SIMPLE CHIA PUDDING

 Recipe from the back of the bag, Navitas Organics

Ingredients:

1 c milk

3 T chia seeds

1 T maple syrup

1/4 t vanilla

Methodology:

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar.  Seal, shake thoroughly, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, then shake again and refrigerate overnight, or at least 30 minutes. 

CHICKPEAS, TWO WAYS

Cooked chickpeas, from dry:

Ingredients:

1 lb dry chickpeas, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 t salt

Methodology:

Add the chickpeas and salt to a large pot, and cover in 2" of cold water.  Bring to boil, lower heat, and cook on the barest simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until tender.  Refrigerate in cooking liquid.

Crispy oven-roasted chickpeas, from the Cool Beans cookbook

Ingredients:

5 c cooked chickpeas (or chickpeas from 2 cans), drained, rinsed, and very well drained again

2 T olive oil

1 t salt

2 T za'atar

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 300°F.  Put chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and za'atar.  Mix to completely cover the chickpeas, and roast in the oven for 1 hour, stirring once.  Leave in the extinguished oven to cool for 2 hours, then store at room temperature for 1 week. 

GARLIC SHRIMP

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

15 shrimp, tails on or off (20-25/lb size)

1 head garlic, or 8-12 cloves, thinly sliced

1 lemon cheek

2 T Italian parsley, minced

Salt, pepper

Methodology:

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until the smallest pieces begin to turn golden brown.  Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring continuously, until the shrimp are done, 1-2 minutes?  Remove to a bowl, top with parsley, pepper and more salt to taste, and squeeze the lemon over.  Toss.

TARRAGON CHICKEN

 À la Bruno and CM

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts cut in large chunks

Tarragon, 3-4 twigs. Remove leaves to get about 1 T chopped leaves; keep other twigs intact

Shallot, diced

1/3 C chicken stock

¾ T sherry or champagne vinegar

2 T cognac

1 t Dijon mustard

1/3 C crème fraiche

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 350 F, 180 C

Heat most of the oil and butter in frying pan and quickly cook the chicken pieces, ‘till no red/pink is showing

Remove and put into a baking dish that keeps the chicken pieces tightly packed (fine if they pile up on each other); lay tarragon sprigs around the pieces.

Add remaining oil and butter to pan and saute shallot. Add chicken stock, vinegar, and Cognac, scraping up any caramelized bits. Add mustard, crème fraiche, salt & pepper. Pour over chicken in baking dish and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on reserved tarragon leaves. 

Serve with potatoes or rice.  If you’re making rice, you could add a few T of the tarragon sauce to the rice five minutes before it’s done, and a few fresh tarragon leaves.

BEET SALAD WITH FETA

 Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb beets, trimmed and quartered

1 1/4 c water

1/4 t salt

3 T white vinegar

1 T packed brown sugar

1 shallot, sliced thin

Grated zest of one lemon

1/8 lb feta

1 T chopped dill

1 t chopped thyme

Black pepper

Methodology:

Place the beets in a single layer in the bottom of a heavy dutch oven, pour in the water and salt, and bring to simmer over high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until beets are tender, ~45 minutes.

Transfer beets to bowl filled with cold water, keeping cooking liquid in pot.  Bring liquid to boil, and cook down until pan is almost dry.  Add vinegar and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid thickens and a a rubber spatula leaves a trail when dragged through glaze.  Add shallot and stir to heat through.  Remove from heat. 

Once beets are cool enough to touch, peel and drain them, and cut into 1/2" wedges.  Add to a large bowl, top with the remaining ingredients, and pour over the glaze.  Stir to combine.

KASHA

 Adapted from Natasha's Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1 carrot, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 celery rib, minced

2 t chicken better-than-bouillon

1/4 t ground bay leaf

1/4 t ground garlic

6 juniper berries

1 c toasted buckwheat groats, or half toasted, half untoasted

2 c water

Methodology:

Rinse the kasha and set aside to drain thoroughly.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft, and are starting to take on color.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.  Bring to boil, then turn down heat to the barest simmer, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the kasha is done.

CHICKEN CHILI VERDE

 Vaguely adapted from the Trader Joe's recipe

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil, divided

3 leeks, light parts only, cleaned and cut into 1/4" half moons 

1/2 t salt

6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1/2 t whole cumin seeds

1/2 t ground coriander

1 jar Trader Joes Salsa Verde sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (approx. 4 thighs)

4 poblano peppers, broiled, peeled, deseeded, and chopped

2-3 jalapeño peppers, deseeded, chopped into 3/8" pieces, divided*

1 T chicken better than bouillon

4 c cooked beans, from 1/2 lb dried beans

To serve:

Brown rice

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Cilantro, sliced

Sliced Avocado

Lime wedges

Corn tortillas, warm

Methodology:

Heat 2 T of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and salt, and cook, stirring, until the leeks begin to slump, but haven't taken any color.  Move the leeks to the side.  Add the remaining 1 T oil, the garlic and the spices, and stir continuously until the garlic begins to lightly toast.

Deglaze with the salsa verde and 2-3 c water.  Add the chicken, peppers (see * note) and chicken bouillon, making sure the chicken is below the water line.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.  Meanwhile, add the beans to heat through.  Return the chicken to the pot, bring back to boil, and serve.

______

* Not all jalapeño peppers are spicy.  If yours are not spicy, or if only one is spicy, reserve the spicy one for adding at the table.  If they're all spicy, only use one in the soup, and pass the remaining two at the table. 

SHERRY MUSTARD SAUCE WITH MUSHROOMS

 Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

4 baby bella mushrooms, minced

1 shallot, minced

1/4 c sherry (or brandy)

1/4 c beef broth

1 T dijon mustard

1 t fresh thyme leaves

1/4 c heavy cream

pinch cayenne pepper

1 T thinly sliced chives

Methodology:

Add oil to a saucepan over medium heat*, add the mushrooms and shallot, and stir until they soften and shed their moisture.  Once they begin to take on color, deglaze with the sherry, and cook down until nearly dry.  Add all remaining ingredients aside from the chives, and cook until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon.  Pour into a bowl and serve with steak, or use as the base for creamed spinach.  Garnish with chives.

*Great when cooked in a pan just used to make steak or a tenderloin.

SAUTÉED SPINACH WITH CARAMELIZED MISO BUTTER

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients:

1 T white miso

1 T mirin

1 T rice vinegar

3 T unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

2 T olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

6-8 c spinach, stemmed, thoroughly washed and torn into pieces

1 lemon, cut into footballs

Methodology:

Heat miso in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it starts to caramelize and brown, about 3 minutes. Add mirin and vinegar, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low and add butter one piece at a time, stirring constantly.  Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.  Wipe out saucepan.

Return pan to high heat, add 1/2 c water and bring to boil.  Add one third of spinach and toss for a minute, until mostly wilted.  Remove to a colander and repeat with remaining spinach.  Once cooled, squeeze well to remove water.

Heat olive oil and garlic over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to turn golden.  Remove garlic to a separate bowl and season with salt, reserving oil in pan.

Return spinach and half of miso sauce to pan and heat, stirring, until the sauce is completely incorporated.  Serve with remaining sauce poured over the top, garnished with slices of garlic and lemon slices.  Spritz with lemon at the table.

BOK CHOY AND TOMATOES

 Ingredients:

3 heads baby bok choy, white parts and greens divided, each cut into 1/2" slices

2 T olive oil, divided

8-10 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1" ginger, finely julienned

1 T maekrua oyster sauce (less if using Lee Kum Kee)

Methodology:

Place a large pan over medium high heat, add 1 T oil, and once hot, add the bok choy whites in one layer.

Cook, covered, until the whites are just tender, and the undersides are beginning to take on color. 

Remove lid, stir, and add tomato halves.  Cook for another 2 minutes, uncovered.

Clear a portion of the pan, add the remaining 1 T oil, and cook the garlic and ginger until the smallest garlic pieces begin to brown.  Stir, add the bok choy greens, and cook, stirring, until they wilt.

Add the oyster sauce, cook until heated through, and serve.

BANG BANG CHICKEN

Incorporating the Bang bang chicken recipe from @mingsbings and spicetheplate.com and the chicken breast recipe from thekitchn.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless chicken breast

1 T olive oil

Sauce:

1/2 c peanut butter

1 t crushed sichuan peppercorns (toast whole in a dry pan until smoking, then crush)

1 t chili oil (or to taste)

3 T soy sauce

1/4 c black vinegar

2 T toasted sesame oil

2 t ground sesame seeds

3 scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T ginger, minced

4 leaves napa cabbage, finely shredded, or 2 thinly sliced cucumbers

1 bag watercress, chopped

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

1/4 c salted, roasted peanuts, lightly crushed

Methodology:

For the chicken:

Heat a pan large enough to hold the chicken breasts over medium high heat.  Once hot, add olive oil and swirl to coat pan. 

Reduce heat to medium, add the chicken breasts to pan in one layer, and cook without disturbing for one minute. 

Flip breasts, turn heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Turn off heat and leave breasts undisturbed for an additional 10 minutes. 

Remove breasts from pan, shred with two forks (or by banging them with a rolling pin!).  Reserve the pan juices to add to the sauce.

For the sauce:

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, top with the chicken, and mix until well combined.

Serve on a bed of watercress, liberally garnished with cilantro and crushed peanuts.