Christmas Tamales

The Basic Chicken Tamale Ingredients

Red Chili Sauce Simmering

Chicken Stewed in the Pressure Cooker

Finished Sauce Blended and Strained

Tamales Assembled 

Steaming Tamales

Ready to Eat with a Dash of Hot Sauce and Cilantro

Its that holiday time of year again and I always make the Mexican Christmas tradition of Tamales, little corn husk wrapped dumplings of ground corn and meat with chili sauce. I am attending to a Christmas party tonight and no surprise was asked to bring food, what to make for a crowd? How about tamales which can be made ahead of time and reheated on site? perfect. A few basic ingredients and with the aid of my pressure cooker its pretty quick too. Now on to the party!

First the dry corn husks are soaked in hot water to soften, the chicken is cooked in the pressure cooker with seasonings and garlic till fall off the bone tender, the dry chills are simmered with garlic, onion and tomato then blended and strained. Masa is made with instant masa flour. Now its simply a scoop of masa on corn husk with a spoon of shredded chicken and chili sauce, folded up and placed in a steamer for about a hour, done and ready eat or serve later.

Note: Any kind of meat, vegetable or sauce can be used.

Simple Chicken Salad

The best is often simple with only a few ingredients and tonight it's a chicken salad. A chicken breast is marinated in soy and ginger then grilled till cooked through, allowed to cool, then sliced. I tossed with shaved carrots, arugula, cilantro in a basic soy vinaigrette with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds over the top.

The Mexican Christmas Tradtion, Posole Soup

Pressure Cooker Braise Pork

Ready to eat with diced Onions and Cilantro

One of my favorite soups is the classic Posole soup originating from Mexico,  a thick and rich meat broth with either chicken or pork and hominy. All the great flavors of Mexico in a soup form. My soup is made with a dry rub of home ground chili powder on cuts of pork shoulder that is browned in a heavy pan, then cooked in a pressure cooker with chicken stock till fall apart tender. This broth and shredded meat becomes the base for the soup to which precooked hominy is added, simply seasoned and brought to a simmer. After it is ladled into bowls the fun part comes, adding traditional condiments to personalize to your own taste. The condiments include: dry oregano, chopped cilantro, shredded green cabbage, lemon or lime juice, fine diced onion, diced avocado and plenty of hot sauce.

Note: Canned Hominy can be found in most markets, a pressure cooker does not have to be used but its faster to cook meats.

Pan Seared Chicken and Potatoes

Roasted Ruby Crescent Potatoes

Pan Seared Chicken Thigh with Garlic-Tomato Sauce

Chicken is the go to food for most meals and tonight that was my plan. Pan seared to give color and finished with roma tomato, garlic and white wine, slowly simmered till tender. Another favorite side of mine is a olive oil sauté of fingerling potatoes with fresh herbs and garlic, rich with amazing flavor. These came together on my plate with a quick sauté of broccoli rabe, perfect.

Cool Weather Cooking

Slow Cooked Red Wine Chicken

Winter comfort foods are best cooked low and slow which translates to cooking at a low temperature for a long time. Tonight that's just what I did with organic chicken thighs, fresh herbs, aromatic vegetables and red wine. Slowly cooked till tender with a rich flavorful sauce spooned over white corn polenta. Perfect.

Ready for Fall Chicken with Grits

Low and Slow Braising Chicken

Its slowly becoming Fall here in California with some cooler days and a occasional shower now, with that change comes the season of stews and other slow cooked foods. I recently made a stewed chicken dish  the other day using common aromatic ingredients such as garlic, onions and tomatoes, normally I like to serve this stewed chicken with soft and creamy polenta. This time I had the idea to try and use ground hominy instead of polenta, Hominy is a form of corn just processed differently. It is dried corn kernels treated with slaked lime, washed and then ground, it can be ground to a flour which is used to make common corn tortillas (Masa Harina) if its ground course then it can be cooked like polenta with the southern name of hominy grits. It turned out great and the leftover grits were put into a loaf pan to set up, the next day it was sliced and fried in a pan.

Chicken with Hominy Grits

Thai Grilled Chicken Wings

Grilling on charcoal

Spicy Chicken Wings

Thai Style Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
12 Chicken wings
1 small knob Ginger, Peeled
3 clove Garlic, Peeled
1/2 bunch Cilantro
3 Kaffir Lime Leaf *
3 T Lime Juice
1 T Thai Curry Paste *
1 T Fish Sauce *
1 T Soy Sauce
1-3 Thai chili peppers *
2 T Mirin rice wine *

Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients till they form a smooth paste; use the paste to marinate the chicken wings for a few hours or overnight.
2. Prepare a charcoal fire and grill the wings when the coals are glowing hot.
3. Turn the wings often to prevent from burning.
4. When the wings are done serve with fresh cut lime and maybe steamed Jasmine rice and a cucumber salad.
Yield= 1-2 servings

Note: *Some of the more uncommon ingredients can be found at Asian markets.

Paella, Food for a Crowd.

Chicken Paella over a wood fire

I think one of the best ways to feed a crowd is to make a Paella, the national dish of Spain and the ultimate one-pan meal. This simple Paella was cooked the traditional way over a open wood fire which imparted a soft, smoky flavor to the dish.  I used just a few basic ingredients including arborio rice, chicken, sausage, onions, garlic, tomato, white wine and ground paprika.  A couple of glasses of wine sitting next to the warm fire and its done. The cooking pan is also the serving pan which makes the clean up quick and easy. The crowd loved it and I think I will make again soon.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Papaya and Currants

Tonight I made a Chicken and Fruit Salad with Tropical Asian Flavors, Great on a warm evening.

Grilled Chicken & Papaya Salad

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Thighs

2 cups Mexican Papaya

1/2 cup Dried Currants

1 bunch Spinach, washed & Dried

1 bunch Arugula, washed & Dried

-------------------------------------

1 small knob Ginger

1 T Soy Sauce

1 clove Garlic

1 T Lime Juice

2 T Rice Wine Vinegar

1 cup Olive oil

1 T Brown Sugar

Kosher Salt/Pepper

Method:

1. Make the dressing in a blender with the peeled ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce and a touch of brown sugar. Blend till smooth & check for proper seasoning. (Use some of this dressing to marinate the chicken, reserve the rest for the salad)

2. Clean and dice the papaya and add to a bowl with the washed greens; scatter with currants.

3. Cook the chicken on a hot grill till done; allow to cool the slice and add to the salad.

4. Toss the salad with some of the reserved dressing.

Yield 2-3

Note: Allow 1-2 Chicken Thighs per person, Toasted Coconut with be a nice addition giving a crunchy texture.

Grilled Chicken with Papaya and Currants

Curried Chick Peas & Chicken with Kale

Curry Chick Peas & Chicken

At the end of a long weekend the last thing I wanted to do is spend a lot of time cooking on a Sunday night, so I came up with this dish using only a few ingredients- quick and healthy.

Curried Chicken & Chick Peas with Kale
Ingredients:
Chick peas, cooked
Chicken thighs, boneless, diced
Kale, washed and chopped
Yellow onion, diced
Garlic, peeled and chopped
Mustard seeds
Turmeric
Olive oil
Cumin, ground
Chili Peppers, optional for more spicy
Curry paste or powder
Water or chicken stock
Kosher salt 

Method:
1. Saute the onion, garlic, mustard seeds till soft and light brown.
2. Add chicken, chick peas and spices, cover with liquid, bring to a simmer.
3. After about 30 minutes add the kale and cook till it wilts, check seasoning.

Note: Serve with a dollop of Nonfat Yogurt or Spicy Indian Pickle Vegetables

It's getting to feel a lot like Summer

The days are now longer and the sun is feeling warmer, with that comes the warm weather foods I like to make. This past weekend I made a few recipes with foods I bought from my local farmers market in Marin County, California. They included a variety of citrus fruits, fennel bulb and some amazing Gigantes beans. To start, I marinated organic boneless chicken thighs with fresh picked oregano, chopped garlic, Meyer lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. While the chicken absorbed the flavors, I slowly cooked the beans till tender and creamy soft. I then tossed in more extra virgin olive oil and then added olives and grilled red onions. A side salad was made of shaved fennel, parsley, grapefruit and tangerine segments. After the chicken is grilled, it's all arranged on a platter and served room temperature. Easy, with big bold flavors and a good start to the warm weather season.

Shaved Fennel and Citrus Salad

Gigantes Bean, Olive and Grilled Onion Salad

Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs

Simple Chicken Dinner

At the suggestion of my younger daughter tonight I cooked chicken legs for dinner, they were marinated with Meyer lemons that I grow in my backyard. I zested and juiced the lemons into a bowl along with the chicken legs. Crushed garlic and extra virgin olive oil is mixed in as well. While the chicken sits and absorbs the flavors I make a side dish of shaved brussel sprouts that are cooked with sliced onions and chopped bacon, as this slowly cooks I preheat a cast iron grill pan for the chicken. When the pan is hot the legs go in and cook till golden brown and crispy. It all comes together on a plate and is perfect with a nice glass of white wine.

Crispy Grilled Chicken Legs 

Not Your Average Dorm Meal

Pan Seared Chicken Thigh, Sweet Potato Oven Fries, Wilted Kale

My daughter came home from college last night for her Christmas break. She had lots of complaints about the poor quality of food that is available at school and, "...can you cook me dinner?" After a quick trip to the local store, I had some of her favorite ingredients to make her dinner. In a large saute pan I browned chicken thighs and breasts, then I put sweet potato spears in the same pan to go into the oven to cook. After about 20-30 minutes it was all done. I removed the chicken and sweet potatoes to serving plates and into the same pan and wilted fine-sliced kale seasoned with just a touch of kosher salt. Quick and easy with only one pan to wash. My daughter was happy and she knows she will eat good during the breaks.

Just Chicken, Kale and Pancetta

Sometimes less is more. In the case of a quick week night dinner, it's very true. I wanted to cook something using only a few ingredients and I came up with oven-roasted chicken thighs cooked in diced pancetta.
The best part about using chicken thighs, is the richer flavor that I prefer over milder chicken breasts, and they stay moist when cooked. Using pancetta, which is a form of cured bacon that is not smoked, provides lots of flavor, but you have to be careful with it because it can be salty. I suggest either blanching it to remove some of its saltiness, or use it as the only salty ingredient in the dish. After it has cooked in the oven the pan juices become the cooking liquid for the kale, and they absorb all that flavor too. It's a great colorful winter dish that does not require a lot of fuss.

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs with Kale

Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Kale

Ingredients:
4 organic chicken thighs
1 ounce pancetta, diced
1 bunch Kale, cleaned (I used "Dino")
dash olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a hot pan place a dash of olive oil in and arrange the chicken skin side down.
3. Cook on top of stove for a minute then place in oven for 30 minutes.
4. Add the diced Pancetta to pan, continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and keep chicken warm, add kale to pan.
6. Cook kale with the pancetta on stove top till wilted and tender.
7. Arrange the kale on platter or plates, add chicken.

Note: A starch like roast or mashed potatoes works great with it and I hope you are drinking a glass of good wine while it cooks.

Chicken Ballotine with a Spicy Twist

Just this past weekend at my local market, I was eyeing the whole chickens and came up with an idea for my dinner. The famous old-school recipe of chicken Ballotine which is close to a Galantine, but not poached and served cold. A ballontine is a whole bird or leg with all the bones carefully removed leaving the skin intact with the meat; it's then stuffed, roasted and served hot or cold. Many years ago when I last did this recipe for my mom, she was shocked when I was able to slice the cooked chicken and there were not any bones!
For this recipe I decided on a Spanish theme by using rice, chorizo sausage and smoked paprika for the filling. The hardest part was carefully cutting the bones out with removing the meat or cutting the skin, known in the industry as "tunnel boning" because it's like a tunnel going through the bird. Next I cooked the stuffing with garlic, onions, rice, paprika, chorizo, parsley and chicken stock made with the bones. The filling is placed inside and the bird is trussed up and slowly roasted till fully cooked. It's ready to serve and will make a dramatic presentation at the dinner table.

Chorizo and Rice Stuffing

Fully Cooked and Ready to Slice

Completely Deboned and Stuffed

Beer Can Roasted Chicken

Beer Can Chicken

They say that roasting a perfect chicken is the true test of a accomplished cook, creating a perfectly browned chicken with crisp skin on the outside and moist meat on the inside. There is a method that might seem odd and that is to put a open can of beer inside the chicken while it cooks. It works because it holds the chicken upright so the heat will evenly cook the chicken from all sides and make the skin crisp. The beer inside the can will simmer creating steam that will help cook the chicken on the inside while giving good flavor too. Surprisingly it really works. Imagine maybe a group of guys standing around a barbecue cooking and drinking beer and someone says, "Hey let's prop the chicken up with one of these beers." It all has to start somewhere and maybe that was it? For this chicken I used a dry rub of achiote paste along with salt, pepper and a can of Mexican Modelo beer. When it was done I served it with corn tortillas and cumin-scented black beans.

Simple Roast Chicken Breast with Wilted Kale

Roasted Chicken with Kale and Chutney

Weeknight cooking has to be simple because sometimes you just don't have time for a elaborately made meal. Tonight is one of those nights, so chicken it is. I had a little nectarine chutney that I made a few nights ago which I paired with a roasted chicken breast, while the chicken is cooking a bunch of dino kale is sliced thin and sauteed with a piece of chopped smoky bacon for added flavor. About one hour of total cooking and dinner's ready.

Grilling Dinner Middle East Style



Grilled Curry Chicken Thighs

Grilled Eggplant & Chick Pea Salad

Tonight's recipe is completely made up and was inspired by looking at my charcoal grill in my back yard.
It was a case of asking my standard question "what to make for dinner?" Well how about doing curry spiced grilled chicken with a tossed salad of spinach, chick peas, grilled onions and eggplant? Yes, that sounded good and it was; absolutely perfect for a warm Summer's night.

Curry Spiced Chicken with Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients:
8 Chicken thighs, bone-in
3 T Curry paste*
1 Eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thin
1 Red onion, peeled and quartered
4 Garlic cloves, chopped
2 C Cooked/drained chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 t Ground cumin
1 T Red wine vinegar
1/2 C Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 Bunch cilantro, chopped
1 Sprig mint, chopped
8 oz Fresh washed spinach
1/2 c Raisins
1/2 c Sliced almonds
Kosher salt/pepper

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken in curry paste for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Light a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.
3. When fire is hot, carefully cook the seasoned and marinated chicken till cooked through but being careful not to burn it. (180F internal)
4. Sharing the same grill, cook the eggplant and onions till golden and tender.
5. After allowing the vegetables to cool, cut into bite size pieces and place in large salad bowl.
6. Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the bowl and mix well, check and adjust the seasoning. 

Note: Serve the salad along with the grilled chicken.

Yield = 4
*Curry paste available at middle eastern or specialty food stores

One of my favorites, Thai style chicken

Thai Curry with Shitake Mushrooms and Chicken

It's true, I make this a lot. Spicy and rich with coconut milk. It's easy for me because I have most of the Asian ingredients needed always on hand so it's just buying a nice piece of  fish or chicken to go with it. Tonight I served black forbidden rice and a sliced mango with grilled chicken breast.

My Thai Curry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 small can coconut milk, unsweetened
1 T fish sauce
1 T soy sauce, low sodium
1 T Green Thai curry paste or curry powder
1 t Garlic, chopped
1 t Ginger, grated
Half bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 Keffir Lime Leaf (optional)
1 Thai chili pepper, chopped (optional)

Method:
1. Slowly saute the garlic, ginger and curry paste till fragrant.
2. Add soy, fish sauces, coconut milk, lime leaf, chili pepper and simmer a few minutes.
3. Remove lime leaf and add the cilantro.
4. Pour over cooked fish or chicken.

Note: Other ingredients can be added to the sauce such as Shitake mushrooms. Optional ingredients can be found in Asian markets.

Yield = 2 cups

Late Winter Comfort

Braised Chicken Leg with Creamy Polenta

I was all ready for Spring to start when a big late season storm blew into town this week.  It's one last chance for a rainy night comfort meal. The first idea that came to mind was doing chicken legs slowly braised in wine, tomatoes, garlic and fresh sage. Very easy to prep and it cooks unattended while you relax and watch the rain. The perfect side and a personal favorite of mine is creamy polenta. While it's slowly cooking, open up a bottle of a good red to sip in front of the fireplace.

Braised Chicken Legs
Ingredients:
4 chicken legs
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bunch fresh sage, rough chopped
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cup red or white wine
Dash olive oil
Kosher salt/fresh cracked pepper

Method:
1. In a deep, heavy oven-proof pot with lid, heat olive oil.
2. Season the chicken legs and place skin side down in pan to brown.
3. Turn chicken on all sides to evenly brown, add garlic, tomatoes, sage, & onions.
4. After vegetables have softened, add the wine with enough water to cover the chicken.
5. Put lid on and place in 325F oven for at least two hours.
6. Remove chicken legs and keep warm.
7. Bring liquid to a boil and cook till reduced and it becomes a slightly thickened sauce.
8. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary, spoon sauce over chicken.

Note: Great with pasta or polenta.
Yield=4