Chicken, Carrot, and Bok Choy Coconut Curry

This recipe came about when I wanted to use a bunch of fresh, young carrots that I picked up at the farmers’ market. It goes together quickly, uses easy-to-find ingredients, and it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, and crunch. Depending on the chiles you use, this can be made hot or mild. Give this recipe a try when you have limited cooking time but want to create something healthy.


Chicken, Carrot, and Bok Choy Coconut Curry

1 T. coconut oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch young carrots, sliced into thin rounds
1-3 chiles, chopped*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can coconut milk
1 T. freshly grated ginger
1 T. coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 t. cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1 bunch bok choy, chopped
Sea salt to taste
Sesame oil

Heat the coconut oil over high heat in a large pan. Once it has melted, add the chicken pieces and begin to cook, stirring occasionally. When the chicken pieces are barely showing any pink, add the carrots and chiles. Keep stirring until no more pink shows in the chicken.

Next, add the coconut milk, ginger, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots have lost their crunch but are still firm.

Add the bok choy. Cover and cook until the green tops are barely wilted. Add sea salt to taste and blend, then serve over cooked rice with a drizzle of sesame oil.


* You can make this as mild or as hot as you prefer. If you like it mild, use chiles such as cubanelles or poblanos; if you prefer hot, use a cayenne, Serrano, or even a habanero or scotch bonnet.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry with Tropical Fruits

This recipe was an accident—a happy accident. I’d originally purchased the tropical fruits and Thai seasonings to create what turned out to be painfully underwhelming Tropical Fruit Spring Rolls. By rethinking the ingredients and adding chicken, rice, and vitamin-packed sweet potatoes, I turned my failure into a delectable Thai-inspired curry.

While most large supermarkets sell papayas and mangos (if not fresh, you’ll probably be able to find them in jars or frozen), dragon fruits may be more difficult to track down. Try a Latino or Chinese grocer; if you still can’t find dragon fruit, simply add the diced flesh of 2-3 peeled kiwis.

Dragon Fruit, Cross-Section

Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry with Tropical Fruits

2 T. coconut oil
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3-4 Thai chiles, minced
1 mango, peeled and cut into small dice
1 ripe papaya, seeded and cut into small dice
1 dragon fruit, peeled and cut into small dice*
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
15 oz. can coconut milk
Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
¼ c. rum
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. cardamom, ground
1 t. grains of paradise, ground
1 t. grated ginger
½ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
Handful Thai basil, chopped
Handful fresh mint, chopped

Cooked rice, to serve
Small sprigs of basil and/or mint, for garnish
Thai chiles, for garnish

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat, then add the chicken, sweet potatoes and chiles. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken has mostly browned.

Next, add all remaining ingredients except the Thai basil, mint, and rice. Stir to combine, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for another 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the dish is finished cooking, stir in the chopped Thai basil and the chopped mint. Blend well, spoon over rice in individual serving bowls, and top with a small sprig of basil or mint and a single Thai chile.

*If you cannot locate dragon fruit, substitute 2-3 peeled kiwis.

* Nutritional info: serves 6-8. 406 calories, 16 g fat, 48 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein.

* To purchase ingredients used in this recipe, click the link(s) below:

Cold-Weather Cooking: Farfalle with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Roasted Red Peppers

When temperatures drop down to single digits, it’s only natural to be inclined to cook hearty dishes with rich, buttery sauces! This recipe, which uses dark meat chicken, roasted red peppers, meaty Portobello mushrooms, and fiber-packed chickpeas, is simple to prepare and immensely satisfying. Bundle up, head to the market and pick up these easy-to-find ingredients, and once you've thawed out, put this on the stove. Serve with lots of Chardonnay!


Farfalle with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Roasted Red Peppers

16 oz. / 455 g. dry farfalle
Splash olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-2 large shallots, sliced
1 head garlic, roasted*
4-5 large Portobello mushrooms, diced
2-3 large red peppers, roasted and minced*
1 15-oz.can chickpeas (do not drain)
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
Pinch dried rosemary
½ c. Chardonnay
½ c. light cream
Pat butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)


Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chicken and brown for a few minutes, then add the shallot and garlic and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Next, add the mushrooms, red peppers, chickpeas, bay leaves, cloves, rosemary, and wine. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the chicken is fully cooked, add the cream, butter, salt and pepper, and cayenne (if using). Blend well, then add the cooked pasta. Mix well, and serve piping hot.

*Note: For instructions on roasting garlic and peppers, click here. When selecting peppers for roasting, choose peppers that are long rather than round and boxy. I don’t know why, but they seem to yield a more flavorful roasted pepper!

* Nutritional info: serves six. 624 calories, 16 g fat, 75 g carbohydrates, 47 g protein.

 

Barley-Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Rose and Whiskey Sauce

Recently, I found a jar of rose preserves—rose petals preserved with sugar and pectin—at a Russian market. Never having tried rose preserves, I obviously needed to buy it! I opened the jar and sniffed the marmalade-like preserves, then tried a spoonful and realized how wonderful it would taste when combined with whiskey. That was all the inspiration I needed for this recipe! Here, I’ve combined traditional Scottish flavors with the sweet, fragrant rose jam. Serve this alongside bitter greens, such as kale or broccoli rabe, which will complement the sugary jam. This is even better when served with a glass of scotch!


Barley-Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Rose and Whiskey Sauce

For the stuffing:
1 T. butter
½ medium brown onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, smashed with the side of a knife blade
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 small pinch cinnamon
½ c. pearl barley
1.5 c. low-sodium chicken broth

For the sauce:
¼ c. butter
½ medium brown onion, minced
¼ t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pinch cinnamon
1/3 c. scotch
¼ c. rose preserves*
¼ c. low-sodium chicken broth

For the chicken rolls:
6 slices chicken breasts (approx. 1.5 pounds), pounded ultra-thin
1 batch stuffing
1 batch sauce

First, make the stuffing. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion has softened.

Add the barley, stir until each grain is coated with butter, then add the chicken broth. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover, and cook for about 30 minutes.

While the barley is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion, thyme, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Once the onion has cooked, add the scotch, rose preserves, and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rose preserves have completely blended in.

Once the stuffing is done cooking, let it cool a bit, and then prepare the chicken. Lay the pounded chicken on a flat surface, and spread each piece with 1-2 heaping spoonfuls of stuffing. Roll up, starting with the largest end, and secure with kitchen string or silicone ties. Place each roll seam-side down in an ovenproof baking dish.

Pour the sauce over the chicken roll. Bake for 30 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. When done baking, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice, spoon the sauce over the slices, and serve alongside a green vegetable.

* Rose preserves can be found at Russian or Eastern European markets, at specialty retailers, and online. I used Kafkas brand. If you cannot find rose preserves, simply substitute an equal amount of orange marmalade along with1-2 teaspoons rose water.

* Nutritional info: serves six. 350 calories, 12 g fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein.

Spreading the barley stuffing on the chicken

Basting the chicken rolls as they bake

Sliced and ready to serve

Butternut Squash Risotto, Cinnamon Spiced Chicken

“I could go crazy on a night like tonight, when summer’s beginning to give up her fight.” So goes the lyrics to my favorite Indigo Girls song. But as much as I love the beach, grilled food, and rooftop bars, I don’t go crazy when summer fades away. The shift in seasons means a shift in cooking. The beers we drink get a little darker and a little heavier. Oysters start to taste a bit crisper. Fresh beans and tomatoes give way to apples, squashes, and grapes, and the cooler temperatures mean more time that I get to spend indoors, particularly in my kitchen, where I love experimenting with autumn’s bounty.

Two recipes that showcase some of my favorite fall flavors are Butternut Squash Risotto and Cinnamon Spiced Chicken. These are perfect dishes to cook on that first fall day that’s chilly enough to make you wear a jacket!


Butternut Squash Risotto

4 cups chicken broth

2 T. butter
1 medium butternut squash, cut into cubes
1-2 shallots, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 t. nutmeg*
¼ t. cayenne pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 ½ c. grated pecorino romano
Handful chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan. Keep the broth simmering on low while you complete the remaining steps.

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the butternut squash cubes and the shallot. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until the shallot has softened.

Add the Arborio rice. Stir until each grain of rice is coated with the melted butter. Reduce heat to low and add the wine, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly until all of the wine is absorbed.

Add 1 cup of the chicken broth. Again, stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step, adding more chicken broth, until the rice is fully cooked through but not mushy.

Once the rice is cooked, add the olive oil, pecorino romano, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted.

Serve piping hot, alongside Cinnamon Spiced Chicken.


Nutritional information: serves four. 300 calories, 14 g fat, 36 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein.


Autumn Spiced Chicken

½ t. cayenne pepper
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. dried thyme
2 t. nutmeg*
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. chicken breast tenders, pounded thin

First, preheat the oven to 400. Next, combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Blend well, then rub the spice blend into the chicken until the chicken is fully coated.

Place the spice-coated chicken strips on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes. Serve alongside piping hot Butternut Squash Risotto.

Nutritional information: serves four. 124  calories, 1 g fat, 0 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein.


 
* You can use ground nutmeg in these recipes, but that stuff is practically flavorless – you’ll get a much brighter flavor if you buy whole nutmegs and grate them with a microplane grater just before use. To purchase a microplane grater, click the link below:

Soft-Handle Microplane Zester Grater, Green, 12" (Google Affiliate Ad)

 

 

Creamed Callaloo with Jerk-Seasoned Chicken

This summer, the local farmers’ harvests have been good to me. I’ve picked up early season green tomatoes, some fantastic golden raspberries, fresh garlic, rainbow carrots, and a bounty of other goodies, and to my surprise, one of the vendors was once again selling Callaloo, a green leafy vegetable that grows in tropical climates and is popular in Caribbean cooking, especially when made into a hearty stew bearing the same name (click here for my Callaloo recipe).

The actual species that gives us Callaloo leaves is the amaranth plant, a powerhouse whose seeds nutrient-packed, gluten-free seeds are cooked like grains. Back to the leaves—Callaloo leaves are full of vitamins A and C, and they taste like milder spinach.



Creamed Callaloo with Jerk-Seasoned Chicken

Callaloo leaves

1 T. / 15 mL coconut oil
1 t. / 4 g grains of paradise (also known as melegueta pepper)
1 large brown onion, sliced
1 serrano chile, minced
1 bunch callaloo leaves, chopped and rinsed
1 c. / 230 mL coconut milk
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked rice, to serve
Grilled Jerk-Seasoned Chicken, to serve (recipe below)

Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the grains of paradise, onion, and Serrano chile. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

Add the callaloo leaves and a splash of water. Stir, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until the leaves have begun to wilt.

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through. Spoon over cooked rice and serve alongside Grilled Jerk-Seasoned Chicken



Grilled Jerk-Seasoned Chicken

20 allspice berries, ground
½ t. / 3 g grains of paradise (also known as melegueta pepper)
1 t. / 4.5 g. ground ginger
2 t. / 9 g cayenne pepper
2 t. / 9 g garlic powder
2 t. / 9 g dried thyme
2 t. / 9 g salt
Approx. 2 lbs. / 1 kg chicken breast tenders, pounded ultra-thin

Combine all ingredients except the chicken. Blend well, then rub the spice mixture into the chicken. Grill over medium heat, approximately 2 minutes per side. Serve with Creamed Callaloo.

Nutritional info: serves six.  425 calories, 14 g fat, 34.5 g carbohydrates, 39 g protein.

Chicken with Crunchy Veggies and Thai Flavors

This is yet another one of my recipes that wasn’t necessarily inspired, but came together when I said, “I’m hungry!” Thinking of what I could cook, I realized that I rarely cook chicken. I eat a lot of seafood, pork, beef, and vegetarian dishes, but I don’t do chicken too often. Why not? No conscious reason. I like chicken, but since starting this blog, I’ve leaned towards recipes with stronger flavors and uncommon ingredients.

When I do cook chicken, I buy organic, free-range, air-chilled chicken. Organic and free-range chicken is better for your body, the environment, and the chickens themselves. If you’ve never heard of air-chilled chicken, seek it out¾while normal chickens are dunked in an ice water bath to lower their temperature after slaughter and processing, air-chilled chickens are sent through several courses of cold air. This significantly lowers the risk of bacterial contamination (one infected chicken in an ice water bath can contaminate an entire lot), but it is also more economical - chickens given ice baths absorb water, and the consumer ends up paying for water. When chickens are air-chilled, you're not paying for anything but chicken. Air-chilled poultry costs a little more than conventional chicken, but I think it’s worth it to pay a slightly higher price for clean, unadulterated chicken.

Chicken pairs with pretty much everything, as does rice. But plain chicken and plain rice isn’t very exciting; I wanted to spice it up a bit. When you add in bold flavors, a little meat goes a long way, so if you’re looking to cut down on meat consumption, crunchy vegetables and Thai-inspired flavorings provide flavor and textural contrasts to the rather neutral chicken and jasmine rice. Even better, this recipe couldn’t be easier!



Chicken with Crunchy Veggies and Thai Flavors

1 T. coconut oil
8 oz. Boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 lb. Green beans, cut into 1” lengths
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t. grated fresh ginger
2 T. low sodium soy sauce
2 T. fish sauce
2 T. Boston Olive Oil Company’s lemongrass & mint white balsamic vinegar
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
2 Serrano chiles, minced
2 fresno chiles or red jalapenos, minced
3 green onions, sliced into rings
Handful chiffonade-cut basil
1 T. toasted sesame oil

Coked rice, to serve
Extra basil, to garnish
A few very thin slices Serrano chile, to garnish


In a large metal pan or wok, heat the coconut oil over high heat until it becomes fluid. Add the chicken pieces and brown for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the green beans, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, and lemongrass & mint vinegar. Cook for 5-7 minutes, continuing to stir constantly. Next, add the cucumber, tomato, Serrano chile, and fresno chile. Continue to stir constantly, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the green beans are no longer raw tasting but still retain their crunch.

Finally, add the green onions, basil, and sesame oil. Stir until blended, then spoon over cooked rice. Garnish with basil sprigs and thin slices of serrano chile. 

Thai-Inspired Spring Rolls with Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce

Need a dish to bring to a party? Having people over who like their snacks a bit exotic? Try these Thai-inspired spring rolls! Served with a spicy coconut dipping sauce, these rolls are sweet, spicy, and savory with a bit of crunch. If you can find fresh water chestnuts, do use these instead of canned - the canned ones are nice and crunchy, but the fresh ones have a better texture and a sweet, almost vanilla-like flavor.


Thai-Inspired Spring Rolls

1 10-oz. can chunk chicken in water, drained and finely chopped
8 fresh water chestnuts, peeled and minced
2 t. Thai red curry paste
1 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
1/2 t. fish sauce
1/4 c. coconut cream (the thicker stuff at the top of a can of coconut milk)
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 T. finely minced fresh lemongrass
4 shiitake mushrooms, minced
1-2 sprigs parsley, minced
spring roll skins
　
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the spring roll skins. Stir until the mixture is well-blended.

Place a spring roll skin in a baking dish filled with warm water. Swish it about until it softens to the consistency of a wet washcloth, then let the water drip off. Lay the skin on a kitchen towel and gently pat dry. In the center of the spring roll skin, place about two tablespoons of the filling mixture in a log shape. Now, fold the bottom over the filling mixture, as shown in the first of the photos below. Next, fold the left side directly overtop of the filling, and then repeat with the right side. Finally, roll the filling over the exposed edge until a fat cigar-shaped roll is formed.

Repeat these steps until all the filling has been used. Serve on a decorative platter or plate with Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce.
　


Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce

1 cup coconut milk
2 t. Thai red curry paste
1 T. soy sauce
1-2 t. toasted sesame oil
1-2 t. fish sauce
1 t. rice vinegar
Hot chili oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until the curry paste is blended. Serve with Thai-inspired spring rolls. If you have leftover dip, it makes a great sauce for cold rice noodles.

Chicken with French Herbs and Almonds - An Accidental Recipe

Like Sir Alexander Fleming with his magical mold, I made an accidental discovery.  I wasn't trying to create a new recipe, I was trying to make chicken piccata.  As fate would have it, my perfect storm of brain farts resulted in me having to improvise on the fly and create an entirely new recipe in the short time it takes to cook chicken cutlets. 

So how did I manage to screw up chicken piccata?  1)  I forgot to buy lemons or lemon juice, and I only had about 1/4 cup left in my trusty bottle, and 2) I forgot to dredge the cutlets in seasoned flour.  I completely forgot an entire step.  I didn't realize I'd forgotten this step until the cutlets were in the pan browning.  "Oops!" I shouted.  Ok, maybe I shouted a synonym for "oops" that begins with F.  Doesn't really matter; I just knew I had to do something to salvage the chicken.  I had about 3 minutes to either re-work this recipe and knock it out of the park, or I'd ruin it and have to pack my knives and go.  Go where?  To grubhub.com, to the pub down the street, to the cabinet containing a 6-pack of Top Ramen...

Sure, I probably don't need to treat every recipe I make like a do-or-die moment, especially considering that 4 out of 5 times I'm cooking for one, but I love a good challenge.  I refused to resign myself to cooking something not worthy of sharing with my readers.  So how did I save the chicken?  A splash of vino, a healthy injection of butter, some seasonings (including lavender flowers and green peppercorns), the final added touch of a few toasted almonds, and voila!  A brand new original recipe. 

The light, delicate flavors of this dish make it perfect for a romantic dinner for two on one of the first warm days of spring - those days will be here before you know it!   

Chicken with French Herbs and Almonds

For the marinade:
1/2 cup dry white wine
splash lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 lbs. chicken breast tenders, pounded thin with the textured side of a meat mallet
splash olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 T. butter
1 T. capers in brine, drained and rinsed
2 t. green peppercorns, crushed with the flat edge of a knife
2 t. dried lavender flowers*
2 t. dried tarragon
salt and pepper to taste

cooked spaghetti or angel-hair pasta
chopped toasted almonds, for garnish
tarragon sprigs, for garnish
fresh sprigs lavender, for garnish

Combine the marinade ingredients in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in one layer.  Let marinate for about a half hour. 

Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and discard leftover marinade.  Heat a splash of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan with a lid over medium heat.  Add the chicken pieces, cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until the chicken pieces are no longer pink on the outside.  Remove the chicken and set aside. 

Add all remaining ingredients except the pasta and garnishes to the pan.  Heat through until the butter melts, stirring contstantly.  Once the butter is melted, add the chicken pieces again, cover with a lid, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside. 

Arrange 2-3 of the chicken pieces over a bed of pasta.  Spoon some of the sauce overtop of the pieces, then sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds and garnish with tarragon and lavender sprigs.  Serve with a delicate white wine. 


* Be sure to use lavender flowers that are designed for tea, preferably organic.  Lavender used for potpourri can be treated with chemicals not fit for consumption. 

Around the World in Eighty Bites - Poland

If you ask people on the street what their favorite Polish foods are, most will say kielbasa and pierogies.  After all, spicy smoked sausage is pretty good, and so are those little dumplings that seem to be the blond-haired, blue-eyed love child of gnocchi and ravioli.  But there's far more to Polish cooking than kielbasa and pierogies.  Game meats, both freshwater and saltwater fish, hearty grains, and winter vegetables are featured in many Polish recipes, and a little flour, butter, and sugar can make magic with Poland's local fruits and berries. 

Poland shares borders with Germany and Russia, and these two influences can be seen in the frequent use of cabbage, beets, and buckwheat.  But Poland also received a Italian influence in the 16th century when a Polish king married an Italian queen, who brought with her a team of Italian chefs.  Porcini mushrooms, garlic, wine and leeks began cementing their places in the Polish kitchen, and they are still popular ingredients today. 

As a tribute to my readers in Poland, I steered clear of kielbasa and pierogies and decided instead to make Duck with Red Cabbage, a traditional dish that hasn't yet become synonymous with kuchnia polska here in the States.  Unfortunately, my grocery store was completely sold out of duck.  Normally I would have hopped from store to store in search of fresh duck, and I normally would not compromise the integrity of a recipe, but all bets are off during massive ice storms!  I substituted chicken thighs - not the same, but still delicious.

To accompany my Chicken and Red Cabbage, I made a batch of fluffy Potato Dumplings seasoned with garlic and smoked sea salt.  Just before serving, I tossed these in a skillet with some bacon drippings and butter.  Try these recipes for yourself if you want to experience a little taste of Poland on your palate!

Chicken with Red Cabbage

1 T. butter
2 oz. bacon or pancetta, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
4-6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 head red cabbage, shredded
1 cup dry red wine
1 T. caraway seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.  Add the bacon and cook for several minutes, or until it starts to crisp.  Next, add the onion and cook for about a minute more, stirring occasionally. 

Now, add the chicken.  Brown on both sides, then add the cabbage, red wine, and caraway seeds.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and the cabbage has softened up a bit.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with potato dumplings. 





Potato Dumplings

2 pounds potatoes, peeled
1 egg, beaten
1 T. smoked sea slat
1 T. garlic powder
1/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting

1 T. bacon drippings
1 T. butter

Cook 1 pound of the potatoes in boiling water until tender.  Mash, set aside to cool.  Grate the other pound of potatoes using the large holes of a box grater.  Squeeze any excess moisture from the grated raw potato.  In a large bowl, combine the mashed potato, grated potato, egg, salt, garlic, and 1/4 cup flour.  Mix well. 

Using your hands, form the potato mix into loosely packed balls the size of golf balls.  Working in batches, drop several at a time into salted boiling water and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until they begin to float to the survace.  Remove with a slotted spoon, set aside on a plate. 

Once the dumplings are all cooked, melt the bacon drippings and butter in a large frying pan.  Add the dumplings and toss for a minute or so to coat.  Serve hot with Chicken and Red Cabbage.

Around the World in Eighty Bites - Belgium

Before I get to the recipes, I have to let myself get a little emotional here. Up until a few days ago, I’ve been going through the shop, cook, write, post cycle without really knowing who was reading these stories and recipes. Sure, I could see my Facebook and Twitter followers, but I thought those two links were the extent of my reader base. I recently learned that Blogspot, my hosting site, tracks certain statistics. Maybe this is something I should have known, but my technical knowledge doesn’t reach beyond the kitchen - I’m no techie by any means; I don’t even own an iPod! Imagine my surprise when I found out I had readers in Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, and about 20 additional countries! I felt joy, I felt happiness, but most of all, I felt relief. It was the same feeling you get when you’re driving around, unsure where you’re going, and then you see a familiar street or landmark and know that you’re moving in the right direction, and you sigh with relief, knowing that you aren’t a million miles away from your destination.

Over the last few days, I’ve been pretty overwhelmed, and excited, about the fact that people around the world are reading Bacon, Butter & Booze! But I’m not a trophy collector, I’m a writer, and I’m a cook. As such, it is in my soul to use each one of those stats not as validation, but as inspiration. To pay tribute to my international audience, I am going to attempt to cook a dish from, or inspired by, each country that shows up on my stat tracker, and I‘m calling my project “Around the World in Eighty Bites.” Tonight, I begin with Belgium.


Belgium, a small European country bordering France, Germany, and the Netherlands, is known in culinary circles mainly for its beer, chocolate, and, of course, waffles. Tonight, I made a light one-pot meal based on chicken, potatoes, Belgian Endive, and Duvel, a pale ale rumored to be one of Belgium’s best!


Beer-Braised Chicken and Endive

1 T. butter
6-8 chicken thighs, with skin and bones
1 onion, minced
1 ½ lbs. red potatoes, diced
3 bay leaves
Several sprigs fresh thyme
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle Duvel ale
1 pound Belgian endive, cut crosswise into inch-wide strips
Salt to taste

Melt the butter over high heat in a heavy-bottomed pot large enough to fit all the chicken comfortably. When butter starts to bubble, add the chicken on the thigh side. Cook for a minute or two, then turn the chicken pieces over, skin side down.

After the chicken has cooked for about two minutes, add the onion, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, Duvel ale, and pepper. Do not stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally without removing the lid.

Once the chicken and potatoes have simmered, remove the cover and add the endive and salt. Stir once, then cover and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.

Now, remove the cover and stir again once or twice. Take the chicken pieces out of the pot, remove skin, and portion into individual bowls. Spoon an equal amount of the endive and potato mixture into each bowl, including the broth. Serve, and be sure to drink some Duvel with this dish!

Rock Out With Your Wok Out!

Lame title?  Possibly.  Great suggestion?  Definitely. 

So why stir-fry in a wok instead of a ginormous frying pan?  First, it's been done that way for centuries.  The wok's deep sides keep the food in the wok and off your stovetop.  Also, the large surface area allows you to move the ingredients about more freely than in a frying pan.  Last but not least, it's really fun. 

Stir-frying in one of the healthiest ways to cook foods - quick cooking retains nutrients and crunch while using only a small amount of oil, so stir-fried foods tend to be low in fat.  The key to a successful stir fry is to heat the wok thoroughly before adding the cooking oil - foods will not stick to the wok if you adhere to this principle. 

Last night, I made one of my favorite stir-fried recipes - Walnut Chicken, a recipe my mom has been making since 1992, and one of my all-time favorites.  She adapted this recipe from a magazine, and I remember eating this recipe during the Clinton campaign, so feel free to hum "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" while you cook.  It is generally served over rice, but since I had no rice, I served it over cooked millet instead.  Either way, it's fabulous. 

Walnut Chicken

for the stir-fry sauce:
2.5 T. low-sodium soy sauce
2 T. sherry or rice wine
1.5 T. water
2 t. cornstarch
1 t. sugar or agave syrup
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 t. canola oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized chunks
1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized chunks
small bunch green onions, sliced into thick rings
2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized chunks

chopped toasted walnuts, to serve

First, make the stir fry sauce by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mixing until the cornstarch is dissolved completely. 

Heat the wok thoroughly, and then add a teaspoon or two of cooking oil.  Add the red and green peppers and green onions; stir fry for no longer than two minutes. 

Remove peppers and green onions from wok, and set aside. 

Next, add another teaspoon of canola oil (if necessary) and stir-fry the chicken pieces.  Continue stir-frying the chicken for 4-5 minutes, until no pink remains and the chicken is slightly browned on the outside.

Once the chicken is browned, return the veggies to the wok, along with the stir-fry sauce.  Stir together for a minute or two, then remove from wok and place in a serving container (keeping it in the wok will cause the veggies to continue cooking, and you don't want to cook away all the crunch).



Spoon over cooked rice or millet, and sprinkle with a handful of chopped toasted walnuts.  Enjoy!