Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog, page 87
November 24, 2013
Turkey in a Cardamom Sage Sauce
This is sort of planned recipe for leftover turkey, and given my mood today I should have probably waited until post Thanksgiving to post this recipe. It would not change the recipe, that has been nicely tested and tried but it might actually change my good. Today, has been a really long day, not a bad one, but with more activities that I can handle. We had committed to a benefit dinner, which I finally dragged myself to, even dragged the husband who was complaining bitterly about being made to change on such a day. Well, post dinner I did not continue the post as planned, but left if for Sunday, which seems to have been carved out of the artic.
Sometimes, on weekends such as this, I am glad about having recipe commitments, because otherwise I would skip posting altogether. I have been reading and fussing around the house trying to stay warm and generally planning my Thanksgiving menu. Well, I did say planned recipe, so yes, earlier I had been asked by KOL foods to try their turkey for a post thanksgiving campaign and used their turkey legs for creating this recipe. The fun part of this was that this was the first time I had tried cooking with turkey parts, so this will be great in the event I do not want to cook a whole turkey, which would make my husband very happy, since he is the turkey naysayer in our house. This turkey was great to work with for a deeply flavorful, slow cooked sauce. Adding the flavors of cardamom and sage to this sauce offer it a lovely seasonal taste. I would bet that this curry would taste great with duck legs too, in fact, on my list of things to try someday.
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Turkey in a Cardamom Sage Sauce
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
A flavorful recipe for turkey, with seasonal sage and cardamom, this recipe is great for leftover turkey.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons oil2 medium sized white or red onions, diced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup coconut milk
6 green cardamoms (gently bruised)
2 black cardamoms
1 large stick of cinnamon, (about 2 inches)
3/4 cup raisins or craisins or a mixture
11/2 cups of chopped cooked turkey or 2 turkey legs uncooked (see recipe note on using the different kinds of turkey)
To finish
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Instructions
Heat the oil on medium heat and add in the onions. Let the onions cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until they soften, wilt and turn into a light toffee color.Add in the ginger and stir well for about a minute.
Add in the turmeric, cayenne and mix well. If you are using uncooked turkey, please add it in at this point of time.
Add in the tomatoes and the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
Add in the green and black cardamoms and the cinnamon stick.
Place in a slow cooker and cook on high for about 2 hours. Stir in the raisins and or craisins and the cooked turkey and simmer for another 30 minutes.
Serve this garnished with the sage and almonds.
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Turkey in a Tomato and Sour Cream Sauce
With the holiday weekend drawing to a close, I have been reflecting and generally feeling peaceful. It has been a weekend of good food, good company and lots of good cups of tea. Cups of tea savored on a pile of kitchen throw rugs.
My daughter has been asked to write about traditions these weekend for her assignment. We do not have a very traditional household and being first generation transplants, a lot of the more traditional part of my family has been left over back in India. I think most people will agree that a large part of the Thangiving tradition is the post thanksgiving creativity with leftovers, turkey and beyond.
One of my thanksgiving traditions is about having company on Saturday, I like to use the day to catch up with people I somehow could not fit in mostly due to scheduling constraints on Thursday and usually make something that has become one of my unlikely signature dishes. It is unlikely, because unlike most signature dishes I do not make it all the time but this time of the year, I make it once or twice and it is usually a much loved dish. Even the turkey averse husband likes it.
If you are looking for an impressive way to use up those leftovers give this recipe a try. It also works well with leftover chicken and certainly adapts well to fresh shrimp.
This recipe is a riff on the classic tikka masala and butter chicken preparations, it is somewhat milder and significantly more dependent on the use of tomatoes. I do not use any fresh cream but do finish of with a touch of butter. The only thing here is to cook the sauce, low and slow or it might curdle.
We enjoyed the meal with fresh homemade naans and a very interesting Indian red wine. It was the first time I had an Indian red that I had bought outside of India a young cabernet that completed the meal and made it interesting and eventful.
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Turkey in a Tomato and Sour Cream Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
A riff on the classic chicken tikka masala made with leftover turkey and can be done with leftover chicken too!
Ingredients
1/4 cup oil (canola or grapeseed)3 tablespoons grated ginger
4 pods of pressed garlic
2 onions, finely diced
8 tomatoes, cut into a small dice
2 black cardamoms
1 tablespoon cumin coriander powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced green chilies
1 tablespoon tandoori masala
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup low fat sour cream
2 tablespoons kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 cup whole milk or evaporated skim milk
2 cups of cooked leftover turkey or chicken
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
Place the oil in a heavy hard anodized pan and heat on medium heat for a minute.Add in the ginger and the garlic followed by the onion and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add in the onion and cook slowly for about 6 to 7 minutes.
Add in the chopped tomatoes and the black cardamoms, cumin coriander powder, salt, the tandoori masala and the minced green chilies and mix in well. Gently, cook the tomatoes on low heat stirring frequently for about 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and gently melt into a smooth sauce.
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November 20, 2013
Linguine with Greens, Chickpeas and Almonds
I love a simple bowl of pasta! In fact, if I had my wish, I would live on pasta!
Other than the fact, my husband does not necessarily share my love for this wonderful carb rich and comforting creation, (in fact, he has actually condescended to have it as a regular staple in the house after the kids), I unfortunately do not think my ever expanding waistline can stand it.
My best kind of pasta dishes are those that are inspired by something simple tossed together, tomatoes and basil in a spicy rustic sauce in summer, garlic and bitter greens in fall and may chicken and squash in winter… Now, I usually add a nice dose of crushed pepper, usually while I am heating the olive oil this keeps my Indian palate happy!
Pasta for me is also a good base for legumes, they often make the essential protein that completes the dish. I often have chickpeas or white beans hanging around. They are so handy to add to anything, nutritious and comforting just perfect for this cool fall that we have been having. This week is probably meant to test my patience… I am working late for quite a few days this week, and the cold and windy weather is not helping!
I am happy that I have been walking to work most of these days, rather than wimping out, however, I have all but given up on the morning walk to the station.
In an interesting turn of affairs, my daughter has suddenly seemed to develop a social life of her own. So, this week she has scheduled two play dates and the Friday date has happily declared she loves chicken curry! So, part of me is really thrilled about this, this whole thing about others getting excited about Indian food makes my kids very happy. It sends them on a general Indian exploration spree, as I always say food and culture are so interrelated. So, at least that helps me get somewhat motivated about cooking a meal for the ten-year olds after a long day of work.
Of course, if mom is reading this blog, she will be shaking her head going, looking how smart these foreigners are getting! Yes, she call anyone anywhere who is not of Indian origin a foreigner. They have realized the value of eating and enjoying a good chicken curry while you have been feeding your family pasta. So, back to the pasta, today’s edition was all about chickpeas, almonds and bitter greens (kale and rapini from the garden).
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Linguine with Greens, Chickpeas and Almonds
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
A weeknight pasta dish that is healthy, hearty with some lively crunch from almonds.
Ingredients
41/2 tablespoons EVOO4 pods of minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarsely ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
11/2 cups of chopped mixed greens (I used chopped rapini/broccoli rabe)
¾ cup of cooked chickpeas
8 oz dried linguine (cooked per the directions on the package) I start this while I work on the rest of the stuff.
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
¾ cup of coarsely chopped almonds (I chopped them with the skin on)
Instructions
Heat the about 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and add in the garlic and gently cook the garlic for about a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant and turns into a dark shade of toffee. Watch this as garlic moves from delicious to burnt within seconds.Add in the cumin and the red pepper flakes and stir well.
Add in the greens and cook until they wilt.
Stir in the chickpeas and the cooked pasta and mix well.
In a separate pan, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil and add the almonds and stir lightly for a couple of minutes to allow them to gently toast.
Mix in the almonds and serve with the pasta.
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November 16, 2013
Green Tomato and Peanut Chutney
This time of the year, brings with it that frosty night when we know the garden has to be wound down least the tomatoes and peppers. I end up with loads of peppers, usually in our case a combination of spicy ones and the colorful fragrant bells, a few eggplants and loads of green tomatoes.
My husband would have liked a few more weeks of the season, at least up to Thanksgiving. I am happy that this year feels more normal than the previous two years, where we ended our garden with storms like Irene or Sandy.
I have learnt however that nature has its own pace and cannot be questioned, I accept its ways and go with the flow in life and of course in the kitchen. As we braced a week with super cold temperatures, the house was filled with loads of comfort food. The children are now into Indian style breakfasts and brunches, it is all about dosas, poha, upma and such.
I am so delighted about their interest in anything Indian especially in the food arena, I am more than willing to bend over backwards to oblige. One of the key ingredients that make a good Southern style Indian tiffin complete is a chutney, usually a savory one. Now, this is where I use some of my green tomatoes this time of the year, as I say, there is more to a green tomato’s life than being breaded and deep fried. Not that they do not taste great that way! Now, back to the chutney on hand, this is cooked and seasoned much like a South Indian chutney, and tastes pretty good. I add a touch of tamarind and some fennel as an unusual note of flavor.
In what is beginning to look like an insanely busy week from hell, breakfasts and weekends like this one are important for preserving and keeping my sanity. Well, the good news is after the crazy busy week, we have Thanksgiving which is my favoritest holiday!
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Green Tomato and Peanut Chutney
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
A savory chutney made with South Indian seasoning with seasonal green tomatoes and peanuts.
Ingredients
2 green medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 pound)1/2 cup raw unsalted peanuts
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1 inch piece ginger
2 green chilies
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon tamarind paste or juice of a lime
For the tempering
2 teaspoons oil
a pinch of asafetida
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon while lentils (urad dal)
1 to 2 dried red chilies
a few curry leaves
Instructions
1. Place the tomatoes, peanuts, cilantro, ginger, green chilies, salt, fennel seeds, tamarind or lime juice with 2 tablespoons of water in a blender.2. Pulse a few times to coarsely mix the ingredients and then process into a smooth puree.
3. Place in a bowl.
4. In a small container heat the oil and add in the asafetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, white lentils and cook until the mustard begins crackling.
5. Add in the dried red chilies, stir well and add the curry leaves and turn off the flame.
6. Pour the seasoned oil over the chutney and stir lightly. Cover and let the flavors settle for at least 15 minutes before serving.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.2http://cookinginwestchester.com/2013/11/green-tomato-and-peanut-chutney.html
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November 15, 2013
Paradise Pointe – Birayani House
One of the fun activities that I have done a couple of times is two clips for CT style TV. It has given me a huge sense of awareness on how to cook spontaneously, knowing there is little room for errors. The folks at the station have however been so encouraging, it has done wonders for my confidence. These shootings have offered me a good day out and I have stocked up on Indian supplies on my way back. The last time, I stopped for lunch at Paradise Biryani Pointe.
With these clips, this one I thought went well. This one, well I kind of winged it. Someday, when I have more time and confidence, I shall explain the winging.
This place would be an unlikely stop, if I were to go on appearances alone. It is a rather non-descript looking place and is all about their core business – serving Birayani. However stepping in at lunchtime, I noticed two things that surprised me – the place was bustling with people, not a common occurrence at our neck of the woods on a weekday afternoon and the second thing was that the place was filled with mostly Indians. Folks, this is a great endorsement for any ethnic joint. I love a good birayani, however, I have to confess that I have been disappointed on various occasions, however with hope in my heart I ordered the Goat Birayani, set to a medium level of spice. As I waited, I took some time to survey the simple set up that was geared towards efficient serving with paper ware and the buffet all set up for easy access. I studied the rest of their menu which was made up delicacies that were typical of Hyderabad, a town in Southern India that was noted for their rich and diverse cuisine.
The biryani arrived, in a simple and traditional copper service. It was appropriately embellished with sliced red onions, lime wedges and thin and soothing raita. One taste convinced me that they take their spices seriously, I might even opt for mild the next time around! This was indeed a very good biryani. After, I was done I ordered their Double ka Meetha, which on second thoughts I should have skipped. The dessert was serviceable and more of a let-down given the amazing quality of their biryani. So, as things go, I would strongly recommend your visiting this small spot, but only if you are a fan of the Indian delicacy called biryani.
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November 10, 2013
Cranberry and Apricot Chutney
The weather outside is frightful! Gosh, once the mercury dips, I am ready to turn into a pumpkin, well in many senses of the word. Given how much of snacking I have been indulging in, I think I am perfecting the pumpkin look! Even as I write this, I am sitting under a couple of cozy comforters.
Snacks and fritters in the Indian kitchen have to have their share of dips and relishes, that which we collectively call chutney. Every year, I have to sneak in a couple of Bengali style chutneys. The Bengali chutney is really what inspired the British to adapt ruin to the modern day mango chutneys. As everyone knows, my quest is to find local solutions to childhood flavors, and the cranberry is definitely a winner in the chutney department. I have a variation of this recipe in my cookbook, and this one was different enough for me to document for posterity.
I had meant to do this earlier in the week, but was interrupted with the various activities that are collectively called life. This autumn has been an exceptionally cold and beautiful one. I was lucky to wander and capture a few beautiful moments while waiting for Deepta at her scouts meeting.
Life with its pace does not afford me a lot of time for repose, however, I am grateful that I am able to cull through the simple moments of life to find color and beauty.
We are often caught up in the chase, without realizing how lucky we are. It is indeed a privilege and gift to enjoy so much beauty in the daily meanderings of life. This recipe, works well on a typical Bengali table, works as a condiment, will work on your Thanksgiving table and in moderation will work well in a seasonal grilled cheese sandwich.
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Cranberry and Apricot Chutney
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Makes 11/2 cups
A simple colorful and lightly spiced cranberry and apricot chutney.
Ingredients
11/2 tablespoons of oil (preferably mustard)11/2 tablespoon very finely diced or grated ginger
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 cup of cranberries
4 bay leaves
11/2 cups of water
3/4 cup of brown sugar
11/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of slivered apricots
Instructions
1. Heat the oil and add in the ginger and saute lightly for a minutes.2. Add in the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add in the nigella seeds.
3. Add in the cranberries and the bay leaves and the water and sugar and the red pepper flakes.
4. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the cranberries pop and soften, you will actually hear the cranberries pop! My kids have a lot of fun with this.
5. Stir in the apricots and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Cool and serve. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.2http://cookinginwestchester.com/2013/11/cranberry-and-apricot-chutney.html
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November 7, 2013
Pass the Prociutto- Ham and Kale Fritters
Ham or Prociutto is not a very common ingredient in my kitchen, so, yes this is a sponsored post. However, here and there everything finds its way on to my table. Something that I commonly do with prociotto is to wrap it with melon and my go to variety. This time around, I wanted to try something different.
This time round, I wanted to try something a little different and thought of mapping them into fritters. Interestingly enough, when I first got the post information I thought that this was supposed to be a Gluten-Free post because Parma Ham promotes itself as a Gluten-Free product. Later, once I realized that we could be more free-style that I had thought, I still wanted to see if I could come up with a gluten-free fritter.
Increasingly, I have more and more friends avoiding gluten-so I keep striving for a holiday table with enough options for everyone. What I ended up in this fritter was using a lentil base something that is really very common on the Indian table, but not often paired with the prosciutto. We ended up with a very earthy and light tasting fritter that I served with cranberry-apricot chutney. Yes, the chutney was a keeper as well. So, stay tuned for my next post, where I will definitely share the recipe.
Parma
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Prociutto and Kale Fritters
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 20 minutes
A fusion take on a crisp and lightly spiced fritter
Ingredients
¾ cup white lentils2 cups of hot water
4 pods of garlic
1 green chili
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped kale
½ cup parma ham
1 tablespoon minced tarragon
Oil for frying
Instructions
Soak the lentils in hot water for about 4 hours. Drain the lentils lightly. Place the lentils with garlic and green chilies and salt in a blender and blend until smooth.Whip the puree with the salt for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the kale, ham and the tarragon.
Heat the oil on medium heat in a wok.
Drop tablespoons of the batter in the wok and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with the chutney.
Notes
Most of the prep time is for soaking.
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November 2, 2013
Diwali and Kali Puja – The auspicious fourteen greens and candles.
Diwali or Kali Puja, is the grand finale to Indian Autumn festivals, it is also the North Indian New Year. In fact, we are lucky, since in this household we get to do New Year thrice. We have New Year’s day, then we have Bengali New Year and finally there is Diwali.
Although, I will confess, that our festivals more often than not, are jostled between soccer and other weekend chores, and, that is life as we know and love it (ok, I made up the love part!)
Bengalees celebrate the festival of Kali Puja, with at least fourteen candles. This is symbolic, as the fourteen lamps or choddo prodeep are for fourteen ancestors, seven from each side of the family. This is very typical of a lot of Hindu celebrations where we think of the departed and pray for them before we move on to the ceremonies of the current.
The last time, I was in India with my father for Kali Puja, mom was in the hospital so we were lighting the lamps or diyas together.
Broccoli Raab
Dad, suddenly said we should light fifteen, essentially he said, there must be someone without children or others lighting a candle for them and so we should light the fifteenth candle for such people. This was classic Dad, always thinking of others in his own little way. So, to remember his thoughts, we light fifteen candles with the last one just a little away.
Kale
However, we make sure that it is prettier that the others. Of course, the children have decided that this symbolizes the cat’s ancestor’s – I guess whatever works!
Broccoli Greens
Now we move onto the more tricky business of the fourteen greens, which is also traditional fare for the festival. It is usually fun to gather these greens on the morning of Kali Puja. I have always been skeptical about finding fourteen greens in our garden, especially since this is a fading time of the year. But, this year, I ventured and this is what I came up with.
Chives
So, the chives, especially the garlic chives and the regular chives have been a lot of fun for us, this year and we have enjoyed them in many ways.
Garlic Chives
While they are very different in their flavor, it is difficult to tell them apart, although the garlic chives have slightly broader leaves and when flowering, they have white flowers as opposed to the purple ones that the regular chives produce.
Radish Greens
Then I ventured into the veggies section, a lot of the fall vegetables have lovely edible greens.
Carrot Tops
To get to the magic number, I snipped some carrot tops as well. These are feathery and I am not terribly fond of them, so I had just a symbolic amount to add to the mix.
Beet Greens
To make up for the sparse amounts of carrots, I added generous amounts of my favorite beet greens, these added some lovely color to the mix.
Turnip Greens
Now moving onto the sharper greens, I had a nice helping of turnip greens, these greens are nice and remind me to mustard greens.
Dandelion Greens
Moving on from spicy, there is a nice touch of bitterness from the dandelion greens.
Spinach
The spinach in our garden, is the New Zealand variety, a little more robust and well suited for the New York fall.
mint
For some flavor and fun, I then went to the herb garden.
With mint and sage joining the fun and finally wrapped up with chard.
Chard
In case, you are wondering what happens with these greens they are actually all chopped up and sauteed with mustard oil, salt, red chilies and some Bengali Five Spice. As, I often say the fun of traditions is often just digging them up and savoring the moment. It was a lot of fun to relearn the garden on a beautiful autumn day.
Fourteen Greens
Here is hoping that the festive season offers you many such simple and spontaneous moments!
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October 30, 2013
Maple and Sage Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Cipollini Onions
The past few days have be seasonally pretty but unseasonably cold (at least in my opinion) resulting in my reaching out for several comforting, “stick to the ribs” kind of fare. I realize that most people would agree, that I do not need more to stick to the ribs, but this comforting one dish chicken redolent with all the herbs of the season is definitely worth a try. Maple and Herb Roast chicken complete with sweet potatoes makes a perfect one dish meal, that is great for these cool and busy evenings. I love this time of the year, despite the fact that all the various components of my life leave me rather busy. I have however decided that I function well (yes, I know, I am crazy!) when I am frantically busy. Somehow, it offers me less time to procrastinate and that helps!
Despite, the rather homely looking picture (which I managed to grab, as I was out and out about, just before serving it up), this does make for a pretty dish. Seasoned with a beautiful maple and ginger glaze, the chicken is cooked up in a fairly tight serving dish resulting in a moist and saucy bird. I add in sweet potatoes and pearl or cipollini onions to absorb the sauce, which is well seasoned with sage and chives from the garden to create balance and character making this a comforting one-dish meal that does not need much attention. The depth of the pure maple syrup works magically with the herbs and sweet potatoes.
In fact, I pre-assemble the chicken the night before and stick it in the oven a couple of hours before we are ready to eat, a little basting here and there and that is all folks!
The best part of this dish is that we can use the leftovers, for soup the following day. Sure there are plenty of ways to use the leftovers my family loves this as a chicken and red lentil soup that I cook up in the slow cooker. Comforting and hearty, the recipe for the soup is for another day when we are ready for another one dish meal. Any remaining pan drippings can also be added to flavor the soup.
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Maple and Sage Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Chipollini Onions
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8
A lovely roast chicken one-pot meal that is redolent with the colors and flavors of fall.
Ingredients
1 3 to 4 pound, organic and free range chickenFor the seasoning or marinade
1 tablespoon paprika
2 limes
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
20 sage leaves
½ cup of chopped chives, plus extra to garnish
½ cup of pure maple syrup
For the cooking
4 large sticks cinnamon
3 to 4 bay leaves
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
15 pods of garlic
15-20 cipolllini or pearl onions, peeled and halved
Instructions
Place the chicken on a flat surface and loosen the skin.In a mixing bowl add the paprika, cut and squeeze in the lime juice, salt and red cayenne pepper, turmeric, sage leaves, the half cup of chives and the maple syrup.
Rub and spread the chicken with this mixture, allowing it to reach the corners and under the skin and crevices.
Place the chicken in a large casserole or roasting dish.
Break the cinnamon in large pieces, place around the chicken and add the bay leaves.
Scatter the sweet potatoes, garlic and the onions.
Cover the chicken with a large piece of foil and set aside for 4 hours to overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and cook the chicken for an hour with the foil on.
After an hour, remove the foil and baste the chicken well with the drippings, cook uncovers for 1 hour or a little longer to ensure a moist and well cooked chicken.
Remove the chicken, garnish with more chives.
To serve, cut up pieces, spoon on a plate with the sauce and vegetables, discard any whole spices.
Notes
Most the prep time is for marinating and the chicken cooks well in the oven with minimal attention.
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October 27, 2013
Creamy Tofu and Red Grape Kebabs
It certainly is the season for comfort foods. It is also the season for a lot of action on the calendar, in addition to the usual try adding some Indian festivals to the mix. It is for times like this my tofu and red grape kebabs come in handy.
These kebabs are surprisingly simple and works well either as an appetizer or a main meal. Leftovers can be tossed up with tomatoes, cilantro and onions to make a quick and fragrant stir-fry. With my kids it’s all about the bamboo skewers. Despite their creamy texture and appearance, these kebabs are vegan and gluten-free to boot. The secret ingredients in this marinade are maple syrup and tahini. The base made with wonderful thick sesame paste offers a deep rich texture for spices and clings well to the tofu. These kebabs with their gentle golden colors melded with the delicate red sweetness of the roasted grapes brings a recipe that is perfect for these cool and sunny fall days that we have been having. The golden yellows, deep oranges and bright reds all make me think of the holidays.
The real reason why this recipe works on a weekend is because of how flexible it is. It marinates by itself and gets done in less than 15 to 20 minutes. It works either in the oven or on a cast iron pan and of course works fine on a grill, but looks like our grilling days are over for the season. The kids are always disappointed if they do not have essential comforting food on weekends. They usually like to sit down and chat over food, with each other and with us. It is very inspiring for me to realize how much they have come to appreciate the comfort of eating, the act of sharing, caring and breaking bread together.
The challenge for me to recreate this in a world that is on the go, in between rituals of dance, homework and other activities and not to mention hustling and trying to sell books, LOL one can never forget that! Earlier this week I was invited by the Canadian maple folks to join their contest, you think someone might have told them of my maple syrup obsession affection.
Print
Creamy Tofu and Red Grape Kebabs
Prep Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
A creamy sweet and savory creation with tofu, maple syrup, red grapes and comforting seasonings.
Ingredients
½ cup tahini1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon powdered coriander seeds
1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seeds (powdered)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (powdered)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
Salt to taste
2 limes
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure dark maple syrup
10 – 12 ounces extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
25 to 30 red grapes
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
1 red onion, sliced
Chopped Chives to garnish
Instructions
Place the tahini in a blender. Add in the coriander seeds, ginger, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, grated nutmeg and the fenugreek leaves (if using). If you find it difficult to get the fenugreek leaves you can leave them out, otherwise the maple like fragrance of fenugreek leaves will actually complement the deep notes of the maple syrup.Add in the salt, squeeze in the lime juice and add in the maple syrup. Blend this to a smooth marinade.
Cube the tofu and add to the tahini maple marinade and set aside for 2 hours. This mixture can be left overnight in the refrigerator.
Mix the thyme with the remaining two tablespoons of the maple syrup.
Lightly toss the grapes in this mixture.
To assemble, skewer the tofu and the red grapes alternately.
Either pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and drizzle a baking dish with the olive oil.
Place the skewers in a single layers and bake for 10 minutes and turn and add the onions and bake for another 6 to 7 minutes and finish by broiling on low for a couple of minutes.
Alternately heat a cast iron skillet and drizzle with oil place the skewers in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, letting the cubes turn gently golden. They need to be turned 4 times and halfway into the process you can add the onions in a corner to allow them to cook a little.
Arrange the skewers on a plate and serve them garnished with chopped chives.
Notes
The prep time includes 2 hours for marinating.
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