Chicken Chili
October 13, 2013
Margaux says…
We have been BUSY around here. With Desi starting school and Stella being at that age where she doesn’t sleep all the time anymore and is into EVERYTHING, I haven’t had time to do much of anything other than cook dinner and do dishes. The rest of the (extremely dirty) house and my side projects have definitely suffered. But fall is here, and I’m cooking new and fun things again, so I’m doing my best to make time to post about them.
My husband raved about this chili, and actually got really protective over the leftovers. I knew this meant that he really REALLY liked it, because usually I’m the only one in this house that eats any leftovers. The charred veggies gives the chili a little bit of a smoky flavor…it’s very different than any chili I’ve ever made. So I’m definitely making it again, even though that means I’ll have to make Desi his own little pot of chili because this one has meat in it AND is pretty spicy. But that’s ok…more leftovers for us.
Chicken Chili
adapted from Martha Stewart Living
10 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 jalapeno (or I used a Fresno because the jalapenos didn’t look that good)
1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1/4 cup chili powder
salt
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2-14 oz. cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Preheat broiler, with rack 3 inches from heat source. Arrange tomatoes, jalapeno and onion, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until starting to char, about 5 minutes. Pulse tomatoes and jalapeno in food processor until chunky. Chop onion and mince garlic.
Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches, brown chicken in a single layer, allowing to sear before stirring, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to skillet. Cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chili powder and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring for one minute. Stir in chipotles, and drain fat off chicken and add chicken to the pot. Raise heat to high. Add tomato-jalapeno mixture. Cook, scraping up browned bits, until fully incorporated, 3-5 minutes. Stir in stock; simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans, simmer for 10 minutes. We served topped with sour cream and tortilla chips on the side…it would also be great with shredded cheese and chopped avocados, and with corn bread on the side.
Moroccan-style Salmon and Vegetables
May 4, 2012
Tagine: a special earthenware pot used in Morocco for cooking
Tagine: a stew-like Berber dish of North Africa made of vegetables and meats, slow cooked at low temperatures
Aunt Suzy says . . .
If you read our blog, you know we love Moroccan cooking! My birthday gift from my brother and sister-in-law didn’t work out last fall, so I had a credit at an online cooking store. I have always wanted a tagine, so I treated myself to this beauty! It was so fun to cook in and I hope to use it often. I think it will get more use in the winter since tagines, the dish, are typically heartier fare. My friend Asya gave me this recipe recently, and I couldn’t wait to try it once my tagine arrived. It was delicious, as expected with a Martha recipe. And it was very easy, not always expected with a Martha recipe. Delicious served with a dry French Rose wine or a Chenin Blanc.
NOTE: You do not need a tagine to cook this; a Dutch oven will do the trick as well!
Serves 4-6
adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tablespoons harissa (more = hotter)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups stock – fish or chicken
1 sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise then cut crosswise in 1/3-thick slices
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise and then sliced crosswise in 1/3-inch slices
1 summer squash, prepared ditto to zuke
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 preserved lemon, rind only, small dice (optional)
1 pound salmon filet, wild-caught preferred
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
Roast the salmon to very rare in a 450° oven for 5-7 minutes depending on thickness. Let cool slightly and then remove the skin from the bottom. Cut into serving pieces and set aside.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or bottom of a tagine over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the harissa and tomato paste, stirring till combined. Whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the sweet potato, cauliflower, zuke and squash. Stir to combine, then add salt. Bring this mixture to a gentle bubble, then turn down heat and simmer covered until vegetables are al dente. This could take 15-30 minutes depending on what type of pot you are using.
Next add the chickpeas and the diced preserved lemon. Stir to combine and cook for another 10 minutes, covered. Place the reserved salmon pieces on top of the vegetable mixture. Cook, covered, till just heated through in order not to dry out the salmon or the tagine. Serve over cooked couscous or rice and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.
Smoky White Bean Stew with Winter Greens
January 19, 2011
Aunt Suzy says . . .
This recipe in Bon Appetit caught my eye for a number of reasons. I love, love, love cooked bitter greens for one, as you know if you read this blog regularly! I imagined that it would be delicious as it’s a cousin to another stew recipe we’ve posted with white beans and Swiss chard. I’ve also been looking for things to do with the smoked paprika I have on the shelf, and I just ordered something called Pirate’s Bite, a combination of dried hot peppers, spices and salt (from The Spice and Tea Exchange). Lastly, I’ve vowed to eat a vegetarian diet for a few of weeks after coming off a couple of months of rich food. So this dish fit the bill in a number of ways! And like the stew with chard, it is a snap to make.
2-3 bunches of mixed winter greens (collard, mustard or kale)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, small dice
2-4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice (or one large)
2 cups liquid (water or vegetable stock)
2 14-ounce cans cooked cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes or 2-3 grinds of Pirate’s Bite (optional for heat)
Grated hard cheese for serving (such as Parmigiano, aged Manchego or Pecorino Romano), optional
Prepare the greens by washing thoroughly, removing the tough inner stems and coarsely chopping in 2-inch pieces. I used a combination of all 3 greens – 1 bunch each – which added up to about 25 cups! Don’t be alarmed by this amount since they cook down dramatically. Set aside.
Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with the olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add the onion and saute till soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add the smoked paprika and saute for about a minute. Add the tomatoes, their juices and the liquid. Stir in the greens a little at a time until wilted. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the greens are tender but not mushy.
Add the beans and chili flakes or Pirate’s Bite. Add more liquid if you want a brothier stew. Stir to blend and heat through. Serve in bowls and pass the cheese. (I thought this was delicious without the cheese, but try for yourself and decide.) Addendum Oct 9, 2011: I’m busy stocking my freezer this year for the winter and think this is a good candidate. I have frozen a couple of batches of this recipe without the beans, with the idea that I will add them when reheating.
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 