Tikka Masala

Oral-gami



Sometimes a dish unfolds. It unfolds on your tongue, it unfolds on your plate, it unfolds in your nose. And sometimes the unfolding surprises.

When my sister was between 12 and 14 she became fascinated with origami after receiving an origami craft kit for a present. I've no idea all these years later if she was any good, but she was a talented pianist with dexterous fingers well-suited to a task like folding paper. I would sometimes sneak into her room to look at and gently handle her efforts in paper. I recall the bright colors and complex patterns and if I was certain I had a bit of time when I wouldn't get caught I would occasionally unfold one to see how it worked and then carefully refold it. That a square sheet of paper could become a swan or an angel was marvelous.

There is a similarity — a conjunction — between folding paper and cooking. As cooks we begin with an idea for a dish and then carefully fold in the tastes and flavors. A bit of cinnamon forms a crease, lamb contributes stability, cardamom makes an overlay, and garlic forms a shadow-line. Cooking is multidimensional — like origami.

In folding paper the artists take something with two dimensions, and working within those two dimensions, create three dimensions — even four when the angled paper really evokes in the viewer's mind the rounded form it represents.

Over the course of dinner the masala unfolded, the apparent complexity deconstructed as I tasted the structure.

I made Tikka Masala last night. I used chicken but that's not unlike choosing a yellow matt paper as opposed to lamb, which might be a lavender iridescent paper. I might, in fact would, alter minor details in the masala depending on the core ingredient, but an origami artist would also modify certain folds to achieve the desired effect when making a black swan or a white one.

I ate a bite of masala and thought, "Yeh, ok, nothing to write home about." I ate another couple of bites: "Not bad, actually." A few more bites and, "Oh, yeah, the jalapeno is kicking in and the cardamom is perfect." In other words, over the course of dinner the masala unfolded, the apparent complexity deconstructed as I tasted the structure. By the time I finished the entire dish had been laid out like a simple square sheet of paper, and then carefully refolded into the original image. But now completely understood.

Tikka Masala
Serves 6.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or
2 lb lamb stew meat
Marinade:
2 tbsp cardamom pods
1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon — smashed
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp ground tumeric
2 lg garlic cloves; crushed
1 inch fresh ginger — peeled and grated
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c yogurt
Sauce:
3 tbsp cooking oil (or, ideally, ghee)
2 tbsp cardamom pods
1 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 stick cinnamon — smashed
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 onion — peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic; peeled and thinly sliced
1 inch fresh ginger — peeled and thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper; seeded and finely chopped
1 15-oz can petit diced tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream

Marinade:
Cook cardamom pods, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves over medium high heat, shaking regularly, until seeds begin to pop. Coarsely grind in a spice grinder (I use a dedicated coffee grinder) or mortar and pestle.

Mix spices with remaining marinade ingredients. Thoroughly combine marinade with meat in a zippered bag and refrigerate overnight.

Meat:
Set oven to broil and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Pat meat between paper towels to remove most, but not all, marinade.

Place meat on baking sheet and cook on the second rack from top for 5 - 7 minutes — until lightly browned. Set aside when done.

Sauce:
Note: I really like leaving the spices whole. This is what prompted my thoughts about a dish unfolding. The flavors of all the spices pervade the dish, but biting into a cardamom pod or whole clove is when that flavor unfolds and the craft becomes apparent.

Heat oil or ghee over medium high heat. Add cardamom, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook 5 minutes. (Be sure the fan is running full blast and don't lean over the pan.)

Reduce heat to medium and add onion and tumeric. Cook, stirring, until onions are translucent - about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeno and cook one minute longer then add tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Stir cream into sauce and add meat (if using chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces first). Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes and serve over rice.

Note: I stole a trick from Ree Drummond and colored my rice with tumeric and then added peas. Great idea for presentation.

Try tikka masala with...
Asparagus Parmigiano
Slow-roasted Tomatoes
Buttermilk Pie

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Chicken Stir-fry

Leftovers go Lightly



Chicken Stir Fry is one of my favorite recipes for leftovers. For instance, a few days ago I roasted a chicken and that night had it with steamed broccoli and Cauliflower Puree. A delicious meal, but with lot's of leftover chicken. However, I planned for those leftovers. So a couple of days later I made some rice turned the leftovers into a stirfry. My original Mediterranean meal was transformed into an Asian meal in 30 minutes. (Note: this is not a classical Asian stir-fry, it's a quick dish made up from what's on hand suitable for a weeknight meal.)

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | main dish | asian

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Chicken Enchiladas

My Fearless Neighbor



My next-door neighbor, Richard, is absolutely fearless. Most people are afraid of feeding me. It's not that I'm that great a cook, but that I have a reputation for being a great (even "gourmet" as people used to say) cook. I'm seldom asked over to friends' homes for dinner because either A) I don't bath often enough or B) they're afraid of me judging their food. Given that I almost never hear complaints about my personal hygiene but when I do get asked to dinner I get tons of apologies about the food I suspect the reason is B.

Richard, though, wants me to taste his cooking and, more, demands a no-holds barred critique. It took him a while to convince me he was serious, but he was. So last night when he brought me a bowl of chile to taste I was completely honest: Needs a tad more vinegar, needs more onion or garlic, excellent spice balance, and so on. These are my opinions, neither right nor wrong, but he likes my food and he ignores my usual comment about the lack of salt. He takes everything I have to say in stride. I envy this.

I marinated the chicken in tequila, lime juice, and chili powder for a couple of hours, then poached it in the marinade until done.

My neighbor has the advantage of not being invested in cooking. He loves good food and enjoys cooking, but that's about as far as it goes. He can take my thoughts as suggestions without feeling put down. This is something that comes much harder to me because cooking and writing about it is what defines who I am. Say something critical about my food and I take it personally. I will try to hide that fact. I will find time to think about and consider the criticism — whether pro or con — and accept or reject it consciously and not with a jerk of my knee. But, well my knees do jerk.

I have no idea if anyone but me will like this version of Chicken Enchiladas, but I certainly did. I marinated the chicken in tequila, lime juice, and chili powder for a couple of hours, then poached it in the marinade until done. Then I reduced the marinade and combined it with some tomato sauce to make the enchilada sauce. The sauce was delightfully complex and knee jerk good - at least in my opinion.

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4.

3 chicken thighs
1 c tequila
2 limes — juiced
2 tbsp chile powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chicken broth or stock
1 c tomato sauce
1 tbsp corn oil
1 md onion — cut into half rounds
1 md green bell pepper — cut into strips
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 jalapeno — minced
8 corn tortillas
1 c shredded cheese

Mix together tequila, lime juice, salt, and chili powder. Pour into a large, lidded skillet and add thighs. Marinate for one hour and turn thighs over. Marinate another hour.

Place skillet over high heat. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce temperature to low, cover, and simmer very gently for 25 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Increase heat to medium high and reduce liquid to 1 cup. Add tomato sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

Cut thighs into strips. Heat oven to 375F.

While chicken is poaching, Heat corn oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and sauté, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos and cook 1 minute longer — stirring 2 or 3 times.

Wrap tortillas in a paper towel and microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Lay them out on a piece of waxed paper. Smear a bit of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish — just enough to moisten it.

Divide onion/pepper mixture and chicken evenly between tortillas. Drizzle filling with a soup spoon full of sauce, roll up, and place seam-side down in an 8x8 baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until cheese browns. Serve topped with sour cream.

Try these enchiladas with...
Mexcican Rice
Braised Brussels Sprouts
Fried Okra

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | mexican | main dish

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Chicken in Pita

Supper, in'sh'Allah



When I lived in Oregon I was invited to a party where the host and hostess provided an array of fillings and were baking pita loaves as we stood around stuffing the pockets and then our faces. It was loads of fun as well as delicious and I've had it in my mind to make pita ever since — but somehow have never gotten around to it.

Then a couple of years ago Susan at Farmgirl Fare finally posted her long-promised pita recipe and tips and I finally ran out of excuses. So that afternoon I made pita and, just as Susuan promised, it was quick and easy. If you have any interest in baking bread, you've got to do this.

The thing to do was pull out a skillet, slice some garlic, grab a few spices, and, in'sh'Allah, I had supper.

So having made the bread, the next question was what to stuff it with. I had some chicken tenders in the fridge and recently I'd made koftas and they whetted my taste for Middle Eastern flavors. So the thing to do was pull out a skillet, slice some garlic, grab a few spices, and, in'sh'Allah, I had supper.

Middle Eastern Chicken
Serves 2.

1/2 lb chicken tenders — cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic — sliced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 pinch crushed red pepper
salt to taste
4 scallions — cut into 1/2" lengths
1 md tomato — diced
1/4 c yogurt

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add spices and cook, stirring, for about two minutes. Add chicken and brown. Stir in garlic, remove from heat, cover, and let rest for two minutes. Stir in tomato, scallions, and yogurt. Stuff into pita. Fills two pita halves.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | sandwich

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Chicken and Rice

An Old Favorite



Chicken and rice is an old standard, but this version is somewhat different in it's use of sour cream. It began as one of those late evening "throw together" meals but turned out so well I've been making it ever since.

Recipe here...

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Quick & Easy Chicken

Not so Paltry Poultry



I try to buy chicken from Tracy Monday at the farmers' market on Tuesday. But Tracy isn't always there, and I don't always want a chicken when he is there (and my freezer is already crammed), and these days I find it harder and harder to even afford one of his free-range chickens. So, with qualms, I buy often chicken at the supermarket (although I do go for Sanderson Farms chicken instead of Tyson).

Chicken is a cheap source of protein and chicken is almost infinitely malleable — the white rice of meat. Ii pairs well with sweet flavors and sour flavors. You can marinate it in tequila or braise it in red wine. It's suitable for European, Latino, and Asian dishes. The flesh is low in fat and the fat it does have is delicious. It is, indeed, hard to go wrong with chicken and so I eat a lot of it.

It also cooks fairly quickly — especially the breasts. And yes, I agree the thighs and legs are more flavorful but they do far better cooked slowly in liquid than flash-sauteed in a skillet or baked at high heat in an oven. So here are a few of my favorite quick and easy chicken recipes. Note: All of these can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

Chicken Breasts with Herbs & Bacon: Back when I was a computer programmer and then editor I would have loved to have had a 9 - 5 job — or so I claimed. A 50-hour week wasn't unusual and even 60-hour weeks were fairly common. One of the first quick and easy recipes I came up was chicken breasts with herbs and bacon. The herbs and bacon add flavor and the bacon also keeps the breast from drying out.

Chicken with Feta Cheese Sauce: I've run across several recipes for chicken with a feta cheese sauce, but they didn't particularly impress me. When I ran across another one — actually one I'd already seen several times -- I suddenly knew what to do. I call this Athenian Chicken because of the feta and because the chicken itself is prepared somewhat like both Chicken Kiev and Chicken Florentine.

Chicken in Parchment: This recipe goes back a ways too, at least as far as SG is concerned. You can tell by the awful photograph that reflects my first photographic efforts. Nevertheless, the recipe is pretty damned good matching the chicken with potato, Savoy cabbage, and onions with white wine, lemons, and garlic in a tidy package that cooks in 30 minutes.

Chicken Parmigiano: I came to Chicken Parmigiano late in life. It's a standard of Italian restaurants and never particularly appeal to me. when I saw it served — overcooked chicken with sodden breading and doused in marinara sauce to hide those faults. But an episode of America's Test Kitchen that featured this classic caught my eye. I didn't make notes or look it up, but as with most Cooks Illustrated recipes it teased out the dish's fundamentals and that I paid attention to. So here's my version.

Chicken Piccata: Since I first this recipe it has consistently been in the top ten. It deserves that. Like Chicken Parmigiano it includes Parmigiano, but as a flavoring, not a primary ingredient. The sauce, made of wine, lemon juice, and capers is an exquisite complement to the chicken and it's coating. Best of all it can be made in 10 minutes — 30 if you have to thaw frozen chicken breasts in hot water. (This is safe provided as soon as the chicken is thawed you cook it to 160 degrees.)

Chicken Stroganoff: This dish cooks in the time it takes the rice it's served on. But it's even faster than that implies. It makes great leftovers which can be zapped in the microwave in 4 minutes. that cuts the time invested in two meals down to 35 minutes combined. It's also seriously savory with the sour cream and I recommend using basmati rice which as a nice nutty element.

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Cooking for Two: Yogurt Chicken

Yogurt chicken (chicken marinated in yogurt) is a popular dish throughout the middle-east. I first had it grilled and served on a skewer in Beirut, Lebanon and loved it. Then I had yogurt-marinated lamb on a skewer and loved that too. The marinated beef wasn't as good as the chicken or lamb, but was still pretty good. This recipe calls for sumac, which I can find in the ethnic section of my local supermarket (and Knoxville is not the most cosmopolitan city in the world) so check before giving up on it.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | chicken | main dish

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SG Archive: Tuscan Chicken

Etruscan Feast



I spent a week at a villa outside of Rome back in 1999. We spent a day in Rome, but our goal was to explore the Etruscan tombs — oft-overlooked predecessors to the more magnificent works. So each day we'd tear along the roads (doing our best impression of Italian driving) in our little Fiat passing the prostitutes standing by the roadside on our way to one stunning tomb site or another. At the end of the day we'd return to the villa, stopping at the market to pick up something to fix for dinner.

I must confess that, as much as I enjoyed driving around the countryside and seeing the tombs (and prostitutes), I most enjoyed shopping and then cooking at the end of each day.

As much as I enjoyed driving around the countryside and seeing the tombs (and prostitutes), I most enjoyed shopping and then cooking at the end of each day.

Like most rental properties, the villa was ill-equipped for cooking but there were a couple of cookbooks. I'm sure they would have been more helpful if I knew Italian, but I did manage to cadge a few ideas including this one that apparently originated in Tuscany.

Tuscan Chicken
Serves 4.

3 lb boneless chicken breasts (or tenders)
1 c white wine
1/4 c olive oil
2 ea lemons — juiced
3 sprigs fresh thyme — bruised
1 sprig fresh rosemary — bruised
2 cloves garlic — crushed
salt and pepper

If using whole breasts, cut into strips. Mix all ingredients in a plastic bag and refrigerate for eight hours.

Drain marinade from chicken, strain, and cook over medium heat until reduced by half.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken strips on both sides until done. Deglaze pan with additional wine and add to reduced marinade. Serve chicken drizzled with sauce.

I made a mushroom pilaf to accompany the chicken using dried cepes that I rehydrated in chicken stock (that I then cooked the rice in) and fresh mushrooms that I browned with fresh thyme.

Try Tuscan Chicken with...
Stuffed Mushrooms
Italian Sausage Pilaf
Italian Apple Cake

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | main dish | chicken | italy

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Paella

Spanish Evening



We'd spent the day at the Alhambra in Grenada. It had been a rainy day, but in many ways that added to the beauty of the palace by lending the architecture's sunny exuberance a hint of melancholy. A bright smile put on to hide the aches and pains of 700 years of history. The patter of rain on flag stones accenting the gurgling of water in the building's fountains and streams.

Around 2:00 we returned to our van and headed back our villa in the south, stopping to buy some ham, bread, and cheese for lunch. Around dusk the sky finally began to clear highlighting the puddles left by the rain with colors of rose and orange. We reached the coast just after dark, too tired to cook so we decided to stop somewhere and get paella.

The rain added to the beauty of the palace by lending the architecture's sunny exuberance a hint of melancholy.

We'd been in Spain for a week and a half and had yet to order this most famous of Spanish dishes so we looked for a likely café as we drove along the coast toward home. Eventually we found a place and parked the van. The evening was somewhat chilly with a breeze blowing in from the Mediterranean, but not really cold. The sort of weather that makes a hearty meal all the more appealing.

Sadly, we chose the wrong restaurant. We ordered two different paellas and both were greasy and the flavor one-dimensional. I don't even remember what they were, only the disappointment. If that had been the only paella I ever ate I'd never have eaten it again.

Fortunately I'd had good paella both prior to that experience and since then. Dishes filled with the smoky flavor of sausage and paprika or briny taste of the sea. Tender chicken surrounded by creamy rice and blessed with a kiss of saffron. Flavors made round by the sweetness of ripe bell pepper and peas. Made well, paella is seriously good.

Paella
Serves 8.

4 c chicken stock
5 - 6 strands saffron
1/2 lb chorizo — cut into 1/4" rounds
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts — cut into 1" cubes
1 tsp Spanish paprika
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion — peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper — diced
3 cloves garlic — sliced
1 c white wine
1 c short grain rice (ideally Spanish Bomba)
1/2 can diced tomatoes (15oz can) — drained
1 1/2 c frozen peas
1/2 lb shrimp — peeled

Heat oven to 325F.

Bring chicken stock to a vigorous simmer and add saffron.

Heat oil in a large, covered sauté pan over medium high heat. Brown chorizo and reserve. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Brown in pan on all sides and reserve with sausage.

Reduce heat to medium and saute onion and red pepper until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and continue cooking for one minute. Add rice and cook for another three minutes, stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes, chicken, and sausage to pan. Stir in wine and stock and bring to a vigorous simmer. Cover and place on center rack in oven. Cook until most, but not all, of the liquid is absorbed — about 30 minutes. Add shrimp and peas, re-cover, and continue cooking another 10 minutes.

Try Paella with...
Cece Fritos
Beets Dijonaise
Key Lime Mousse

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | spain | shrimp | rice

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Chicken Piccata

And All That Jazz



I've been trying, but for the life of me I can't remember when I first had Chicken Picata nor where. But it seems like it's been a standard in my recipe repertoire forever.And "repertoire" with its allusions to music strikes me as a particularly good choice of words in this case.

Think jazz. Imagine a small combo: Bass, piano, guitar, drums, flute. Pick a simple tune — a lively old standard such as Blue Skies or Elephant Dance. Lay down a bass line. Get the feets tappin' and fingers snappin'. A chicken breast from a free-range bird will work.

Repertoire with its allusions to music strikes me as a particularly good choice of words in this case.

Dredge the breast in flour and Parmigiano seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika enhancing the bass with brush and snare. Now brown it in a hot piano and the melody will flood your senses.

The sauce is last. Wine and capers for the guitar, and instead of flute, lemon juice calls to mind a fife — high, tart, pure, and just a bit painful.

Chicken Piccata
Serves 4.

4 6-oz chicken breast filets
1/3 c flour
4 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano or other dry cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cold butter
salt and pepper
2 tsp paprika
2 lg lemons — juiced
4 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp capers

Heat oven to 225.

Place a breast between two sheets of moistened plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" thick. Repeat for remaining breast[s].

Moisten chicken breasts with water, then lightly season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Dust with Parmigiano and pat lightly to make it adhere to the chicken. Dredge in flour. Allow to rest about two minutes and dredge again.

Meanwhile, heat oil in 10" skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 2 breasts to hot oil and cook for about one minute until oil side is golden brown. Turn and repeat for other side. Place breasts on a plate in oven to keep warm. Repeat for remaining breasts.

Add wine, lemon juice, and capers to skillet — scraping up fond — and reduce. Remove from heat and swirl in butter. Plate breasts and drizzle with sauce.

Note 1: To fancy-up the dish, pare the skin and pith from a lemon and cut out segments (these are called "supremes"). Add them to the skillet and cook about one minute before sauce is finished.

Note 2: When fixing this for more than four I find it best to use two skillets.

Try Chicken Piccata with...
Italian Sausage Pilau
Sauteed Greens
Coffee Granita

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | italian | main dish

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Tex/Mex Chicken

Grilled Chicken: A Tex/Mex Take



I have never paid any attention to Cinco de Mayo. With Easter and Memorial Day I have enough food events for late spring. But for some reason the holiday caught my culinary interest this year. This prompted the Southwestern Chicken and Rice a few days ago and resulted in some leftover Mexican rice and some leftover raw chicken. So what to do with it?

I have never paid any attention to Cinco de Mayo. With Easter and Memorial Day I have enough food events for late spring.

I rooted through my memory, mentally snorting and snuffling like a hound dog following a scent trail through the detritus of my mind. I tracked a few false scents, I sometimes circled around, but eventually my coon-dog instincts took me deep into the hollows of my memory and I remembered marinating chicken in tequila years ago and then grilling it. Surprisingly, I'd actually added it to the recipe management program I used back then — perhaps more surprising I never deleted the program although I haven't clicked on it in ages.

So I printed the recipe out, tweaked it a bit (I can't even leave my own recipes alone), and fired up the grill (pan). Sadly the local fire marshall hasn't relented in prohibiting people who live in multiple-occupant buildings (I'm in a condo/apartment) from grilling over flame. But although I missed out on the smoke flavor, I did get the taste of carbon from the grill.

Tequila Chicken
Serves 4.

12 chicken tenders
1 c tequila
1/2 c orange juice
4 limes — zested and juiced*
2 tsp chile powder**
2 tsp ground cumin
2 clove garlic; crushed
3 tbsp salt (optional***)

Whisk together all ingredients except the chicken. Pour into a ziplock bag and add chicken. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, occasionally shaking to redistribute marinade.

Remove chicken from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Grill chicken over medium high heat for about 2 minutes per side. Serve over Mexican rice.

**Chile Powder
Makes 1/2 - 2/3 cup.

2 ea Ancho chiles
3 ea Pasillo chiles
2 ea Chipotle chiles

Stem chiles and break them up. Then process them in one or two batches in a spice mill or coffee grinder.

*Note 1: You need about 1/2 cup of lime juice so more limes might be needed.

***Note 2: In my original version I only used a teaspoon of salt and then reduced the marinade by 2/3's and added some arrowroot to make a sauce. This time I used more salt to carry the marinade deeper into the chicken (and used tenders instead of breasts) and replaced the marinade sauce with salsa. I can't say which was a better choice as I can't compare last night's meal with one I had ten years ago.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | main dish | chicken | mexican

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Tuna & Chicken Salad

Same Song, Different Verse



This past week I made up boxed lunches for one of my clients. She had a series of luncheon meetings with her contractors and wanted something more interesting than the ordinary turkey or roast beef sandwiches she usually picked up. This was right up my alley.

Years ago, in my second foray into the food service business, I sold sandwiches on home-baked croissants and I had a couple of fillings that were popular with my customers back then. They had the advantage of being old standards -- and so familiar -- while offering a different take on those classics.

This business of reinventing old favorites and comfort foods has been gaining popularity among chefs and restaurants for a few years now.

This business of reinventing old favorites and comfort foods has been gaining popularity among chefs and restaurants for a few years now. As one would expect, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In the following two cases, as measuredby popularity with my customers, the recipes worked

Tuna Salad Parmesan

In my version, bell peppers provide a sharper vegetable flavor than the traditional celery, capers provide the briny taste but without the clutter of dill (or, even worse, the sweet pickle relish sometimes used), red onions provide a touch of sweetness along with heat, and the shredded parmesan brings a deeply savory flavor to the whole.

1 ea canned tuna in oil — 12 oz, drained
1/4 ea bell pepper — diced
1/4 ea red onion — diced
1/2 ea lemon — juiced
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
12 ea grape tomatoes — halved
3 tbsps capers — rinsed & drained
3 tbsps mayonnaise
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Chill. Serve stuffed in pita with a lettuce leaf.

Curried Chicken Salad

This is seriously good stuff. Chicken is a marvelous base for all sorts of flavors the sweetness of the fruit highlights the curry flavor.

3 lbs chicken — whole, cut up
1 ea celery stalk — with leaves
1 ea carrot — cut up in 1" chunks
1 ea bay leaf
1 ea apple — large
3/4 c raisins
1/2 c coconut flakes
1/2 c scallions — cut into 1/2" pieces
3 tbsps mayonnaise
2 tbsp curry powder — hot
salt to taste

Cut up chicken and boil with celery, parsley, carrot, and bay over medium-high heat until cooked through, removing smaller pieces as they become done. Discard vegetables and strain and reserve stock for soup.

Skin and bone chicken cutting pieces into a half-inch dice.

Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill for at least four hours.

Serve stuffed in pita bread.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | sandwich | chicken salad | tuna salad

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Tuscan Chicken

Etruscan Feast



I spent a week at a villa outside of Rome back in 1999. We spent a day in Rome, but our goal was to explore the Etruscan tombs - oft-overlooked predecessors to the more magnificent works. So each day we'd tear along the roads (doing our best impression of Italian driving) in our little Fiat passing the prostitutes standing by the roadside on our way to one stunning tomb site or another. At the end of the day we'd return to the villa, stopping at the market to pick up something to fix for dinner.

I must confess that, as much as I enjoyed driving around the countryside and seeing the tombs (and prostitutes), I most enjoyed shopping and then cooking at the end of each day.

As much as I enjoyed driving around the countryside and seeing the tombs (and prostitutes), I most enjoyed shopping and then cooking at the end of each day.

Like most rental properties, the villa was ill-equipped for cooking but there were a couple of cookbooks. I'm sure they would have been more helpful if I knew Italian, but I did manage to cadge a few ideas including this one that apparently originated in Tuscany.

Tuscan Chicken

3 lb boneless chicken breasts (or tenders)
1 c white wine
1/4 c olive oil
2 ea lemons - juiced
sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
2 cloves garlic - crushed
salt and pepper

If using whole breasts, cut into strips. Mix all ingredients in a plastic bag and refrigerate for eight hours.

Drain marinade from chicken, strain, and cook over medium heat until reduced by half.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken strips on both sides until done. Deglaze pan with additional wine and add to reduced marinade. Serve chicken drizzled with sauce.

I made a mushroom pilaf to accompany the chicken using dried cepes that I rehydrated in chicken stock (that I then cooked the rice in) and fresh mushrooms that I browned with fresh thyme.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | main dish | italian

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Paisano: Pan-Fried Chicken

Pan-Fried Goodness



Mummo, my mother's mother and the only grandmother I ever knew, made the best fried chicken in the world. The last time I saw Mummo was 30 years ago in her basement apartment in my uncle's house in Birmingham, Alabama. I had recently transferred to Tuscaloosa to manage a Pier 1 and came up for a visit and lunch. She asked what I wanted her to fix and I said fried chicken. She did and it was as wonderful as I remembered.

My mother's fried chicken was good, but uneven in execution and I have searched long and hard for a match for her mother's chicken. I came close on occasion, but could never replicate the results. In fact, I still can't for a whole chicken. But I have mastered frying chicken breasts or thighs.

Getting each piece of a whole chicken to the same degree of doneness for the same meal is an exercise in magic.

First, I should note that in my world chicken should be pan-fried. The best that can be said of deep-fried chicken is that sometimes it's edible. With pan-fried chicken the crust is a key element, but the chicken comes first and the wonderfully crackling crust when fresh from the pan morphs into an equally delicious, albeit slightly soggy element, on a picnic the next day. The key in both versions is restraint - not too much crust.

Another key is cooking the same pieces. Legs, thighs, breasts, and wings all cook at different rates. Getting each piece of a whole chicken to the same degree of doneness for the same meal is an exercise in magic - doable as Mummo proved, but magic. So I choose pieces rather than whole chickens. In this case I chose breasts.

I should note, smaller pieces work better than big ones. The breasts you see pictured were almost a pound each and it's hard to not over-cook the crust while getting the meat done. Six to eight ounce breasts or five to six ounce thighs work best.

Southern Pan-Fried Chicken
Serves 6.

3 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs
oil for frying
Marinade:
1 qt. cultured buttermilk
1 tbsp hot paprika
2 tbsp salt
Coating:
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp hot paprika
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Thoroughly mix marinade ingredients in a zippered plastic bag, add chicken, and refrigerate 12 - 24 hours, turning occasionally to ensure coverage.

Thoroughly mix coating ingredients in a zippered plastic bag. Remove two pieces of chicken from marinade, shake off excess marinade, then dredge in coating. Set chicken aside on a piece of foil and repeat for remaining chicken. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 200F.

Heat 1/2-inch oil in a large, straight-sided, lidded skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, re-dredge 2 or 3 pieces of chicken in coating, shake off excess, and add to skillet (skin-side down if cooking breasts or thighs). Cook for four minutes or until a light golden brown.

Turn chicken over, reduce temperature to low, cover, and cook 15 - 20 minutes. (Ideally, cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 150F for breasts or 155F for thighs.)

Remove cover, increase heat to medium-high, and turn over again. Cook another 5 minutes until coating is crisp and mahogany brown. Drain on a plate on paper towels and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat for remaining chicken.

Note: Although cast iron is widely lauded as the skillet of choice for pan-fried chicken, I find stainless steel or aluminum work better. Cast iron is slow to heat and slow to cool and you really want a quicker response when you turn the burner down and up.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | chicken | fried+chicken

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Chicken Parmigiano

How Did I Miss It?



Wednesday night I taught a class on cooking fish. The class was packed — 22 students — and as usual, great fun. I began with sautéed jerked shrimp, moved on to broiled tilapia with arugula pesto, did salmon in parchment, grilled tuna and topped it with Romesco sauce, and ended with poached tilapia with a lemon/cream sauce. The only significant technique I didn't cover was frying fish and there was simply no way to fry at that venue for that many people. All together I cooked served 16 pounds of fish.

I was standing behind the counter after serving the last dish, trying a bite of it and listening to the "hmms" running around the room and couldn't resist saying, "You know, I get to eat like this all the time." And you know, I do and that's the point.

I was surprised a week ago to realize I'd never made Chicken Parmesan — in fact, somehow I'd never even eaten this Italian restaurant staple.

The underlying theme that links all of my classes, the articles I write, and even the food I prepare for my personal chef clients is simplicity. Like Rachel Ray and Sandra Lee I'm sensitive to the demands of schedules, the lack of good kitchen training, and the desire for bold flavors. Unlike them, I think you can cook such meals without taking shortcuts. At the Pasta and Herbs class I did a couple of weeks ago the students kept noting how easy the dishes were and yet full of flavor: "I could come home from work and make this."

So I was surprised a week ago to realize I'd never made Chicken Parmigiano — in fact, somehow I'd never even eaten this Italian restaurant staple. I did some research and came up with this recipe, which is largely based on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated. The egg dip enables lots of cheese to adhere to the chicken and produces a wonderfully crisp crust.

Chicken Parmigiano
Serves 4.

4 chicken breasts — pounded to 1/2" thick
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs — whisked
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated parmigiano
1 tsp. dried thyme
Marinara sauce

Heat oven to 225F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Place 1/4 cup flour in a pie pan. Put egg in a pie pan. Combine 2 tablespoons flour, Parmigiano, and thyme in a pie pan.

Season breasts with salt and pepper. Coat 2 breasts in flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg and coat thoroughly. Dip in Parmigiano and coat thoroughly. Cook two breasts for about 4 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer to an oven proof-plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat for other breasts.

Serve, topped with warm marinara sauce.

This version is boldly but simply flavored. Each element from chicken to cheese to sauce works in harmony. An Oregon Pinot Grigio would be a perfect wine.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | main dish | chicken | italian

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Curried Chicken

Just Like Mum's



I like curried dishes in most forms and fix them often. But my favorite remains the curry my mother made when I was growing up. I think what appealed most to me were the toppings that she'd place in bowls on a Lazy Susan. I've never run across a recipe calling for assorted toppings and so I suspect it's not traditional. Nevertheless, the mèlange of individual and easily distinguishable flavors and textures set against the curry background is, to me, irresistible. I find the the sweet flavors of fruit are particularly good.

This particular recipe is adapted from Living Lean and Loving It by Eve Lowry and Carla Mulligan Ennis (Mosby/Forman 1988) and is named Mum's Chicken Curry. According to the book, "Mum" is Analeen Stork who was raised in Ceylon. Although the recipe doesn't include toppings, the basic dish is very similar to what my "Mum" used to make.

Mum's Chicken Curry
Serves 6.

3 lbs chicken thighs — skinned
2 tbsps peanut oil
1 oz fresh ginger — sliced thin
1 ea jalapeno pepper — seeded and minced
1 ea onion — diced
3 ea garlic cloves — minced
1/2 c water
2 tbsps vinegar
1 c coconut milk
Spice Mixture:
2 ea cinnamon sticks — crumbled
10 ea cloves
2 tbsps curry powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 ea bay leaves
6 ea cardamom pods
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Toppings:
1 c banana — 1/2" dice
1 c pineapple — 1/2" dice
1 c scallions — 1/2" dice
1/2 c coconut flakes
1/2 c orange marmalade
1/2 c bacon — 1/2" dice
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c peanuts
1/2 c mango chutney

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat until it begins to smoke. With exhaust fan running, add spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning, for five minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and continue cooking for two minutes. Add chicken, water, and vinegar, reduce heat to very low, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes. Add coconut milk and heat thoroughly.

Serve over basmati rice with toppings of choice.

Note: I prefer a hot Madras curry powder.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | curry | chicken | indian

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Chicken Breasts with Herbs & Bacon

Keeping It Simple



Back when I was a computer programmer and then editor I would have loved to have had a 9 - 5 job — or so I claimed. A 50-hour week wasn't unusual and even 60-hour weeks were fairly common. On the other hand, as a programmer a lot of those hours over 40 went to personal projects and as an editor I just loved the work and devoted the time even though my boss seriously objected to my working that hard.

Nevertheless, I found time to cook every weekend. One night I'd make something that produced leftovers to keep me going during the week (I became quite creative at making minimal changes to a meal to make it seem different) and the other night I fix something special. However, even with my leftover strategy, there were times when I had to cook during the week and I came up with a number of recipes that were quick and easy to make — many involving chicken because I could keep a few breasts, individually packaged, in the freezer and then do a quick thaw in cold water when I got home.

The herbs and bacon add flavor and the bacon also keeps the breast from drying out.

Chicken Picatta is my all-time favorite, and for a year after posting my recipe here it was the most popular recipe I had on Seriously Good (I really need to make a new photo, I'd forgotten how bad that one was). I also frequently teach it in classes where it always gets raves. Another quick dish (although it requires a stop at the store) is trout or salmon filets brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with Spanish smoked paprika, and the broiled. It's downside is that the fish must be absolutely fresh because the preparation is too simple to cover for poor quality.

One of the first such quick recipes I came up was chicken breasts with herbs and bacon. The herbs and bacon add flavor and the bacon also keeps the breast from drying out.

Chicken Breasts with Herbs & Bacon

1 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 - 6 strips of good smoked bacon
Herbs de Provence
salt

Heat oven to 425F.

Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet, sprinkle generously with Herbes de Provence and lightly with salt. Fold each strip of bacon into a "V" and place on top of the chicken breasts. Bake in center of oven until bacon crisps and clear juices begin to run from the chicken. (About 20 minutes, internal temperature should be 160F.)

Serve with something equally simple to prepare such as a green salad or sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.

Technorati: Food | recipe | chicken

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Paisano: Saltimbocca

Jump in the Mouth



Saltimbocca is an Italian word meaning "jump in the mouth" and is the name of a Roman dish classically made with veal, prosciutto, and sage. It's also sometimes made with chicken or pork and cheese is a frequent addition. I've had it a few times made with either chicken or veal and although it was good, I can't say it jumped in my mouth.

This past Saturday I taught a class on Roman cooking and decided to see if I could really make Saltimbocca jump. The first thought that occurred to me was adding a few red pepper flakes – sort of a literal interpretation of "jump." But after a bit of thought I decided that was too literal and would detract from the flavor of the sage. What I wanted to do was to keep the classic flavors, but somehow boost them without altering them.

I decided to go with chicken breasts for the class. Although I have access to flavorful, humanely-raised veal it's expensive and the food allowance for the class wouldn't allow for it. The first thing I decided to do was marinate the chicken in Pinot Grigio with fresh sage for four hours. This would up the wine and sage flavors.

Next, I decided to briefly fry the prosciutto to intensify it's flavor. And lastly I decided to add a tough of anchovy paste and a squeeze of lemon to the sauce.

Anchovies are a natural source of glumates, which enhance savory flavors. The goal wasn't to taste the anchovies, but add just enough to lurk in the background adding deeper and richer savor to the dish.

Although this added four steps to a simple dish, the additional effort is almost nonexistent and this version does do a little skip, hop, and jump with each bite.

Chicken Saltimbocca
Serves 4.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 cup Pinot Grigio
2 sprig fresh sage – crumbled
3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage plus four sage leaves for garnish
8 slices prosciutto
4 slices provolone
1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons butter

Place wine, sage sprig, and chicken breasts in a ziplock bag and marinate for 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Heat oven to 375F.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Briefly cook prosciutto, about 5 seconds per side.

Remove chicken from bag, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess, and then brown both sides in the sauté pan. Set sauté pan aside but don't clean.

Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes. Top each breast with minced sage, two slices of prosciutto, and a slice of cheese. Cook for another 5 minutes until cheese melts.

In the meantime, deglaze the skillet with the wine, discarding the sage and reduce by 1/2. Stir in anchovy paste and lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Plate the breasts and drizzle each with sauce.

Technorati: Food | recipe | saltimbocca | chicken | italian | paisano

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Chicken Stroganoff

Variations



Supposedly Beef Stroganoff was created by a chef in Saint Petersburg for a culinary competition held in the 1890s. Although the dish was almost certainly named for Count Paul Stroganoff, a Russian noble and diplomat, Larousse Gastronomique points out that similar dishes were described in the 18th century. However, it also states that the particular version named Stroganoff was created by Charles Briere.

On the other hand:

"It is doubtful that Beef Stroganoff was [Count Stroganoff's] or his chef's invention since the recipe was included in the 1871 edition of the Molokhovets cookbook...which predates his fame as a gourmet. Not a new recipe, by the way, but a refined version of an even older Russian recipe, it had probably beenin the family for some years and became well known through Pavel Stroganoff's love of entertaining." — The Art of Russian Cuisine by Anne Volokh with Mavis Manus, Macmillan, 1983

A recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation. ~ Madame Jehane Benoit

The dish didn't appear in American cookbooks until 1930. And according to Wikipedia, after the fall of Imperial Russia, the recipe was popular in Chinese hotels and restaurants before the start of the Second World War. Russian and Chinese immigrants, as well as U.S. servicemen stationed in pre-socialist China, brought several variants of the dish to the United States, which may account for its popularity during the 1950s.

As is usual with dishes that become popular, there was a rush to the lowest common denominator and I'm proud to have done my part in dragging it through the dust.

Seriously, though, I use the name "Stroganoff" advisedly in this instance. I don't claim that this is a version of the classic dish, but rather a related effort that is easy to make, is ready in an hour, and is delicious left over.

Chicken Stroganoff
Serves 6.

1 lb chicken tenders — but into 1 inch lengths
1 tbsp oil
1 c rice
1/2 lb musrooms — sliced
1 tsp dried thyme — separated
1 tbsp butter
1/2 ea lg onions — diced
1 clove garlic — minced
3 c chicken stock — separated
1/2 c vermouth
salt and black pepper
1 c sour cream

Make rice using 2 cups of chicken stock and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Set aside.

Add mushrooms to a dry 10" sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms begin to brown. Add 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1 tbsp butter. Cook until well-browned. Put mushrooms on a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions (you may need to add a bit more butter or oil). Saute, stirring occasionally until they just begin to brown. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add to plate with mushrooms.

Add 2 tablespoons oil and increase heat to medium-high. Brown chicken in two batches. When last batch is browned add vermouth and reduce by half, scraping up fond. Add remaining chicken stock and reserved vegetables. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover, add rice and sour cream.

Technorati: Food | recipe | chicken | stroganoff

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