spanish style chicken. & baby kale salad.

So, my mum got me a Le Creuset for Christmas (thanks mum!)...I broke it out immediately & started my cooking experiments.  I made this Spanish inspired chicken, & I overheard my brother Peter say that he could eat this dinner every night of his life. So, I thought I would share with all of you.

spanish style chicken.
serves 4

extra virgin olive oil
7-8 thin slices of chorizo (or chicken chorizo)
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4-6 free range chicken thighs, cleaned & patted dry
sea salt & cracked
a big handful of parsley, roughly chopped

1. In a dutch oven or cast iron pan, heat oil over medium-high heat & add chorizo. Fry for about 7-8 minutes allowing all the beautiful paprika flavors to release into the oil. 
2. Add onion & garlic. Stir for a minute or so & add  chicken skin side down. Season and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip, season, & cook another 4 minutes allowing the chicken to brown & seal in the tenderness.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Flip the chicken one more time & pop into the oven. Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes. Take the chicken out & let it rest in the pan for about 10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle parsley over the chicken. Season to taste. Serve with a salad or some roasted potatoes.

baby kale & tomato salad.
serves 4
I am having an obsession with baby kale. I think you may too.

4 big handfuls of baby kale
1 pint of cherry tomato (multi-colored are always fun), halved
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup of day old bread, cut into cubes
sea salt & cracked pepper
1/2 recipe of perfect jam-jar dressing

1. In a pan, over medium heat, add bread & a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Season & toast for about 10 minutes until browned. 
2. Toss all ingredients into a bowl & dress to your taste.

happy eatings & cheers!

vietnamese bun cha. {grainfree & dairy-free}

23 October 2011

I have been on a real Vietnamese & Thai food kick lately. This meal is relatively simple, light & packed with lovely favors. I found this recipe in Saveur Magazine, but adjusted it a bit. Traditionally Bun Cha is made with pork, but since I do not eat red meat I made it with ground organic dark turkey meat & added grated ginger for a little extra flavor.

Vietnamese Bun Cha.

serves 4

for the meatballs.

2 TBL sugar or palm sugar
5 TBL water
1 lb. organic ground turkey
1 large shallot, minced as small as possible
3 TBL fish sauce
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

for the sauce.

2 TBL fish sauce
2 TBL rice vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1½ c. water
1 clove minced or grated garlic
1 red Thai chile, minced
parsley for garnishing

1 package of rice noodles (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water & cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat & add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1½ hours (it really lets the flavors meld while establishing a great texture).
3. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a mixing bowl (I let it sit out on the counter for an hour or two so it was room temperature when it was time to eat).
4. When the turkey is through marinating, remove from the refrigerator & shape into small balls or patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Put them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Heat a broiler to high.
5. Bring a pot of water to a boil & cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. 
6. Meanwhile, broil the meatballs until fully cooked & slightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.
7. Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the noodles onto the sauce. Then the meatballs on top of the noodles. I included some sauteed spinach in our bowls. Spinach is super nutritious & a zip to cook up. 

happy eatings & cheers.



lemon tarragon chicken. {grain-free option}

4 September 2011

This recipe is from At Home with Magnolia by Allysa Torey who co-owns Magnolia Bakery in NYC. This book is absolutely fantastic. I have been cherishing & utilizing this book for a few years now. The pages are already starting to fall apart. The recipes are lovely, easy, homey & really all things that are nostalgically American. Not only are the recipes great, but the pictures are wonderful too (who doesn't love great pictures in a cook book?).

This is a favorite in our house--easily I could eat it every week. The recipe is great, so I do not change a thing. Torey suggests to serve it with rice pilaf, but I usually just make broccoli or steamed greens because I find that this dish is on the richer-side.

Lemon Tarragon Chicken.

serves 4

2 TBL butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt & pepper

1/4 cup flour (or 2 TBL arrowroot powder)
1/4 tsp sea salt
pepper

1 pound boneless chicken cut into chunks (organic or free-range)
olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon

To make the sauce:

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic, reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is very tender (8-10 minutes). Add the chicken stock and wine, raise the heat to medium high and gently boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half, 15 – 20 minutes. Add the cream, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set side.

To make the chicken:
In a gallon size ziploc bag, combine the flour or arrowroot powder, salt and pepper to taste. add the chicken, close the bag, and shake to coat, break up the pieces with your hand if they stick together. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. add the chicken and saute until golden brown and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken, stir to combine and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in tarragon, reduce heat to medium and cook another 2-3 minutes.

happy eatings & cheers!