Tag Archives: Cooking

Chicken Simmered with Green Onions and Sweet Soy Sauce (Ayam O)

8 Replies

Ayam_O (1 of 1) Hi. Back from Germany. Turns out that I was too busy to cook for the blog while there. I did have tons of great food there, which I’ll try to recreate in future blogs. Great game tonight between Germany and Brazil (though, I feel bad for Brazil). Anyway, tonight’s dish is a very simple, delicious Indonesian chicken dish. There is no heat in this dish, but you can add some if you like. Browning the chicken first (which I don’t think is very Indonesian) helps to keep the chick very moist. Yum — hope you’ll try it tonight!

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up into large chunks
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp brown or palm sugar
1/2 tsp granulated terasi
2 spring onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
3 Tbsp kecap manis
2 Tbsp water

Combine chicken chunks with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside (let stand 10 minutes).

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and brown 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir-fry another 1 minute.

Add ginger, brown sugar and stir. Add terasi and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Stir in spring onions, soy sauce and water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 25 minutes. Remove lid and cook another 5 minutes, or until sauce is very thick. Serve with steamed coconut rice and peeled, quartered hard-boiled eggs.

Serves 4.

New England Fish Chowder with Rosemary and Thyme-Scented Crackers

4 Replies

Fish_Chowder1 (1 of 1)One of the nice things about New England is the availability of really good fish chowder (and of course, clam chowder) in restaurants. However, I find it’s also nice to prepare my own at home — this mouth-watering, creamy (although not exactly slim!) version so easy to make, and the herbed crackers are really what make this dish. Delicious! Hope you’ll give this a try!

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped (or 1 tsp fresh)
3 cups oyster crackers
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp flour
1 tsp ground paprika
2 8-oz bottles clam juice
2 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
2 baking potatoes (about 1 lb tot.), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 lbs firm white fish (cod, halibut, etc.), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus a pinch
3 Tbsp chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter with thyme and rosemary in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add a pinch each of salt and ground black pepper. Add oyster crackers and stir well to combine. Spread cracker mixture out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Cook bacon over medium-high heat in a large sauce pan or Dutch oven. Stir until crisp, then transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Drain off fat. Add onions, carrots, celery and 2 Tbsp butter to pan. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir 3 minutes. Add paprika and stir another 30 seconds. Add clam juice, water and cream. Increase heat to medium high, add potatoes and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes (stirring occasionally). Stir in fish and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Serve with the prepared crackers.

Serves 4.

Italian Meatloaf

5 Replies

Italian_Meatloaf2 (1 of 1)Some of my readers may recall that I have a thing for meatloaf. Well, it’s been a while since my last meatloaf post, so here we go (again). This fantastic version comes from central Italy — its ingredients are simple, but make for a delicious meatloaf and sauce! Really easy to prepare — hope you’ll try it out!

 

Two thick slices bread, torn into pieces and soaked in about a cup of milk
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground pork
1/4 lb pancetta, finely chopped
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 chopped parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2  14-oz cans diced tomatoes with juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drain milk from bread, squeezing out excess liquid. Combine bread and next 8 ingredients (ground beef through black pepper) in a large bowl. Mix well with hands.

Coat lidded casserole with cooking spray. Add meat mixture to casserole and form into a Italian_Meatloaf1 (1 of 1)10-inch x 5-inch loaf. Combine tomatoes and wine, together with a pinch of additional salt in a bowl. Pour tomato mixture around loaf. Cover, place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 45 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and let stand, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Slice meatloaf in casserole into 1-inch slices. Serve with hot pasta.

Serves 8.

 

Chicken Simmered with Black Olives and Rosemary

9 Replies

Chicken_with_Black_Olives_and_Rosemary1 (1 of 1)This is a simple-to-prepare chicken recipe. The list of ingredients is short (at least among my posts), but these ingredients combine very well into a delicious dish. A very important component is the anchovy paste — it does not add any sort of a fishy flavor, but rather an important “depth of flavor,” so don’t skip it! If you have whole anchovy filets, you can substitute 2 filets for the paste. A wonderful Mediterranean take on chicken, hope you’ll give it a try!

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Combine chicken with salt and pepper in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk flour into white wine and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or similar pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on Chicken_with_Black_Olives_and_Rosemary2 (1 of 1)all sides, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion, rosemary and white wine/flour mixture. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add olives and anchovy paste to the chicken mixture; stir well. Cover pan and simmer gently another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in red wine vinegar. Season with additional salt, if desired. Serve with pasta,  white rice, or pane di casa.

Serves 4.

 

Milanese-Style Risotto with Saffron (Risotto alla Milanese)

4 Replies

Risotto_alla_Milanese2 (1 of 1)For a proper, creamy and delicious risotto, you must be patient — the key is to stir constantly and add liquid gradually, allowing it to absorb each time. When I first made risotto, I didn’t do it right, and the rice ended up gooey and uncooked (had to toss it). I was discouraged and didn’t make it again for several years. I finally tried again, preparing it correctly. I now think a good risotto is one of the simplest and most satisfying dishes to prepare!. Hope you try it!

1/4 tsp saffron threads
1 1/2 Tbsp hot water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, very finely grated or minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish

In a small bowl, combine saffron with hot water. Let steep for at least 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pan) over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add rice and sauté 2 minutes.

Add wine and stir until absorbed. Stir in saffron mixture, and season with the salt and pepper. Add stock very gradually, one ladle at a time, allowing each to Risotto_alla_Milanese1 (1 of 1)be absorbed before proceeding to the next. Stir mixture constantly. This process is key to a rich, creamy risotto, and should take 20 minutes or so. Be patient!

Remove rice from heat. Stir in a couple additional tablespoons of chicken stock, as well as the parmesan cheese. Cover and let stand for about 3 minutes. Divide among 6 serving dishes. Grate plenty of parmesan cheese over each. Serve with crusty, country-style bread and nice glasses of white wine.

Serves 6.

Vietnamese Caramalized Pork Patties

11 Replies

Vietnamese_Caramalized_Pork_Balls1 (1 of 1)These pork patties are spectacular as far as I’m concerned! So full of flavor! Aside from the caramalization and other great ingredients, the sauce has a ton of ground black pepper — this is typical of many Vietnamese sauces, and I think it’s what makes this dish (must be from the French influence in Vietnam). If you like Southeast Asia’s obligatory sweet, hot, sour, salty flavor combo, I think you’ll really like this dish!

3 Tbsp tamarind purée
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 cups finely chopped shallots (about 5 very large Euro-style)
3 red Thai bird chilies, minced
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 large cloves garlic, very finely shredded or minced
1 1/2 lbs lean ground pork
1/3 (slightly rounded) cup sugar
3 scallions, sliced

In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tbsp fish sauce with 1/2 cup water. Set aside.

In another small bowl, mix together 2/3 cup chopped shallots with half the minced chilies and 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Set aside

Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining 1 1/3 cups chopped shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add remaining minced chilies and garlic. Stir-fry an additional 40 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pork, remaining 2 Tbsp fish sauce, remaining 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and the cooked shallots. Make 18 small patties (a little less than 1/4 pork mixture, at about 2 1/2 inches each in diameter).

In a skilled large enough to easily fit all patties in a single layer, heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add patties and brown on each side (about 3 1/2 minutes per side). Turn heat off and remove patties from pan — wipe out pan with a paper towel.

Add 1/3 water and 1/3 sugar to pan over medium heat and swirl gently until sugar is dissolvedVietnamese_Caramalized_Pork_Balls2 (1 of 1) and mixture begins to caramelize (about 12 minutes — you should end up with a nice, copper-colored sugar-water. Remove from heat. Slowly add fish sauce/water mixture to sugar-water. Return to a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the uncooked shallot/chili mixture. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes, until shallots have softened. Stir in 3 Tbsp tamarind purée. Add back the pork patties and stir to ensure patties are well covered in the sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes (turning patties after first 10 minutes). Remove lid. Remove patties and set aside. Simmer sauce another couple of minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat. Serve patties over steamed jasmine rice, topped with sauce and sliced scallions.

Serves 6.

 

 

 

 

Khmer-Style Chicken Curry

10 Replies

Khmer_Chicken_Curry3 (1 of 1)This very flavorful curry dish is served in Cambodia, where it is called samlá. I believe the original version would use a ton of fresh galangal — ginger works fine, as well. I added a touch of galangal (Laos) powder (which I keep in the pantry) to add that woody delicious aroma of galangal. I prefer this curry rather fiery, but if you like it milder, you can cut down on the Thai chilies. If you like curry, you must try this dish and let me know what you think!

4 inches fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced cross-wise
3 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed, bottom 6 inches finely chopped
2 – 4 dried Thai chilies, soaked in hot water 20 minutes, then finely chopped
1/2 tsp Thai shrimp paste
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Laos powder (dried, ground galangal)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
5 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 shallots or 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
1 14.5 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Combine first 11 ingredients (through shallots) in a food processor. Process into a smooth paste.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add ginger mixture and stir-fry 1 minute. Add Khmer_Chicken_Curry2 (1 of 1)chicken and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Add coconut milk and sugar. Deglaze pan while bringing mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes. Remove lid and let simmer an additional 5 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in lime juice and season with additional salt and/or sugar if desired. Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4.

 

Stuffed Veal Scaloppine Simmered in a Red Wine-Tomato Sauce

4 Replies

Stuffed_Veal_Scallopini1 (1 of 1)Some people have issues with veal — I don’t. I’m not a big fan of sitting down to a veal shank (I may change my mind someday about that), but I love lean, thin cuts of veal (costoletta di vitello alla milanese, with  or without bone is one of my favorite dishes!). This dish is a bit more involved (say, Sunday afternoon) than some of my other posts, but it is well worth the effort — very delicious and elegant!. Once again, the ingredients a simple, and come together very well. Hope you give it a try!

12 veal scaloppine slices (about 1 1/2 lbs, no more than 1/4 inch thick), cut into roughly 4-inch x 4-inch squares, very lightly salted on both sides
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup yellow raisins, soaked in 3/4 cup hot red wine for 10 minutes; drained
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 oz thick prosciutto from butcher, diced
1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 oz pancetta, minced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 28-oz can tomato puree
1 1/2 cups red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, combine pine nuts, raisins, cheese and black pepper.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the prosciutto, parsley and garlic. Pulse a few times until a paste forms (don’t over process). Add the paste to the pine nut mixture together with the egg. Combine well.

On a nice, clean spot on your counter, lay out the 12 scaloppine pieces. Place a good-sized spoonful of the prosciutto mixture on each piece of veal. Gently roll up each veal piece (stretch meat if necessary), and secure with three pieces of butcher’s twine.

In a large, shallow sauce pan (or something similar, that will easily fit all scallopini in a single layer), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute 2 minutes. Add onion and saute another 3 minutes. Remove pancetta and onion with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the stuffed scaloppine and brown on all sides (about 8 minutes). Remove and set aside.

Add tomato puree, red wine, beef stock and salt to the pan. Bring to a boil, while deglazing at the same time. Reduce heat to medium and cook about a minute. Add back the stuffed scaloppine, onions and pancetta. Gently ensure that the scallopini are well-covered in the sauce. Cover. Reduce heat to very low and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for an additional hour (very important step!). Remove butcher’s twine from scaloppine. Serve over orecchiette that have been tossed in a bit of olive oil and a hint of salt.

Serves 4.

 

Beef Braised in a Tomato and White Wine Sauce with Fennel Seeds and Saffron (Brasato di Manzo allo Zafferano)

12 Replies

Brasato_di_Manzo1 (1 of 1)This braise of beef hails from the Puglia region of Italy, and although hearty, I believe it’s prepared year-round there. Another simple and delicious Mediterranean dish, this recipe’s unique ingredients all come together during very nicely the braising process. Wonderful over freshly made soft polenta (recipe for future post)! I hope you’ll try this tonight (or next weekend)!

1/3 cup olive, plus 1 tsp
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 1/2 lbs trimmed beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 tsp saffron threads
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 14-oz can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices, hand-squeezed into small bits in bowl
1 tsp sugar
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In small pan, heat 1/3 cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and gently cook for 2 minutes (don’t brown!). Add fennel seeds and cook another 1 minute. Combine olive oil mixture well with beef in a large bowl. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring wine to a boil in a small bowl. Remove from heat and add saffron. Stir, cover and let steep.

In a large Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tsp olive oil over high heat. Add marinated beef, salt and pepper, and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add tomatoes and wine/saffron mixture to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cooked down a bit,  deglazing about 5 minutes.  Add back beef. Increase heat to high and stir until beef mixture begins to boil. Cover and place in oven. Cook until beef is just about falling apart, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in sugar. Serve over polenta and garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Serves 6.

 

Greek Stewed White Beans with Tomatoes, Oregano and Olive Oil

9 Replies

Fasolada1 (1 of 1)My best friend growing up is half Greek. Her family often had me over for dinner. The meals were always spectacular, and typically featured Greek cuisine. This is where I tasted my first fasolada (φασολάδα). It was delicious! It’s a comfort food in Greece, and I’ve finally decided to make it myself — I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner because it is so simple to prepare, and I think this version is really good. I remember my friend’s mother’s version as having more tomatoes and less carrots, and lots of olive oil (and I’ll try that next time), but again, I really enjoy this version. Give it a try and let me know what you think! (Note:  this also does well in a slow cooker, on low, 7 – 8 hours).

1 lb cannellini beans, soaked overnight or flash-soaked by bringing to a boil in 8 cups cold water, boiling 2 minutes, removing from heat and letting stand for 1 hour, then draining
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 28-oz can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed in a bowl with hands
2 Tbsp tomato paste
5 Tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
5 cups cold water
3 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Additional olive oil for serving
Additional chopped parsley for garnish

In a large Dutch oven or similar pan, bring beans and 5 cups cold water to a boil. Add all other ingredients except salt and pepper (I’ve read that adding the seasoning during the cooking process makes the beans tough — wouldn’t want that!). Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. My version is a bit thicker than others, so add additional water if you prefer soupy. Remove from heat, season with the salt and pepper. Garnish individual servings and drizzle with a bit more olive oil and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 6.