Archive for September, 2010

September 28, 2010 1

sweet curried chicken salad in radicchio cups

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It’s not everyday that radicchio di Treviso – a long, elongated radicchio shaped like Belgian endive – shows up at my local produce market.  I was originally drawn to the radicchio not only for its shape, but also for its exquisite magenta color.  Radicchio doesn’t make its way into my diet very often.  I usually only ever have it in thin strips, when it comes in packaged salads.  If you’re unfamiliar with radicchio, keep in mind that it’s bitter and a bit of an acquired taste.  To contrast its bitterness, I made a sweet curried chicken salad and served it in radicchio “cups”.  The salad is sweetened with mango puree, so it doesn’t need any added sweeteners – so like as you’re using a ripe mango.  Not a mango that slightly gives to the touch, but a very soft melt-in-your-mouth sort of mango.

Sweet Curried Chicken Salad in Radicchio Cups
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salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 chicken breasts, shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 small red onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used a mix of parsley, cilantro, and basil)
1/4 cup almonds (or cashews), chopped
1/4 cup (very ripe) mango, pureed in food processor or blender
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons curry powder
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
more salt & pepper, to taste

1 head of radicchio rosso di Treviso, about 12 torn leaves rinsed and patted dry (Belgian endive would also be a good substitute)

Rinse and pat dry chicken, cut off any excess fat.  If the breast is really thick, cut in half width-wise.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, when hot add the chicken and saute on both sides until cooked through (about three minutes on each side).  Transfer the chicken to paper-towel lined plates and set aside.

Meanwhile, gently mix together the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it or chop it into bite sized pieces.  Fold the chicken into the bowl, season the salad to taste, and serve in radicchio “cups” or on its own.

Serves 4-5

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September 21, 2010 1

smoky turkey chili with sweet potatoes

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Sweet potatoes!  It took me awhile to warm up to them, root vegetables aren’t necessarily as alluringly seductive as fresh berries are.  Often sweet potatoes, yams, potatoes, cassava, and taro are pushed to the back of the produce section in the supermarket.  Ugly and forgotten.  I’ve since converted to the the Temple of Sweet Potatoes and they are now a year round staple at our dinner table.   I usually only serve them two ways: chopped into bite-sized pieces and roasted with a dozen or so different spices (one day I’ll get around posting that recipe) or on occasion, mashed.  This chili was a slight deviate from the norm (and Cory’s idea), but it worked really well despite my initial hesitation (sweet potatoes… in a chili?).  I loved the sweetness the potatoes brought to an otherwise standard smoky and spicy chili.  Definitely a new favorite.

smoky turkey chili

Smoky Sweet Potato and Turkey Chili
(adapted from A Mingling of Tastes)
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1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 pound ground turkey
salt & pepper, to taste
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cloves
pinch of ground chipotle chile powder (or 1 to 2 canned chipotles in adobo)
cayenne pepper, to taste
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock or water
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, diced (leave the skins on, it puts hair on your chest)
4 poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, peeled, and cut into long thin strips
1/4 cup tomato paste
Optional garnishes: cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese, avocado slices, red onions

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add the ground turkey and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Break up the ground turkey as it cooks and continue cooking until browned. Transfer the turkey to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.

Turn down the heat slightly and add the onion. Season with some more salt and pepper. Continue cooking the onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. Pour the can of tomatoes into the pot and add the stock or water. Raise the heat a notch and bring to a gentle boil.

When the chili begins to boil, return the turkey to the pot and simmer covered on low heat for a half hour. Toss the sweet potatoes into the pot and simmer for yet another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the beans and poblano peppers, then season to taste for more salt, pepper, and heat. Stir in the tomato paste, simmer for 5 more minutes, ladle into bowls and serve.

Serves 5-6

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September 15, 2010 0

greens soup with quinoa and chicken

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Unlike my dad, I’m not an expert gardener.  Several months back, Cory and I made a trip to a nursery and picked up a rosemary plant.  Then it rained for a month and the rosemary soon died.  Soon after, a weed started to grow in the pot and we just continued watering it.  Why?  I don’t know.  Our lease doesn’t allow for us to keep a cat or dog in the apartment and we can’t even keep a rosemary plant alive.  So we have a weed that hangs onto dear life on the fire escape.  His name is Carl Sagan (no particular reason, I just love Carl Sagan.  A lot).  I really wanted to grow fresh herbs on the fire escape (our lease forbids that too, but shh!) since I cook with herbs everyday, but alas.  I’ll try again some other day.  In the meantime, I’ll continue buying them.  Lots of them.

This is the sort of soup I often find myself drawn to in the fall.  Or anytime, really.  Easy to prepare, belly-warming, and filling.  I’ve made variations of this soup several times before, but with couscous and other small pastas.  I don’t cook with quinoa very often because I don’t like the taste on its own, but it worked well in the soup (if you have any favorite quinoa recipes, please share!).  I used parsley, cilantro, mint, and dill in this soup, along with spinach and kale.  That’s a good amount of green.  If you don’t want to use all of those, the soup will be just as delicious.  However, I suggest keeping the mint and cilantro (or parsley, if you hate cilantro) for the fresh taste they bring and the kale for its heartiness.

greens soup with quinoa and chicken

Greens Soup with Quinoa and Chicken
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1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, with their juices
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
6 cups of chicken broth
1 cup quinoa
2 cups kale, chopped
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped

Wash and pat dry chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chop into bite sized pieces. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, when hot add the chicken and cook until done. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.

Drain most of the fat from the stockpot, add a little more cooking oil and add the onions. Continue cooking the onions until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the tomatoes and all the spices to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often.

Pour the stock into the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Add the quinoa and chicken and lower the heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Once the quinoa is done, stir in the kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, mint, and dill. You’ll probably have to work in several batches. Season again with salt, pepper, and heat. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Serves 8

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September 10, 2010 5

israeli couscous with chickpeas and herbs

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Oh, hello there my dear neglected blog.  I’ve been crazy busy the last couple weeks and haven’t had much time to update or spend as much time as I’d like experimenting in the kitchen.  I’ve been making lots of old favorites that I can whip up with my eyes closed (like basic red curry sauce and mujaddara), in addition to lots of green and bean-based salads.  But I have been rediscovering my love for dill, which was the primary herb I used in this dish.  I love the sweet and aromatic grassy taste of dill.  I used to only really be familiar with dill in lemon and butter based sauces used for fish, but I’ve been using dill in almost everything lately.  I loved this dish so much I’ve made it twice in the last week.

I used Israeli couscous, but it can be a bit harder to find.  Regular couscous and orzo would also make good substitutes.

israeli couscous salad with chickpeas

Israeli Couscous and Chickpeas with Fresh Herbs
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2 teaspoons cooking oil (I used about a teaspoon of peanut oil and a teaspoon of butter)
1 shallot, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups water or broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 bay leaf
1 1″ cinnamon stick
1 cup of Israeli couscous
salt & pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used dill and parsley, but mint would be a great addition)
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the shallot and cook until softened, or about 5-7 minutes.  Add the carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add the water or broth to the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Bring the broth or water to a boil and lower the heat.  Stir in the couscous, letting it simmer uncovered for 6-7 minutes.   Remove from heat and cover the saucepan.

Meanwhile, rinse and drain the chickpeas, chop up the herbs, and almonds.  Gently stir in the chickpeas, herbs, and almonds, along with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Season to taste, adding more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if necessary.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

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September 1, 2010 4

chocolate bourbon popsicles

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We’re experiencing a heat wave of sorts here in San Francisco.   I even have something of a tan going on.  I don’t even remember the last time that’s happened.  So what’s a poor ol’ internet nerd supposed to do when it gets this hot?  Why, make chocolate bourbon popsicles, of course!   When summer rolled around, I decided I just had to have a set of popsicle molds.   I used them once and completely forgot about them.   Until last week, that is.  I wanted to make popsicles that incorporated both chocolate and bourbon.  When I bought  a bottle of bourbon in July for Cory’s birthday bread pudding, I bought the cheapest bourbon I could find.   The bread pudding was incredibly delicious, but the bourbon on its own was pretty vile and more or less undrinkable.  So, I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate the rest of the bourbon in various dishes.  I really love the flavor that the bourbon brings to the popsicles, but the pops are all about the chocolate (well, mostly!).  Your chocolate popsicles will only be as good as the chocolate you decide to use.  I decided to go dark.  The darkest I could find.  85% cacao.  Oh yes.  These popsicles definitely fit the bill for these warm summer nights.


Chocolate Bourbon Popsicles
(adapted from Dying for Chocolate)
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2 1/2 cups room temperature water
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 oz chocolate (I used 85% cacao)
2 tablespoons sugar (double if you prefer sweeter)
2 tablespoons bourbon

Add a 1/2 cup of water, salt, cocoa, chocolate, and sugar to a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the two cups of room temperature water. Take a taste and adjust the flavors, if necessary. Stir in the bourbon.

Transfer the mixture to 4 cup measuring glass, or any other container that will ensure easy pouring. Divide the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least four hours (took about 5 hours for me. Maybe because I’m so impatient and I kept opening the freezer every half hour to see if they were ready).

Makes 6 popsicles from Tovolo popsicle molds

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