A Spa Chicken Dish by the Incomparable Charlie Trotter

Steamed Chicken with Preserved Carrots, Peppers and Daikon with Marine Cider Vinaigrette

Mr. Trotter writes: "A perfectly steamed chicken breast is hard to beat. Here, I have coupled it with crisp vegetables flavored with marine cider vinaigrette and a touch of Thai fish sauce. If you are unable to find marine-flavored cider vinegar (cider vinegar seasoned with marine herbs and sea salt), any good-quality cider vinegar may be used."
(Photo by Julie)

Cousin Jules is one of the very best home chefs I know - she's right up there with my mom as far as her culinary expertise and imagination go. She, too, rarely follows recipes, and when she does, it's very hard for her not to get bored half way through the cooking process, as happened with the above dish when she made it (7.13.16), but persevere she did, and, boy were we all happy she did! All of Charlie Trotter's recipes are very detailed, lengthy with many ingredients and steps, and it's quite easy to get quite bored before you're anywhere near done. That said, the two recipes that we've (I made his mussels recipe) made from his Spa Cuisine: One & Only Palmilla cookbook were over the top and all kinds of wonderful! His subtle use of ingredients, (some of the combos which are just down-right weird), and how they combine are simply sublime! We're both anxious to test our patience further and try the other gems in his cookbook. This is so worth the time and trouble! Note: No where was there information on how to make marine-flavored cider vinegar, thought there were many articles on chefs that use it in their restaurants (google "marine cider vinegar") so Julie used plain Bragg cider vinegar and it worked just fine!

The so not a throw 'n go: 

For the marine cider vinaigrette:

2 T. olive oil

4 t. apple cider vinegar

4 t. chopped fresh cilantro (hate cilantro; I'd use parsley)

4 t. thinly sliced scallion

sea salt

For the chicken:

1 T. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 T. finely chopped lemongrass, from the bulb portion

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetables:

1 C. peeled, julienned carrot, steamed (blanched)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

1/2 C. peeled julienned daikon radish (use regular radishes if you can't find daikon)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro (again, hate cilantro; I'd use parsley)

1 t. black sesame seeds

1 t. white or toasted white sesame seeds

2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 T. Thai fish sauce

2 T. toasted sesame oil (Trader Joe's has a great one)

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the red bell pepper puree (optional - it's not on the above plate):

2 T. chopped roasted red bell pepper (in a jar - Trader Joe's has a great one)

2 T. water

sea salt

To prepare the Marine Cider Vinaigrette:  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. 

To prepare the chicken:  Combine the ginger, garlic and lemongrass in a small bowl. Season the chicken with 1/4 t. each salt and pepper and then place the chicken in the bottom of a bamboo or other steamer. Top the chicken breasts equally with the ginger mixture and set steamer over a pan of simmering water. Cover and steam for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked. Brush the ginger mixture off (at least the hard lemongrass pieces then thinly slice the chicken and toss with 1/2 the vinaigrette; use more vinaigrette if needed. 

To prepare the vegetables:  Combine the blanched carrot, bell pepper, daikon, cilantro (or parsley) and black and white sesame seed and toss to mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce and sesame oil. Add this mixture to the vegetables and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper. 

To prepare the (optional) red bell pepper puree:  Combine the roasted bell pepper and water in a blender and process until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and season lightly with salt. (Julie forgot to buy the red peppers so served it without - didn't hurt a thing!)

Assembly

Mound some of the vegetable mixture into the center of each plate, top with some of the chicken mixture, and then more of the vegetable mixture. Drizzle any juices from both mixtures around the plates and then spoon some of the pepper puree around the plate. 

Now eat up that deliciousness!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Confetti Rice & Veggie Salad

Confetti Rice & Veggie Salad inspired by The Silver Palate

This is one of my very favorite salads! Major yum going on here. My sis, Carrie, discovered the original recipe in The Silver Palate Cook Book by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins. They called theirs Rice and Vegetable Salad and you can find the original recipe here.  While the original is delicious, over the years my sis and I have tweaked it so it's perfection for us! It's always a hit whenever and wherever we serve it. And, if you add poached and shredded chicken breast meat, you have yourself one fine meal - perfect for a special luncheon! Notes: Basmati is by far our very favorite rice. It has a wonderful nutty smell and flavor, and if you rinse it before cooking it, it's never sticky! The original "Our Favorite Vinaigrette" recipe calls for adding minced fresh parsley or chives to taste. While we'll do that for regular salads, because the salad already has parsley, basil and dill in it, we don't add it the dressing for this salad.

I made this for yesterday's family 4th of July celebration. 

There was nothing left for me to take home... :-(

4 C. cooked and still hot basmati white rice

2 recipes "Our Favorite Vinaigrette" (below)

1 C. more or less red pepper, cored and chopped into confetti-type pieces

1 box frozen petite peas - add frozen to the salad

1/2++ C. purple onion, diced and then rinsed off (kills the sulfur taste and smell)

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, green tops too and then rinsed off

1 shallot, minced and rinsed (optional)

1 handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 handful fresh dill, chopped

1 handful fresh basil, chopped

salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

1/4 C. balsamic vinegar (optional - I rarely add, sis usually does)

You can add, and we always do for a buffet or luncheon:

1 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been poached and shredded (or use a rotisserie chicken)

Put cooked and still hot rice in a very large bowl and pour 1 recipe of "Our Favorite Vinaigrette" over it. (If you're including chicken, this is the time to add it to the rice.) Toss thoroughly and allow to cool to close to room temperature. (Warm/hot rice absorbes the dressing brilliantly.)

After rice has come to room temperature, add the rest of the ingredients, except the balsamic vinegar, and toss again. I find tossing with your hands is the very best way to mix everything together. Taste and correct seasonings, using more of "Our Favorite Vinaigrette" and the balsamic vinegar if you want. 

"Our Favorite Vinaigrette"

1 T. Grey Poupon mustard

1/4 C. red wine vinegar (Sclafani and Pompeian are my favorite brands)

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. each salt & fresh ground pepper

1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all but the oil together. Continue to whisk while slowly drizzling in the oil until dressing is thickened. A stick blender works wonders doing this. 

Serves 6 - 8 generously.

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb

Thai Stir-Fry w/Rice Noodles

Thai Stir-Fry with Rice Noodles

(First and foremost, I do apologize for my photographic skills - well, actually, lack thereof! Most of my pictures are taken around dinner time and, as anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of photography is aware of, unless you have good camera lighting equipment, natural dayligh,t and not just the camera's flash, is most definitely the only way to go! However, I will guarantee you that tho the pictures leave a lot to be desired, the food does not! What's found here is not only tried & true, but scrumptious - and much better tasting than any stinkin' photo looks like!)

Though our youngest daughter Brynnly has been in the food industry, both front and back of the house for, well, forever - and can she ever create one mean skillet of food - she's not the only good cook in our family. Eldest daughter Remy is turning out to be one mean cook as well. And it doesn't hurt that she spent the last year in Missouri cooking with her grandmother - who is one of the finest amateur chefs we've every known. Mom/Grandma Mary has always cooked healthfully, seasonally and innovatively long long before it became the only way to cook. I think the only processed food (if you can call it that) we ever had as children was orange-flavored Hi-C drink. Wonder if it's still made...

Now that Rem is home for the few weeks before she's off to her next adventure teaching in Haiti, she's more or less taken over my kitchen on the nights she's home. I thought I'd be bothered by this as I love to cook as well. Surprisingly, I'm not missin' cookin' one little bit! Rem's dad, on the other hand, isn't as keen on her cooking as she makes lots and lots of veggies, beans and whole grains. I've spoiled the man. Yes...there are Kraft Macaroni & Cheese boxes in our pantry (sigh). 

Remy threw the following together the other night using what she found in the pantry and fridge, and, yes, I really did happen to have rice noodles and canned unsweetened coconut milk in the pantry. I'm sure I was going to try some fancy-schmancy new recipe and then promptly talked myself out of it.  

We served it with chicken breasts that were pounded to be the same thickness, marinated for and hour and then char-grilled. 

~This one's a throw 'n go from start to finish!~

The Sauce: 
1 13.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (not the one in the dairy case)
3 tablespoons+/- soy sauce
3 tablespoons+/- rice vinegar
3 tablespoons Whole Foods brand Thai curry peanut dry mix*

*if you can't get to Whole Foods, use a mixture of curry and cayenne pepper. I'm sure there is also garlic powder and tumeric in there as well. It is very spicy!

Mix all in bowl and set aside.

The noodles: 
1 package rice noodles - we used the "A Taste of Thai" brand thin flat noodles - cooked almost to package directions, but undercook just a bit. When done, drain and cover; set aside.

The veggie stir-fry:
While you can use any veggie combination that suits your fancy, below is what Rem used as it's what was in the fridge. Just remember to put your veggies in the pan from what needs to saute the longest to what cooks in the shortest amount of time. The first group of ingredients, the stir-fry base are a must; the second group, up to you.

The stir-fry base:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, enough to coat the skillet plus extra if needed
4 - 8 cloves garlic, minced (amount to your taste - we love garlic!)
1" - 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (amount to your taste - we love ginger, too!)
juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
large onion, halved across, the each sliced in half again. Slice in slivers from top to bottom

Saute in the olive oil all of the above for 5 or so minutes over medium high heat. Then add your other veggies in the order of what will cook longest to shortest. Below is what Rem used:

The whatever you want veggie combo:
red pepper, sliced into strips
broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
asparagus, cut into 2" pieces
sugar snap and snow peas, stemmed
frozen peas

Add the veggies in order of the cooking time needed. Toward the end, add the sauce and cook until all is well blended, about 5 - 9 minutes. Add the pasta and stir again till all is blended. Taste and correct seasonings - a splash of soy sauce, a dash of Kosher salt, a touch more ginger, a splash of lemon juice; stir...then serve and enjoy!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again!
xoabb

Stuffed Zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini ala Kayotic Kitchen

I first fell in love with the Kayotic Kitchen blog back in November of 2010 when my daughter Remy, (a fantastic food-making girl), came across this recipe and made it for dinner. What a combination of flavors! Kay, who is Dutch, lives in Holland and is the author of the Kayotic Kitchen blog, seems to have a real knack of combining the perfect ingredients, tho not always what you'd think would be combined, to come up with a dish that you simply can't stop eating! Her stuffed zucchini is certainly all that! When Remy made this, she made half with the optional bacon ingredient (our American bacon bits) and half without. Though we both really liked the stuffed zucchini with bacon, (hubs George much preferred it), we liked the non-bacon version better. (Possibly if we'd used the same kind of Dutch-bought bacon that Kay used, we would have liked that bacon version better.) Though from the comments I gather that many folks have changed her recipe to this that and the other, this is one recipe that we pretty much (a pinch more salt, a dash more pepper, a little more sour cream) stick to the same ingredients in Kay's recipe. Why mess with perfection? (Oh, and do treat yourself to visiting her Stuffed Zucchini blog post - her step-by-step photos are MUCH better and more complete than my one measly photo!)

~

The T'nG (and [mostly] in Kay's words): 

1 T. sour cream (heaping)

1/4 - 1/2 t. salt (Wow! Kay's a T'nG cook as well!)

1/4 t. curry powder (man does this send flavors over the top!)

1/2 fresh tomato [dead winter here so I used 1/2 can petit diced tomatoes - summer only fresh tomatoes!]

1 t. dry thyme

2 zucchinis

1 small onion

1 T. oil or butter

parmesan/romano cheese

pepper

Optional: bacon

Preheat oven to 400º F. Give the zucchini a good scrub. Slice them in half length-wise and don't bother to trim the ends. I kinda like how rustic it makes them look. Spoon out the guts, leaving about 1/2" on both ends, until you end up with boat-like shells. (Be careful you don't dig too deep and split the zucchini in two.) Now give the zucchini pulp a good chop, and while you're at it chop up your onion and tomato - be sure to seed and then drain the tomato of liquid so your stuffed zucchini isn't too watery. Saute the onion in oil/butter until it's becoming brown. When the onion is almost done, add the curry powder and cook for an additional 30 seconds - no longer or the curry powder will turn bitter. When they're done, transfer to a big bowl. 

Now this is completely optional. If you want to stick with a vegetable dish, fine, just leave the bacon out. [Kay writes] I personally like the crunch and saltiness it gives, so I cook a few slices and let them drain on a paper towel.  

Now (in no particular order), add the thyme, salt, sour cream, a good pinch of pepper, the zucchini pulp, the tomato and crumble in the bacon as well. Mix well.

Lightly butter a baking dish and put the zucchini boats on it. Grab a spoon and fill the shells with the mixture. Sprinkle some cheese on top. Place in the preheated oven and give them about 20 minutes. Then turn on the broiler element and broil until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle some coarsely chopped parsley (the most underrated herb there is [I agree!!]) on top and you're done! 

They're best served straight out of the oven, so make what you'll eat!

~~~

YUM!

'till we feast again!

xoabb