Home Cooks

Chicken & Risotto

 

A rich, flavorful chicken dish with leg quarters and wine by guest author, Heather Forsyth.

Like most foodies, I have a place where I keep old menus, hints, ideas, magazine clippings and just random food thoughts.  Over the years the back of a cookbook became a jar, the jar became a box, and now the box is a large basket that fills one of my bookshelves.   While rummaging through this treasure trove recently (of course, there's no order), I ran across a note scribbled on the back of a hotel confirmation -- stew chicken legs in tomatoes, sausage, onion and red wine and serve on risotto made with leeks and white wine.  Now I was looking for a slow cooking chicken recipe, and I happened to have both leftover red and white wine in my fridge (a rare occurence), and on such things happy incidents are born.  This dish is crazy rich and silky, and when we ate it the silence in the room was broken only by much sighing and lip-smacking.  Only for those who don't mind a little grease on their chin-os!

Chicken & Risotto

Ingredients:

• 2 T. veg oil
• 4 chicken leg quarters (thighs and drumsticks)
• 1/2 pound ground sausage, roughly chopped or crumbled (I used chicken sausage, but whatever you like will do)
• 1 c. diced onion
• 3 med. fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1c. dry red wine
• 2 c. + 3 c. chicken broth
• 2 T. butter (for chicken sauce) + 4 T. butter, divided (for risotto)
• 1/2 c. diced onion (I didn't have any leeks, but go ahead and use them if you have them)
• 1 c. arborio or other white, short-grain rice
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 1/2 c. finely grated parmesan
• thyme, bay leaf, pinch of red pepper flakes & salt to taste

Directions:

1. Season and chicken with salt and pepper and brown in the oil, in very large skillet, about 5 minutes per side.  Set aside.
2. Add sausage, onion and garlic to the pan and cook until onion is soft and sausage is no longer pink (5-6 minutes).  Stir in red pepper, tomatoes, a generous tsp. of dried thyme, pinch of red pepper and a couple of bay leaves.  Add red wine and simmer until the sauce is very reduced, about 20 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of broth, stir well, then put the chicken back into the sauce, cover the pan and simmer gentely 40-50 minutes until chicken is practically falling off the bones.
4. Remove the chicken with tongs and set aside to cool.
5. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from bones, cut into bite size pieces and return it to the pan along with 2 T. butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Keep hot over low flame.
6. While the chicken is cooking, begin the risotto by sauteeing onions (or leeks) in 2 T. butter for about 3 minutes.
7. Add the rice, stir, to coat, then stir around a bit more until it begins to feel and smell toasty.  Add the wine, and stir over medium-high heat until the wine is absorbed.  Add the remaining 3 cups of broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring, until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next.  This whole process takes about 25 minutes.  Stir in remaining 2 T. butter and the parmesan.
8. Let the risotto rest, covered, for a few minutes while you finish the chicken and sauce.
9. Once everything is ready, spoon a generous portion of risotto into large shallow pasta bowls and top with chicken in sauce.
10. Eat with lots of napkins and gusto!

Grilled Marlin with Freekeh

Grilled seafood from Dave Utrata.  This dish pairs a meaty, marinated fish with a unique grain that’s well worth finding.  Freekeh (pronounced free-kuh) is roasted green wheat, easy to cook and adds a nice dimension.

 

I’m lucky to live in a college town and have access to an ethnic grocery.  So I’m not sure just how readily you may be able to find freekeh, roasted green wheat.  But it’s worthwhile to find and simple to cook.  Add enough water to keep it moist; treat it like long cooking rice.  The marlin?  I just couldn’t pass up a couple of nice, big steaks of the stuff last time I wanted to show my son the cool things we could cook up.  I marinated and grilled them.

Grilled Marlin with Freekeh
Ingredients:

• ½ lb. marlin steaks per person
• 3 Tblsp teriyaki sauce
• 1 Tblsp Worcester sauce
• 1 tsp. hot Chinese-style mustard
• ½ tsp. lime juice

Directions:

1. Marinate the marlin steaks for at least 3 hours; I marinated mine for 6.
2. Get your grill HOT.  The steaks are wonderful if they are just seared on both sides for a total of 4-6 minutes.
3. Cook the freekeh according to directions on the package.  As I noted above, it works like long cooking rice.  I used a 4:1 water to grain ration and cooked for about 45 minutes.  Drain excess water before serving.
4. When the grilled marlin is ready, simply serve with enough freekeh on the side. 

I served the marlin with pineapple wedges and added fresh chopped cilantro to the freekeh.  The freekeh has a wonderful smoky flavor that was perfectly complimented by the cilantro, while the sweet juiciness of the pineapple nicely accented the marinade used on the marlin.  Sorry for the blurriness of the photo; I was too eager to eat to take great pictures!

New Potatoes with Indian Spices and Yogurt

A rich, one-dish vegetarian meal by Heather Forsyth.

This dish was inspired by the new potatoes and onions I bought at the Farmers Market yesterday.  The first of the season's small, slim cucumbers went into homemade yogurt along with fresh slivered basil for a cool contrast.  This dish is complex in flavors and texture, so it's perfectly suited as a one-dish meal, but who wouldn't mind a grilled lamb chop on the side?

New Potatoes with Indian Spices and Yogurt

Ingredients for the Potatoes

• 4 T. butter
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin seeds, ground cumin, ground ginger and turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. each ground coriander, ground cloves and crushed red pepper
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 small onions, quartered then sliced
• a dozen or so small new potatoes (I used combination of red and blue potatoes)
• 1 c. water
• 1/3 c. heavy cream/or cream and plain yogurt combination

Ingredients for the Yogurt Topping

• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 green onions, tops only, sliced
• 10 or so small fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small cucumber, peeled and diced
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
• a pinch each of salt, cayenne and sugar

Directions

1. Melt butter in large heavy skillet over medium heat and add the spices.  Stir this around for a bit until spices just begin to color and smell toasty -- be careful not to burn!
2. Add sliced onions, garlic and salt, and stir for a few minutes until onions begin to relax.
3. Add potatoes, stir to coat with butter and spices, then add bay leaf, water and salt.
4. Cover and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes or so
5. Add the cream or a combination of cream and yogurt.  Keep heat very low.
6. Smash a few of the potatoes with the back of a large fork to thicken the sauce a bit.
7. Potoes should have a stew-like consistency -- not as thin as soup, but thin enough that you'd want to serve them in a shallow bowl rather than on a plate

While the potatoes are simmering in Step 4:

1. Combine yogurt with remaining ingredients, and a little lemon juice depending on the thickness and tartness of your yogurt, and set aside.

When potatoes are done, ladle into shallow bowls and top each serving with a generous dollop of cucumber yogurt.  This made 4 servings at our house.

 

Grilled Zucchini Salad

Summer Salad with Grilled Zukes and Goat Cheese by Heather Forsyth

Zucchini are at the Farmers Market, as are onions, basil and potatoes.  With flank steak from our local farmer, and lavender goat cheese from the CSA, we were set for dinner tonight.  This dinner practically made itself!  Choose small zukes for tender skins.

 

 

 

 

Grilled Zuchini Salad

Ingredients:

• Zuchini and/or yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into generous 1/4" pieces
• 2 smallish onions, peeled and cut in half 
• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Soft, fresh goat cheese
• Handful of fresh basil
• Coarse sea salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Toss sliced zukes and onions with a generous amount of olive oil and a little coarse sea salt
2. Grill 15-20 minutes over low-medium heat, brushing ocassionally with olive oil, until zukes are limp and golden brown (ours got a little more than golden, but I blame that on my husband) and onions are charred and mostly soft
3. Remove to bowl or platter and cool to room temperature
4. Sprinkle with lemon juice
5. Scatter with fresh basil and goat cheese
6. Grind a litle fresh black pepper over all

Delicious with grilled flank steak (marinated with olive oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and pepper) and potato salad (steamed red potatoes tossed hot with olive oil, dijon, chives, salt and pepper) -- stir the sauce into the potatoes while they're hot so they absorb the sauce fully instead of just laying on top -- then serve at room temp.

A Tip for Better Tasting Coffee

A sneaky little trick for making cheap homemade coffee taste better, from Trevy Thomas.

For years, I managed to wean myself from coffee, smugly sipping herbal tea while those around me battled coffee breath.  But, as addictions have a way of doing, the habit snuck back up on me.  The lure of the morning ritual, the excuse for a big spoonful of sugar and real cream, the bad coffee breath right back in my husband's face.  Oh, the joys of coffee.  The temptation is all too much for me, and I am feeling a bit jittery and cross-eyed from it at this very moment. 

But there's a lot of bad coffee.  Office coffee, for one, is generally horrible.  So is that stuff that sits on a warmer at Wawa.  Of course, any place that sells gasoline is probably not the best place for a cup of coffee. 

My mother had a secret for making better tasting coffee.  This was pre-Starbucks days, and all she used was Maxwell House.  But she brewed in an electric percolator, and sprinkled in a tiny bit of cinnamon on top of the coffee before perking.  You couldn't tell it was cinnamon, but something was definitely better.  So as long as you're a coffee addict, try an old-school tip for making everyday coffee a little better.  I promise not to lecture on the evils of coffee addiction until I'm in recovery from my own.

Sautéed Soft-shell Crabs

An Eastern Shore delicacy by guest author Helen Poore.

I wait all year for our blue crabs to shed, or as the process is known, molting.  Crabs will do this several times throughout the summer months, but the first shed is always the one I long for.  When a crab gets too fat for its shell, it will shed it, leaving behind a very soft thin layer which over time will harden again.  But if you eat the soft crab within 2 days of its shed, it is a treat worth waiting months for.   I like to keep the recipe very simple so the flavor of the crab remains strong. 

Sautéed Soft Crabs

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Soft Crabs, cleaned
• 1/4 stick of butter
• flour for dredging
• 4 tablespoons oil (I use extra light olive oil)
• several tablespoons Old Bay spice
• salt and pepper

• 1/2 fresh lemon

Directions:

1. Rinse and dry soft crabs (your seafood market can clean them for you)
2. Mix flour, salt, pepper and old bay in bowl
3. Heat butter and oil in large saucepan, till hot but not brown
4. Dredge the soft crabs in flour mixture and add to pan
5. Brown crabs well, about 5 minutes on each side over high heat
6. Remove and place on paper towel lined plate, finish with squeezed lemon.

White Bean Dip

A zesty dip featuring white beans and fresh cilantro from Heather Forsyth

Appearing at my farmers market this week is fresh cilantro.  It's too early for the hearty herbs of summer -- basil, rosemary and the like -- but if you love cilantro (and most people either love it or hate it) like I do, you look forward to the bright, green clean taste that livens up spicy dishes, soups, pastas and salads.  Farmers market cilantro is not the grocery store stuff that reminds many people of old socks.  Like everything else, fresh makes all the difference.  This weekend we were invited to a friend's lake house and I wanted to take some easy to eat foods to contribute to the communal kitchen -- besides quiche, chocolate-oatmeal squares (and plenty of wine), I whipped up this bean dip right before we left.  The dip is just a hummus-type blend of white beans, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a bit of toasted sesame oil, but it's the wealth of chopped cilantro on top that makes it zing.  We used it to dip fresh, barely steamed purple asparagus (also from the Farmers Market, natch!) for a combo of flavors and textures that went beautifully with chilled white wine and a view of the lake.  If you happen to have leftovers, a spoonful or two stirred into vegetable soup adds richness and body, or mix in equal parts with plain yogurt for a delicious and healthy salad dressing.

White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1-14oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 c. sesame tahini
• 4-6 cloves fresh garlic (6=quite garlicky)
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
• 2-3 T. warm water
• small bunch of fresh cilantro, most stems removed, chopped

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients except water and cilantro in bowl of food processor until smooth.
2. Add warm water, a tablespoon at a time, if it seems too thick.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings--you may need more salt, lemon or oil.
4. Scrape into serving bowl.
5. Top with weath of chopped fresh cilantro.

Spelt with Spinach Side Dish

An alternative to routine grains like rice in this recipe from Dave Utrata.  Spelt is great tasting and easy to cook.  This “ancient” grain really should be added to your pantry.

I’m very thankful that some people in my life and world have led me to see beyond the expected, conventional or (worse!) boring.  By using spelt grain as one would rice, you add a nutty flavor and better texture to a side dish than you may have thought you could.

Spelt with Spinach Side Dish
Ingredients:

• 1 cup spelt grain (more readily available these days than you think; search around a bit!)
• 2-3 cups water (I went with 2 because I knew I was going to add stuff; one could very easily go with more water and just drain after cooking)
• 6 oz fresh spinach
• ¾ cup sliced black olives
• Toasted sunflower nut meats for sprinkling on top (I found mine in the produce aisle)

Directions:

1. Get the water boiling, then reduce heat and cover and cook the spelt for about 30 minutes or so.  No need to chase decimal points or precise seconds; you want the grain still slightly undercooked.
2. Add the fresh spinach and olives on top of the spelt.  You’re going to basically steam the olives and wilt the spinach.
3. After about a total of 45 minutes, uncover and remove from the heat.  Stir this all together and then serve on individual plates or serving bowl. 
4. Sprinkle liberally with the toasted sunflower nut meats.

Strawberry, Chevre and Honey Tarts

A pretty, simple dessert for strawberry season from Heather Forsyth.

This is really too simple to be called a recipe, but it makes a tasty, beautiful dessert that's small enough to eat without too much guilt.  Plus, for me, it features almost all local ingredients, always a bonus!  I was lucky enough to get strawberries at the farmers market this weekend.  Weeks of rain have ruined most of the crop, so we pay dearly, but so worth it!  Also local -- the chevre (soft, fresh goat cheese), raw honey and fresh mint.  I did a rare cheat and bought premade tart shells, but you could certainly make your own (prebake before filling), or substitute a shortbread cookie for the tart shell.

Strawberry, Chevre and Honey Tarts

Ingredients:

• Tart shells or shortbread cookies
• Soft, fresh chevre, about 1 Tbsp. for each tart
• Fresh ripe strawberries, one per tart
• Honey, a scant teaspoon per tart
• Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Spread about 1 T. chevre on each tart shell or cookie base
2. Remove stem from strawberry, and slice thinly, almost but not completely to the end
3. Fan the strawberry and place on top of the chevre
4. Glaze with a drizzle of raw honey
5. Garnish with fresh mint leaf
6. Get artsy with additional honey on the plate, if you'd like

Enjoy a mouthful of early summer!

How to Eat a Radish

A radish exploration from Heather Forsyth

I've never been much of a radish fan, but when you get lemons, you make lemonade, and when your farmer gives you fresh radishes, you don't say ick you figure out how to enjoy them.  And after trying them several ways, I found that I did!  There's more than one kind of radish, of course, but what I got are called french breakfast radishes.  So that's what I did with them first.  This is not a recipe, nor is it my invention -- it's how to eat a radish in the simplest and purest way.  You must use fresh, crisp radishes.  Don't bother with old ones, they'll be limp and taste bitter.

Radishes with bread, butter and salt

The picture says it all.  I cut a piece of baguette lengthwise into 4-5 thin slices, toasted them lightly, spread with a little butter, topped with thinly sliced radishes, and sprinkled with coarse sea salt.  It goes without saying that this is as good as the bread, butter and radishes you use. 

Radish and Arugula Salad

The same farmer that gave me radishes also gave me fresh arugula and eggs.  Presto, a salad is born.  This is nothing more than fresh arugula, thinly sliced radishes, and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, dressed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  This is a recipe in less is more.

Savory Cheesecake with Radishes

This is a two-layer appetizer with a rich, dense cheese base topped with crisp, spicy radishes and chopped parsley.  Served with rye crackers, it is a tasty starter for 2 to 4.  I used an 8 oz. ramekin for baking, but any small, shallow oven-safe dish will do.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese (you could probably use soft goat cheese with good results, as well)

• 1 oz. crumbled blue cheese

• 1 egg

• generous pinch of cayenne pepper

• a couple of radishes, thinly sliced

• chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Blend first 4 ingredients in food processor until smooth.
2. Pour into buttered dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.  The key is not to overcook it.  It should be barely brown and still a bit jiggly on top.
3. Cool enough to handle, unmold onto serving plate, and chill for about 2 hours.
4. Top with sliced radishes and chopped parsley.

Radish Slaw

No real recipe here.  I cut some green cabbage into ribbons, added grated radishes, then topped with a dressing made of mayo, thinned with a little lemon juice, and seasoned with a drop or two of toasted sesame oil.  The combo of sharp radish with mellow sesame oil was a pleasure and really gave this salad a kick.  I could also imagine a sprinkle of black sesame seeds to give both a visual and nutritional boost.

So next time you're at the farmers market, go ahead and get some of those fresh radishes and try one of these ideas, or invent your own.  My husband suggested slicing them and frying them like potato chips -- I wasn't brave enough to try it, but you might be.