Chicken & Onion Tagine (w/ Lemons of course)

Here is another easy weeknight chicken recipe using my favorite thighs and legs.

This recipe is of Moroccan origin and comes from the November issue of Saveur (my favorite cooking magazine lately).

Complaint: How come my recipe doesn't look like the photo in the magazine?



Because, it's food styled, silly. The recipe says to cook the tagine in an 8 quart Dutch oven, so why is it shown on a baking sheet?
And why do those lemons look so perfect, when mine practically disintegrated in the liquid?

Food styling, Watson.

Also, my dish was made at 7 pm, when most people cook and eat dinner in the dark, therefore, no natural light for photos either.

Food styling. I'll have to learn that trick.

Anyway, this dish is very simple. You can put it together in the morning before work (when it's light outside). Let the spice paste sit on the chicken in the fridge until ready to cook on the stove (I marinated it the night before).

Serve over couscous, and voila, dinner is served. Great for a crowd too.

The flavors were amazing. Don't skip the fresh cilantro.

Chicken & Onion Stew (adapted from Saveur):

4 chicken bone-in chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small onions, quartered (leave stems on)
1 tsp good saffron threads, crumbled
1 large lemon, sliced
big handful of pitted green olives
1 cup water

Make a paste by smashing the garlic cloves with the back of a chef's knife and adding the tsp of kosher salt to the cutting board. Keep moving the knife back and forth, creating a paste.



Place the garlic paste in a bowl and add the cumin, paprika, turmeric and olive oil.

In a large glass baking dish, spoon the paste over the chicken legs and thighs and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, best overnight.



In a large 8 qt. Dutch oven, heat some olive oil and brown the chicken in batches until browned on both sides, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken to a pan and set aside.

Now add the onion quarters and the saffron threads, cook in this yummy burned spice mixture until golden, about 10 minutes.



Add the lemon slices and the chicken back into the pot, adding a cup of water.



Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, until chicken is done.

Remove the chicken and onions to a platter and scatter w/ the olives and fresh cilantro.
Serve over couscous and enjoy!!!



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Detox Recipe #2: Caramelized Cauliflower Soup, NO CREAM

This is a rich and luscious soup and you will swear that there is cream or cheese in the recipe.

Roasting the cauliflower, instead of boiling it, makes the flavors deep and rich and gives the soup a caramelized flavor.

I served it as a main course, so I had to add the torn bread and hazelnuts to the top for my husband or he would say that "soup is not a meal" (from the Seinfeld episode).



Caramelized Cauliflower Soup (adapted from Sprouted Kitchen)

1 large head cauliflower
olive oil
1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
kosher salt and pepper

Broth:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken Broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

Toppings:
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh torn bread, 1" pieces
black pepper
handful of toasted hazelnuts or almonds
fresh thyme leaves
shaved Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Cut the cauliflower into florets and spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the fresh nutmeg and a hefty pinch of kosher salt and pepper and toss everything to coat. Bake on the middle rack for about 35 minutes, tossing the cauliflower halfway through, until they are fully roasted and you see a good amount of brown edges.

While the cauliflower roasts, start the broth. Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes to soften. Add the broth, dried thyme and vinegar and warm through.

When the cauliflower is cool, add it and the broth mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. I used an immersion blender which is one of my favorite gadgets.



Taste for salt and pepper. If you want more contrast, add a bit more vinegar. Add it back to the saucepan to keep warm.

To make the croutons, heat the remaining oil in a small pan, add the torn bread and a pinch of ground pepper and stir it around for 5-8 minutes until crisp and the edges are browned.
Serve each portion with a few croutons, chopped hazelnuts or almonds and a pinch of fresh thyme leaves and shaved parmesan, if using.

I loved this soup. So easy and delicious.



Enjoy!

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I Feel Fat: DETOX Shaved Brussels Sprouts w/ Red Onion & Pecorino

Why do I always overdo it during the holidays? Why can't I just heed my own advice: MODERATION.

But no, I have to try every dessert, have second helpings of stuffing, eat fat turkey sandwiches slathered with mayo all weekend long (yum!), and drink way too much wine. Why? Because I can't say no.

I am glad leggings are in style. It's like wearing sweat pants, you can just keep eating and the elastic waist keeps expanding, so it's a trick.

Well, today I feel lousy, and deservingly so.

Here is my first detox salad of the week.

It's simple to put together and you'll feel healthier after eating it.
It's from Food52.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad:

Dressing:
juice of a lemon
1 tsp honey
1 tsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp olive oil



Salad:
3 cups of Brussels sprouts, shaved on a mandolin
1/2 red onion, shaved into thin slices
sea salt & pepper
1/4 cup of grated Pecorino cheese

Trim the ends of the sprouts and shave them (carefully) with a mandolin. If you don't have a mandolin, you can chop them very fine with a chef's knife.



Soak the onion slices in cold water for 15 minutes to take the bite out of them and add them to a bowl w/ the shaved sprouts.

Mix the dressing with a fork and add to the salad just before serving. Sprinkle w/ Pecorino and season w/ sea salt & pepper.
Serve immediately.



Enjoy!

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Hot Artichoke Dip Revisited

This is everyone's favorite dip.

It always gets rave reviews and everyone asks for the recipe.
I posted it back in 2008 when I was just a young blogger.

I have improved the recipe (if that's possible), and I highly recommend you make this for your holiday feast.

My version is light, has less mayo than the usual T.G.I.Friday's version.

I use fresh leafy spinach which makes this dip hearty enough to eat with an omelet the next a.m.



Stacey's Best Hot Artichoke Dip:

1 can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 lb. bag of fresh leafy spinach, chopped (not baby spinach)
1 yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp Hellman's Real Mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 shakes Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
Panko Japanese breadcrumbs for the top
olive oil

In a skillet, saute the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and the garlic is fragrant.

In a large bowl, add the spinach and onion and the chopped artichokes.

Add the mayo, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper.

Spoon this mixture into a buttered oval casserole dish and spoon panko crumbs over.
Pat the crumbs down and drizzle with olive oil.



Can be made a day ahead up to this point. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Bake in a 375F oven for 40 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden and casserole is bubbling.
Let rest a few minutes before diving in.

I serve with pieces of toasted bread or to save calories, on crisp endive spears!



Delicious.

PS. I will be taking a few days off from blogging for Thanksgiving. I will be in the kitchen and will be back on the weekend with some holiday highlights.

Have a wonderful turkey day!

xo Stacey

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More Holiday Appetizers: Salami & Egg Canapes

I love egg salad. My secret recipe will be revealed now.

Hard boiled eggs mixed with Hellman's mayo, a dab of Gulden's spicy brown mustard, some pickle relish, salt & pepper.
Why do people always rave about it and ask what's in it? Because it's simple and good.

So now you know my secret recipe.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw Food & Wine's article on Kurt Gutenbrunner, the Austrian chef/owner of Wallse in NYC. He has a new book out called Neue Cuisine, The Tastes of Vienna.

Here, he mixes salami and cornichons w/ egg salad and swipes on toast rounds. SOLD.



This is great for your Thanksgiving appetizer cocktail hour, or eaten for breakfast or lunch on some good Jewish rye.



Salami & Egg Canapes: (adapted from Food & Wine)

5 large eggs
4 ounces sliced spicy salami
3 heaping tbsp mayonnaise (about 1/4 cup)
2 scant tablespoons Dijon mustard
5 cornichons
capers and fresh parsley or chives for garnish
8 slices of dark wheat or rye bread, crusts removed, toasted and cut into 2 1/2" rounds with a pastry cutter



Boil the eggs 11 minutes (that's how long I like to cook my eggs). Run under water and peel.



Add the rest of the ingredients with the eggs to a food processor and pulse a few times until combined, but still chunky and you can still see the pieces of salami.

Spread on the toast rounds and top with sliced cornichons, capers and herbs, or whatever else you like.



And you can make yummy little sandwiches with the leftovers!
Enjoy!



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Nice to MEAT You: Dickson's Farmstand Meats & Char-Broil

I don't want to preach and sound like a food snob (why not?), but if you are reading this blog, then you care about food and what goes into you and your family's body and are probably not hitting Burger King tonight. So let me talk. You can click out at any time, I will still like you.

Over the last few years, I have to come to realize that you are what you eat and MODERATION is the key. (I didn't make those sayings up).

If you eat whole and natural foods, that are minimally processed, you are most likely not going to gain much weight, and you will probably stay healthier than the person who smokes, drinks soda, eats McDonald's and eats processed foods. Especially one who eats excess MEAT.

Forget about watching Food Inc., which I can not bring myself to watch, or I may never eat again, period.

Recently I saw Michael Colameco's Real Food show about a guy who wanted to get away from factory farmed; inhumane treatment of livestock; shitty quality (excuse my French); supermarket bland tasting; and unhealthy meat. He couldn't find what he was looking for, so he became a butcher!

It's a long story, but his idea caught on and now he has farmers in NY State raising pigs, ducks, chickens and cows for his customers.

If you like eating seasonal produce from your farmer's market, then why not eat meat that is local too?

VEGETARIANS: CLOSE YOUR EYES NOW.



He buys the whole carcass and butchers it right in his shop in Chelsea, called Dickson's Farmstand Meats.



They don't waste any of the scraps either. Their philosophy is: Head to tail.

Instead of throwing the fat and scraps away, they make charcuterie from them, like an old fashioned European butcher. Confit, guanciale, pancetta, meatballs, salami, hot dogs, and rillettes, all from the scraps. No waste of the animal that died for our consumption.



The animals roam free and eat a natural diet (no hormones or antibiotics), and the meat just tastes better. Am I preaching? Maybe, but I love the idea and I wish it could be universal.

How much more expensive is this meat to buy? A few dollars more per pound. So I just buy less of it.
Make sense? (Surprisingly, it's only about $3. more per lb. than my grocery store).

We have made the effort to change our food buying habits this past year and it's been paying off.
We eat local vegetables when we can, (from our garden or the farmer's market), and try and buy the best that we can afford.



This week I had the opportunity to meet Top Chef Kevin Gillespie at the James Beard House hosted by Char-Broil. He was chillin' and grillin' and using their new infrared technology to cook up some gorgeous meats.



I ran right over to Dickson's and stocked up for my winter hibernation. I met Sarah and Charlie and they showed me around. The shop is amazing. It is located inside the Chelsea Food Market in the Meat Packing District, so if you are in town, stop in and say hello.



Dickson’s Farmstand, Inc.
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
(212) 242-2630

Eat well!


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Coronation Cauliflower Salad

My favorite vegetable is so misunderstood. If you still don't love cauliflower, read on.

In Italy, the Italians treat cauliflower with much love and respect, adding it to pastas, roasting it and topping it with crispy breadcrumbs, anchovies, capers or raisins.

Here in the states, we don't quite understand the beauty of cauliflower. I have memories of choking on boiled large pieces of blandness or eating it served with a gross cheese sauce from the package. Scary stuff.

I have never been a fan of raw cauliflower, especially when I see it on a crudite platter, waiting for the sour cream onion dip to mask it. It's so hard and large, I will take a pass.

But for some reason I was attracted to this recipe. I think because when I first clicked in, it looked like egg salad in the photo, but when I read on, it was actually a version of "Coronation Chicken Salad", a chicken salad made with a curry based mayonnaise cream sauce created for Queen Elizabeth's Coronation in 1953. (Here is the original recipe if you are interested).



This was so simple, and I really loved it. I used Hellman's Real Mayo, but the author used her homemade egg based silky smooth gorgeous mayonnaise, which I am sure made it even better.

I hope you try it.

Coronation Cauliflower Salad (from the beautiful vegetarian blog Stone Soup):

1/2 head of cauliflower
1 tsp of curry powder
6 tbsp of good quality mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
fleur de sel or Maldon salt
a few grinds of black pepper
handful of whole almonds, toasted
handful of fresh cilantro leaves

The only time consuming thing here is cutting your cauliflower florets into tiny bite size pieces. The author wants you to cut them no bigger than a grape. You can also use the stems of the florets, just chop them fine.



In a large bowl, add your mayo with the curry powder and mix together. Thin the dressing out with some lemon juice.

Add the little tiny white trees (cauliflower) and the toasted almonds (I chopped mine for smaller bites). Mix and season with salt & pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (don't substitute parsley, the cilantro with the curry mayo makes this dish what it is).



Yum. So good, I didn't even miss the hard boiled eggs!

Enjoy!

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The BEST Sweet Potato Recipe for Thanksgiving!

I know I'm bossy.

So I say, make this for your Thanksgiving sweet potato side this year!
It's as good as my usual sweet potato gratin, and even better. You will have your guests begging for more.
It was so delicious, I couldn't stand it.

You can prepare this the day before, and bake it on turkey day.



Here is the original recipe that serves 8, but feel free to double and or make it double decker!:

Sweet Potato Gratin w/ Caramelized Onions and Sage:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced into thin half moons
3 pounds sweet potatoes or yams (3 large potatoes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder (optional)
1 cup heavy cream

For topping:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped sage leaves
1/2 cup fine dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil



Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 casserole or gratin dish (I used my favorite once a year French Apilco gratin dish) with butter. Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and when it foams up, add the onions. Sprinkle them lightly with salt. Slowly caramelize the onions over medium heat, stirring frequently. This will take at least 15 minutes.

While the onions are caramelizing, peel and slice the potatoes about 1/4" thick. You can use a mandolin if you like, but I enjoyed the pain of slicing the potatoes w/ my Santoku knife.

Tile half of them in the prepared casserole dish, overlapping them in tight rows or a spiral. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper.

When the onions are dark brown, add the garlic and cook just until golden. Finely chop the sage and add this to the onions, along with the chipotle powder and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cream is slightly reduced, this only takes about 2 minutes total, then remove from the heat.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions and garlic from the cream. Spread the onions over the layer of sweet potatoes in the gratin dish.



Layer the remaining potatoes on top, forming a tight spiral or rows.



Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Pour the cream from the skillet over the top. It will look like there isn't enough cream; it won't cover the potatoes or fill up the dish. Resist the impulse to add more cream, however, I promise that there is enough liquid to cook the potatoes, and adding more may cause the potatoes to get mushy and fall apart. Obey!

Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender and the cream is golden brown and bubbling. (Note: Baking time depends on how thick you cut your potatoes. The 30-35 minute time is based on 1/4" thick slices).

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet and toast the reserved chopped sage and the breadcrumbs until golden and fragrant, only a minute or two. Remove from the heat and toss with the Parmesan.



Sprinkle this over top of the gratin and drizzle the top lightly with olive oil.

Return the dish to the oven for about 15 minutes or until brown and crispy. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.



This was amazing.

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