Butter Chicken

 Butter Chicken (from Cooks Illustrated)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled, divided

1 onion, chopped fine

5 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon pepper

1 ½ cups water

½ cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons table salt, divided

1 cup heavy cream

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is softened and onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garam masala, coriander, cumin, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add water and tomato paste and whisk until no lumps of tomato paste remain. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Off heat, stir in cream. Using immersion blender or blender, process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Return sauce to simmer over medium heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Remove saucepan from heat and cover to keep warm. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; gently reheat sauce before adding hot chicken.)

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine chicken, yogurt, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in bowl and toss well to coat. Using tongs, transfer chicken to wire rack set in aluminum foil—lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until chicken is evenly charred on both sides and registers 175 degrees, 16 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. While chicken rests, warm sauce over medium-low heat. Cut chicken into ¾-inch chunks and stir into sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve.

CASHEW CHICKEN - Cook’s Country

 

CASHEW CHICKEN - Cook’s Country

This is one of my favorite Cashew Chicken recipes. Once you have everything prepped, it cooks up very quickly. I often double the sauce and add in a bunch of vegetables.

CASHEW CHICKEN - Cook’s Country

 700 g chicken breast, cut into 2cm pieces

5 T soy sauce, divided

2 T cornstarch

1 T dry sherry

1 t toasted sesame oil

⅓ C hoisin sauce

⅓ C water

1 T balsamic vinegar

3 T vegetable oil

1 C raw cashews

2 celery ribs, sliced on bias ½ cm thick

6 green onions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 2 cm sections

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t grated fresh ginger

½ t red pepper flakes

Any other vegetables - broccoli, peas, etc.

1. Combine chicken, 2T soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry and sesame oil in a bowl.  Combine hoisin, water, vinegar and 3 T soy sauce in another bowl.

2. Heat vegetable oil in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat til shimmering.  Add cashews and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown (4-6 min). Reduce heat if they darken too quickly.  Use slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels.

3. Heat oil in skillet on medium-high, add chicken and cook stirring frequently until beginning to brown and no longer translucent (about 3 minutes)  Add celery, spring onion whites, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Cook until celery just begins to soften (about 2 min)

4. Add hoisin mixture, bring to a boil and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened (1-3 min). Off heat, stir in spring onion greens and cashews.  Serve over rice.

Warm Cabbage Salad with Tofu (and optional Sweet Chili Glaze)

I know. It sounds gross.  But it's actually really really good!  And healthy. 

CRISPY TOFU WITH WARM CABBAGE SALAD

(from Cook's Illustrated Dinner Tonight)

serves 4-6

28 oz (800g) tofu (or however much you have)

salt and pepper

4 scallions

fresh cilantro - big bunch

fresh mint - big bunch! (although I've successfully used dried mint)

¾ C peanuts

3 T plus ¾ C vegetable oil

5 T rice vinegar

2 T soy sauce

2 T sugar

1 t Asian chilli-garlic sauce

14 oz (400g) green coleslaw mix (or, if you don't *have* that where you live - use the food processor to cut up some cabbage and carrots into slaw!)

¾ C cornstarch (or rice flour)

¼ C cornmeal

1. Prep tofu – cut into 3 inch x ½ inch planks (or whatever size you want, mine are usually 3cm x 1 cm). Let drain for 20 min. or put in a dish towel and place something heavy on top to squeeze out the water. Season with salt and pepper (optional!)

2. While tofu drains, slice scallions thin. Pick ½ C cilantro leaves. Chop ½ C mint. Chop peanuts. Put in large bowl with coleslaw mix.

3. Make dressing. Whisk 3 T oil, 5 T rice wine vinegar, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T sugar, 1 t chili-garlic sauce in bowl. Cover and microwave until simmering. (1-2 min) Measure out and reserve 2 T dressing.

4. Toss salad. Toss remaining dressing with coleslaw, scallions, cilantro, mint and peanuts in a large bowl. (leave peanuts off til serving so they stay crunchy!)

5. Mix cornstarch/rice flour and cornmeal in shallow dish. Coat pieces of tofu thoroughly and transfer to a large plate.

6. Heat ¾ C oil (I usually use about 2 T) in 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, cook tofu until both sides are crisp and brown. (about 4 min each side). Transfer to paper towel lined plate. When all the tofu is cooked, I put it all in the pan and drizzle with the reserved dressing - it sizzles and steams and gives a nice crunchy coating. Serve with cabbage salad.

For an added treat, you can make this glaze for the tofu.

SWEET CHILI GLAZED TOFU

(from Complete Vegetarian Cookbook)

½ C water

½ C rice vinegar

1/3 C sugar (or honey)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 t Asian chilli-garlic sauce

2 t cornstarch (or rice flour)

¼ C minced fresh cilantro

salt

FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk water, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili-garlic sauce, and cornstarch together in bowl. Wipe out now-empty skillet with paper towels, add glaze, and simmer over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1¼ cups, 2 to 3 minutes. 5. Off heat, stir in cilantro. Add tofu and turn to coat with glaze. Season with salt to taste and serve.

 

Gingersnaps!

GINGERSNAPS

This recipe is adapted from my sister's friend, Heather Trussell, who gave it to her in high school, and a few things added from my own experience of what I like in a gingersnap (a lot of spice!)  It is one of my daughter's favorite cookies.

GINGERSNAP COOKIES

Cream together:
3/4 C (170g) butter/margarine (you can actually cut the butter up to half the amount for lower fat and crunchier cookies)
1 C sugar
1 egg
1/4 C molasses

Mix together and then add to the butter mixture:
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1 Tablespoon (or more) ground ginger
3/4 t black pepper
1/3 t ground cloves
1/4 t allspice
1/4 t nutmeg

Form the dough into walnut sized balls.  Dip the top in sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.  (If you are making the cookies with less butter you may want to slightly flatten the balls first)

Cookies will be puffy when you take them out, but as soon as you put them on a cooling rack, they will fall and have a perfect crackly top!

Enjoy with a glass of milk or cup of tea!

Falafel and Hummus

When I lived in Istanbul there was no falafel. I used to watch Ready, Steady, Cook with Ainsley Harriot all the time because it was so fun to watch what they could make out of 5 pounds worth of ingredients. Then I discovered that Ainsley had a website with recipes, too! I have been making these falafel for a long time. The hummus recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated and I have adapted it to living abroad and the things I have available to me! The Tahini Sauce comes from an afternoons spent experimenting in my sister's kitchen with a large jar of Tahin. (It was a lot of trial and error!)

Enjoy!

FALAFEL

Serves 4 - 6

Ainsley Harriott

Ingredients

225g/8oz dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water

1tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp ground coriander or coriander seed (which I prefer for better taste!)

1⁄2tsp cayenne pepper

1 garlic clove, crushed

2tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

juice of 1⁄2 lemon

vegetable oil for frying

pitta bread and natural yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the salt, baking powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Whizz until very finely chopped but not puréed. (If you have time, set the mixture aside for a couple of hours, so the flavours can mingle, but it’s not imperative).

2. Heat 5cm/2inch of oil in a deep frying pan. (I usually just put a layer of oil on the bottom. It doesn't deep fry them but I think it's healthier!?)

3. Using a wet hand shape the mixture into 16 balls, then flatten slightly into patties. Deep-fry in batches for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve 3 or 4 falafels inside a warm pitta bread pocket, with a drizzle of yoghurt or tahini sauce.

TAHINI SAUCE

Mix ½ C tahini and 3 crushed garlic cloves together in food processor. Add ½ t salt.

Add 2 T olive oil and 2-3 T lemon juice.

The sauce will thicken.

Stir in 1 t finely chopped parsley.

Add water to loosen to desired consistency.

Ultimate Hummus

adapted from Cooks Illustrated 5/2008

Makes about 2 cups

1/2	cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight  or a big can of cooked chickpeas,
1/8	teaspoon baking soda
3	tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
6	tablespoons tahini , stirred well (see note)
1	small garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2	teaspoon table salt
1/4	teaspoon ground cumin
	Pinch Cayenne  or pul biber
1	tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

1. Pick through and rinse chickpeas. Place beans in large bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight. Drain. Bring beans, baking soda, and 1 quart water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup bean cooking water, and cool.
2. Process chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor or with hand blender until almost fully ground. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add lemon juice and mix. Add chickpea water mixture and continue to process, adding more water as necessary to get a fairly wet mixture. Scrape down bowl and continue to process until smooth. Add tahini and continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, scraping down bowl as needed.
4. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Swirly Cookies

               

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SWIRLY ICEBOX COOKIES

When I was little, my mom always made swirly chocolate and vanilla cookies only at Christmas. They were generally given away as gifts and we never got to eat as many as we wanted to. When I became of age, I used my mom's recipe myself, but it was time consuming and I had trouble finding all the ingredients in Istanbul. Then I found these Cooking Light recipes for Icebox Cookies and decided to adapt them a bit to make my own Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirls. Yay!

Following are the original recipes from Cooking Light magazine. I used butter instead of margarine. I used parchment instead of waxed paper. I shape the two batches of dough into rectangular blocks instead of rolls (because it's easier to roll out into a rectangle for making the swirls!) I refrigerate overnight and do the rolling and swirling the next day. Then I refrigerate or freeze the completed swirly rolls to slice and bake when I need them.

CHOCOLATE ICEBOX COOKIES

3/4 C flour

1/4 C unsweetened cocoa

1/4 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

4 T stick margarine or butter, softened (57g)

2/3 C sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1 large egg white

2 T turbinado sugar (optional)

1.  Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Beat margarine at medium speed of a mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until well blended.  Add vanilla and egg white, and beat well.  Add flour mixture and stir until well blended.  Turn dough out onto wax paper and shape into 6 inch log.  Wrap log in wax paper and freeze for 3 hours or until very firm.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

3.  Roll log in turbinado sugar. Cut log into 24 (1/4 inch) slices and place slices 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 F degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.  Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Variation: Substitute 1 t peppermint extract for the vanilla extract.

CAL: 61 (31% from fat)  FAT: 2.1g PROTEIN 0.8g  CARB: 9.8g  FIBER 0.1g CHOL: 0mg IRON 0.4mg SODIUM: 51mg CALCIUM: 3mg

**Make pinwheels with peanut butter cookies.

PEANUT BUTTER ICEBOX COOKIES

1 C flour

1/4 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

3 T stick margarine or butter, softened (43g)

2 T chunky peanut butter

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/4 C granulated sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1 large egg white

1.  Combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Beat margarine and peanut butter at medium speed of a mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add sugars, beating at medium speed until well blended.  Add vanilla and egg white, and beat well.  Add flour mixture and stir until well blended.  Turn dough out onto wax paper and shape into 6 inch log.  Wrap log in wax paper and freeze for 3 hours or until very firm.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

3.  Cut log into 24 (1/4 inch) slices and place slices 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 F degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.  Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate Peanutbutter Variation: Add 1 ounce grated semisweet chocolate to flour mixture

CAL: 69 (31% from fat)  FAT: 2.4g PROTEIN 1.2g  CARB: 10.8g  FIBER 0.2g CHOL: 9mg IRON 0.4mg SODIUM: 53mg CALCIUM: 7mg

Directions for Swirls

After making both batches of dough and chilling them, cut each rectangular block in half. Take a half of each block and roll it out to rectangles that are approximately the same size. The thinner you roll it, the more it will swirl! Put the peanut butter on top of the chocolate, give it one last roll with the rolling pin to stick it together, then roll them up together along the long end to make a roll. Wrap the roll in waxed paper or parchment and put in the fridge or freezer for slicing and baking. Repeat with the other two halves.