creamy chicken curry

this is a recipe i adapted from mark bittman, and it really is a winner. it’s so good – yet so quick and easy.

creamy chicken curry

1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder – see note
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 pound chicken (i use boneless thighs, but breasts are fine)
1/4-1/3 cup white raisins (optional)
1 cup plain greek yogurt
salt and pepper

note: you can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder for all three spices if you don’t have them around. and don’t worry about getting fancy curry powder. whatever you have is fine.

sautee the onion in a little oil over medium heat. meanwhile, cube your chicken into bite-sized-ish pieces.

when the onion is almost done, add half the spices, and cook for a minute or two.

then season the chicken with the rest of the spices (and salt and pepper) and add it to the pan. add raisins, if using.

lower heat a little and cook with a lid on until the chicken is done. how long this takes depends on how big your bite-sized pieces are. cooking it with the lid on keeps in the juices, which mix with the yogurt (next step) to make yummy sauce.

when the chicken is done, remove from heat and wait a minute or so before adding the yogurt. (i emphasize that because if you don’t wait, the yogurt will curdle, as mine did in the picture above. it’s not the end of the world – you can certainly eat it anyway – it just doesn’t look as pretty.)

serve over rice with parsley or cilantro on top if you have it.

beer bread

since we are living like college students now and always have way too much beer around, when i read this bittman recipe, i was intrigued. of course, also since we are living like college students, it wasn’t doppelbock hanging around in my fridge. in fact, you’re lucky it wasn’t PBR.

i ended up with magic hat, and – love it or hate it – the recipe came out just fine. i really loved what mr. bittman loved about it, too: “both the ridiculously easy method (stir, pour, bake) and the finished loaf’s tender crumb and warm, yeasty flavor. (yeast bread with no yeast. interesting.)”

[the entire article is actually very interesting… all about cooking with beer. check it out.]

so anyway, it’s literally like two steps. mix the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt…

[note from the test kitchen: i recommend using less salt than called for.]

then add olive oil and a bottle of beer.

pour into pan:

bake.

ta da!

plus it makes the house smell amazing!!

in a creepy way, i enjoyed it the most schmeared with nutella. don’t ask… something about the sweet-savory mix that does it for me.

hurricane focaccia

okay, so there’s not actually anything “hurricane” about this focaccia except that i was stuck in the house for enough hours to actually make it (about five).

while that might sound intimidating, it’s not really so hard (you’re not working on it that whole time!), and definitely worth the time.

what could be better than olive oil-y, thick, salty, tomato-y bread, right? great for snacking, appetizers or paired with a salad for an easy meal.

focaccia

first, make the starter:  1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon yeast, 1 cup flour

dissolve yeast in water in a large bowl.

after 5 minutes, add flour stirring all the time with a fork until a thick sticky substance is achieved.

cover bowl and let sit 1 hour.

for the final dough:
1 cup water
2 teaspoons yeast
approx. 3 cups flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt

dissolve yeast in water in a small bowl for about 5 minutes. when it “blooms,” add it and the oil to the starter and mix well.

then add the salt and flour 1 cup at a time until dough comes together.

knead on floured board for 5-8 minutes.

place dough in oiled bowl and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

shape the dough in an oiled pan by pressing it out until it reaches the sides. cover and let rise a second time, about an hour.

dimple the surface with your fingers and drizzle with more oil. you can just add coarse sea salt for a simple version, or go fancier with tomatoes, onions, herbs, mushrooms… even tomato sauce and cheese, if you wanted. there are no wrong answers. go to town!

i used really thinly sliced tomatoes because i love the way they get sort of dried out and concentrated.

bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until brown, approx. 20-25 minutes.

traditionally, you should spritz the dough with water a couple of times during first 8 minutes of baking to help get the crust right, but i don’t have a spritz bottle, so i skipped that step and it still worked wonderfully.

we gobbled it up so fast i didn’t get a picture until it was half-way gone!

a different kind of chicken soup – part 2: soup

once you’ve made your broth (or opened your can of chicken stock) you are ready for soup.

chicken soup
one large white onion, chopped
2 cups frozen yellow corn kernels
one 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes
one 15 oz can of black beans
3 cups chicken broth (homemade or otherwise)
about 2 cups chicken meat, in bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes or other hottening ingredient (optional)
lots of cilantro and chips (for serving)

start by sauteing the onion in your soup pot, and when the onion is just about translucent, add the corn and continue sauteing.

next, add the beans and tomatoes, and both their juices (that is, don’t drain them).

then add between 2 1/2 and 3 cups of broth, depending on your soup consistency preference, and the chicken meat.

bring to almost a boil, add salt and pepper (and hot stuff) to taste.

serve with lots of cilantro and tortilla chips!

morning glory muffins

the basis for this morning glory-style muffin came from miss ekw, but when she told me about it she left out some of the key ingredients (like baking soda and how much flour to use…), so i had to improvise and make some adjustments along the way.

morning glory muffins

wet
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla

dry
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oats
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala (or cinnamon)
salt

mix-ins
1 cup of grated carrot
1 cup of applesauce
2 mashed bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans (if he wasn’t allergic to nuts)

mix each category in a separate bowl.

add the wet ingredients to the mix-ins and stir to combine, then just barely fold in the dry ingredients. don’t over-mix or your muffins will be tough.

spoon into muffin tins lined with papers and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

tatnall bread

every year, the four grades of the tatnall middle school in wilmington, delaware, used to make thanksgiving dinner. it was the first grade, i think, that went apple picking, the second grade that shook milk into butter in mason jars, the third grade that made the apple sauce, and the fourth grade that made what came to be known (at least in my house) as tatnall bread.

this simple honey-whole wheat recipe makes fabulous toast and even better turkey sandwiches, if you happen to make it around that time of year.

it’s also so easy that fourth graders could do it, so if you’re thinking about trying to make bread at home, i recommend this recipe!

tatnall’s thanksgiving bread recipe
2 packages of yeast
1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups white flour

(recipe makes 2 loaves, but i was only making one loaf so i split everything in half.)

mix yeast, water and sugar.

let sit while the yeast does its yeasty thing – you’ll start to smell bread.

in a separate bowl, mix honey (i was short, so i used half honey, half molasses. made the bread a little darker, but didn’t change the flavor too much), oil (should be a “neutral,” flavorless oil like vegtable, but i was out, so i used olive. this is generally a no-no because it adds flavor. fortunately, you couldn’t tell in the final product), evaporated milk (UGH, i didn’t have any of that, either, so i used regular. no harm, no foul) and salt.

[i should note here that when discussing my recipe adjustments with my mother after the fact, she was horrified that i didn’t scald – that is, just barely bring to a boil – the milk. apparently bread doesn’t rise if the milk isn’t scalded. but mine did. so consider that your disclaimer. of course, if you’re using evaporated milk, you don’t have to worry about scalding at all.]

add yeast mixture and flour one cup at a time, starting with the wheat, and mixing well between each.

when the dough gets too thick to stir, dump it out on the counter and start kneeding.

if you need to brush up on your kneeding skills, check out my pictorial guide.

when you have a nice smooth ball, place dough in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm spot for an hour. it should double in size.

my kitchen was freezing this day, so i preheated the oven just a bit, made sure to turn it off, then put the bread in with the door propped open.

doubled! now press down the dough and kneed again.

at this point, most recipes say “punch down,” but according to cook’s country, you shouldn’t be that violent.

let it rest for 15 minutes. shhh!

now divide dough into 2 parts – if you’re making the full recipe – and then each part into 3 pieces that you roll into snakes. braid.

yes, i suck at braiding dough.

place in a greased loaf pan and let rise for another hour in that warm spot.

it’s still getting bigger!!

preheat the oven to 400 degrees and brush your loaf with beaten egg before baking until golden for about 30 minutes.

you must restrain yourself a little and let the loaf cool before slicing. i served it with cherry jam!

i have to say, i have made this recipe a dozen or so times and this was by far and away the best loaf ever. i think the keys were not over-kneeding and letting it rise in a warm spot.

dragana’s african peanut soup

mother, avert your eyes. this soup contains two of the things you hate most – peanut butter and sweet potatoes!

however, for the rest of us, it is easy, surprisingly delicious, hearty and healthy. and it provides great variation if you’re getting bored of your usual winter soups.

dragana’s african peanut soup with red beans

3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped and divided (i didn’t have these so i used chunky peanut butter instead)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste
6 cups vegetable stock
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 15 ounce cans red beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound kale, stems discarded and leaves sliced
1/4 cup peanut butter

heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. saute the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 5 minutes.

add 1/2 cup of the peanuts (if you’re using), cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for about 30 seconds.

add the vegetable stock, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and red beans.

bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

add kale and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are done.

add peanut butter and stir until combined.

top with peanuts or stir in a little extra pb.

good right away and even better the next day!

[for accuracy, recipe from “show me vegan” via dragana]

mahogany short ribs

this recipe came so highly recommended by the washington post food writers that it made an almost-entirely-vegetarian like me buy 3 pounds of bleeding meat:

there is also something about the word “mahogany” that i can’t resist.

mahogany short ribs

3 pounds short ribs, bone-in or boneless (now, this really raised a question for me – 3 pounds of short ribs WITH bones is going to be a very different amount of meat than 3 pounds WITHOUT bones. you’d think that difference would mess up the recipe. i used bone-in.)
1 cup teriyaki sauce (i used trader joe’s soyaki sauce)
1 cup prune juice (they laughed at me at tj’s when i asked for prune juice, and recommended cvs, where unfortunately it only comes in gallons.)
1 cup water (no problems here…)
1/2 teaspoon of black peppercorns (i used a whole teaspoon. just because i was being contrary.)

place meat bone-side up in a baking dish and cover with the prune juice and the teriyaki sauce.

make sure the meat is tucked in all cozy-like…

refrigerate overnight or up to one day, says the recipe.

about 2 hours before you’re going to be hungry, remove the meat from the marinade

(ooh! mahogany!)

and add the water and peppercorns.

bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the meat back in.

simmer, covered, for 2 hours or until the meat is tender and delicious. (mouth watering yet? mine was!)

remove the meat again.

the recipe didn’t say to do this, but he suggested i skim off the fat, which turned out to be a really substantial amount. i’m so glad i did. the picture does not do justice to the half-inch thick layer. ick.

then cook down the remaining sauce until it is all syrupy.

the recipe says to pour sauce over meat and serve, but we found that it’s absolutely vital these are served as hot as possible. so i recommend cooking the sauce down, then putting the meat back in and reheating.

i served with mushroom pie (recipe coming soon), warm spinach and sunday night football.

so, they turned out just ok. i was hoping for more of a sweet-salty thing going on, but the teriyaki flavor totally dominated. although i enjoyed them once, it’s safe to say i have not become a short-rib convert.

fresh corn soup

i love corn on the cob and when it’s in season, i eat it as much as i can. this recipe comes from alice waters and was incredibly simple and flavorful (and dairy-free!). with such a short ingredient list, the flavor of the corn really shines through.

alice waters’ sweet corn soup

4 tablespoons butter (i used half butter, half olive oil, but you could use all oil if needed.
1 onion, diced
salt
5 ears of corn
1 quart water

melt butter/oil in a heavy bottomed pot.

add onion and cook until soft, about 15 minutes.

meanwhile, cut kernels from cobs. this is one of the most messy, annoying kitchen jobs in my opinion. i find kernels in every corner of my kitchen for weeks after doing it. if anyone has a show-stopping hint to make this easier, please let me know.

add kernels to cooked onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

add one quart water, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, cooking until corn is done – about 5 minutes.

then ms waters wants you to puree in small batches in the blender. since i’m lazy and didn’t want to wash another dish, i used my immersion blender.

next, she wants you to strain it through a medium-mesh strainer (yes? and what does “medium-mesh” mean, exactly?), which i was totally unsuccessful at.

as you can see, either my strainer was too fine or my blending was too coarse, because almost none of my soup made it through. plus, i kind of liked the idea of the soup being a little chunky, so i ended up abandoning the straining at all, and combining everything in one bowl.

she recommends topping with creme fraiche or a puree of roasted sweet pepper. i thought it was dandy on its own!

banana bran muffins

my search for the perfect bran muffin continues. (i wonder if anyone else is as interested in bran muffins as i am…? but they’re so comforting and delicious!) this time, i turned to one of my favorite ingredients: the rotten banana.

i also took two readers’ comments to heart – toasting the bran and using dark brown sugar – to deepen the bran-y flavor that was lacking in my previous versions. i also decided to use yogurt instead of applesauce because… that’s what i had around and i wondered what it would do to the texture.

oh, and of course, where there are bananas, there is chocolate.

banana bran muffins

1 cup wheat bran, toasted
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 mashed brown banana
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

start by toasting your bran in a dry frying pan over med-high heat. keep stirring it almost constantly because you do not want it to burn! you’ll start to smell its great nuttiness and it will darken a little. i don’t think there’s any “correct” doneness. it’s to your taste. let it cool in a separate bowl while you mix your wet ingredients.

mash your banana

then mix your wet ingredients in one bowl

and your dries in another.

combine and mix in the chocolate chips!

fill your (lined or greased) muffin tin

and bake for about 17 minutes in a 425-degree oven.

this was definitely my favorite bran muffin variant so far (and not just because it had chocolate chips. but i think next time i’ll add white raisins TOO!).

i was pleasantly surprised by how much banana flavor just one rotten guy imparted, and the toasted bran (while a tedious step that you could totally cut out if you were short on time) definitely added the depth i was looking for.

the banana and yogurt made these muffins moist, tender and chewy, as well.

i have one or two more recipes to try (what would brown rice be like in a bran muffin? or zucchini?), but i think we’re getting closer to a winner. stay tuned.