Chicken Shami Kebabs (Burgers?)

(from fortheloveofyum.wordpress.com)

Okay, this is one of those ambitious recipes I just had to try - I couldn't resist the lovely photo, plus, we loves us some Indian treats!

They were pretty good. But dry. Which is unforch. But of course there was very little fat in the chicken, so I'm not surprised. They were however quite flavourful.

I also made them into patties, not into little kebab size, as we were having them with a salad. They would be cute as little bites, but like, a lot of work.

The first night I served them with the 'xmas chutney', which was tasty; and the next time I globbed some 'Memories of Punjab' tamarind sauce on them - which was also yummy. I think if I venture down this road again, I'd keep some of the cooking liquid (who knew I had to drain it?). Anyhow, for those brave enough, here you go:

for cooking the chicken:
water, as needed
2 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs, in large chunks (I used a mixture of thighs and some breast)
1 medium sized red onion, roughly sliced
half a bulb of garlic, peeled
2 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
1 cup yellow split pea lentils soaked overnight and washed (what? I used green lentils, cooked the same day, no soaking)
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods
10-12 dried red chilies, use less for less spicy (hmm, I used 3 biggie mexican chilies)
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 bay leaves
salt, to taste

after cooking the chicken you will need:

1 cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped mint
2-3 green chilies, chopped (I used a large jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and all)
½ a red onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
2 eggs
oil for frying

Cook the lentils until soft, 30 mins or so. Set aside.

In a large pan, add the chicken, a little oil, and all of the items listed (including spices) under the “for cooking the chicken” ingredients. Also, add a little water, about ½ cup. Cook the chicken on med heat for 15 mins and then turn the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 45 more mins, or until the chicken is very tender and all the water has evaporated. You may need to add more water to the pot if it evaporates too quickly, just make sure you cook until the chicken is tender and the onion, garlic, and ginger are very soft. Remove the cinnamon stick, black cardamom, and bay leaves.

Once the chicken is cooled, allow it to cool for 15-20 mins. After it has cooled slightly, transfer it to a large food processor with the cooked lentils and pulse until they are combined. Transfer the chicken and lentil mixture to a large bowl and add in the chopped cilantro, mint, scallions, green chilies, and red onion. It’s time to get messy and crack in the 2 eggs and mix it all together with your hands. Once everything is combined, form the chicken into round kebabs (or burgers!).

Next, in a frying pan heat some oil on medium heat and fry until browned on both sides. Enjoy!

Thai 'Fried' Rice

The best ever!

I had a huge craving for some thai fried rice, and of course, being Summerland, um, no. I threw this together after tasting some recently purchased pineapple. Best.rice.ever. No, I'm serious. Didn't even really need the prawns, though it added some protein (and colour), and I had them on hand. Tofu would be nice. Oh, the leftovers were just as good, if not more so. I want some now!

Stir fry the following in some oil:
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and all!)

Add your sauce:
3 Tbsp. chicken stock
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2-3 tsp. curry powder
1-2 tsp. agave

Add approx 4 cups cooked rice (J’s blend!) (remember to let it cool completely in the fridge)

Stir like mad, then add:
A generous amount of fresh chopped pineapple
A handful of unsalted peanuts
Approx 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Approx 1/4 cup raisins
Green onions, finely sliced
A bunch of chopped cilantro
Prawns

DEVOUR!

Spicy Noodles with Asparagus and Broccoli

(from getnatured.blogspot.com)

I've been cooking up a storm, but haven't posted anything - my bad. And of course, I've since forgotten a few recent ones ... oh well, better late than never to get some good stuff out to my millions ... hundreds ... okay one steady reader out there.

This was absolutely wonderful - it retained its moisture over the days - unlike so many 'pasta salads' past ... I'll absolutely make this again, no hesitation! We served it warm, as spring has been sadly derailed :(

I also added fresh ginger and garlic, just because.

½ lb soba noodles or whole wheat pasta (I used brown rice spirals)
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 bunch asparagus, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, lightly toasted
some green onions, chopped
¼ cup tamari
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (I used sambal olek, plus added a hunk of finely chopped ginger, and about 3 finely chopped garlic cloves)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp aji-mirin (rice wine), optional (I used Madeira!)
chopped cilantro

Make your sauce by whisking together the above.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. In the last minute of cooking, add the broccoli and asparagus to the pot. Drain, and toss with the carrots, sesame seeds, and green onions.

Pour the sauce over the noodle mixture and toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled (I think room temp or warm).

Asparagus and Shiitake Mushroom Teriyaki Quinoa Salad

(from closetcooking.com)

This.Was.So.Good. Oshi oshi! Am having the leftovers tonight, by grilling some colossal prawns (which I'll marinate in some of the teriyaki), and 'rest' them on top of the salad for a glam Friday night treat! (haha, 'resting' ... a reference from the UK series "The Trip")

I could eat this every day. No, I'm serious.

1 cup quinoa (I used half red, half regular)
2 cups water
1/2 tbsp oil
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (I think I used more), remove stems, and thinly slice
2 tbsp homemade teriyaki sauce * (OMG so delish – double the recipe, as you’ll need more)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 pound asparagus (bite sized pieces, steamed) (I used a bunch)
1/4 cup edamame (blanched)(or more, to taste)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
a bunch of chopped green onions
a couple tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)

*3 tbsp soy, 3 tbsp mirin (I used madeira), 3 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar (I used agave, so didn’t heat)
Directions: Heat in the soy, mirin, sake & sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. (you can substitute agave or honey)

Simmer the quinoa in the water until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the shiitake mushrooms and saute for a few minutes.
Add the teriyaki sauce until it is absorbed, about 1-3 minutes.
Add the sesame oil and remove from heat and let cool a bit.
Mix everything and serve.

Butternut Squash Mac ‘n Cheese

(based on Martha Stewart's recipe)

After being derailed due to yucky and expensive cauliflower, I had to come up with a Plan B for the butternut squash - bingo! This far exceeded our expectations - it was rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious. I lightened it up with almond milk, and reduced fat ricotta - not that you'd have noticed it was lower in fat. Wonderful dish - I'll absolutely make this again. Not that we ever need convincing when it comes to pasta.

Bake squash, on a sheet of parchment at 400 degrees for about one hour, until soft. Scoop out squash flesh and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot place stock, milk, squash and spices on a medium simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then, with an immersion blender (or use your cuisinart), blend until pretty smooth.

Place all cheeses, except a little Parmesan (save in a bowl for topping) in a large mixing bowl, stir to combine. (I actually added this to the heated squash mixture - then tossed all the pasta in)

When pasta is al dente, add to the heated pasta, and combine everything - the pasta will continue to cook a bit.

In the meantime, I toasted the breadcrumbs in a pan, with a little olive oil, then added some parm.

Spoon up your pasta, and top it with some of the the crumb mixture.

Oh, the leftovers were just as amazing :)

Mulligatawny Stew

(from makinglifedelicious.com)

I always think of Elaine and the Soup Nazi when I hear 'mulligatawny' - so obviously I had to make this! Admittedly, I wasn't wowed after it was done - so I upped the spice quotient to include some cumin, ground ginger and a liberal sprinkling of cayenne for some heat, oh, and a heavy handed spoonful of madras curry paste - I think it is a forgiving recipe that way. Needless to say, the leftovers once again eclipsed the night of, and we still have some to tuck into - much to my delight. Really great dish - easy too.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped (about 3-4 cups)
2 tsp minced garlic, (3–4 cloves)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped (I always use more ginger)
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
¾ cup green or black lentils, rinsed (I used just more than a cup of black beluga lentils)
15 ounce diced tomatoes, with their liquid
32 ounce chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup light unsweetened coconut milk
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (opt) (was a must)
a bunch of chopped cilantro, for serving (opt) (oh yes)
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder and garam masala and sauté it, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the lentils to coat them.

Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring the soup to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer, stirring it occasionally, until the lentils are tender.

How long this takes varies depending on the lentils you use - I think I cooked it for 30 minutes or more?. The soup thickened considerably during this time.

Stir in the coconut milk until it is heated through. Add salt to taste. (the original recipe had the soup pureed, I did not - it was a wonderful texture as is).

Serve over J's wicked rice blend, squeezing fresh lemon juice over it, and garnishing with fresh cilantro (and green onions - my obsession!)

Smoky Spanish Zarzuela with Chorizo and Wheat Berries

(from thelunacafe.com)

In Spain, the term zarzuela (pronounced thahr-thway-lah or sometimes zahr-zway-lah) refers to a type of light opera consisting of song, dance, and theatre. This culinary namesake, which is a seafood soup, has a full measure of drama, typically featuring halibut, mussels, shrimp, and squid—an all-star cast in an intriguing and finely tuned broth. This version is enlivened with smoked paprika, ancho chile paste, and chorizo (didn’t have the fresh mussels or clams either so used a can of clams, nor the halibut – but whatevs!) - the end result was magnifico nonetheless! The recipe called for farro, which I understand is the more expensive and smug cousin (the tall willowy blond) of wheat berries (the stumpy redheaded stepchild) – which I always have on hand.

2-3 cups cooked Farro (or wheatberries)
2 dried ancho chiles

Seafood Stock:
2 cups clam or seafood nectar ( I had frozen seafood stock on hand)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup ancho chile water, from below
shells from 1 lb prawns, from below (didn’t use, as had the stock)
several sprigs parsley (see above)

Chorizo:
2 tbsp cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
2 large Spanish dried chorizo sausages, diced (I had 5 small, uncooked ones – which I parboiled, removed that icky casing, then fried with the onions and garlic!)

Soup Base:
2 cups chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (I doubled)
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups reduced seafood stock, from above
14½ ounce can chopped tomatoes w/ juice
14½ ounce can crushed tomatoes (I used passata)
1 bell peppers, chopped
s & p, to taste

Seafood:
1 lb large prawns in the shell
1 lb small manila clams, shells tightly closed, scrubbed, ½ lb small Washington blue mussels, shells tightly closed, scrubbed and debearded (or 1 can of clams and use more sausage?!)

Garnish:
A bunch of chopped flat leaf parsley and thinly sliced green onion

To prepare the farro, in a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (or water) to a boil and add 1½ cups of farro. Boil for 5 minutes, cover, and simmer for about 50 minutes, until the grain is tender and nicely chewy (wheat berries take about . Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again thoroughly and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until needed. (You will have about 3 cups of cooked farro.) Just before adding to the soup, heat for a minute or two in the microwave.

To prepare the ancho chile paste, put the ancho chiles into a 2-cup measuring cup and cover with boiling water. Weight the chiles down with something heavy so that they are submerged in the water. Let hydrate for 15-30 minutes. Pour the water through a sieve into a clean measuring cup and taste it. If it is not bitter, reserve 1 cup and discard the remainder. Pull the stems from the chiles, tear them open and scrape away the seeds. Mince or puree the chiles to a paste. You should have 3-4 tablespoons of ancho chile paste. Reserve.

To prepare the seafood stock, in a 2-quart saucepan, bring the reserved ancho chile water, clam nectar, and wine to a simmer. Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tails on the prawns. Add the peels to the water, along with several sprigs of parsley. Simmer until the stock is reduced to 2 cups, and then strain into a clean container. Reserve.

To make the soup base, in a 3½-quart or larger skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook for one minute or so, until starting to crisp and releasing fat. If you now have more than ¼ cup fat in the pan, drain off a tablespoon or so.

Add the onions, garlic, and ancho paste to the pan and cook slowly until the onions are translucent and softened, about 10 minutes. Add the smoked paprika and cook for 2 additional minutes.

Add the reduced seafood stock from above, chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, partially covered, until flavors are melded but soup has not reduced significantly. Season the soup base to taste with salt and pepper. The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, refrigerated, and reheated just before serving. In this case, you might want to add another ¼ cup each of chopped red and green bell pepper to brighten the color.

Just before serving, heat the prepared farro. (I simply crumbled a bunch of the cooked wheatberries into the soup, and cooked the prawns near the end, then stirred in the canned clams!)

Bring the soup to a simmer, add the clams and mussels, and cover. Cook for 3 minutes and uncover to see if all or most of the shells have opened. If not, cover again and simmer for another 2 minutes. When most of the shells are opened, discard any that remain closed.

Divide the shellfish between 4-6 large bowls and keep warm for a minute. Add the prawns to the simmering soup base, cover, and cook until bright pink on both sides, about 1-2 minutes. You may have to turn the prawns in the soup to cook them evenly. Divide the prawns between the bowls.

Ladle the soup base over the shellfish in each bowl. Add a ½ cup scoop of farro to the center of each serving, and sprinkle with parsley and green onion. Serves 4-6 – and it really did – the leftovers are more amazing than the first night.

Tartufata Pizza

Okay, so I found this little jar of goodness @ the Italian market in Kelowna, called 'salsa tartufata', a mushroom and truffle sauce - how could I resist? They also sell these amazingly slim but huge whole wheat pizza crusts, thinner than a communion wafer! So, I slathered the crust with the sauce, sauteed a whole bunch of thinly sliced brown mushrooms, then added some shredded mixed Italian cheeses, including parm. Bake. Cover slices with thinly sliced green onions to serve (this has become an obsession of mine - goes so well with pizza, adds freshness and crunch). This.was.so.good. As Lidia says at the end of each show, Tutti a Tavola a Mangiare! (Loosely translated as everyone to the table to eat!)

Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf

(from theperfectpantry.com recipes)

After having the best meatloaf ever (my sis' recipe, on this site) I was hesitant to try an alternative. But I'm super keen on ground turkey, and I've been neglecting the quinoa lately, so tada! This was spectac, with a wonderful light texture - and because I'm used to a meatloaf with a tomato-ish topping, I slathered the remaining chili sauce from the jar (mixed with a bit of water), along with a bit of salsa, on top before baking. Unlike myself, Scottie didn't grow up with amazing meatloaf, so was not as giddy as me contemplating his dinner, but he had to admit it was wonderful - he even tucked in for seconds. Served this with oven-roasted broccoli (recipe on this site - a fantastic accompaniment).

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (I always keep the seeds intact for heat!)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1½ cups cooked quinoa (1/2 cup quinoa cooked with 1 cup of water)(I used half white, and half red for colour, plus used a bit more)
1.3 lbs lean ground turkey
¼ cup chopped fresh basil (didn’t have this on hand - did it need it? I don't think so)
2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp tomato ketchup (I used ALL Heinz chilli sauce)
1 large egg
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 tsp fresh black pepper

Cook the quinoa, set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat an 8-1/2x4-1/2x2-1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, and set aside.

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño to the pan, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until the onion is soft. Stir in the cumin, and cook for one minute. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly, and transfer to the loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Turn the oven off, and let the meatloaf sit in it for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the oven, and let the meatloaf cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving (devouring).

Broccoli Cheese Soup

(From Cook's Illustrated)

Oh I know, yet another blended soup - you'd think I'd be tired of them by now, but apparently not. This one truly delivered - though I didn't peel the stems as well as I should have, as there were some really woody fibre bits throughout (oops), so I had to pick them out. But otherwise (if you are still reading this) it really was tasty - perfectly balanced flavours and texture (other than the stringy bits) - and the colour, wow - the addition of spinach took it to a new level. Oh, and I likely upped the cheese content, just a smidge.

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, chopped into 1” pieces (include the stems but peel them and cut them into 1/4 inch-thick slices)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp dry mustard powder (or in my case, some Dijon – I never have dried mustard on hand!)
pinch cayenne
Salt
2-3 cups water
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 cups chicken broth
2 oz baby spinach
3 oz sharp cheddar, grated
1 ½ oz parmesan, grated
pepper to taste

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat butter over medium high heat. Add broccoli, onion, garlic, mustard, cayenne and 1 tsp salt. Stir frequently and cook until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup water and baking soda and bring to a simmer. Cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes.

Add broth and 2 cups water and increase heat to medium high. Bring to a simmer, then stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Add cheeses and blend soup with an immersion blender (alternatively, you can transfer soup to a blender and blend in two batches).

Adjust consistency of soup to your liking with remaining water (I found it didn't need any more). Season to taste with salt and pepper.