I adore flavorful baked chicken recipes, especially when they are easy, and it hardly gets easier or more flavorful than this baked curry chicken. I adapted this from a recipe in Ten, by Sheila Lukins. Her version mimics tandoori chicken with only a little sauce and feeds a crowd, but my family likes sauce, the more the better, so I made extra sauce and cut back on the chicken, plus I made a cilantro raita to go along with it, which was a big hit.

The chicken takes an hour in the oven, but prep only takes about 10 minutes, so it’s very little hands on work. Because the chicken stays in the oven for a while, I recommend leaving the skin on to keep it moist, but you can remove the skin before eating if you prefer, then spoon some of the sauce over it and the rice for extra flavor.

BAKED CURRY CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES AND CILANTRO RAITA

Adapted from Ten, by Sheila Lukins.

Serves 4 to 6.

Equipment

small saucepan
large baking dish
medium serving bowl

Ingredients

CHICKEN
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 (14-ounce/397 g) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup (240 ml) homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
cilantro leaves, for garnish

RAITA
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

SERVE WITH
brown jasmine or basmati rice
mango chutney

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. Trim any excess fat from the chicken and pat it dry. Clip off the wing tips and arrange the chicken pieces in the pan skin side up.

3. Melt the butter and oil in the small saucepan over low heat. Add the curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook until the spices release their fragrance, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drizzle over the chicken. Brush the spicy butter of the chicken pieces to make sure they are well-coated.

4. Sprinkle the chopped onions over the chicken and pour the tomatoes and the juice over and around the chicken. Pour 1/2 cup of the chicken broth into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven, basting with the remaining chicken broth and the pan juices every 15 minutes until the chicken is browned, about 1 hour.

5. RAITA – While the chicken bakes, stir together the yogurt, cilantro, garlic, and sea salt in the small bowl. Keep in the refrigerator until time to serve.

6. Serve pieces of chicken with baking sauce spooned on top and raita, chutney, and rice on the side.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

More Chicken Recipes From Around the Blogs

Pinch My Salt – Grilled Chicken Under a Brick

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Very Greek Grilled Chicken

Panini Happy – Jerk Chicken Panini with Pineapple-Black Bean Salsa

Just as Delish – Malaysian Chicken Satay

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

I spent a couple years working in Saudi Arabia, and when you live in an area so remarkable for such a short amount of time, there will always be opportunities missed. One of the things I wish I had been able to fit in while living in the Middle East was a trip to Morocco. For someone like me who thrills at the sight of handmade ceramics and carpets and the aromas of local food, this would have been the trip of a lifetime. Who knows, I may still go someday.

In the meantime, I will satisfy my senses with Moroccan flavors in my food, like this stew (tagine) I make in the slow cooker. The tagine has harissa, a traditional spice mix, and preserved lemons, both staples of Moroccan cuisine. Harissa can be quite spicy, so adjust to your heat tolerance. You can make your own harissa and preserved lemons or purchase them at international grocery stores, specialty stores, or online.

Strictly speaking, traditional tagines don’t normally require browning the meat, though they also don’t use an electric slow cooker, either. I think the difference in flavor from browning the chicken is certainly worth the extra time, and I do it here. I also skipped dried fruits, unsure as to how my guys might react to them, though I’ll throw in prunes next time because I adore them. I made the Marrakech tagine bread (the flatbread in the photo) from Paula Wolfert’s new book The Food of Morocco to go along with it, and that was an instant hit with the family, so much so that I may have to start buying semolina flour in bulk. If you like flatbread, this is one you’ll love, and I will post the recipe soon.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TAGINE WITH CHICKPEAS AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Serves 8.

Equipment

6-quart slow cooker
12-inch skillet

Ingredients

1 pound dry chickpeas, rinsed well and picked over
1 whole chicken, parts separated (or mix of whatever pieces you like), patted dry
4 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 teaspoons harissa sauce or powder (to taste)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 celery root, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
4 large carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound new red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 Moroccan preserved lemon
6 cups water

Preparation

1. Soaked the chickpeas overnight in a pot, then drain and rinse well. (Alternate method: Boil beans for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and leave covered for 1 hour, then drain.)

2. In the skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with black pepper and place the pieces in the skillet skin side down and cook just until brown, about 8 to 10 minutes per side. Place the chicken pieces in the bottom of the slow cooker and put the lid on to keep the chicken warm. Drain most of the oil out of the pan, leaving just enough to cover the bottom. Add the onions and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 2 to 3 more minutes. Pour the onion and garlic mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker and add the chickpeas. Add the harissa paste, salt, and tomato paste.

3. Add the sweet potatoes, celery root, carrots, red potatoes, and the preserved lemon, then pour the water over it all, stirring the vegetables gently to make sure they are all covered. Cover and set the temperature to low and allow to cook for 8 hours.

4. Before serving, remove the lemon and use tongs to fish out the chicken pieces, then remove the bones and skin and put the meat back into the pot. You can also serve the pieces whole on the side for those who prefer it that way. Serve with couscous, quinoa, rice, or flatbread.

More Recipes with Moroccan Flavors

More Tagine Recipes From Around the Blogs

The Perfect Pantry – Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Apricots

Alanabread – Chicken Apricot Ginger and Rosemary Tagine

The Well-Seasoned Cook – Stovetop Eggplant Tagine

Just as Delish – Beef Tagine with Couscous

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Pasta pie is an occasional treat that our boys always have fun making. I’d never heard of pasta pie until Michael and I started dating and he took me to the original Generous George’s in Alexandria, an institution known for its eye-popping colorful décor and filling pasta pies, which is simply a pizza pie topped with various creative pasta toppings. The Alexandria restaurant closed last year, a victim of the economy, but Michael is carrying on the tradition in our home making pasta pies with our boys. Their favorite topping is spaghetti and meatballs, but you can put any kind of pasta on top of a pasta pie. I say go for lots of vegetables, sneak some spinach in there, whatever you can get your kids to eat.

Now for the pizza dough, use whatever recipe you prefer. We have several different recipes we use, including one from Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day that we like. If you haven’t tried the Artisan Bread in Five method yet, I highly recommend it. We’ve done it for several years, and it’s truly easy, you just need a a bucket with a lid and some space in your frig. If you prefer a more traditional method, the recipe below is how we make a part whole wheat pizza dough. We use a stand mixer, but you can also do this completely by hand.

Here’s how to make the pizza dough, as demonstrated by Hockey Guy, 9 years old.

Measure the flour, yeast, and salt and add to the mixing bowl.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the honey, olive oil, and warm water. Stir well.

Knead with the dough hook until the dough comes together in a ball. Use a spatula to scrape any flour and bits off the sides of the bowl as necessary. Then shape it into a ball and let it rise in another bowl.

Roll each round of dough.

Pat it into an 8-inch pan and bake, then top with your favorite pasta.

Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for more recipes to cook with your kids.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, using a rolling pin.

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times and supervises uses the stand mixer.
• Teach children to keep hands out of the bowl when the stand mixer is running.

PASTA PIE

Makes 4 8-inch pies.

Equipment

stand mixer with dough hook and paddle attachments
large mixing bowl
plastic wrap
4 8-inch cake pans, lightly coated with olive oil and coated with coarse cornmeal

Ingredients

2 cups (270 g) bread flour
1-1/4 cups (160 g) whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water, not more than 115° F/46° C
3 teaspoons honey
4 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer, whisk together the bread flour, whole wheat flour, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the middle and stir in the warm water, honey, and olive oil. Use the paddle attachment to stir the ingredients together until it’s combined, then attach the dough hook and knead until the dough on a medium low speed until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. (Note: You can also do this all by hand.)

2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and turn a couple times until it’s shaped like a ball. Spritz the large mixing bowl with olive oil and turn the ball of dough around in the bowl a couple times until it’s coated with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles, about 90 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 450° F/230° C.

4. Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and roll into a round. Spritz each 8-inch cake pan with olive oil and sprinkle coarse corn meal in the bottom. Pat the pizza dough in the bottom of the pan, pressing it into the edges.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the pizzas are golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pans immediately and cut in half or quarters, then top with your favorite pasta dish.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

More Creative Pizza Recipes From Around the Blogs

The Perfect Pantry – Garlic Naan Pizza with Roasted Peppers and Cheese

Closet Cooking – Thai Chicken Pizza with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Food Blogga – How to Make Easter Pizza Chena (Pizza “Gaina”)

101 Cookbooks – Japanese Pizza (Okonomiyaki)

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Putting a pot of beans in the slow cooker overnight is a great way to cook a meal and have it ready the next day, and it’s also a good way to get the kids to help make the meal, too. Our son Hockey Guy, 9 years old, helped make a pot of Boston baked beans that cooked in the slow cooker, then we put them in the refrigerator and saved them for another day and reheated them in the slow cooker and they tasted even better after another couple hours of cooking.

Traditional Boston baked beans are cooked on low in the oven while covered for about eight hours, then you remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to brown the bacon and the top of the beans. With the slow cooker method you won’t get the same kind of browning, but you can achieve something similar by removing the lid for the last 30 minutes and allow some of the liquid to cook off. Serve with Boston brown bread or brown rice and a salad and you have a complete meal.

Here’s how to make it, as demonstrated by Hockey Guy.

After soaking and simmering the beans, slice the bacon (or salt pork if you can find it) and chop the onions. We used pork jowl bacon this time.

Put the onions and half the bacon in the bottom of the slow cooker and pour the soaked beans in on top.

Sprinkle the rest of the bacon on top of the beans.

Stir together the molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper, and pour it all over the beans and bacon, then pour in two cups of boiling water. Put on the lid and cook on low for 8 hours, then remove the lid for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the liquid to cook down some before serving.

Make sure to visit The Kids Cook Monday for more recipes to cook with your kids.

How Adults Can Help the Kids

• Demonstrate and assist with any tasks that might be new: measuring, stirring, pouring, chopping.
• Assign the simpler tasks, such as rinsing the beans and measuring the ingredients for the molasses mixture to the younger kids, and save the more challenging tasks for the older kids and adults.

Safety Tips

• Make sure an adult is present at all times.
• Young children should not handle sharp knives alone. Make sure an adult or older child or teenager supervises, or does the chopping.

SLOW COOKER BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Serves 4 to 6.

Equipment

large pot with lid (for soaking beans)
colander
4-quart slow cooker or Crock Pot

Ingredients

16 ounces (454 g) navy beans, rinsed well and picked over
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (227 g) salt pork or bacon, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups boiling water

Preparation

1. In the large pot, cover the navy beans with water and allow to soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain and cover with fresh water and add the baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the beans. (Quick soak method: Cover the beans with water, add the soda, and boil for 3 minutes. Then set aside tightly covered for 1 hour. Drain and continue to Step 2.)

2. Put half of the diced salt pork or bacon and all of the diced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker pot, then add the drained beans. Sprinkle the rest of the salt pork/bacon around the top of the beans. Stir together the molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper, and pour it on top of the beans. Pour in 2 cups of boiling water and cover. Cook on low for 8 hours and remove the lid for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the liquid to condense a little before serving.

More Kids Cook Monday Recipes

More Baked Beans Recipes From Around the Blogs

Chez Us – Homemade BBQ Baked Beans

Use Real Butter – Dinosaur-Style Bar-B-Que Beans

Dinner with Julie – Slow Cooker Guinness Baked Beans

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

After all the holiday feasting, I inevitably feel the need for simple healthy meals in January, meals that will bring me back down to earth after the sugar and calorie highs of December. These are some of our favorites, and we hope you’ll share some of your favorites in the comments.

Here’s to a Happy and Healthy 2012!

Asian Tuna Salad, a healthy salad with a spicy kick from sambal oelek. Serve on top of green salad or in sandwiches, and in the summer I like to stuff it in our homegrown tomatoes.

White Chili with Turkey and Cannellini Beans is an easy chili with plenty of healthy protein and flavor.

This spinach and tortellini soup is one of our new favorites from 2011, and it’s very easy to make. Our 8-year-old son can even make this soup.

I adore butternut squash, and this vegan Mexican spiced butternut squash soup with beans and corn is very healthy and full of flavor.

Sautéed fish tacos are easy and quick to make for a weeknight meal.

There are so many ways to make bean soups, and this is on our list of desperation weeknight meals. It’s a fast and easy black bean soup that you can make with pantry ingredients.

Yes, we eat a lot of soup in the winter, and this Moroccan spiced chicken soup is at the top of our favorites list. The mix of spices with the butternut squash, mushrooms, carrots, and chicken, is heavenly.

If I only make one Asian meal each week, my family votes for this one. Chinese chicken and broccoli is Top Gun’s favorite meal and the meal he always requests when we go out for Chinese food. It’s also easy to make at home.

Lentils are one of my favorite foods, and this spicy red lentil and tomato soup is a good pick-me-up for a cold winter evening.

Winter minestrone is an old favorite of mine. I’m not much of a summer soup eater, and using winter vegetables just makes more sense to me. It’s a great soup.

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

I have a few new recipes at Moovision.com, and if you cook lactose-free, you should check out all the recipes in their collection. There’s a lot of great dishes, many that are easy to prepare. Here are the newest ones I’ve added.

Sweet Potato Souffle, a dish I love for Sunday supper, along with a roasted chicken.

Butternut Squash Pie, made with a roasted butternut squash, a delicious and easy alternative to pumpkin pie.

Creamy Chicken Marsala, a classic dish that works well for Sunday supper or for company.

And if you haven’t seen the videos that started it all, check out the Gourmoo cooking series.

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

When it comes to big holiday feasts, one oven just isn’t enough, and I always find myself trying to sort out the intricate timing of turkey, stuffing, rolls, and any roasted or baked vegetables. I sit down with recipes and a schedule and plan it all out. If the turkey is done too early, it sits and gets cold and loses that wonderful fresh-from-the-oven juiciness while waiting for the rest of the dishes to finish.

Of course my grandmothers only had one oven, and even with so many of us to feed at Thanksgiving or Christmas, they somehow managed it. My mom’s mother eventually bought one of those roaster ovens that will cook a whole turkey, ham, or other large piece of meat on the countertop, leaving the other oven free for the rest of the dishes. Their kitchen was small, so the turkey roasted in the basement while she and Mom worked on the rest of the meal.

Grandma gave up cooking big meals several years ago and I was the fortunate recipient of her big roaster oven. We’ve tried turkeys and hams in it and have cooked with it just about everywhere, including the front and back porch when I just need the extra room in the kitchen. One thing I’ve learned about cooking turkeys in the roaster oven is that the skin doesn’t brown the way I like if I cook at the recommended 325° F. Last year my sister sent me a note about cooking at 500° F for the first 30 minutes then cooking at 325° F until done, and I thought that was a flash of brilliance. The skin browns and crisps and seals in the juices, and that extra blast of heat shaves a little off the overall cooking time.

I highly recommend doing this with a thermometer, the digital kind with a probe connected. This allows you to monitor the internal temperature and remove the turkey at precisely the right time. We’ve tested with both the thermometer and the little popup timers that some turkeys come with, and the digital thermometer always signals ready about 5 to 10 minutes before the popup timer. Since the residual heat will continue to cook the bird for a little while longer, this can mean the difference between moist and juicy or dry meat.

And of course feel free to rub and season with whatever you like, this is just how we like it.

ROAST TURKEY IN A ROASTER OVEN

Makes 1 whole turkey.

Equipment

18 or 22-quart roaster oven with rack
digital thermometer/timer

Ingredients

whole turkey, 10 pounds or larger (up to 18 pounds for an 18-quart roaster oven, and up to 24 pounds for a 22-quart roaster oven)
6 large sage leaves
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
1/2 lemon
handful of fresh thyme
handful of fresh parsley leaves
4-inch sprig rosemary
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place the roaster oven on a large wooden cutting board or other heat-safe surface. It’s going to get hot, so leave plenty of room around it. Remove the rack and the inner liner and put the lid back on. Preheat the roaster oven to the hottest temperature, usually 450° to 500° F.

2. While the oven heats, prepare the turkey. Remove the neck and giblets and use the neck to make turkey broth for the gravy. Loosen the skin around the turkey breast and tuck one large sage leaf under the skin on each side. Pat the skin back down. Rub the turkey all over with the olive oil. Tuck the lemon half into the rib cavity and stuff in the thyme, parsley, and rosemary. Place the turkey on the rack in the roaster oven liner. Sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper all over the bird. Insert the thermometer probe deep into the thigh muscle, but not touching the bone. Leave the probe cable hanging outside the liner.

3. Place the liner and turkey in the preheated roaster oven and cover. Connect the probe cable to the digital thermometer and set the temperature alarm for 165° F, the minimum safe internal temperature recommended by the USDA. You can set it higher according to your personal preference.

4. When the internal temperature reaches 165° F or your preferred temperature, turn off the oven and lift the bird onto a cutting board or platter. Leave the temperature probe in and cover the bird with foil. Allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the juices to soak back into the meat, then remove the herbs and lemon, and carve.

More Turkey Recipes

More Turkey Recipes From Around the Blogs

What We’re Eating – Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Sass & Veracity – Turkey: Tips on Brining

CBSoP – The Ultimate Roast Turkey Recipe

Food Wishes – How to Cook a Turkey: Part 1 – A No-Fail Method for People that Would Rather Watch Football than Wash Dishes

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Country Captain sounds like such an unusual name for a chicken dish, but once I learned the origins it made sense. A “country captain” was a captain of native troops paid by England in the colonial days, and it’s very likely that this dish or something very similar was introduced to England by a native officer. The dish spread to the American south which has claimed country captain chicken as its own.

It’s a curry at heart, with plenty of spices and vegetables in a tomato sauce with pork of some kind, often bacon, and dried currants. I researched quite a few recipes and found many similarities, even right down to the measurements, but one thing that varied was the preparation of the chicken. It can be poached for stock, then deboned and chopped and added to the sauce, or it can be fried then nestled in the top of the curry to finish cooking on the stove or in the oven. You can even make another version of this in a slow cooker. No matter which method you choose, this makes a delicious autumn meal.

Traditionally the dish is served with white rice in the south, but in keeping with the Indian flavors, I serve it with savory yellow rice spiced with turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves.

COUNTRY CAPTAIN CHICKEN

Adapted from The Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook, by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking.

Serves 8.

Equipment

small saucepan
2 small bowls
platter
5 to 6 quart enameled cast-iron pot or Dutch oven
aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 cup (120 ml) chicken broth, divided (homemade or purchased low-sodium, gluten-free if possible)
1/2 cup (80 g) dried currants
1 tablespoon curry powder (We recommend S&B for best flavor.)
1 tablespoon garam masala
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (113 g) slab bacon or thick-cut bacon, diced
parts of 1 whole chicken or 8 thighs, skin on, trimmed
1 pound (454 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 medium yellow bell peppers, diced
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
28-ounce (822 g) can crushed tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

SERVE WITH
rice, spiced or white
slivered toasted almonds
bacon pieces (See ingredients list.)
chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the dried currants and let them to soak for about 15 minutes.

3. In the small bowl, whisk together the curry powder, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

4. Sauté the diced bacon in the pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, just until golden brown. Transfer the bacon plus all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings to a bowl. Brown the chicken pieces in the remaining bacon drippings over medium-high heat until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add another teaspoon or so of bacon drippings if the pot becomes dry. Transfer chicken to a bowl or platter.

5. Add the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic to the hot pot and sauté until slightly softened, about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spices, ginger, currants with their broth, plus the remaining chicken broth. Stir and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the sauce cooks down to a puree and coats the vegetables, not too dry, about 8 to 10 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat. Arrange the browned chicken pieces on top of the vegetables and sauce, skin side up above the surface of the sauce. Tent the pot loosely with foil and place in the oven.Bake until the sauce has a rolling boil going around the chicken, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking until the chicken skin begins to crisp, about 15 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and skim excess fat from the surface. Serve a piece of chicken along with the rice and vegetables with each plate or bowl and top with garnishes.

More Chicken Recipes

More Chicken Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Baked Pesto Chicken

What We’re Eating – Spicy Tequila, Chipotle and Citrus Marinated Smoked Chicken

Kitchen Parade – Fast Roast Chicken

Use Real Butter – Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Back in May I had the chance to attend a culinary event at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington D.C. It’s one of those events that I kind of stumbled across online and immediately signed up for the next demonstration because it looked so interesting. All of the events in the Mexican Table series are led by their chef, Pati Jinich, who is absolutely delightful and has her first book coming out in 2012. That night the theme was Festive Mexico with dishes for special occasions, and the special guest was Fany Gerson, the very talented pastry chef whose books on Mexican desserts (My Sweet Mexico, Paletas) are a worthy addition to any collection, including mine.

The demonstration table was set up in an open, airy space with gorgeous tiled walls, which renewed my wish to put in a Mexican tile backsplash in our kitchen, and maybe get a table with Mexican tile top. I can dream big, can’t I?

And Pati and Fany were wonderful. They are so warm and inviting it’s easy to be swept up in their excitement. The round guest tables seated six each, and everyone at our table to seemed to feel the excitement and enjoyed the food and meeting one another.

The food was so delicious. Pati and Fany started us off with a refreshing agua de limón con chía (limeade with chia seeds), both sweet and a little filling. L.A. Cetto provided the wines for the evening, which were paired with gorditas de frijol refrito (corn dough patties, reminded me of arepas), pipián verde (a tomatillo and pumpkin seed sauce, with chicken), pipián rojo con camarones (a tomato, chile, and pumpkin seed sauce with shrimp), arroz verde (green rice made with poblano chiles), ensalada tricolor con queso fresco (red, white, and green salad), Opereta Mexicana (Mexican Opera cake), paletas (Mexican popsicles) and pistachio marzipan. I went home that night and couldn’t go to sleep until I had told Michael all about it. In fact my eyes kind of rolled back in my head as I just typed all of that.

So if it was all so fantastic, why didn’t I write about the experience earlier? Because I’ve been waiting, not always patiently, but waiting nonetheless for our tomatillo plants to bear fruit so that I could make that wonderful pipián verde. And my patience has been rewarded.

I can’t describe how much I adore those little lantern-like shapes that hang from our tomatillo plants. As always, we have both green and purple tomatillos in the garden, and like every year, the plants take all summer to grow, then they finally start bearing fruit around the end of August. It’s so hard to wait, but so worth it in the end.

The sauce is fantastic. Michael raved about it and the boys all went back for seconds. I served it with a garlic sautéed shrimp and the arroz verde. When you purchase your pumpkin seeds, you may find them raw or roasted still in the shell, raw shelled, or shelled and toasted. I happened to find them raw shelled at Wegman’s in their bulk foods section, which was easy, and I used two full cups of them. To toast the seeds, you can dry toast them in a skillet on the stove or toast them in the oven, your choice. The chiles are meant to add just a little heat, mostly flavor, but if you want a spicier version, just leave some of the seeds in the sauce.

And for goodness sake, if you live in the DC area, treat yourself to one of these culinary events at the Mexican Cultural Institute. You won’t regret it.

TOMATILLO AND PUMPKIN SEED SAUCE WITH SHRIMP (PIPIÁN VERDE CON CAMARONES)

Adapted from Patricia Jinich.

Makes about 2 quarts.

Equipment

large skillet or baking sheet
4-quart saucepan with a lid
food processor or blender

Ingredients

SAUCE
2 cups (5 ounces/142 g) raw pumpkin seeds (the meaty part, minus the shells)
1-1/2 pounds (681 g) green tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
4 cloves garlic
1-2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/3 cup chopped white onion (about 1/2 a medium onion)
2 cups cilantro leaves, loosely packed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 quart (1 l) chicken broth, homemade or purchased low-sodium

SHRIMP
2 pounds (908 g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 41-50 per pound)
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation

1. SAUCE: Toast the pumpkin seeds in the large skillet over medium heat (or in the oven on the baking sheet at 350° F/175° C), stirring and tossing, until they being to smell fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.

2. In the 4-quart saucepan, add the whole tomatillos, garlic, and chiles and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the tomatillos are cooked all the way through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In the food processor, grind the pumpkin seeds until you have a coarse powder. Add the cooked tomatillos along with the garlic, chiles, and cooking liquid. Add the onion, cilantro, and salt, and puree until smooth.

4. In the saucepan, warm the canola oil over medium heat, then pour in the tomatillo puree and add the chicken broth. Stir well and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Let the sauce simmer until it has thickened and changed color, about 35 minutes.

5. SHRIMP: About 5 minutes before the sauce finishes, warm the remaining canola oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté just until it releases its fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook while stirring, until the shrimp turns pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Don’t let them go much longer or they’ll be tough. Transfer to a serving bowl and squeeze some lime over it. Serve with the pipián verde.

More Recipes with Tomatillos

More Recipes with Tomatillos From Around the Blogs

Sass & Veracity – Chocolate Chipotle Cakes with Tomatillo Sauce and Cream

Food Blogga – Healthy Baked Halibut Tacos with Pineapple-Tomatillo Salsa

We Are Never Full – Shredded Chicken Sopes with Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

Homesick Texan – Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

The week before I went to the International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) in New Orleans, I had some serious cravings for Cajun and Creole food. I had gumbo, jambalaya, and pralines on the brain and needed to take care of that situation. Since the kitchen counters were overrun with ripe tomatoes and more were hanging out in the garden waiting to be picked, it had to be a recipe that called for lots of tomatoes, and this shrimp creole was it. The flavors are so good that even my pickiest eaters all had second helpings. It went fast.

The ingredients are all widely available and in terms of cooking techniques, it’s pretty simple. If you’ve never made a roux, this is a good recipe to learn with because it calls for a golden roux, which doesn’t take as long as a dark roux, and it’s not a huge batch, so if something goes wrong and the roux burns, you won’t lose a bunch of ingredients. If you’re out of fresh tomatoes, you can substitute a 28-ounce can plus a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes.

The recipe is adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden, one of two cookbooks from Renee Shepherd, the immensely talented and knowledgeable owner of Renee’s Garden. I bought both of her cookbooks because they have so many great recipes for homegrown produce, and all the recipes are organized by the main vegetable or herb. If you have a vegetable and herb garden, I highly recommend Shepherd’s books.

And in the meantime, enjoy a little taste of New Orleans.

SHRIMP CREOLE

Adapted from Recipes From A Kitchen Garden, by Renee Shepherd & Fran Ruboff.

Serves 4.

Equipment

6-quart Dutch oven or stock pot with lid

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup (30 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 pounds (1.135 k) fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 (8-ounce/227 g) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 small bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken stock
salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
2 pounds (908 g) shrimp, peeled and deveined

SERVE WITH
brown rice
chopped parsley, for garnish

Preparation

1. In the Dutch oven, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the canola oil over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the flour turns golden brown and has a nutty taste, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour mixture to a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat the remaining canola oil in the Dutch oven and add the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic. Sauté until they are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Return the flour mixture to the pot.

3. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, brown sugar, and chicken stock. Stir and bring it all to a boil. Reduce heat and cook covered at a simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, then remove the bay leaf.

4. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately in bowls over rice, and garnish with the chopped parsley.

More New Orleans Style Food

More Good New Orleans Food From Around the Blogs

Nola Cuisine – Andouille Sausage

Hedonia – Jambalaya

What We’re Eating – Ooey Gooey Warm King Cake

The Perfect Pantry – Gumbo Ya Ya

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.