Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauce 

This recipe is an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe

Olive oil 8 chicken thighs (I used 4 drumsticks and 4 chicken thighs) Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ras al-hanut (a mix of Moroccan spices that you should be able to find at specialty/gourmet markets)
Large pinch saffron, soaked in 1/4 cup warm water
1 cinnamon stick
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup dried apricots, sliced into half moons
1 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
Harissa (paste of chilies, garlic, and spices – available at specialty/gourmet markets)
Creme fraiche
Couscous

Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1) Make the harissa sauce that will serve as a condiment by mixing together 1/2 cup creme fraiche with 1 tablespoon harissa.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

2) In a Le Creuset dutch oven or tagine heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot skin side down cooking for about 2 minutes on each side just to brown them and then remove to a plate and set aside.  You might need to work in batches here – best not to crowd the pot.

3) If necessary remove or add some of the oil from the pot – you want about 2 tablespoons.  Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add the ras al-hanut and cook for 30 seconds.  (The aromas will be released by the heat – so amazing!)  Add the saffron and liquid, cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the cup of water, honey, and add salt to taste.

4) Nestle the chicken into the mixture and place the lid on the pot and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes without removing the lid.

5) Make the couscous according to the directions on the box.  

To serve add a heap of couscous to the plate topping with the chicken and dollop with the harissa sauce (the harissa sauce is spicy so add according to your taste).  Garnish with the parsley and cilantro.

The perfect accompaniment to this lightly spicy dish is Mara's cool cucumber salad with pita.

Enjoy! 

Well, a few years ago after making meatballs I had the idea of using some of these ingredients in a new way.  I took some liberties substituting the ground beef for lighter and leaner ground turkey breast.  But I incorporated some of the same themes from the meatballs such as bread crumbs, chopped onion, and parmesan cheese along with some spices, herbs, and an egg for binding everything together.  The resulting meat loaf was moist and delicious – not to mention easy and incredibly versatile.  I've since made many variations of this meat loaf and I'll share my most recent one with you here.  Some of the staple ingredients that I use in all of my versions include:  ground turkey breast, bread crumbs, chopped onion (this is what keeps the meat loaf incredibly moist and delicious), one egg, salt, a pinch or two of red pepper flakes for a little kick.  I also usually add some cumin too as this flavor works so well with the turkey.  The rest of the seasonings are inspired by what I have around – if I have fresh herbs I'll use them.  Parmesan cheese is yummy too as are any spices that speak to you from your cabinet.  The meat loaf that I made yesterday is a tribute to what I had in my refrigerator – the ingredients can easily be substituted to match your tastes.  For the sake of making this meat loaf sound a little more jazzed up I'll call it: Ground Turkey with Cilantro and Spices.

Note:  Most meat loaf recipes call for ketchup on top of the meat while it bakes in the oven.  Here I omit that because I like the crisp golden crust that forms on top while the inside remains moist as a result of the flavorful chopped onions.  I serve the ketchup tableside. 

Ground Turkey with Cilantro and Spices

• 1 lb. Ground turkey breast
• 1/2 C bread crumbs (I used plain but you can use seasoned – just add a little less salt)
• 1/4 -1/2 chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 Teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• Small handful of cilantro or parsley, chopped
• 1/2 – 1 Teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon cumin
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 egg

1)  Preheat oven to 400F. 

2)  Place all ingredients in a bowl.  With clean hands mix together until all ingredients are evenly combined but do not over-work the meat with your hands as you don't want it to be tough. 

3)  Place meat mixture on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet (you can also add a little oil or non-stick spray to the middle of the lined baking sheet where you will place the mixture to ensure that it won't stick).  Using your hands form the mound into a neat rectangle that is approximately 2 inches high.  You can actually make this into any shape that you like just make sure it's uniform height so that it cooks evenly.  The thinner it is the faster it will cook.

4) Place in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with ketchup.

Enjoy! 

4 Medium sized leeks (or 4 medium sized fennel bulbs)
Vegetable bouillion (follow package for the ratio of water/bouillion as the amounts can vary from one brand to another – I use Knorr vegetable bouillion cubes – and I actually use a little less than they recommend: 1 1/4 cube for 5C water)
5 C water
3 Garlic cloves – peeled
Salt/Pepper to taste

1) Chop and prepare the vegetables – if using leeks I like to chop them and then let them soak in a big bowl of water so that any sand or dirt will sink to the bottom. I usually chop these vegetables into ½ inch pieces. (If you’re unfamiliar with leeks or fennel I explain them in a recent post, California Roastin’.) I add the vegetables to a big pot filled with water, bouillion and the garlic. Bring it up to a boil with the lid on and then let it simmer with the lid off. Allow to simmer for about a half hour. When the veggies are soft (use a fork to test) then they are ready to be blended.

2) If you have an immersion blender this is a great time to use it. I don’t have one so I use a ladel and carefully fill a regular blender with as much of the soup as possible – being sure to leave several inches near the top so that you don’t risk any spillage once you start blending. You’ll want to blend this until you get a nice smooth consistency but not so smooth that it’s totally pureed mush. I think it adds a nice contrast to have some of the texture of the vegetable rather than have it be completely pureed.
You may find that you have to do this blending step in several stages if you can’t fit all the soup in the blender at once. You can use a big bowl to pour the already blended portion while you add the rest of the soup from the pot to the blender. Once you’ve blended all of the soup add it back into the original pot and heat it when ready to serve. If you want to serve it chilled then you can store it in a bowl in the fridge. Or, if you plan on saving some of the soup for a much later time, you can freeze it.

One of my favorite dishes, which is super simple, is roasted winter vegetables. I shouldn’t even call them ‘winter’ vegetables because a lot of these are now available all year long and you can mix and match your favorites once you get the method down.
My favorite combination involves: sweet potatoes, parsnips, leeks, fennel, Yukon gold potatoes, garlic cloves, and cremini mushrooms (baby portabellas). I just chop all of these vegetables into about equal size pieces for uniform cooking (except for the garlic which I just smash with the side of a knife to remove the paper skin) and I place them on a baking sheet. I then sprinkle with coarse sea salt, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and mix together with my hands until all the veggies are coated in the oil and salt. They then head into a 425F oven for about 30-40 minutes until they are golden and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside (you can test how soft they are by poking with a fork). These roasted veggies are so delicious and work beautifully with just about anything. I also have a great couscous salad that I like to make with the leftovers so stay tuned….

Roasted Winter Vegetables

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes (keep peels on)
2 med Yukon gold potatoes (keep peels on)
1 leek
1 fennel bulb
4-5 cloves garlic
2-3 handfuls cremini mushrooms (cremini’s are baby portabella mushrooms, you can also use 2-3 chopped portabellas here)
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

*Dried herbs optional

1) Chop all the veggies to about equal size – I usually cut into about 1 inch pieces. Since leeks are delicate and cook quickly I’ll leave them a little larger – same with the mushrooms. For the garlic – leave them whole and just peel them – they’ll get lovely and soft from roasting. If you have a wide 8” chef’s knife – use the side to whack the garlic and the peel will come right off. (This is so satisfying to do!)

2) Once all the veggies are chopped just put them on a baking sheet and sprinkle about a tablespoon of sea salt over the veggies – I never measure here. You can then drizzle with olive oil – again, I never measure but I’d say a few tablespoons should do the trick. You don’t want lots of olive oil – just enough to lightly coat all the veggies so they get the flavor and also so they don’t stick to the baking sheet. Use your hands to mix everything together…

3) Put the baking sheet of veggies into a 425F oven for about 30-40 minutes – half-way through I usually take them out to give them a little shake and flip with a spatula. I’ve noticed that ovens can vary a lot so after about 20-30 minutes keep an eye on them the first time you make them to learn just how long it takes to get the veggies just right. You’ll know when they are ready because they’ll have crispy golden edges but inside they’ll be soft and delicate. To check for softness use a fork and poke one of the thickest vegetables – if the fork goes in easily they are ready!

A quick word on the vegetables:

This is a fun method for cooking lots of different and interesting vegetables so definitely get creative here!

Parsnips, if you’re not familiar with them, look like carrots but they are white. Their flavor is slightly spicy and fragrant – it’s very unique – you have to try ‘em! I just prepare them as I would carrots – peel them and chop!

Fennel is a white looking bulb with long green fronds attached that look like dill. Fennel has a fantastic licorice flavor that mellows when roasted. I love to enjoy fennel uncooked as well – it’s great in salads. To prepare fennel you’ll only use the bulb so chop off all of the fronds from the base of the bulb. (You can save the fronds for garnishing.) You’ll also want to chop off the bottom of the bulb and remove the outer-most pieces of the bulb. Chop in half, remove the tough core, and slice to your desired size and shape.

Leeks look like huge over-sized green onions with much tougher green tops. They have a very gentle onion flavor and are fantastic roasted. Sometimes I’ll roast just a few leeks and sprinkle them over salad with some goat cheese – really yummy! To prepare leeks you’ll want to chop off the dark green tops – you’re only going to eat the white and really light green parts – the rest is very tough. You’ll also want to chop off the little roots at the bottom of the leeks. At this point you can either chop the leeks into 2 inch disks or you can cut them lenth-wise and then chop them into your desired size. Either way though you’ll want to soak them or run them under water to make sure that all the grit and dirt is removed. Because these grow in loose soil they almost always have dirt hidden in their layers. One method I’ve seen used is to chop them as you’ll want to use them and then just put them in a big bowl full of water to soak for a few minutes – shake them around a little with your hand and the dirt will sink to the bottom.

Cremini mushrooms are just baby portabellas. Either portabellas or creminis can be used here. I’d recommend cutting them a little larger than the size of the potatoes just because they will cook faster. Also, make sure that you do not wash or soak mushrooms! They will soak up tons of water and make for some soggy roasted veggies. To prepare mushrooms you’ll just need a damp kitchen towel and then you just gently brush off any dirt that way…

My adaptation is a spaghetti bolognese sauce with cremini mushrooms (a.k.a. baby portabellas). I use equal parts sweet italian sausage and lean ground beef for the meat component of the sauce and add delicious cremini mushrooms. I then add fire roasted crushed tomatoes which give a great depth of flavor compared to regular crushed tomatoes – it’s my latest favorite food discovery.

This recipe makes a huge pot of sauce. I love that I end up with several extra meals that I can store in the freezer. An easy way to store this sauce is in zip-lock bags. I wait until the sauce cools a little bit and I fill several portions worth of the sauce into zip-lock freezer bags. I label them and stash them away for a quick and easy meal.

Spaghetti Bolognese

2/3 Lb. Sweet Italian Sausage (remove from casings if you buy them already in links)
2/3 Lb. Lean Ground Beef (93% lean)
2 28 oz. cans of crushed fire roasted tomatoes
2-3 handfuls of cremini mushrooms or 1 pint, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
A few glugs of the red wine that you’ll be enjoying with dinner (optional)
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
2 pinches of dried oregano
sea salt/pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil
Spaghetti

1) In a large pot over medium heat add a few glugs of olive oil (about a few tablespoons if you require more precise measurements) – after a few moments add the chopped onion and garlic. When the onion begins to look translucent and shiny add the meat and mushrooms. Break apart the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the mushrooms. Cook until the meat no longer looks raw.

FYI: The italian sausage usually comes in individual casings so I either squeeze out the meat from the casing or you can cut open each casing to remove the meat before adding it to the pot.

2) Add the pinch of red pepper flakes, oregano, tomato paste and stir. Then add the crushed tomatoes and red wine. Add salt and pepper to taste – definitely err on the side of caution here – you can always add more salt but you can’t take it out…. It’s important to taste the sause to get the seasoning just right.

3) Once the sauce comes to a boil bring down the heat and let it slowly bubble away without a lid and the flavors will intensify. I usually let it simmer for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. You can let it go even longer though. In fact if you’re serving this for a party you can prepare it ahead of time and warm it up again right before you’re ready to eat.

4) Boil water for the pasta. When the water comes to a boil, add salt to the water right before you add the spaghetti. Cook pasta according to package directions – I usually start checking it after about 7 minutes to make sure I get perfectly al dente pasta. (Al dente means that it has a little “bite” to it – no soggy pasta here!)

5) Right before you’re ready to serve tear by hand or chop several handfulls of fresh basil and stir into the hot sauce.
Enjoy with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano!

Turkey chili is the perfect thing to make when you plan on spending some time in the house studying, cleaning, catching up on reading, etc. All that is required of you is a little time chopping and stirring and then you can leave the pot on the stove to slowly bubble away. The flavors will intensify while the aromas will waft throughout your home reminding you that a treat awaits in the kitchen.

Also, I figured my brother would appreciate the fact that this recipe calls for a bottle of Corona.

Turkey Chili

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Medium sized yellow onion, chopped
5 Cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon salt (preferably sea salt)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 Cup of your favorite salsa that contains chipotles in adobo (or just chipotles if you can’t find it with adobo)
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 12oz. bottle of Corona
1 14oz. can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or just regular crushed tomatoes if you can’t find the fire roasted variety)
1 15oz. can of kidney beans

Toppings to suit your fancy: shredded cheese (monterey jack or cheddar), cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chips, guacamole…

1) Heat the olive oil under medium heat in a large soup pot, then add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, oregano and cook until it smells yummy (about 3 minutes)

2) Stir in the tomato paste and salsa and cook another minute or so – then add the turkey and be sure to break it up using a wooden spoon – keep cooking until the turkey no longer looks raw

3) Add the Corona and simmer until it reduces by half

4) Add the crushed tomatoes, beans and cook until it thickens – at this point I usually turn down the heat a bit and leave it on the stove for a little while to simmer with the lid part way on so that steam can still escape- if you can’t be near by to check it in a half hour or so then turn it off and keep the lid on completely. Reheat when you’re ready to enjoy!

I got this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network and loved the simplicity of the dish but had to try it for myself to see if it actually measured up in taste.

I made some adjustments to the recipe – I added a rind of parmesan cheese (something I’ve learned from Giada, incidentally). I also cut back on the broth and added more water instead. I used fire roasted crushed tomatoes in place of diced both for the smoky flavor that the fire roasted tomatoes impart to the soup and also because I love the texture that crushed tomatoes add. And finally, I added a little bit of tomato paste to add a little more sweet tomato flavor.

I served this soup with some grated parmesan cheese atop and of course some fresh baked bread that I picked up at the Italian market around the corner. I also brought out some Italian butter that I purchased last weekend at a specialty food store. I’d been waiting for a special occasion such as this to debut this delicious import! I have to say the cool sweet butter on the warm crusty bread was the perfect accompaniment to the deep rich spiciness of the lentil soup.

There are not a lot of ingredients in this dish and the beauty of soups is that once everything makes its way into the pot you’ve got a great meal waiting for you! Soups also have the advantage of improving with time – I can’t wait to try this soup tomorrow for lunch with another hunk of crusty bread!

Here’s the recipe with my alterations:

Green Lentil Soup with Thyme

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium yellow onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Carrots
2 Stalks of celery
1 14oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
1 1/3 C green lentils
1 Qt. (32 oz) Low sodium chicken broth (try to find organic, free range)
Small handful of fresh thyme
2/3 Cup small tube-like pasta (I used some pasta I had in my cupboard which worked well called ‘Ditali Lisci’)
4 C water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Rind of parmesan cheese (this is not imperative here but adds a great dimension to soups, start saving the rinds from parmesan cheese and store in freezer for such occasions)
Grated parmesan cheese to top soup

1) In a large pot begin heating the olive oil (medium heat)
2) Chop the garlic, onion, carrots, celery stalks and add to the pot – stir occasionally
3) When the onions look translucent and the carrots and celery have had a chance to lose their raw flavor (5-8 minutes), add the can of fire roasted tomatoes and stir. Then add the lentils and stir again.
4) Add the chicken broth and water.
5) At this point season with salt and pepper (start with a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and then taste later on and adjust to your liking).
6) Add the thyme and rind of parmesan – when soup comes to a boil turn down the heat to medium-low and let it simmer with the lid on for half an hour.
7) Add the pasta about 10 minutes before serving to allow time for pasta to cook and again check the flavor of the soup and add salt/pepper if necessary.
Grate parmesan over soup before serving and enjoy!

Unless you’re serving a big crowd this pot of soup could easily provide several meals worth – freeze serving sizes in tupperware and enjoy this comforting dish another day.

For the original recipe see: Giada De Laurentiis – Lentil Soup

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