Last week, for research purposes, I went out and got Donna Hay Magazine Issue #31.
Tonight was the first dinner from the magazine (tune in Friday night for the second) and I have to say, YUM! Her recipes are straight forward, aren't ingredient heavy, and there are tons of photos. Love it! I will certainly look for it again at Borders.
I probably didn't let the sauce simmer long enough at the end, because it wasn't as sticky as it looked in the magazine photo. I will say that it was super spicy - but not in an evil way. The recipe called for "small red chiles," so I picked up some small red Thai chiles from Wegmans. I also used a serrano chile I had leftover from the weekend. Spicy that makes your nose run, but not so spicy you cry. Make sense?
I did cheat a little. I made the brown rice last night. After work and the gym, I really don't want to wait while my rice cooks for 45 minutes. I made enough for two dinners, so we'll have the rest tomorrow.
Enjoy!
Sticky Chile Chicken
Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 31
4 chicken breasts (7 oz each)
¼ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small red chiles, chopped
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
steamed rice and Asian greens to serve
Place the chicken, hoisin sauce, soy, garlic, chili and sugar in a bowl and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and chicken, reserving the marinade, and cook for 5-6 minutes each side or until cooked through. Remove from the frying pan and keep warm. Add the marinade and water to the frying pan and cook, over medium heat, for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thick and syrupy. Slice the chicken, spoon over the sauce and serve with steamed rice and Asian greens.
Serves 4.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Sticky Chile Chicken
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Seis de Mayo
Because May 5th is Grandpa Day at my house, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the 6th instead. I asked Dave to pick something else out of the Dona Tomas book, and I even tried the other version of rice, and I made beans from the book. (Pie is coming later this evening).
Again, this is a somewhat time-consuming meal, but also well worth it. I'm coming to decide that this might be my favorite book of the moment (I do have an un-read stack of them, though). So, either go out and get it, or enter HHDD #12 for a chance to win your very own!
We'll have the leftovers tomorrow night for dinner, but I couldn't help but think that this would have been the perfect meal for company. I was able to get most of the prep done before noon (I've been having trouble sleeping past 7 AM; its made me exceedingly productive on weekends!), and because there were such fun toppings for the beans, it made for a really pretty table. Enjoy!
Note: The achiote paste was a really tricky thing for me to find. Don't do what I did and pop into your local chain grocery and expect to find it (unless your shop is cool like that). Skip right to the International Food Store, and go to their spices section. Took me two days to find it, and I was so excited to actually see it in real life, I bought three. :) Also worth noting, you could make it yourself, from allrecipes.com, but you'd still need strange ingredients.
Note: 5/7 - If you know you're going to have leftovers, try to reserve some aioli for the future meal. I reheated the shrimp in the oven, to try to maintain some crunchiness, and we ended up spooning the aioli onto each taco as we went. Also, the shrimp/lime/cilantro party is really great without the tortilla.
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky
Achiote Marinade:
Makes ¾ cup (enough for 3 batches of rice)
2 ounces achiote paste
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or ¼ cup orange juice and ¼ cup lime juice)
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 pinch allspice
1 clove garlic, chopped
Rice:
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ½ cups medium- or long-grain white rice
2 ¾ cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt
To prepare the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed. The marinade can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, just be certain to remix with a whisk before using.
Place a saucepan over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, decrease the heat to medium, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the rice and continue to sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the grains are well coated with oil and begin to slightly brown.
Add the water, salt and ¼ cup of the marinade and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fork tender. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Serves 4 to 6.
Frijoles Con Todo (Pinto Beans with Everything)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky
2 cups pinto beans, picked over, rinsed and drained
About 3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 avocados, cut into ¾-inch dice
2 heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice
½ red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ lb queso Oaxaca, shredded
2 serrano chiles, minced
½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
Place the beans in a heavy-duty saucepan and cover with cold water so that the waterline is about 3 inches above the beans. (The traditional method would be to cook the beans in an olla or earthenware pot, but any ceramic or heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan, preferably with a copper-bottom will do.)
Bring the beans to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and add the salt. Simmer for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure they aren’t sticking to the bottom, until the beans are tender. Add more hot water from time to time to keep the beans fully submerged.
Stop adding water after 2 to 3 hours, when the beans seem close to becoming tender all the way through. The liquid at this point should be somewhat milky and cloudy and will start to thicken with the starch from the beans. You’ll want the water to slowly reduce until its just covering the beans when they’re perfectly tender.
Adjust the seasoning with salt as necessary. Ladle the beans and broth into each bowl and top with healthy portions of the avocado, tomatoes, onion, cheese, chiles, and cilantro right before serving.
Serves 4.Tacos de Camarones Fritos (Batter-fried Shrimp Tacos with Chile de Arbol Aioli)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky
Chile de Arbol Aioli:
1 dried chile de arbol
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno chile
2 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
3 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons water
1 egg yolk
¾ cup canola oil
About 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Batter:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 egg
3 cups canola oil
2 pounds shrimp (21/25 count), peeled, deveined, and split lengthwise
Kosher salt
16 (5 inch) fresh corn tortillas
¼ bunch cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
The aioli can be prepared well ahead of time. Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chile and toast for about 1 minute, pressing it into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until lightly browned. While the chile is still hot, remove the stem and submerge in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain the chile and transfer to a blender. Add the garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, sugar, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and puree for about 1 minute, until liquefied.
Add the yolk to the blender and turn the motor on low speed. Carefully remove the lid and add the oil in a slow, steady stream so it forms an emulsion with the yolk and the chile puree. If the mixture is too thick ad won’t blend well with the oil, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water, then resume adding the oil. If you add the oil too quickly the sauce will not emulsify and you’ll have to start over.
The final aioli should have the consistency of thin mayonnaise with a speckled red color. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 2 teaspoons salt, using more or less to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
To prepare the batter, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the water and egg and briskly whisk together until all the lumps have dissipated. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then stir briefly before using.
Pour the oil into a skillet to a depth of ¾ inch, and place over high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on your skillet and stove), until it reaches 350°F. Test the oil by dropping in a drip of batter; it should begin frying as soon as it hits the oil. Working in 3 batches, dredge the shrimp in the batter, then carefully place in the oil. Fry for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until golden brown and crispy (the crispy texture is imperative as you don’t want the shrimp to become soggy when tossed with the aioli). Transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain.
Once all the shrimp are fried and drained, toss them with a few pinches of salt and about ¾ cup of the aioli to lightly coat. Adjust the consistency, heat, and flavor with more aioli if necessary.
Place a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Working in batches as necessary, warm both sides of the tortillas in the skillet. Place them in stacks of 2 on individual plates or a platter, so that each taco ends up with a double layer of tortilla. Evenly divide the shrimp among the 8 stacks. Top each taco with 4 to 5 cilantro sprigs and serve at once with the lime wedges.
Serves 4.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Really Really Not My Food
What you see is Bobby Flay's Black Pepper Crusted Steak with Toasted Goat Cheese blah blah blah with Giada De Laurentiis' Baked Mashed Potatoes (only I didn't bake them, and I used smoked mozz. instead) and some asparagus with Emeril Lagasse's Sauce Bearnaise... whew! Luckily, I already had the chile sauce for the steak done (frozen extra from earlier).
We had my friend Stephanie over for dinner, so we thought we'd make an evening of it, hence the steaks. She was lovely enough to bring Wegmans awesome chocolate cake and ice cream, and we had a ton of wine. I think I might still be full. :)
Black Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Toasted Goat Cheese and Twice Cooked Red Chile Sauce
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_26238,00.html
4 filet mignon steaks, each 1 1/2-inches thick
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 (3/4-inch thick) slices goat cheese
Red Chile Sauce, recipe follows
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Preheat the grill to high. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile, combine the cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Liberally season both sides of each filet with the spice mixture. Grill the filets for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium doneness.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Remove the steaks from the grill onto a baking sheet, and top each with a slice of the cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is golden brown and soft. Alternatively, use a blow torch or kitchen torch to brown the cheese. Ladle the sauce onto each plate, place the steak in the center, and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Red Chile Sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 New Mexican red chiles, lightly toasted
2 quajillo chiles, lightly toasted
1 ancho chile, lightly toasted
6 to 8 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until soft. Add the chiles and stock, and bring to a simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chiles are soft. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth.
Strain the mixture into a saute pan that has been set on high heat for a few minutes, and cook the sauce until slightly thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Accompanied by:
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs
Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32174,00.html
1 tablespoon butter
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until they are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well. Mix in the milk and melted butter. Mix in the mozzarella and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
[Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking dish. Stir the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the mashed potatoes. Recipe can be prepared up to this point 6 hours ahead of time; cover and chill.
Bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown, about 20 minutes. ]
Skipped the part in brackets. I will say that it’s a great thing to do for holidays… you can get the mash ready ahead of time, and pop it in the oven right at the end of the dinner prep.
And:
Bearnaise Sauce
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_6401,00.html
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons white wine
10 peppercorns, crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon water
3 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, wine, peppercorns, shallots, and tarragon. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to 1 tablespoon. Add 1 tablespoon of water. Add the egg yolks and whisk, over low heat, until frothy, about 3 to 4 minutes. In a steady stream, add the butter until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce through a chinois and set aside. Garnish with the parsley leaves.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Easter Dinner
Most people, I guess, would have had ham and spring vegetables and deviled eggs... but not us! Dave picked another recipe (for me to make) from the Dona Tomas cookbook... so we had Mexican for Easter! Yay!
This is not a weeknight dinner - unless you're one of those people that gets in to work at 7 and out at 3 or something... I think I started getting dinner together at 3? Mind you, I made cupcakes in the middle, I put off cooking the chicken for a couple of hours... but the fact is, I got started early. But boy, was it worth it.
Ah, and for those of you that want to sub out brown rice for the white - don't. I tried that the first time I made it, and seriously, the rice took hours. HOURS! Just suck it up and have white rice.
Pollo Con Mole Agridulce (Chicken Breast with Guajillo Sauce, Spices, Orange and Lime)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky
5 guajillo chiles
1 cup water
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ white onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic
¼ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cubed
¼ teaspoon ground canela (Mexican cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
About 2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ½ cups chicken broth
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish
Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, pressing them into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until the skins are lightly brown and the chiles begin to puff up. While the chiles are still hot, remove the stems but don’t discard all the seeds since you’ll want some for the heat. Submerge in a bowl of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain the chiles and combine with the water in a blender. Puree on high speed to make a paste.
Place a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat and add the 2 cups oil; you want a good depth so that the vegetables and pineapple will be submerged during frying. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned around the edges and toward the center. Add the garlic cloves when the onion is about half-cooked and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until browned. Remove the onion and garlic with a skimmer or a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander or China cap to drain. Add a little more oil if necessary and carefully add the pineapple. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown. A spatter screen can be quite helpful since the juicy pineapple tends to spatter. Remove from the oil with a skimmer and add to the colander to drain. Wipe most of the oil out of the pan.
Place the onion, garlic and pineapple in a blender and puree on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until a fine consistency is achieved. Return the puree to the pan and place over medium heat. Gently whisk in the chile puree, canela, allspice, and cloves, salt, orange juice, lime juice, and about ¾ cup of the broth. Decrease the heat to low and gently simmer for about 1 hour, until the flavors begin to marry. Adjust the seasoning with the spices and salt as necessary.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place a large sauté pan over high heat and add the 2 tablespoons oil and the butter. When hot, add the chicken and sauté for5 to 7 minutes, until the first side is browned. Place the pan of chicken into the oven for about 10 minutes, until tender and cooked through. (The second side of the chicken will brown in the oven.)
Remove the chicken from the pan and arrange on individual plates or a serving platter. Place the pan back over high heat and add the remaining ¾ cup of broth. Deglaze the pan, scraping up and browned bits with a wooden spoon, then simmer and reduce for 5 to 6 minutes. Add to the simmering sauce and ladle over the chicken. Serve and once, garnishing each plate with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Serve with:
Arroz Con Chile Poblano (Poblano Rice)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky
Poblano Marinade
1 cup tomatillos (about 6 ounces)
1 poblano chile, toasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
¼ bunch cilantro
Kosher salt
Water
Rice
3 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ½ onion)
1 ½ cups medium- or long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Soak the tomatillos in cold water for a few minutes, then peel off and discard the husks. Place the tomatillos, chile, cilantro, and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Add enough cold water to bring to three cups of liquid and quickly blend together.
Place a saucepan over high heat and add the oil. Add the onion, decrease the heat to medium, and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until transparent. Add the rice and continue to sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until toasted to a light coffee color; this will enhance the flavor and keep the rice from clumping.
Add the marinade and salt and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil then decrease the heat to medium. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and adjust the salt just before serving.
Scandal!!!
Anyway, last night was Saturday night, so I felt like pizza. The recipe guides you through making your own dough, but why do that when I can pick up my very own lump of whole wheat dough from Wegmans? Puh-lease! I also cheat and use jarred roasted red peppers. But you won't tell, will you?
* O yah, and I rent, so I don't have a grill, so I broil instead of grill.
Roasted Red Pepper-Tomato Pizza with Goat Cheese, Basil and Red Chili Oil
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34470,00.html?rsrc=search
1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
¾ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1¾ to 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading and dredging
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the bowl
8 ounces buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced
Tomato-Red Pepper Sauce, recipe follows
12 ounces goat cheese, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Red Chili Oil, recipe follows
Whisk together the yeast and ¼ cup of the water in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to proof. Place 1 ¾ cups of the flour in a large bowl with the salt. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining water, and oil and stir until combined. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth. Grease a large bowl with the remaining oil, add the dough and turn to coat. Cover and place in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Preheat the grill to high. Once the dough has risen, divide it in half, and divide each half into 2 balls. Roll each ball into an 8-inch circle. Brush with oil and grill on both sides until golden brown.
Spread about ½ cup of the sauce on each pizza and top with goat cheese and basil. Place pizza on the grill and cook until bottom crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from heat, drizzle with red chili oil, and serve.
Tomato-Red Pepper Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups canned plum tomatoes, with juice, pureed
Salt and pepper
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add red peppers and tomatoes and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Red Chili Oil:
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
½ teaspoon salt
In a blender, combine oil, red chili flakes, and salt; blend for 1 minute. Strain into a small bowl or squeeze bottle. See the recipe...
Friday, April 6, 2007
My First Post!
I'll explain egg-fish eventually, I promise!! Gobbetti with Avocado & Cashew Pesto 5 oz cashew nuts optional: 2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks Toast the cashews in a dry, non-stick pan until browning and fragrant. Add to a food processor with the garlic cloves and grind until very fine. Grinding the garlic with the hot cashews will almost "cook" it - rendering the garlic less sharp and smoother in taste. If preparing this in advance, leave one stone of the avocados in the pesto, smooth the top of the pesto and tightly cover with cling film. Cook 14 oz pasta to packages instructions. Drain, then stir in the pesto and serve immediately, topping with remaining parmesan.
For the time being, I'm going to mess with the settings/look/feel a bit.
Now, the recipe originally called for spaghetti, but we didn't have any, so I used gobbetti (my favorite is by Bionaturae) and it worked out well. I also roasted two chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, chopped them up, and tossed them in. No photo because I didn't know I was going to be a blogger! :)
I really enjoyed what we had for dinner last night, even if D. was frightened of it when I described it to him. Adapted from The Passionate Cook's recipe, dinner was as follows:
(serves 4)
5 oz g parmesan
4 cloves garlic
3 oz basil
¼ tsp dried crushed chili flakes
3 avocados
4 oz olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
14 oz pasta
Chop the basil in the food processor - of you're having trouble with the blades pushing the leaves up too much without chopping them, add some of the nuts to weigh them down. You can also start adding some oil. When all the basil and nuts are combined, reserve in a bowl. Mash the avocados in the food processor (or with a fork) very finely, then combine with the nuts & basil. Add olive oil to achieve a smooth paste. Season with lemon juice and chili flakes, add half the parmesan, and salt & pepper to taste.
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