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The Jerusalem artichoke (a.k.a. sunchoke) isn't related to the globe artichoke, but is part of the sunflower family. It looks like gingerroot, tastes like a radishy-artichoke, and can be eaten raw in salads or boiled/steamed. They're in season now through winter. And they are the top gas-producing vegetable, providing even more toots than beans!
I’m a big fan of the scientific method, not just to test theories, but to make decisions: define the problem, weigh your options and their consequences and choose the one that best solves the problem. Oddly enough, I also like when people make split-second decisions. It all filters into the scientific process, but with decreased deliberation time. Like the kids who come across something new. What is it? I don’t know; let’s hit it with a rock. That’s an option, and the consequences will often lead to new information regarding the mysterious item. Or, like my doctor, who faced with four mysterious bumps on my hand earlier this week, said, “I’m not sure what those are. Let’s freeze them!” So we did. The smallish bumps turned into four larger bumps that are curiously transparent and obviously filled with blood and a clear liquid. I’ve accidentally popped two of them, which have filled back up, but not to their initial impressive size. I think they’re neat and am enjoying watching their progress. I have noticed cashiers staring at them though, as they’re quite visible, especially when I’m fumbling around with my wallet. I wonder if freezing any spot of skin will produce blood blisters, or if that it a unique quality to my mystery bumps. I’m just glad the doc didn’t look at my hand and suggest hitting it with a rock.
Dinner last night: Vegetable Lasagna Rolls, corn on the cob, leftover carrot salad
This isn't so much a place as a celebration of the Jewish New Year (for people, animals and legal contracts) and Day of Judgment. Food is a big part of Rosh Hashanah, so I declare it open game for the Wandering Gullet. The holiday actually started at sundown on Friday and continued on through Saturday, but we celebrated it with dinner last night. Different areas have different customs. One includes serving tongue or other head meat to symbolize the head of the year. Most meals include honey or apples for a sweet new year. I went with the sweet menu, and decided on a leg of lamb instead of head meat. I suppose this could symbolize good travels or work or dancing legs.
I made Hamad, which means sweet and sour, and is an Iraqi dish of braised lamb with beets and tomatoes. I added a turnip, just for fun. I also made a Moroccan carrot salad (carrots also symbolize a sweet new year), a loaf of whole-wheat and cranberry challah and a honey cake. Every dish had a sweet element to it, so I'm sure that if GC, Fat Larry and I were Jewish, we'd have a sweet new year (and so would our legal contracts).
Recipes!
Hamad (Iraqi Braised Lamb with Beets and Tomatoes)Jewish Cooking in America, Joan Nathan, NY, 2001
Hamad, which means sweet and sour, is often served at Rosh Hashanah. You can add carrots, turnips, zucchini and parsnips to it.I used a boneless leg of lamb, because it was smaller and cheaper than a shoulder. Trim as much fat as you can from the lamb for a less gamey flavor. I'd probably add more tomatoes, maybe an additional can of diced tomatoes. Also, beets don't seem to be available yet, so I used two cans of beets, drained, and added for the last 20 minutes of cooking. The turnip, I boiled for about 20 minutes, then peeled and diced and added along with the canned beets. I used brown rice and made a ring of rice on the plate, which I filled with the lamb mixture.
3 ½ -4# shoulder of lamb, diced in 1” cubes
28 oz. Can plum tomatoes, drained and diced, juice reserved
S/p
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 t. turmeric
2 t. sugar
2# beets
Juice of ½ lemon
Cooked riceIn heavy saucepan, mix together the lamb with tomatoes, s/p, garlic, turmeric and sugar. Cook on a high flame, stirring, until meat is brown. Then simmer, covered, on top of the stove for ~2 hours, adding more juice from tomatoes if necessary.
Meanwhile, cook the beets in water to cover for 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and dice.
Add beets to stew and simmer, covered, 20 minutes more. Just before serving, add lemon juice and adjust seasonings. Serve with rice.
Serves 8.
Carrot SaladJewish Cooking in America, Joan Nathan, NY, 2001
Although Moroccan Jews serve this salad throughout the year, it is particularly popular at Rosh Hashanah when carrots symbolize a sweet New Year. This should be made a day or so in advance.I made this three days in advance. It's pretty straightforward and easy to make. I forgot to take it out of the fridge until the last minute, so it was cold instead of room temperature. Still good, of course, but would have been a bit less surprising and jarring had it been room temperature.
1# carrots, peeled
½ t. salt, or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 t. cumin, or to taste
½ t. paprika
¼ c. veggie oil
½ c. parsley, mincedPlace carrots in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Add salt and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, 15-20m or until tender.
Drain and slice in rounds ¼” thick.
Mix garlic, lemon juice, s/p, cumin, paprika and oil; pour over carrots in a bowl. Let sit 1-2 days in fridge before serving, sprinkled with parsley, at room temp.
Serves 4-6.
Heavenly Whole-Wheat ChallahJewish Cooking in America, Joan Nathan, NY, 2001
I made the dough for the bread 2 days in advance and let it cold rise in the fridge. It probably would have been lighter if I had baked it the next day, instead of letting it rise for two days. Other than the dough being a bit stiff to work with, it turned out fine. I added cranberries and a bit of sugar to the dough after I added the butter and eggs. It makes two big loaves, which is quite a lot for two people. I'm going to freeze one loaf.1 c. + 1 t. warm water
2 pkg active dry yeast
3-½ c. flour
½ c. sugar
1-½ c. whole-wheat flour, preferably stone-ground
2 t. salt
½ c. butter, room temp
3 large eggs
2 T. poppy or sesame seeds for sprinklingDough:
In a large bowl, mix together 1 c. of water, yeast, 1 c. of flour and ¼ c. sugar. Set aside 20-30m. This is the sponge mixture.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, place the sponge mixture and 2 c. of flour, remaining ¼ c. sugar, whole-wheat flour and salt. Mix well at low speed. Gradually add the butter and 2 eggs, 1x1. Adding the remaining ½ c. flour as needed, gradually increase the speed of the mixer and continue mixing ~10m, until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn so all sides are coated with oil. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rise 1-2h, until doubled in size. You can also refrigerate the dough and let it rise slowly overnight. Punch it down, remove to a floured board and knead until the air pockets are pushed out.
Braiding and baking the challah:
Divide dough in half. Set aside one half and divide the other into 4 equal portions. Roll each piece with your hands into an even strand ~15” long and place the 4 strands side by side. Pinch the upper ends firmly together to connect them. Beginning from the right and working toward the left, take the outside strand and weave it over the adjacent strand, under the next strand and over the last strand on the left. Proceed in the same over-under fashion, moving downward row by row, always weaving from right to left, until ends are reached. Connect the ends by pinching them together as you did in the beginning and tuck them under the braided loaf. Form the second loaf the same way. Place both on a greased cookie sheet 2” apart.In small bowl, beat together the remaining egg with 1 t. water. Brush the loaves with the egg wash.
Cover loaves loosely with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 1h, or until 2x size.
Preheat oven to 350. Brush the loaves again with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.
Bake on middle rack for 35-45m, or until golden. The loaves are done if they sound hollow when tapped.
Yield: 2 loaves.
Seasonal Variations:
Knead the following ing into the dough during step 2, after adding the eggs. Owing to the moisture found in some of the ingredients, more flour may be needed.
Thanksgiving and fall: 1 c. frozen cranberries tossed in 2 T. sugar, or 1 c. peeled and diced apples sprinkled with cinnamon sugar
Winter: 1 c. diced dried apricots or golden raisins plumped in hot water for 10m, then drained and dried
February, for Washington’s Birthday: 1 c. frozen whole Bing cherries, coarsely chopped
Spring and summer: 1 c. frozen blueberries or diced fresh peaches.As an optional glaze for the challah with fruit, melt ¼ c. apricot jam with 1 T. water. Brush the melted jam mixture over baked challah.
Honey CakeGourmet September 2003
Honey cake is often served during Rosh Hashanah because honey symbolizes wishes for "sweet" things to come. The cake becomes moister and its flavors deepen a day or two after it's made. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 hr (includes cooling).I also made this cake two days in advance. I used buckwheat honey and Jack Daniels whiskey. The cake was easy to make and easy to eat: sweet, spicy, moist and yummy.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup honey (preferably buckwheat)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon
Special equipment: a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf panPut oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F. Oil loaf pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk together honey, oil, and coffee in another bowl until well combined.
Beat together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add honey mixture and whiskey and mix until blended, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Finish mixing batter with a rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl.
Pour batter into loaf pan (batter will be thin) and bake 30 minutes. Cover top loosely with foil and continue to bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes more. Cool on a rack 1 hour.
Run a knife around side of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack. Turn cake right side up and cool completely.
Cooks' note:
• Cake keeps, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature 1 week.Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Wandering Gullet has been postponed a day. Here's why: Saturday night, GC's band played a show. It was awesome. I enjoyed myself a bit too much, then went to the after party. Once I started demanding group hugs, GC decided it was time to take me home. I spent yesterday laying low and paying penance for the excesses of the night before. And I was too hung over to cook. So, we will have our Wandering Gullet meal tonight. Details tomorrow.
Since I've lived on my own (i.e., not with my parents), I've never had a yard sufficient for a garden. Now I live in a house with a yard, but we rent, so I'm not too into the idea of planting a garden I might not be able to harvest, or forcing the next renters to deal with. So, I've never had a garden of my own. But I have something better: I know people with gardens! Right after I bought 25# of tomatoes at the farmer's market, I had several offers of free tomatoes, please take them before they rot! And just this week, a bounty of basil came my way from one of GC's colleagues. I just finished making multiple batches of pesto. I don't use pine nuts in my pesto because I'm not so fond of them and they're quite spendy. So I made half almond basil pesto and half walnut basil pesto. I still have two big bunches of basil left, but I ran out of olive oil. I froze the pesto, but will use the fresh basil in every single thing I make for the next few days. I'm not sure that you realize how exciting this is. I feel an odd sense of security, knowing I have pints of pesto tucked away in the freezer. Pesto is my favorite condiment. I used to wish I had a holster with a pesto dispenser on one side and chocolate milk on the other. I still think it's a sweet idea, though not so practical. I'll find something else to fill my holster, and keep the pesto in the freezer.
Dinner last night: Burgers (mine was a spinach-goat cheese burger); macaroni & cheese with peas
I thought I'd challenge myself this week by cooking food from a country that exists only in the minds of people who refuse to recognize the ruling military junta, who changed the name of the country from Burma to Myanmar. They only changed the English name of the country, though; the official name in Burmese is Myanmar. Confusing. Here's what I made:
Burmese Chicken Curry with Yellow Lentils (Kalapei Kyetharhin)Situated between India and China, Myanmar (formerly Burma) combines the food traditions of both countries it borders. This dish is evidence of those influences--yellow lentils, sometimes called chana dal, are common to Indian cooking, and this thick, comforting stew is often served over Chinese egg noodles (though basmati rice is also a good base). As with most curries, a frosty cold beer is a great match.
I used regular paprika and ran out of chicken broth, so topped off with some lightly salted water. Served with brown basmati rice. Next time, I think I’d brown the chicken first, remove from pot, sauté onions and then add chicken back to pot. The chicken didn’t seem to brown very well with all those onions already covering the pot bottom. Also, I’d cook the lentils in seasoned water, with salt and maybe some generic curry powder. They were a bit bland. But the dish was good overall: hearty and satisfying.
1 1/2 cups dried yellow lentils
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 bay leavesPlace lentils in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
Combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through cloves) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal and shake to coat.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add the mixture; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add lentils and bay leaves; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)
CALORIES 344(21% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 35.8g; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 50mg; SODIUM 576mg; FIBER 6.3g; IRON 5.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.9g
Cooking Light, APRIL 2005
As a kid, one of my sometimes-chores was to wash windows. I didn't mind it so much; it was a lot better than washing the plastic window blinds. I thought about this chore last week while washing dishes and looking out the window over the kitchen sink. Somehow there was a large splattering of bird poop on the window. In my high school physics class, we worked out the details of how a bird can poop on a vertical surface. I don't remember the specifics, but it involved careful planning and ill-intent. And I was looking at the proof. So I decided to wash the windows. GC and I have lived in this house for a little over a year. I've never washed the windows, and suspect the renter before me didn't either. These windows were dirty. It turned into a bigger chore than I had anticipated, because each window had a wire screen and two glass screens that also needed cleaning. We have 18 windows upstairs. It took two days for me to wash them all. I borrowed a stepladder from my landlord, but still couldn't reach the three back windows; those remain dirty on the outside. I used three partial bottles of window cleaner. Windex may be great for lots of things, a la My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but it's not so good for washing windows, unless you like streaky windows and a hazy view. 409 Glass & Surface is now my brand of choice -- no streaks or haze. Seriously, it makes a world of difference. And now I live in a bright house with clear views. Doing what I can for the Peeping Toms of the neighborhood...
Dinner last night: Fire & Velvet Zinger, buttered peas
It's been so long since I've injured myself in the kitchen, I lost count of injury-free days. But the counter is set back to 0; yesterday I burned the top of my forearm getting dinner out of the oven. Doh! A lot of my older scars have faded, so I suppose it's time to show off a new one.
The weather has turned cooler here. Trying to hurry along autumn, this morning I weeded my clothes, taking out everything I didn't wear this summer and putting it in a bag for charity. I love getting rid of stuff.
Dinner last night: baked pork chops with apricot stuffing; squash soufflé
I think it's pretty easy to have issues with food. Food is abundant and varied, so we can develop and accommodate strange preferences or aversions. In a comment to yesterday's post, I mentioned a neighbor who doesn't like sweet meals. He doesn't have much of a sweet tooth anyway, but especially dislikes sweet/savory combinations. He's also totally grossed out by bananas. Another neighbor (and Gentleman Caller) prefers leftovers cold. Me, I try to return leftovers to their original state when first served (except pizza. I like that cold). I don't like wraps. I like soft tacos and quesadillas, so it isn't the tortilla that is off-putting. I think it is the uneven distribution of food contained in the wrap. One bite will be all lettuce, the next may be mostly sauce or meat or something else. So, I just don't eat them. Some people don't like different food items to touch on their plate; others mix everything together into one big mush. A friend from college refuses to eat mayonnaise in the summertime. I eat pickles only in the summer. I like chips that have bubbles or are folded over; a fellow party guest preferred the roundest and flattest chips (and together, we gobbled up most of the bowl). Gentleman Caller will eat whatever I put in front of him; I have to be in the mood for whatever I'm eating. Some people (me) save the best food, to be eaten last, or saved for a special occasion; others (one of GC's coworkers) enjoy treats immediately.
Isn't this all really weird? Food is food, but we all react to it in different ways. I wonder what our interactions with food say about our personalities? I want to hear about your food issues and quirks.
And, for Red Momo, here's the recipe for Monday night's dinner:
Ravioli with Herbed Goat-Cheese FillingIf you have a Sam's Club membership, the goat cheese there is pretty good and cheap. I got 1# for about $6; in the grocery store it was $4 for 4 oz. I used a package of round wonton wrappers and skipped the step of cutting out pretty circles. I also used dried parsley and thyme, but fresh chives. I used Fresh Tomato Sauce with Thyme made and frozen last month instead of the Vegetable & Herb broth, but included both recipes here. I forgot to top with grated Parmesan. This recipe made a lot, maybe 18 raviolis. It was pretty easy; I made the ravioli earlier in the day, then heated up the sauce in a skillet, cooked the ravioli and added to the sauce. The raviolis all stuck together when placed in the sauce. I think it might be better to put warm sauce on the plate first, toss the raviolis in some olive oil and then place on top of the sauce on the plate.
10 oz. creamy goat cheese
1 large egg
½ c. + 1 T. chopped fresh chives
¼ c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 t. chopped fresh savory or thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
12 oz. wonton wrappers
2 t. butter
1 recipe Vegetable and Herb Broth or Fresh Tomato Sauce with Thyme*
¼ c. freshly grated Parm cheeseIn medium bowl, beat goat cheese with electric mixer. Add egg and beat until smooth and creamy. Add 1/3 c. chives, parsley, savory, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste; mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
Bring large, wide pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Lay about 12 wonton wrappers on clean work surface. Using pastry brush or your finger, moisten edges with water. Place a heaping teaspoonful of goat-cheese filling in center of each wrapper. Top each with another wonton wrapper, pressing down gently on filling to flatten slightly. Press wontons together around mounds of filling. Using a 2" serrated round cutter, cut out circles, discarding trimmings. Set ravioli on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wontons and filling. (Ravioli can be prepared ahead; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day).
In large skillet, bring Vegetable and Herb Broth or Fresh Tomato Sauce with Thyme to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Stir in butter and keep sauce warm. Drop half of ravioli into boiling water. Cook until
ravioli are tender and float to the surface, ~2m. With slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to topping in skillet. Repeat with remaining ravioli.Divide ravioli and topping among warm deep pasta plates. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. chives and Parm cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
480C, 20g fat, 51g carbs*Vegetable and Herb Broth
This is an all-purpose veggie broth. When reduced until it is almost syrupy, the broth makes a lovely, light sauce for ravioli. If you want to use it as a basic broth for soup or cooking rice, skip Step 2.
2 med leeks, cleaned, trimmed and cut into chunks
2 ribs celery, cut into chunks
2 med carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
8 oz. (2 c.) mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh parsley, rinsed
1 bay leaf
½ t. black peppercorns
¼ t. salt1. In large pot, combine 8 c. water, leeks, celery, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt; bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Strain broth through a fine sieve, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor.
2. Place broth in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over med-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 2c., 15-20m. (Broth can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months).
Makes 2 cups.
60C, 0g fat, 13g carbs*Fresh Tomato Sauce with Thyme
Well suited to goat-cheese ravioli and other light pasta dishes (for a more refined sauce, peel tomatoes by dipping them into boiling water, then slipping off skins)
2 T. olive oil
¾ c. finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
5 ripe med tomatoes, seeded and chopped (6 c.)
2 t. chopped fresh thymeIn Dutch oven, heat oil over med heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and thyme. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until tomatoes are saucy and have thickened slightly, 20-25m, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce and be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2d or freeze for up to 3 months).
Makes 3 c.
110C, 4g fat, 19g carbs
I finished reading Purple Fried Okra's recommended book, Prodigal Summer. It was a lot racier than I expected, but got me thinking about the whole predator/prey balance. Because of this book, I decided not to kill the lone spider that hangs out above Fat Larry's food bowl. The flung food attracts ants; ants attract spiders. This spider in particular scurries away when I approach to fill or remove Fat Larry's bowl, but creeps back out to watch over the feast. I'm thinking of naming the spider Scott; not every spider should be named Charlotte. I let some less-endearing spiders live outside, too. I swept up a pile of errant mulch and uncovered a swarm of ants and three scurrying spiders. Let them duke it out. My new book-inspired affinity for predatory spiders may have bitten me in the ankle, though, as I now have bites with considerable elevation about the foot and ankle. Pretty nasty, actually. I sprayed spider-killing fumes in the bedroom. My benevolence has limits.
Dinner last night: homemade ravioli with herbed goat cheese filling and tomato-thyme sauce; artichokes
Dinner tonight: crock-pot chicken and rice; buttered peas
Last night I made Moroccan food, as part of this endeavor to expand our palettes. We rarely get visitors at Chez Artichoke, but last night several people stopped by on various errands and all remarked on how good it smelled in the house. It's true. It smelled awesome in here. Like roasting meat and spices. I made a Moroccan chicken tagine with chickpeas and apricots using my Dutch oven. Traditionally, a tagine is made in a special earthenware vessel also called a tagine. I don't cook Moroccan food enough to warrant purchasing special equipment, especially when a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid works just as well. On the side, I made Moroccan-spiced vegetables with couscous. I used Israeli couscous, which looks more like tapioca than the finer-grained and fluffier Moroccan couscous; it was what I had in the cupboard, so I used it, now back off!
Here are the recipes, in case anyone else wants their house or apartment to smell as good as mine did last night:
Moroccan Chicken with Chickpeas and ApricotsRecipe from Cook’s Illustrated
Bone-in chicken parts can be substituted for the whole chicken. For best results, use four chicken thighs and two chicken breasts, each breast split in half; the dark meat contributes valuable flavor to the broth and should not be omitted. Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of zest from the lemon before juicing it. Make sure to trim any white pith from the zest, as it can impart bitter flavor.
1 ¼ teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 strips lemon zest (each about 2 inches by 3/4 inch) (I subbed ~ 3 T. dried ground lemon peel)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
5 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (4 breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks; wings reserved for another use) and trimmed of excess fat (I bought a packaged already cut-up chicken. It was the same price as a whole chicken, but cut out all the work of cutting up the chicken myself.)
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins, very large pieces cut into half-moons (about 1 cup) (I subbed a large handful of baby carrots, sliced in half lengthwise)
1 cup dried apricots, halved
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside. Mince 1 strip lemon zest; combine with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and mince together until reduced to fine paste; set aside.
2. Season both sides of chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large heavy--bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.
3. Add onion and 2 remaining lemon zest strips to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add remaining 4 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add thighs and drumsticks, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add carrots, apricots, and breast pieces (with any accumulated juices) to pot, arranging breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add chickpeas to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Moroccan-Spiced Veggies and Couscous1 T. olive or veggie oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 c. frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
½ c. raisins
1 t. cumin
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
1 (14 ½ oz.) can chicken broth*
1 (23 oz.) can sweet potatoes, cut into pieces
1 c. uncooked couscous*Heat oil in 10” skillet over med-high heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients* except sweet potatoes and couscous; mix well. Add the sweet potatoes and heat to boiling. (If desired, stir in 1 large tomato, chopped).
Stir in couscous; remove from heat. Cover and let stand ~5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
*If using Israeli couscous, reduce liquid to ~1 cup chicken broth. Cook the couscous separately in water as directed on the package. Drain; stir into sweet potato mixture, mixing well. Cook until thoroughly heated and liquid has been absorbed.
NB: Can be served as a main dish with pita bread and plain yogurt mixed with chopped cucumber.
Serves 4.
The recipe from the super-easy awesome coconut pie is from Purple Fried Okra. I don't know where PFO got the recipe; I'm just glad she sent it on to me! And now, to you:
French Coconut Pie3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1-½ c. sugar
1 stick butter, melted
6 T. buttermilk
1 c. coconut
Mix all ingredients together; pour into uncooked deep-dish pie shell. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or until top is evenly browned. Pie will finish firming up as it cools.
Purple Fried Okra uses a purchased, rolled-up pastry crust and an aluminum deep-dish pie tin. I don't have a deep-dish pie tin, so I purchased a two-extra-serving graham cracker crust. I rarely see the deep-dish graham cracker crusts at the grocery store, but the extra serving crusts seem to work just as well.
Sometimes I play fast and loose with time. For example, when I say on Saturday that I'll write more about dinner tomorrow, I might actually mean Tuesday. What was so special about Saturday night's dinner is that it was the second in a hopefully recurring series called Wandering Gullet. Two weeks ago, Gentleman Caller and I were invited to a traditional Lebanese dinner party hosted by some friends. We ate so much good food, mostly food whose names I can't remember or pronounce. Then, last Saturday, we had Venezuelan food. I like this trend, so I've decided to branch out to try more ethnic food. I cook Mexican food fairly often, so I thought I'd start with another Latin American country, Venezuela. We had something called Pabellon Criollo, which is steak in tomato sauce with black beans and plantains. It took about three hours to cook, but was pretty good. Each part itself was a bit bland, but some salt added at the table livened up the meal. I don't know if I've ever had plantains before. Man, I'm a big fan now. These were simply cooked, pan-fried, and used mainly as garnish, but it was my favorite part of the meal. Here's the recipe, for anyone with several hours and a hankering for Venezuelan food. I've added more seasoning to the original recipe, so if you try it, hopefully it won't be bland.
Pabellon Criollo (Steak in Tomato Sauce with Black Beans, Rice and Plantains)Foods of the World: Latin American Cooking, Time-Life Books, 1968
Venezuela
Black Beans:
1-½ c. dried black beans, thoroughly rinsed in cold water
5 c. cold water + more as necessary to prevent scorching
2 T. olive oil
½ c. finely chopped green pepper
2 T. finely chopped onions
½ t. finely chopped garlic
3 fresh cilantro sprigs
Salt and pepper to taste
Steak + Sauce:
2# lean top sirloin of beef or boneless sirloin steak, cut ½” thick
1/3 c. olive oil
1 c. coarsely chopped onions
1 t. finely chopped garlic
6 med tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 2 c. chopped, drained, canned Italian plum tomatoes
½ t. ground cumin seeds
1 t. salt
Rice:
¼ c. olive oil
½ large peeled onion
½ large green pepper, seeded, deribbed and left in 1 piece
2 c. raw long-grain rice
4 c. boiling water
2 t. salt, or to taste
Plantains:
½ c. veggie oil
2 large ripe plantains, peeled, each cut crosswise in half and lengthwise into 6-8 slicesBlack Beans: Combine beans and water in a heavy 4-5-qt flameproof casserole. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2h.
In a heavy 8-10” skillet, heat 2 T. oil over moderate heat. Add green pepper, onions and garlic. Cook 3m, stirring constantly; scrape into simmering beans. Add cilantro, salt and pepper; cook 15m, or until beans are tender. Discard cilantro. Cover the casserole and put aside.
Steak + Sauce: Salt and pepper steak. Heat broiler to highest point and broil the steak 4” from heat for 5m/side. Watch for any sign of burning and regulate heat accordingly. When finished, the steak should be med-rare. With a knife or your fingers, but or pull meat into pieces ¼” wide and ½” long. In a heavy 12” skillet heat 1/3 c. oil over moderate heat. Add 1 c. of onions and 1 t. garlic; cook 5m, stirring occasionally. When the onions are soft and transparent but not brown, add the tomatoes, cumin and 1 t. salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 30m, stirring frequently until tomato juices evaporate and sauce becomes a thick puree. Drop in the strips of beef, mix well with the sauce, cover skillet and set aside.
Rice: Preheat the oven to 250. In a heavy 3-4-qt casserole, heat ¼ c. of oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add onion and pepper halves; cook 5m, turning frequently, until they color lightly. Add rice and stir constantly for 2-3m to coat the rice with oil. Don’t let rice burn. Pour 4 c. boiling water over rice; add sat and bring to a boil. Stir 1-2x, then cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer undisturbed for 20m, or until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Remove the cover and discard the onion and pepper. Drape the casserole with a towel and keep the rice warm in the oven.
Plantains: Heat ½ c. oil in a heavy 10-12” skillet over moderate heat. Drop in plantain pieces and cook for 2-3m/side until tender and golden brown.
To assemble: Return the beans and beef to low heat and cook to heat through. Spoon the beef into the center of a large heated platter. Surround it with alternating mounds of rice and black beans. Decorate the platter with plantain slices and serve at once.
Serves 4-6.
What do y'all do to cure boredom? Read this blog? It's Saturday night at 11:17 pm and I'm bored. Gentleman Caller is out at the All-Man-Poker-Game, and I thought I had plenty to do keep myself out of trouble, but I'm bored right now. I've already played 19 games of Spider Solitaire, copied 11 CDs, drunk a bottle of wine, surfed the Internet, watched a UFC fight, cleaned under my toenails, terrorized Fat Larry, watched an episode of The Wire, plucked my eyebrows, tracked down that weird noise, typed in some recipes to my cookbook project, found a new hairstyle, gone to the bathroom, read a magazine, peered out the window at the drunk kids walking down the street and written a blog entry. What else is there to do? There's nothing to clean and nothing to put away. It's too late to cook anything, and I'm still stuffed from dinner (more on that tomorrow). I don't need anything from Wal-Mart, or any other store open 24 hours. I'm not even sleepy. I guess I'll go cut my cholesterol.