Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cookies

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (i know we’re not baking them, it’s for flavor)
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment (or with a large bowl and a wooden spoon) cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes in the machine. Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and wanuts.

Scoop large spoonfuls or ice cream scoops onto a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Spear each dough ball with a cute plastic fork or a popsicle stick. Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.

When ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan over a low flame or in the microwave. Remove balls from the freezer and dip into warm chocolate. Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden. Serve cold from the freezer.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Granola Bars

2-½ cups Rolled Oats
1-½ cup Nuts, Chopped, I Used Walnuts And Pecans
¼ cups Shredded Coconut
½ cups Raisins
6 Tablespoons Salted Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1-½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
6 Tablespoons Liquid Honey
2 Tablespoons Molasses


Toast oats, nuts and coconut in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, stirring often. Remove to a large bowl and toss with raisins.

Place butter, sugar, cinnamon, honey and molasses in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir into oat mixture until evenly coated. Let sit just until cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, line a 7×11 inch pan with plastic wrap. Spoon mixture into pan, pressing down to compact. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Once firmed, remove from pan, peel away plastic wrap and slice into 16 bars (half lengthwise and then into 8). Wrap individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, if desired. Store covered at room temperature.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Carrot Cake Pancakes



Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used a smidge less)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional, I skipped them)
2 tablespoons golden raisins (optional, ditto)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots (from about a 3/4 pound bundle whole carrots)
3 tablespoons butter, for griddle

Cream cheese topping
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash of ground cinnamon

Place a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat to 200°F. This will keep the pancakes warmed as they’re fried in batches.

To make the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and, if using, nuts and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in carrots. Stir carrot mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until just Incorporated. Let rest for five minutes while you make the cream cheese topping.

To make the cream cheese topping: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and lump-free. Whisk in powdered sugar, two tablespoons milk, vanilla and cinnamon. If you’d like the mixture thinner, add the remaining tablespoon of milk (I did not).

Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a cast-iron skillet or griddle pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into the hot pan per pancake (to me, this seemed like too little but after experimenting with larger pancakes, I advise you to listen to Joy; It’s a wiggly batter and much easier to and cook in small puddles), flipping once, until pancakes are golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer finished pancakes to a serving dish or tray in the oven, to keep warm while you repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed.

Serve warm with cream cheese topping.

Smitten Kitchen

Sunday, December 09, 2012

Cranberry and Lime Muffins



7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping

Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.

Whisk milk, egg, yolk, vanilla and lime zest until combined. Add the brown butter and whisk to combine.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl Add milk and butter mixture all at one and stir gently to combine. Gently but thoroughly fold in the cranberries.

Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.

Generously sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes then remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Joy the Baker

Chicken and Chorizo


1 whole, bone in chicken breast with skin (about 1 1/2 lbs), thighs can be substituted
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs veggie oil
1 lb Chorizo sausage, sliced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbs tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 cup long grain rice
Tabasco sauce, for serving



Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, 4 minutes; turn over and cook until browned on the second side, 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and discard the skin.

In the same pan, brown the sausages over moderately high heat, 4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot. Add the celery, bell pepper and onion and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the flour and the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the flour smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and sausages to the pot. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. (Your meat thermometer should read at least 165 degrees F.)
Transfer the chicken and sausages to a cutting board. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Slice the sausages into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Return both to the pot, and stir in the scallions and rice. Simmer until heated through, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve with Tabasco

Adapted from Ezra Poundcake

Zucchini Bread Pancakes


2 large eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons light brown, dark brown or granulated sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk or 2 tablespoons each of milk and plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini (from about 9 ounces whole, or 1 1/2 medium zucchini), heaping cups are fine
1 cup all-purpose flour (half can seamlessly be swapped with a whole wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

Butter or oil, for coating skillet

In a large bowl, combine eggs, olive oil, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in zucchini shreds. In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir dry ingredients into zucchini batter, mixing until just combined.

Preheat oven to 200°F and place a tray — foil-lined if you’re into doing fewer dishes later — on a middle rack.
Heat a large, heavy skillet (my favorite for pancakes is a cast-iron) over medium heat. Once hot, melt a pat of butter in pan and swirl it around until it sizzles. Scoop scant 1/4-cup dollops of batter (mine were about 3 tablespoons each) in pan so the puddles do not touch. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook another minute or two, until golden underneath. Transfer pancakes to prepared pan to keep warm as well as ensure that they’re all cooked through when they’re served. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm. Repeat next weekend.

Smitten Kitchen

Saturday, December 01, 2012

Sweet Potato Garlic Knots


  •  1 cup Warm Water
  • 1 envelope (7g Envelope) Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey Or Agave Nectar
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil,, Plus More To Oil The Bowl
  • ½ cups Sweet Potato Puree (fresh Or Canned)
  • 3-½ cups Unbleached Bread Flour
  • 1-½ teaspoon Coarse Kosher Salt
  • Minced Garlic And Olive Oil, To Brush On Baked Knots

Note: To make sweet potato puree, wash and peel sweet potato and cut into 1-inch squares. Place in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and drain into a colander and return to the pot. Mash and allow them to sit while you prepare your other ingredients.  I would try puree that had been roasted.
1. Pour warm water into a medium bowl and slowly whisk in yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, then add honey, olive oil and mashed sweet potato. Whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt. Slowly stir in wet ingredients and continue to stir until it becomes impossible to stir more. Then use your hands to continue mixing and slowly start kneading your dough, adding more flour to your hands to keep it from sticking.
3. Once you’ve created your dough ball, add olive oil to the bottom of your bowl and roll the dough ball in it until it is coated. Cover with Saran wrap or a damp towel and store in a dry place (I use my microwave) for two hours.
4. Around the last 15-minute mark, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Divide your dough into pieces you can easily hold in your fist and roll them into long strips around 8 or 9-inches long. Don’t worry if they’re skinny, they’ll still get fat when they bake. Tie each into a knot, tuck the edges under each side, then place each on the pizza stone.
5. Bake until golden, around 10-15 minutes. Brush with minced garlic and olive oil immediately after removing from oven. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Enchilada Sauce


  • 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
  • 1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes

Pioneer Woman

Amazing Mexican Rice


12 ounces tomatoes, very ripe and cored (I used canned)
1 medium white onion
3 medium jalapenos (I used less for Baby)
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste (may omit if using canned tomatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 lime


Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.

Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.

Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside.

Heat oil in heavy bottomed oven safe 12 inch straight sided sautee pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over low-medium heat about 2 minutes. (I used a pot and transferred to a glass baking dish with a lid) Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful that the oil doesn't get too hot too fast or the oil will splatter.

Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.

Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well after 15 minutes.

Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeno to taste, and pass lime wedges separately.

This rice had even better flavor after being re-heated in the oven.



Sunday, June 17, 2012

Quinoa and Nectarines

1 cup Quinoa 1 TABLESPOON APPLE CIDER VINEGAR OR LEMON JUICE 1/2 TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD 1/4 TEASPOON SEA SALT 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER 2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 2 NECTARINES OR PEACHES, DICED 1 BUNCH WATERCRESS, STEMS REMOVED AND LEAVES SLICED (ABOUT 1 1/2 CUPS PACKED LEAVES) 1/2 CUP PISTACHIOS, CHOPPED 1/4 CUP THINLY SLICED SHALLOT Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil in a thin steady stream until the dressing thickens. Add couscous, nectarines, watercress, pistachios and shallots to bowl. Toss to combine. Serve warm or chilled. Ezra Poundcake

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Mom's Bran Muffins - taste of childhood

1 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup oil 2 eggs 2 cups Buttermilk 2 1/2 cup flour 2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup boiling water (sometimes it takes a little more water to soften them) 2 cups Kellogs All-Bran (bran flakes) 1/2 cup Nabisco All-Bran (these should be bran sticks) 1 cup raisins (optional for you!) Pour boiling water over bran and raisins, set aside Blend together sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, flour, salt and soda. Add bran to sugar, flour mixture Pour into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes. Wet mixture may be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks, and they are better when you eat them freshly made.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Chicken Korma

1.kg Chicken breast or mini breast fillets
1 heaped tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
150g thick (plain) yogurt
1 dried red chilli
2 finely chopped onions
1 tbsp ghee or veg. oil
1 tbsp ground coriander
Pinch of ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
water
75g creamed coconut
salt, to taste
2 heaped tbsps ground almonds
finely chopped Coriander Leaves, to garnish
juice of 1/2 lemon

Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized chunks. Mix the chicken with the ginger, garlic and yogurt. Cover and marinade for 12 hours or in the fridge overnight.

Liquidise the chopped onion and red chillies, add a little water if you need to. blend til smooth.

Heat the ghee/oil in a pan. Add the ground coriander, ground black pepper, turmeric and garam masala and stir fry for about 1-minute over a low heat.

Turn up the heat, add the onion and chilli paste and stir fry for 10-minutes. Add the chicken and the marinade and continue to stir fry for another 10-minutes. Add the creamed coconut and enough water to *just* cover the chicken and bring to the boil, stirring until the coconut is dissolved. Stir in the ground almonds.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is tender (30-40 minutes).

Remove from heat, add lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix well.

Jamie Oliver Forums

Spinach Paneer

750g/1½lb baby spinach, washed*
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into long julienne
1½ tbsp chopped garlic
1-2 green chillies, whole
2 tsp ground coriander
salt, to taste
250g/8¾oz ready-made paneer (available from some supermarkets and Asian grocers), cut into cubes
½-1 tsp garam masala
6 tbsp whole milk, or 4 tbsp double cream
1-2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste

Blanch the spinach in hot water for three minutes or until wilted. Drain into a colander and run cold water over it until cool. In a food processor or blender, blend to a smooth paste and set aside. *If you use frozen spinach, you can omit this step

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the cumin and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the onion and fry over a low heat for about six minutes, until soft. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for a further minute.

Add the ground coriander and salt to taste. Cook for another 30 seconds then add the spinach and a splash of water if necessary. The mixture should be loose but not watery. Bring to a boil and then simmer for three minutes.

Add the paneer cubes, garam masala and milk or cream. Stir and cook for a few minutes or until the spinach is nice and creamy. Stir in the lemon juice to taste. Serve with pilaff rice or naan bread.

BBC

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Teriyaki Chicken

3/4 cup soy sauce* (or mix tamari** and water in equal proportions to make 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup sake
3/4 cup mirin
4 Tbsp sugar
A 1-inch piece of ginger, grated fine
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total (set out for 30 minutes to come to room temp)
2-3 Tbsp sesame seeds

Mix the grated ginger, sugar, soy sauce, sake and mirin in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, return to a simmer, then lower the heat to the lowest possible setting (warm if you can), on your smallest burner, and cover. The idea is to cook the chicken as gently as possible, below a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. If you are working with somewhat large chicken breasts, you may need to cook them longer, or cut them in half before cooking.

While the chicken is poaching, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until they begin to brown. Move to a small bowl and set aside.

Remove the chicken breasts from the teryaki sauce, set on a plate and wrap with foil. Bring the sauce back to a boil and boil vigorously until the sauce is reduced to a syrup, about 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on the sauce, stirring it occasionally.

To serve, slice the chicken breasts, cover with the teriyaki sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds on them. Serve with plain white rice.

Simply Recipes

Monday, February 27, 2012

Bok Choy

1 1/2 pounds bok choy or baby bok choy
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame, vegetable or peanut oil
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons broth or water (or 2 tablespoons broth/water + 1 tablespoon sake)
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil(omit if sesame used above)

Start by trimming the stem off - don't trim too much - just the end. Cutting the thick stem off will ensure that the bok choy cooks evenly. Separate out the leaves, keep the tender center intact and clean under running water. Drain.

Finely mince garlic and grate fresh ginger with a microplane grater.

Place wok or frying pan on your stove and pour in the cooking oil. Add the garlic and ginger. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the ginger and garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When the aromatics become fragrant and light golden brown, add the bok choy leaves. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the garlicky, gingery oil for 15 seconds. Pour in broth, water or wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and drizzle a bit of sesame oil on top.

Recipe from SteamyKitchen.com

M&S Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1 tbs at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

All Recipes

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Veggie Cobbler Ezra Poundcake

1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL (OR BUTTER)
1 1/2 CUPS COARSELY CHOPPED ONIONS
1 FENNEL BULB, CORE REMOVED, THINLY SLICED (OPTIONAL)
2 OR 3 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 TO 2 TEASPOONS DRIED THYME
1/2 TEASPOON CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
4 TO 5 CUPS SLICED MUSHROOMS
1 TABLESPOON DIJON MUSTARD
2 CUPS PEELED AND CHOPPED SWEET POTATOES (OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH)
2 CUPS CHOPPED POTATOES
2 CUPS PEELED AND CHOPPED CARROTS (OR PARSNIPS)
1/2 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
3 CUPS WATER OR VEGETABLE STOCK
3 TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH DISSOLVED IN 1/2 CUP COLD WATER
1 CUP FRESH OR FROZEN GREEN PEAS
1 CUP FRESH OR FROZEN CORN KERNELS
1 TABLESPOON SOY SAUCE
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
DASH OF HOT SAUCE (OPTIONAL)

Biscuit Topping:
2 CUPS UNBLEACHED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
6 TABLESPOONS MELTED BUTTER
1 CUP BUTTERMILK OR PLAIN YOGURT
1 TEASPOON CHOPPED FRESH DILL (OR ANY HERB YOU HAVE ON HAND)

Warm the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions, fennel and garlic, cover, and cook on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the salt, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, mushrooms and mustard. Cook until the mushrooms start to release their juices, about 5 minutes.

Add the sweet potato, white potato, carrot, black pepper and water or stock, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Stir the dissolved cornstarch mixture into the simmering vegetables, stirring constantly. When the liquid starts to thicken, mix in the peas, corn, soy sauce and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. (You can also add a dash of hot sauce.)
Pour the vegetables into the prepared baking dish, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and buttermilk or yogurt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible to make a soft dough.
Drop the biscuit batter over the vegetables in the dish in six equal mounds. Sprinkle the dill over the dough.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Nigella's Tarragon Chicken

2 Tsp garlic oil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
2 chicken breasts
80 ml white wine
!/2 tsp sea salt
60 ml double cream
Pepper
Fresh tarragon

Hear garlic oil in smallish pan and add the tarragon, cook for 1 minute. Put the chicken in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over and add the wine. Let the wine come to a boil and add the salt. Turn down temperature, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through.

Remove breasts from pan. Bring liquid to a boil and add cream. Add some pepper and sprinkle with fresh tarragon.

Nigella's Scallops and Peas

500g frozen petits pois
1–2 x 15ml tablespoons Thai green curry paste
75g crème fraîche
sea salt flakes or pouring salt, to taste
2 teaspoons groundnut or other flavourless oil
2 teaspoons butter
6 big scallops (such as sold in shell by fishmongers) or 10–12 small ones (such as sold in packets in the supermarket), preferably diver-caught
juice 1 lime
1–2 x 15ml tablespoons chopped
fresh coriander or Thai basil

Cook the peas in boiling, slightly salted water until tender, then drain and tip into a blender, adding 1 tablespoon curry paste and the crème fraîche. Season to taste with salt and perhaps add more curry paste, depending how strong it is.
Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until foamy, then fry the scallops for about 2 minutes a side. If you are using big scallops, then it is sometimes easier to cut them in half across. When they are cooked, they will have just lost their raw look in the middle and be lusciously tender, while golden and almost caramelized on the outside.
Lift the scallops onto 2 warmed plates and then de-glaze the hot pan by squeezing in the lime juice. stir to mix well and pick up every scrap of flavour, then pour this over the scallops on each plate.
Dish up the pea purée alongside the scallops, and sprinkle with the chopped coriander or thai basil. Serve with another wedge of lime, if you feel like it.

Serves 2 (this is a LOT of peas)

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Carnitas

1 3 1/2 - 4 lb pork butt (pork shoulder), cut into 2 inch cubes*
Table salt and black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 small onion
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp juice from 1 lime
2 cups water
1 medium orange, halved

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine pork, 1tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice and water in large Dutch oven (liquid should barely cover the meat). Juice orange into bowl and remove seeds (I did this right into pot), add juice and spend orange halves. I also used 2 oranges as they were small ones. Bring to simmer on stove top, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until meat is soft and falls apart when prodded with fork 2-2 1/2 hrs. Flip meat once during this time.

Remove pot from oven and use slotted spoon to removed all meat from liquid, placing in a bowl or on a plate for use later. Remove the onion, orange halves, bay leaves and gross of fat chunks (keep fat liquid) still in liquid. Simmer clean liquid until it is reduce to the point where a spatula leaves a wide clean spot when pulled through. This took me about 20 minute of boiling. About 1 cup of reduced liquid.

Pull the pork apart and return to reduced liquid to coat. Then transfer meat to cookie sheet or broiler pan and place under broiler for 5-8 minutes or until the meat is brown and crispy on one side. Rex would have liked me to have flipped the meat to get it brown on another side but it was pretty good as it was.

* the meat should have about 1/8 of an inch of fat on it, otherwise it will be too lean. you want it nicely marbled.

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated