Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Moroccan Style Chicken and Root Vegetable Stew

Moroccan Style Chicken and Root Vegetable Stew


This recipe from epicurious comes with many solid reviews. I offer it here as a theme, and there is lots of room for improvisation. If you are vegetarian, you can substitute chick peas for the chicken and veggie broth for the chicken broth. You can dig through your fridge and use different root vegetables. Potatoes, winter squash, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, even some cabbage, all would work great in this stew. Serve it up with couscous and some salad for a fine meal. Adapted from Bon Appetit January 1998, the recipe serves 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (or chicken thighs or some leftover cooked chicken would work great!)

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon)
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled parsnips (or more turnips, carrots, potatoes)
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled turnips
1 cup 1/2-inch pieces peeled rutabaga (or potatoes)
2 cups canned chicken (or veggie) broth
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
1 cup drained diced tomatoes
Chopped fresh cilantro (or dried or frozen)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pot and sauté until light golden but not cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to bowl. (Skip this step if you are using leftover roast chicken from a previous meal.)

Add onion to pot and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add curry powder, cumin and cinnamon stick and stir 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, broth and currants. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and chicken with any accumulated juices to pot. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and flavors blend, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Chicken in Yogurt Sauce (Murgh Khorma)

Chicken in Yogurt Sauce (Murgh Khorma)


Adapted from Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, this chicken dish would pair well with the Indian Cabbage and Carrot Salad recipe in the July 30th newsletter. (You'll have to scroll down in the newsletter to find it.) Serves 6.

1 3 lbs. chicken
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp salt
2 TB sunflower or olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
1 green chili, chopped (optional)
2 TB chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the whole chicken into 8-10 pieces. Remove skin if desired. Cut 2-3 slits, 1 inch long and 1/2 inch deep, in each piece of chicken. Set aside. In a small bowl mix yogurt, chopped ginger, garlic, garam masala, cayenne pepper, coriander and salt. Pour over chicken and mix well. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds ad cook for a few seconds until seeds are golden brown. Add sliced onions. Fry onions until golden brown, stirring as needed. Add chicken along with the marinade and fry for 8-10 minutes. Add the water, chopped green chili and cilantro and stir well. Cover with a lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve immediately over brown rice.

Published in Dinner

Sweet Chai Glazed Cabbage & Roots with Grilled Tofu, Fish or Chicken


The addition of grilled protein makes this vegetable saute a winning meal. Serve over cooked barley or brown rice. Serves 4.

1 TB oil or bacon fat
1 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 small rutabaga, cut in thin matchsticks
1/2 green cabbage, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1/2 cup apple cider
2 TB Sweet Chai maple syrup
2 TB soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp fish sauce (or to taste)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

12 oz syrup glazed tofu, fish or chicken, cut into chunks (recipe follows)

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the carrots and rutabaga, cook stirring occasionally for another 2 minutes then add the cabbage. Toss and cook the vegetables for another 3-5 minutes, then add the cider, syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is mostly evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. If it the vegetables begin to stick, turn down the heat a bit.

Serve over cooked barley or rice topped with chicken, fish or tofu.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings


All I can say is, Yum! Chicken and dumplings has to be comfort food at its very best. Adapted from Epicurious.com. Use a wide pot so the dumplings don't stick together. Serves 6.

For the soup
2 tablespoons sunflower oil, bacon fat or olive oil
1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
1/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 medium gold ball turnips, cut into large chunks
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
shoots

For the dumplings
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups heavy cream

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, then brown them in the oil over medium heat, about 2 minutes a side. Remove and set aside. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrots, turnip, bay leaf, thyme, turmeric, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the stock. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the first five dumpling ingredients. Add the cream and mix until just combined. Drop about 12 heaping tablespoons of the dumpling mixture into the pot. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes more. To serve, scoop the dumplings and chicken into bowls, then cover with broth. Garnish with the shoots.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs with Carrots

Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs with Carrots


Adapted from Epicurious.com. I think that this recipe would also be very good with tofu, though admittedly, not cooked as long as the chicken thighs. Serves 4-6.

8 small chicken thighs with skin and bone (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 lb total), trimmed of excess fat
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into1/4-inch-wide strips
1 lb carrots (6 medium), cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup water
2 TB apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dried, crumbled parsley
1 tablespoon dried, crumbled cilantro

Pat chicken dry. Stir together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt with paprika, cinnamon, and pepper and rub onto chicken. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over once, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate.

Discard all but 3 tablespoons fat from skillet, then add onion and carrots. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.

Return chicken, skin sides up, to skillet, nestling it into vegetables. Stir together water, vinegar, honey, parsley and cilantro until blended and add to skillet, then cook over moderately low heat, covered, until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. If necessary, skim fat from sauce, then add salt to taste.

Published in Dinner
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