Chorizo Pisto

Buenas noches!  Donde esta la biblioteca?  Tengo mucho hambre.  Quiero una cena espanola.  Hacemos pisto!  La idea viene del New York Times aqui.

Recipe (I feel like I must have known the Spanish word for "recipe" before, but not anymore so back to English...)

1/2 lb chorizo, removed from casing (optional)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb zucchini or summer squash
1 14 oz can tomatoes
2-3 eggs
salt & pepper
olive oil

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Start with the chorizo, breaking it up and getting it a bit brown.  Next add the onions until well tender (about 5 minutes),  then garlic (a minute or so), then zucchini/squash until starting to soften (another 5 minutes).  Add the tomatoes and juice, lower heat to medium low and cook about half an hour, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon periodically.  Finally, make wells in the stew for the eggs, break one into each, sprinkle with salt & pepper, cover, and cook until the whites are set but yolk still runs (6-8 minutes).

Notes

This is kind of a simplified, meat-ified version of the NYT's recipe.  I was hungry though, and regret nothing!  The chorizo gives it so much flavor, and the rest of the stew is essentially all vegetables so hearty and healthy.

Chicken with Biscuits

Chicken with Biscuits aka "Chicken Potpie"ish

INGREDIENTS:

Biscuits:
-2 cups gluten free flour
-1/2 tsp xanthan gum
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening, chilled
-1 cup plain vegan yogurt

Filling:
-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 stalk celery
-1/2 cup frozen pearl onions, defrosted
-2 tbsp superfine brown rice flour
-1/4 tsp dried thyme
-pinch of cayenne pepper
-1 cup chicken broth
-1/4 cup rice milk
-salt
-3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots
-2 cups diced cooked chicken
-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
-freshly ground pepper
-2 tbsp chopped parsley


DIRECTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) To make the biscuits, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the chilled shortening using a pastry blender, two knives, your fingers, until you have pea-sized crumbs. Add the yogurt and stir until just combined, making sure you incorporate the crumbs at the bottom of the bowl.

3.) Flour a work surface lightly with a little gluten-free flour mix and turn out the dough. Gently pat the dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk, pressing in any loose bits. Don't overhandle the dough.

4.) Use a 2 1/2 inch flour biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits. Cut them as close together as possible. Gather together the scraps and reshape into a disk and cut out the last couple of biscuits; you will have 8 total. Transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.

5.) Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the celery and pearl onions and cook, stirring a few times, for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the brown rice flour to the celery and onions and sprinkle in the thyme and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, until golden and aromatic. Combine the broth and rice milk in a glass measuring cup and heat for 1 minute in the microwave.

6.) Add the warmed broth-rice milk mixture to the celery and onion mixture a little at a time, stirring vigorously. Add a pinch of salt and cook at a simmer for about 2 minutes, until thickened. Add the peas and carrots, chicken, and lemon juice. Heat through at a simmer, 2 minutes more. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve over split biscuits with a sprinkling of parsley.


NOTES:

-You don't need a biscuit cutter! Just form loose mounds and let them bake...comes out fine.

Salmon Fra Diavolo

Salmon is great - there are a lot of great ways to cook it up, some simple and some more elaborate and impressive.  Here's the latest version:

Recipe

2 salmon fillets
1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp anchovy paste (or 1 anchovy)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c white wine
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 c minced peperoncinis
olive oil
salt & pepper

Rub the salmon with olive oil and season with salt & pepper, and start cooking in the oven at 400 degrees until just cooked through (15 minutes?).  Meanwhile, start some olive oil on high heat and caramelize the onions.  Add the anchovy, garlic, oregano, and red pepper, and cook a few minutes.  Add the white wine and reduce by at least half, then add tomatoes.  Simmer for a while until you're ready to serve.  Stir in the peperoncini and scoop over the salmon.

Notes

Although this one looks/sounds a little more upscale, it's not particularly difficult.  There's not a whole lot of prep, and even the lesser-used ingredients (anchovy, peperoncini) aren't too out there.  The timing is also a little strange - the stew should actually take significantly longer than the salmon.  You don't need to worry too much, though, since things don't need to be too finely-timed.  If the stew is done first, it can simmer longer, and the salmon can cool slightly if it's done first.  Tons of flavor!

I did my version over instant mashed potatoes (lazy/guilty pleasure); pasta should go nicely too!  Got distracted and no picture :(

Roasted Flounder & Bell Peppers

While I wasn't thrilled with the New York Times' recent reporting around the gun control debate, that's a topic for a separate blog.  This week's Food section had this appetizing concept:

Recipe

1 1/2 lbs mild fish fillets: hake, flounder, cod, etc.
3 bell peppers, mix of colors, sliced thin
1 small bunch thyme
1/4 c olives, black/green/mixed, pitted and sliced
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c parsley, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper

Season fish with salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of chopped thyme.  Let rest at room temperature while you slice the peppers, spread them on a baking sheet, and toss with 1 1/2 tbsp of oil and some salt and pepper.  Sprinkle some thyme sprigs and pop in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing a couple times.  Increase the temperature to 500, push the peppers to the edge, add your fish, sprinkle on your olives, drizzle with oil, and back in for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile whisk together the vinegar, garlic, 3 tbsp olive oil, parsley, and a sprinkle of salt.  Sprinkle sauce over cooked fish and peppers as you serve.

Notes

The Gray Lady knows her food!  And for once, it actually looked a lot like the picture:

Concord Grape & Thyme Bars

I emerged from a mountain retreat bearing its bounteous fruits: a pitcher of cool apple cider (too simple a concept to be included here?) and a heaping bowl of concord grapes (no turkeys - this time...).  What to do with the grapes?  It took a little more research than usual, but as always, the internet came through with an intriguing recipe.

Recipe

1 lb concord grapes, stemmed

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

2 c sugar

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

3 c all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

16 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into 1/4" pieces

Squeeze the grapes to separate skins from pulp.  Process the skins until roughly chopped.  Boil the pulp in a saucepan, then simmer until they lose their shape.  Pour the pulp through a sieve, pushing through as much as you can minus the seeds.

Combine the pulp, skins, lemon juice, and 1 cup sugar in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then simmer about 30 minutes.  Add the thyme and simmer until reduced and jam-like.

Combine the flour, baking powder, 1 c sugar, and salt; add the egg and butter and get into a crumbly dough.  Press 2/3 into the bottom of a baking dish (13x9 or similar), spread the jam over, and crumble the rest of the dough on top.  Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes.

Notes

The grape preparation sounds elaborate, but it does seem to make sense (as we discovered by trying to cut corners).  So stick to that.  Otherwise, it's straightforward baking, with all the butter and sugar that apparently entails.  Great stuff, good use of our concords!

Unballed Chicken with Lemon & Kale

Earmarked this recipe for allergy-friendly Boston cookings:

Recipe

2 shallots, minced
1 scallion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 lb ground chicken
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 c chicken broth
olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pot or large, deep skillet.  Add one shallot, plus the scallion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook until soft and fragrant.  Next, add about a third of the chicken and cook through, breaking up and mixing in.  Transfer to a bowl, and mix in the remaining chicken with some salt and pepper.  Clump into about 8 (soft, loose) meatballs, 2+ inches each.  Wipe out your pot/skillet and heat another tbsp oil, brown your meatballs on all sides, and set them aside.  Cook the lemon with the remaining shallot a couple minutes, then add broth and meatballs back in.  Cover and simmer until meatballs cook through, then add kale and braise about 5 minutes until tender and bright green.  Season, divide, and serve.

Notes

As expected, with no binding agent (egg, bread crumbs, etc.), the meatballs ended up more as loose clumps that either fell apart as we put them in the skillet or would have as soon as we tried to pick them up and turn them.  So, we broke them up and ended up with more of a chili or soup.  And no regrets!  It simplified the process a bit - once the meat is browning, add the lemon, then broth, then kale.  And in the end it was still delicious!  The lemon tang goes great with the meat, and kale is always a nice element.

Chicken Paprikash

I've got a lot of great cookbooks, but a lot of their contents require ingredients I'll never use otherwise or a cooking setup that you just can't get in a simplistic NYC rental kitchen.  In the middle of Cook's Illustrated's selection of awesome-looking but totally impractical (for a single dude apartment-dweller) braised pork, chicken, and beef recipes, though, there's chicken paprikash:

Recipe

4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, halved widthwise and cut into thin strips
2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/3 c white wine
1 14 oz can tomatoes, drained
1/4 c sour cream
parsley
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 300 and heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and place skin-side down to brown, 5 minutes or so.  Flip and brown the other side, then remove and set aside.  Start browning the onions; when they're most of the way there, add the peppers.  Once browned/softened, add a tbsp and a half of the paprika, flour, and marjoram (if you have it) and stir up for a minute.  Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits; add the tomatoes, a sprinkle of salt, and the chicken.  Cover and cook for about an hour and fifteen minutes.  Lastly, mix up the sour cream and 1/2 tbsp paprika, stir in some warm sauce, and add to the sauce in the dutch oven.  Serve over egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Notes

The cookbook did its best to make this recipe look complicated with a lot of different ingredients, but there's not really too much crazy in there.  I don't generally keep marjoram on hand, but otherwise...  the finished product was pretty good!  A lot like a stroganoff, if you like that...  It's nice to crisp the chicken up before braising it.  The recipe tells you to remove the skin once you've done all that work to brown it - but who really minds a little extra grease in the sauce?  Not me!

Snickerdoodles!

I vaguely remember making snickerdoodles for a colonial fair in elementary school.  So I've always had a soft spot for that lesser-known cookie - or maybe it was just because they're delicious.  So when I happened across an easy recipe online (one in a cookbook I have required tartar sauce? (correction: cream of tartar, but still, what is that and who has it lying around?)), I was excited to give it a go:

Recipe

3 tbsp room-temperature butter
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

cinnamon sugar: 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk together the butter and sugar, then the egg yolk and vanilla.  Stir in the flour, salt, and baking powder, then refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Heat oven to 350 and mix your cinnamon sugar.  When the dough has hardened a bit, divide it into two cookies (this is a very small-batch recipe), roll them in the cinnamon sugar, and place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.  Bake 16-18 minutes.

Notes

Keeping things in the ADKs theme, I used maple sugar instead of the first batch of sugar.  Either because of that or because of a weak/too short refrigeration period, the dough was still super gooey when I tried to roll it and ready it to bake.  The end product was still delicious!  If not picture-worthy...

Gravad Lax

Homemade gravlax!  As per the classic Scandinavian cookbook.

Recipe

1 lb salmon, cut into two fillets
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp crushed peppercorns
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

Mix the salt, sugar, and pepper.  Lay the salmon out on a big piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil.  Top with dill and sprinkle generously with salt mixture.  Put one fillet on top of the other and wrap up securely.  (You might also want to put it in a plastic bag in case moisture leaks out.)  Place on a dish and weigh it down, for instance with a few cans of food.  Refrigerate for at least 48 hours, turning it a few times.  Once it's done, unwrap, scrape off the seasonings, slice thinly and serve!

The cookbook recommends "gravlaxsas" (sound it out!) as an accompaniment - essentially a mustard vinaigrette with more salt, sugar and dill.

Notes

A week-plus since by first trials of this (non-)cooking concept, and all test subjects (i.e., me) seem to have suffered no ill effects...  A bit of a relief, since I convinced myself in the meantime that it was a mistake to trust the Lake Placid Price Chopper's seafood counter, and my salmon had to sit in the car for the ride back plus another errand or two...  Maybe next time I'll make sure to hit a more upscale grocer and specify "sushi-grade"...

In any case, I used two six-ounce skinless fillets.  Rather than just season the top and press together, I made sure all sides were well-coated in salt mixture and dill.

I also did some outside research to make sure copy editors didn't leave out an important step like "cook for 30 minutes"...  There were actually some similar, more modern recipes online that are essentially the same in concept but explore variations in the ratio of salt to sugar or other seasonings like coriander, caraway, or fennel seed, or citrus zest, or aquavit.  But the key takeaway was that, yes, you can make your own gravlax for not-too-expensive!  (Pictures of what it should look like also helped reassure me.)  So full speed ahead with taste tests.

The results: it was really, really good.  The smooth salmon taste, with a healthy dose of salt and pepper.  So good.

Fried Zucchini Spaghetti

Guess which two of the following three things Gwyneth Paltrow counts among her "favorite things on earth": fried zucchini, spaghetti, and caring for orphans?  According to her cookbook, the answer is fried zucchini and spaghetti - no mention of the poor orphans :(

Recipe

3/4 lb (1 box) spaghetti
2-3 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 c Parmesan cheese, grated
handful basil leaves, roughly torn
olive oil, salt & pepper

Cook the spaghetti.  Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with the flour and some salt and pepper.  Heat a quarter cup of olive oil high, and cook single layers of zucchini, turning until golden brown on both sides.  Meanwhile x2, whisk the cheese with 2 tbsp olive oil, adding about a quarter cup of pasta water to make it creamy.  Toss in the pasta, basil, salt and pepper, and most of the zucchini, saving some slices and extra cheese for the top.

Notes

This was pretty easy!  However, I thought it lacked some protein/meat elements, so why not sizzle up some bacon first and use the grease to fry the zucchini?  Done.  The cheese mixture got a little melty and clumpy, but with a little extra effort I got it mostly mixed in with the pasta.  How's this look, orphans?

Ginger-Garlic Pot Roast

I may not have a bunch of kids (or really consider myself a foodie), but this Foodie with Family recipe looked right in my wheelhouse anyway:

Recipe

3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
2 tsp vegetable or canola oil
3" ginger root, cut in half and smashed
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
4 c beef or vegetable broth or stock
2 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce
1-2 lb small red potatoes, halved
3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1" pieces
6 green onions, trimmed of root (didn't actually include these)
salt & pepper

Stage 1: Preheat the oven and high-heat the oil in an oven-safe dish with a lid.  Salt and pepper the roast, and brown the main sides a few minutes each.  Toss in the ginger and garlic, pour in the broth, and sprinkle the soy sauce over everything.  Lid on, put it in the oven.

Stage 2: Two hours later, add the potatoes, carrots, and onions; lid it and pop it back in the oven.

Stage 3: After another hour, you're done!  Well, if you want.  Remove the meat to a cutting board and scoop out the veggies (getting rid of the ginger).  You can serve over rice or noodles, sprinkle with pan juices (thickened if you want), more soy sauce, or sesame oil.  Eat.

Notes

It's probably just as well that I didn't try to do this in my tiny apartment, because the browning part was pretty aggressive and smoky.  The recipe said to let the roast sit for four minutes untouched on each side, but after like half that time the first side (top in the picture below) was already good to go.

I forgot the green onions/wasn't sure if they were the same as scallions and which of those were sitting in the fridge...  But I added a few from our bounty of apples, since apple-ginger is a thing, right?

My relatively small roast (2.8 lbs, I believe) came out pretty well-done, so it could use some pan juices to restore some moisture.  The flavors didn't penetrate the lump of meat as much as I might have hoped, but the potatoes and carrots more than made up for it - they were amazing (and the apples added a touch of sweetness)!

Overall, there's nothing very labor intensive; the hardest part is the anticipation.  The roasting ginger and garlic smell awesome!  And it makes a great, hearty meat & potatoes dinner (or for me, a few dinners).

Crispy Baked Chickpeas etc.

This post aggregates a few concepts I like, but didn't feel were really substantial enough for their own posts:

Crispy Baked Chickpeas

Drain and rinse a can or two of chickpeas.  Cover in vinegar, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let sit for 20-30 minutes.  Drain, toss with olive oil and some seasonings, and bake about 45 minutes at 400 degrees.  (Original link)

This was the kicker to get me to put this post together.  I'd done baked chickpeas a few ways before; they were good but simple enough I didn't need to save the instructions or publicize it.  Trying to use up the bounty of homegrown apples, though, I sliced up a few (to go with the apple cider vinegar).  The sweet element really added to the flavor (especially since the vinegar can be overpowering).

Eggs Baked in Avocado

Halve your avocados, remove the pit, and scoop out some more space for an egg.  Season with salt, pepper, lime juice, etc.  Crack an egg into each half, and hey, season some more (chili powder, jalapeno, etc.).  Bake at 450 degrees about 10-12 minutes, until the egg white is appropriately set.  (Original link)

Another simple concept.  It's too bad, but you really have to scoop out some extra avocado pulp to make room for the egg.  I did not, so my first ones were a little messy...  Second time around, I made plenty of space for the egg, but neglected the stability factor and lost some of the egg the totally predictable rolling of the avocado halves :(  Still plenty of goodness left, and at least more photogenic:

Marinated Zucchini

Halve some small zucchini lengthwise (or quarter bigger ones).  Heat some olive oil in a skillet, and brown the zucchini a couple minutes on each side.  Whisk together three tbsps olive oil, one tbsp vinegar, and seasonings like garlic, salt & pepper, etc.  Toss with zucchini in a flat container and let marinate at least an hour.  (Original link)

Simple again - see the theme?  Also flexible, since you have plenty of room to add seasonings, apples, etc.  The vinaigrette ratio was also helpful for future reference!

Fresh Corn Cornbread

You can always count on America's Test Kitchen for a delicious recipe.  Sure, there might be much simpler versions out there on the internet, but you get to feel like a real chef.  Here's the latest:

Recipe

1 1/3 c cornmeal
1 c all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 ears-worth of corn kernels
6 tbsp butter
1 c buttermilk
2 eggs plus another egg yolk

Preheat oven to 400.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Process the corn kernels until smooth, then cook in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly until thick and rich yellow.  Remove from heat and add in 5 tbsp butter, then the buttermilk, then the eggs.  Mix into the dry ingredients.

Meanwhile, melt the last tbsp butter in a cast-iron skillet or baking dish.  Spread batter into the dish, then pop it in the oven.  Bake about 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick/fork/knife/whatever comes out of the middle clean.  Let cool and sit for a while if you can.

Notes

As much as I'd like to follow these intricate recipes as closely as possible, I did take a couple liberties.  Regular milk, only two eggs, but also what I think was a nice idea - using maple syrup instead of sugar.  My baking dish was also a little smaller than what they recommend (10" skillet), and it rose a bit to give me a surprise the first time I checked on it.  Since it was thicker, I had to bake it longer to let it set; it got a nice crust, maybe a touch dry and crumbly, but very nice!  Not too sweet, so if that's what you prefer, up the sugar (or syrup).  Finding a few different uses for the rest of the loaf (e.g., the base of an open-faced bacon & egg sandwich).

SunButter Dan Dan Noodles

Homemade Chinese Food!

or

MAKE AND CONSUME 4 BATCHES OF THESE NOODLES RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

(From Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking)

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. gluten-free linguine

2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed

2 tbsp finely minced or grated ginger

2 tbsp coconut amino acids (Worcestershire Sauce is also useable for allergy-folks, soy sauce is fine otherwise)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sriracha

1/3 cup smooth SunButter/sunflower seed butter (non-allergy-folks, peanut butter can work)

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp salt

3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, plus more for garnish

1/2 English cucumber, peeled, quartered, and diced, for garnish.

DIRECTIONS:

1.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to box.

2.) In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, coconut amino acids, oil, sugar, vinegar, and chile sauce. Mix well. Add the SunButter, chicken broth, and salt. Stir until smooth.

3.) Drain the pasta and combine with the sauce, tossing to coat. Mix in the green onions, cilantro, and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds.

4.) Serve garnished with the diced cucumber and a sprinkling of sunflower seeds.

NOTES:

-SO easy!! Complex flavors make it seem so much fancier/harder than it actually is!

-Recipe has a good kick, so follow it without embellishment first...

-I didn't use cilantro and honestly, I don't think it needs it...

-Second go round included some chopped greenery and chicken chunks sauteed in the sauce. I recommend those additions.

Hot Sauce Pasta Salad

No idea how I happened across this recipe, but it stood out for (1) a hearty, healthy-looking dish that would keep for multiple meals, and (2) hot sauce!

Recipe

Pasta
1 lb cooked pasta: e.g., shells, ziti, penne, rotini
2 c tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 c artichoke hearts, quartered
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 c black olives, sliced
2/3 c red onion, chopped
2/3 c Parmesan cheese, grated
olive oil

Cook the pasta, drain, drizzle with olive oil, and mix in the other ingredients.

Dressing
1 c red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 c olive oil
1 1/2 c tomato sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 c basil, chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice
salt

Heat the olive oil and garlic, then add the red pepper and cook a couple minutes.  Remove the garlic, then add the tomato sauce and hot sauce.  Simmer for five minutes.  Add basil, lemon juice, and salt, and pour over the salad.

Top with Parmesan.

Notes

There's a good bit of chopping and other prep involved here.  I took most of the measurements as whatever was convenient with what I had.  I aimed for about a half portion overall, but I also reduced the olive oil - a whole cup?!  I also upped the hot sauce considerably.  I felt a little bad for not using Cholula brand, but somewhat better about supporting Hot Sauce 4 Good.

Here's my finished product, topped with some popcorn shrimp(!) - they also suggest regular shrimp or chicken if you want more protein.  Didn't really need it though.  Pretty good, tangy, and hopefully the rest will keep for a bit.

Chicken Hash

Upstate cooking lab is in full swing.  Today's afternoon session was a nice Martha Stewart brunch option:

Recipe

1/2 a chicken breast, cut into 3/4" cubes
12 oz small red potatoes, boiled and quartered
2 ears-worth corn kernels
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, minced
4 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c chicken (or veggie) stock
salt, pepper, evoo

Step zero is to get your potatoes boiling...  Heat a skillet up high.  The first thing in is your chicken; brown for a few minutes, then set aside.  Add a few tsps oil, then the potatoes go in until golden-brown, a few minutes, then set aside.  Add another tsp oil, then the corn, scallion, and jalapeno, just a couple minutes until the corn is dark brown in spots.  Next, add the tomatoes and cook a minute or so.  Then add the stock and chicken, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add the potatoes, and you're ready to go.

Notes

Martha's hash is a little upscale - you don't just plop things into a skillet one-by-one (or all at once) - you'll have some extra bowls to clean.  That said, this was a really nice one.  Everything browns up nicely to appropriate degrees...  I didn't follow the measurements too closely, eyeballing the amounts for pretty much everything.  Didn't effect the final product.  Fresh corn is a great element (I'm less of a tomato fan, but realize that's just me).  When I added the stock, whoosh it boiled almost immediately, but kept things from drying out too much.  All in all, Martha knows what she's doing.

One-Pan Pasta

Cannibal Stew is apparently late to the viral sensation on this one...  Supposedly it came from Martha Stewart originally:

Recipe

12 oz linguine
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 sprigs basil
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 1/2 c water
red pepper
salt & pepper
Parmesan cheese

Start with most of the ingredients in one large straight-sided skillet - pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, some red pepper, salt & pepper, and the water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring pasta frequently.  Cook about 9 minutes, until the pasta is ready and most of the water absorbed/evaporated.

Serve with Parmesan and more salt & pepper, olive oil, and basil.

Notes 

Twelve ounces is a strange quantity of pasta - since boxes are usually a pound, you either leave yourself an inconveniently small uncooked portion or you round up or down.  I went up and increased the water to 5 cups, which may not have been necessary.  In any case, it's a pretty quick, not too difficult pasta recipe, a good alternative to carbonara.

Korvgryta

Pronunciation unclear, korvgryta is a Swedish sausage casserole.  Like other Scandinavian dishes, it's straightforward meat-and-potatoes; it may not be as tempting to poor Jansson, but that's a matter for a future post.  Here you go:

Recipe

1 lb sausage meat
2 onions, sliced
2 apples, sliced
4-5 potatoes, cooked and sliced

Start by boiling your potatoes.  Remove the sausage meat from the casings and brown in a heavy skillet.  Remove sausage but leave drippings; cook the onion.  Once they're golden brown and transparent, add the apple slices and cook briefly.  Butter a casserole dish and layer the potatoes, sausage, and onion/apple.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Notes

Everything cooks separately, but it's the half-hour or so baking in the casserole that lets the flavors meld together wonderfully.  I don't think you have to be too selective with your choice of sausage; our jalapeno-cheddar added a nice spicy and (obviously) salty element to the mix.  The original recipe said it made four servings; we one-and-a-halved everything, and it stuffed four people nicely with a little left over.

Not much green in the recipe, so it needs a side for a well-rounded meal:

Chili Mac

Allergies and intolerances SUCK! But they don't have to stop you from eating ridiculously creamy, cheesy, comforting fare.

Case in point, CHILI MAC! From the amazing Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking by Cybele Pascal.

INGREDIENTS:

-1 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
-1 cup diced yellow onion
-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1/4 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
-1 tsp ground cumin
-1 lb. ground beef, bison, or dark meat turkey
-1 tbsp brown sugar
-salt
-2 cups water
-1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
-8 ounces gluten-free elbow macaroni
-2/3 cup shredded Daiya vegan pepperjack
-2/3 cup shredded Daiya vegan cheddar
-2/3 cup shredded Daiya vegan mozzerella
-freshly ground pepper


DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat the broiler on high.

-Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy, oven-safe pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, until slightly softened.

-Add the spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more, until aromatic.

-Add the meat and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking it up into a small crumble. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and 1/4 tsp of salt, stir, and cook for 1 minute more.

-Add the water and tomato sauce, increase the heat to medium-high, add the pasta, and stir well. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium again. Simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Meanwhile, toss together the three cheeses. Add 1 cup of the cheese mixture to the pasta. Stir, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Top with the remaining cup of cheese. Broil 6 inches from the heat source for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is just starting to brown. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Let rest for a few minutes.

-DEVOUR MERCILESSLY.

Crockpot Flank Steak

Cannibal Stew's first corporate sponsor!

It's always nice when work overlaps and gives you something nice for your personal life.  Browsing Bank of America's social media properties for a project, I took note of a link to some money-saving crockpot recipes, and bookmarked them for a closer look later.  Here's the first one...

Recipe

3 lbs flank steak, each steak cut into thirds (if necessary - I overlooked this part with my one steak)
1 1/2 c broth
1/4 c sherry (or apple cider) vinegar
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cumin
salt & pepper
extras: tortillas, cilantro, jalapeno, rice, couscous, etc.

Do the crockpot thing: combine it all.  The meat should be submerged or close to it, so get the veggies and stuff out from under if necessary.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred the meat (let it sit 10 minutes first if you can) and serve.

Notes

It seems a pity to eat flank steak not from the grill, but no regrets about this one.  The recipe says the cut has a "meaty" flavor, which, well, how could it not be meaty?  (They also describe the whole dish
as "fragrant.")  But yeah, the flank steak really was good (if on the expensive side).

I got distracted and forgot to prep anything else to go with, so I enjoyed it as a paleo stew-type dish.  Very good, but I'd try it as tacos or over rice or, as per a reader comment on the original, couscous, which sounds even better...

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Hash

Came across an intriguing website, and decided to start off with a twist on one of my favorites: sweet potato hash with black beans.

Recipe

1 sweet potato, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar (or maple syrup)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat the butter over medium with the onions and brown sugar until caramelized and deep brown.  Add the garlic, cumin, and chili for another couple minutes, then remove.  Next, heat the olive oil and tenderize/brown the sweet potatoes, five-ish minutes?  Lower the heat, stir the onions back in, and add the black beans.  Cook together until warm, some five minutes.  Season with salt & pepper, and serve!

Notes

The usual sweet potato hash gets a lot of its goodness from bacon grease.  No pork fat this time, but lots of seasonings to make up for it.  It's nice that you use cubed sweet potato (instead of grated) so the pieces brown nicely - it didn't take much longer to cook.  The full can of beans gave me a much less balanced final product than the pictures on the website - more like a black bean dish with some chunks of sweet potato.  And my gooey beans made the picture less appealing than theirs, but still a very rich, delicious breakfast (with some leftovers - so no need to add eggs like they recommend).

Addendum: I don't know why I didn't think of this immediately, but what about combining the hash recipes - starting this one with bacon?  Yes, do it.

Sausage & Mushroom Pasta Skillet

Well, it wasn't the most productive summer for the blog, between travel and other stuffs.  I did get excited about one dutch oven chicken recipe, but it was a bit of a letdown.  So July was a washout...  Getting back in the groove, this Serious Eats recipe looked pretty serious...

Recipe

1/2 lb Italian sausage (hot or mild (but go with hot)), removed from casings
1/2 lb pasta, rotini or similar ridged
1 lb mushrooms, chopped (they recommend mixed but Portabellos were great on their own)
1 c Panko bread crumbs
6 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
2 small shallots, minced (or just an onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 parsley leaves, chopped
2 tbsp chives, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tbsp flour
2 c broth (they say chicken, I used veggie)
1 c heavy cream
salt & pepper

Combine the bread crumbs, 1/3 of the cheese, half the parsley & chives, 1/4 shallot, 1/4 garlic, and the olive oil, and mix together with some salt & pepper.

Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high, and brown the sausage, breaking it up.  Set aside, leaving fat in the skillet.

Next you cook the mushrooms in the skillet until well browned.  Probably a little after that starts, put in your pasta.  OK back to the skillet.  Stir in the garlic and shallot for a minute, then stir in the soy sauce and lemon juice, then the flour.  Next, add the broth and simmer a couple minutes until it starts to thicken.  Stir in the cheese, parsley, chives, and sausage, and season with some salt and pepper.  Your pasta should be done and drained by now.  Add it too.

Top your skillet mixture with the bread crumbs.  Pop it in the oven about 10" under the broiler until golden brown, probably just a few minutes with some rotating.  Remove and eat.

Notes

That's a lot of ingredients...  I about halved everything, and left out some of the green herbs.
If that missed some flavors, I made up for it with a lot of cheese and generous (by my standards) salting and peppering.  It's a delicious, super-rich pasta.  In addition to the cheese, you've also got the butter/olive oil/other fats going - and cooked into those mushrooms.  Really good.  It's a bit extravagant for a pasta dish, but worth it when the occasion arises.  It proved to be championship-caliber carb loading for me :)

Skillet Crispy-Skin Chicken Thighs

"Oh jeez!" you sigh. "If ONLY I knew how to PERFECTLY cook bone-in chicken thighs in such a way that would keep them moist but crisp the skin up to high heaven!"

WELL SIGH NO MORE!

INGREDIENTS:

-however many bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs you want

-canola oil or bacon grease, whatever your oil of choice is

-seasonings you like! Maybe some leeks or onions...

DIRECTIONS:

-IF YOU WANT, marinate your chicken thighs in oil and spices...I did canola oil, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper, and leeks...

-PREHEAT OVEN to 475 degrees.

-Heat a good amount of oil in the skillet over high heat until oil is hot but not smoking.

-Plop them chicken pieces SKIN DOWN onto the skillet. Leave alone for about 2 minutes.

-LOWER HEAT to MEDIUM and occasionally rearrange chicken until fat renders and the skin is a GOLDEN BROWN, about 12 minutes. 

-TRANSFER SKILLET TO OVEN, about 13 minutes. 

-FLIP CHICKEN and leave in for another 5 minutes.

-Let sit for a bit.

DONE!

NOTES:

-The pieces just look SO FANCY when they're done, but it is really quite a simple process.  

-It takes a little bit of practice to make sure you don't rip off any of the skin or leave it on the skillet...I find the first two minutes at high heat are crucial--DON'T MOVE THEM THEN! A good spatula is a must.

-Obviously, you can throw any veggies you want in to cook with the chicken...sweet potatoes come out INSANELY good...all crispy and soaked in chicken fat.

Spicy Black Beans with Feta, Avocado & Stuff

Gordon Ramsay may be quite the character on Hells Kitchen etc., but within the mellow confines of his own YouTube channel, he's a totally different and nicer person.  Case in point:

Recipe

1 onion, chopped
a few cloves of garlic, minced
a chili pepper or two, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 large can black beans, drained & rinsed
1-2 avocados
feta cheese, crumbled
coriander (or cilantro), chopped
crispy tortillas
rice

Heat some olive oil in a skillet, then saute the onion until soft.  Add the garlic and chili, then the spices, then the beans.  Cook until soft, stirring and mashing a bit.  Serve with avocado, feta, and greens, with tortillas and/or rice if desired.

Notes

This dish was appropriate for certain sisters for its vegetarianism; however, we did have to leave out the chilis to keep things mild.  It was still delicious and surprisingly filling.  The cinnamon is a very nice touch with the beans.  I was also skeptical of the feta (rather than something more ethnically-accurate like queso fresco) but it made for a very interesting taste.  Overall it was easy, filling, not to expensive, and probably healthy, so a good vegetarian option.

photo courtesy of other sister

Short Rib Tacos

Another rather extravagant recipe from America's Test Kitchen - totally worth the weekly email, followed by a password reset to get into their website...  This one came from a Mexican-themed set of recipes:

Recipe

Beef

1 1/2 c beer
1/2 c cider vinegar
2 oz dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn into 1" pieces
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 bay leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds
3 lb boneless beef short ribs, cut into 2" cubes

Slaw

1/2 c cider vinegar
1/2 c water
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 head cabbage, cored and sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 carrot, grated
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 c cilantro, chopped

tortillas
queso fresco
avocado
lime

Start with the slaw a day ahead of time.  Whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt.  Add the cabbage, onion, carrot, jalapeno, and oregano, and toss together.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.  Drain and add the cilantro before serving.

So now it's a day later and you're hungry for meat (but not too hungry, still a couple hours to go).  Heat oven to 325.  Combine the beer, vinegar, chiles, garlic, tomato paste, and spices in a dutch oven.  Lay out a later of onion rounds, then place the meat on top.  Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Now it's 2 1/2 to 3 hours later and you're really hungry!  Once the meat is browned and tender, remove the dutch oven from the, um, regular oven.  Move the meat to a bowl.  Here, ATK recommends you strain out the liquid, discard the onion and bay leaves, add water so you have 1 cup of liquid, blend the solids back in, simmer, and stir in the shredded beef.  I didn't have the patience or a blender, so I shredded the beef, mashed the broth, and scooped a few cups in until the beef had a nice flavory sauce.

Serve the tacos with beef, slaw, crumbled queso fresco, avocado (my addition), and lime wedges.

Notes

It's a pretty long list of ingredients, but somehow the effort required doesn't seem to be proportional.  It helps that you can take care of the slaw in advance, but even the next day, most of the ingredients just get mixed into the pot before adding onion and beef.

The final product is amazing.  As promised, the onions keep the beef mostly out of the liquid so it browns nicely.  The cubes were soft and almost bouncy when I pulled them out at the end!  The slaw is super tasty, and the queso adds a nice salty flavor (I didn't know exactly what to expect from either element, but the first nibble of each made me grin).  It's definitely different from what you think of for beef tacos - ground meat, lettuce, salsa, etc.  But in a good way!

Sjomansbiff

I assume that translates from the Norwegian roughly to "sea-man's beef"; according to the newly-inherited 70's-vintage Scandinavian cookbook, it's Norwegian sailor's stew.

Recipe

1 1/2 lb round steak, cut into 8 thin slices
3 tbsp butter
3 medium onions, sliced
6-8 medium potatoes, sliced
1 pint light ale
salt & pepper

Heat a skillet with the butter and brown the steak slices.  Remove, then saute the onions, sprinkling with some salt and pepper.  In a larger saucepan, layer the meat, onions, and potatoes.  Pour over any pan drippings and the ale.  Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about an hour and a half.

Notes

From skimming through the Scandinavian recipes, I conclude that (perhaps outside of fish, which I didn't check as closely at first) the cuisine is less about distinctive seasonings and flavors, and more about hearty, Viking-approved meat and potato-type meals.

This one fits right into that category.  Beef, onions, potatoes, ale, and butter - not even playing around with any veggies.  In a way, it's a little frustrating to have the meat and onions close to done, and then put it all in a pot to sit for over an hour.  I'd recommend a tasty ale, since the potatoes especially pick up the flavor.  Not sure the exact way to slice the meat either - a slanted cut would make thinner slices but take up more space to brown...  I'll definitely play around with more of these recipes - and get a little more adventurous - but for now a simple start.

Sesame-Soy Udon with Crispy Tilapia

This recipe continues (concludes?) a few recent Cannibal Stew trends: tilapia and Plated...

Recipe

10 oz tilapia (Plated seems to like this amount of protein)
3 scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp tapioca (?) flour
3 tbsp sesame oil
8 oz udon noodles
3 packets (maybe a tbsp?) soy sauce
1 packet (however much you want!) sriracha
salt & pepper


Slice the scallions, separating the dark green from the rest.  Mix the cornstarch and flour.  Season the tilapia with salt & pepper, and dredge through the flour.  Heat a tbsp of oil and cook the tilapia until lightly browned, a couple minutes per side.  Remove the fish and cut into bite-size pieces.  Add another tbsp of oil and cook the tilapia until crisp and brown, a couple more minutes.  Heat the last tbsp oil in a separate pan, and cook the udon and garlic until the noodles are warmed through.  Add the soy sauce, sriracha, and light scallion parts, stir to coat, and cook a couple minutes.  Noodles then fish and scallion greens on your plate and eat.

Notes

I'd been on a good tilapia kick recently, having just pan-fried a few fillets nicely.  This recipe made me re-think that old standard.  Do I need to flour the fish every time?  Because it was deliciously crisp and brown.

The udon noodles were good too.  I'm not familiar though - are they usually pre-cooked and just need to be warmed?  It surprised me a little that we didn't have to boil up some water and stuff.  Will just have to factor that in for next time...

fancy tableware huh? at B&H's

Peruvian Lomo Saltado Steak & Potato Stir-Fry

Thanks to the little bro, I got to try out a few meals via Plated. As for my review of the service...  The meals I tried were all pretty good, and (though I wasn't paying attention to the difficulty) simple enough to put together.  Somewhat surprisingly, the estimates (usually ~45 minutes) were right on point, where a lot of recipes tend to be overly optimistic. The variety of meals is excellent, with more than a half-dozen options, and always multiple ones that look good to me (e.g., not vegetarian).  Of the four I tried, two were great for a change from my regular style of cooking, while the other two I could easily see myself going back to.  First one below...  Ultimately, I won't stick with Plated.  I don't need a subscription - I have enough recipes I want to try on my own.  Plus, the amount of packaging seems wasteful, especially with ingredients like butter, soy sauce, or sriracha that I have plenty of.  A good experiment, though.  So, back on point, here's one recipe:

Recipe

10 oz (inside round) steak
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp aji amarillo (the one thing I'm not sure how to replicate post-Plated)
1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1 red onion
1 green bell pepper
2 plum tomatoes
cilantro
1 cloves garlic
1/4 c red wine
1 packet soy sauce (a tsp maybe? will have to confirm)
oil, salt & pepper

Thinly slice the steak (1/4 inch slices) (against the grain), season with the spices and aji amarillo, and marinate for at least 10 minutes.  Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, cover with water and a pinch of salt, and boil until soft (at least like 5 minutes).  Slice the onion (thinly), slice the pepper (1/4 inch slices), and chop the tomatoes (1/4 inch pieces).  Heat some oil, season the steak with salt & pepper, brown the meat on both sides, then set aside.  Heat some more oil, then add the potatoes, onion, pepper, and (smashed) garlic.  Saute until starting to brown, then add tomato until it starts to soften.  Last, you add the red wine and soy sauce, and simmer until reduced by half.  Garnish with cilantro.

Notes

My main mistake here was not to get the skillet hot enough to get a good brown on the meat - I don't always have the cojones (as the Peruvians might say) to get some real heat (and smoke) going in the apartment.  The overall dish ended up a little mushy without a real nice crisp meat element.  Very tasty though!  Worth another try...

Not that I was looking for it, but this one must have been one of their gluten-free options (unless they package the wrong soy sauce...).

Brazilian Fish Stew

Soup season may (thankfully) be about over by now, but this recipe was way too interesting to pass up.  Looked easy enough too - tilapia is always easy to find, and there are no other really crazy ingredients:

Recipe

1-2 lbs tilapia fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
4 tbsp lime juice (I squeezed out about two limes)
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin*
1 1/2 tbsp paprika*
2 1/2 tsp minced garlic*
salt & pepper
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 bell peppers, in large pieces
14 oz diced tomatoes (drained)
14 oz coconut milk
some diced jalapeno (my addition)
cilantro

* those are weird amounts, huh? I just eyeballed it a bit

Combine the lime, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper and marinate the tilapia for at least 20 minutes.  Heat the oil and soften the onions, then add the fish, peppers, and tomatoes (and jalapeno), pour over the coconut milk, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes.  Add the cilantro for the last bit of cooking and/or to garnish before serving.

Notes

There's a lot of interesting flavors in here: sweetness from the coconut, fishiness, salt, some citrus tang, etc.  I wasn't really blown away though.  Tilapia's not a fancy fish, but I'm not sure a nicer piece would really make much difference without some way to really sear it better.  Overall, though, it's a good way to make a couple dinners'-worth of seafood.  I'll try the leftovers over rice...

Crockpot Greek-Style Lamb

I've had this crockpot recipe earmarked for a while, but a big leg of lamb is hard to find nearby, and expensive...  Poor ol' Key Foods is having meat fridge issues, though, so I made a Whole Foods run.  Nothing wrong with their meat section, except still expensive I guess...

Recipe
Lamb
4-6 lb leg of lamb
zest & juice of 1 lemon
8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp dried oregano
salt & pepper

Rub the lamb with salt & pepper, then olive oil, then oregano.  Put it in your crockpot and sprinkle over the lemon and garlic cloves.  Cover and cook for 4-5 hours (add at least an hour if it's a bone-in roast).  Shred the lamb by hand/forks on a cutting board.  Pour the juices into a saucepan and reduce by half.  Mix back in with the lamb.

Pitas
1-2 c Greek yogurt
zest & juice of 1 lemon
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
spinach, olives, bell pepper, feta, etc.
pitas (original recipe says tortillas, but seriously?)

Stir together the yogurt, lemon, onion and garlic.  Chop the veggies.  Stuff in pitas with meat.

Notes

I was worried that the crockpot wouldn't get the best out of a fine piece of meat like a leg of lamb.  It was tough to leave it sitting out all day while I was at work...  Maybe another time I'll stick around and roast it, but no regrets this time.  I was also on the fence about part two of the recipe.  That yogurt sauce is great, though, and it's a good produce accompaniment.  So it was one of my more expensive dishes, definitely, but so far I've gotten a handful of good meals out of it.

Hard & Soft-Boiled Eggs

This is a boring but important one.  I've tried out a lot of ways of adding eggs to my regular diet - weekend mornings, obviously, but also as a snack, salad addition, etc.  These are two of the easy (as in, pretty hard to mess up) ways of doing it that I keep coming back to, and wanted to get the details (really just the cooking times) on the record:

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Place a layer of eggs in a pot and cover with an inch or so of water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat (if the stove doesn't retain heat, maybe simmer for a minute), and let sit for 10-12 minutes (but a little while longer won't hurt).  Drain and run under cold water.

If you make a batch to save for later, seal them since they might smell a little in your fridge.  They say they last five days, but you can probably push it a little...

- original link here

Soft-Boiled Eggs

Bring about a half-inch of water to a boil.  Gently place in your eggs and cover.  Cook for 6 1/2 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain, then run under cold water, and eat.

- courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Crockpot Chicken Curry

Paleo, DIY crockpot curry:

Recipe

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
6 c of chopped veggies, e.g., onion, carrot, green beans, broccoli, tomatoes, red bell pepper
14 oz coconut milk
1 c crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper

Chop your chicken and veggies and put them in your crockpot.  Add the coconut milk, tomatoes, and spices.  Stir, cover, and cook low for 5-6 hours.  You can uncover for the last hour to help it thicken.

Notes

My spice selection wasn't quite up for the job this time: no coriander, and ran out of cinnamon.  So the end product lacked that distinct curry flavor.  You couldn't tell by the scent, though - the coconut is especially mouth-watering.  And ultimately, the taste was fine.  The chicken is super tender :)  I could do with a little more spice, and I guess coriander.  With the abundant vegetable options, this one's definitely worth keeping in mind.

The original recipe calls it "yellow curry"; mine was clearly a rich orange though:

Potatoes & Kale

A nice and healthy way to enjoy some farmer's market bounty:

Recipe

1 lb medium red potatoes
4 c shredded kale
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
salt & pepper

Boil the potatoes until tender, then (peel and) slice.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until starting to brown.  Add the kale, toss until it wilts, and saute about 5 minutes.  Add the potatoes, heat, season, and serve.

Notes

As sides go, it's pretty hearty - if you're not too hungry, it might do for a light meal.  The picture from the original recipe seems to be more of a mashed potato configuration; mine was definitely chunkier:

Spicy Chicken Nuggets

Another recipe from the magic of social networks:

Recipe

1 lb boneless chicken thighs
1 egg
1/3 c milk (buttermilk, almond, etc.)
1 1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp additional seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley, etc.)
salt & pepper

Cut the chicken into small pieces.  Whisk together the egg and milk, and let the chicken sit while you mix the dry ingredients.  Shake some of the moisture off of the chicken and roll in the breading.

You have your choice of cooking options: deep fry, shallow fry (a few minutes each side), bake (10 mins at 425?).

The recipe suggests a mix of honey, mustard, and mayonnaise for a sauce.

Notes

I went with a shallow fry, which was a bit tricky in the apartment from an air ventilation standpoint.  The nuggets were barely cooked through before the smoke became an issue.  Very tasty coating, and a lot of it on the small chicken bits.  Here's the much-needed hearty meal with mashed potatoes and baked kale:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Vegetarian crockpot recipe, for a change:

Recipe

up to 1 lb broccoli, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pint half-and-half
2 cups stock
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
16 oz, sharp cheddar cheese

The broccoli, onion, carrot, and garlic go in the crockpot.  Pour over the half-and-half and stock, and the spices, and mix it all up.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Once it's done, blend or mash it up.  Add cheese and serve.

Notes

I got back from work to quite a strong scent...  The contents of the crockpot seemed to have separated out a bit.  Not as green as I thought, either.  However, once it's all smashed up it's pretty good.  A pound of cheese seems like an awful lot, but it really is an essential ingredient so don't hold back!  And it may not be an essential ingredient, but warmed up the leftovers with some bacon, also pretty good.

Ground Beef with Eggs & Stuff

This recipe probably came out of a conversation with heavy use of the word "bro."

Recipe

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
10 oz. spinach
2-4 eggs
salt & pepper, sriracha

Start to brown the beef over medium heat.  Once it gives up some moisture and fat, add the onion and garlic.  Meanwhile, whisk up the eggs.  Once the beef is cooked through, add in the spinach, then the eggs, and cook through.  Season with salt, pepper, and sriracha, and eat.

Notes

I was kind of expecting this to be a kind of gross protein delivery system, but it was actually pretty good!  It still probably couldn't pass off as "deconstructed meatloaf" or anything fancy, though...  As far as my own spin on the recipe, I halved most of the key ingredients but just used one egg, which semed enough for me.  I also used fresh(ish) spinach instead of frozen as the recipe recommends.  If you do the same, put in a lot!  It should look almost like a salad at first, but it wilts down nicely...  Seasoning is key too.  Actually even looked pretty good:

Smoky Butternut Squash & Coconut Soup

I'm still in the process of deciding whether I like butternut squash or I *really* like butternut squash.  Good results so far with roasting it, but to try something new, how about a soup?  After some iffy metric conversions, here's what I ended up doing:

Recipe

1 medium-to-small-ish butternut squash, peeled (obviously) and diced :p
1 onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 c vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
(coconut) oil, salt & pepper

Heat a couple tbsps of oil over medium in a large saucepan, then add the squash, onion, and garlic.  Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Then add the paprika, stir, and cook another minute.  Add the broth and simmer 15 minutes or until the squash is soft.  Blend or mash it up, then stir in the coconut milk.  Heat and serve, they recommend over lentils.

Notes

Lots of thoughts...

Is butternut squash season over?  This was the iffiest of the squashes I've bought and prepped in the last month or two...

Peeling and cubing butternut squash for roasting is work enough; dicing is a pretty big hassle.

I mashed instead of blending (with my non-existent blender); the chunky texture (particularly the onions, which didn't mash at all really) is not a problem!

I figured rice would be fine, but invested in a bag of lentils anyway.  Definitely a good call.  Wouldn't consider myself much of a lentil fan, but they add a nice earthy, peppery, savory flavor to the soup.

The soup is delicious, but like most vegetarian dishes, it seemed like something was missing.  Some spicy sausage might be a key addition...

Beef & Mushroom Soup etc.

Here's a handy (sorry CI editing staff) soup infographic.  It's a simple formula:

1. Aromatics: onion, shallot, leek
2. Protein: beef, chicken, tofu, beans, peanut butter (!)
3. Spices
4. Liquid: various broths & stocks
5. Veggies (loosely defined): peppers, mushrooms, sweet potato
6. Garnish

 Here's the first one I wanted to try:

Recipe

1. 1 onion, chopped
2. 1/2 lb ground beef
3. 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
4. 4-6 c mushroom broth
5. 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
6. tarragon, sour cream

oil, salt & pepper

Saute the onion, then add in the meat, mushrooms, and spices.  Add in the broth and simmer 20-30 minutes.  Garnish and serve.

Notes

This is all approximate enough.  The recipe calls for 1/4 lb of ground beef, which I doubled (and could have done more, honestly).  I also reduced the liquid down to one box of broth (4 c).  They also seem to claim you just simmer the meat and mushrooms, but I browned/sauteed it a bit first to be safe.  Then I forgot the sour cream.  Typical.  Anyway, this is a very tasty, earthy soup, good for a cold winter night.  It could use a starch - not one of their categories, not sure if Shape is paleo, Atkins or what - but noodles or rice would help make it filling.

Postscript: Yeah, finished the leftovers with some egg noodles and sour cream (remembered this time).  Gives it some solid bulk...

Roasted Butternut Squash with Browned Butter & Hazelnuts

a.k.a. butternut squash with extra butter and nuts.  America's Test Kitchen knows what it's doing.

Recipe

Squash
1 large butternut squash (2 1/2-3 lbs.)
2-3 tbsp butter, melted
salt & pepper

Topping
2-3 tbsp butter
1/3 c hazelnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced chives

Preheat the oven to 425 (and toast the hazelnuts for just a couple minutes if necessary).  Prep the butternut squash: peel, clean out the seeds, and slice into 1/2 inch slices (semicircles or arcs).  Melt the butter, add some salt and pepper, and toss in the squash.  Lay it out in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven (they recommend the lowest rack).  After about 25 minutes (when the squash toward the back is browning), rotate the tray.  After another 5-10 minutes (so the new back is browning), take out the squash and and flip.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Toward the end of this (last) period, pop the butter and hazelnuts in a skillet cook a couple minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the water, and after it cools a minute or so, mix in the lemon juice.  Once the squash is done, drizzle the topping over and sprinkle with chives.

Notes

First things first, I ended up not peeling the squash until it was already otherwise sliced and ready to go.  It's pretty quick and efficient to lay each slice flat and shave off the skin with a few slices.  So I'll probably stick with that.

A lot going on by the end here...  The butternut squash roasts long enough to get nice and tender, but what they're going for with the butter, heat, and low rack is a nice caramelization.  Mine were a little overdone, something to keep an eye on in the future (because I'll definitely do this again).  Same with the hazelnuts - a little too toasty, so a slight burnt taste.  I was a little unsure about the chives - the green touch is nice, but wasn't sure about the flavor.  Overall though, the topping adds a while lot of great complexity.  Thanksgiving 2015?