Chicken Paprika

Chicken Paprika, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Had to use up a cup and a half of sour cream (bought for this New Year's Eve recipe) - lo and behold, I find this recipe in a text file on my desktop. But that bit of serendipity wasn't indicative of a completely smooth cooking experience. The version I'd copied from the Joy of Cooking was missing an ingredient - which I of course discovered at the crucial cooking point - and right when the internet was being unreliable, no less. So I improvised by adding a cup of liquid, which was thankfully the right thing to do. (I later found out the missing ingredient was 1-1/2 cups of chicken stock.) It turned out well - luxurious from the sour cream, but with a hint of gentle tang from the paprika. It's probably going to be a niche dish for me - for when I want something less tangy than afritada, but less all-out rich than coconut milk curry. The recipe below makes some changes from the original - a bit less meat, a bit more garlic.

• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to season chicken
• 1/2 tsp pepper, plus more to season chicken
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 lbs. chicken thighs
• 3 c onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c sweet Hungarian paprika
• 3 Tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 c liquid (broth or water)
• 1-1/2 c sour cream
• lemon juice to taste

Melt the butter in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to pan. Brown, turning once, till golden - about 5 minutes total.

Remove the chicken and reserve in a bowl. Add the onions to the pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, till they are very soft and have absorbed all the fond from the bottom of the pan - about 10 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, bay leaf and cooking liquid. Bring to a boil and mix everything well.

Return the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat so the liquid barely bubbles, then cover and cook till chicken is done (180 degrees), about 25-40 minutes (mine skewed towards the latter because of a couple of giant thighs).

Remove the chicken and place in a bowl; cover. Turn the heat to high. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to a thick consistency (recipe said almost pasty, but I was too impatient and just waited till almost back-of-spoon-coaty).

Remove pan from heat. Whisk in sour cream. Return pan to heat and cook till sauce is thickened.

Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve over rice.

The Wonderful Winter Leek

One of the things I love about winter is that it's prime leek season. The gorgeous specimen pictured above was nearly two feet long, and so wonderfully sweet. This basic recipe went perfectly with a cup of rice and some sardines in tomato sauce.

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 large, lovely leek, trimmed, washed and cut into 3-4 in. sections
• salt and pepper
• 1 T vermouth, more if needed
• 1 T water, more if needed
• lemon juice to taste

In a pan, heat oil over medium. Add the leeks. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Brown, turning occasionally (5 or so minutes).

Add liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low. Cover and cook till easily pierced by a fork, about 20-25 minutes.

Drizzle with lemon juice and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Split-Pea Soup

[fairly unappetizing pic that doesn't do justice to the taste forthcoming]

As per what passes for an editorial policy here, I'm just acknowledging a dearth of recent posts then moving on. Hi!

Seeing that it's finally fall, we pulled out our trusty copy of Slow Cooker Revolution and mostly followed the split pea soup recipe -- albeit with more ham hocks, carrots and garlic. It turned out quite well -- smoky and rich, though I may try it with less salt and a bit less liquid next time. Happy soup and stew weather, everyone.

• 2 onions, minced (about 2 c)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced (about 1-1/2 T)
• 1/8 t red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 T fresh thyme, minced
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 4 c beef broth
• 3 c water
• 1 lb. split peas
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces (about 2 c)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 smoked ham hocks, rinsed and scored
• 1 T lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Place onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme and oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for five minutes, stirring occasionally, till onions are softened; transfer to slow cooker.

Add broth, water, split peas, carrots, ham hocks and bay leaves to slow cooker. Cover and cook till peas are tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high (everything was super soft at five hours on high with our cooker).

When done, remove bay leaves, stir in lemon juice and season to taste. Skim fat and remove meat from bone, then return to soup if you want; we didn't bother.

Salad Nicoise

Salad Nicoise, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Though we still have plenty of delicious navy bean stew in the slow cooker (more recipe backlog for me to catch up on), I was in the mood for a cold, composed salad. This will definitely become a summer staple - filling without being heavy, flavorful without being overly rich, and easy to prepare. Next time, though, I may arrange in individual portions - John and I had a bit of a fun but messy time transferring the food to our plates.

Recipe variant notes: I'm glad I didn't skip the potatoes - they added a new bit of texture and soaked up the dressing well. Alas, John couldn't find any green beans nearby, but we'll definitely add them in next time. Our version (fed two very heartily, and could probably feed one more below):

• 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
• 1 pound green beans, cooked and refreshed (skipped but definitely happening next time)
• 2-3 T minced shallots 
• 1 large ripe red tomato, cut into wedges 
• 2 potatoes, sliced and cooked 
• 1 5 oz. can chunk tuna, preferably oil-packed 
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved (all we had)
• 1 freshly opened can of flat anchovy fillets 
• 1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives 
• 2 T capers 
• 3 T minced fresh parsley
• 1/3-1/2 c vinaigrette (see below)
• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 t Dijon mustard 
• 1/4 t salt 
• 2-3 t freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 1-2 T red wine vinegar 
• 1/2 T minced shallots 
• freshly-ground pepper to taste

Arrange the lettuce leaves in a large, shallow bowl or platter. Toss the green beans with a few spoonfuls of dressing, then arrange on platter.

Add tomatoes and potatoes, drizzling with more dressing.

Arrange the rest of the ingredients in desired position, draping a half- or full fillet of anchovy over each egg.

Season to taste. Garnish, add more dressing, then serve with extra dressing on the side.

Sauteed Summer Squash

Sauteed Summer Squash, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Still working my way through the previous weeks' market bounty. I got home pretty late last night and treated myself to a bubble bath after the gym, but also wanted to cook something quick and yummy. Solution? Saute squash in rich farmer's market butter with garlic and lots of salt and pepper. Hooray!

• 3-4 T butter
• 4 summer squash, sliced into 1/4-1/2 in. rounds
• 2 T garlic, chopped
• lots of salt and pepper
• 1-2 T lemon juice
• 1-2 T parsley, chopped, for garnish

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, till fragrant.

Add squash. Season with salt and pepper, and cook till squash reaches desired consistency, 5-10 minutes, turning now and then. (I covered the pan for a few minutes to get the steaming process underway and shrink everything more quickly.)

Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning. Pour lemon juice over squash and garnish with parsley before serving.

Variation: Leek and Tomato Braise

Leek and Tomato Braise, originally uploaded by essgee51.

I've cooked this before, but now I have a picture - and enough variation in the recipe to make this repeat worthwhile, for me at least. Unfortunately, this version didn't make nearly enough liquid to put on the rice; I may add some juice from canned tomatoes or broth next time.

• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 4-6 leeks, cleaned and halved
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice or more, to taste

In a pot large enough to hold the leeks in a single layer (I had too many and thus worked in batches), heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the leeks till they begin to brown, 5-7 minutes; salt and pepper them as they cook, turning them once or twice.

Add tomatoes (and some of their liquid or some broth if you like). Adjust heat till mixture bubbles, then cover and cook till the leeks are tender, 15-25 minutes.

Add lemon juice to taste and serve over rice (good hot, warm or cold).

Chicken Braised in Lemon and Soy Sauce

Chicken Braised in Lemon and Soy Sauce, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Wanted something quick, and Bittman gladly obliged. It's rather less adobo-lite than its constituent ingredients may make it seem, and is bright with just a small touch of heat. My version of the recipe (with more garlic and lemon juice than originally called for) below.

• 2.5 lbs chicken (thighs)
• 4 tbsp. neutral oil (grapeseed this time)
• 1 heaping tbsp. garlic (originally 1 tsp.)
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 heaping tbsp. lemon zest (from 2 medium lemons)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (may add slightly more next time)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (from one juicy lemon)

Put oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it's hot, brown the chicken, working in batches if necessary (should take around 10-15 minutes).

Remove the chicken and pour/spoon out all but 1-2 tbsp. of oil. Turn the heat to low, add the garlic and cook till it starts to soften, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the water, soy sauce, sugar and cayenne pepper to the pot. Put in the chicken, turning it once or twice to soak up the broth. Adjust the heat so it bubbles gently but constantly and cook till done, anywhere from 20-40 minutes.

When done, stir the lemon juice into the dish and remove from heat. Adjust seasoning and serve over white rice.

Poached Chicken with Lemon Sauce

Chicken and Leeks, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Another quick, easy dinner via Bittman. Used more leeks than called for (because I love them) and didn't reduce the sauce (too hungry), but it still turned out very good.

• 3 tbsp. butter (originally 4)
• 3 medium leeks, diced, with some of the green (originally 2) - about 2-1/2 cups
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• /12 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1-1/2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into 1-1/2 in. chunks
• 2-1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley, chopped, for garnish

Put 2 tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the leeks and cook till they're softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add wine, stock and herb; bring to a boil and let bubble for 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken, turn heat down to medium-low. Cook till done, 7-10 minutes (original recipe: cook till almost done, remove from pan, turn heat to high, reduce sauce to 3/4 cup, re-lower heat, return meat to pan, then proceed.). Add the rest of the butter and the lemon juice, a bit at a time.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, adjust seasoning, then serve.

Dinner Component: Braised Endives II

Dinner, originally uploaded by essgee51.

Last night's repast was simple but hearty and flavorful. We basically repeated this soy-ginger mackerel braise (the sauce was delicious over rice) and quickly braised some endives (more quickly and simply than I did here, hence the rewriting of a recipe).

• 1-1/2 tbsp. butter
• 3 fat endives, cored and halved
• 1-1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. water
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown endives in butter over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes.

Add juice and water, then cover and simmer till tender, anywhere from 15-25 minutes depending on how you like them.

Adjust seasoning.

Herby Chicken Salad

In honor of this year's Opera in the Outfield, I scoured the internet and my cookbooks for something picnicky. This salad, which uses olive oil instead of mayonnaise and put our little herb garden to good use, was perfect - bright and delicious. Thanks again, Mark Bittman! My variation below:

• 1.75 lb. chicken leg quarters (would be fine with pre-made chicken, too), cooked then meat shredded
• 3-4 shallots (about 4 tbsp.), minced
• 1/4 cup Kalamanta olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 2/3 heaping cup mixed herbs (used mostly basil, with some parsley, chives and thyme), chopped
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste (ended up using about 1/3 cup)
• salt and pepper to taste

If you aren't using pre-made chicken, cook the meat any way you please. (I poached the legs in about 5 cups of water with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peppercorns, salt and pepper, then reserved the broth for other uses). Shred the meat.

Mix the chicken, shallots, olives, and lemon zest. Add the herbs, lemon juice and olive oil and mix, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate till cold, then serve either as-is or over a bed of salad greens. (The leftovers were excellent with couscous the next day, too.)

Summer Staple: Sausage and Couscous

I keep forgetting what an awesome summer food couscous is - quick, light, addition-friendly and especially good when cold. This is more a sample recipe than a base - just happens to be the one variant we had. A single box made three meals for two people: Saturday night dinner, with lamb sausages; Sunday brunch, with spicy longaniza and vinegar dipping sauce (pictured above); and Sunday snacks, with salami, while we waited in line for "One-Man Star Wars Trilogy" tickets. The lamb sausages were simply boiled; the longaniza, cooked in 1/4 cup of water till the liquid evaporated, then browned over low heat for 3-5 minutes in the rendered fat.

• 1 box Near East plain couscous (one day I'll find and try cooking the real stuff)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 summer squash, halved and sliced thin
• 3-4 scallions, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice, to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan with a cover, add the olive oil to two cups of water and bring to a boil. Add couscous, mix, cover and set aside, off the heat. (I actually added the squash at this point as well, because I wanted it slightly softened but not cooked.)
When couscous is cooked (about 5-7 minutes), mix with scallions, squash (or whatever other vegetables and/or nuts you're using). Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

Garlic Scape Soup

Though I was fighting off yet another illness, in between naps I managed to make some of this creamy (even without the optional dairy), flavorful and comforting soup. Remind me to consider unpeeled russets in future soups and stews -- the skins add welcome texture to the dish, and contrast nicely with the scapes. And the smell  of scapes sauteing in olive oil is a wonder - garlicy and yet with a snappy freshness reminiscent of green beans or grass. Original recipe here - halved and tweaked version below.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 14 garlic scapes, chopped and with bulbs removed
• 2 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 in. dice
• 2 cups vegetable broth (used Swanson this time) + about 1/3 cup water
• 1 handful baby spinach leaves (about 2 cups)
• juice of 1/4 lemon
• salt to taste (since the broth was heavily salted)
• pepper to taste
• 1/8 cup heavy cream (optional - skipped in this case)

Place the oil in a pot; turn the heat to medium. Add the scapes and saute till they start to ever so slightly brown, 2-4 minutes.

Add the potatoes and liquid. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer till the potatoes are cooked through but not mushy (20-30 minutes).

Remove from  heat, then add the spinach. Blend if you want to (I prefer chunky soups, so I didn't), then season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Butter-Braised Leeks

A quick but hearty post-gym dinner. Followed this Bittman-based recipe, substituting 1/2 cup of water for the tomatoes and reducing the resultant liquid quite a bit. Delicious with buttery couscous and tangy-sweet tomatoes - also reminded me why leeks are one of my favorite things.

Slow-Cooked Green Beans 2

The market was beautiful last Sunday, and the bags-of-mixed-veg lady ($4 per instead of her usual $3, alas, though she hopes to have the prices back down soon) had irresistible green beans and Brussels sprouts for sale.This recipe is a riff on the one in both Bittmans - just increased the amount of onion and tomato, added garlic and seasoned with fish sauce at the end.

NOTE: Apparently, I have cooked this before. While that version is good, I'm ok with the double-post because of the picture and the patis variant.

• 1.75 lbs. green beans, trimmed
• 1-1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-1/2 cup tomato, chopped (mine was a mix of hand-crushed and diced)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water, plus more if needed
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• at least 1 tsp. fish sauce (patis)

Combine everything in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat for at least one hour, checking every 15 minues and adding a couple of tablespoons of water if necessary.

When the beans are very tender and the liquid is gone (didn't wait quite that long in this case - they were falling apart and creamy-tender about 1-1/2 hour in), they're ready. Season with fish sauce to taste.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Today's Bento

The office is particularly cold today, so I'm warming my stiff little fingers (alas, couldn't find YouTube footage of "Here We Are Nowhere") with a brief what's-for-lunch post. Mr. Bento's contents:

• red grapes
• braised leeks (2 medium-sized leeks halved, then cut into 4-inch lengths. Saute in a tbsp of butter for about 5 minutes or until browning, turning once or twice and seasoning with salt and pepper; add 1/4-1/3 cup chicken broth or water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 mins or till very tender. Remove from heat, drizzle with lemon juice (or, if you're packing it, just throw a couple of lemon slices in alongside)
• rice
• sardines in tomato sauce (straight out of the tin - was too lazy to saute them with onions and garlic)
  

I also have an orange, a banana and maybe 1/4 cup of leftover garlic cracker nuts in reserve.

Today's Bento

Between doing laundry and watching the Phillies dismantle the Dodgers last night, I managed to put together a good little lunch:

• boiled sausage (with spicy suka - Filipino cane vinegar infused with garlic and chiles - on the side, of course!)
  
• double garlic fried rice (about 2 cups of leftover garlic steamed rice fried in peanut oil with another tbsp. or so of chopped garlic, 3 chopped scallions and soy sauce to taste)
  
• sauteed spinach (cook a heaping tbsp of chopped garlic and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes. Add a 10-oz. bag of spinach, roughly chopped, and cook, stirring often, till greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with lemon juice just before nomming)
• an orange, a bit of Laughing Cow cheese and some garlic-flavored cracker nuts for snacks

Even hours after everything was packed away, the apartment smelled like the paradise where all good garlic cloves go when they die - a rich, warming aroma for a cold autumn weekend. Though I'm getting home late tonight, I'll hopefully have the energy and inclination to cook the leftover leeks and pickle the cute little cukes I got at EM yesterday.

Comfort Drinks: The Hot Tea Toddy

I've been home sick the past couple of days and relying heavily on the Holy Trinity of cold sufferers: ginger, lemon and honey. The first I've gotten via a large pot of chicken tinola, which I've been eating over the past day and a half with garlic steamed rice. The last two have come via tea and this nighttime version, a riff on the usual hot toddy.

• 6 oz. water
• 1 teabag (I used camomile, like Peter Rabbit's mom, then switched to Sleepytime when I ran out)
• 1 oz. whiskey or bourbon (Evan Williams was fine)
• honey (1-1/2 to 2 tsp. for me)
• lemon juice (2 or so tsp. for me)

Boil water. Pour into mug and add teabag. Steep teabag for a few minutes.

Add spirits, honey and lemon juice; correct seasonings if necessary.

NOTE: Tip of the hat to John, who broke his too-long silence by posting the recipe to these wonderful bread-and-butter pickles we - well, strictly he, as I was still at work during the process - made.

Tomorrow's Bento: Couscous and Snozzages

This variant on couscous with basil, tomatoes and zucchini made just enough for lunch for both me and John. In deference to his ailing plant, I did away with the basil; I also halved the couscous and oil, but kept all other proportions the same. Win-win: fridge cleared of perishables, and delicious, healthy noms for tomorrow made. It's also a one-container meal - which is handy, since I won't have to drag Mr. Bento to the Los Campesinos! concert tomorrow.

Couscous Salad with Basil, Tomatoes and Zucchini

Took a long weekend to recover from a Portland (Ore.) business trip, but started cooking again. Wanted to make something light and refreshing for the ballgame (much to our delight, the Nats beat the Mets 4-0 in a complete-game shutout), and this worked nicely (didn't have time to cool it before the game, but it still tasted good). Tastes even better today, after a night in the fridge. Bonus: John's basil plant needed trimming anyway. Original recipe from the back of a Near East couscous box; variations in italics.

• 1 package Near East plain couscous (about 4-1/2 cups)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 large tomatoes (I used about a cup of grape tomatoes), chopped
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, sliced into strips
  
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half then thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  
• 1-2 cups boiled, sliced sausages or more to taste

Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add couscous and pepper. Cover, remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

Put couscous in a large bowl. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice. Add tomatoes, basil leaves, scallions and zucchini. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Top with feta cheese and sausage slices.

Rhubarb-Rosemary Daiquiri

I'm not normally a fan of sweet drinks, but this recipe seemed intriguing (and my last experiment with rhubarb turned out well). It was a perfect lounge-in-the-park drink for the July 4th weekend - sweet but not cloyingly so, with the woodsy taste of the rosemary and the sharp tang of the lemon adding levels of complexity. (Thanks, idogcow!)

• 2 1/4 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar, divided
  
• 1/2 cup rosemary leaves
• 3 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 6 tbsp. lemon juice, divided
• 1 1/2 cups white rum

Bring 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar to a simmer, stirring often. Remove from heat; add 1/2 cup rosemary leaves. Let steep 5 minutes. Strain, pressing on rosemary; discard rosemary. Let cool 1 hour.

Place rhubarb, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 1/4 cups water, and 1/2 cup sugar in blender. Process until coarse puree forms. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into medium bowl. Use your hands & squeeze rhubarb pulp to release as much liquid as possible through sieve; discard pulp. Cover and chill rosemary syrup and rhubarb juice separately at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. [Note: The longer steeping time really does help - the rhubarb mixture developed a deeper, more complex flavor.]

Mix rosemary syrup, rhubarb juice, remaining 5 tablespoons lemon juice, and rum in pitcher. Serve over ice, garnished with rosemary sprigs and lemon twists.