This one was pretty good when I first made it. Leftovers aren't amazing, so try to make only as much as you'll eat in one day. I served this with an attempt at ginger rice (that didn't come out gingery at all) and steamed edamame.
Mats
1/2 lb salmon, cut into 2 fillets
3/4c chicken stock
1/4c Orange juice, no pulp
1/3c white wine
1/4c onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stalk lemongrass
1/4tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Chop the lemongrass. It's very tough, so I recommend first cutting it into sections about 3 inches long, then bisecting each section lengthwise. You want to make sure it's still in big pieces that will be easy to pick out later.
In a large, deep saucepan (or pot, actually) combine the chicken stock, orange juice, white wine, onion, garlic, lemongrass pieces, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and let boil for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove skin (if any) from the salmon fillets.
Reduce the heat on the poaching liquid to medium-low so it's just simmering.
Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the fish into the poaching liquid. It's OK if the fish isn't completely covered by the poaching stock, you'll just need to flip it so it cooks evenly.
Let the fish sit in the poaching stock for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time if the fish isn't submerged.
Using the slotted spoon, gently lift the fish out and put on plates.
That's it for the poaching part, but here's a bonus if you want a beautiful sauce for your fish!
Set a colander up over a small bowl.
Pour the poaching liquid through the colander into the bowl. This will strain out all the big chunks, like the onion and lemongrass.
Pour the contents of the bowl into a small saucepan.
Heat the liquid over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
Boil the liquid for another 10-15 minutes until it begins to thicken.
In a mixing cup, combine 1 tsp cornstarch with 1/4c cold water.
Pour the cornstarch mixture into the boiling poaching liquid and stir.
Cook another 3 minutes, then use the sauce to top your fish and rice.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Cumin and lime curried chicken with sweet potatoes
Two days, two amazing curry recipes. This curry is a dry curry - there won't be a lot of sauce, so I didn't serve this one with rice. You could just whip up a little extra sauce and toss it with the rice if you wanted to bulk out the meal a bit.
Mats
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp olive oil
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1/4c lime juice
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/3c fresh cilantro, chopped small
Preheat oven to 450 F.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika and 1/4c lime juice. Whisk well.
Put the sweet potato and the onion in a shallow baking dish, then pour the oil and lime mixture over. Stir will with your hands so all the pieces are evenly coated.
Bake at 450 for 25 minutes, stirring once half-way through cooking. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the dish so the potato and onion don't stick.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp paprika. Stir well so the chicken is coated in the spice mixture. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
Once the potatoes and onions are done, add the chicken pieces to the potatoes and onion in a large bowl. Add the cilantro and stir well.
Mats
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp olive oil
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1/4c lime juice
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/3c fresh cilantro, chopped small
Preheat oven to 450 F.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika and 1/4c lime juice. Whisk well.
Put the sweet potato and the onion in a shallow baking dish, then pour the oil and lime mixture over. Stir will with your hands so all the pieces are evenly coated.
Bake at 450 for 25 minutes, stirring once half-way through cooking. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the dish so the potato and onion don't stick.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp paprika. Stir well so the chicken is coated in the spice mixture. Cook for 8-10 minutes.
Once the potatoes and onions are done, add the chicken pieces to the potatoes and onion in a large bowl. Add the cilantro and stir well.
Peanut Curry with Chicken and rice
I've done two curries this week and both came out amazing! This is a wet curry - you'll have a lot of sauce left for your rice. This recipe serves 2, but can very easily be multiplied out for more.
Mats
1/2tsp canola oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
7 oz coconut milk (1/2 can)
3/4 tsp red curry paste
3 Tb smooth peanut butter
1/4 tsp fish sauce
1 Tb and 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2c jasmine rice
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp sesame oil. Cook the chicken pieces in the oil, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.
In a small pot, bring 1c water and the rice to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. If you're feeling adventurous, use 1/2c coconut milk and 1/2c water to cook the rice - you'll get a really smooth flavor.
In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the coconut milk, cayenne pepper, red curry paste, chili powder and peanut butter. Whisk until all the peanut butter is dissolved and doesn't form those little lumpies.
Add the fish sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar and bring to barely a boil. Add the cooked chicken pieces and stir so the chicken is well-coated.
Warm through for 3 minutes, then serve over rice.
Mats
1/2tsp canola oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
7 oz coconut milk (1/2 can)
3/4 tsp red curry paste
3 Tb smooth peanut butter
1/4 tsp fish sauce
1 Tb and 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2c jasmine rice
In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp sesame oil. Cook the chicken pieces in the oil, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes.
In a small pot, bring 1c water and the rice to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes. If you're feeling adventurous, use 1/2c coconut milk and 1/2c water to cook the rice - you'll get a really smooth flavor.
In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the coconut milk, cayenne pepper, red curry paste, chili powder and peanut butter. Whisk until all the peanut butter is dissolved and doesn't form those little lumpies.
Add the fish sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar and bring to barely a boil. Add the cooked chicken pieces and stir so the chicken is well-coated.
Warm through for 3 minutes, then serve over rice.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Fattoush Salad
This week was one of branching out into less-familiar cuisine styles. Two Mexi-Cali, one Eastern Europe (which was a flop), and this Near-East recipe.
Mats:
Salad:
1 head lettuce
2c cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, diced
1/3c parsley
3 Tb mint
1 1/2c pita chips
1/2c feta cheese
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Dressing
2 Tb +2 tsp olive oil
2 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb pomegranate molasses (this is hard to find. I took a bottle of not-from-concentrate juice and boiled it with 1/2c white sugar for about an hour and a half. Seemed to work just fine.)
2 tsp sumac (also really hard to find. Don't know of a good substitute yet)
1 clove garlic, diced
Combine in a small bowl and whisk very, very thoroughly.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
Note that the pita chips tend to soak up all the dressing, so if you're making this with leftovers in mind, keep the pita chips separate and add them to the salad just as you're about to serve it.
Mats:
Salad:
1 head lettuce
2c cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, diced
1/3c parsley
3 Tb mint
1 1/2c pita chips
1/2c feta cheese
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
Dressing
2 Tb +2 tsp olive oil
2 Tb lemon juice
1 Tb pomegranate molasses (this is hard to find. I took a bottle of not-from-concentrate juice and boiled it with 1/2c white sugar for about an hour and a half. Seemed to work just fine.)
2 tsp sumac (also really hard to find. Don't know of a good substitute yet)
1 clove garlic, diced
Combine in a small bowl and whisk very, very thoroughly.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
Note that the pita chips tend to soak up all the dressing, so if you're making this with leftovers in mind, keep the pita chips separate and add them to the salad just as you're about to serve it.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Baked Stuffed Apples
This one came out soooo tasty - but it did fall apart while baking. I've some ideas for the next batch I make, including foil wrapping, not hollowing them out so much, using less water, and using a different variety of apple.
Mats
1/2c wild rice
1/4c red quinoa
1c vegetable stock
2Tb olive oil
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
1/4c red onion, finely diced
1Tb fresh sage or 1/2tsp ground dried sage
1/2c cream cheese
1/4c dried cranberries (sometimes marketed as "crasins")
4 Red Delicious (or other baking apple. My next batch will use Granny Smiths)
1/2c grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a small saucepan, heat 1c vegetable stock with 1c water to boiling. Add wild rice and quinoa, cover, turn heat to minimum and cook for 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (Check the package directions on the wild rice, if it'll take longer than 25 minutes to cook, add the quinoa in the last 20 minutes of the rice's cooking time)
In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium-low for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice and quinoa to the onion/mushroom pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cream cheese and cranberries
Mix very thoroughly.
Slice the apples in half through the stem.
Use a spoon to hollow out the apple halves, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of apple flesh on all sides and bottom. Make sure to remove all the nasty core bits and seeds.
Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed apples, mounding it slightly on top
Place the filled apple halves in a Pyrex dish and pour 1/2c water in the bottom of the dish *NOT* directly on the apples. (This is to heat the dish evenly. I've blown up two Pyrex dishes in my history of cooking and trust me, it is an annoying, long clean up).
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.
Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the apple halves with the grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
Mats
1/2c wild rice
1/4c red quinoa
1c vegetable stock
2Tb olive oil
1c shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps chopped to 1/2 inch pieces
1/4c red onion, finely diced
1Tb fresh sage or 1/2tsp ground dried sage
1/2c cream cheese
1/4c dried cranberries (sometimes marketed as "crasins")
4 Red Delicious (or other baking apple. My next batch will use Granny Smiths)
1/2c grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a small saucepan, heat 1c vegetable stock with 1c water to boiling. Add wild rice and quinoa, cover, turn heat to minimum and cook for 25 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. (Check the package directions on the wild rice, if it'll take longer than 25 minutes to cook, add the quinoa in the last 20 minutes of the rice's cooking time)
In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over medium-low for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice and quinoa to the onion/mushroom pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cream cheese and cranberries
Mix very thoroughly.
Slice the apples in half through the stem.
Use a spoon to hollow out the apple halves, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch of apple flesh on all sides and bottom. Make sure to remove all the nasty core bits and seeds.
Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed apples, mounding it slightly on top
Place the filled apple halves in a Pyrex dish and pour 1/2c water in the bottom of the dish *NOT* directly on the apples. (This is to heat the dish evenly. I've blown up two Pyrex dishes in my history of cooking and trust me, it is an annoying, long clean up).
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 min.
Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the apple halves with the grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
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