. Instead, I added some smoked onions to the sauce to give it that extra depth.

This was a bit more labour intensive than I planned, but still only 20 minutes from start to finish. All-in-all a delicious dish!

From the garden: canned tomatoes and jalapenos

Here’s the original recipe with my modifications.
Chicken Tikka Masala 
adapted from What's for Dinner via Alosha's Kitchen

Marinade

1 cup plain yogurt (I used 2 tbs. sour cream)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips or large cubes

Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 smoked onion
1 tsp. fresh ginger
1 jalapeno chile, minced (I used a smoked jalapeno leftover from the summer garden)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala (or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger + 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom + 1/8 tsp. clove + 1/4 tsp. cinnamon  +1/8 tsp. cumin)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or 1/2 cup heavy cream + 1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a small mixing bowl, combine everything on the marinade list, including the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better.)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, ginger and jalapeño, and stir for a minute. Add the chicken and lightly brown.  Stir in the seasonings, and salt. Add the tomato sauce, and stir for one minute. Add the half-and-half, and simmer, covered, until the sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through.

Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.


Happy New Year! Wishing you a sparkling and joyous year.


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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:12/30/2009 02:39:00 PM Nice modifications! I'm glad you marinated overnight though, as I think it really helps with depth of flavor in the end. One of my favorites for sure, and definitely a nice change post-holidays. Happy you enjoyed it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:12/30/2009 05:53:00 PM In the true spirit of Indian cooking, you've managed to create something old and yet entirely new, with what you had on hand. Here's to more fun with food in 2010! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: One for the Road (Recipe: Chap Jae) DATE: 11/20/2009 01:53:00 AM ----- BODY:

The (holiday) travel season is upon us.

Boarding Passes? Printed.

Luggage? Packed.

Food?

Most airports highway rest-stops are food-challenged. Though driving offers more flexibility, the last thing I want to do is divert my route for decent food when I still have 5 hours to go. Whenever I travel, I pack a picnic.

Menu planning takes into account the obvious that I want to satiate my hunger and eat healthy. It needs to travel well and pack light.   But perhaps most important, the meal must stave off any cravings I might have for crappy food along the way -- I’ll admit I’m enticed by the aroma of Cinna-bons in the airport or fried chicken at highway rest-stops.

My picnic basket usually includes snacky foods like carrot sticks and whole wheat crackers. To satisfy my (limited) sweet tooth, I buy a bag of Stacy’s Cinnamon Pita chips. They aren’t the healthiest, but certainly better than the other sweet options.

For my main meal, I usually pack something that requires a fork (but no knife), so I feel like I’m really eating a meal.

Chap Jae, a Korean noodle dish, is a wonderful complete meal – with vegetables, starch and protein. It has plenty of umami from the dried mushrooms and soy sauce, which makes it extra satisfying. Like many Asian stir-fries, it’s also a great way to use up bits of left-over vegetables in the pantry. In my case, I gleaned a few leaves of kales, celery and scallions from the garden.

What's your go-to road-food?

Chap Jae
½ pound sweet potato noodles (found in Asian Markets) or vermicelli
½ pound boneless chicken or beef, cut into thin strips
5 dried mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water
3 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce + extra for seasoning
1 tablespoon sesame oil + extra for cooking
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
Extra soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar for seasoning.

Julienne of Vegetables, which can include any or all of the following:
Carrots
Red Peppers
Kale
Celery
Bamboo Shoots
Broccoli
Green Beans

1. In a bowl, combine the thin strips of meat and mushrooms with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and scallions. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using sweet potato noodles, cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. If using wheat vermicelli, cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sesame oil and onions. Cook onions until soft. Add chicken and mushrooms and continue cooking until meat is cooked through. Add vegetables. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat.
4. To the same pan, add another bit of sesame oil. Stir fry noodles over high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetables and meat.
5. Adjust seasoning with extra soy sauce, sesame oil and/or sugar.



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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Tall Kate DATE:11/20/2009 08:59:00 AM I always need protein, but I also crave crunchy foods (not so much with the sweets). So: Carrot sticks, yes. Apples. Hummus, with pita chips (sometimes even homemade). String cheese (not exactly original, but it has fat and protein and I have young kids!). If I'm ambitious, some bean or lentil soup in a thermos. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Katie DATE:11/20/2009 09:02:00 AM That looks like a great travel option! I usually take any leftovers that need to be eaten (ideally something that doesn't taste too terrible when eaten cold), lots of carrots, and a few pieces of fruit. I got some strange looks last year as I spread out my Thanksgiving leftovers while on a plane at 9 am (I had been up since 4, so it seemed like an appropriate lunch time). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:11/20/2009 09:34:00 PM This is loaded with goodies! This is the best road food I've ever seen! My road food is larabars! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:11/21/2009 08:49:00 AM Tall Kate -- clearly you're driving! I tried taking Hummus on the plane once and the confiscated it at security!

Katie -- I'm with you... I can eat just about anything, anytime.

Reeni -- good for you! if all I had were larabars, I'd so be chowing on fried chicken and cinnabons. No will power. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:11/21/2009 05:44:00 PM Strips of roasted or grilled chicken breast, grapes, and low-carb bagels, for trips where I want to make only minimal stops along the way, or to bring on the plane. Sometimes for flights, if I'm feeling wicked, I'll pack vegetable sushi and a pair of chopsticks. Makes my seat-mates jealous! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:11/22/2009 11:02:00 AM Wow, you are organized, we always stop to eat! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Finger Lickin' Good (Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken) DATE: 10/20/2009 11:09:00 AM ----- BODY:
I went to bed last night stuffed to the gills, but also a little giddy about the left-overs I’d have for lunch today. Dinner was that good!

How could I have not loved it? It was fried chicken, after all. And my love affair with fried chicken – from Popeyes to General Gau’s – is well documented. The recipe came from a recent article in the New York Times about fried chicken that showcased variations of the classic Southern as well as a Korean version.

I didn’t have the Korean chili paste that the recipe called for. But with a little research, I discovered that it is a spicy bean paste. I had sriracha (Thai Chili Paste) and sweet bean sauce (a Chinese condiment), and blended the two. I used my homemade ketchup which had a nice balance of warm spice.

I’ve struggled over the years to get my general gau’s chicken to stay crispy after it’s been tossed in the sauce. Only once did I achieve that. With this recipe, the chicken is tossed in a mix of corn starch *and* wheat flour. This made a huge difference in crisp-maintenance.

Traditional Fried Chicken is often served with cole slaw. Inspired by Cooking with Amy’s recipe for raw Brussels sprouts, I made an Asian flavored slaw with shredded brussels sprouts.

Korean Fried Chicken
Adapted from Quick and Easy Korean Cooking by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

Time: 30 minutes, plus one hour’s marinating

1 small yellow onion, peeled and coarsely grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 scallions, cut into rings
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for coating
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for coating
8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
3 tablespoons Korean chili paste (gojuchang), or a blend of Chinese Bean Sauce and Sriracha
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, more for garnish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Oil for deep frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cornstarch

1. In a medium-size bowl, combine grated onion, garlic, 1/2 of the scallions, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Cover and set aside to marinate for about 1 hour.

2. In a large bowl, stir together chili paste, ketchup, sugar, sesame seeds and lemon juice. Taste and adjust flavors to get a spicy-sweet-tangy finish. Set aside.

3. Pour oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat to 350 degrees. Combine flour and cornstarch in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. Working in batches to avoid crowding, lift chicken from marinade, dredge lightly in seasoned flour and cornstarch, gently drop into oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken, checking oil temperature between batches.
5. When all pieces are done, increase oil temperature to 375 degrees and refry in batches for 30 to 60 seconds, until very crisp. Drain once more on paper towels. While chicken is still hot, brush thickly with chili sauce. Serve hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.





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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger grace DATE:10/20/2009 03:58:00 PM sriracha-spiced fried chicken sounds DELICIOUS. i think your substitutions for the paste sound like they'd create the perfect flavor on those pieces o' poultry. great twist! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:10/20/2009 07:01:00 PM I'm lickin' my fingers over here too, it sounds so good. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous jo DATE:10/20/2009 08:16:00 PM Mmm. I also adore tori karagee as well. Fried chicken cannot be scoffed at. I can tell you form experience that Korean chili flakes taste an awful lot like Aleppo pepper. Sticky and smoky with a good heat level instead of the in your face of Italian and California chili pepper. I'll pick you up a container of the chili paste next time I hit Kan Man or Hmart. I have date with my favourite 13 year old foodie on Friday to hit the new Hmart! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Sarah DATE:10/20/2009 09:06:00 PM This sounds GREAT - I too love fried food . . . and spicy fried chicken is the greatest. I have to admit, I'm afraid to deep-fry at home - maybe this will get me over it? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:10/21/2009 12:25:00 PM This looks excellent! Love the spiciness of it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Juliana DATE:10/21/2009 02:39:00 PM This chicken sounds and looks delicious, full of flavor, yummie! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger adele DATE:10/21/2009 06:08:00 PM Sounds delicious. :) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Happy Food (Recipe: Crispy Chicken Livers with BBQ Sauce) DATE: 10/18/2009 08:14:00 AM ----- BODY:

Maybe it’s a Jewish thing, but I love chicken livers (think: chopped liver on a bagel…mmmm!). Most Americans don’t like them, or any organ meat for that matter. I’ve always been confounded by this – where people draw the line that they’ll eat certain parts of the animal, but not others. It seems random to me. After all, the animal has been sacrificed, we should enjoy it all! But I digress….

I consider liver “happy” food. Yes, it’s weighted with fat and cholesterol, but it’s also jam-packed with iron, vitamin A and all the B-vitamins – those that boost energy and fight depression.

I don’t often see chicken livers at the market (or rather, I don’t see them more than one day before they expire). When I do, I snatch them up.

East Coast Grill pairs grilled chicken livers with “sweet and sour bacon greens” and a chipotle barbecue sauce. I decide to make a variation of this with the kale in my garden and a sweet potato from the market. The ketchup I made at the end of the summer morphed into barbecue sauce with the addition of a little chili paste.


Fried Chicken Livers with Garlic-Chili Greens and BBQ Sauce

½ cup ketchup, preferably homemade
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 chipotle chili minced (more or less to taste)
1 tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp. chili flakes (more or less to taste)
1 bunch Tuscan kale, finely sliced
½ tbs. red wine vinegar
½ pound chicken livers
2 tbs. flour
2 tbs. corn starch
3 tbs. plain oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine ketchup, lemon juice and chipotle. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. When hot, add garlic and cook until lightly golden. Add greens and chili flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Drain chicken livers on a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
4. Combine flour and corn starch in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Toss chicken livers in flour mixture to thoroughly coat.
5. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add plain oil. Add livers and cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Turn over, and cook for three minutes more.

Serve chicken livers with wilted greens and barbecue sauce. To make it a complete meal, serve with sweet potato puree.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:10/18/2009 08:18:00 PM i wish i liked livers. i love the idea of not letting any part of the animal go to waste - i just can't get into the texture... this looks lovely though! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger adele DATE:10/19/2009 11:03:00 AM I love liver. I don't get the squeamishness about it, either. This sounds delicious! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:10/19/2009 07:04:00 PM My grandmother would make chopped chicken livers, which were delicious. I haven't had it in years. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger PG DATE:10/21/2009 09:28:00 PM I don't know.....I'm just not a fan of chicken liver. Hang on...I like pate -- is that chicken liver? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:10/23/2009 04:24:00 PM Heather -- I will give you that... it does have an odd texture... but I love that.

adele -- glad to have you on my side. :)

T.W. -- sounds like a fond memory.

Psychgrad -- Pate usually has some kind of liver (pork, duck, beef or chicken) in it... mixed in with plenty of fat. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: May I take your order? (Recipe: Chicken Saltimbocca) DATE: 8/09/2009 03:29:00 PM ----- BODY:

We aim to please here in the Shanks household. Come for dinner, tell us what you'd like to eat. Chicken? No problem. Would you like that with a European accent, Latin or Asian? With cheese, you say? Okay. And risotto? Sure.

Such was the conversation last Wednesday evening when I invited a friend over for dinner. Some days, I just can't find inspiration to create a menu. It was just as easy to have my friend decide rather than figure it out myself.

It took a few minutes to come up with a cohesive plan. Chicken Saltimbocca with Mushroom Risotto fit the bill perfectly. Better still, I could use some sage from the garden which has come back with a vengeance.

Chicken Saltimbocca

4 chicken breast cutlets, skin on.
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 slices prosciutto
1 bunch fresh sage, leaves picked
3 cloves garlic, sliced.
1 tbs. plain oil
1 shallot, diced
1/2 cup sherry
2 tbs. butter
salt and pepper to taste.

1. Heat oil in sauté pan. Add sage leaves. Fry for 2 minutes, or until they begin to get crispy. Add garlic, and continue frying for 1 minute, or until garlic begins to turn brown. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper.

2. Over center of each chicken breast, season with salt and pepper and layer mozzarella, proscuitto and 1/8 of sage garlic mixture. Fold over to seal in filling.

3. Put chicken in an oven proof pan. Broil under a high heat until the skin blisters and turns golden, about 10 minutes (but keep a close eye). Turn the oven to bake and continue baking for another 5 minutes or until it's cooked through

4. When chicken is finished cooking, let it rest. To the chicken pan, add shallots and sherry. Bring wine to a boil over high heat, swirl in whole butter, and remove pan from heat.

5. Slice chicken into medallions, and serve with pan juices. Garnish with remaining fried sage and garlic.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:8/09/2009 11:13:00 PM What a great idea to let your guests decide the menu! Do you let them help cook, too? I love that level of relaxation in the kitchen. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Steve DATE:8/10/2009 09:06:00 AM I admire your ability to cook on the fly like this. I'm trying to get better at being more spontaneous in the kitchen, but still regularly find myself shopping to a menu, and not just "creating" with what I have on-hand. This recipe looks great, I'm sure my young chefs are going to love it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:8/10/2009 09:23:00 AM You're brave and talented, all at the same time. I'd be really afraid what my guests would come up with! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:8/11/2009 08:30:00 AM Lydia -- No.... though he did grate the parmesan.

Steve -- Shopping to a menu has its virtues too - I'm sure you waste less!

T.W. -- You can always ignore the parts you don't like. I almost ignored his request for risotto before I could come up with a cohesive plan. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger PG DATE:8/11/2009 08:59:00 PM I stress so much about what to make, I don't know that I would be confident enough to give my guests a choice and still have a good product. But, this looks delicious.

I have a really hard time with stuffed chicken. I usually need a tonne of toothpicks to keep the chicken closed (even if I pound them flat). What's the trick?

I just did my Random Acts of Kindness post! As far as I'm concerns, you're welcome to be a recipient and can count your previous acts of kindness as having passed on the acts. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: The Quest for Authentic (Recipe: Tandoori Chicken) DATE: 7/20/2009 11:32:00 AM ----- BODY:
When I travel abroad, I like to buy cookbooks that feature the local cuisine. Usually, they're unavailable in the US. And especially with the books purchased in Asia, they have not been tailored to the “western kitchen.” True or not, I think the recipes will be more authentic to the region. And I feel confident enough in both my cooking skills and ability to find the unusual ingredients in the Boston markets that I am unfettered by these recipes.

Thanks to the magic of the internet, Wendy Hutton's books are now available in the US. Her recipe for tandoori chicken is exceptional in flavor and tastes as good as anything I’ve eaten in a restaurant. I use this recipe for both lamb and chicken.

Mine little resembles in appearance the restaurant version since I don’t use food coloring and leave on the marinade when I cook it. I love the flavor of the marinade roasted in the butter and chicken juices, and could easily make a meal of those drippings slathered on naan. Since I don’t have a tandoori oven at home (and who does??), I cook it in a cast iron skillet on the charcoal grill outside. I was less pleased with her naan recipe and use the one from Stonyfield Farms that comes courtesy of Peter Franklin.

Tandoori Chicken
with no adaption from Singapore Food by Wendy Hutton

1 chicken, about 2 lbs.
1 tbs. melted butter or ghee

Marinade 1
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. white pepper
pinch cloves
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 ½ tbs. lemon juice

Marinade 2
4 tbs. plain yogurt
1 heaping tbs. cilantro, pounded
1 heaping tbs. mint, pounded
1 tbs. cumin
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. crushed fresh ginger
1 tsp. white vinegar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/3 tsp. cardamom
few drops of red food coloring (opt.)

1. Remove feet, head and skin from the chicken and make deep cuts in the thighs and breasts. Combine all ingredients for marinade 1 and rub well into the chicken. Leave in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

2. Combine ingredients for marinade 2 and rub evenly all over the chicken, making sure some of the marinade penetrates the slits. Leave in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

3. Brush grill with ghee or butter and cook chicken over hot coals, brushing from time to time.

Yogurt Flatbread (Naan)
1 cup warm water
1 packet dry, active yeast
1 cup Stonyfield plain yogurt
2 teaspoons salt
5-6 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter


1. In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer (i.e. Kitchen Aid), combine the water, yogurt and butter, and yeast. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Mix together the salt and flour, and gradually add to the liquids. If the dough becomes too stiff to mix, add a bit of warm water, 1 tbs. at a time. Knead by hand for 5-6 minutes, until dough is smooth and shiny.
3. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for +/- 20 minutes.
4. Portion dough into 2 ounce pieces, and roll very thin (tortilla like thickness) with a rolling pin. Layer rolled-out pieces on flour dusted parchment or waxed paper until ready to cook.
5. The Naan may be cooked in a skillet (cast iron is best…heat to medium high heat, ungreased) or even on a barbecue grill. Cook about 2 minutes per side, or until desired level of doneness. Dough will bubble and rise a bit as it cooks. This is normal.
6. Serve warm.


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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:7/20/2009 03:02:00 PM I do the same, picking up local recipe books when I travel. I feel like that is one real way to take the food and the culture home with you. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:7/20/2009 06:57:00 PM I've made Peter's naan, and it's delicious. Now I'll have to try the tandoori. I've hunted for English-language books in every country I've ever visited -- it's always a highlight of my trip when I find a locally published book, in English, to bring home. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Karen DATE:7/20/2009 08:09:00 PM ooo, I always hit the grocery stores/markets when I travel, but never thought to look for cookbooks as well. Great idea! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:7/20/2009 10:00:00 PM I love tandoori chicken - this looks wonderful! Great idea to look for cookbooks! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:7/21/2009 11:27:00 AM Oh wow, it is delicious looking and sounding too! I haven't had Tandoori in a while but this has my taste buds craving this wonderful dish. Authentic is always key as well! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:7/22/2009 09:24:00 AM T.W. - Do you have a favorite cookbook?

Lydia -- I had the most difficult time in China finding a good book. Did you get a good one?

Karen -- Grocery Stores and markets are key too :)

Reeni -- What souvenirs to you get from travels?

noble pig -- Sometimes it's hard to recreate authentic just because the ingredients taste so different here. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Langdon Cook DATE:7/22/2009 11:56:00 AM Good on ya. Tandoor is one of those things I've always left to the "experts," but now you've inspired me to give it a whirl.

p.s. Word verification is "Lester." Who the heck is that? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Jude DATE:7/26/2009 10:30:00 PM Interesting recipe. I've always thought the red color was from paprika or some other spice. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Herbalicious DATE: 6/16/2009 08:31:00 AM ----- BODY:

I favor the soft herbs --- tarragon, basil, chervil, chives. On the other end of the spectrum – rosemary, sage, and oregano – the flavors tend to overpower. Too often, cooks have a heavy hand with the hard herbs, and ruin an otherwise good dish.

But back to the soft herbs… They can be mixed with lettuces for a salad or blended together for my cherished dreamy green goddess. Or, mixed with soft butter to make a compound butter.

Compound butter is versatile. I rub a few tablespoons under the skin of chicken breasts before roasting

Or finish a tomato sauce with the butter for salmon.

Or toss steamed asparagus in it.


Herb Butter
1 tbs. fresh tarragon
1 tbs. fresh chives or scallions
1 tbs. fresh parsley or chervil
1 tbs. fresh basil
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop herbs and spices. Mix with butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


I'm submitting this recipe to the Weekend Herb Blogging #188, hosted this week by the ever-charming Graziana of Erbe in Cucina - Cooking with Herbs. This event was originally started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, and is now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once. For more information, see the rules, hosting schedule, and weekly recaps for WHB.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Lori Lynn DATE:6/16/2009 12:36:00 PM I especially like the fennel seed in the mix, adds another dimension to your herb butter, no?
LL ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:6/17/2009 05:07:00 PM There is something about the creaminess of butter and a combination of herbs that is so good. Even better when they are fresh from the garden. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:6/17/2009 06:28:00 PM YES! I just discovered herb butter this spring. Delicious. And I prefer the same herbs you do, for sure. I just started using tarragon in earnest a few months ago and I think it might be my favorite. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:6/18/2009 10:50:00 AM I'm growing all of your "soft" herbs in my garden. Now, if the sun ever decides to shine, I'll be able to harvest for some of this lovely compound butter. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:6/18/2009 11:00:00 AM LL -- the fennel brightens the licorice flavors in the herbs.

T.W. -- Indeed! It's nice to have all the ingredients in my outdoor "pantry"

Melissa -- Yes, I recall the chicken and leek dish really shined with the tarragon.

Lydia -- I'm trying the power of positive thinking: "the sun will shine, the sun will shine" ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Rose Petals DATE: 6/07/2009 02:06:00 PM ----- BODY:
Down the road from Even' Star Organic Farm, in Southern Maryland, live Cameron and Donna. On their coastal property overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, they raise sheep. They only have a few dozen animals... they keep the herd small so that they can personally attend to each one and ensure they live a healthy, free-range life. Last year, when I did some work for Brett, he paid me in lamb from their farm.

On a recent visit, Cameron and Donna invited us to their home for dinner. Cameron prepared a dish from his native Iran: Rosewater Marinated Grilled Lamb with Roasted Tomatoes and Rice. The floral aroma of the roses ranks up there with intoxicating scents, right behind Tahitian Vanilla and Truffles.

Now that the roses have begun to bloom, I want to recreate this dish with fresh roses (and chicken instead of lamb). Soft and velvety with a floral fragrance, rose petals taste just as they look. They are inherently edible, though you want them to be free of any chemicals, pesticides or sprays. The safest bet is to grow your own. And be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals

To bring the dish full circle, I garnished the last of my mesclun with a few more rose petals.


Rose marinated Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes
3 tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 cup plain yogurt
Rose petals and/or 1 tablespoon rose water
Pinch saffron
6 chicken thighs or 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb
Salt and pepper to taste
3 roma tomatoes, sliced in half

1. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the cumin and remove from heat. Let cool.

2. In a bowl toss the chicken with the onion/garlic mix, yogurt, roses and saffron. Season with salt and pepper. Let marinate for at least 2 hours or as long as over night.3. Prepare a charcoal grill. When it’s hot, remove the chicken from the marinade. Grill skin side until crispy and slighty charred. The timing depends on the fire and the type of grill, but keep an eye on it since the fat in the skin can cause flare-ups. Flip the chicken over and move to the cooler side of the grill. Put the tomatoes on the grill. Cover the grill and let chicken roast for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

4. Serve with basmati rice pilaf.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:6/07/2009 09:12:00 PM How cool that you were paid in lamb! I've never eaten a rose petal - but this looks just lovely! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Lori Lynn DATE:6/07/2009 10:15:00 PM Oh gosh! I love this. My 30+ rose bushes are full of flowers. I wonder if one tastes better than the next for cooking? Probably the most fragrant would be best, what do you think?

What rose did you use?
LL ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger adele DATE:6/08/2009 01:53:00 AM Sounds lovely. I'm not sure where to find organic rose petals if you don't grow your own, but if I come across a source, I'll definitely consider this. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Katie DATE:6/08/2009 04:26:00 PM I keep hearing about how much rose water can add to a dish, but had no idea how to use it. This sounds like a great recipe! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:6/08/2009 11:09:00 PM I love rosewater but I've never had it in a savory dish, sounds wonderful. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:6/09/2009 08:57:00 AM Reeni -- it's very cool! Every once in a while, I like cash too. :)

LL -- I agree -- fragrance is best. Also, taste them. I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what kind -- it was red, fragrant and bushy. The roses opened up with the yellow center (not like the kinds in the florist shop).

adele -- sometimes Whole Foods sells edible flowers, also ask about the flowers in the floral dept.

Katie -- it's great!

noble pig -- what sort of sweet recipes do you make with the rose water? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Sylvie, Rappahannock Cook & Kitchen Gardener DATE:6/13/2009 05:07:00 PM I was going to ask what roses they were too... what a nice idea to combine roses & lamb (your alternate to chicken!) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Chicken Enchiladas DATE: 5/22/2009 08:08:00 AM ----- BODY:

Rick Bayless’s recipe for mole (pronounced mo-LAY) cautions the reader that it will require 26 different ingredients. The first time I made this Mexican chili and chocolate sauce it took me three hours. The second time, only 1 ½. Now, I can make it in a half hour.

Of course, I take short-cuts. Mr. Bayless recommends giving each ingredient individual attention: dry roast, fry, and then soak 4 kinds of chilies. Toast each spice separately and then grind. Blacken the tomato. Fry onions, garlic, stale bread, tortillas, almonds and raisins. Did I forget anything? I had intended to take a photo of all the mise-en-place, but after the photo, I realized I forgot half the ingredients.

Mole originates from Oaxaca (pronounced wha-HA-ka) Mexico. What we know in the US is only one of the seven varieties available. Mole is the Mexican version of curry… “The original Nahuatl word molli means 'mixture.'” And like curry (whether it’s Thai, Japanese or Indian), it’s a mix of spices and aromatics that blend together into an intoxicating sauce.

I made the “mole coloradito oaxaqueno” version – which is the variety most commonly seen in the US. There’s also green, yellow, black, red (and obviously a few others whose names I can’t find). It pairs perfectly with enchiladas, pupusas or other Mexican dishes with a masa harina base.

I use the mole for enchiladas. It freezes beautifully. So if you take the time to make it, make lots! Then you will more easily enjoy it on future occasions.

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

Filling
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. cumin
3 scallions
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken with remaining ingredients, except scallions. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Cool. Shred meat and toss with scallions.

Mole
(the lazy approach --- for a more authentic recipe, see Rick Bayless’s “Authentic Mexican”)
1/2 lb. dried chilies (pasilla, mulato, poblano or any other combination), seeded and soaked in boiling water for 1 hour.
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp. coriander
1 oz. chocolate
1/8 tsp. clove
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 garlic clove
1 corn tortilla
1 slice stale bread
1 qt. chicken stock.
1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup oil
salt, sugar and red wine vinegar to taste

1. Heat a large sauté pan. Add 1/2 of the oil, nuts, raisins and tortillas. Fry until they begin to turn golden. Toast the bread.

2. In a blender, puree everything together, except remaining oil. Thin with chicken stock or water as needed.

3. Heat a large sauce pot. Add oil. Fry the sauce and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste with sugar, salt, and vinegar.


For assembly:
8 – 8” tortillas
1 cup plain oil
Shredded Monterey jack cheese
Sliced scallions
Sour cream

1. Dip each tortilla in mole sauce.
2. Heat oil over medium high flame. Fry mole-coated tortillas, one at a time, in oil until soft, about 1 minute
3. Lay the fried tortillas down on a board. Fill with ½ cup of shredded chicken and roll. Put in a baking sheet. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled.
4. Drizzle extra mole on top. Sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Bake at 400F until cheese is melted and sizzling.
6. Remove from oven and garnish with scallions.

I served the enchiladas with black beans and red cabbage slaw

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Dewi DATE:5/22/2009 10:58:00 AM Oh Julia, what a nice post to end the week, I always like Enchiladas, sometimes I am to lazy to make my own. This look really delicious! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:5/22/2009 02:48:00 PM I bet they tasted awesome! Love the combo of different chilies! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:5/25/2009 05:41:00 PM I'm glad you said that about Rick Bayless' recipe, because I often find that chefs who are used to having someone do the mise en place for them construct overly-wrought recipes. Shortcuts are most welcome, especially for moles! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: The First Harvest: Scallions DATE: 4/22/2009 01:04:00 AM ----- BODY:
It wasn't much, just a few scallion stems. But it was enough to inaugurate the growing season in my garden. And the perfect garnish for dinner tonight.

Claypot Chicken
4 chicken thighs
8 shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 cup jasmine rice
3 cups water
2 chinese sausage, cut lengthwise

Marinade
2 tbs. oyster sauce
1 tbs. double dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon shiox xing wine
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger

Scallions to garnish.

1. Combine ingredients for the marinade. Toss in chicken, mushrooms and chinese sausage.

2. In a claypot, combine water and rice. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Put chicken, mushrooms and sausage on top.

3. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until chicken is done.

4. Garnish with scallions

UPDATES:

Here's a photo of the Chinese Sausage Package.
Also, I'm submitting this to April's Grow Your Own Round-Up. Founded by Andrea's Recipes, this month's round-up is being hosted by Nate-n-Annie at House of Annie. The growing season in the US may be early, but there's still lots going on.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:4/22/2009 05:18:00 AM Very exciting to see the first results from the garden! But, can you tell me what a Chinese Sausage is? I've never had one. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger ChristyACB DATE:4/22/2009 09:06:00 AM Yes, what is chinese sausage? Anything like it that I'd recognize the name of?

First garden harvest is always a milestone of celebration. For me is was raw radishes...delicious! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Sara DATE:4/22/2009 09:10:00 AM I picked scallions from my yard last night too. A few years ago, my husband put down some seeds. Not only have the scallions regenerated every year, but they've spread too - now I find them growing outside of the garden area! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:4/22/2009 10:39:00 AM Julia, your food photography that you post is consistently good. So it leaves me curious whether you are taking the photos, or having your whiz-bang photograher friend take. Love, Judith_deecee@yahoo.com ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:4/22/2009 11:03:00 AM TW and ChristyACB -- Chinese Saugsage is a sweet pork sausage. It's also called "Lap Xuong Thuong Hang" I'll post a picture

ChristyACB - that's awesome you already have radishes. I still have a few weeks for that.

Sara --Isn't that great!

Mom -- thanks for the kind words about my photography. I think you are a bit biased though... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:4/22/2009 02:24:00 PM The meal sounds soul warming and yes, a very nice start indeed. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:4/22/2009 08:25:00 PM I have a whole ton of scallions growing-I'm not sure if they survived the winter or are new growth. This is delicious-so comforting and what wonderful flavors! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:4/22/2009 08:42:00 PM First harvest! How exciting! I harvested chives and thyme for my cooking class on Saturday, a real teaser of things to come in the next couple of months. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:4/22/2009 11:09:00 PM that chicken sounds amazing! fresh scallions sound delicious! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:4/23/2009 01:23:00 PM Oh this is beautiful, I love the pot as well. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:4/24/2009 08:36:00 AM Melissa - It's a great dish -- easy and satisfying.

Reeni -- They're a perennial, so likely they survived the winter.

Lydia -- That's great! Sadly, my thyme didn't come back this year. I think the mint strangled it.

Heather -- they're my favorite garnish!

noble pig - it's the chinatown special... I think the pot cost $5.

Nate - Thanks for the reminder! I've submitted. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Karen DATE:4/24/2009 11:47:00 AM As my son would say, "Num, num, num!" Thanks for the recipe; it looks great and I am always looking for ways to use up Chinese sausage. I mostly put it in fried rice and lo mein, but a little sausage goes a long way and we always end up with too much.

I discovered a scallion or two lurking in the garden. I'd planted them in with the strawberries last year, and a few escaped my notice in the fall. I pulled back the leaf mulch and surprise! there they were. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Andrea Meyers DATE:5/01/2009 06:26:00 PM That looks delicious. I've never cooked in a clay pot, so much give it a try sometime. Any pointers? Thanks for joining in Grow Your Own again! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Gratitude: Coq au Vin DATE: 3/05/2009 10:09:00 AM ----- BODY:

Last week, when I arrived on Brett’s farm for a visit, he announced I was just in time for a chicken matanza. Brett had decided to reduce his flock of egg-layers to a few dozen instead of a few hundred. The labor involved in raising chickens had become too burdensome, and he preferred to focus his energies on growing organic vegetables and selling them through his CSA. The few dozen remaining hens would continue to provide eggs for the family’s consumption and a repository for the non-salable produce.

Let’s be honest, killing, feathering and gutting chickens are not most people’s idea of a good time – including mine and Brett’s. But we accept this ugly truth as part of eating meat. We comfort ourselves knowing that the chickens had a good life, living in expansive coops with easy access to outdoor space – and maintaining good health from eating well, drinking clean water and breathing fresh air. And Brett shows a modicum of pride in taking the good with the bad – if he wants to enjoy humanely raised meat, then there’s a price to pay. In his case, it’s killing animals. While most people try to gloss over this fact, he accepts it as part of the process and shows gratitude to his animals for what they provide.

In Brett’s words:

All of our birds range freely on large pastures, fenced to keep the birds out of the vegetables and most predators out of the birds. Throughout their lives our animals are treated with compassion, dignity, and humanity. Our chickens eat grasses, clovers, bugs, and bushels of greens, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, melons, and other veggies that are too blemished to sell. As we cannot get organic corn in our area, we give the birds a very high-quality vegetarian grain mix (never with hormones, medications, or animal byproducts) specially formulated by us in partnership with our local Mennonite feed mill. Our birds are therefore not classed as organic—just very free range, very happy, very active, and very healthy.


Free-roaming animals, like the chickens on the farm, develop more muscles and stronger bones. This yields more flavorful meat, but also tougher. Fryer chickens typically meet their maker chef at 6 weeks, so even a free-roaming bird will still be reasonably tender. By contrast, the chickens from last week’s matanza are extra tough because they’re much older than the traditional fryer chicken: averaging 3 years.

With meat this tough, they demand a long braise to tenderize the meat. This weekend I cooked a coq au vin with one of the hens from last week’s matanza. It simmered for 5 hours, far longer than a conventional chicken recipe would suggest – or as Madeleine Kamman recommends in her recipe: 45 minutes.

Coq au Vin
(serves 4 guests)

1 old stewing hen, cut into quarters
1/4 cup flour
3 slices smoked bacon
3 tablespoons butter
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 large shallot, peeled and chopped.
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup garlic cloves
1/4 lb. mushrooms, quartered
1 cup chicken broth
1 - 10 oz. can tomatoes
1 bottle red wine
1/2 cup brandy
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs parsley
salt and pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Dice bacon, and put in a large skillet with high sides. Brown bacon over high heat. Remove bacon and set aside

2. Add butter to bacon fat pan and brown the chicken (on high heat) for about 4 minutes on each side. Add onions, shallots, carrot, celery, and cook for about 5 minutes more.

3. Turn heat off, and deglaze pan with brandy and red wine. Scrap all of the browned bits off the bottom, this is good stuff. Add chicken stock, thyme and parsley. Turn heat back to high, and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, [if using commercial chicken add mushrooms here]. Cover pot and put in 325 oven. After about 1 1/2 hours, add mushrooms. Cook covered for another hour or three or until meat is tender. My chicken took 5 hours.

4. Serve chicken over potato puree or with grilled bread.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Andrea DATE:3/05/2009 03:26:00 PM Great to hear about a farm where the chickens are so happy. Your friend sounds like the best kind of farmer. Nice meeting you last night! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/05/2009 06:34:00 PM Wow, I can't even imagine doing it...you are brave. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger adele DATE:3/05/2009 07:15:00 PM Good on you for practising what many of us only ever preach.

It was nice meeting you last night! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:3/05/2009 07:42:00 PM wow. that sounds just delicious and so flavorful. i'm impressed that you prepped your own chickens!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/06/2009 05:54:00 PM Julia, I enjoy reading your blog, and today your and Bret's attitude to his chicken: Gratitude. Nice ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Finance Foodie DATE:3/07/2009 03:05:00 PM Hi Julia! Great sitting next to you on Wed :) loved your stories about the farm...hahaha ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/08/2009 09:25:00 AM Andrea, Nice meeting you too! Thanks for visiting!

noble pig -- I don't know if I'm brave... just a sucker... Brett has an amazing way of roping his friends in to help with chores.

Adele, Thanks! And nice meeting you!

Heather -- the chickens were incredibly tasty.


Anon, Thanks. I've learned a lot from Brett. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/08/2009 09:29:00 AM Finance Food - Thanks for visiting my blog. I enjoyed meeting you too, and look forward to reading your Boston restaurant reviews. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Jute Leaves: Moloukia DATE: 2/20/2009 10:43:00 AM ----- BODY:
Don't forget about the giveaway of Even’ Star Organic Farm Seeds. These heirloom seeds are of the highest quality, and are cultivated to yield the most flavorful, hardiest plants. All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog between now and Friday, February 27th at 5pm EST.

My college apartment was down the street from a Lebanese deli. Instead of eating in the campus cafeteria, I’d head over to the deli to satiate my cravings for falafel and hummus. Having spent much of my youth eating in the Israeli and Arab restaurants of Jerusalem, this was my comfort food. After many visits, I became friendly with the owner and he steered me towards the daily specials – each day his wife would make a traditional, home-style dish for lunch. Sometimes it was a lamb dish scented with cinnamon, others it was fish, but my favorite was “Molokhia” -- chicken simmered with a leafy green vegetable served over rice-noodle pilaf and topped with toasted pita.

I never saw this dish in another restaurant again, so began a quest to recreate it. Every time I met a Lebanese, I would interrogate him to figure out what this dish really was and find out how to make it. Finally, I was able to find a good recipe and a source for the distinctive “Moloukhia” leaves.

Moloukhia are the leaves from a variety of the jute plant. They have a unique texture that some describe as a cross between okra and spinach. Other descriptions include, “slippery” and “gelatinous.” The nutritious leaves thicken the chicken broth and give a rich flavor to the stew. A heavy dose of lemon juice at the end balances the creaminess. It’s an unusual flavor, but highly addictive.

This dish originates from Egypt, but has spread across the Middle East. Spellings can vary, including moloukhi, molokhya and moolkhia, as can its botanical name: jew's mallow, nalta jute, tussa jute, corchorus olitorius. Fresh molokhi is not available in the U.S. but can be purchased dried or frozen in most Arab Markets.

To coax out the best flavor from the stew, it needs at least 30 minutes of simmering. Unfortunately, the long simmer does not bode well for a bright green dish. When prepared with rabbit, it’s fit for a Pharaoh.
Molokhia
1 lb. chicken or rabbit meat
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups chicken broth or water
4 tbs. butter
3 cups dried moloukhia leaves or 10 oz. frozen
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs. coriander

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or pot, combine chicken, onion and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to simmer. Let simmer while preparing the next steps.

In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute crushed garlic with coriander for 2-3 minutes until garlic starts to soften and the coriander becomes aromatic. Take some of the liquid from the chicken to deglaze this pan and add to above.

If using dried leaves, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Stir leaves for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and crush. Add leaves to the simmering pot. Continue simmering for 30 minutes. Total cooking time should be about 45 minutes. If using frozen leaves, simply add to the chicken pot with remaining butter. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice pilaf, or rice mixed with pilaf noodles


I'm submitting this recipe to the Weekend Herb Blogging Event. Started by Kayln's Kitchen, it is now organized by Haalo of Cook (Almost Anything) at Least Once. This week's host is the ever-charming Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger grace DATE:2/20/2009 12:40:00 PM oh MAN--if i were located anywhere near a lebanese deli, i would be there every day, i kid you not. thanks for the recipe! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:2/20/2009 05:36:00 PM that sounds delicious! i love lebanese food :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Susan DATE:2/21/2009 08:20:00 AM OMG! Jute...the things one does not know...: D

Thank you, Julia, for a most intriguing WHB recipe! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger PG DATE:2/21/2009 01:39:00 PM Sounds very interesting. I'm having a hard time imagining a cross between okra and spinach that is slippery and gelatinous. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:2/22/2009 11:38:00 AM oooh... what fun, a new vegetable to try - something I am not familiar with!

A quick search on Wikipedia yieded:
Mulukhiyah or Malukhiyah (Arabic: ملوخية) is the Arabic name for Mallow-Leaves which are the leaves from the plant Corchorus, a herb in the larger family of the mint often termed jute. The green vegetable is a well known part of the Middle-Eastern, mainly Egyptian cuisine and also known by some Far East oriental dishes as well such as Japan, it is a rather bitter herb with a natural thickening agent. It is the main ingredient of a popular Egyptian dish by the same name. Malukhiyah is prepared in a few ways: the original is the Egyptian style in which the mallow leaves are very finely chopped, with ingredients such as garlic and coriander added giving it a characteristic aromatic and tasty feature, or the Syrian and Jordanian style in which the mallow leaves are left whole. Malukhiyah Stew is served with rice, but is mostly enjoyed with chicken (Chicken and Mallow-Leaves Stew is a well known dish in Syria) or with rabbit a popular Jordanian dish."

Ah... yes, mallow or mallow-like would be indeed gelatinous. Thank you Julia for writing about this vegetable. Now, I need to find myself some seeds. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:2/23/2009 06:37:00 AM Grace, me too! We'd probably be seeing a lot of each other ;)

Heather, I'm not sure why there aren't more Lebanese restaurants around...

Susan, Thanks! I look forward to learning about other new ingredients. Looking forward to the round up.

PG - You know the textural qualities of okra that make it less than universally loved? Same thing. Only in a leafy green.

Sylvie, You know it didn't even occur to me to look for leaves. Given the climate of New England, as compared to Egypt, I imagine I would not be able to grow it... but I bet you could! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:2/23/2009 09:46:00 AM I had this once as the daily special at Aceituna in Kendall Square. It was advertised as "Chicken with Mallo Leaves."

The restaurant advertises itself as "mediterranean" but the folks that own it are Egyptian.

At the time, I asked them where you get Mallo leaves. They said, Watertown. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Marilu Utrera DATE:4/10/2009 01:05:00 PM i am trying to find these moloukia leaves but havent got a clue... do you know of any place near boston that might have it? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:4/10/2009 02:06:00 PM Hi Marilu,

Thanks for visiting my blog. And I'm thrilled that you'll be making moulkhia. It's a wonderful dish that's truly under-appreciated by many Americans.

I bought the frozen leaves at Al Hoda Market on Prospect Ave. in Cambridge. It's quite close to Inman Square. In the South End, the Syrian Grocer (on Shawmut) sells both the dried and frozen leaves. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:7/13/2009 09:29:00 AM More ideas for finding the leaves: I found them in my (fairly large) Chinese grocery, in one of the frozen aisles.

Thank you for the recipe... I already have rabbit in the freezer!

m ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:1/19/2010 09:01:00 AM Well, Rose's Lime Egypt is on the Mediterranean, so, it does qualify to be called Mediterrenean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Peachy Mama Winners and Winter Greens DATE: 1/30/2009 11:21:00 AM ----- BODY:
And the winners of the celebration/Peachy Mama Giveaway are: White on Rice Couple, Sandie of Inn Cuisine And micaela6955/Michele P. Please email me your mailing address to [julia] at [growcookeat] dot [com]. I look forward to hearing about your peachy mama creations!
______________________________________
During the cold of January, a visit to a produce farm might seem bleak. In Southern Maryland, home to my friend Brett’s Even’ Star Organic Farm, temperatures linger around freezing. With gray skies, and the occasional appearance of the sun so low in the sky, sometimes it feels like it is always gloomy.

Despite seemingly harsh conditions, the farm is still in full production. Two green houses in the south field produce 30 cases of mesclun a week. The chickens continue to lay eggs, albeit at a slower pace. And the frost-bitten fields are lined with winter-tolerant greens: kales, mustards, collards and other brassicas. The field greens have superior flavor and texture to their greenhouse counterparts. When overnight temperatures drop below freezing, the leaves get frost bitten, which actually sweetens the flavor, leaving a gold-leaf edge. The winds and cold rains produce a leaf that his structure and texture. The combination of the conditions yields a mesclun mix in which each leaf has a distinct flavor and texture. As the leaves get bigger, they get tougher and make perfect braising greens.

Harvesting lettuce in the winter is not particularly fun – hunched over the fields with cold fingers, but the rewards are sweet. When the temperatures rise above 32F, the leaves thaw, and with a hit of sunshine, the excess moisture evaporates and the leaves rebound. Each leaf is harvested individually, taking care not to damage the plant. The smaller leaves will continue to grow.

The peppery greens make a wonderful salad or stuffing for roasted chicken.

Chicken Stuffed with Peppery Greens and Raisins

2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup raisins
1 bunch mustard greens, washed and coarsely chopped

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
1 teaspoon canola/plain oil
salt and pepper to taste.

1. Melt butter in sauté pan. Add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, and add the curry powder. Cook for 2 more minutes and add the raisins.

2. Add the mustard greens. And cook until they wilt. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Cool before using stuffing.

4. To form pockets for stuffing., gently separate the skin from the meat from only one long edge (leaving the skin still attached on the other half of the breast). Fill the pocket with the stuffing and smooth the skin back over

5. Turn the oven on to broil. Brush the skin with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. Put chicken under the broiler until the skin begins to crisp, about 7 minutes. Switch the oven to bake/ 350, and continue cooking the chicken for 10 minutes or until cooked through.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:1/30/2009 04:39:00 PM I love the raisin addition in there, very nice. And congrats to the winners. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:1/30/2009 09:16:00 PM i love raisins and dates in chicken. i've done chicken stuffed with couscous and dates a couple times. i should add raisins! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:1/30/2009 11:29:00 PM Congratulations to the peachy mama winners! I'll look forward to hearing about the wonderful things you create with your peppers. I still have some left from the original jar Julia gave me, and I'm hoping to get a few more dishes out of them. Enjoy! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger PG DATE:1/31/2009 10:38:00 AM I wish I knew more about farming and all of the details of what happens with the daily change in weather.

I like the chicken recipe. It's unlike anything I've ever made with chicken, but with my love of raisins, I'm sure it would taste great. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Larp of Chiang Mai: Thai Chicken Salad DATE: 1/27/2009 11:15:00 AM ----- BODY:

Every once in a while it happens – you make a great sauce, for a pasta or chicken dish, and invariably it’s too thin, and falls to the bottom of the plate. As you’re eating, you assertively drag the noodles through the sauce, hoping to pull up the yummy flavors. Unless you’re eating with a spoon, it can be a near impossible feat.

Every culture has its tricks. The French have resolved this issue by reducing their stock-based sauces so that they are thick and rich with gelatin. The Chinese use various forms of starch, including corn starch and tapioca flour, to act as an adhesive. And with each technique comes a unique “mouth feel.”

The Thai have an ingenious method: ground, roasted rice. The rice absorbs all the flavors in the dressing and then clings like super-glue onto the food. The rice offers a crunchy texture and slightly nutty flavor. Roasted rice takes about five minutes to make and can be stored for a month wrapped tightly in the cupboard.

Roasted Rice Flour
In a small skillet, over medium heat, add ½ cup of raw jasmine rice. Cook stirring constantly until the grains are lightly golden brown. Immediately remove from heat and out of the pan. When the rice cools, grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder. For tips on cleaning your coffee bean grinder to use, click here.

Now that you have roasted, ground rice, you can make this unusual Thai Chicken Salad. It’s naturally low in fat and high in flavor.


Larp of Chiang Mai
1 lb. chicken breast
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
4 red chilies, finely chopped (seeded if you’d like)
4 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. fish sauce
1tbs. roasted ground rice
2 scallions, chopped
2 tbs. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. sugar
Mesclun Greens
salt and pepper to taste

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a cold sauté pan, put chicken and a ½ cup of water. Turn on heat to medium. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool. Dice chicken.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken and remaining ingredients, except mesclun. Mix thoroughly.

3. Serve salad on a bed of mesclun.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Heather DATE:1/27/2009 12:44:00 PM wow! what a great post! i've never heard of this. i'll bet it's much better than corn starch, i hate the taste that cornstarch gives you. this chicken salad sounds delicious, too!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger jesse DATE:1/28/2009 07:45:00 AM What a find! The sauce sounds easy enough to make and looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:1/28/2009 04:04:00 PM Oh, I hate that thin sauce thing. Good description.

You know I LOOOOOOVE Thai food, but had not researched how they thicken with the roasted rice flour. All I've investigated so far are the curries and some noodle dishes.

I should take baby steps and start with making pad thai at home (yours!). ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:2/19/2009 08:39:00 PM Wow! That salad looks amazing! I can't wait to try it...

I agree with Heather, unless you are sure to really cook the corn starch, it tastes awful...the texture is off too!

Fabulous food blog!!! Kudos!

I came by today to let you know about my Foodie Blog Carnival!

You can get some PR or just have fun entering a blog post in the Foodie Blog Carnival!

Entries are being accepted until Feb. 23rd! You can enter anything that has to do with food!

I'll provide a link and a mention to your post! So easy...So fun!

I look forward to your entry: http://CookingWithKimberly.com/?page_id=1580

Kimberly Edwards :)

P.S. Also, I just added you as a friends on MyBlogLog! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Chicken Kiev via Bali DATE: 1/25/2009 09:13:00 AM ----- BODY:
Ten years ago I traveled to Asia for the first time. I chose Bali because I heard wonderful things about the rustic beauty and the people. I knew nothing of the cuisine, but eagerly ate everything and took copious notes. On my first evening, after a 24 hour flight, I made my first foray in Balinese cuisine. This is what I wrote in my journal:

Fish shacks line the beach. You can pick your own fish: barracuda, squid, white snapper, red snapper, orange roughy, spiny lobster and head-on shrimp. They are grilled over a fire built with coconut shells with a spicy barbecue sauce, and served with steamed rice, vegetables (cooked with more chili sauce) and 3 sauces: soy sauce thickened with molasses, chili-garlic oil and garlic vinegar. The tables were on the beach overlooking the water. We had lobster, barracuda and squid. $30 USD.
It turns out that this feast for two which included plenty of beer was the most expensive meal.

When cleaning out my desk the other night, I came across notes from another spectacular meal… scribbled on the back of the program from a Balinese dance.








Ayam Goreng “Satika” – Fried Chicken with Sambal Matah (onions, chili, lemon grass, and lime). Chicken is stuffed and then fried.

It would seem from these notes that I would want to recreate this meal, but it took me 10 years…. By now, I have no idea was it tasted or looked like. So I had to improvise. This is what I came up with:

Ayam Goreng Satika

2 chicken breasts, butterflied.
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed and finely chopped
1 bird’s eye chili, finely chopped
¼ tsp. sugar
½ lime, juiced
½ cup flour
1 egg, whisked with 2 tablespoons water
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Plain oil
2 tablespoons butter

1. Heat 1 tablespoon plain oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, lemon grass, and chili. Sauté until soft.




2. Season chicken with salt pepper and sugar. Fill with each breast with half of the shallot/chili mix and butter. Squeeze lime juice over the chicken. Fold over.


3. Bread the chicken: First dust in flour. Then dip in eggs. Finally, coat in panko crumbs.

4. Heat a large skillet over high flame. Add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add chicken. Cook until brown on both sides. Continue cooking in a 350F oven until chicken is cooked through.



Serve with green beans -- visit the Perfect Pantry for the recipe.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Femin Susan DATE:1/26/2009 08:48:00 PM hi
my tongue keep dancing in my mouth saying(unless to make me taste and will keep on dancing)(hehehehehehe)
will make those for my tongue and my stomach to settle.
Cheers!! ----- --------