Weekly Winner: Chill Chaser Chicken Curry

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Spring is cruel in Chicago. You have a few days that you think: “This is it! Winter is over!” and then Bam! Winter returns with a vengeance. That seems to make the cool (or downright cold) nights seem even colder than they are. It was on one of these unreasonably chilly evenings that I decided to try Coconut Chicken & Lentil Curry.

This curry is not really spicy, but it does bring a tinge of heat and is full of flavors that warm your soul. The addition of the lentils adds substance and definitely makes this dish heartier. The recipe comes from Clean Eating Magazine. I highly recommend it the next time there’s an unexpected chill in the air.

Coconut Chicken & Lentil Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion, diced

2 Tbsp peeled and minced ginger

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp each ground turmeric, cumin and coriander

1/2 tsp ground cayenne powder

3 cups water

1 cup dry red lentils

1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk

3/4 tsp salt

2 cups baby spinach

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, for serving

Cooked rice of your choice for serving

Procedure:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high, heat oil. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper and sear for 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. To pot, add onion and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander and cayenne and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, lentils, coconut milk, and salt. Return chicken to pot, bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender and chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and chop when cool enough to handle.
3. To pot, add spinach and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes, until tomatoes are softened. Top with dollop of yogurt. Serve with rice.

Weekly Winner: Banish the Boring Barley Banter

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Barley. Hmm, not very interesting, huh? When I think of barley I think of soup…. or beer…. but barley never takes center stage in the dishes I think of when I think of barley (which, if I’m being honest, is hardly ever). I consider it farro’s plain-Jane sister. Not nearly as interesting or fun at a party. Bland. Boring.

So I’m not even sure why I pulled the recipe for Barley with Roasted Carrots and Lemon-Yogurt Sauce from America’s Test Kitchen‘s Mediterranean cookbook. Probably because I thought it might interest one of my health-conscious clients looking for a new lunch dish. That new client is going to be me… this dish is a winner for sure! First of all, look at it! It’s stunning. What I also like about it is its super subtle but not boring in the least! The seasoning and flavors will not smack you in the face to get your attention. But the different textures definitely keeps you interested in this salad. The barley is super-springy, the sunflower seeds crunchy and well-spiced, the yogurt super creamy and indulgent and the carrots have just the right chew. This is one satisfying, healthy salad.

Barley with Roasted Carrots and Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4 – very generously

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1-1/2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 1-1/2 Tbsp juice

1-1/2 Tbsp minced fresh mint

salt and pepper

1 cup pearl barley

5 carrots, peeled

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp ground coriander

8 oz snow peas, strings removed, halved lengthwise

2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

Procedure:

1. Whisk yogurt, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1-1/2 tsp juice, 1-1/2 tsp mint, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper together in small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add barley and tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until tender, 20-40 minutes. Drain barley, return to now-empty pot, and cover to keep warm
3. Meanwhile, halve the carrots crosswise, then halve or quarter lengthwise to create uniformly sized pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add carrots and 1/2 tsp coriander and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add snow peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to plate.
4. Heat 1-1/2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add sunflower seeds, cumin, cardamom, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until seeds are toasted, about 2 minutes; transfer to small bowl.
5. Whisk remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon mint, and remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil together in large bowl.
6. Add barley and carrot-snow pea mixture and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve, topping individual portions with spiced sunflower seeds and drizzling of yogurt sauce.

Weekly Winner: The Great Meatball Mashup

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I’ve had kind of a thing about meatballs lately — Can’t seem to get enough of them. I’ve been craving (and eating) spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs…. and now this: French Onion Chicken Meatballs. All the richness and depth of flavor as the classic French onion soup without the slurping or the scalding of the roof of the mouth from the molten wad of cheese.

The recipe for this comes from my daily email from Delish.com. The most important (and time-consuming) part of this recipe is the caramelizing of the onions, but it is not hard to make. Your patience will definitely be rewarded. The recipe doesn’t call for serving these meatballs on anything but with the luscious sauce deserves a landing pad. I chose egg noodles, but honestly mashed potatoes would be awesome as well. Hmmmm… maybe next time!

French Onion Chicken Meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

2 Tbsp olive oil (for baking sheets)

1 lb ground chicken

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1 large egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

4 tsp butter

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups beef broth

2 tsp freshly chopped thyme, plus more for garnish

kosher salt

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and rub with oil.
2. Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Gruyere, bread crumbs, parsley, egg, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Form into 16 meatballs, then place on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and cooked through, 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile make the sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and cook until very soft and golden, 25 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, one more minute. Add broth and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until slightly thickened, 10 minutes.
4. Add meatballs to skillet and sprinkle with Gruyere. Cover and cook until meatballs are warmed through and cheese is melty, 5 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with thyme.

Weekly Winner – Punching Up Polenta

In general, I’m not a big fan of corn meal. I realize I may have to relinquish my “foodie” card for saying this but I prefer flour tortillas to corn, I can take or leave corn bread, and before this meal, polenta was simply mashed potatoes’ overrated, snobby cousin. Then I made Creamy Polenta with Burst Cherry Tomato-and-Red Wine Ragout. I have to admit, it may have just made a convert out of me.

The recipe comes from Food & Wine magazine. The polenta is creamy, rich and decadent (thanks to the whole milk and copious amounts of butter). No, the butter is not in the recipe but trust me… it’s necessary. The ragout is bright, acidic and just a tad bitter which makes it the perfect topping to seep through and over the bowl of polenta. Coziness and comfort in a bowl.

Creamy Polenta with Burst Cherry Tomato-and-Red Wine Ragout

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the polenta:

3 cups whole milk

2 cups water

2 garlic cloves, smashed

4 thyme sprigs

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Cup uncooked coarse-ground polenta

Copious amounts of butter — OK, I think I only added about 4-5 tablespoons

For the Ragout:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups mixed cherry tomatoes

1-1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or more to taste

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups thinly sliced leafy greens (such as Swiss chard, lacinato kale, or tatsoi) – I used Swiss chard

1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus torn leaves, for garnish

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

• Bring milk, 2 cups water, garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; remove and discard garlic and thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually add polenta in a slow stream, whisking constantly until thickened. Return to a gentle simmer over medium-low. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pot often, until tender and creamy, 30 to 35 minutes.  Add butter while stirring.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high just until fragrant. Carefully add tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until most of the tomatoes have burst and juices start to release, 8 to 10 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to stick to bottom of pan and sauce has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add red wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until a glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Add greens, and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 30 seconds. Stir in sliced basil and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.  
• Divide polenta evenly among bowls; top with ragout. Garnish servings with torn basil.

Weekly Winner: Paniscia is a Panacea for the Winter Blahs

See what I did there? OK, I admit it. This is NOT a pretty dish. But what it is missing in the looks department, it more than makes up for in taste and comfort. This dish will definitely cure what ails you during this frigid, pandemic-ridden winter in Chicago.

You may be asking: “But what is it?” Valid question. I had no idea what Paniscia was. The best way I can think to describe it is to imagine if risotto, red beans and rice and a hearty bean soup had a culinary three-way. This would be the resultant love-child! Add some red wine (both in the dish and in a glass while eating) and you have a super cozy, robust dish that will give you the strength and fortitude you need to get through this winter. The recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen collection of “The Best Mediterranean Diet Recipes”.

Paniscia

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Beans and Broth

Salt and pepper

8 oz (1-1/4 cups) dried cranberry beans, picked over and rinsed

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 oz pancetta, chopped fine

1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, chopped fine and washed thoroughly

1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 carrot, peeled and chopped fine

1 celery rib, chopped fine

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

Risotto

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, cohpped fine

2 (1/2-inch thick) slices salami (6 oz), cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Salt and pepper

1-1/2 cups carnaroli rice

1 Tvsp tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

2 tsps red wine vinegar

Procedure:

1. For the Beans and Broth: Dissolve 1-1/2 tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add bean and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in leek, zucchini, carrot and celery and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in beans, rosemary sprig, and 8 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and liquid begins to thicken, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain bean-vegetable mixture in fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl. Discard rosemary sprig and transfer bean-vegetable mixture to separate owl; set aside. Return broth to now-empty saucepan, cover and keep warm over low heat.
3. For the Risotto: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, salami, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grain edges begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups warm broth, bring to simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost fully absorbed, about 5 minutes.
5. Continue to cook rice, stirring frequently and adding warm broth, 1 cup at a time, every few minutes as liquid is absorbed, until rice is creamy and cooked through but still somewhat firm in center, 14 to 16 minutes longer.
6. Off heat, stir in bean-vegetable mixture, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with remaining warm broth as needed (you may have broth left over). Stir in vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Weekly Winner: Teriyaki Times Ten!

Everybody likes Teriyaki, right? Salty, sticky, sweet with just a hint of spice (if done right)… what’s not to like? Nothing. But what if you could amp all that goodness up several notches? Wouldn’t that be better? And to top that, why not use pork. Hey! Now that I think about it, why isn’t there any teriyaki pork recipes? You see teriyaki salmon, chicken… heck, even tofu! Why doesn’t pork get to play at the teriyaki pool party??

These are the questions that used to keep me up at night. But not anymore. Now that I’ve found Japanese Ginger Pork I may never do teriyaki-anything again. This luscious goodness comes from Milk Street Magazine and is, in a word, awesome.

Japanese Ginger Pork

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp sake

1 Tbsp white miso

1-1/2 Tbsp finely grated ginger

1-1/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed

2 Tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil

2 tsp white sugar

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cooked Japanese-style short grain rice, to serve

Procedure:

• In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, miso and ginger. Cut the pork tenderloin in half crosswise, making the tail-end half slightly larger, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place 2 pieces of pork between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, gently pound each piece to an even 1/4 inch thickness. Repeat with the 2 remaining pieces. Add the cutlets to the soy mixture and turn to coat; marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Remove the cutlets from the marinade, letting the excess drain back into the bowl; reserve the marinade. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towers. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add 2 cutlets in a single layer and cook undisturbed until well browned. Using tongs, flip each piece and continue to cook until the second sides are well-browned. Transfer to a large plate, then wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
• Return the skillet to medium-high and add the reserved marinade, sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the mixture thickens and a spoon drawn through it leaves a 1- to 2-second trail, about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions, then add the pork and any accumulated juices. Cook stirring gently, until the scallions are wilted and the pork is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Weekly Winner: Puffy, Pepper-Filled Perfection

This is usually the time for football parties, holiday brunches, yadda-yadda-yadda. Well, not so much these days. But that doesn’t mean I was about to let New Year’s Day go by without some sort of festive brunch dish – even if it was just hubby and I watching the bowl game extravaganza.

This Two-Pepper Chile Rellenos Casserole was incredibly easy to put together and came out of the oven drop-dead gorgeous! We devoured it. Light as a cloud with just the right amount of heat to keep it interesting. The recipe comes from Food and Family magazine. I’ll be making this all winter long for the two of us. Eventually, when we are able to actually entertain and have people in our home again, this dish will be a prominent feature on the buffet table!

Two-Pepper Chile Rellenos Casserole

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 large poblano peppers (about 1 lb)

2 jars (12 oz each) roasted red peppers, well drained, patted dry

1 pkg (8oz) Mexican-Style shredded Cheese

8 eggs, separated

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Procedure:

Heat broiler. Place poblano chiles in single layer on rack of broiler pan or on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. roil, 4 inches from heat for 10 minutes or until skins are covered with black blisters, turning occasionally. Place hot chiles in bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard skins and seeds from chiles, set chiles aside.

Heat oven to 375F. Place roasted red peppers in even layer on bottom of 13×9 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 the shredded cheese. Tope with poblano chiles and remaining shredded cheese.

Beat egg whites in large bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add egg yolks; beat on low speed just until blended. Stir in parmesan.

Pour over ingredients in baking dish, spread to cover peppers evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and casserole is heated through.

Weekly Winner: Pork, Cajun Style.

I love all types of cuisine. International recipes always catch my attention, be it Indian, Greek, Italian or Mexican. As for American fare, I’m a fan of Southern classics, California cuisine, Southwestern, Tex-Mex…. all of these are in regular rotation in my house. But Cajun? That is not something we’re really familiar with around here. We’ve been to New Orleans and ate well…. very, very well… but I’ve never prepared anything I would consider Cajun or Creole. Until recently….

Pork Grillades from Cook’s Country immediately caught my interest…. pork…slow-cooker….bacon…..spice…. sign me up! I’ve got to admit, that while I thought this was going to be good, I was really not expecting to be totally blown away by this dish, but dang, I was! It’s deep, it’s dark, it’s spicy (but not crazy hot – just really nice background heat) and the pork is so succulently tender. It’s seriously ridiculously good. Make this recipe, put on some Zydeco music and “Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler”!

Pork Grillades

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp Louisiana seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning)

1 (3 lb) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1-3/4 tsp table salt

1 tsp pepper

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Tabasco sauce, plus extra for serving

4 cups cooked white rice

3 scallions, sliced thin

Procedure:

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until roux is color of milk chocolate, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, bacon, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in Louisiana seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1-1/2 minutes. Transfer roux mixture to slow cooker.
• Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork, tomatoes, water, and Worcestershire to roux mixture in slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook until fork slips easily into and out of pork, 5 to 6 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low.
• Skim excess fat from surface of grillades. Stir in Tabasco sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice, sprinkled with scallions, passing extra Tabasco sauce separately.

Weekly Winner: Don’t Get The Name, But Will Take This Sandwich Anytime!

I’m not sure why this sandwich is called a Chopped Cheese Sandwich – yes there is cheese, but it is not chopped. Either is the beef (it’s ground). Hmmm. Doesn’t matter though, because this is an awesome, easy sandwich.

Dare I say this will replace cheeseburgers in our house?? Quite possibly! While nothing will replace a good cheeseburger out, they just don’t seem quite as good when made at home. This sandwich ticks all the right boxes and satisfies the cheeseburger craving. The recipe comes from Cook’s Country. Do yourself a favor this football season and whip yourself up some Chopped Cheese Sandwiches — no chopping required!

Chopped Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound 85% lean ground beef

1 onion, minced

1 tsp Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning

1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

4 (8-inch) sub rolls, split

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp ketchup

8 slices American cheese (8 oz)

12 thin tomato slices

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Procedure:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400F. Combine beef, onion, all-purpose seasoning and seasoned salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, constantly breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until cooked through and excess moisture is driven off, about 8 minutes.
2. Arrange sub rolls on baking sheet and spread mayonnaise and ketchup evenly on cut sides of rolls. Divide beef mixture evenly among rolls. Layer 2 slices American cheese over beef on each roll. Bake until bread is warmed through and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
3. Layer tomatoes and lettuce over cheese, close sandwiches and cut in half.

Weekly Winner: Miso Soba So Dang Good!

This title just made me laugh so I went with it. But it’s true. Noodles of any sort in any kind of a nut-based sauce are guaranteed to make me happy. Usually that nut-based sauce is a peanut sauce. But this Miso-Walnut Soba with Bok Choy is just different enough to get my attention. This is a definite umami-bomb of a dish that comes together so quickly and keeps well too! The fact that it can be served at room temperature or cold makes it a great packable meal to go — not that any of us are actually going anywhere these days! The recipe comes from Milk Street Magazine.

Miso-Walnut Soba with Bok Choy

Serves 4

Ingredients:

10 oz dried soba noodles

1 lb baby bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, plus chopped toasted walnuts to serve

3 Tbsp white or red miso

2 Tbsp grapeseed oil

2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Procedure:

Cook the soba in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then add the bok choy to the pot and cook until the soba is tender and the bok choy is crisp-tender, about 1 minute more.

Drain, rinse and drain well; return to the pot.

In a blender, combine 3 tablespoons of the cooking water, the walnuts, miso, oil and garlic; puree until smooth.

Add to the soba mixture, then toss, adding more cooking water as needed to thin. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with chopped toasted walnuts.