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Bon Appétit sriracha-glazed chicken skewers #cookthecover

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Infusing olive oil with rosemary and dried chili...can't wait to drizzle this on some pizza or something else delicious! Yeah.

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Pizza night - goat cheese with caramelized shallots, heirloom tomato, arugula, basil and oregano.

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Let the grilling begin. My favorite new marinade - miso, Mirin and ginger.

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Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Garlic Scape Pesto and Kohlrabi Leaves

I think the beauty of cooking is that you can easily transform something simple into something special and delicious. Whether that be creating an herb marinade, using a citrus zest, or in this case, stuffing it with cheese, you can make slight variations to a recipe to make it your own or into something different. I usually let whatever is in my fridge dictate whatever that “something special” may be. In my last CSA share, I received garlic scapes and kohlrabi. I spent some time vacillating between pickling my garlic scapes or turning them into a pesto. I decided to do the latter which was so simple, as I’ll describe below. In regards to my recent kohlrabi, I first looked at the leaves peeking out of my bag and mistakenly thought it was red Russian kale. In the past, I’ve only cooked the root part, but decided to make use of the leaves as well.

But the main star of this dish is really the chicken. If you ask any of my friends, they can readily tell you that I prefer dark meat over white meat any day. It’s hands down more flavorful and more nutritious. But after attending a cooking class at a resort in Vermont, I’ve since learned ways to prepare a juicy, flavorful chicken breast that I’m happy to eat and share with friends. The pan sear → oven strategy is a fail-proof method that guarantees a juicy, perfectly cooked chicken. I always recommend bone-in, skin-on breasts to ensure maximum deliciousness. 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 2

2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on, seasoned on both sides with salt and pepper 2 oz of goat cheese (chevre) 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, slice a horizontal cut in the middle of the breast, creating a little pocket (think a little pita pocket). Stuff 1 oz of goat cheese into each breast. Heat olive oil and butter in a cast iron or saute pan on medium-high. Place chicken in pan skin side down. Let sear for about 5 minutes. Turn over and sear for another 5 minutes, skin should be a nice golden color. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with side of roasted potatoes and kohlrabi leaves.

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 bunch of garlic scapes ¼ cup of shredded parmigiano reggiano ½ cup of toasted pine nuts or hemp seeds Salt and pepper to season to taste Olive oil

Roughly chop garlic scapes and place into food processor, along with toasted pine nuts or hemp seeds. (You can place the nuts or seeds in a dry saute pan and toast them over medium heat until they have a nice light golden color, about 5-7 minutes). Add parmigiano, salt, and pepper to taste. Turn on food processor and add olive oil while the motor is running. Voila!

Kohlrabi Leaves

1 bunch of kohlrabi leaves, separated from root, roughly chopped Olive oil Salt and pepper 

Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to boil. Add kohlrabi leaves and blanch for 1-3 minutes. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a saute pan on medium-high. Using tongs, transfer the kohlrabi to the saute pan, trying to squeeze at excess water as you go. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and saute for about 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally.

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Five Spice Duck Breast with Balsamic Jus

As I write this post, I am listening to duck fat sizzling. I love duck. It’s succulent and it feels indulgent and it’s not your everyday chicken. Here is a lovely recipe that is so simple yet fancy, courtesy of my dear friend Lyn, who is now apparently famous in nutrition and health land! I used to work for her part-time years ago when she ran a holistic health center in Harlem, and now she’s busy writing books and being on TV shows and such. I still live according to her “Plan Guidelines” and have been as happy and healthy as ever.

Five Spice Duck Breast with Balsamic Jus

Serves 2

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger 1 tsp five-spice powder ½ tsp of sea salt ½ tsp freshly ground pepper 2 single duck breasts 1 tbsp extra virgin-olive oil ¼ cup dry red wine 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

In a medium bowl or heavy self-sealing plastic bag, combine the garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Add the duck breasts, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In an ovenproof sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the duck breast, skin side down, for 5 minutes; turn and sear for 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer the pan to the oven and let roast for 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate and keep warm.

To make a balsamic jus, pour off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine, and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce wine by half. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce for several more minutes.

Cut the duck breasts into diagonal slices and serve drizzled with the balsamic jus. The duck photographed is served with sautéed kale and beet salad, and roasted rosemary potatoes.

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Lamb Chops with Roasted Carrots and Kale

Part of getting to know your neighborhood in New York City is getting to know your local grocery stores and where to source certain foods. I know that my corner grocery store has sufficient produce, but I wouldn’t trust much of its meat (other than the chicken which meets some quality standards), and the “organic” grocery a few blocks away has some things, but not all things and can get pricy. I finally think I’ve settled into a rhythm - weekly CSA delivery for veggies and eggs, supplemented by frequent and spontaneous stops at local grocery store for supplemental produce, with an every other week order from Fresh Direct (whenever I am offered a free delivery pass). The meat is good quality and shopping on Fresh Direct is like any other type of internet shopping - so much variety! I still loving going to the butcher to get my meat (it’s an experience and the meat is fantastic), but it’s a few train stops away and I am particularly entitled and lazy by being able to walk to and from work. So I factor in a round-trip fare to the butcher is now $5.00 and delivery for Fresh Direct is $5.99 except when I get free delivery which is FREE...so you get my drift. And I also learned that many of the food purveyors they work with are the same, and both high quality.

All of that being said, I hope you find your neighborhood routine when it comes to finding the food you want and the food you need. If you live near Fairway, God Bless You. This is a super easy weeknight dinner that is simple but still very special.

Lamb

Serves 2 Two 4-6 oz. lamb loin chops 3 tbsp cumin Salt and pepper Extra virgin olive oil

Carrots

Bunch of carrots, roughly chopped into fourths at a diagonally 2 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted Salt and pepper

  Kale

1/2 head of kale, washed thoroughly, stems removed and chopped 1/2 onion, chopped Salt and pepper Splash of balsamic vinegar Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss carrots and melted butter in medium sized bowl to ensure all carrots are covered in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray into the oven. Cook for a total of around 45 minutes.

Spread cumin onto cutting board. Season lamb chops with salt and pepper. Gently press each side of the lamb chop into the cumin, turning over to coat each lamb chop.

Heat a cast iron or pan to medium-high. Heat a glug of olive oil and add lamb to pan. Heat on each side about 5-7 minutes to get a nice pan sear. Place cast iron or pan (if ovenproof) into oven next to carrots and let cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on how you like your lamb to be cooked. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Heat a saute pan to medium. Add olive oil, then add onion to saute for 3-4 minutes. Add kale and saute until it slightly wilts. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Buen provecho!

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Miso Chicken, Tatsoi, Carrots and Jerusalem Artichokes

Some people might describe me as a planner. I typically like to have almost all things in my life planned out in advance if possible. I attribute this to my mother. One summer, I went to visit my parents in Henderson, Nevada (right outside of Las Vegas where they live) in August. My mother then showed me her packed luggage for her Korea trip...in October. So you can imagine how I like to be in control of things. Especially when it comes to food - I have a weekly dinner planner (thanks Kim!), and for dinner parties and get togethers, I usually create google docs to create shopping lists and recipes.

That being said, the CSA is a delight because I don’t plan what’s in it...though I always try and plan around it when I read the newsletter. I had my eye on making ramen with the white miso in the package, as well as other Asian greens. But when I went to the grocery store, I couldn’t make up my mind - did I went to make a miso-glazed steak on the side or braised pork belly for the ramen? Then I decided on going to another grocery store and picking up chicken thighs...then highly criticized myself in my mind that I go to chicken thighs too often and that I was really in the mood for beef or pork. BUT I can’t say the quality of beef at the store is up to par and that the pork would have taken longer than I wanted to braise.

So being the crazy planning person that I am, I get thrown off when my plans are thwarted...especially when I am hungry. I’m not good at making decisions when I’m hungry. I find myself on a corner or in a grocery aisle considering option after option without any conviction. But generally, I have to remind myself to just trust in my cooking and the internet, because the world wide web really provides all you could possibly ever want. So I went home and googled a few things and decided to save the ramen for later. In this week’s share, I put the tatsoi, miso paste, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, and jasmine rice to the dinner table with this dish. It’s a little east meets west with Asian flavors and roasted veggies.

Miso Chicken

Serves 4

6-8 chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks 4 tbsp of white miso paste (I got this delicious miso from my CSA from Small World Food) 4 tbsp of mirin 1 tsp of brown sugar

While googling miso chicken, I found this lovely bento recipe that I slightly modified based on the ingredients I had. Since I didn’t have any sake, I used mirin instead and reduced the amount of sugar (since mirin has some sweetness while sake does not). Mix the chicken, miso, mirin and brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl using your hands to ensure all of the meat is marinated. Cover and let marinate for at least 15 minutes up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat a cast iron with a drizzle of oil and pan fry the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, until chicken darkens and miso begins to caramelize into a beautiful color as shown in photos.

Tatsoi

Tatsoi is akin to an Asian spinach. I had a bag of baby ones here but I’m sure you could use this recipe with grown up ones, sauteeing a little longer since they are more durable mature.

1 large bag of tatsoi 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp sriracha sauce 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1 tsp grated ginger 3 garlic cloves, minced

Whisk together soy sauce, sriracha and sesame in a small bowl. Heat grapeseed oil or vegetable oil in a large pan. Add garlic, careful not to brown, stirring occasionally. Add tatsoi and soy sauce, sriracha, sesame combo. Toss to coat; tatsoi will wilt quickly if using baby leaves. Remove from heat immediately to further wilting; if using mature tatsoi you can cook to your liking.

Roasted carrots and Jerusalem artichokes

4 carrots, peeled and cut to your liking Small handful of Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut in half or quarters 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the carrots and Jerusalem artichokes in small bowl, drizzle with melted butter and season to with salt and pepper. Spread in one layer on a baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes until carrots and artichokes can be pierced easily with a fork.

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Chorizo Kimchi Fried Rice and Cilantro Lime Chicken

There is a reason that Koreans and Mexicans get along so well. We both love spicy, pickled, and acidic. You’ve already seen this combo with the kimchi taco. You’ve seen Mexican people working at the Korean restaurant and Korean market on both the west and east coast. My mother is always impressed when the Mexican employees know words in Korean and then she says, “Gracias!” It’s pretty hilarious. (I guess you have to know my Korean mother.) Check out this article about kimchi tacos in the NY Times.

Anyway, this dinner derived a little bit from the Korean-Mexican love affair. I got the idea of chorizo kimchi fried rice from the Arirang kimchi recipe section on their website. There was a photo without a recipe, so I just made one up. I was inspired to make the cilantro-lime marinade after I made some guacamole for a snack.

On a side note, I’ve been opting to use grapeseed oil over vegetable oil. It’s flavorless and for some reason in my mind I’ve deemed it a healthier option than vegetable oil (essentially soybean oil). I really have no idea if this is true but I’ve concluded this, henceforth I’ve included it in these recipes, and generally use grapeseed oil when vegetable oil is called for.

This is a colorful dinner with bright and bold flavors. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Serves 2

2 portions of chicken legs or breasts, bone-in Olive oil 1 tbsp unsalted butter Salt and pepper Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped ¼ small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ jalapeño, finely chopped 2 tbsp grape seed oil or vegetable oil Juice of 2 limes 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat olive oil and butter in cast iron or pan to medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. When pan is hot, place chicken skin side down in pan. After 5-7 minutes, flip over. Sear another 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare marinade. In medium size bowl, whisk together final 8 ingredients. When finished pan searing chicken, transfer chicken to small baking pan. Drizzle sauce over chicken and bake in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Chorizo Kimchi Fried Rice

The trick with fried rice is using at least day-old rice. If the rice is freshly cooked it will absorb all of the oils and won’t have the “fried” consistency.

Serves 4 (yes I realize these portions don’t match, but hey, leftovers!)

2 cups day-old cooked rice, white or brown (I used brown basmati) 5 oz sliced chorizo 6-8 oz of napa cabbage kimchi, or about 1-1/2 cups 1 small onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch of scallions, finely sliced 1 tsp low-sodium sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp grapeseed oil or vegetable oil 2 eggs, beaten

Heat large nonstick pan to medium-high heat. Add ½ tbsp of grapeseed oil to pan. When pan warms, add eggs. Use a spatula to fold over gently (this is a little bit like just preparing scrambled eggs but not so scrambly if that makes sense). Once cooked (even a little undercooked), remove eggs from heat onto a separate plate. Add remaining grape seed oil, then add onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until onion begins to grow translucent. Add sliced chorizo and stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Add kimchi and continue to stir. Then gently fold in rice; rice should start to turn a bright red color (because of kimchi juice and paprika from chorizo), almost looking like the color of a paella or saffron rice. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and eggs, gently stirring. Last, sprinkle scallions on top and gently fold in.

Enjoy! I served mine with half a sliced avocado and baby raw carrots I received from my CSA. They were just so adorable I had to eat them immediately.

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Spicy Thai Curry Noodles - Chicken Khao Soi

When I saw Bon Appetit’s March cover with this Thai soup, I knew I had to try it. Luckily, I had most of the ingredients and made a quick Chinatown stop to pick up egg noodles. The soup turned out beautifully. My BFF Michael said, “Wow, it really smells and looks Thai!” I was pretty flattered. I followed the Bon Appetit recipe pretty much to a tee, but used ancho chiles instead of New Mexico or guajillos (my local store doesn’t carry them :()- and used some fresh Thai basil as one of the garnishes. You could also try making the paste with fresh Thai chilis or using galangal (Thai version of ginger root) and lemongrass. Instead of egg noodles, you could substitue rice noodles, like the kind used for pad thai. I was at the Thai market, and saw all these items and absent-mindedly moved on until I realized all of these things at home.

The next day, I had a healthier version of the soup on top of brown basmati rice with sauteed kale instead of the egg noodles (I was a bit shocked by the sodium content of the noodles). 

I’ve merely included a link to the recipe, as it explains everything so well: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/03/chicken-khao-soi

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Middle Eastern Style Chicken Thighs with Couscous and Chicory

I’ve had my eye set on this Chicken and Kimchi Smashed Potatoes recipe in my latest Bon Appetit. My plans were thwarted tonight when I learned my local grocery store ran out of kimchi (my latest fave is Arirang kimchi - http://arirangkimchee.com).  As I stood on the corner of Greene Ave slightly defeated, debating what to do for tonight’s dinner, I decided to turn home and use the fresh contents I had just picked up at my CSA. As I continued to walk home, this seemed to be an even better and better consolation. This week’s share was Middle-Eastern themed with couscous, mint, and dried apricots. So I decided to put together this simple weeknight dinner dish, along with trying out chicory for the first time. I honestly had no idea what chicory was - I thought it was another salad green. Thank goodness for Google; I learned that it is a bitter green best blanched then sauteed. That would have made for a pleasant raw salad. Ha.

See, doesn't this chicory look like a mild little salad green? Think again! These guys are a bitter green. This recipe tones them down.

Serves 3-4

chicken:  6 chicken thighs, skin and bone on  1 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp turmeric  ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp dried ginger Salt and pepper Oil and a knob of butter chicory:  1 head of chicory, rinsed thoroughly and roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced red pepper flakes Olive oil or rendered bacon fat or duck fat Salt (sea salt crystals, preferably Maldon if you have it)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Prepare dry rub with cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and dried ginger (all spices that aid digestion :). Rub on both sides of chicken. Heat cast iron or pan to medium high. Add olive oil or grapeseed oil and 1 tbsp of unsalted butter. Place chicken thighs in pan, skin side down. Do not crowd pan; can be prepared in batches. Let sear for 5-7 minutes, then turn over and repeat. Remove chicken thighs and place in separate baking pan. Place chicken into oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare chicory. Bring large pot of water (I squeezed some lemon in it) to boil. Place chicory in boiling water, and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring pan to medium high heat and add oil or rendered bacon or duck fat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to taste. Drain chicory and saute in pan, tossing gently. The chicory will reduce dramatically. Salt to taste (with sea salt crystals, preferably Maldon if you have it). Prepare couscous according to package directions (http://mideastfood.about.com/od/couscousrecipes/r/basiccouscous.htm you can try using chicken broth or another stock instead of water for added flavor). Fluff with a fork, and try adding fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, or cilantro. Squeeze some fresh lemon over the chicken to brighten up the flavors. I had some dried apricots that I sliced and placed on my salad as a side.

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Apple Cider Braised Pork Belly

Have you ever seen a pork belly with the nipple on? It really is a bit funny and unsettling. My friend Nicole bought some pork belly to try out my previous pork belly recipe and freaked out when she realized her belly still had a nipple! Alas, when I opened up my pork belly, what did I see but other than two nipples. My biggest regret is that I did not photograph this to document it. I will have to take note for next time. And for your curiosity, I cut the nipples off before cooking. So as I’ve mentioned before, I try and incorporate my CSA goods with new recipes. I was excited to hear that I’d be receiving half a gallon of fresh apple cider, as I had just stumbled upon a braised pork belly recipe with apple cider. I wanted to try a non-Asian pork belly recipe, so I decided to mix apple cider, chicken stock, and cloves. After I peeked in halfway through and gave a little test, I added a tablespoon of white vinegar for a little acidity. If I had apple cider vinegar, I would have used that. I still had half of my cabbage left from CSA, so I threw that in during the last hour. A couple of months ago, I went to an informative and tasty class called “Pizzas and the Wines that Love It” at NY Vitners (http://www.newyorkvintners.com/). The chef mentioned that he was finding more success braising his pork belly on 275 degrees for 7-8 hours vs. on 325 degrees for 3-4 hours. So I decided to take this low and slow method to see how it turned out. Results: meltingly tender. Think about serving this for dinner, with cold leftovers on a sandwich the next day. At my class, he put it on the pizza! It was beautiful.

Serves 3-4

2 - 2 ½ lbs pork belly 1 ½ cups of apple cider 1 ½ cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 5-6 cloves 1 tbsp of apple cider or white vinegar ½ head of cabbage, roughly chopped (optional) Salt and pepper Grapeseed oil Drizzle of honey

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cut pork belly into chunks, about 3 inches long. Season with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat oil on medium high heat in Dutch oven or pot. Brown pork belly on all sides, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Add chicken stock, apple cider, vinegar and cloves. Bring to a boil. Cover with lid and slide into oven. Cook for 6-7 hours, until meltingly tender. Before last hour is up, add cabbage if you fancy.

If you prefer a little crisp, finish your pork belly off with this last step. Gently place your pork belly onto a foil lined pan. Leave the cabbage and sauce in the pot. Turn your broiler on. Sprinkle pork belly with sea salt (Maldon flakes if you have it!) and a drizzle of honey. Put under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Turn over and repeat. This crisps it up just a little bit.

Enjoy with a side of rice, mashed potatoes, grits, celery puree, you name it! We're saving the leftovers to put on top of ramen in a couple of days. :)

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Chicken Adobo

When I was growing up, I went to a Catholic school in a predominantly Filipino area. My childhood memories of family parties (in addition to my Korean ones) consist of chicken adobo, pancit, barbecued pork, lumpia - and best of all - dance parties in the garage. Now that I’m grown up in New York, I still gravitate toward Filipino people and Filipino culture. It's comforting to me. My dear friend Sylvia gave me her mom’s chicken adobo recipe that I’ve prepared here. It’s so simple and gratifying. I added some napa cabbage because I had some from my CSA. Serve with a side of rice and there’s dinner.

Serves 3

Six chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks (skin on or skinless, of course I prefer with skin on), seasoned with salt and pepper 2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed (doesn’t need to be minced) Olive oil to cover the bottom of your pan ⅓ cup of low sodium soy sauce ¼ cup vinegar (white, rice wine or apple cider) 1 bay leaf ½ roughly chopped cabbage (optional) On medium heat, heat oil and garlic in pan for one minute or so. Add chicken, skin-side down (if applicable), and sear for about 4-5 minutes. Turn over so that skin side is up. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaf. Lower heat as much as possible, cover, braise for 30 minutes. If using cabbage, add in for final 20 minutes on top. Serve with a side of rice. In this case, we had oak groats. Hey, it’s a grain.

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The Tastiest Chicken Tacos

This past weekend, I went to Vermont for a snowboarding trip to stay in a lovely house with 10 friends. While I love snowboarding in itself, half of the fun for me is staying in a house with a large kitchen, cooking for friends and drinking wine by the fireplace. After our day on the slopes, we had taco night at home. Carne asada, braised shredded chicken, fish, roasted veggies with guacamole and salad. There were a lot of wonderful aromas coming from both the kitchen and the porch (yes, we did fire up the grill with the snow outside).

I’d like to share this very special chicken taco recipe I found on norecipes.com. I realize I've made a bold statement by calling these the tastiest, but I’ve eaten and made plenty of chicken tacos in my lifetime, but these by far are the most flavorful and have a great tender, shredded texture. The sauce is incredibly tasty and can be made spicy or mild depending on your palate. I made the sauce in advance at home, stored them in jars, and transported them to Vermont. They stored well and worked beautifully with the chicken. I made a few adjustments to the recipe using chipotle instead of guajillo chiles (I couldn’t find them out our local store, but the dried chipotles were an excellent substitute), accidentally leaving all the seeds in instead of removing them (adding a nice kick for those who appreciate that kind of thing), and omitting the lemon (sheerly because I forgot). They proved to be the most delicious chicken tacos I have ever made. 

Serves 8-10 people (2-3 tacos each; you can easily half this recipe)

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 6 small onions, thinly sliced 8 cloves of garlic, minced 10 dried chipotle chiles, stems removed (seeds removed if cooking for a milder palate) 6 dried ancho chiles, stems removed (seeds removed optional) 28 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice 4 cinnamon sticks 2 bay leaves Season the chicken thighs on both sides with sea salt and pepper. Add about 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large heavy bottomed pot on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides and remove to rest in a platter. Repeat in several batches, ensuring chicken has enough space to sear. Turn down heat to medium low and add onions and garlic to the leftover oil from the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes so the onions begin to caramelize. Use a wooden paddle to scrape up the chicken bits on the bottom of the pan, those are little flavor bombs! When the onions are done caramelizing, add sauce (see recipe for sauce below), chicken and its reserved juices, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks to the pot. (At this point, I had to separate half of the ingredients into another pot to make sure I had enough room for the chicken. You want the chicken to have enough space so that the thighs are in one layer in the pan. So I transferred the onions, and placed half of the chicken, one bay leaf and two cinnamon sticks in each pot.)

Bring mixture to boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat to simmer. Cover with a lid, and cook for about 1 ½ hours. Chicken is ready when it falls apart when prodded with a fork. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon sticks. Use two forks to shred the meat.

Serve with warmed tortillas, guacamole, crema, cilantro, whatever your fancy. I just started getting into micro greens and the micro cilantro is amazing on these tacos. For the sauce (can be made up to 48 hours in advance, store in refrigerator):

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a ¾ full kettle of water on the stovetop to boil; remove from heat when boiling. Meanwhile, tear up the dried chiles into a small flat pieces and place them on a flat baking pan. Remember to remove the stems; keep the seeds in if you want some extra spice, remove them if not. Roast in the 350 degree oven until they are fragrant; this will only take about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn, or else the peppers and the sauce will become very bitter. Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl and cover them with the hot water.

Once the peppers are soft, transfer them to a food processor or blender, adding 1 cup of the water. Pulse and puree.

When blending with a hot liquid, cover the blender or food processor with lid, but allow air to come through by removing the lid insert and covering with a dish towel. This prevents spills but allows the oxygen to flow, which prevents the hot puree spilling all over the place! I’ve learned this blending hot soups the hard way. 

Add the canned tomatoes and puree until smooth. 

If the sauce is made in advance, store in jar(s) and refrigerate, or keep in blender if using immediately.

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Our Favorite Egg Bake

I love easy one pan or one pot meals. This is one of them, great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I think I found the recipe years ago on a Food Network show where the grown-ups were having dinner in their PJ’s for a breakfast for dinner or something like that. So maybe you’ll enjoy this simple dish in your pajamas as well! Serves 2-4 2-3 medium sized potatoes, cubed, about ½ inch 1 small onion, chopped (optional) 4 eggs Cheddar cheese (or any you prefer - I’ve used Fontina, goat cheese...go wild!), grated Salt and pepper Olive oil Handful of microgreens* (micro-arugula, micro-basil, micro-cilantro...you choose!) or parley or cilantro, chopped *Microgreens are essentially greens picked when they are premature and young. They have a very subtle taste, are in the smaller stages of a leaf, and are not as fibrous as their adult selves. They are wonderful on top of a fresh pizza out of the oven or think about on top of tacos or some braised meat! They really can brighten up your dish. There are many variations that can be done with this simple recipe. I will list them as I go along. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can either parboil the potatoes first or put them straight to the pan. The main thing is you want your potatoes to be cooked on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. If parboiling, bring small pot of salted water to rolling boil. Add cubed potatoes to boiling water. Boil for about 5-7 minutes, until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, add oil to a large nonstick pan or cast iron. Saute chopped onion (optional) for about 3-4 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to pan with onions. Add salt to taste. Saute for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Potatoes should start to become a nice golden color; since they’re already cooked on the inside, they’ll only need a few minutes in the pan to crisp up on the outside. If NOT parboiling, add cubed potatoes into the pan with olive oil on medium heat, season with salt and pepper. You will need to saute them for longer in the pan to make sure they are cooked through, but make sure not to burn the outside! The worst is to burn the outside and have an uncooked inside. So be sure to do this on medium heat and have patience with the potatoes, stirring them occasionally, for about 15 minutes or so. Add onions after about cooking the potatoes for about 5 minutes or so. Test to see if potatoes are ready by piercing with a small knife. When potatoes are ready, remove from heat. Make four little holes in the potatoes and add small drizzle of olive oil. Crack an egg into each hole, so you have four sunnyside up eggs surrounded by potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheese of your choice to the top. Place in oven for about 3-5 minutes, until whites of eggs begin to solidify. I like my yolks a little runny, but that’s up to you! Keep it in longer if you want a firmer yolk. After removing from the oven, add a fresh hit of microgreen or parsley or another herb (cilantro, arugula, etc.) to brighten up your egg potato bake. What about a side of spinach or toast or sriracha? How about adding some ground sausage or chorizo to the potatoes? I like to have mine with sliced avocado on the side, but the possibilities are endless! Split up onto plates and enjoy!

[thebunnytable]

Duck

I have always loved duck. When I was a kid, my mom would go to Chinatown and bring home duck wrapped in paper - I would dip it into that delicious sauce, and eat it down to the bone. As an adult, I have continued this love affair, nearly always ordering it when it’s on the menu. A few months back at a Farmer’s Market, I found an amazing smoked duck prosciutto that I devoured with melon. I also love duck fat. The tastiest sweet potatoes and kale I have ever sauteed have been in duck fat. Please read these articles on duck fat for at your own leisure if you are interested. http://greenmarketrecipes.com/poultry/health_benefits_duck_fat.htm http://www.dartagnan.com/t54/60200/a3419/DArtagnan--Food-Products/page-1.html So I decided to buy my first duck at Los Paisanos (http://www.lospaisanosmeatmarket.com/) in Brooklyn, my favorite place to buy meat these days. These guys really know their stuff and have a healthy variety of meat. I’ve bought all my bone-in rib-eye roasts here that have turned out delicious. It’s the kind of place that you really want to be a regular and immerse yourself in good quality, well raised meat. I must give credit where credit is due, and share the link where I obtained my recipe for roast duck. I’m not even going to include a version of my own recipe, because I followed it to a tee. http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/02/11/the-best-way-to-roast-a-duck-hello-crispy-skin/ There are detailed photographs and instructions for each step. The only side notes I would add here when following this recipe include what I did with the roasted vegetables and stock. I used the duck neck and other innards (minus the liver) to create a duck stock, based on the same principles as I use for chicken stock, posted previously. I sauteed the duck liver in rendered duck fat and created a red wine, shallot and butter reduction. For the vegetables, I roughly chopped butternut squash and sweet potatoes, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and stuck them in the roasting pan underneath the duck for the final hour before basting the duck with the sauce. I removed the vegetables before I basted with the sauce indicated in the recipe and put them aside in a bowl covered with foil to serve later. I used some of my rendered duck fat to cook kale to add as a side. Otherwise, the recipe on the link above has outlined all of the steps in a detailed manner that clearly explains everything. I hope you give it a try and invite this juicy bird to your dinner table. Quack! Enjoy!

The photos below picture the sauteed duck liver with red wine, shallot and butter reduction and squeeze of lemon; the duck in roasting pan on top of the butternut squash and sweet potatoes; and the finished product with the glaze after popping it back in the oven.

[thebunnytable]

Beef Stew

I was at dinner at my friend Tre's house last night, and he asked me how it was possible that I had so much time to braise. This is a great question, considering most working people in New York don’t just have 3-4 hours after work to slow cook something. I must admit, I do come home at about 4:30pm three to four times a week so I have an advantage. BUT the brilliant thing about braising and slow cooking is that you can do it in advance, stick it in the fridge and just reheat it. It is even more delicious the next day once all of the flavors have melded together and the meat has become incredibly tender. So that being said, while it’s still cold outside, please do consider it. Try it on a cozy Saturday, when it’s cold and frightful out. Better yet, braise something on Sunday, enjoy it for dinner, and save the leftovers for Monday and Tuesday. That way you can just pop it in the oven or reheat it on the stovetop right when you get home. If you can do the prep in advance, you can just leave it virtually untouched for about 3-4 hours and carry about your life while it fills the house with amazing aromas. So Tre, this beef stew is dedicated to you. Slow-cooked with plenty of love based on a recipe from Jamie Oliver (who is one of my heros) and intended for lunch tomorrow on the slopes during a snowboarding excursion. Serves 4 1-2 tbsp of olive oil 1 tbsp of butter 1 onion, chopped Handful of fresh thyme leaves 2 lbs beef for stewing, cubed into 2 inch pieces Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup of flour, to dust 4 carrots, peeled and halved 2 parsnips, peeled and quartered ½ a butternut squash, halved, deseeded and roughly diced Handful of Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and halved 1 lb small potatoes 2 tbsp tomato puree ½ a bottle of red wine 1 ¼ cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

To sprinkle over stew just before eating: zest of lemon, finely grated a handful of rosemary, leaves picked 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pour about 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add onion and fry for 3-4 minutes. Place flour in a medium sized bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss the meat in the seasoned flour, then add it to the pot with all the vegetables, and tomato puree. Gently stir together for 1-2 minutes, then add wine. Bring to a boil then add stock, and continue to gently stir together. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt. Bring to boil, place a lid on top, and cook in the preheated oven until the meat is tender. This can take 3-4 hours;  you can test a piece of meat by mashing it with a fork or spoon - if it falls apart easily it’s ready. Once it’s cooked, you can turn the oven down to 225 degrees to keep it warm until you’re ready to eat. Ladle into bowls accompanied with a big glass of red wine and some freshly warmed bread. Mix the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and garlic together to sprinkle over the stew before eating. As soon as the fresh ingredients hit the hot stew, it releases an amazing fragrance.

*I thoroughly apologize in advance - I forgot take a photo! We sat down so excited to eat at dinner, and only remembered afterward...same goes for lunch leftovers the next day on the slopes. When I make this again, I'll post a picture then!