Well Dined

I was watching The Food Network – my favorite channel – when I saw Rachel Ray make this dish. It looked so good that I made it the next day! It is a healthier version than the traditional battered-and-fried, dripping with cheese version. The pepper had a lovely charred, roasted flavor and the rice was vibrant and herbaceous. I don’t like spicy food or cilantro so I made a few adjustments (bell peppers instead of poblanos, no jalapenos, parsley instead of cilantro), and it came out wonderfully. I also replaced 1 cup of corn from her vegetarian version with a cup of shredded chicken. You can certainly switch that back to make it vegetarian again.

Charred “Chile Relleno” with Green Rice
adapted from The Food Network
Time: 30 min Serves: 4

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
1 bay leaf
2 cups white rice
4 large green bell peppers
2 cups frozen corn kernels
3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained well (use fire-roasted if you can find them)
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken **see below
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 lb spinach leaves, deveined and coarsely chopped
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat broiler or grill pan to high. Place peppers under broiler or on hot grill and char evenly all over, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 1/2 cups of the stock in a sauce pot with a bay leaf to boiling. Add rice, cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer 18 minutes or until tender. Place the parsley, spinach, scallions, lime zest, 1/2 cup of stock and a tbsp of oil in a food processor and process into a coarse green paste. Stir the paste into the rice during the last 3 to 4 minutes of its cooking time.

Meanwhile, defrost corn and dry by spreading out on clean kitchen towel. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil smokes or ripples add corn and onion and toss until the vegetables char at edges and onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add in garlic, tomatoes, and chicken and season with cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook another 2 minutes, remove from heat. Sprinkle the lime juice over the corn mixture.

Split the charred peppers open (but not in half) and scoop out the seeds. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish and stuff each split pepper with lots of the corn mixture, top each pepper with 1/4 cup cheese and place back under the broiler to melt and char the cheese.

Serve the peppers with a big pile of the rice.

**Cooked, shredded chicken is a staple ingredient for me. I always have it around, whether from a rotisserie chicken or poached breasts. I can throw it into any number of dishes to round them out. My favorite method is to poach chicken breasts, then freeze them – thawing and shredding or chopping them when I need to. Below is the method I use to ensure they turn out flavorful and moist.

Poached Chicken

Place chicken breasts into a large stock pot or dutch oven. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover. Add a couple sprigs of thyme, 2 bay leaves, a few pepper corns, some salt, some halved onions, and roughly chopped celery and carrots. Bring to a boil over high. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat so that it is barely simmering. Simmer for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the hot liquid for another 15 minutes. Check one breast to make sure it is cooked through. Remove from the liquid, allow to cool completely, then use immediately or freeze.

Pork loin is a relatively inexpensive and lean cut. It takes many flavors well, making it a blank canvas. I like to buy a large loin (10 lbs or so), butcher it myself and freeze 1/2 – 3/4 of the meat – that way I always have some on hand. Below are two fast and easy recipes for boneless chops. As always, have your chops sit out at room temperature for 20 min before cooking to avoid tough meat.

Pork chops are pan fried and covered with a creamy white wine, mustard, and caper sauce. Served here with mashed potatoes; also good with rice.

Pan-fried Pork Chops with Mustard-Caper Sauce
adapted from Williams Sonoma
Time: 45 min Serves:4

4 boneless pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup semidry white wine
1/3 cup capers
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp whole grain mustard

Season the chops with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 170 degrees F, place a platter in oven to keep warm. Place a large fry pan over medium-high heat and add half of the oil. Add two of the chops and don’t touch them for 3 min, turn and cook another 3 min before transferring to the platter. Repeat with the remaining two chops. Pour off the oil, add the wine to the pan and deglaze. Add the capers and cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, vinegar, pepper to taste. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, whisk in mustard. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over the chops.

Pork chops are stuffed with a mixture of dried cranberries, apricot preserves, and coriander. You could use dried cherries, if you prefer. Served here with salad and quinoa.

Cranberry Stuffed Pork Chops
Time: 20 min Serves: 4

4 boneless pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2 tbsp apricot preserves
1/2 tsp ground coriander

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cranberries, preserves, and coriander in a bowl. Cut a deep pocket into each chop, stuff with the cranberry mixture, season the outside with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an oven safe skillet over medium-high. Brown the chops 2 minutes per side, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 4-6 minutes.

Shrimp cooks very quickly, so it is great to use when you need dinner in a hurry. Baking shrimp with wine and garlic adds a lot of flavor while cutting down on active prep work.

Combine peeled, deveined shrimp with white wine and garlic.

Mix together softened butter, panko, and parsley. Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb that is incredibly crispy. It should be a pantry staple.

Drop the panko mixture onto the shrimp.

Bake until the shrimp are opaque

Serve over pasta, rice, or warm crusty bread. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

Baked Garlic Shrimp
adapted from Real Simple
Time: 25 min Serves: 4

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
4 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
2 tbsp white wine
salt and pepper
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a baking dish, combine the shrimp, garlic, white wine, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. In a small bowl, combine the butter, panko, and parsley. Sprinkle panko mixture over the shrimp and bake until the shrimp are opaque, 15 to 18 minutes.

Ah, spring – new beginnings, new growth, and the start of peak veggie season. I am a vegetable fan, but I despise the plain steam treatment, so I am always looking for new ways to incorporate vegetables into fun dishes. Zucchini and spinach are two of my favorites because they are incredibly versatile and easy to add to any dish. One of my favorite spring dishes combines them with pasta and a Gruyere sauce for a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful veggie casserole. You can add in shredded or diced cooked chicken for more protein, if you wish.

Start with fresh, medium sized zucchini – they have fewer seeds and more flavor than larger ones. Also look for vibrant skin – younger, fresher zucchini will have a more tender skin that is easier to eat. Leave the skin on – it has a lot of nutrients!

A food processor makes shredding so much easier.

Gruyere – my favorite cheese to pair with vegetables. Buying a block and shredding it yourself gives you more flavor than buying it pre-shredded. (more…)

In college, I learned a great trick to fast and easy dinners by using couscous. Couscous is a tiny round pasta that cooks in 5-10 min; it is a wonderful blank canvas that you can add anything to. In college, this usually meant whatever canned vegetables I had lying around in the pantry. Over the years, I developed several go-to mix-in combinations that I threw together whenever I didn’t have a dinner plan.

To make the basic version, bring 1.5 cups of chicken or vegetable stock to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup couscous, salt and pepper. Cover and let sit 10 minutes, uncover, and fluff with a fork. Add your mix-ins when you add the couscous to the stock, and they will warm up as it sits. Below are some of my favorite variations.

Italian
1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained
3tbsp pesto
1 clove garlic, minced

Add 1/2 (15 oz) can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained), or 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken for protein
Sprinkle w/ chopped fresh basil

Optional – add some grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, or crumbled goat cheese.

Moroccan
1/2 cup dried apricots, minced or slivered
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp tumeric

Add 1/2 (15 oz) can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained), or 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken for protein
Sprinkle w/ chopped fresh mint

Optional – orange zest and lemon juice, dried currants or raisins, crumbled feta

Southwest
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 (15 oz) can beans (black, kidney, pinto), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn kernels (defrosted, if frozen)
1/4 tsp cumin

Optional – diced bell pepper, diced jalapeno, shredded Jack cheese, 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley

Spanish
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped green olives
pinch of saffron
1/4 tsp cumin

Optional – add 1/2 cup English peas, defrosted if frozen

Add 1/2 (15 oz) can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained), or 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken for protein
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley

Indian
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp curry powder

Add 1/2 (15 oz) can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained), or 1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken for protein
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley

By now you get the idea, and you should be able to come up with combinations of your own. I hope this saves you some time and stress.

Occasionally I teach technique classes at Williams-Sonoma – here are some of the best recipes from the past 2 classes.

Latin Cooking – Shredded Chicken in Pepper Sauce
Aji de Gallina
Serves 4-6

1 chicken, 4-6 lb; or 4 bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves, 2 lb total
8 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp aji amarillo paste**
1/4 cup aji panca paste**
1 (10oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup shredded queso blanco or farmer’s cheese
8 saltine crackers
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup ground walnuts

Place the chicken in a soup pot, pour in the stock, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to med-lo and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let cool. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the skin and bones of the chicken, shred and set aside.

In a saucepan over med-lo, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and aji pastes** and cook until fragrant, about 1 min.

Meanwhile in a blender or food processor, combine reserved cooking liquid with evaporated milk, cheese, crackers, and salt. Process until smooth. Transfer to pan with onions and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 min. Add the chicken and ground walnuts and cook 2-3 min more. Serve with cooked rice and walnut halves.

**aji pastes are Peruvian chili pastes that we sell at WS. The amounts called for do not make the dish spicy AT ALL. If you prefer a spicier dish, add more aji amarillo.

I would like to try this recipe with a shredded rotisserie chicken (using a cup of stock for the “cooking liquid”) to cut down on prep time. I would also like to serve it with a soft boiled egg, as is traditional, and maybe double the sauce recipe.

Indian Cooking – Kheer (Rice Pudding)
Serves 6

4 cups milk
4 cups light cream
1/2 cup basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed
3/4 cup light brown sugar
4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed; or 2/3 tsp ground
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds

In a large pan, bring milk and cream to boil, stirring frequently. Add the rice, reduce to med-lo and cook until reduced to the consistency of custard and the rice is soft and creamy, about 50 min. Add the brown sugar and stir well. Add the cardamom, saffron, raisins, and almonds. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

**This pudding has such a wonderful, delicate flavor. I would love to add a splash of rose water.