Gluten-Free Chicken Margherita Pizza

Margherita is and always will be the best form of pizza. You can try to dissuade me from this fact- because to me it is indeed fact and not opinion- but I shan’t believe you. I had my first margherita in Italy in middle school and I’m never going back to any other kind as far as favouritism goes- it’s delicious :). Basil + tomato + fresh mozzarella di bufula = perfection. Unfortunately, while getting fresh basil only means going out of my way to a different grocery store, getting buffalo mozzarella is near-impossible in the states.

So here’s the closest I can get to it at home: using a gluten-free garlic pizza dough mix that B left for me one night ;) (thanks, B!) and my mother’s never-fail moist chicken cooking technique, this makes a yummy dish. I’m going to cheat a bit and offer the simplified recipe as this is one that’s truly open to who-knows-how-many variants.

Gluten-Free Chicken Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 package gluten-free pizza crust mix (B brought by a bag of Namaste Foods’ recipe)
1 can (about 5 oz) organic tomato sauce (NOT paste!)
1 skinless boneless chicken breast cooked in your desired fashion
1 ball fresh mozzarella (needs to be a fresh, squishy ball)
5-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped roughly
1 large fresh roma tomato

Process:

Prepare crust as directed on package.
Once you’re ready to assemble ingredients, smooth on a layer of tomato sauce, making sure it’s staying about 1/2 inch away from the edges.
Sprinkle on some of the basil into the sauce; reserve most for topping.
Place on slices tomato rounds and thick slices of mozzarella.
Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Take out and place chicken on top and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat, sprinkle on additional basil, admire and photograph, then eat.

Ah, you see, I cheated and didn’t really offer much direction at all, but never mind that. This thing is delicious, easy to make on a weeknight, and reminds you of Italy. You really don’t need anything else in life.

Oct 15

Whole Wheat Chicken ‘n Pesto Shells with Tomates Confites

It’s always lonely to be by yourself at home and when my mother left for Paris with my grandmother, that left my father doing just that- being home alone! Remedy: have him over for dinner! (NOT Silence of the Lambs kind of “have you over for dinner”, though…) I figured that my father would perhaps be a bit unsettled by some of my more experimental foods… and his standards are quite exceptionally high, as the gifted chefs in the family are all on his side (minus my mother, of course), so… traditional-ish it was!

I decided to do something very familiar and comforting: confit some tomatoes in the oven, bake some chicken so that it’s juicy and tender, and toss it in some whole wheat pasta shells and housemade pesto, with some shaved parmiggiano on top. What can go wrong there?

It was really quite delicious, and the leftovers were super convenient for bringing in to work the next week. This is a great keep-in-the-fridge-for-a-few-days dish, and a rather simple one as well. The sweetness of the tomato cuts into the nuttiness of the pesto, while the cheese on top adds some hints of earthiness that makes the whole thing come together quite nicely.

Whole Wheat Chicken ‘n Pesto Shells with Tomates Confites

Ingredients:

1 lb (1 box) whole wheat pasta shells
1 box (usually 8-12 oz) cherry tomatoes
1/2 generous cup house-made pesto
3-4 medium-sized chicken breasts
extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper
parmiggiano reggiano (or reggianito) to shave

Process:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place a Silpat or other silicone mat on a baking sheet (large enough to fit all your chicken on)
Set a pot of water to boil for pasta; salt generously and drop in 1-2 tsp olive oil into the water
Measure out pesto and leave on the counter so it can warm while you prepare the rest of the dish
Lightly coat a second baking sheet with olive oil (just brush on a very thin coat)
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half (whichever way you like) and arrange (fairly haphazardly, really) on the baking sheet. Salt lightly and sprinkle with herbs or spices if desired (my mother uses Herbes de Provence; I’m a fan of a pinch of paprika/cumin/coriander). Drizzle with more olive oil on top.
Clean the chicken breasts and arrange on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip and repeat so that both sides are coated and seasoned.
Once the oven is sufficiently hot, place the tomatoes on the bottom rack and the chicken on the top rack (if you have two racks, that is) of the oven
Once the water is boiling, place pasta in water and cook as directed; I like mine just a bit al dente (it’s what the Italians do)
Bake the chicken for about 10 minutes, then flip the oven using kitchen tongs, a glove, and patience/care. Don’t burn yourself with that oven door open! You can always take the sheet out, flip, and return to the oven if you’re not too lethargic. While you’re at it, rotate the tomato pan.
After another 10 minutes, take your tongs and press upon the chicken. If there’s a lot of give, leave it in for another few minutes- you’re looking for the outside to be golden brown and for the inside to have only a bit of give. The squishier it is, the less cooked- and unfortunately, sashimi chicken isn’t a good dish to try :)
Once the tomatoes are drying out a bit and are blistering, you can remove them from the oven. The amount of time they spend in there is totally up to you- if you have the time, roasting them at a lower temp (360 or so) for longer yields even better results; this is the ‘quick version’
Remove the tomatoes and chicken from the oven and let cook for a moment.
Once pasta is cooked, drain (but not excessively, a little water in this is fine) and place in a large mixing bowl. Using kitchen tongs, cut the chicken into large, wide (but fairly thin) strips. Add to bowl. Scrape tomatoes as-is into bowl as well. Scoop in the pesto, and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Shave the cheese on top and…. voila!

It’s one of those go-to standbys for me because I don’t need to consult a recipe and it has infinite variations. Sometimes I also confit some bell peppers (red/yellow/orange)… sometimes with herbs, sometimes with spices… carrots work nicely, too, when baked with cheese. You get the idea- pick the brightly-coloured vegetable(s) of your choice! And then dig in :)

Aug 1

Crunchy Curried Chicken Salad

I’m a bit disappointed that I had to put the word ‘salad’ in there because the ‘C’ alliteration was going so nicely…

That said, this is a delicious salad! Well, perhaps I should qualify that. It’s not for everyone. H and I made this fascinating twist on the typical chicken salad. It’s got all of the crunch and creaminess usually found in a chicken salad, but the creaminess is from plain yogurt and the very yellow colour is all curry powder. Yum!

The fact that this was a cold salad didn’t appeal to H; and the sister is rather picky about her curries- this one didn’t appeal. I really enjoyed it quite a bit- I love the textures, the crunch, the flavour combinations. I quite enjoyed it cold, but I love cold, crunchy, creamy chicken and tuna salads, so perhaps this will only appeal to those who share that joy.

Crunchy Curried Chicken Salad

Adapted from Curried Chicken Salad from Green Black Red

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (organic, hormone-free, all-natural, grass-fed), cleaned from fat
1 medium Red Delicious (or other red) crunchy apple, diced into large 1-inch chunks (skin on, rinsed thoroughly)
1/2 cup green grapes, halved
1/4 cup black grapes, halved
1/4 cup red grapes, halved
1 large celery stalk, diced coarsely
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
1/2 heaping cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

Process:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat. Brush the chicken with the olive oil on one side, and season with salt and pepper. Then flip on the other side and repeat. Place chicken on the silpat and set to bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and crisp on the outside.
Place the chicken aside to cool as you chop the grapes, apple, and celery. Place all vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
Add chicken, yogurt, chutney, curry powder, and remaining salt to veggie/fruit mixture. Toss thoroughly; serve immediately with hot, fresh naan (yum).

I brought he leftovers for lunch to work the next day and it keeps very nicely overnight in the fridge- in fact, the yellow and curry taste intensified. It may be a bit more watery at that point- the grapes and apples will sweat out some moisture- but the deliciousness remains. Please do note that people who don’t like cold curry salads won’t care for this one- but those who do should greatly enjoy it :).

Jul 22

Indonesian Curry Marinade Grilled Pork or Chicken with Creamy Nutmeg Mashed Potatoes

My apologies, I realize that’s a ridiculously long title. That said, it needed to be descriptive! Last night the boyfriend, as per usual, declared his hunger, and I opted to do some fridge cleaning. I had two cutlets of pork loin left over from some time ago in the freezer, and an older chicken breast. I also had a number of tiny potatoes that were itching to be used in SOMEthing, so I thought, all right, a marinade and some mashed potatoes.

It took about an hour and a half all together to assemble, which for me is quite quick for a complex dish. The meat was incredibly flavourful and a bit spicy (for me, meaning for you not at all, chances are) and I was surprised at how well it captured the marinade’s flavour despite the short time they spent together in the fridge.

The mashed potatoes are rich and very, very creamy, thanks to skim milk, parmesan cheese, and nutmeg- the secret to mashed potatoes, just like my mother taught me. Nutmeg + potatoes = match made in Heaven. You’ll have to trust me on this one and see for yourself :)

Indonesian Curry Marinade Grilled Pork or Chicken with Creamy Nutmeg Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients (for two) (meat & marinade):

2 portions of white meat (I used one chicken breast and two small pork loin cutlets – go organic!)
1 tsp each of garam masala, minced garlic
1/2 tsp each of cumin, ground cloves, coriander, sea salt
1/4 tsp each of balinese chili powder, powdered ginger, pepper, and carry ou curry bombay
1.5 tbl extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients (potatoes – makes one rather large bowl, serves 6):

8 small potatoes (Yukon Gold and Red, mixed)
1/2 stick soy butter (or 5 tbl)
7 tablespoons organic skim milk
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp each of pepper, nutmeg

Process:

Mix marinade ingredients together and whisk briefly in a medium-sized bowl. Dunk in meat and drench completely in marinade. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Place softened butter, milk, parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg at bottom of a large bowl.
Rinse the potatoes, place on a plate covered by a damp paper towel, and place in microwave for 5 minutes.
Heat a grill pan on medium high heat.
Turn potatoes over to their flipside and microwave for another 5 minutes. Continue flipping and microwaving until the potatoes yield easily to the touch and become softened.
Peel potatoes one by one and mash into the large bowl’s mixture with a fork, continually folding it over and under. Set aside and cover with plastic wrap to keep warm.
Remove meat from fridge; place onto grill pan and grill for approx. 5 minutes, then flip onto reverse side and grill for another 5 minutes (timing will depend on thickness of meat cuts).
Serve potatoes with an ice cream scooper and serve with a refreshing and light summer salad to balance the carbs.

And you’re set! It’s a rather simple recipe but chock-full of flavour and is a nice mix of down-home good ol’ Southern cooking with a flare of Indian and Indonesian curries. Yum! I plan to keep experimenting with this marinade… next time there’s yet another curry from Bali I’d like to try :).

Jul 19

Murgh Makhani (Old Delhi-style Chicken Curry)

I have a confession to make: I have a thing for chicken curry (so long as it’s mild enough for me to eat it). There’s something delicious and delectable about curry that’s really quite irresistable. My mother knows this, and so, for my birthday (back in May), she gifted me with a wonderful book (Curry Cuisine, containing curry recipes from over the world) and several large bags of spices from Indonesia. Fantastic!

A lovely friend of the boyfriend’s neighbors (say that three times fast) came over for a dinner date recently and, being more of an expert in Indian cuisine than I, I much appreciated the help! A.M. (my guest) and I made the most delicious curry that has thus far been made in this apartment: murgh makhani. It was SO good- honestly- so delicious!! I’m already pining to make it again.

One note: the chili powder… ohmygoodness. This had A.M. and I in coughing and sneezing fits. We used a Balinese chili powder my mother gave me, and it looked deceptively kind… but this stuff was STRONG. We were sneezing like mad, several minutes after having been away from it. Beware of your chili powders, that’s all I’m saying.

Murgh Makhani (Old Delhi-style Chicken Curry)

Adapted from Mugh Makhani in Curry Cuisine

Ingredients:

Marinade:

2 large chicken breasts, cleaned, skinned, de-boned, cut into large cubes
3/4 cup low-fat vanilla european-style yogurt (O Organics!)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp each of salt and pepper
1 tsp Balinese chili powder (aaaah)

Sauce:

1 can 12 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes in tomato juice
1/2 cup water, room-temperature
1.5 tsp powdered ginger
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cloves (powdered)
1 tsp Saigon cinnamon
1/2 stick soy butter, softened
1 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated sugar

Process:

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl, add the chicken, coat thoroughly on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 25-30 minutes.
Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-to-low heat.
We at first put the chicken on skewers to grill, but found that because of the angle, the chicken wasn’t cooking properly, and decided to take the chicken off the skewers and cook as cubes. Take your pick! If you use wooden skewers, be sure to keep the skewers in a shallow dish filled with awter for 5-10 minutes prior to grilling so that they will not burn. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the chicken has a coloured crust on all sides.
To prepare the sauce, place the tomatoes and juice in a saucier pan (make sure it’s deep enough) with the water, ginger, carlic, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook until the tomatoes become very soft and shredded. Once the sauce is thickening, take the half stick of butter and melt it into the sauce, mixing in thoroughly.
Take the cooked chicken cubes and add to the sauce, and continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the salt and sugar, and serve the curry with rice or naan (see naanscuits recipe for ideas).

It’s hot, it’s just just just the right degree of spice, and all of that can most certainly be attributed to my fortune in having had A.M. join me for a cooking date. She knows the spices inside and out and truly understands the relationship between their flavours. Thanks for a delicious and wonderful date, A.M., and I hope your travels in India right now are going safely and wonderfully! :)

Jul 7

Southwestern Cornmeal- & Reggianito-Baked Chicken Salad

Ah! I’m running over a week late! I blame the business, the preparations for vacation (the boyfriend and I leave on a cruise this Sunday… I’m very excited), my parents returning to the states (they had spent the majority of June touring Turkey, and it’s wonderful to have them back!) and so forth. So I’m rather late- I apologize for this (particularly to H’s family members, who I’m sure have been waiting to hear news!)

Two weeks again, over came the lovely H for our weekly cooking date. This was the week of her birthday- happy belated, H!- and so we were looking to make something special yet simple… and, of course, to watch Aladdin (the sequel) because for those who don’t know her, she’s a bit of an Aladdin fanatic.

I had suggested this crunchy parmesan chicken tender recipe of Giada’s; she countered by suggested we used a variant of it in a salad. Not being one to scoff at the benefits of leafy greens, I readily agreed, and we made this salad. The salad ingerdients themselves other than the chicken and the vinaigrette are of H’s design, so blame her if it’s not to your liking ;)

That said, it’s rich, it’s creamy (that avocado really does it), crunchy, soft, fresh, and very delicious. It’s got a Southwestern flare with the cornmeal but has a bit of Italian influence in the heavy use of lemon and parmesan cheese.

Southwestern Cornmeal- & Parmesan-Baked Chicken Salad

Chicken Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis’ Crunchy Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

2.5 chicken breasts, cleaned, de-boned
1 cup 1% organic milk
3/4 cup grated Reggianito cheese
4 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Large pinch of sea salt
2 roma tomatoes, diced coarsely
1/2 avocado, cut into small pieces/cubes
2/3 cup yellow corn, kerneled
7 oz. fresh organic spring mix
2 tablespoons Tilamook sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Vinaigrette: 1 part honey to 1 part extra-virgin olive oil to 2 parts lemon juice + salt/pepper

Process:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
Pour milk into a small bowl, and submerge chicken in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, place in fridge for approximately 25 minutes.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush with olive oil; set aside
Mix together the cornmeal and Reggianito in a small bowl
After the 25 minutes have elapsed, remove the chicken from the milk bowl and coat thickly with the cornmeal-cheese mixture. Press the cornmeal mixture firmly into the chicken to create a thick crust. Place each coated chicken breast onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Space the chicken pieces out evenly, drizzle with more olive oil, and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside but soft inside. Set aside chicken to cool while you prepare the salad.
Place spring mix, tomato, corn, and avocado in a bowl and toss thoroughly. Mix together vinaigrette (whatever quantity you desire) and drizzle onto the salad.
Sprinkle on grated Tilamook and toss once more.
Cut the chicken into large cubes, place on top of salad, and toss again. Serve and nom!

I used local cornmeal (from the Gristmill) and recommend using some that’s as fresh as you can find- it really gives it a crisp and delicious crust. The chicken was incredibly tender thanks to the milk bath- no need for buttermilk, 1% was enough to coat it well! The avocado adds richness and creaminess, the corn sweetness. It’s a hearty salad, so mind that you not overeat it- but it’s really delicious. H came up with a rather brilliant combination for this one, I must say :)

Jun 21

Chicken Salad Veronique

I have to admit that I did some research before writing this post. I was curious as to whether the ‘Veronique’ in this salad was of Ina Garten’s choosing (whose recipe we followed in making this (and if so, after which Veronique was the dish named?)) or if this was a common dish. Apparently it’s the latter- or at least, to the extent that Ina can not be credited with the naming of the salad (though with the originality of its ingredients, yes- love the tarragon). However, the lack of a wikipedia page on the subject leads me to believe that this is not a dish rooted in history but rather someone came up with the first, named it after her cousin Veronica, published it, and all others henceforth are variations off of that first.

H and I had another cooking date planned and when deciding what to make, she suggested this crisp summertime chicken salad, and who am I to refuse the idea of something crisp and fresh? I was unsure about the tarragon as I know it has an anise taste and I tend to not be crazy about anise, but I must say, it works wonders in this recipe. We served it on some toasty 12-grain ciabatta-style bread and had a delightfully crunchy time.

Chicken Salad Veronique

Following Ina Garten’s Chicken Salad Veronique

Rather than re-post her recipe and steal hits away frmo the food network website, I’ll simply post a few notes on how our preparation differed- because, really, we followed it quite closely:

We used Helman’s low-fat mayonnaise with olive oil (no HFCS!)- and at a bit under 1/2 a cup, it was even a bit too much. I’d start with 1/3 of a cup and see how that goes- with mayo, once it’s too much, you can’t go back!
We halved the chicken amount and used 2 chicken breasts instead of four
We used 3 stalks, rather than 2, for the celery, as we both like things to be crunchy :)
We had closer to 2 tablespoons tarragon… maybe nearing 3…. hey, you know, fresh herbs don’t last forever, it’s best to use them when they’re in good shape, right?

It was very yummy, very fresh (have I said that enough yet?) and a really lovely summer dish. It’s a great take-with-you lunch, for picnics, office parties, what have you. Easy to cart around and easy to make in larger quantities- especially with the chicken baking in the oven (which, by the way, took as (exactly as H extimated) 20 minutes and no more) it’s even hands-off! Excellent.

Jun 18

Sherry-Glazed Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, and Whole Wheat Penne in White Wine Yogurt Sauce

I’m putting this one in the accident category because the sister and I were not huge fans- we’re adding ‘white sauces’ to the list of ‘things Odile has trouble cooking’… but the boyfriend rather enjoyed it and H thought that it looked good (did not get to taste), so this may be another white-sauce-that-actually-worked-I-just-didn’t-think-so. Alas, we’ll most likely never know because as I did not like it, I’m not likely to try it again. :) You’ll have to give it a shot and let me know your thoughts!

I believe its taste may have been altered by the fact that I used a very sweet wine for the sauce (the boyfriend gave the sister a bottle of Muscat Canneli for her 21st and she opted to choose that night for its opening… it had a lovely flavour, but very, very sweet) whereas something a bit more dry might have been a better choice. Should you experiment with it and experience different results, please do let me know- it’d be nice to hear someone else’s thoughts on this one!

Sherry-Glazed Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, and Whole Wheat Penne in White Wine Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from Chicken in White Wine and Yogurt Sauce from Cooks.com (for the sauce)

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, skinned, cleaned (no fat! preferably organic!)
1/2 cup dry dessert cream sherry
2 large stalks fresh broccoli
1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta
3 tblspn soy butter (1 for chicken, 2 for sauce)
3 tblspn AP organic flour
1 cup low-fat organic plain yogurt (I used Stonyfield- mom gave some to me :) )
1/4 cup white wine (I used Muscat Canneli)
Sea salt & freshly-cracked black pepper
Olive oil, for tossing pasta + pasta water

Process:

Boil water for pasta as directed on pasta box. Add a bit of soy butter or olive oil + salt to the water when putting it on the heat to avoid sticking. Cook as directed (I like it just slightly al dente), drain (but save about 1/3 cup pasta water for later), and place in a large bowl. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil and set aside with a warm towel on top to keep in the heat.
Rinse broccoli stalks, then cut into small chunks and place on a plate. Take a very damp paper towel, place on top of the place so it is fully covered (no problem if it’s hanging off the sides!) and place in microwave for 2-3 minutes, until the broccoli turns very bright green. Leave outside with the paper towel on for an additional minute, then discard the towel and toss the broccoli in with the pasta.
Place 1 tblspn soy butter in a small sautee pan with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Once it begins to bubble, put in the chicken breasts and sear on all sides, until a nice brown colour emerges. Then add in the sherry and let sit, keeping the chicken on medium heat and turning it over every 2-3 minutes to even the glaze. It should begin to caramelize and bubble. Once the chicken is fully cooked (press down on it gently with your tongs to check. If there’s any squishyness or give, it’s not done; if it feels firm, take it off the heat!) and place on a cutting board. Keep reducing the sauce until it’s a thick, bubbling glaze, and pour slowly over the chicken. Let sit for a minute or two so it can absorb the glaze. Then, cut the chicken into 3/4-inch cubes and add to pasta and toss.
For the sauce, melt the remaining 2 tblspns of soy butter in another pan (a larger saucier this time). Once it begins to bubble a bit, add the flour, and slowly mix it, then add the broth in a slow and steady stream, and continue to mix all the while pouring. Then add the yogurt, wine, salt, and pepper, turn off the heat, and stir until it’s a thick, smooth sauce. Pour onto the pasta and toss lightly so that everything is evenly coated. Serve with fresh herbs on top for garnish, and keep that pasta water handy in case the sauce continues to thicken while on the pasta.

And there you have it! Give it a go and let me know how it works out for you- I’m sure you’ll do a better job of it than I did :). And as for the chicken, there’s no specific need for the glaze (especially if you go with a more dry wine, you could match it with something less sweet on the chicken) but it’s a bit of a tradition at my house. And you can switch around the broccoli for some other vegetable, switch the chicken for another meat… really, a rather fluid dish. Oh, and mushrooms are a classic with this one, but mushrooms scare me, hence their absence… feel free to add them back in for your variations!

Jun 9

Spicy Tomato & Cheese Whole Grain Penne Bake

I proved quite fully with this dish that my sister and I sadly realllly can’t handle the slightest bit of spice. We had this conversation at dinner while eating this:

Sister: (fanning self slightly)

Boyfriend: (nomnomnomnom)

Me: Boyfriend, is this not spicy to you?

Boyfriend: Ahm… no? Should it be?

Sister: To me, on a scale of 1 to 10, this is a 7. Hot hot hot hot!

Boyfriend: To me this is… mmh.. maybe a .7, on that same scale.

So as you can see, to the average person (or perhaps to the usual spicily-tolerant Asian boy), this is not that spicy- in which case the title is inaccurate- but as it was spicy to me, I’m keeping the name. So stricken. :) It’s certainly a tasty dish, and quite healthy, at that.

Spicy Tomato & Cheese Whole Grain Penne Bake

Ingredients:

5 tiny sweet white onions
4 fresh cherry tomatoes
3/4 tsp minced garlic
2 tblspn soy butter
1/2 box whole grain penne
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp each of cayenne pepper, paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic powder
1 28-oz can of organic diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup shredded mozarella
2 chicken breasts, cleaned
1/3 cup dry cream sherry
1 tsp each of dried oregano, basil
1/2 cup grated Reggianito (Argentine Parmesan)
sea salt & freshly-cracked black pepper

Process:

Dice onion fairly finely and place in sautee pan with 1 tblspn soy butter, garlic, and sprinkling of salt and pepper
Once it begins to bubble and brown, add in the spices (red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, coriander, cumin, garlic powder) and continue mixing until red/golden in colour
Add in the entire can of diced tomatoes and their juice, and the lemon juice and put on medium low heat; stir occasionaly, allow to bubble and thicken
Heat water to boil and cook penne according to your preference or box instructions (I like it a bit al dente, with salt and olive oil to prevent sticking). Rinse lightly, then pour into a greased deep baking dish.
Place the cherry tomato slices over the pasta (see picture) along with half of the cheese, and drizzle lightly with olive oil (optional)
Pour thickened tomato sauce over the tomato slices and pasta, and smooth out to where it’s evenly laid. Sprinkle on a bit more cheese.
Preheat oven to 355 degrees F.
Sautee 1 more tblspn of soy butter with a spinkle of salt and pepper until bubbling; then add in the chicken breasts. Sear on both sides until no more ‘pink flesh’ is visible- then add in the sherry and reduce to a caramel-y sauce. Glaze the chicken with this and remove onto a cutting board.
Cut the chicken into large cubes, then put back into the sautee pan (hope you didn’t clean it, you want that fond de sauce in there!) and continue to sautee for 2-3 minutes until browned on all sides.
Sprinkle the herbs onto the top of the tomato sauce mixture, evenly spread about the dish.
Remove the chicken from pan and place evenly on top of tomato sauce/herbs/cheese.
Grate the Reggianito on top, sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper, and place in oven for 20 minutes approximately, until the cheese is melted and golden.
Allow to cool slightly, then serve warm (may fall apart- be wary and be ready to catch falling pieces)

If you can handle spice, then up the spiciness by adding more cayenne and red pepper flakes. But if you’re a spice wimp, like me, then you needn’t add more, this is already plenty :).

May 20

Warm Pear-Glazed Chicken and Cashew Spring Salad

This was, without a doubt, the most delicious salad I have ever made. The fact that it was so remains a happy stroke of luck, for I was really just haphazardly putting things together and hoping they would work in conjunction. Thankfully, they did :) and the result was a miracle. The boyfriend took three servings. THREE. Three servings of salad! Miraculous! And our other dinner guest- a friend of mine who is allergic to gluten and has issues with mainy dairy products- took two. I was proud of this accomplishment.

My friend B was joining us so that I could make her a thank-you dinner; she has gifted me so many wonderful kitchen gadgets and I thought that the clear way to say thanks would be to use them for her benefit. B, however, is an impeccable guest to the last, and thus brought yet another gift with her upon arrival… meaning that I’ll just have to have her over again soon :)

Due tu B’s intolerance to gluten, I was looking for a way to add crunch to the salad. I immediately thought, “nut!” and looked about the cupboards. We had some cashews that were sitting about in a jar, and I had some honey-roasted cashews (these are even crunchier!) and thought they would work well. I then began assembling other ingredients and eventually had a nice mix of things put together.

The key to this salad is the warm pear glaze that serves as a dressing. I had prepared some extra virgin olive oil and pear-infused vinegar to use, but they really weren’t needed at all. And happily, the dressing of pear glaze consists of pear… and nothing else, really! Cheers to simplicity and healthiness.

Warm Pear-Glazed Chicken and Cashew Spring Salad

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breases, cleaned
1/3 lb spring mix, washed and dried
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup jumbo black raisins
1/2 cup sultanas (to put directly in salad)
1/3 cup sultanas (to poach)
1 cup honey-toasted cashews
1/2 cup whole cashews (normal)
1 can Kerns brand pear nectar
1 half yellow bell pepper, diced finely
1/2 lb baby carrots, sliced thinly
1 tbl soy butter
1 tsp sea salt, freshly-ground black pepper, coriander, nutmeg

Process:

Place spring mix in a large salad bowl. Add in spinach, cranberries, raisins, sultanas (not 1/3 cup for poaching), bell pepper, carrots and toss thoroughly.
Chop cashews (both types) together into fairly large chunks; add in to salad and toss again.
Place soy butte rin a medium sautee pan. Coat chicken on one side with half of spice mix (salt, pepper, coriander, nutmeg), and place in pan. Once bottom side is seared, flip and season other side. Then flip again.
Once both sides are fully seared, add in the 1/3 cup of sultanas and the can of Kerns nectar.
Keep heat to medium and flip chicken every 4-5 minutes, moving the sultanas around and placing at times over the chicken. Once the chicken is firm to the touch and the pear nectar has caramelized to a thick, full-bodied consistency, place chicken on a cutting board and roughly chop into very large pieces. Spoon all caramelized pear nectar into the salad bowl.
Place chicken onto bowl and toss one last time, making sure to distribute chicken and pear nectar thoroughly.

It’s delicious- trust me. Try it! It’s better warm, though the boyfriend finished the leftovers the next day cold and said it was still very good. Thanks to the sweet pear and honeyed pecans, it has a very sweet taste. “It’s like candy”- B and the boyfriend both agreed. And if you could have candy for salad… wouldn’t you? :)

Apr 20

Cream Sherry Chicken Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera… a favourite dish for spring. Amusedly enough, when I was cooking this, there was torrential downpour outside, the windows both whitened with the sheets of rain and blackened with the brooding clouds looming overhead. But I was thinking of bright colours, crisp vegetables, and aromatic herbs, and so came about this take on primavera: hot, steaming, colourful, and with a touch of sweetness. It’s not your traditional recipe for it, but it’s certainly very delicious :)

Cream Sherry Chicken Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

1/2 box dry whole wheat fusilli or other short pasta (penne, farfalle, etc)
Approx 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large heads of broccoli
Approx. 10-12 fresh campari or small roma tomatoes
1 cup cream sherry (dessert, dry)
1/2 cup minced spinach leaves
1/3 cup minced fresh curly-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon soy butter
2 medium-sized chicken breasts, cleaned
Approx 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Process:

Set water on to boil for pasta- add water amount as directed on box, adding in large-grain sea salt (pinch) and a drew drops of olive oil so pasta won’t stick
Cut broccoli crowns into small florets and pile onto a microwaveable plate
Dampen a large paper towel with hot water, squeeze out excess, and place over broccoli plate so that the edges wrap around the bottom and all sides are well-covered.
Microwave for approx. 4 minutes; lift paper towel to check cookedness. If steam is rising and the broccoli is a very bright green, then simply leave in microwave to continue lightly steaming- if not, microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until optimally green.
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the parsley, spinach, a large pinch of salt and pepper into a mixing bowl; stir together
Halve or quarter (depending on your preference and tomato size) tomatoes and toss into mixing bowl.
Add in the broccoli; toss all in the oil and herb mixture
Drain the pasta and add to the mixing bowl
BEFORE tossing pasta, sprinkle on half of the parmesan cheese; let sit 1 minute, then toss (this way the pasta will absorb more of the cheese)
Heat the soy butter and a small drizzle of cream sherry in a sautee pan
Once bubbling, add in the chicken breasts and brown thoroughly on both sides
Once well-browned, add in a bit over half of the remaining sherry and cook on medium until the chicken is no longer squishy (press with tongs or a spoon to test, or simply cut open and then put cut-side down back into the pan)
Remove chicken from heat and palce onto a cutting board; spoon on the caramelized sauce it was cooking in. Cut into small chunks and add to the pasta.
Toss pasta; then drizzle in the remaining cream sherry, remaining olive oil, remaining cheese, and toss once more.

That’s a lot of tossing, I know :) but I like to have the sauce very evenly distributed. The real key to the flavours here is the cream sherry- it adds a bit of sweetness that’s cut by the nuttiness of the parmesan, making an excellent combination. This one is enjoyable hot as an entree or cold as a pasta salad.

Apr 5

Indian Spice-Rubbed Chicken in Yogurt Sauce with Parmesan-Broiled Broccoli

The last time I had been making chicken tikka masala, a magical thing happened: prior to adding the chicken to the tikka sauce, my sister announced that she enjoyed the chicken- spices, yogurt, and all. This was, naturally, a rare and exciting phenomenon, and so when we had company over recently, I sought to recreate the magic from that former recipe attempt.

I used the same recipe for chicken tikka as a base- but, naturally, made changes. For the spice rub on the chicken, I used the following:

heaping tsp salt
heapting tsp pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
heaping tsp nutmeg
1/3 tsp cinnamon
large pinch of garam masala

I cleaned, rinsed, dried the chicken, then rubbed it thoroughly on both sides with the spice mix and refrigerated it for about 30 minutes.

While it was refrigerating, I prepared the sauce, which consisted of:

1.5 cups low-fat european-style vanilla yogurt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp nutmeg
dash of turmeric

I mixed the sauce together in a pyrex, then also refrigerated (again, this is mostly following the recipe linked above, thus far only minor changes).

I then dunked the chicken thoroughly in the yogurt mixture on both sides and placed on the aluminum-covered-baking-sheet-with-rack, and added some extra yogurt sauce to the top of the chicken pieces. I then broiled it at 525 degrees for 14 minutes, removed the chicken from the oven, flipped it, spooned on another layer of yogurt sauce, and broiled for another 12 minutes.

Once out of the oven, I suggest a) cleaning your rack immediately so it won’t be a miserable event doing so later, and b) serving with some cool vanilla or plain yogurt on the side, I think it would have been a terrific addition.

I opted to make this iteration with something not remotely Indian: broiled parmesan broccoli. To do this:

Cut crowns of broccoli into small chunks and haphazardly arrange in small baking pyrex
Drizzle heavily with olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan
Broil (in bottom-most rack of oven) in pyrex at 525 for approximately 10 minutes
Sprinkle on a tiny bit more parm after removing from the oven to add some final nuttiness
Serve warm! :)

This dinner was incredibly flavourful (the spices were perhaps a tad bit too strong, but the health benefits are worth it) yet nicely healthy (the yogurt is low-fat, the chicken well-cleaned… the oil’s the worst of it, really) and really yummy. It’s quite simple, I’m just slow and indecisive, but try it out!