Roast Chicken and Collard Greens

I've been living in Maine for nearly six years now. When I think about that, it seems crazy. One of the things that has made living here much easier is the proximity of my older brother and sister-in-law, which was the result of one of those life coincidences. About the same time I got a job here, my brother got an opportunity to expand his artist's skills down in Massachusetts. So, I moved to Maine and he and my sister-in-law move to Massachusetts. It is nice to have them so close because my entire family can only get together so many times a year. I typically spend the less important holidays, like Thanksgiving and Easter, with them. But, there have been times where for some reason or another I don't make it down to spend even those holidays with them. In those instances, one of my friends invites me to her family's holiday celebration. I'm always grateful for their generosity (and of course the delicious food they provide).

This past Sunday, while my friend's family had extended another invitation to myself and another friend far from her family, we both felt like having a really quiet Easter dinner. So, I decided to cook dinner for the two of us. Luckily we checked if the stores would be open on Easter, so I was able to get to the store the day before for all my ingredients. Actually, I ended up at 4 stores because the 3 stores before the last did not have any fresh mint on hand. I'm not sure why other people needed mint; I doubt they were all planning to make minted carrots like I was. (That's another on of those delicious Eula Mae recipes I mentioned previously in this blog). Along with minted carrots, I roasted a chicken (sort of based on the Eula Mae recipe) and made cornbread (also Eula Mae) and collard greens. My friend shared a delicious bottle of red wine she got while in Turkey and we finished the meal with hazelnut gelato. All in all, it was a delicious meal (if I do say so myself).

Roast Chicken

1 5 pound chicken, washed and patted dry
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
6 shallots, ends trimmed off and sliced in half (you can leave the skins on)
2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter with the thyme and sage over low heat and then set aside to cool slightly.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
Mix the salt, cayenne, black and white peppers.
Rub the salt and pepper mixture on the skin of the chicken and between the skin and meat.
Stuff the cavity with the shallots and bay leaves.
Rub the outside of the chicken with the butter mixture and then place it breast side down in the roasting pan.
Place the chicken in the oven and roast between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until fully cooked.
Remove from roasting pan and place on a platter for serving.

Collard Greens

1 tbsp oil
2 - 1/4 inch slices salt pork, cubed
2 large bunches collard greens, stemmed, sliced into 2 inch strips, and washed thoroughly
1/2 tsp raw sugar

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the salt pork and cook, stirring occasionally until browned (bottom of the pan might brown as well, but that should come up once the greens are added).
Add the greens, stir, and cover.
Turn heat down to medium.
Let greens cook until desired tenderness, stirring occasionally (be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get up the browned bits).
Sprinkle sugar on greens and cover for a couple more minutes, then stir and serve.

Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing

This recipe is credited to my mother, who upon finding herself headed to a Midwest barbecue (read: lots of unhealthy food), wanted to make a vegetable heavy dish that she could nibble on without worry. My younger brother also gets a shout out because he was the one that introduced us to Thai pizza, which is delicious. My mother took the sauce and used it as a dressing over a mix of vegetables. What is below is a rough estimate of what I put in my own version tonight. (At some point I will invest in a camera so that I can share images of these dishes with you).

Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing

3 chicken quarters
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced thin
1 tsp salt
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin 2 inch strips
2 small broccoli stems, sliced into thin 2 inch strips
1 1/2 cups 1-inch pieces snow peas
2 c bean sprouts
5 carrots, julienned
4 green onions, green parts only sliced thin
1/4 c peanut butter (I used smooth, natural)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce, heaping
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce, heaping
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp water
chopped peanuts for garnish

Place chicken quarters in a pot and cover with water.
Put over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a low boil and let cook until cooked through.
While chicken is boiling, place red cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.
Toss to coat and let sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Chop remaining ingredients and place in a large serving bowl.
In a small sauce pan, mix together peanut butter, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, onion, ginger, garlic, and water.
Put dressing over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Let dressing simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat.
Once chicken is done, remove from heat, drain, and let cool before handling.
Place cabbage in a salad spinner and cover with water.
Stir cabbage around to remove salt, then drain and spin dry.
Add cabbage to large serving bowl.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and remove meat from bones.
Chop meat into small pieces and add to serving bowl.
Pour dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
You can serve at this point or chill it before serving.
When serving, sprinkle top with chopped peanuts.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

I have been in love with Eula Mae's Cajun Kitchen ever since I received it for Christmas one year (I think it was Christmas). I love the rich, spicy food! I have a secret life fantasy of living in Louisiana which mainly consists of scenes of me in 50s style dresses and big hats sipping a bourbon and listening to live jazz music. Every time I cook from her cookbook, I put on some jazz and pour myself a glass of wine and really enjoy the cooking experience. It was a little early for wine today, but it's a long weekend, so instead I made some Coffee by Design coffee (the blend made for Standard Baking), poured in a little Jamaican Rum Cream, and sipped that while I chopped and stirred.

I've become a little more comfortable with the style of cooking, so today I made a couple deviations from her recipe for Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo. I really wanted a tomato flavor, so I added a can of whole tomatoes (chopping them up, as she does for her Jambalaya). Plus, I had some leftover grilled chicken from a small dinner party I had last night and that always makes a great addition to any stew. Finally, I was itching to cook up the andouille sausage I picked up from Karl's Sausage Kitchen down in Boston last weekend. Also, as I mentioned, I love spicy food, so I upped the seasonings a bit. A little burn never hurt anyone.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

1 tbsp oil
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp flour
2 c chopped onions
1 c chopped green pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c water
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, tomatoes chopped and liquid reserved
1 tsp chicken bouillon
3 c okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
heaping 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
15 - 20 shakes Tabasco sauce
2 c chopped, cooked chicken
1/4 c sliced green onion
cooked rice

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
Add andouille and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Remove andouille from pot and set aside.
Add 3 tbsp oil and flour to pot and stir constantly until smooth and the color of peanut butter.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until soft (about 5 minutes).
Mix reserved liquid from tomatoes and water and slowly stir into the pot, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits.
Add chicken bouillon and bring to a boil.
Add andouille, chopped tomatoes, okra, black pepper, salt, cayenne, bay leaves and Tabasco sauce.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Add chicken and green onion and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve over cooked rice.

Rosemary Chicken with Mashed Yams and Parsnips and Sauteed Spinach

This morning I'm headed to Bintliff's American Cafe with Kurt and Jen. I have tried most of Portland's brunch cafes, but not this one. I've heard great things about their food. We had tried to go once before, a while back, but it was weekend brunch rush hour and Jen was already hungry, so we decided to go to another restaurant that I frequent and had never experienced a wait at. Enter the "never" curse. We had to wait just as long at the second cafe and also got the table right by the door, so we had to keep our coats on. I seriously don't understand people who walk into a restaurant during the winter and hold the door open while having a conversation with the people behind them about whether they'll eat there or not. The waitress also wasn't very attentive. I have high hopes for Bintliff's, since we made a reservation this time!

Last night, I made another meal to continue my attempt at more vegetables. This time I pan cooked some chicken thighs with rosemary and garlic, mashed yams (for sweetness) and parsnips (to balance out the yams), and quickly sauteed some spinach with garlic in oil so that it was wilted but not soggy. I hate overcooked greens. The meal was very colorful, which is always so appetizing, and the flavors balanced I thought. (Though, I didn't realize my brother doesn't like squash and yams very much, so I should have increase the amount of parsnips to yams for his taste preference). The meal came together quickly, which was nice since Jen was hungry when they arrived and I hadn't started to cook yet. Oops. Kurt also told me that when he makes a quick sauteed vegetable after cooking meat, he'll just throw it into the meat pan (meat removed). It saves a pan and adds more flavor to the vegetables.

Rosemary Chicken with Mashed Yams and Parsnips and Sauteed Spinach

2 tbsp oil
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tbsp rosemary
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 yams, peeled and diced
6 parsnips, peels and sliced
1 bunch spinach, washed well

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add smashed garlic cloves and rosemary and allow to cook for a minute.
Salt and pepper the chicken thighs on both sides and add to the pan.
Leave these to cook until you can see that it is cooked half way up and side facing down is thoroughly browned.
While first side of chicken is cooking, put the yams and parsnips in a pan and cover with water.
Bring yams and parsnips to a boil, then reduce heat and low boil until vegetables are tender.
When chicken is cooked half way up, turn over and allow to cook the rest of the way. Do not turn the chicken frequently, or the outside will overcook and the inside will take longer to come to temperature.
Yams and parsnips should be done before the chicken - drain and then mash.
Cover with a lid to keep warm.
When meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest chicken thigh reads 180 degrees, remove chicken from pan and place on a serving platter.
Add spinach to the meat pan and saute until just wilted.
Remove spinach from pan and put in a serving bowl.
Put mashed yams and parsnips in a serving bowl.
Serve hot.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower

Spring has arrived full force in Maine. Spring in Maine equals some beautiful, chilly days with lots of sun and many cloudy, very rainy cold days. The spring brings a renewed desire for fresh vegetables in my kitchen, but the cold days are also pushing me towards some warmer vegetables. Sunday was cold and rainy, so I opted for roasting some cauliflower I had purchased this week. The chicken is a typical flavor combination I use in my kitchen. I really just wanted the cauliflower, but thought I should get some protein since I've been exercising more regularly.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken

4 chicken thighs
1/2 c sliced red onion
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs rosemary
2 tsp oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a square baking dish, place the onion, garlic, and rosemary.
Lay the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables and herbs.
Rub each thigh with 1/2 tsp oil, then rub in salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour, or until done.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower, washed and broken and cut into equal sized florets
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

Place cauliflower in a large bowl.
Melt butter and mix with oil.
Pour butter/oil mixture over the cauliflower and toss to coat.
Pour into an even layer on a cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
When chicken has about 1/2 hour remaining to cook, place the cauliflower in the oven and roast until browned a bit.

Chicken Curry Salad with Red Cabbage

My new favorite way to use leftover chicken is in a curried chicken salad served over a bed of wilted red cabbage. This recipe is full of flavor and color, making it very satisfying. I got the idea for how to wilt the cabbage from someone who was telling me how they prepare coleslaw. Curried chicken salad has been done before by many, which is why I was inspired to make it. I like the mixture of savory and sweet in this dish.

Chicken Curry Salad with Red Cabbage

1 head of red cabbage, washed and shredded
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
meat of a whole cooked chicken, cooled and chopped
1/3 c raisins
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
enough mayonnaise to hold mixture together
1 to 2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, sprinkle the cabbage with sugar and salt.
Allow cabbage to sweat, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.
Mix chicken, raisins, celery, apple, onion, mayonnaise, curry powder, salt and pepper.
Allow chicken salad to chill for at least 1/2 a hour to blend the flavors.
To serve, place at least 1 cup of cabbage in a bowl and spoon chicken curry salad over the top.

Black Bean and Chicken Stew

After returning from the holidays late in the day, I made this simple stew from what I had in my kitchen. At first it was only going to be a black bean stew, but the flavor was lacking, so I added a bit of cut up chicken to it.

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 1/2 tbsp Indian curry powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili oil
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c water
1/2 a cooked chicken breast, chopped

Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
When oil is hot, add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add curry powder and chili oil and cook until fragrant.
Add black beans, water, and chicken breast.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, adding water if necessary.
Serve hot (with rice if you'd like).

Jamaican Chicken with Curry Tortillas

So, a while back I mentioned some Jamaican food I made. I was thinking about making it again and thought I should actually get around to sharing it with the rest of you... assuming anyone reads this infrequently updated sorry excuse for a blog. The New York Times had a recipe a while back for Jamaican Beef Patties, so I adapted this to what I had on hand (chicken) and my inability to bake anything due to a dirty oven (thus the curry tortillas).

4 handfuls of flour
1/2 tsp salt (approximate)
1 to 2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 inch thick slice off of a pound piece of lard (or you can use butter)
water

Mix the flour, salt and curry powder in a bowl.
Add lard (or butter) and rub in with fingers until incorporated.
Add water 1 tbsp at a time, stirring with a fork until the dough forms a ball and sides are clean.
Take a piece about the size of a pingpong ball and roll into a ball.
Roll out very thin on a floured board.
Heat cast iron pan to medium-high, then turn down to medium.
Cook tortillas about 30 seconds on each side.
Keep warm between two sheets of aluminum foil.

2 tbsp oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 hot pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp thyme
1 whole split chicken breast, boneless, skinless - chopped fine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
water

Heat oil in a pan and add onion, garlic and hot pepper and cook until tender, but not browned.
Add paprika, allspice and thyme and cook until fragrant.
Add chicken breast, mixing well.
Add salt, pepper, sugar and enough water to cover.
Cook until almost all of the water is gone and sauce is made.

Spoon chicken mixture into curry tortillas to serve.

My New Spin on Chicken Salad

Let me start by saying that while the posts about food have been lacking in photographic evidence, you should be thanking me for that. Seriously, I don't think I've ever taken more unappetizing pictures ever before. So, until I have the foresight to actually set aside part of the meal so that I can take a picture of it in good light, not to mention remember that I'm supposed to take the picture the next day, you don't want to see the dark, slightly disgusting pictures I've been taking lately.

That aside, let us get to today's meal. Actually, tonight I had leftover greens and rice and cooked some Cajun salmon to go with it. But, the other night I made chicken salad, but added a little something-something to make it extra tasty. I've been eating it for lunch all week and I still haven't tired of it. Good thing, too, since I have a lot left still!

Lemon-Thyme Chicken Salad

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp dried or fresh thyme (fresh would probably be a lot tastier, but I only had dried in the house)
salt (as needed)
3/4 lb brussel sprouts, shredded and rinsed well
6 good sized carrots, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sugar
12 oz small shell pasta
1/2 c mayonnaise
juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp thyme
good pinch of cayenne pepper
pepper to taste

Put chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water, add salt and thyme and cook until done. Allow to cool.
While the chicken is cooking, put on a large pot of water to boil.
Once water in second pot is boiling, add salt, stir, then add pasta.
Cook pasta until done, drain and rinse in cold water until cool.
While pasta and chicken are cooking, prepare the brussel sprouts and carrots.
Put brussel sprouts in a large serving bowl, sprinkle with a bit of salt (not too much, maybe 1/4 tsp) and about the same amount of sugar.
Also while other things are cooking, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, cayenne pepper, and pepper (and salt if desired) in a bowl and set aside.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces.
Add carrots, pasta and chicken to the shredded brussel sprouts.
Add the dressing and stir until well coated.
Allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Green Salad with Creamy Curry Vinaigrette

I just discovered my new favorite salad. I had some left over chicken breast from some chicken soup I made the other night. I only put the dark meat in the soup, so I had two breasts to use in other meals. I created this salad from things I had around the house (I haven't been purchasing many things lately, mostly due to lack of time).

1/3 c plain yogurt
2 tsp brown rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
4 to 5 leaves lettuce (torn and washed)
1/2 chicken breast, chopped
1/4 c walnuts, chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped

Mix the yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt and curry powder together. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Combine lettuce, chicken, walnuts, and pear in a large bowl. Pour on the dressing and toss (or stir carefully if you're kitchen accident prone like me).

I have a suspicion that I would love this salad even more with currants instead of pear, but pears were what I had at the time.

I've also been making orange yogurt by mixing plain yogurt with a spoonful of marmalade. It's delicious (especially if you use full fat yogurt).

I'm mostly settled into my new town, so the possibility of my posting more often will definitely increase. Nothing made me happier than unpacking all of my kitchen things! Well, a few things are still in boxes because I have almost no counter space and it's taking me a while to wash and put away everything. Plus, there isn't enough cabinet space for all of my kitchen stuff. I think my first investment will be a small, movable island for the kitchen. Who cares if I have a huge living room which currently houses 1 chair, 1 coffee table, 1 end table and a ton of boxes of books? I need to cook!

Chicken and Broccoli in a Garlic Cream Sauce and Chayote Dessert

Last night my mentor (who took offense at being referred to as my "clean up crew" despite it being a self-inflicted title) made Chicken and Broccoli in a Garlic Cream Sauce. Look at that beautiful broccoli! It smelled fantastic while cooking, always does, unless you let it cook too long. You can tell you've cooked broccoli too long as soon as your house starts smelling like your high school cafeteria, the holy land of over-cooked or dried-out "fresh" vegetables. Am I glad that my mom used to pack our lunches for us. I could take all the teasing questions about whether my mom also chopped down the tree, mashed it into a pulp, and made the paper bags for us too; the jealous taunts produced when my friends found out my mom made all of our bread.
I realized that I cook quite differently from my mentor now. I typically put at least eight cloves of garlic in my garlic cream sauce. She used four. I resisted the urge to go grab more. She, after all, was doing the cooking. We typically stay out of each other's way while cooking. If we are in the kitchen at the same time, we are usually making separate things. Did anyone read the New York Times article about alpha cooks? My mom and I are both alpha cooks. I managed to bite my tongue (but not my tone) when she asked me to chop some celery for this dish. I would never put celery in it. But, as my sister-in-law would point out, what "white people" dish is complete without celery and onions? None, I tell you. Many-a "white people" dish contains celery, onion, and ground beef and most often includes some "cream of" something soup. Cook something like that up and you'll be transported to the aromatic world of a white, midwestern church potluck.
This dessert was not such fare. Chayote squash, which I halved, seeded (only one large seed in this squash), and stuffed with a mixture of walnuts, raisins, coconut, brown sugar and cinnamon. I baked it at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, turned it down to 325 for a while, and then called my dad while on the way to the gym and asked him to turn the oven off, but leave them inside. When we got home a couple hours later, they were soft and still warm. It was agreed that chayote, while probably making a rather healthy dessert, also makes a rather bland dessert. The topping was delicious, but the chayote tasted of nothing next to it. When I use this vegetable again, it will be with something savory. Perhaps I'll take the Field Guide to Produce's advice and make a mixture including chorrizo to stuff them with, making sure to slice the flesh so that the flavor can penetrate the chayote a little better.