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Coconut Curry Rice Noodle Soup

September 20, 2011
chicken, Coconut, cooking, Curry, food, Poultry, Soup, Spicy
2 Comments

Coconut Curry Noodle Soup

Cruising around in County Cook,
Passing land The Fire took.

Back on foot to walk The Loop,
Cold and tired. Need some soup.

So many places on The Mile,
Magnificent! Adorned in style.

But I don’t need a big “to-do”,
Just a seat and spoon and loo. :)

I find it at a Noodle House,
So good it was I must espouse.

Go there for some curry soup,
Your energy you will recoup.

I liked this soup so much that I came home and re-created it the very next day.  It has just the right amount of heat from the chili pepper flakes and it’s not too creamy as I use mostly chicken broth and coconut milk instead of heavy cream.

Coconut Curry Rice Noodle Soup

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion

2 pkgs baby bella mushrooms, sliced

3 T yellow curry powder

2 tsp. turmeric

1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 – 1 tsp. chili pepper flakes (to taste)

2 large chicken breasts, sliced into thin bite-sized pieces

1 48 oz container chicken broth

1 can coconut milk

3 cups baby spinach

1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

1 small pkg flat rice noodles

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

In a pot, saute the onions and mushrooms in olive oil.  Immediately add the curry, turmeric and chili pepper flakes so the flavors release and there is no gritty residual from the powder.  Let the vegetables tenderize for about 10-15 minutes on low.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes or until cooked through. Add the spinach and give it a quick stir before adding the chicken broth and coconut milk. Bring to a soft boil with lid off and then turn heat off.

Add uncooked rice noodles to pot and gently stir once. Let sit for 5 minutes or until al dente. Add tomatoes. Serves 6.

Makloube (Upside Down) Lebanese Chicken & Rice

March 7, 2011
chicken, cooking, Lebanese, Mediterranean, recipes, Rice, Uncategorized
6 Comments

Years ago, I lived in Fresno.

Spent many a day, in a special cafe.

Ate only one dish, to vary no wish.

Home in each bite, the flavors so right.

To my dismay, the chef went away.

The doors were locked, I was truly shocked.

No bye declared, no recipe shared.

My palate bereft, just a memory left. :(

I made this dish today mostly from memory.  I know the chef used shredded turkey, but I had chicken on hand.  The tahini is also something I added because I have been trying this dish for years and have never been able to recreate the “sauce” if you will.  It was not laban or labne, although both would be delicious as well.  I also got a few ideas, like the eggplant, from Greg and Lucy Malouf’s, “Saha – a chef’s journey through Lebanon and Syria.”

This can be prepared in individual bowls but for a dinner party, turning it out onto a large platter makes for a spectacular presentation.

CHICKEN & RICE

FOR THE POACHED CHICKEN

3 Bone-In Half Chicken Breasts

1 large Onion, quartered

2 stalk Celery, cut in thirds

1 Lemon, cut in half

1 tsp. Cinnamon (optional)

2 tsp. Allspice (optional

2 sprigs Thyme

FOR THE RICE

1 Eggplant, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup sliced Almonds

1/ 2 cup Olive Oil

2 cups Long Grain Rice

5 cups of stock

Salt (see directions below)

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/3 cup Sumac

1 small Sweet Onion, sliced very thin

FOR THE TAHINI

1 cup Water

3/4 cup Tahini (well-stirred)

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1 clove Garlic

1/2 tsp. Coarse Salt

For the poached chicken, place the breasts in a pot and fill with about 6-8 cups of water or until the chicken is just covered.  Add the onion, celery, lemon, cinnamon, allspice and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let the chicken sit in the hot water for 20 minutes.  Take the chicken out to cool and reserve the stock for the rice.

For the tahini dressing, place all of the ingredient in a food processor.  Mix until well blended.  Taste for salt.  Set aside at room temperature.

For the rice, begin by placing the eggplant in a colander.  Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 20 minutes.  Rinse and pat dry.  Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute the eggplant on both sides, until they are golden brown.  Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

In the same oil, saute the almonds until they are lightly golden. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Lightly salt.

Pour the stock into a bowl and wipe out the pot.  Measure out 5 cups of stalk and add it to the pot along with 1 tsp. salt.  Bring to a boil.  Add the rice and then turn the heat to low.  Cook the rice for at least 20 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, finely shred the chicken.

Finally, when the rice is done, take a deep bowl and lightly oil the inside.  Begin by placing the shredded chicken at the bottom, about 3/ 4 of the way up the sides.  Layer the eggplant on top of the rice.  Spoon the rice on top of the eggplant and pack it firmly.  Place the serving plate on top of the bowl and quickly turn it upside down.  The chicken and rice should come out perfectly formed.  Place the almonds around the plate.  Drizzle heavily with the tahini dressing.  Place the onions on top of the chicken and sprinkle on about 1/2 tsp. sumac per individual bowl.  Serves 6.

Curry Chutney Chicken Salad – Cool Summer Salad

June 25, 2010
chicken, Curry, Salad
4 Comments

With my friends out by the pool,
Trying hard to keep it cool.

Lemonade may quench our thirst,
But our hunger’s at its worst.

What to eat that’s not too heavy,
That will satisfy this bevvy?

Soup too hot.
Lettuce? Not!

Oh! I know the perfect thing.
A cool and sweet and tangy zing.

Cube some chicken, slice some grapes,
Celery and scallions to keep our shapes.

Toss it with a creamy dressing,
Simple stuff – no need for stressing.

A chutney, mayo, yogurt team,
A lemony, peppered, curried dream.

All you need is fork in hand,
But scoops will make this luncheon grand.

Cold and sweet and salty too.
I take it out to feed my crew.

This one I don’t need to sweat,
With sounds of “Yum” my ears are met.

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

4 chicken breasts,  cooked and cut into chunks/cubes

2 fuji apples, peeled and sliced into thin squares

1 1/2 cups red or black seedless grapes, sliced in half

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 jar Crosse & Blackwell’s Major Grey’s Chutney

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 T mayonnaise

1 T Dijon mustard

2 T lemon juice

1 T curry powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper

1/4 cup almonds, slivered (for garnish)

Tortilla Chips – Scoops, optional

Cook and cube four boneless chicken breasts.  To save on time,  rotisserie chickens from the grocery store are an excellent choice as they are juicy and flavorful.  Place the cubed chicken in a mixing bowl.  Add the grapes, apples, celery and scallions and set in the refrigerator to cool.

In a second mixing bowl, add the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, chutney, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Gently toss the chicken mixture with the dressing.  Serve in a lettuce cup or small bowl topped with slivered almonds.  Serves 4-6.

CHICKEN SATAY – DC CHALLENGE

January 14, 2010
Appetizer, chicken, Coconut, Peanut sauce, Poultry, Satay
6 Comments

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

What is it about food on a stick,
That makes us want our chops to lick?

An essential part of our global cuisine,
Passed down to us from a common gene.

Back to the times when skewers were swords,
Dipped into the fire by Eastern Lords.

Yakitori, brochette and shish kebab,
Satay with sauce with which to swab.

Along the Great Wall, it’s Chaunr they eat,
With fish, chicken and all sorts of meat.

South Africans too, they need not mope,
For Sosatie they eat by the Cape of Good Hope.

Turmeric, cumin, peppers and soy,
Flavors that bring our palates joy.

The sauces that pair are rich and exotic,
Some so good, an easy narcotic.

Grilled, broiled, fried in oil,
So simple there is no need to toil.

Fork and knife superfluous,
Hand and mouth are plenteous.

All of us enjoy this meal,
Offer it up and hearts will heal.

So join us all with stick in fist,
A common thread to coexist.

Thank you to Cuppy of Cuppylicious for this month’s recipe challenge. It was delicious!

SATAY MARINADE

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 T ginger root, chopped

2 T lemon juice

1 T soy sauce

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

2 T vegetable oil

Mix well. Cut chicken into chunks and cover with marinade. Chill for 2 hours. When done marinating, skewer the chicken and grill.

PEANUT SAUCE

3/4  cup coconut milk

4 T peanut butter

1 T lemon juice

1 T soy sauce

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1-2 dried red chilis, chopped

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add soy sauce and lemon, mix well. Over low heat, combine coconut milk, peanut butter and soy/lemon seasoning mix. Mix well, stirring often.

Chicken J – My Mother’s Recipe

November 4, 2009
Artichoke, chicken, Poultry
3 Comments

Family Pictures 1964--1974 080

Karen 1965

I cannot have one without the other,
First it was Dad and now my Mother.

Her allure is truly without compare,
You cannot help but to stop and stare.

Time has not her beauty betrayed,
Looks like hers will never fade.

Jewels and shoes and shoes and clothes,
Grace and elegance, style she knows.

But don’t be fooled by her soft blue eyes,
Her mind is sharp, she’s keen and wise.

Never has she judged or maligned,
She’s gentle, loving, kind and refined.

Her love for her family an inspiration,
For which I have the most admiration.

Ever a mother she remains,
To suggest and advise is her domain.

Good health her concern every day,
Her knowledge as vast as the FDA.

In her warm kitchen she taught me to cook,
The recipes she keeps in a big, black book.

From family and friends she amassed her collection,
And whips them up with love and affection.

This recipe here we call “Chicken J,”
The sherry adds a special bouquet.

With mushrooms and chokes, parsley and chive,
Great pleasure her guests always derive.

So thank you, my mother, for handing this down,
In my eyes forever you wear the crown.

Chicken Jerusalem

This is called Chicken Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Artichokes.  These particular artichokes look more like a tuber and do not grow here in the states.  The globe artichoke makes an excellent substitute.

100_0876

Chicken Jerusalem

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

2 Cups Cremini Mushrooms, sliced

1 Cup Quartered Artichoke Hearts, Drained

1 Cup Sherry

1 Cup Heavy Cream

2 teaspoons Parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons Chives, chopped

5 Tablespoons Butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

Flour

Wash the chicken breasts and pat them dry.  Salt and pepper the chicken and dust them lightly with flour. Saute over low heat in butter until golden brown.  Add mushrooms, artichokes and sherry. Cover the skillet tightly and and simmer 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.  Remove the chicken and, to the remaining sherry and vegetables, add the heavy cream.  Heat on low stirring until well-blended.  Add the parsley and chives and a bit more salt.  At this point you can either pour the sauce over the chicken breasts, or shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce (see photo.)  Serve with regular or wild rice.  Serves 4-6. 100_0875


BUST ANOTHER RHYME TIME

September 19, 2009
Cherry Preserves, chicken, Games Hens
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 Wild Rice Stuffed Cherry Glazed Game Hen

 

Game Hens 001 

Again with my friend, computer scribe
I feel the need to share my vibe.

Winter, spring, summer or fall
A big black book will tell it all.

Passed along through generations
To keep  intact our culinary creations.

So this time, a different yen
I really want to pen about Hen.

Red, yellow, orange and rust
Fall upon us, this one a must.

Though not the queen of the holiday scene
For autumn meals, it’s her right to preen.

Try hen dressed in regal attire
Turkeys can only wish to aspire.

Brown sugar, spice and cherries too
A bird such as this, I will not eschew.     
Cherry Preserves

Cherry Preserves

 
 Onions, parsley, celery, sage
This wench will surely take center stage.

Stuffed and baked and doused with sweet
A succulent dish my lips will meet.

Sweet and savory, a perfect combo.
Makes me want to do the mambo.

 

Wild Rice Stuffed Cherry Glazed Game Hens

4 Cornish Game Hens (giblets removed)

2 Cups Wild Rice

1/4 Cup Fresh Sage Leaves

2 Stocks of Celery (chopped finely)

5 Green Onions (chopped finely)

1 Cup Italian Parsley (chopped finely)

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Cups Apricot Nectar

1/2 Cup Cherry Preserves

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

Coarse Salt

Coarse Pepper

Cook the wild rice according to the directions on the bag. For this dish, it is best to use chicken broth as your liquid for the rice.  While the rice is cooking, clean your hens, cut off the wing tips and refrigerate them.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  In a pan lined with olive oil, sautee the celery, onions, parsley and 3 leaves of sage for about 5 minutes or until the celery is tender.  Set aside.

In a pot, add the apricot nectar and brown sugar and cook on low until sugar has dissolved.

Once the rice is ready, combine it with the celery, onions, parsley and sage mixture.

Take the hens out of the refrigerator and salt and pepper the inside cavities. Fill them to overflowing with the rice mixture and place them into an olive oil coated roasting pan.  Place two sage leaves on each hen.  As the cavity of the hen is not big, you will not be able to use all of the rice.  Save the rest so you can serve more on each guest’s plate.  You can truss the hens if you wish, but they will stay intact if you choose not to do so.  Smear the hens with butter to make them crispy and golden as they cook. 

Apricot Nectar and Brown Sugar

Apricot Nectar and Brown Sugar

Cover the roasting pan and cook for 1 hour basting every 20 minutes with the apricot and brown sugar mixture. After the hens have had time to cook down, there may be too much liquid in your pan.  Pour some out but always leave a little to spoon over your hens before serving.  After 1 hour, brush on the cherry preserves.  Be very generous.  Cook for another 30 minutes, 20 covered and the last ten minutes uncovered.  Broil the hens for a few moments for perfect caramelized cherry hens.  Enjoy!

                                          

SUMAC: PALATABLE, NOT POISON

August 24, 2009
chicken, Herbs & Spices, Poultry
11 Comments

Sumac…The Mysterious Spice

084

Sumac has been around for centuries and derives from the berry of a plant called Rhus coriaria. Not too many people are familiar with this particular spice. It grows wildly in the Middle East and parts of Italy. The sumac used for spicing food is not to be confused with “poison sumac” also know as poison oak because, unless you’re psycho, nobody wants to poison her dinner guests.

The taste is tart and lemony and was once used to calm the stomach. In my husband’s middle eastern home, his mother used sumac on everything from chicken, fish and grilled meats to vegetables, rice and salad.

Although I will be using sumac in other recipes to come, I want to start my first blog post with this simple and delicious sumac chicken recipe, as it is one of my most highly requested recipes. I hope your family and friends enjoy it as much as mine do. Thank you to @Ginavon for getting me started and to @rimabarkett for your counsel in the kitchen.

Sue’s Sumac Drumettes

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049The best part about this recipe is that there are only three ingredients besides the chicken: seasoned salt, sumac and pepper.

2 pounds chicken drumettes
2 ¼ tablespoons sumac (available at any Mediterranean market)
1 ¼ tablespoons seasoned salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Flat leaf parsley for garnish

Broil on highest temperature.

Rinse chicken drumettes in a colander. Set aside. Line a 12 x 18 baking sheet with aluminum foil, covering the sides. This makes for easy clean up and protects your baking sheet from scraping any stuck-on chicken.

Line up the drumettes on the baking sheet making sure they do not touch.

Using half of your ingredients, sprinkle drumettes evenly first with seasoned salt, then sumac, then pepper. For even coating, it may be easier to use your fingers. With tongs, flip them over and repeat on the other side.

Broil on the second level from the top for fifteen minutes – depending on the heat of your oven. They should look dark brown and crispy. Take out of the oven. If there are any fatty drippings on the baking sheet, drain them off in the sink. Turn the chicken over and broil for ten more minutes until dark golden brown and crispy.

These drumettes do not have the texture of buffalo wings, which are slightly gooey. These are crispy and juicy. They are so flavorful that there is no need for any dipping sauce.

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