I absolutely love Indian food. One dish in particular, tandoori chicken, is a must-order every time. I had some spare buttermilk after I made chocolate cupcakes and decided that what better way to use up the leftovers than to make tandoori chicken? Technically, you're suppose to use yogurt, but if buttermilk is good enough for fried chicken, it should be a suitable substitute! In this frigid weather, nothing like a mouthful of spiciness to ward off the chills.
Recipe
2 pounds chicken breast
1 lemon
1 red onion
1 green pepper
2 inch segment of ginger
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 tablespoons garam masala
salt and pepper to taste
I decided to take advantage of the bountiful fresh local produce in Florence and prepared a meal during my recent trip to Italy. I learned the joy of cooking simply and trusting the ingredients. I haven't tasted produce that tasted so flavorful in a long time, so why mess with a good thing? I restrained myself by not throwing the kitchen sink into every dish and let each element sing. I made a simple caprese salad as the appetizer, a speck and leeks pasta as the first course, and finally, a hearty chicken and cannelloni beans stew as the secondo. Alas, no dessert for us that night, just a big bottle of prosecco.
Recipe
Caprese Salad:
1 pound fresh mozzarella
2 large ripe tomatoes
10 large basil leaves
good EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta:
1 pound pasta (Gimelli is a good choice)
1/4 pound speck
1 large stalk of leek
1 small tomato
1/2 cup grated pecorino or parmesan
a little oil to coat the bottom of the pan
salt and pepper to taste
Chicken stew:
2 large chicken thighs
1 pound dried cannelloni beans (soaked overnight)
1 medium onion
2 large red bell peppers
1/4 pound speck
2 large ripe tomatoes
1 stalk of sage leaves
3 cups dry wine wine
oil for browning the chicken
salt and pepper to taste
There's nothing more homey and stick to your ribs than chicken curry over a big bowl of rice. I've been making this Asian favorite since I could see over the stove (happened just a few weeks ago, in fact; still waiting for my voice to change). This isn't the traditional Indian nor Thai curries that we're used to, but a prepared, Japanese-fied thick paste of "curry flavoring". Even though it's not authentic, it's a great one-stop-shop for a quick curry. You can find it in the Asian island in most supermarkets these days. If not, hit up a Chinese grocer.
Recipe
8 bone-on chicken thighs (around 3 pounds)
1 packet S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix
1 can coconut cream
1 can sweet peas
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 large potato
2 large carrots
3 stalks of celery
1/2 large head of cauliflower
1 large onion
1 jalapeño
1 bunch cilantro
1 turn of the pan of canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
I'm always on the lookout for healthy and quick meals during the week. Ever since I got my first Costco card, I've been adding their rotisserie chicken to my green salads. After watching Ina Garten make her version of the Wardolf salad on the FoodNetwork a few years back, I began to experiment with different variations of the iconic chicken salad. Always make it fun, make it colorful, and use whatever leftover produces you have in the crisper.
Recipe
3 bone in, skin on chicken breasts
1 lemon
1/2 red onion
1 pear
1 avocado
3 celery stalks
1 carrot
1 tablespoon EVOO
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
4 sprigs tarragon
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup toasted hazelnut pieces
1 head of butter lettuce
2 hard boiled eggs
salt and pepper to taste
I love, love, LOVE Mexican food. There's just something warm and comforting about it. The first bite into my favorite burrito feels like tucking into a pair of fuzzy slippers on a frigid, rainy night. Similar to Indian cuisine, the barrier of entry is rather high -- the stew recipes call for all sorts of exotic chiles and herbs, and even more esoteric ingredients such as tamarin paste and chocolate. The sauces are multi-layered and often time consuming.
As one would expect, I was rather intimidated when I made my first foray into Mexican cooking. After poking around the inter-webs, I found a crash course to initiate myself on the various dried chile peppers, the foundation of many Mexican dishes. Turns out that scores of the peppers that we're most familiar with aren't all that spicy; their main purpose is to provide that smokey, caramel-y depth to the sauces. I discovered a great little Mexican grocer in the Mission that offer an extensive selection of herbs and spices at rock bottom prices. I got a huge bag each of ancho, negro and California chiles for less than $8!
Recipe
3 pounds of chicken
3 ancho chiles
5 chile negro
5 chile California
1 medium sized onion
1/2 head of garlic
1 inch segment of ginger
20 sprigs of cilantro (give or take)
3 limes
3 bay leaves
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cup tequila (plus more to sooth the nerves if you almost started a grease fire like I did)
8 warm tortillas
1/4 head of cabbage
salt and pepper to taste
oil for browning chicken
