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Kidney Beans and Rice (Rajma Chawal)
By Kath Dedon
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A few weeks ago I had never heard of Rajma Chawal (Kidney Beans and Rice), but today I offer you two versions of it! Both are delicious and I would happily make either one again.
I first learned of Rajma Chawal (pronounced “chavel”) when my sister mentioned she had tried, and liked, the recipe for Red Kidney Bean Curry on Smitten Kitchen. I still had some small red beans left from making Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice, so I used them to try the recipe.
I followed Deb’s recipe on Smitten Kitchen exactly as she had written it (with the exception of using small red beans instead of kidney beans). I used the full ¼ cup of chopped fresh ginger; she had suggested using half of that.
Our verdict on Deb’s recipe? It was delicious! We both really enjoyed it, although it was much milder than most curries that I make. It was very flavorful and makes a quick weeknight meal if you use 2 cans of kidney beans or have some beans already cooked. You’ll find the recipe here on Smitten Kitchen.
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Red Kidney Bean Curry from Smitten Kitchen, made with small red beans and garnished with green onions
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Pleased with Deb’s recipe, I decided that it was definitely “blog-worthy”.
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Then, last week I got my copy of Vij’s at Home: Relax, Honey: The Warmth and Ease of Indian Cooking, by Vikram Vij and his wife, Meeru Dhalwala. I am such a fan of their first book, Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine and of their Vancouver restaurants, Vij’s and Rangoli, that I preordered Vij’s at Home last September as soon as I learned that it was going to be released this spring. I had kind of forgotten about it, so I was very pleasantly surprised when it arrived last week!
Vij’s at Home is a visually beautiful book, with lovely photos and friendly prose that makes you feel as if you are sitting with Vikram and Meeru at their dining room table talking about their food and the recipes. They take you into their home to introduce you to the Indian food they enjoy with their daughters. There’s a great introduction to Indian ingredients and they give suggestions for pairing wines with the food (Vikram is a certified sommelier).
There are recipes for seafood, poultry, and meats that look fantastic, but I found myself especially drawn to the vegetarian dishes. There are so many interesting recipes that are now on my “must try” list!
Looking through the book I discovered their recipe for Kidney Beans and Rice (Rajma Chawal)! I learned from their introduction to the recipe that kidney beans are very popular in India; Rajma Chawal is an Indian comfort food that is as well-loved in India as macaroni and cheese is in North America. Just as there are many versions of macaroni and cheese, there are many versions of Rajma Chawal. This recipe is Vikram and Meeru’s favorite version.
The ingredients are very similar to the ones that Deb used, but Vikram and Meeru use more of the spices. It definitely has more heat than the version on Smitten Kitchen.
I cooked a pound of dried kidney beans for the recipe, but Vikram and Meeru actually suggest using canned beans to make it quick and easy. They also say that you could use pinto beans if you prefer them to kidney beans.
If you enjoy beans, you’re in for a treat with Rajma Chawal! I highly recommend it. You can’t go wrong with either the Smitten Kitchen or the Vij’s at Home recipe. And I also recommend Vij’s at Home, if you’re looking for a new cookbook of inspiring Indian recipes to add to your collection!
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Kidney Beans and Rice (Rajma Chawal) from Vij’s at Home
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Kidney Beans and Rice (Rajma Chawal)
(Adapted from the recipe in Vij’s at Home: Relax Honey: The Warmth and Ease of Indian Cooking, by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala)
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Serves 6 – 8
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½ cup cooking oil (I used light olive oil)
2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
1½ cups chopped tomatoes (3 medium) or 1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes, drained
1½ tablespoons mild Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
½ cup plain yogurt, stirred (optional)
3 cups water (more for a soupier curry)
3 cans (14-oz each) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
5 – 6 cups cooked rice, for serving
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1. Measure the chili powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cayenne into a small bowl so the spices are ready to go.
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2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Add the chopped onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is starting to turn light brown. This will take 8 – 10 minutes.
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4. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
5. Add the ginger, tomatoes, and the spices in the bowl to the pan. Cook, stirring this masala occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the oil has risen to the top.
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Masala for Rajma Chawal
6. Put the yogurt in a bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the masala to the yogurt and stir well.
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7. Add the yogurt combination to the pan. Cook for about 2 more minutes.
8. Add the water and the beans. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.
9. Serve over rice.
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Mom’s Rotisserie Chicken
By Kath Dedon
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Mom’s Rotisserie Chicken is a blast from the past – at least it is for me, my brothers, and my sister.
Back in the ‘60s my family lived in the suburbs of Minneapolis (Golden Valley and then Edina). Mom and Dad installed an outdoor grill powered by natural gas, and they grilled year-round. Mom did most of the grilling in the summer, but Dad would bundle up and go out in the snow in the dead of winter to grill steaks.
On Sundays, Mom would often go to early Mass, return home, and put a chicken or two in her marinade. (She often made two chickens. Our family of six would make short work of one of them and the other was used for leftovers.) When it was time to cook the chicken, she would put it on the rotisserie rod and cook it on the grill. It always cooked to a dark ebony color and was moist and flavorful. We called it Rotisserie Chicken and I never got tired of it.
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Looks very much like Mom’s Rotisserie Chicken
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I recently found Mom’s hand-written recipe for the marinade and decided to give it a try.
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I don’t have a rotisserie on my grill, but years ago Mom gave me an electric vertical rotisserie. It might have turned out a bit better on a grill, but my electric rotisserie produced a chicken that was the same dark ebony color that I remember, and it really was quite good.
Bob says that the rotisserie is kind of a pain to clean, but the chicken is excellent so it’s worth it!
In the rotisserie – the chicken is done!
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Mom’s Rotisserie Chicken
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If you don’t have a rotisserie, you could marinate the chicken and roast it. I would put it on a rack so the skin can get crispy and start it breast-side-down at 425˚ for 20 – 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375˚; turn the chicken over and continue to roast until it is done. Timing will depend on the size of the chicken, but total time should be about 1½ – 2 hours for a 4 – 5 pound chicken.
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1 chicken
½ cup dry sherry
½ cup soy sauce (use wheat-free Tamari for gluten free)
2 tablespoons sugar (I used honey instead)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
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1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients.
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I used my Blender Bottle to mix the marinade. It’s super fast. When finished, just put some hot water and detergent in it and shake to clean (as shown in photo). Mom would have loved this simple gadget!
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2. Put the chicken in a large zip-loc bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for 6 – 8 hours, turning the chicken over occasionally during the day.
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3. Cook the chicken on a rotisserie according to the manufacturer’s directions, or roast it in the oven (see note at the beginning of the recipe).
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Ready to roast in the rotisserie:
My 5.5 pound chicken took 1 hour and 50 minutes in my electric rotisserie.
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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
By Kath Dedon
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I am very picky when it comes to slow cooker recipes. They have to be easy to put together in the morning. They have to be able to cook all day while I’m at work (if not, what is the point?). They have to be truly delicious. I haven’t found many recipes that qualify, but Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice is a winner!
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It took me, maybe, 20 minutes to put it together in the morning. That included time to take photos. To save more time in the morning, I don’t see why you couldn’t chop the vegetables and measure the spices the night before. They could be combined in one bowl and refrigerated overnight. In the morning, just toss it all in the slow cooker with the soaked beans, water, and ham hock!
I found the original recipe, from an April 2003 issue of Cooking Light, online. It called for cooking the Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice on high heat for 5 hours. I wanted to cook it all day. I put everything in the pot and set it on High for one hour while I got ready for work. When I was ready to leave, I set it to Low for the day.
When I got home the aroma was mouth-watering! I checked it at 5:30 in the evening, 11 hours after I had first turned it on in the morning, and the beans were cooked perfectly! The flavor was fantastic!
I made some rice and cooked the sausage to add to the beans and dinner was ready! Bob (who knows his Red Beans and Rice from his years in New Orleans) gave it a big “thumbs up” and 5 stars! This one’s a keeper!
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice is spicy, but not overly so. Serve with Tabasco for those who want to take it up to the next notch!
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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
(Adapted from a recipe originally published in the April 2003 issue of Cooking Light)
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5 – 6 servings
(Can be doubled and cooked in a 6-quart slow cooker to serve 10 – 12. Scroll down to the end of the post to see my update.)
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1 cup dried small red beans (or red kidney beans)
3 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
¾ cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ham hock (about 1 pound)
1 bay leaf
5 cloves garlic, minced
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½ pound sausage (I used Cajun Chicken; Andouille would be great)
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
¼ cup chopped green onions
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I used small red beans:
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1. The night before cooking, rinse the beans, and cover with plenty of water. Cover the pan or bowl and let them soak overnight at room temperature.
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Beans covered with water to soak overnight:
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2. The next morning, drain the beans. Combine them with the 3 cups water, onion, bell pepper, celery, thyme, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, ham hock, bay leaf, and garlic in a 3½ – 4 slow cooker. Set on High.
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Meaty ham hock
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Ingredients in slow cooker ready to cook for the day:
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3. After about an hour, lower the heat to Low. Let cook all day, for 9 – 11 hours.
4. Remove the ham hock from the beans and set aside to cool a bit.
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1/2 pound Cajun Chicken Sausage:
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5. In a small skillet, cook the sausage until done. Slice and add to the beans.
6. Add the ½ teaspoon salt to the beans.
7. Remove the meat from the ham hock and cut in bite-sized pieces; add back to the beans.
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Update February 17, 2014:
I originally made this recipe in my 3½-quart slow cooker. Yesterday I doubled the ingredients and successfully made it in my 6-quart slow cooker. It worked beautifully to make a fabulous meal for 7 with leftovers for Bob and me. Paired with rice, it would have easily served 10-12 people.
This time I used Hempler’s Andouille and Camellia Red Kidney Beans, which are the very best beans to use for Red Beans and Rice. I was introduced to them by one of my Louisiana cousins. Use them if you can find them; they do make a difference!
Instead of cooking the andouille in a pan, I used my steamer pan to steam it for about 15 minutes before slicing it and adding it to the slow cooker. It was a good way to extract some of the fat. You could also just slice the sausage and add it to the cooker for the last hour or so.
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I doubled the ingredients to fill my 6-quart slow cooker.
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Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
By Kath Dedon
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I first noticed this recipe for Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce on Deb’s Smitten Kitchen blog. She raved about it. Then Laura told me that she made it, and she raved about it. I’ve now made it 3 times, and I have to say it is worth the raves!
Deb said she found the recipe in an old issue of Gourmet magazine. You can check out the original, from the March 2008 issue, here at epicurious.com. Gourmet suggests straining the sauce, which would remove the sliced shallots. You can certainly do that, but I followed Deb’s lead and left them in.
When you read the list of ingredients, you may think that there’s nothing really special here. But, somehow, it all comes together in a perfect blend of flavors. Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce will definitely be one of my regular recipes; it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
I have made the recipe with a whole cut-up chicken, but last night I scaled it down for two servings. I used 1¾ pounds of chicken thighs (4 thighs).
I like to serve it with smashed Yukon gold potatoes (I love my new Oxo potato masher!) and a big salad. A bit of the Dijon sauce is oh-so good on the potatoes, too!
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Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
(Adapted from a recipe on smittenkitchen.com; originally from the March 2008 issue of Gourmet)
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Serves 4
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(Use 1½ – 1¾ pounds of chicken parts – 4 thighs work well – and cut the sauce ingredients in half for 2 servings)
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3 pounds chicken parts, with skin and bones (cut large breast pieces in half)
1 tablespoon oil
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
¾ cup dry white wine
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or the green part of green onions
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Shallots
1. Preheat the oven to 450˚.
2. Heat an oven-proof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the oil and heat until it’s hot.
4. Add ½ of the chicken pieces and brown on both sides.* This will take about 5 minutes.
5. Remove the first batch of chicken and brown the rest of the chicken pieces.
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*Last night I cut the recipe in half and just used 4 chicken thighs, so they all went in at the same time.
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6. Put all of the pieces in the pan, skin-side up, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes
7. Put the chicken on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
8. Add the shallots, wine, and broth to the pan. Stir well and cook over medium heat until it is reduced a bit, a couple of minutes.
9. Add cream and simmer for another minute. (At this point you can choose to boil it a bit more so it reduces and thickens some more. I didn’t mind the sauce being a bit thin.)
10. Strain the sauce if you want to remove the shallots. (I didn’t do this.) Stir in the mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the chives or green onions.
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Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Mozzarella
By Kath Dedon
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Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Mozzarella is a tasty and easy vegetarian meal adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe in How to Cook Everything. If you have the book, it’s his Baked Ziti recipe. I substituted penne, and used less mozzarella than the pound that he called for. If you like the flavors of lasagna, you’ll enjoy this simple recipe.
Bittman advises to undercook the pasta because it will finish cooking in the sauce. My box of penne suggested 11 minutes for the cooking time. I cooked it for 8 minutes and in the finished dish the pasta was perfectly cooked.
Serve with a salad and bread for a satisfying one-dish dinner!
Update January 29, 2023: I recently made this using the full pound of mozzarella that Mark Bittman recommends. Delicious!
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Baked Penne with Mushrooms and Mozzarella
(Adapted from the Baked Ziti recipe in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything)
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Serves 8 (leftovers freeze well for future meals)
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (any kind, I used regular white mushrooms)
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can plum tomatoes with the juice, chopped (I cut them up right in the can with kitchen shears, and then cut up any pieces that were still too large after I put them in the pan.)
1 pound penne or ziti
¾ – 1 pound mozzarella, preferably fresh, grated or chopped (I used small mozzarella balls cut in half)
About ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
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1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
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cutting fresh mozzarella balls in half
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1. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in boiling water
2. Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the penne.
3. Preheat the oven to 400˚.
4. Grease, or oil a large baking pan (9 x 13 is a good size)
5. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water they release begins to evaporate (about 5 minutes).
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6. Stir in the onion and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened (about 5 minutes).
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7. Remove the porcini from the water with a slotted spoon (so you leave the grit behind on the bottom). Chop into smaller pieces, if they are large, and add to the pan. (You can carefully pour the mushroom broth from the porcini into a container, leaving the grit at the bottom. You’ll have a flavorful mushroom broth to freeze for later use.)
8. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Stir and simmer gently while you cook the pasta.
9. Cook the pasta, but undercook it. (I cooked my 11-minute penne for 8 minutes.)
10. Add the pasta and about 2/3 of the mozzarella to the pan. Stir well and then transfer to the prepared baking pan.
11. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan.
ready for the oven
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12. Bake until it’s a bit browned and the cheese is bubbly, about 20 – 30 minutes.
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Baklava
By Kath Dedon
I used filo pastry sheets for the first time in my life yesterday, and I made Baklava! And it’s the best Baklava that I’ve ever tried.
A testimonial from Bob: “I think that’s the best thing you’ve ever made! EVER!”
It is pretty darn tasty! I’m sure I’ll be making it again sometime. (Bob will insist!) The hardest thing about it, truly, was getting over my fear of using filo pastry. It really isn’t that difficult. Some of the ultra-thin sheets did rip, but they were still usable. It worked out fine.
I didn’t want to use sugar. (It’s weird, but sugar makes Bob’s knees hurt.) I searched and found a recipe on honey.com that uses only honey, so I decided to give it a try. (Update 8/25/2016: The recipe I found is no longer available on honey.com.)
Although Baklava is not hard to make, it does take some time. The Honey Syrup needs to cool down before using. I made it the day before and left the cinnamon stick and whole cloves in it until I was ready to use it yesterday. I think I will always make it ahead of time because that Honey Syrup was so remarkably infused with the flavors of cinnamon and cloves! I might make just the Honey Syrup sometime to use in tea!
I also made the clarified butter the day before. It did solidify a bit overnight. I just heated it up a bit in the microwave so it would be easier to brush on the filo.
You also need to allow time for the filo pastry to defrost. It is sold frozen; you’ll find it near the frozen pie crusts. The directions on my package said to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
So when I started yesterday, my filo was defrosted and I already had the Honey Syrup and clarified butter ready to go. It still took me almost an hour and a half to put it together and get it in the oven. It takes an hour and 5 minutes to bake, and then it’s supposed to cool before eating. So allow yourself plenty of time to make Baklava. Once you try it, though, you’ll realize it is definitely time well spent!
Baklava
(Adapted from a recipe on honey.com)
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Makes 24 – 30, depending on how you cut them
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3 cups finely ground walnuts (360 grams)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ cups clarified butter, divided (made from 1 pound butter; instructions follow)
½ cup honey
1 package (16 oz) filo pastry sheets
Honey Syrup (recipe follows)
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finely chopped walnuts (I used a food processor)
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1. Preheat the oven to 325˚.
2. Combine walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Stir well until the spices seem evenly distributed.
3. Set aside ½ cup of the clarified butter and stir the honey into the remaining 1 cup of clarified butter. (You can microwave it for a few seconds to make it easier to blend well.)
4. Brush the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with some of the clarified butter.
5. Open the filo pastry. Cover it with waxed paper and a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Every time you take out a sheet, cover it up again.
6. Place a piece of filo in the pan, and brush it with the clarified butter. Repeat with 9 more sheets, brushing each one with more butter, for a total of 10 sheets.
7. Spread 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture over the filo. Place a sheet of filo over the walnuts and brush it with the honey/clarified butter mixture. Add a second sheet of filo and brush it with the honey/butter mixture.
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8. Repeat Step #7, adding 1/3 cup of walnuts and two sheets of filo, each brushed with the honey/butter mixture until you have used all of the nuts.
9. Top with 10 or 12 more filo sheets, brushing each one with clarified butter. (I ran out of butter, so I just microwaved a couple of tablespoons of butter to finish up.)
10. With a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into fourths, being careful to cut all the way through.
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11. Cut diagonally across the first cuts to make diamond shapes.
12. Bake at 325˚ for 45 minutes.
13. Reduce heat to 275˚ and bake for another 20 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon the cool Honey Syrup over the Baklava.
15. Cool completely on a rack before serving.
I have not tried this, but the recipe says leftover baklava can be wrapped well for the freezer (wrapped in aluminum foil, perhaps) and frozen. When ready to eat, place the unwrapped pieces on a baking sheet in a 325˚ for about 12 minutes, or until heated. Allow to cool before eating.
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Clarified Butter
Cut 1 pound butter into small pieces and melt in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not stir! When it’s all melted, carefully skim off the foam on the top. Carefully pour the clear butter into a bowl or measuring cup, leaving the solids on the bottom in the pan. (I ended up pouring the last bit through cheesecloth in a strainer to get every last bit!)
clarified butter with foam partially removed
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Honey Syrup
(I bought fresh cinnamon sticks. They were very fragrant. It was time to throw out the old ones I had that had no smell.)
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1 cup honey
¾ cup water
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches long
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Combine everything in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Remove the cloves and cinnamon before using.
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The Minimalist’s Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles
By Kath Dedon
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I was inspired to make Mark Bittman’s Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles yesterday.
Mark Bittman wrote The Minimalist column for the Dining & Wine section of The New York Times every Wednesday for over 13 years. I have really enjoyed the column and the videos each week. Yesterday’s column was entitled “The Minimalist Makes His Exit”. Yes, it was the last Minimalist column.
It’s not, however, the End. Bittman will be writing regularly in the Opinion section of the Times, and he’ll be writing a recipe column for the Sunday Times’ Magazine. Change can be a good thing.
Gabe Johnson, who shot and produced all of the videos I have enjoyed, picked Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles as his favorite. Last night, we celebrated The Minimalist and had Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles!
The recipe called for a dried pasilla chile and a dried chipotle chile. I substituted a dried chile de arbol for the pasilla chile, since I couldn’t find a pasilla chile. I think it was a fine substitution.
The ribs smelled so fabulous as they braised, and they tasted great! The chiles added a just-right flavor kick without adding a lot of heat.
Allow enough time for the long, slow braise. Mine took 3½ hours to get to the tender, falling-off-the-bone stage.
Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles, garnished with chopped cilantro
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Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles
(Adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe from The Minimalist column in The New York Times)
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Serves 4
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1 tablespoon oil
4 large, or 8 small short ribs
Salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped (my onion was HUGE; I used ½ of it and had 1 ½ cups chopped onions)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (or 1 dried chile de arbol)
1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup strong coffee
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
2. Brown the short ribs in the oil. Brown each side for about 5 minutes and then turn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as you turn the ribs.
3. When the ribs are browned, remove to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the onion, garlic, and chiles to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Do not allow them to brown.
5. Add the wine and coffee to the pot and turn the heat to high. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to about half.
6. Turn the heat back down to low, and put the ribs back in the pan. It should be barely simmering, with just a few small bubbles. Turn the ribs every hour or so.
7. Cook 3 – 4 hours until the ribs are very tender. Bittman says it should be “beyond when meat falls off the bone”.
Almost done!
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Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables
By Kath Dedon
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This Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables is adapted from a Garlic Tree Restaurant recipe featured in the Pike Place Market Cookbook, by Braiden Rex-Johnson.
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I was lucky to win the cookbook, along with some cedar grilling planks and smoked paprika, from Dionne’s Try Anything Once blog. (Thanks, Dionne!) I think I’m going to wait for the spring salmon to try the cedar planks, but I’m enjoying the cookbook and paprika now.
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And yesterday I received a box of 6 different varieties of garlic from Singer Farm Naturals that I recently won from Deborah’s Bunkycooks blog. (Thank you, Deborah!) I had no idea that there are so many different varieties of garlic!
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Italian Softneck, Killarney Red, Inchelium Red, Music, Romanian Red, and Spanish Roja
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I was excited to try the Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables because the Garlic Tree Restaurant had been one of our favorites. It was run by Hong Ja Han and her adult children. The recipes had been passed down in her Korean family for generations. Garlic was used liberally in the recipes and the food was fantastic. Sadly, the Garlic Tree Restaurant closed a few years ago. We still miss it.
So….with my new cookbook and my new abundance of garlic, we remembered the Garlic Tree with Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables! (I used the Romanian Red which is described as being “fairly complex with a bright and lasting after-taste”.)
Momma Han’s daughter, Soo, said that they usually used from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of garlic in each dish. So, naturally, I upped the garlic from 1 teaspoon to 1 heaping tablespoon which seemed just right to me. Bob thought I could have used more.
Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables is definitely something I would make again. Next time, though, I would use 8 cups of vegetables for 4 servings because they do cook down quite a bit, especially the cabbage.
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Chicken Gui with Stir-Fried Vegetables
(Adapted from a Garlic Tree Restaurant recipe from the owner of the restaurant, Hong Ja Han, and featured in the Pike Place Market Cookbook)
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You really can use whatever vegetables you like for this recipe. I used broccoli, Napa cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and a red bell pepper. You could also try bean sprouts, green onions, carrots, or zucchini.
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Serves 4
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1/3 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce (substitute wheat-free Tamari for a gluten free version)
1½ teaspoons honey
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sliced green onions
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon oil
6 8 cups of an assortment of vegetables
½ teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
Several drops of toasted sesame oil
2 – 3 cups cooked rice for serving
heaping tablespoon of minced garlic
1. Combine the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, black pepper, and green onions in a small bowl.
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2. Remove the chicken tenders from the breasts. Slice the breasts in half horizontally. (The recipe suggests slicing almost all the way through so when it’s opened up you have a large piece of chicken. After doing it that way, though, I see no reason why you can’t just cut it all the way through into two thinner pieces.)
chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally, and the tenders
3. Put the chicken breast pieces and tenders in a shallow dish or plastic bag. Put about half of the marinade sauce on the chicken. Reserve the rest of the marinade (about 1/3 cup will be left) for the stir fry. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Turn the chicken occasionally while it’s marinating.
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4. Put a plate for the chicken in the oven and turn it on to Warm.
5. Cut all of the vegetables into bite-size pieces. Put the broccoli in one small bowl, and all of the other vegetables in a large bowl.
broccoli in one bowl, Napa cabbage, onions, red peppers, and mushrooms in the other bowl
6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook until done, about 6 minutes total. (Alternatively, you can grill the chicken.)
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7. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and put it on the plate from the oven; cover with foil and put it in the oven to stay warm.
8. Blend the cornstarch into the 2 teaspoons of water so it’s ready to go.
9. Add the broccoli to the pan. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
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10. Add the rest of the vegetables and the reserved marinade to the pan and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
other vegetables added
reserved marinade added
11. Add the cornstarch and water. Continue to cook and stir for about 1 more minute, or until the sauce thickens a bit
12. Stir in a few drops of the toasted sesame oil.
13. Serve the vegetables with steamed rice and top with the cooked chicken.
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Pasta with Mediterranean Chicken Sauce
By Kath Dedon
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Pasta with Mediterranean Chicken Sauce is adapted from a recipe in Sunset’s Fresh Ways with Chicken. The book has a whole chapter called “Versatile Cooked Poultry”; I find it’s a great resource when I have leftover cooked chicken or turkey.
Pasta with Mediterranean Chicken Sauce uses just one cup of cooked chicken to make a one-dish meal that serves 4. Although the cookbook is 25 years old, this recipe is in line with today’s trend to use less meat, less pasta, and more vegetables for healthier meals. I’ve made it for years because it just tastes good!
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Pasta with Mediterranean Chicken Sauce
(Adapted from a recipe in Sunset’s Fresh Way with Chicken)
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The pine nuts add a special touch to the recipe, but you could omit them if you don’t have any. Be sure to store any leftover pine nuts wrapped well in the freezer.
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Serves 4
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3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
1 large onion, chopped (about 1½ cups chopped onions)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons dry basil
1½ teaspoons dry oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into 1/8-inch slices
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces tomatoes, diced (2 medium or 4 small)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (about 5 ounces) or cooked turkey
8 ounces pasta (I used penne)
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano for serving
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1. Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
2. Chop or slice all of the vegetables so they are ready to go (mise en place).
zucchini and mushrooms
Pine nuts
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute or until they are lightly toasted. Remove the pine nuts from the pan and set aside.
4. When the water is boiling, add a large spoonful of salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions. (My penne took 11 minutes.)
5. After putting the pasta in the water, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
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6. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
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7. Add the chicken to the pan. Cook for about 1 more minute.
8. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan. Stir to mix.
9. Serve, topping each serving with some of the pine nuts.
10. Pass Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese at the table.
Pasta before adding the pine nuts and grated cheese:
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Blueberry Pie
By Kath Dedon
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I think it’s been years since I’ve made a Blueberry Pie, but I don’t know why. When I was a kid, it was my very favorite pie! Mom used the recipe from a Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, and it was always fabulously runny juicy!
I really did like it juicy, but I don’t think she was so thrilled about it. I remember she always used to prop her leftover blueberry pies up in an attempt to get the juices to flow back into the pie.
Over the years when I have made Blueberry Pie, I always used the recipe from my copy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, so that’s the recipe I used this time.
I have used honey in the past, but I decided to try maple sugar this time. It’s good either way. Of course, you can also use 1 cup of regular sugar.
(If you want to try it with honey, use 2/3 cup honey instead of the sugar; stir the 1/3 cup flour (or tapioca flour), the lemon zest, and the dash of salt into the honey until it’s all well-blended. Then stir the mixture into the blueberries.)
For a thickener, I always used flour, but last summer when I made Marionberry Pie I got great results with tapioca flour. I thought about using it with the Blueberry Pie, but decided to make it the way I had in the past. Next time I’ll try it with tapioca flour. I think it will still be juicy enough for me, but it might hold together a little better.
I could have bought fresh blueberries from South America, but I used local frozen ones from Remlinger Farms. I let the blueberries defrost first (as Better Homes and Gardens had suggested), but an online search brought up several bakers who said they successfully used blueberries frozen. That may be something else that I will try next time.
It really is a treat to have a Blueberry Pie in January! I have enough blueberries to make another pie sometime soon. This pie was quite good, but I think it may be a recipe in progress, so stay tuned!
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Blueberry Pie
(Adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book)
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If you are using fresh blueberries, the recipe says to use ¼ cup of flour instead of 1/3 cup.
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Recipe for 2-Crust Easy Pie Crust, or your favorite pie crust
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour (or tapioca flour)
Zest of one small lemon
Dash salt
1½ pounds frozen blueberries (about 6 cups)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
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1. Put a large baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 375˚.
2. Make the pie crust, and line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the crust.
3. Combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest, and the dash of salt in a large bowl. Add the blueberries and stir gently until they are well-coated.
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4. Put the blueberries into the pie crust, and drizzle the lemon juice over them.
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5. Dot with butter.
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6. Add the top crust and finish the edge as you wish. (I crimp it with a fork.) Cut vents in the top for steam.
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7. Bake for 45 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
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Here’s how it looked today, after sharing it with friends last night. You can see how runny juicy it is…..pretty much just the way I like it!
In the kitchen with Kath 
