Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Indian Lamb and Spinach Curry

January 29, 2012 by jcalikitchen

Ok I will admit it I thought that the slow cooker was today’s wedding registry equivalent to the fondu set, a fun, have-to-have kitchen item that got used once and never touched again. In fact, our slow cooker sat in its box for a good 6+ months post our wedding before we even touched it. When we did, we used it for what else but . . . chili.

We hosted our annual Superbowl party last year and committed to running a half marathon that morning. The challenge how do you have dinner ready for 15+ people with varying degrees of dietary restrictions when you will be spending your morning running 13.1 miles?

Enter the slow cooker and an amazing recipe for veggie chili. The hubby and I prepped all the ingredients the night before. The morning of our race, as we ate toast and peanut butter, we pulled out the slow cooker, dumped in the ingredients and set the timer.

When we returned home several hours later, exhausted and sore, there could not have been a more amazing feeling (or scent) to knowing that your little slow cooker had just created a perfectly cooked batch of veggie chili for your soon to arrive house guests. (If only it could clean the house too!) The dish was such a hit its on the docket for next weeks Superbowl party (fortunately or unfortunately the half marathon is not).


Determined to test the capabilities of this little pot of amazingness I settled on a recipe for Indian Lamb and Spinach Curry. (1) I have never cooked Indian food before (2) I am a total sucker for lamb and (3) It seemed like the perfect challenge.

Our slow cooker did not disappoint delivering a delicious pot of flavorful, tender, and totally delicious curry. Is there anything this thing can’t do? I am a total slow cooker convert – so sorry to have ever doubted you and I hope you enjoy your new place in the front of our cooking gadget cabinet. A fondu set you are not.

Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry (adapted from Meals in Minutes Slow Cooker)

Serves 3 and was made in a 3.5 quart slow cooker

2 1/2 tbsp Canola oil

1 chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 in ginger piece peeled and grated

2 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp ground tumeric

1 cup beef broth

1 1/2 lbs boneless leg of lamb cut into 1-inch cubes

salt

3 cups baby spinach

1 cup plain yogurt

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, cumin, cayenne, and tumeric and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Pour in the broth, raise the heat to high, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. When the broth comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat.

Put the lamb in the slow cooker and sprinkle with 1/2 tbsp salt. Pour in the contents of the frying pan. Cover and cook on the high-heat setting for 4 hours (or the low heat for 8 hours).

Add the baby spinach to the curry and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Just before serving stir in  2/3 cups of the yogurt into the curry. Season to taste with salt. Spoon the curry into shallow bowls and serve, passing the remaining yogurt at the table. The hubby and I had some rice with our curry but you could totally enjoy it as is as well.

Posted in Meat | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Bolognese

January 16, 2012 by jcalikitchen

Somehow California missed the memo this year that the official start to winter was almost a month ago. Rather than be socked in with rain and debating whether to wear my rain coat and freeze or my winter coat and be drenched, I have seen nothing but blue bird skies and 60 degrees temperatures making the debate do I wear a coat today or not.

While it is definitely making me tired of my fall wardrobe, bummed that I bought a ski pass this year, and worried for what this means about the general well-being of our planet, I am not complaining one bit. Especially when it means that the tan from my winter beach vacation lasts beyond my first week back.

I think most of Hollywood would share in my same sentiments. They were all looking very tan last night at the Golden Globes. My sister texted that they had really overdone the bronzer / spray tans this year but I have a sneaking suspicion that the golden hue was actually natural.

So in honor of it being officially winter but not really winter in SF I wanted to make the most wintery dish I knew – Bolognese. Shockingly I have never made Bolognese and for some reason it just sounded so delicious, and homey, and wintery. I guess I must be craving the season on some small-scale.

I sifted through the cookbooks and landed on a recipe for Tuscan Meat and Tomato Ragu from Lidia Bastianich’s Lidia’s Italty. Not only did it feel totally authentic with a mix of pork, veal and sausage but it seemed pretty straightforward and easy to make.


I was a little nervous when the sauce first came together – it seemed pretty watery and not at all tomato based. But as it sat simmering for close to 3 hours the flavors really blended together and the sauce thickened up perfectly. Just as I hoped it was totally delish (although I will admit it does not make the best food pics).

Tuscan Meat and Tomato Ragu

Makes 9 cups

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms

1 medium onion, in chunks (1 cup or more)

2 celery ribs, in chunks (about 2 cups)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb ground veal

1 lb ground pork

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casing and crumbled

1 tsp salt, or to taste

2 cups of red wine (I used a Dynamite Vineyard Merlot)

28oz can of San Marzano canned plum tomatoes crushed by hand

Meat, poultry, or vegetable stock, or water, as needed

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Soak the dried porcini in a cup or so of hot water for at least 1/2 hour.

Using the food processor, puree the onion and celery to a paste. Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, scrape in the paste, and stir it for 3 or 4 minutes as it steams and starts to caramelize.

Add all the meats to the pan, raise the heat, and continuously turn and loosen the chopped meat as it sears and browns. Sprinkle 2 tsps salt over the meat, and keep tossing and breaking up any lumps, until all the meat is colored and has started to release moisture. Cook, frequently stirring, to evaporate the wine. Meanwhile, lift the reconstituted porcini pieces from the soaking water, squeeze them dry, and chop into bits. Stir the porcini into the sizzling meats. When the wine has almost evaporated, pour in the porcini water (but not the sediment), stir, and cook until it too has disappeared into the meat.

Pour the tomatoes into the pan, slosh the container with 2 cups of water, and stir that in. Cook, covered, until the tomato juices are bubbling, than lower the heat and simmer the sauce, partially covered for 2 to 3 hours – the longer it perks the better! As the sauce reduces, add stock or water as needed to keep the meat covered by liquid. (I didn’t find that I needed any.)

Taste, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use right away or – for best flavor – let the sauce sit for a couple of hours or up to 2 days (refrigerated). Loosen sauce with water or stock, if necessary, when reheating.

Posted in Meat, Pasta | Leave a Comment »

What a year it has been

January 8, 2012 by jcalikitchen

I can’t believe another year has come and gone. What is so amazing to me is how slow time seems to move when you are a kid and how quickly it moves when you are an adult – if only you knew that the last birthday you would look forward to was your 21st.

While I hate NYE as a holiday (sorry its just over hyped with way too much expectations) there is something so refreshing about a new year. It allows you the possibility to start over and to create new hopes and dreams for the upcoming year.

2011 was definitely a year – my little sister got married, my brother-in-law got engaged, my hubby and I survived year one of marriage, I found a new job that I actually love, and I started this blog. Needless to say I was busy. As I look forward to the new year it will be a little hard to top 2011 but I already have some ideas in mind and they are definitely around food, writing, and wine! So that new job I started – its with a wine company in Napa. AMAZING! It has definitely been keeping me busy but also teaching me a ton, so look out for some wine pairing and suggestions with my upcoming posts.

Just because I have been so busy doesn’t mean I haven’t been cooking up a ton in my kitchen (I just might not have had the time or energy to write about it). So I thought I would start off 2012 recapping some of my fun cooking memories from 2011 (not previously shared in other posts).

  • I made my first pumpkin pie from scratch!  Yes it is that beauty at the top of this post and it was delicious. It was for a pot luck at the new office and from what I could tell there were no left overs. I used Alice Waters’ recipe and while I was cursing myself as a whisked milk for a good 15 to 20 minutes over heat (thank you crossfit classes) it was totally worth it in the end.

  • I made this beautiful apple and pear galette and yes it tasted as delicious as it looked! Real Simple I <3 U.

  • I had the AMAZING opportunity of being a test kitchen guest for my friends Warren & Rachel’s Thanksgiving trial. Warren has to be one of the BEST cooks I know – the potatoes were delish, his chicken two ways ridiculously good, but the kicker was the homemade pumpkin bread pudding and homemade ice cream. Warren’s ice cream would give bi-rite in SF a run for its money – yes it is really that good. Check out his blog:  http://eatstuff.tumblr.com/

  • Last, but certainly not least, was cooking in my favorite kitchen with my favorite chef – my mom. I was so excited to be able to make it home for Thanksgiving and help my mom cook up this delicious Thanksgiving day feast. We started with home-made currant scones and finished with a traditional T-day dinner: Ritz Cracker Stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, corn souffle, and roast turkey. Yum! It was definitely up there with some of my favorite days of 2011.

Here’s to a great 2011 and an even better 2012.

Posted in Random Musings | Leave a Comment »

Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash

December 12, 2011 by jcalikitchen

Winter is definitely a week away. In fact I might argue that winter showed up in San Francisco early. As the hubby and I strolled through Hayes Valley yesterday killing time between brunch and the ballet I asked “When did this neighborhood become so New York City?”

I am not sure if the hipster residents of Hayes Valley would love that I compared their neighborhood to NYC but I am not sure if it was more the neighborhood or the weather. Overcast gray skies, chilly air, and fallen leaves reminded me so much of home. It even reminded my hubby of my home.

To make my new (I use the term very loosely) home feel a bit more like my old home I’ve started searching for recipes that warm your bones and make your apartment (or house) smell like a delicious home cooked meal. When I stumbled on a recipe for minestrone with kale and butternut squash I simply had to try it. Plus I needed to find a use for that butternut squash sitting on my counter.

One of my favorite soups as a kid was minestrone. The brand of choice was Progresso. But Progresso has nothing on this delicious soup. I have to admit I was a bit daunted by the task – cooking beans from scratch and so much chopping but when I really broke it down it wasn’t so bad! Yes cooking beans from scratch does take a bit of planning ahead and chopping is probably one of my least favorite activities, but get yourself a food processor and you are good to go!

Not only was the soup beyond delish, it also made my apartment smell like a home. There was nothing better than curling up on my couch with my hubby, a blanket and a bowl of yummy soup. Despite the work that went into this, I will definitely make it again. In fact, I might use the other butternut squash sitting on my counter to make another batch.

Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash (adapted from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food) 

1 cup dried cannellini beans (see instructions below to prepare)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery stalks finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp chopped rosemary

1 tsp chopped sage

2 tsps of salt

1 bunch of kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped

1 15oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

3 cups of water

1 small leek, diced

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

1 cup bean cooking liquid

Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook to a rich golden brown.

Add garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, kale, and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

Add water and bring to a boil.

Add the leeks and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the squash and continue to cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the cooked beans and bean liquid. Cook for 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick add more bean cooking liquid.

Serve in bowls with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Soaking and Cooking Beans

1 cup of dried cannellini beans

Soak the cannellini beans over night in water, ensure that there is three times as much water as there are beans. Drain after soaking and use fresh water for cooking them.

In a wide non-reactive pot (I used my le creuset) add the beans and enough water so that they are covered by more than an inch. Bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and skim off any foam. Simmer gently for 1 hour or so. Test the beans by biting into one to ensure that they are cooked.

When done let them cool in the water before draining so as not to crack the skin. Make sure to save some of the water.

Posted in Soup, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Fusilli with Kale and Sausage

December 5, 2011 by jcalikitchen

I’m back!  So sorry for the radio silence. I had such high hopes for Thanksgiving week – I had a whole slew of posts lined up -from our trial friendsgiving to the real Thanksgiving feast prepared in my favorite kitchen with my favorite cook! But alas life happened.

Just because I wasn’t writing didn’t mean that there was not magic (or debacles) happening in our kitchen. I thought for my first post back I would start with what is now a staple winter dish in our house.

A few summers ago the hubby and I subscribed to a CSA box. Every Friday the contents of our box would be posted online and we would plan out our weekly meals based on its contents. It was so much fun to have fresh squash, tomatoes, strawberries, and other delicious fresh vegetables delivered to right to our door. As fall approached we noticed the contents of the box becoming a bit more routine and by our first winter I was up to my eyes in kale, chard and cabbage. None of which I had ever cooked before.

I was at a loss – what to do with all these leafy vegetables? My cookbooks were of little help and I was forced to make the same recipes over and over again. I mean how many times can you eat stewed chard with tomatoes and garlic or buttered cabbage? But what was really just throwing me was the kale. I couldn’t really find any recipes and the ones I did find were pretty awful. That is until I had dinner at a my friend’s house and she made the most delicious kale recipe I had ever had.

How do you get kale to taste AMAZING? Serve it with sautéed sausage, onions and pasta. It might not be the healthiest way to eat kale but I have to say it is probably one of the yummiest. I was so excited about my new discovery that I think I cooked up the same recipe for my hubby later on that week. Since then it has become our winter pasta staple. Not only because it is delicious but also because it is a pretty easy recipe to make. Alice Waters you truly are a genius.

Fusilli with Kale and Sausage (adapted from The Art of Simple Food)

Serves 2

1/2 large bunch of kale

1/4 lb Italian sausage, casing removed

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large onion, sliced thin

salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

A pinch of dried chile flakes

1/2 lb fusilli

extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Trim and wash the kale. Chop coarse and cook until tender in salted boiling water. Drain well, saving the cooking water to cook the pasta in.

Form the sausage into small balls. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the sausage and cook over medium heat until browned and cooked, through about 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the sausage and add the onions to the pan. Saute, tossing now adn then, over medium-high heat until the onions soften and caramelize a bit. Season with salt, pepper, and chile flakes.

Add the cooked greens and sausage and cook or a few minutes, tossing and stirring. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil a

Posted in Pasta | Leave a Comment »

Personal Pear Crisp with Oat Topping

November 20, 2011 by jcalikitchen

I know people who love to bake. They will spend hours in the kitchen kneading dough, watching souffles rise, and perfecting their pie crust recipes. I am jealous.

I am in love with the idea of baking but when it comes down to it I find it daunting. Plus what to do with an entire cake for just the two of us?  You can not just simply half a baking recipe like you do a chicken recipe.

So the hubby and I have succumb to store-bought cookies, pints of ice cream, and an occasional treat from the bakery down the street that has totally caught on to the new mini dessert trend.

A few Fridays ago (yes I am behind on blog posts) the hubby and I were just exhausted from our weeks. Rather than head out for date night we decided to stay in.

Comfy clothes + yummy cheese + delicious olives + good wine + perfectly cooked steaks + french fries = AMAZING

Some great company might also had something to do with it.

For the perfect end to our perfect date night I was dying to try this recipe for pear crisp in my Cooking For Two cookbook. A fortuitous trip to Cost Plus World Market earlier that day for work, not only taught me a thing or two about the wine retail market but also allowed me to find the allusive 12oz ramekin. I was so excited I bought 4!

As the hubby cleaned up dinner (I cook he cleans) I started pulling together our pear crisps. Not only was this recipe super easy but it also was amazingly delicious. Even better, I didn’t have to share my portion with my hubby. He is a good sharer but sometimes if something is soo good, like this was, he just devours it, leaving me to fight for my share.

Yes they were as delish as they look. If only the movie we got from Netflix to watch that night was as good as advertised.

Pear Crisp with Oat Topping (Cooking for Two 2009)

Serves 2

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp cornstarch

Salt

2 ripe, but firm Bartlett pears peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

3 tbsp finely chopped pecans

1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tbsp light brown sugar

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/4 c old-fashioned oats

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Whisk 1 tbsp of granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt together in a medium bowl. Gently toss the pears with the sugar mixture and divide evenly between two 12-once ramekins.

Mix the nuts, flour, brown sugar, remaining 1 tbsp granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Drizzle the melted butter over the top, add the old-fashioned oats and combine until the mixture resembles crumbly wet sand. Pinch between your fingers into small pea-sized pieces (with some smaller loose bits).

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pears, breaking up any large chunks. Place the crisps on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the topping is deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Let the crisps cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Posted in Dessert | Leave a Comment »

Chicken with Shallots

November 19, 2011 by jcalikitchen

There are many great things about writing my food blog.  Here are a few of my favs:

  1. I no longer have to make the same meal every week because it is my hubby’s new favorite.  ”Sorry I wrote about that recipe last week and need new material for the blog – I promise I will make it again soon.”
  2. I am finally using all the cookbooks that took up an entire cabinet in our city apartment so I know longer get asked “Can we donate these to Good Will because you never use them?”
  3. I now know more ways to cook chicken and that makes me smile.  There is nothing worse than bland, dried out chicken breasts.

Chicken always seems to be the protein of choice in our house. It used to get chopped up for stir fry, flattened out for chicken parmesan, or simply made into chicken cutlets. That was it. So when I find a new way to make our favorite protein I get so excited, especially when it comes out as delicious as this recipe did.

I know I said in an earlier post that I was done with the boneless, skin on chicken breasts because they dry out.  Well I went back for more, I think secretly hoping that I was wrong. And I have never been so happy to be proven wrong. Perhaps it was user error (would not be surprising) or a faulty recipe (also would not be surprising) last time, but this time I finally found my go to recipe for cooking boneless, skin on chicken breasts. It’s a two stage process but worth the minimal effort.

Ina advertised it as “good enough for the fanciest company but easy enough to make for a quick dinner.” I couldn’t agree more Ina – this one definitely passed the restaurant quality test. I served it with some roasted cauliflower and brussel sprouts. The oven was already at 425 F for the chicken so I simply halved / quartered the brussel sprouts (depending on their size), cut the cauliflower into florets, tossed with olive oil and salt, and placed on a baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes.

Chicken with Shallots (adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?)

Serves 2

2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 c dry white wine

2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

1/2 cup minced shallot

1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and sprinkle them generously on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until it begins to smoke.  Place the chicken breasts, skin side down, in the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes without moving, until golden brown.

Using tongs, turn the chicken breasts skin side up, place the skillet in the oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. (Ina recommends 6 to 8oz sized chicken breasts you will probably need cook on the longer side if larger or thick)

Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, combine the white wine, lemon juice, and shallots and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until only 2 tbsp of liquid remain in the pan. If reduces too much, add an extra splash of white wine or water. Add the cream, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and bring to a full boil. Remove the heat, add the diced butter, and swirl the pan until the butter is incorporated. Don’t reheat or the sauce will “break”!

Serve the chicken hot with the sauce spooned over it.


Posted in Chicken | Leave a Comment »

Greek-Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches

November 13, 2011 by jcalikitchen

I have a new-found love . . . my Cooking for Two cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen from 2009.

Sorry Ina and Giada there is a new favorite book in the house and it does not involve either of you. I do feel awful cheating on you both but I promise I would not have done it if it wasn’t worth it. And this book is worth it.

As you all already know I love my mom. I especially love her when she lets me raid her cookbook collection and then proceeds to buy me the cookbooks she is not willing to part without. This cookbook was definitely one of them. It’s a bit hard to find because it is out of print (in fact the copy that I own happens to be an old library book) but worth a look.

I find that most people I know attempt ambitious dinners for Sunday night – they have the weekend to flip through cookbooks or magazines, grab all the necessary ingredients, and spend the entire day cooking. I wish I could say that this was me. In fact, I think I aspire to be one of those people but come Sunday I am literally exhausted from my weekend.

After 4 years of living in California you would think I would get used to the idea that I can be outside year round, but I can not. I keep telling myself that I will stay in the following weekend to clean the closets, cook a stew or catch up on the stack of magazines I am collecting but then it is sunny out or above 50 and the plan goes out the window. I feel guilty sitting inside when it is so nice outside so I, in turn, over plan myself and then it comes time for dinner on Sunday night and I am spent.

Last Sunday I could not bear the thought of another turkey burger dinner so to the cookbooks I turned and stumbled on a recipe for lamb pita sandwiches. It seemed like the perfect solution to my turkey burger rut and it was. Not only was it super easy to make it was also delicious! I have found a new Sunday night dinner go to (or even weekday!).

The lamb meat is juicy and tender and the home-made tzatziki could not be easier. This is a definite make again meal and does not even need any tweaks. I heart you America’s Test Kitchen!

Greek-Style Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce (Cooking for Two America’s Test Kitchen 2009)

Serves 2

Tzatziki Sauce

1/4 cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)

salt

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (I used non-fat FAGE)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tsps chopped fresh dill

Pita Sandwiches

2 (8-inch) pita breads with pockets

1 small onion, chopped coarse (about 1/2 cup)

2 tsps fresh lemon juice

2 tsps minced fresh dill

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

8 oz ground lamb

2 tsps vegetable oil

1 small tomato, sliced thin, for serving

1 c shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving (I used romaine hearts)

1 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup), for serving

 

For the Tzatziki Sauce:

Toss the cucumber with 1/8 tsp salt in a colander set over a bowl and let drain for 30 minutes.

Combine the yogurt, drained, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, and dill in a bowl and season with salt to taste.

 

For the Pita Sandwiches:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 F. Trim the top quarter off each pita bread, then tear the trimmed quarters in to 1-inch pieces (you should have about 1/2 cup of pita pieces.) Stack the pitas and warp tightly with foil.

 

Process the onion, lemon juice, dill, garlic, salt, pepper, and pita bread pieces in a food processor to make a smooth paste, about 30 seconds, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the lamb and gently mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and roll into balls. Gently flatten the balls into round disks, about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

 

Place the foil-wrapped pitas directly on the oven rack and heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the patties and cook until well browned and a crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes.

 

Flip the patties, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until well browned and a crust forms on the second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the patties to a paper towel-lined plate.

 

Spread 1/4 cup of the tzatziki sauce inside each pita. Divide the patties evenly among the pitas and add half of the tomato slices, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, and 2 tbsp feta to each sandwich.

Posted in Meat | Leave a Comment »

Sole Meuniere with Parmesan Chard

October 31, 2011 by jcalikitchen

I have always wanted to be a good cook but it wasn’t until I moved in with my hubby that I truly decided to make that want a reality. When I lived by myself no one (except for me) really cared if I only ate veggie burgers, pre-cooked chicken sausages, or frozen ravioli for dinner. Frankly I do not think that my hubby would really care if we ate cereal every night for dinner but there is something so nice about seeing someone enjoy something that you made.

So, yes, I became a better cook for my husband. Very 1950′s of me, but that probably is the only 1950′s thing about me.

Much to my own surprise, last week, when the hubby had a work dinner, I found myself in the kitchen whipping up a gourmet dinner for me and only me! That was when I knew I had been bitten by this cooking bug and it was bad. Oh Ina would be so proud.

In fact, I used her sole meuniere recipe – delish. The recipe is only meant for two so it easily pares down for one. I mean how could you go wrong with butter and lemon?

I could have paired the fish with my usual sautéed spinach but it’s officially fall in SF and for the first time in 4 years of living here it actually looks and feels like fall. So I had to embrace my favorite season and picked up some swiss chard. Alice Waters convinced me (in her book that is) that it would be delicious with butter and parmesan cheese. She was right.

What an amazing mid-week treat.

Easy Sole Meuniere (adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)

Serves 1

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 fresh sole fillets, 3 to 4 ounces each

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 tsp lemon zest

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 to 1 lemon depending on size)

Combine the flour, 2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of butter in a large  (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Dredge the sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes o the other side. While the second side cooks, add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the pan. Serve immediately when finished preferably on a plate warmed in the oven.

Chard with Parmesan (adapted from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food)

1 bunch of chard

2 tbsp of butter

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pull the leaves from the ribs of a bunch of chard. Discard the ribs, wash the leaves, and cook until tender in abundant salted boiling water, 4 minutes or so. Drain the leaves, cool, squeeze out most of their excess water and chop coarse.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the chopped chard and salt to taste. Heat through and stir in a generous handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and serve.

Posted in Fish | Leave a Comment »

Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach, and Feta

October 31, 2011 by jcalikitchen

The hubby and I are trying desperately to ween ourselves off of our vacation diet (and our jet lag!). China wasn’t as bad as lets say Italy, where I justified to myself nearly every day that it was a gelato day, but it was pretty bad. I vowed that the first week back I would not find a reason to gorge myself silly on the candy corn and Halloween candy hanging around our house, but rather eat lots of fresh veggies and cook only healthy meals.

Given that I was falling asleep at all the wrong hours of the day I was also on the search for healthy, easy to make dinners and stumbled on a great one in Cooking For Two. It only used one pot (score 1), it was already cut for only 2 portions (score 2), and was relatively healthy (score 3).

I think the hardest part of the dish was finding the Israeli couscous! The technique for cooking the boneless, skinless chicken breasts is probably one of the best one’s I have come across. The chicken was perfectly cooked and soo juicy – delish! This will be the only way I prepare boneless, skinless chicken breasts from now on.

Thank you America’s Test Kitchen for (1) solving my dry boneless, skinless chicken breast problem and (2) creating some a delicious and pseudo healthy recipe. Add another one to the permanent rotation.

Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach, and Feta (from America’s Test Kitchen Cooking for Two 2009)

Serves 2

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 (6 to 8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup Israeli couscous (I finally found mine at Trader Joe’s you can also use Orzo)

1 shallot, minced (about 3 tbsp)

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tbsp)

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 oz baby spinach (about 6 cups)

2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with one breast at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest in the warm oven while preparing the couscous.

Wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Add 1 tbsp more oil and the couscous to the skillet and toast over medium heat until light golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shallot, 2 tsp of the garlic, 1/4 tsp of the lemon zest, and 1/8 tsp of the pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk in 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, remaining 1 tbsp oil, remaining 1 tsp garlic, remaining 1/4 tsp lemon zest, and remaining 1/8 tsp pepper flakes together in a small bowl.

Stir the spinach, one handful at a time, into the skillet and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the feta and remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the couscous between two plates and top with the chicken. Drizzle with lemon juice mixture and serve.

Posted in Chicken | Leave a Comment »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.