Chicken Puebla Stew

I honestly know what kills my husband about my eating habits: when he asks what I want to eat, my answer is always the same - "something healthy, cheap, and delicious." Really, Leah? Yes, really. Even when cooking at home, that is a tough request. Following the decadence of the holiday season, this healthy and flavorful soup satisfies the part of you that wants to continue eating everything in sight, and the other part of you that swore to eat better/workout/fill-in-the-blank.

Don't be intimidated by the unique cooking style of this soup - charing the onions and garlic before pureeing. I promise that anyone can do it. Top the soup with some diced avocado (healthy fat), cilantro, sour cream (low fat, please), and a couple tortilla chips, and enjoy.

Chicken Puebla Stew

2 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

2 c broth/stock

2 t. salt

2 garlic cloves whole, not peeled
1 small onion, quartered

1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes in juice

1 chipotle in Adobo (1 medium chilie)

1 t. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)

1 t. Cumin

½ t. Smoked paprika

1 (1 1/2-oz) link dried Spanish chorizo, finely diced

1  small onion, diced

1 T.  vegetable oil

1 c. corn (frozen)

1  14 oz can white hominy

1 avocado, diced

warm corn tortillas or chips
Sour cream
Cilantro

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and saute over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside. Once cool, dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces or shred it. You can also use leftover chicken rather than making some - any cut of chicken will do.

In a large dutch oven, cook the chorizo and diced small onion in oil over medium heat until the fat is rendered, about 2-4 minutes. 


Meanwhile, heat a small dry cast-iron skillet over high heat and brown the garlic and quartered onion on all sides, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes. Peel the garlic, and transfer it and the onion to a blender. Add the tomatoes with juice, chiles, and oregano, then purée until smooth.


Add cumin and paprika to the large pot with chorizo and onion, cooking 2-3 minutes more. Carefully add the tomato purée (it will splatter and steam) and the hominy, and simmer, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes or until thick. Add the 2 cups of broth and return the soup to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and add the chicken and frozen corn; let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  


Serve with sour cream, sprinkled with diced avocado and cilantro.

Adapted from Epicurious, original recipe available at www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Puebla-Chicken-and-Potato-Stew-109026

Curried Quinoa Salad

In the mood for something healthy that won't leave you starving (or groaning) when you're done? You're looking for quinoa. It is an amazing grain that is loaded with protein, easy to make, delicious and satisfying. Quinoa cooks just like rice, has a soft texture when cooked, and is neutral in flavor. The USDA National Nutrient Database says that 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains 8.14 grams of protein, 5.2 grams of dietary fiber, and a variety of other nutrients. 

It happens to be my humble opinion that people need to incorporate more vegetable-oriented meals into their diets. I am not advocating becoming a vegetarian - I love meat too much for that. Rather, my point is simply that protein doesn't need to be the main component of a meal, or necessarily take the form of meat. Quinoa is an easy, and typically palatable, starting point for those who are hardcore carnivores. 

To be perfectly honest, I stumbled upon this recipe tonight and hardly followed the original recipe. Turns out I wasn't able to wait for the quinoa to cool before I ate it, and it was delicious warm - I'm sure it's great as a cold salad, but I haven't tried it yet.

Curried Quinoa Salad

Ingredients 

1 cup dry quinoa

2 cups water

2 tsp Chicken stock base*

½ tsp curry powder

pinch salt

¼ cup canola oil (or EVOO)

2 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. mango chutney, chopped if chunky

2½  tsp curry powder

1tsp prepared mustard

a sprinkle of cayenne pepper

(1 cup chopped peeled mango)

1 cup peeled and diced cucumber

1 bunch green onions, sliced

Method

To make the quinoa, add the quinoa, curry powder, and stock base into the pot, and put over medium heat. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn, and that the stock base becomes soft, and melts into the quinoa. Once you can smell the curry, add the water and salt; give it a stir. Turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, put a lid on and turn the heat to low and set the timer for 15 minutes. This process is like cooking rice – you’re steaming the quinoa, so don’t lift the lid to peak. There may be some extra liquid at the end, but that’s ok. Just turn the heat up to medium and cook it off. (happens to me all the time)

Meanwhile, in a bowl large enough to hold all of the quinoa, add the mango chutney, vinegar, mustard, and curry powder, and whisk to combine. Whisking vigorously, add the oil slowly until the dressing is combined. When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the bowl with the dressing, and stir to combine. Add a sprinkle of cayenne and salt to taste. Let cool. Once cool, add the diced cucumber and scallions.

The quinoa is very good still warm with the cucumber and green onion on top. (Which is how I had it for dinner)

The original recipe called for adding diced mango to the salad – I didn’t try it because I couldn't find it at the store tonight. It also called for serving the quinoa on top of spinach, which I did – not great. Might be better with a yogurt dressing – like an Indian raita – over the whole salad if you use the spinach.

Adapted from Epicurious.com on 1/3/11; available at www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Quinoa-Salad-with-Mango-232544

* Chicken stock base is a kitchen staple - you can find it in all grocery stores by the packaged stocks/broths.  The link is to the Better Than Bullion brand, which is what I use. It's great because you'll always have as much, or as little, stock as you need.

Spicy Asian Flank Steak

This spicy asian flank steak is SO good. I do not think I need to sell this recipe any more than that because I know that once you try it, you'll make it all the time. It is that good. The secret is cutting the finished product correctly: you can see from the photo that I've sliced the meat very thin. The reason is that flank steak is a tough cut of meat, so by slicing it thin and across the grain, you get to enjoy a meltingly tender bite of steak. Winner, winner, steak dinner.

Spicy Asian Flank Steak

2 pounds flank steak

1⁄4 cup hot chile sauce, Sriracha

1⁄4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated

Juice of 1 lime

1⁄4 cup freshly chopped cilantro

To make marinade: In a gallon side zip-top bag, add the chile sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and lime juice together. Seal the bag and squeeze bag to thoroughly mix the marinade. Add the meat to the bag, seal it shut, and evenly distribute the marinade over the meat. Then ensure that all air is out. Marinate meat about 30 minutes, turning bag over a few times to distribute marinade evenly. (If you want to make this the night before, don't add the lime juice until about 30 minutes before you're ready to grill it and make sure to keep the bag 'o meat in the fridge. Prior to grilling, have meat come to room temperature by removing from fridge for 30 minutes.)

When ready to grill, discard the marinade, and grill the steak on high heat to desired doneness. Steak should not exceed medium rare for optimum tenderness; many people prefer flank steak to be medium rare. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side; remove meat and let sit at least 5 minutes before slicing; if more grilling is required, grill 1 to 2 more minutes per side. Remember to thinly slice it across the grain.

To enjoy this gorgeous flank steak, try the following: thinly sliced onion, avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro, lime, and corn tortillas.

Roasted Beet Salad

We also picked up fresh beets at the Farmer's Market on Saturday. Todd was not convinced when I suggested that we buy some - but he admitted that he has only had pickled beets. Now that he tried this salad, he loves beets, and I think you will, too. They are deliciously sweet, and have a beautiful velvety texture. As you can see from the photo below - I think I'll stick with golden beets from now on. The red beets, while gorgeously pink, made everything pink - even my yummy oranges.

Roasted Beet Salad

• 6 medium golden beets

• 2 large oranges
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or pasted
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 2 Tablespoons toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 lb salad greens
  

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut off and discard stems from the beets, and wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Once cool, peel the beets. Slice each beet into wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Zest one orange for the dressing, then supreme it: begin by cutting the ends off of the orange. Place the orange cut-side up, and cut the peel/white pith off the orange. Then, working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. If that confused you, see this video.* Add orange segments to the bowl with the beets.

Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the mixture on top of a plate of salad greens. Enjoy!

Feel free to experiment with this - Todd added crumbled blue cheese to his salad, and it was delicious (but I thought it was too overpowering). Certainly goat cheese would be perfect here, if you like it (which I don't; not even a little). I personally might choose a ricotta salata in place of goat cheese.

*Please just take your time when you supreme an orange so that you do not waste as much of it as Ming Tsai does; I'm not a fan of his, but it shows you how to do it.

The Best Sandwich I Ever Ate...

Last weekend I went to Toronto, and as it turns out, I found the perfect sandwich. Our first full day in Toronto was a little crazy, and we needed to find a late lunch. We wandered into a little French cafe - Jules Bistro - and I knew it was going to be good - it had crystal chandeliers after all.

So, the best sandwich I ever ate was here: The Jules Vegetarien with Brie.
I realize that the photo is rather unimpressive, but this sandwich (and Jules Bistro) were SO good, we went back there for lunch the next day and I ate it again. It's that good. Ok, so what is it? Warm ratatouille, two thick slices of brie, a little mustard, baby salad greens, and the freshest bread I have ever had.

The other reason we loved this Bistro: the chef (who was actually French) was out talking to people in the restaurant while we were eating (we were there for a late lunch) our cute waitress has the best French accent, and you could order brie cheese on anything.

I am working on a copy-cat recipe before I forget and I'll share.

Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew

Sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes they don't. For example, the weather on Sunday was beautiful - mid-50s and sunny. That didn't stop me from sticking to my plan: staying inside cooking and reading all weekend.

I decided to make this dish for a few reasons - it sounded delicious, and we bought a lot of spices at the spice market in Istanbul that I haven't used yet. Plus, I am always looking for new recipes to use quinoa in; it is a complete protein and a grain!

The flavors in this dish are very comforting and hearty, with a slight suggestion of heat as you finish your bite. If you're leery of the cayenne, start with a 1/4 teaspoon and see what you think. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.

Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew
Ingredients:
Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled carrots
1 can Chickpeas
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

Quinoa
2 cup quinoa* (Pronounced keen-wa)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups chicken/vegetable stock

Method:

For stew: 
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup stock, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes; add the can of chickpeas after the first 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For quinoa: 
Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups stock. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
NOTE: Sometimes I find a lot of liquid in my quinoa after 15 minutes and it tends to be too firm yet. So, I turn up the heat to medium, remove the lid, and check it after about 5 minutes. Use you best judgment - if it seems undercooked, it probably is. Don't be scared of this grain; it's pretty hard to screw it up.


Rewarm stew. Stir in the cilantro and mint, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the cilantro for garnish. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over.

* You can find quinoa in the natural section of the grocery store, or at a specialty market. It's a grain that has lots of protein, and it tastes great. If you're still not impressed or persuaded, go ahead and use rice.

Adapted from Bon Appétit | January 2006
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-with-Moroccan-Winter-Squash-and-Carrot-Stew-233714

Made on 10/18/09.

Pesto Pea Salad

I rarely find a recipe that I don't tweak or change. I also don't make many dishes with only a few ingredients and/or spices, but this is one of them. It's perfect.

This salad is such a great sumer dinner. Not only does it have great flavor and texture, it takes 5 minutes to throw together. We had it for dinner tonight on its own, although it would be great with some crusty bread, and a grilled chicken breast marinaded in pesto.

Pesto Pea Salad
Ingredients
1/4 lb baby spinach, washed
10 oz. frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 c. prepared pesto
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

Method
Place all ingredients in a bowl. Toss. Eat.


* I really like to use the frozen baby peas from Trader Joe's.
Recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 77 (2006); my picture :)

Farmer's Market Pasta

So, not only do I have a problem with using the oven, I avoid it. I mean, really. What is the point of baking a pasta dish that is perfectly good without the extra step. Case in point, Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil. Sounds delicious. It does not, however, sound like I need to wait an additional 45 minutes to eat it, or dirty more dishes for that matter, by baking it. Plus, eliminating some of that cooking keeps the veggies perfectly cooked, and the sauce fresh. This is my stove top only adaptation of Penne with Corn, Zucchini and Basil; I call it Farmer's Market Pasta. You can easily pick up the majority of the ingredients at your local farmer's market - if you're in Madison, stop by Creekside Farm, and say hello to Mark and Chris, my honorary Uncle and Aunt!

Farmer's Market Pasta
Ingredients:
Kosher salt, to taste
1 lb. penne
6 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
Kernels cut from 3 ears of corn
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 zucchini, about 2 lb. total, cut into half-moons
1 small yellow onion, diced
8 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Method:
In a 12-inch nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the corn, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches, add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the corn. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Start boiling the water for the pasta.

Set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 tsp. salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 3 minutes more. Next add the tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce, toss - enjoy!

Adapted on August 5, 2009 from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

NOTE: I also think this would be a great make ahead dish: sauté the corn, then the zucchini, and set aside. Prepare the sauce, put a lid on it, and move it to the back of the stove. When you're ready to eat, cook the pasta, and turn the heat on under the sauce. I don't think you need to reheat the veggies; I didn't last night and there was probably an hour break. Toss it all together and enjoy. Oooo, I bet this would be great if you grilled the corn on the cob, then cut it off to add.

Gouda & Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken

This dish is so sinful, no one will believe that it's not bad for you. I adapted this from a health food cookbook! It is really good served with some sauteed asparagus.

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. Chicken breasts (3)
2 c. Buttermilk (use more if necessary to cover)
3 slices Prosciutto
3 slices Smoked Gouda cheese
1½ c. Italian breadcrumbs
EVOO

Method:

Place a chicken breast between plastic wrap, and pound until about 1” thick. Using a boning knife, slice the breast in half lengthwise, leaving one long side together. Repeat with all chicken breasts. Place the chicken in a bowl, cover with buttermilk, and allow to marinade for 20-30 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick skillet with a little EVOO over medium heat. Place breadcrumbs on a plate; set aside. Working with one chicken breast at a time, remove from the bowl and lay a piece of cheese and prosciutto in the middle of each one. Making sure the breast is still coated in buttermilk, dip it in the breadcrumbs to coat. Place the chicken in the hot pan.

Once all of the breasts are golden brown on both sides, place the pan into the oven for 18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from Healthy Cooking by William-Sonoma; recipe created on 3/9/09.

Note: I found the best prosciutto and smoked gouda cheese slices at Trader Joe's.

Thank you summer weather - where have you been for the past month?

In anticipation of the beautiful weekend in Wisconsin, I am posting this recipe, intended for the grill*. Todd and I invented this dish on Tuesday, and are still VERY impressed with ourselves. We hope you enjoy the weekend and the food!

Grilled Pork Chops with Glazed Onions

2 Boneless pork chops, 1 – 1 ½ inches thick
¼ c. Jack Daniel’s Spicy Southwestern Mustard **
1/3 c. Balsamic Vinegar
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lg. Yellow Onion
Salt
Pepper

Combine the balsamic vinegar, mustard and olive oil until well combined. In a separate container (ziplock bags work well) add the chops and the marinade. Allow to sit as long as possible – between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

While you wait, slice the onion into rounds. Sauté over medium heat until they are golden brown and squishy (i.e. carmelized: this process may take a while, up to 20 minutes. Make sure you keep them from charring around the edges – if so, you’ll want to turn down the heat.) You can feel free to cook the onions ahead of time, and finish the cooking when you add the marinade.

When the chops are ready to grill, remove them and season with salt and pepper, saving as much of the marinade as possible. Grill to desired doneness (duh). Once the onions are to the proper golden brown squishiness, add the marinade to the pan of onions. Allow to bubble and reduce over medium heat until the pork chops are done. (You do not need to worry about using the marinade in the sauce because it is being cooked and will be safe to eat.)

Serve the onions on top of the chops with a salad or good bread.
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* If you do not have a badass grill like Todd, with a grill grate on one half and a griddle on the other, you may want to do the onions in a sauté pan.

** You can find this any supermarket; if you do not feel the need to rush out and buy this, I recommend Grey Poupon Country Dijon.

P.S. This is really healthy too: just 1 T. of oil per serving.

Minestrone Soup

I have made this a few times, most recently for dinner on Easter (very festive, I know). I realize that this is not a traditional minestrone, mostly because Dad and I debated the finer points and as it turns out, I am wrong. However, Todd and I are pretty sure its perfect!

I wanted to post this before the last of the chilly days are gone. On a cold afternoon this soup is great because it is hearty and fast. Best of all, the only fat in the whole pot is the extra virgin olive oil, so you can feel better about sitting on your butt all day. I hope that you try this one out - feel free to cut the recipe in half, it makes a ton.
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Minestrone Soup
Serves 5-6

Ingredients:
4 T. EVOO
1 large yellow onion, large dice
1 lb. whole carrots, peeled and sliced
1 c. Dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
3 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
3 15 oz. cans cannellini beans
3 medium zucchinis, diced
¾ bag of baby spinach (or 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped)
1 c. Pastina (small soup pasta – I use DaVinci brand)
4 T. oregano
3 T. basil
1 t. garlic powder
½ t. Freshly grated nutmeg
½ Leftover roasted chicken, diced
chicken stock to cover by 2 inchs
salt
pepper

Method:
In an large soup pot over medium heat, add the onion, carrot, salt and pepper. Sauté until onion is soft and translucent, but not browned. Raise the heat to med-high and add the wine to deglaze the pan; allow to cook for 1-3 minutes (just until the alcohol is gone). Then add the tomatoes, beans, garlic powder, nutmeg, and half of the oregano and basil. Cover vegetables with chicken stock, cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow soup to simmer until you are ready to eat – I recommend not more than 1 hour – this is a quick cooking soup.

Return to a slow/low boil; add the zucchini, pastina, and rest of the basil and oregano. Simmer until pastina is al dente (check package directions). Stir in the spinach and it’s done. Serve topped with a dollop of pesto (if you have some), grated parmesan cheese and fresh bread.
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Remember this is a rustic Italian soup; you can substitute whatever vegetables you have or like. This recipe happens to be the way I like mine. When substituting, keep in mind that you are trying to keep all of the vegetables the same or similar size so that they cook evenly.

** If you don’t have left over chicken, you could use fresh chicken and add it to the soup after you lower it to a simmer, after most of the vegetables have been added. If you boil raw meat, it will become tough, not tender – so make sure you keep the heat low.

Also, when you reheat this soup (it’s even better), you may have to add some stock or water to bring it back to the proper consistency.