Sweet and Sour Vegan Meatballs with Zucchini and Peppers

 INGREDIENTS

for the meatballs:

1 pound Frozen Meatless Meatballs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

½ cup pineapple juice

½ cup orange juice

½ cup distilled white vinegar

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup

¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

⅛ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup fresh pineapple cut into 1/2- 3/4 inch chunks

Stir Fry

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 pound medium zucchini (about 2) ends trimmed, cut in half horizontally and sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias.

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt

4 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

INSTRUCTIONS

for the meatballs:

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Add frozen meatballs in a single layer and cook on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a plate and set aside. Do not wipe out skillet.

for the sauce:

Combine pineapple juice, orange juice, vinegar, ½ cup water, sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, pepper flakes and salt in medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 1½ cups, 5 to 8 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 4 teaspoons cold water, whisk into simmering sauce, and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks and reserved meatballs, reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm while making the stir fry.

for the stir fry:

Combine garlic and ginger in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium high in same nonstick skillet you used to sauté the meatballs. When oil is shimmering, add zucchini, peppers and 1/4 teaspoon table salt. Cook without stirring for one minute. Stir and continue to cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until vegetables are lightly browned and tender crisp. Reduce heat to medium low, add garlic and ginger mixture to skillet and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour reserved sauce/meatball mixture over vegetables in skillet and cook stirring occasionally until sauce is bubbling and meatballs are heated through, 2-4 minutes.Off heat, garnish with sliced scallions.

Serve over rice or quinoa.

Vegan Bean and Lentil Chili

 INGREDIENTS

- for the beans
8 oz dried black beans, picked over and rinsed

8 oz dried cranberry or pinto beans, picked over and rinsed

3 quarts water

2 tablespoons salt

- for the chile powder
3 dried Ancho chiles
3 dried Guajillo chiles
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano,  preferably Mexican
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon table salt

-for the chili
2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, peeled and medium diced
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro stems, finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped, reserved separately
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 - 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1-2 teaspoons canned chipotle in adobo (about 1 pepper from the can) minced
1 cup dried green or brown lentils
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoons unsulfured molasses
1 corn tortilla, roughly chopped

- for the sofrito
2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
1 large white onion, peeled and medium diced
1/4 teaspoon table salt
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
(for more heat, leave in the seeds of 1 or both jalapeños)
water to thin chili to desired consistency
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar or fresh lime juice
reserved chopped cilantro leaves, salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

-for the beans
1. In a large Dutch Oven, combine beans, water and salt and mix well to combine. Cover and soak beans at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain in a colander and set aside.Wipe Dutch oven dry.

- for the chile powder
2. Cut stems from dried chiles, split them open with a paring knife, remove all seeds, and flatten them in a single layer in Dutch oven. Heat Dutch oven over medium heat and toast chiles 1-2 minutes on each side,adjusting heat as necessary to prevent smoking or burning chiles. Remove chiles to a cutting board and cool 5 minutes. Coarsely chop chiles and add to a blender jar. Grind chiles into a fine powder and transfer to a medium bowl along with cumin, oregano, coriander and 1/4 teaspoon table salt. Set aside.

- for the chili
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 300 degrees. Heat oil in Dutch oven on stovetop over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally until they are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cilantro stems and reserved chile powder mixture and cook stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the beans and vegetable stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and transfer to oven and cook 1 hour, stirring beans once after 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add crushed tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, lentils, cocoa powder, molasses and the chopped corn tortilla to the beans and stir well to combine. Return beans to oven and continue to cook 1 hour or until beans and lentils are tender and thickened, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking to bottom of Dutch oven.

-for the sofrito
4.While the beans cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally until well browned, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chopped fresh tomatoes and jalapeños, and cook, stirring often until tomatoes have broken down, their juices have cooked off and the mixture begins to sizzle, 10-15 minutes. A spatula should leave a trail down the center of the tomatoes in the skillet and the bottom should be sticky. Remove from heat and set aside. When beans in chili are tender, remove from oven and allow to sit off heat, uncovered for 30 minutes. Add sofrito to chili and return to stovetop over medium heat until heated though, adding water to adjust chili to desired thickness. Stir in vinegar or lime juice and reserved chopped cilantro leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings or simply with oyster crackers.

Golden Oven Fried Chicken

Ed's mother,Geri made this recipe regularly when he was growing up, and it became a family favorite. 
I think she got it from The Ladies Home Journal in the 1960's or 70's.I found similar recipies on several websites, but was surprised it doesn't feature prominently on any them.
I honestly think it's better than deep fried chicken in flavor and texture.It's certainly easier.
It is unique for the nutty,cheesy breading that sticks to the chicken with just a coating of melted margarine (yes,I said margarine) and crushed garlic.I have tried this recipe with butter and it doesn't work, as butter will burn on the bottom of the baking dish.
I added a step which is not in the original recipe by marinating the chicken for 24 hours in a mixture of buttermilk,hot sauce,salt,honey and pepper.I find thighs are best for this recipe because of their size and ability to cook longer without drying out.I patted the marinated thighs dry with paper towels before dipping them in the melted margarine and breading them.

For the marinade: 3 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and skin. 2 cups buttermilk 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste) 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper For the wet coating: 1/2 cup margarine (2-8oz.sticks) 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced For the dry coating: 1 cup dry bread crumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup slivered almonds, finely chopped 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. dried thyme 1/8 tsp. pepper instructions: Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, honey, salt and pepper in a gallon sized ziplock bag or a bowl large enough to accommodate the chicken and marinade.Add chicken to the marinade and soak 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the margarine in a 9x13 pyrex baking dish in the preheated oven.When melted, remove the dish from the oven and add garlic to the melted margarine. In a medium bowl or pie plate, combine bread crumbs, cheese, almonds, parsley, salt, thyme and pepper; mix well. Dip chicken pieces in melted margarine garlic mixture in baking dish on all sides.transfer chicken one piece at a time to breadcrumb mixture and thoroughly coat. Return the coated pieces to the baking dish, skin side up. Bake uncovered about 1 hour or until tender, basting occasionally with pan drippings.

Chickpea Tomato Ragout

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil,plus extra to serve

1 small yellow onion,finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed,coarsely ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
1- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed

1 -8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fresh basil,torn

Instructions 

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 12 inch nonstick skillet until shimmering.

Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds stirring constantly.

Add pepper flakes, cumin and fennel seed,cook one minute, stirring constantly.

Remove pan from heat and add wine.

Return pan to heat and cook until wine has dissolved.

Add chickpeas and tomato sauce,then slosh out tomato sauce can with 1/4 cup water and add to the skillet.

Bring to a simmer and cook five minutes until thickened.Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove pan from heat, cover and allow to cool to nearly room temperature,@30 minutes.

Stir in basil and finish each serving with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serve with cooked farro or brown rice and sauteed or raw vegetables of choice.

2 servings

Green Beans with Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

2 T vegetable or avocado oil,divided
1 lb green beans,trimmed and cut into 3rds (1-1/2 inch pieces)
1 lrg. shallot,minced
3 cloves garlic,thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8th tsp dry thyme
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12inch nonstick skillet on high until shimmering.
Add green beans and toss through oil to coat.
Pat into a single layer and cook without stirring for 1 minute.Stir and repeat until green beans are slightly charred on all sides,reducing heat if browning too quickly.
Cover and cook for 2 minutes or until beans are tender crisp.
Uncover and clear a space in the center of the pan.
Add remaining tablespoon oil along with shallot,garlic,salt,pepper,red pepper flakes and thyme.
Cook 30 seconds,then combine with beans and cook another 30 seconds.
Remove pan from heat and add sherry,mustard and Worcestershire.
Reduce heat to medium and return pan to burner.
Toss beans with sauce and reduce until thickened and beans are tender and well coated,2-3 more minutes.Serve immediately.

Peperonata (Stewed Savory Peppers)

Adapted from Lidia’s Celebrate Like an Italian by Lidia Bastianich

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 -6 garlic cloves,thinly sliced across the width

4 anchovy fillets, chopped

2 medium onions, sliced pole to pole into 1/2 inch thick wedges

6 small (or 4 large) bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange), cut into 1-inch strips

1 tsp kosher-salt

1/2 cup pitted kalamata black olives

1/4 cup drained capers in brine (or small green pitted olives)

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. fennel seed

One 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand,or canned crushed tomatoes

1 sprig rosemary

1 sprig thyme

1/2 cup water or red wine

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

Mashed Potatoes,Polenta,,pasta ,rice or 

Grilled or toasted country bread, for serving

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large non- stick skillet over medium low heat. Cook garlic stirring constantly until garlic is browned, being careful to adjust the heat so not to burn.Off heat,remove garlic from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish.

Return pan to heat and when the oil is hot, add the anchovies.

Cook and stir until they dissolve into the oil, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the onions, and cook until they begin to wilt, about 4 minutes.

Add the peppers, and season with the salt.

Add the olives, capers, and red pepper flakes, fennel seed and get everything sizzling; then add the tomatoes,rosemary and thyme sprigs. Slosh out the tomato can with 1/2 cup water or wine, and add that to the pan.

Cover, and cook until the peppers begin to droop, about 10 minutes.

Uncover, and cook until the peppers and onions are tender and sauce is thick and flavorful, about 10 to 15 minutes more.Remove pan from heat,take out rosemary and thyme sprigs and stir in Balsamic Vinegar.Garnish with reserved fried garlic slices.

Serve with potatoes,polenta,rice or a basket of grilled bread on the side.

Gingery Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry

Adapted from a recipe published by Cooks Illustrated

Gingery Chicken w/Asparagus Stir Fry

This recipe calls for “silkening” the chicken with an oil-cornstarch slurry which makes it exceptionally tender.You may skip this process and just use the chicken without the marinade and slurry,but I strongly suggest trying it out if you have the time.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken for Stir-Fry

1/4	cup soy sauce
1/4	cup dry sherry
1	cup water
1	pound boneless,skinless chicken breast,trimmed of excess and sliced thin into 2-inch-long pieces
2	tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1	tablespoon cornstarch
1	tablespoon flour

Stir-Fry

1/2	cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4	cup dry sherry
2	tablespoons soy sauce
2	tablespoons oyster sauce
1	teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1	tablespoon cornstarch
2	teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
8	teaspoons minced fresh ginger (@ 3 inch piece),divided use
2	medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
	peanut oil or vegetable oil
1	pound asparagus,trimmed and cut on bias into 1&1/2 inch lengths
1	small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH WITH RICE

To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 20 minutes, until it is firm but not frozen. 

Prepare the stir-fry ingredients while the chicken marinates.

1. Combine soy sauce, sherry, and water in medium bowl; add chicken and stir to break up clumps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Mix sesame oil, cornstarch, and flour in medium bowl until smooth. Drain chicken in strainer; press out excess liquid. Toss chicken in cornstarch/flour mixture until evenly coated.

3. Whisk broth, sherry, soy, oyster-flavored sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, pepper flakes, and 4 teaspoons ginger in small bowl; set aside. Combine remaining 4 teaspoons ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil in small bowl; set aside.

4. Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of chicken to skillet in flat, even layer. Cook, without stirring, but gently separating pieces, until golden brown on first side, about 1 minute; turn chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on second side, about 30 seconds. Transfer chicken to clean bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons peanut oil and remaining chicken.

5. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until just smoking. Add asparagus and red bell pepper; stir-fry until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.Cover and continue to cook until asparagus is tender crisp,1-3 minutes more,reducing heat if vegetables are browning too quickly.

Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic/ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds, then stir mixture into vegetables,about 30 seconds longer. Return chicken to skillet. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately.

Paris Salad Dressing (White French Dressing)

ingredients:                                                                   

1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
1 cup white sugar, divided
1 cup white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons dry mustard (Colemans is my favorite)
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable or avocado oil

Note:You will need an instant read thermometer and a makeshift double boiler for this recipe.
For the makeshift double boiler, use a medium sized sauce pot and a heat resistant glass or stainless steel bowl that will fit inside the pot without resting at the bottom.The bottom of the bowl should not reach the water, optimally leaving 2-3 inches space between the bowl and water.The intention is to heat the bowl with the steam created by the boiling water in the pot.

method:
Fill a large bowl half full with ice water and set aside.
Mix egg, water and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium sized heat resistant glass or stainless steel bowl.Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.Place bowl over simmering water, making sure water does not touch the bottom of the bowl and whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer.Remove from heat and cool quickly by setting bowl in prepared bowl of ice water.Transfer egg mixture to an electric blender and add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, salt, pepper, celery seed, garlic and oil. Process until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Dressing will be thin.
May be refrigerated in an air tight container or mason jar for 1 week.

Currywurst

I grew up in a German household,and yet somehow never heard of this popular German street food until last year when I had it at a local hofbrauhaus.I found a number of recipes on the net,but most all of them used ketchup as the base and were too acidic for my taste,nothing like what I was served at the hofbrauhaus.I decided to make a sort of homemade curry ketchup sauce with more kick and tamed with baking soda to raise the PH.This dish is traditionally served on the side of,or over French Fries.Use your favorite packaged fries or homemade if you have the inclination.
Serves 4

Ingredients

for the spice mix:
1 T Mild Curry Powder
1 T Madras Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
2 tsp Sweet Paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp  cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
pinch ground cloves

for the bratwurst and sauce:
1&1/2 pounds raw Bratwurst
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1-7oz can Tomato Paste
12 oz pilsener beer (or 12 oz. water)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon beef bouillon
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

In a small bowl combine curry powders,paprikas,onion powder,dry mustard,cinnamon,allspice,cayenne,garlic powder and ground cloves.Set aside.
Heat oil and butter in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted add bratwurst and brown,5 to 7 minutes turning bratwurst once during browning.
Add water,reduce heat to medium low,cover and cook until meat registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer,turning bratwurst once during cooking.
Remove bratwurst to a cutting board and cool 5 minutes,then slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces and set aside on a plate.
Add spice mixture to leftover fat in skillet and stir constantly 30 seconds to release oils in spices.
Add tomato paste and incorporate into spices about 30 seconds.
Add beer(or water),brown sugar,salt,pepper,worcestershire,beef boullion,apple cider vinegar and baking soda and bring to a simmer,whisking constantly to incorporate sauce into a smooth consistency.
When sauce is slightly thickened,return sliced bratwurst to skillet and cook until heated through,about 5 minutes.
Serve over your favorite packaged or homemade french fries and a light dusting of curry powder if desired.

Aurora's Chicken Pepperoni

My take on a recipe Inspired by the 1980 Chevy Chase/Goldie Hawn film "Seems Like Old Times.
In the film,Goldie Hawn's Hispanic maid,Aurora is famous for her signature dish,Chicken Pepperoni.
She is expected to prepare it for an important dinner party,but is unable as she has an appointment to"get her feet scraped",so Goldie has to improvise the recipe as she cannot read the Spanish instructions.I figure since this appears to be a totally fictitious recipe anyway,why not take a stab at it myself.My preferred stick pepperoni is Margarita brand.This recipe may be served with pasta,polenta or a simple green salad.
Serves 4

Ingredients:

for the Sauce-
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion,grated on the small holes of a hand grater
3 cloves garlic,minced or put through a garlic press
1/4 cup dry red wine
1-28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
4 oz. piece of stick pepperoni,skin removed,quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves plus extra for garnish

for the chicken-
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 thin slices pepperoni
1 cup shredded mozzarella,provolone or fontina cheese

instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.Add onion,garlic and cook stirring constantly for one minute.Stir in wine,crushed tomatoes,oregano,sugar,red pepper flakes,1/4 teaspoon salt,and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.Bring to a simmer and add quartered pepperoni pieces.Continue to simmer until sauce thickens and flavors meld,15-20 minutes.
Stir in basil,cover and keep warm.
2.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 450 degrees.
Remove pepperoni from sauce and reserve on a plate.Spoon sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3.Spread parmesan into a shallow dish or pie plate.Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.Working with one breast at a time,dredge in parmesan and press on chicken so it adheres evenly.Lay coated chicken breasts on top of sauce in baking dish,transfer to preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
4.Remove chicken from oven and increase temperature to 475 degrees.
Shingle 5 slices pepperoni on each chicken breast,followed by 1/4 cup mound of shredded cheese.Return chicken to oven and bake until cheese melts and thickest part of breasts register an internal temperature of 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer,5-7 minutes.To serve,spoon some sauce from baking dish onto each plate,top with a chicken breast and a tablespoon of sauce.Chop reserved pepperoni used to flavor sauce into small pieces and scatter over each breast.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Chicken Cacciatore with Crispy Skin

I love the flavor combinations in Chicken Cacciatore,but I hate the flabby skin and greasiness of the traditional braising method.
Some recipes remove the skin after browning before adding it to the braising liquid,but then you're just throwing away the beautiful crisp caramelized skin.My solution is to finish cooking the browned chicken nestled on top of the vegetables so only the bottom half of the meat rests below the liquid with the skin exposed.Finishing the braise in a hot oven cut down on cooking time and also kept the skin extra crisp.Serves 4.

Ingredients

8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs(2 1/2-3 pounds),trimmed of excess fat
table salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablepoon olive oil
8 oz Crimini or button mushrooms quartered pole to pole
1 large sweet onion,halved and thinly sliced pole to pole(about 2 cups)
1 large red pepper,stemmed,seeded and diced into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 small fennel bulb,cored,stalks and outer leaves removed,thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
4 medium cloves garlic,peeled,minced by hand or through a garlic press
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup sweet marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-14 1/2  oz can diced tomatoes,drained
1 cup dry red wine
1-2in piece parmesan cheese rind
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves,rolled and thinly sliced (chiffonade)

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.Heat oil in a 12 inch oven proof skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.Add four thighs,skin side down and cook without moving until well browned and skin releases without resistance from the bottom of the skillet,about 5 minutes.Flip chicken with tongs and cook on second side until lightly browned,about 3 minutes.Transfer browned chicken to a large plate.Brown remaining chicken thighs,transfer to plate and set aside.Drain fat from pan into a small heatproof bowl leaving browned chicken fond in pan. You should have about 2 1/2 tablespoons fat. If not, add enough olive oil to reserved fat to equal 2 1/2 tablespoons total.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Return 1 tablespoon reserved chicken fat to the skillet over medium heat.Add mushrooms and cook until browned on all sides,about 5 minutes.Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup of the Marsala,scraping fond from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.When liquid is dissolved,add 1 tablespoon chicken fat to pan followed by the onions,peppers and fennel.Sauté,stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften and lightly brown,about 5 minutes.Clear a small circle in center of pan and add remaining reserved chicken fat, followed by tomato paste and garlic.Let cook in the fat for about 1 minute to intensify and caramelize the tomato paste,then stir into vegetables.Sprinkle flour evenly over vegetables and stir until no dry flour is remaining,about 1 minute.Deglaze vegetables with remaining Marsala,continuing to scrape any fond from bottom and sides of pan into vegetables,about 2 minutes.Stir in red wine,chicken stock,tomatoes,oregano,pepper flakes,cheese rind and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.Bring to a vigorous simmer and cook,stirring occasionally to prevent burning,until liquid is reduced by 1/4th and beginning to thicken,5-7 minutes.

Nestle browned chicken thighs on top of vegetables skin side up in the braise so skin is above the surface of the liquid. Transfer the skillet into the preheated oven and cook uncovered until chicken registers 175 degrees when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thighs,8-12 minutes.Transfer chicken to a plate and remove parmesan rind from braise.Stir half of fresh basil into braise and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.Spoon sauce and vegetables over your favorite pasta,gnocchi,risotto,polenta or mashed potatoes.Top each serving with 2 chicken thighs and garnish with remaining basil.

Chickpea Salad with Cilantro-Mint Chutney

Chickpea Salad with Cilantro-Mint Chutney

 2 15.5 oz cans chickpeas

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon table salt

3/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small red onion thinly sliced from pole to pole

1/2 Fresno chile pepper or Jalapeño,stemmed,seeded and finely chopped

instructions:

Drain chickpeas in a colander and rinse well with cold running water.

Shake off excess water and set aside to drain well.

Put cilantro,mint,onion,cumin,salt,sugar,yogurt,honey,lime juice and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process,scraping bowl down as needed until smooth.Alternatively this may also be done in the blender.Transfer to a medium bowl and top with drained chickpeas.Fold in red onion and Fresno chile or Jalapeño and stir through to distribute dressing evenly.Serve at room temperature or cover with plastic wrap and chill if desired.Great as a side dish with salmon or chicken!

Aunt Tootles Famous Mexican Dinner

My partner's half Eskimo mother,Geri Austermuhl,used to make this recipe frequently when he was growing up in Anchorage,Alaska.She learned the recipe from her Aunt Tootles,who learned it from her Mexican Maid.It is similar to traditional,tostadas,but stacked into a layered tostada tower.
Baking soda added to the raw ground meat lowers its PH,keeping the meat moist and tender during the long cooking process.These may be served individually (non-layered) like traditional tostadas if desired.Plant based meat or sausage may be substituted for the ground beef. If using plant based meat, omit steps 1 & 2. Proceed with step 3. In step 5, substitute beef for PBM and cook until just heated through, 5-7 minutes. Prep suggested toppings ahead so they will be ready to garnish the tostada towers.
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1&1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil,divided
1 pound 80% lean ground beef
1 small onion,finely diced (about a half cup)
2 medium cloves garlic,minced
1-10 oz. can mild red enchilada sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying tortillas)
12 corn tortillas
12 oz. shredded cheddar,colby jack,or crumbled Cotija
1 large white onion, diced
shredded iceberg, romaine or escarole lettuce
2-3 plum tomatoes,diced

suggested additional toppings:
sliced radish,black olives
avocado,guacamole,sour cream
hot sauce,salsa,pickled jalapeños
cilantro,scallions,lime wedges

instructions:
1. Stir water,baking soda,1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a medium bowl until baking soda and salt are dissolved.
Add ground beef and mix until thoroughly combined.Set aside for 15 minutes.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
Add ground beef and cook,breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon until fat has rendered,leaving portions of the meat slightly pink.
2. Drain meat in a colander set over a large bowl,and wipe skillet clean.
Reduce heat to medium low and return skillet to stove.
3. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet until shimmering.Add diced onion to skillet and sautė 3-5 minutes until softened,but not browned.
4. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
5. Return drained beef to skillet,along with enchilada sauce and water.Bring to a low boil,then reduce heat to a low simmer.Cook uncovered 20-30 minutes,stirring occasionally to prevent burning,until mixture is the consistency of thick Sloppy Joe sauce.Remove from heat,adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper,cover to keep warm.
6. Set oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place a baking sheet lined with a triple layer of paper towels next to the stove to drain tortillas as you fry them.
Place a second baking sheet large enough to fit all of drained tortillas in a single layer, near the paper towel lined sheet.
7. Fill a 12 inch Dutch Oven with enough oil to come at least 1/2 inch up the sides.
8. Heat oil over medium high heat until oil reaches 350 degrees and the edge of a test tortilla sizzles when dipped into oil using a pair of heat proof tongs.
Fry tortillas,one at a time,until golden brown, about 20 seconds or so per side, keeping tortillas submerged in oil with tongs. Reduce temperature as needed. You will have to watch them closely as they fry, turning once or twice so they don't burn if necessary.
Drain fried tortillas of excess oil on prepared paper towel lined baking sheet. You may need to pat them off with more paper towels to remove all the excess oil. 
As they are done, transfer to second baking sheet and top each tortilla with a roughly equal amount of the cheese, about 2 tablespoons on each.
9. Place prepared tortilla filled baking sheet in oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
10. Assemble tostada towers by placing one tortilla on each of 4 plates.Top tortillas with an equal layer of the meat sauce, diced onions, lettuce and tomatoes.Top each with a second tortilla,meat sauce and veggies.Top with a third tortilla and just cheese.

11. Top completed tostada towers with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired and any other garnishes you wish. Serve immediately.