Balsamic roasted chicken with potatoes

This is a delicious, one-pot dish that needs nothing more than a salad to make a complete meal. I use all legs because I think the leg meat is moister and tastier than the breast, but you can use part r all breasts if you prefer.

1/2 medium onion
4 large cloves of garlic
1/2 c packed fresh basil leaves
large pinch each dried oregano and marjoram
2 oz pancetta, diced
4 TB good quality balsamic vinegar, divided
2 TB olive oil
4 whole chicken legs
6 medium “boiling” potatoes (Yukon gold, red bliss, etc.)
1 c dry white wine
1/2 c chopped parsley

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the chicken and separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks. Trim off any excess fat and toss in a large bowl with some salt and pepper.

Put the onion, garlic, pancetta, herbs, olive oil, and 2 TB of the balsamic vinegar  in a food processor and pulse a few times. You don’t want a paste, rather a coarse, crumbly mixture. Add to the chicken.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 2 inch chunks. Toss with the chicken and flavorings until the chicken and potatoes are more or less evenly coated with the mixture. Turn into a shallow baking pan just large enough to hold everything in 1 layer (note: if the pan is not non-stick, you may want to give it a shot of cooking spray first). Turn chicken parts as needed so the skin side is up.

Roast for 20 minutes then add the wine. Continue roasting for another 40 minutes until the wine is gone and the chicken and potatoes are nicely browned. If necessary, run under the broiler briefly to get the desired browning. Remove to a serving platter, drizzle with the remaining balsamic, and sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

 

Nacatamales

OK, so what’s a nacatamale? You may have guessed that it’s related to the standard Mexican tamale that many Americans are familiar with. Briefly, both are savory ingredients with corm meal mush wrapped in a leaf and steamed. But, a nacatamale takes the concept to a whole new level. It is considered the national dish of Nicaragua, where I was first exposed to them and learned how to make them. I understand that other Central American countries, such as Honduras, have their own versions. They do take some time and effort and are traditionally a holiday or celebration feast.

The wrapper

Banana leaves are used to wrap nacatamales. You can buy them frozen in most Latino markets. Cut crossways into 12-14 inch lengths, rinse, and set aside. You’ll need 2 or 3 sections per nacatamale. Just in case you were wondering, you do not eat the leaves!

The spice:

Achiote

The central spice in nacatamales is achiote (or achote), also called annatto. It can be obtained at most Mexican / Latino markets as either a paste or a powder. It’s bright red and has a unique flavor that I love. I’ve seen nacatamale recipes without achiote but I think it’s essential. Here’s a photo of achiote seeds in their pod.

Pork with achiote for nacatamale

 

The meat:

Tradition says to use pork, either pork shoulder or boneless country-style ribs, cut into ~1 inch pieces. Chicken is less traditional but also tastes great. You can use whole drumsticks if you can get relatively small ones or boned thighs. I recommend against using the breasts because they tend to be dry. Anyway, put the meat in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and toss with enough achiote to cover. Set in the fridge. The photos shows cubed pork with achiote before being mixed.

 

The dough:

The dough is made from masa harina, available widely in Mexican markets and many supermarkets. Be sure to use masa and not regular cornmeal. Masa is made from hominy, corn that has been treated with lime to change some of its properties and make it more nutritious—it’s also what tortillas are made from. The other dough ingredients are lard and a liquid.

The quality of your nacatamales depends in large part on the quality of the dough, and the dough contains fat – traditionally, lard (rendered pork fat). This presents 2 problems. First, some people shy away from lard because of its supposed health dangers (widely overblown, in my opinion). Second, it can be difficult to get good lard—the canned supermarket stuff has additives and is processed to where it’s a pale shadow of the real stuff. So, ideally you will find a source for good lard. Lacking that you can use the store-bought or substitute with butter or solid vegetable shortening.

The liquid is usually chicken stock but can be milk, water, vegetable stock, etc.

OK, here we go…

6 c masa flour
1 TB salt
1 c lard or other solid fat
Juice of 2 limes made up to 1/2 c with orange juice
Liquid, as above, 4 to 5 cups

Use a mixer or pastry blender to incorporate the lard and salt into the masa until you have a texture like coarse cornmeal. Vigorously beat in the lime/orange juice and most of the liquid, adding more as needed to get a consistency a bit stiffer than mashed potatoes. Beat on medium-high for a couple more minutes – this makes the dough a bit fluffier by incorporating some air. Set aside for 30 minutes or more.

The filling

In addition to the masa and meat, nacatamales contain a veritable cornucopia of other ingredients.The first 5 listed and the mint seem to be “standard,” with the remaining ones added, perhaps a tablespoon or 2 of each, as taste and availability permit. Here you see the various fillings ready for assembly.

2/3 c raw white rice soaked in water for 30 min
Small onion in 1/4 inch slices
Green bell pepper in 1/4 inch slices
Tomato in 1/4 inch slices
Boiling potato peeled and in 1/4 inch slices (put slices in water with rice to keep from turning brown)
Raw or frozen green peas
Raisins
Capers
Sliced green olives
Diced unsweetened pineapple
Sprigs of fresh mint

Assembly and cooking

Depending on your liking for the achiote flavor, and the amount you put on the meat, you may want to add a bit more. I mix a sauce of equal parts of achiote paste and water to do this.

Nacatamale assembly

Place 2 or 3 banana leaf sections on your counter, overlapping, with the long edge toward you (if your sections are square, not to worry). Place not-quite-a cup of masa in the center and flatten a bit with your fingers. Start piling the ingredients on, typically 3-4 pieces of pork, 1 slice each of potato, tomato, pepper, and onion, a TB of rice (drained), a TB or so of the each of the smaller items, a mint spring, and 1-2 TB of the achiote sauce (if using). Fold the long edges together, fold trhe joined edges over each other about an inch at a time until snug, then fold the 2 sides in. It should be a snug wrap but not too tight because the masa expands a little while cooking, Then, tie together with cotton kitchen string. The photos show an assembled but not wrapped nacatamale and then all of them ready to be cooked.

Place the nacatamales on a rack in a large pot. You can stack them 2-3 deep. Put an inch or so of water in the pot (the nacatamales should not be in contact with the water). Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Steam for 3 hours, adding water now and then to make sure the pot does not boil dry. You may see a little masa leaking out, particularly if you are not experienced at the wrapping, but this is OK.

After the 3 hours, remove the nacatamales from the pot and remove the sting. Each diner gets a still-wrapped nacatamale to open themselves.

Ready to eat!

Cooked nacatamale

Oatmeal pan bread

Adapted from a Jacques Pepin recipe, this easy and quick-to-make bread has a host of uses, with soup, cheese, salad, etc. Best served warm, I think.

1 c quick oatmeal (not “instant”)
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 c finely chopped onions
1 large egg
1/2 c chopped parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c whole milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine and mix all ingredients. Heat 2 TB of vegetable oil in a 7 inch (size not critical) skillet, cast iron is best, until just starting to smoke. Add batter and smooth out to make an even layer. Drizzle another TB of oil on the top. Put in oven for 15-20 min, until the bottom is nicely browned. Flip over and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Remove to plate and let cool for a few minutes before slicing into wedges.

Grilled polenta with sausage

This is a lovely and unusual way to prepare polenta. See below for a vegetarian version.

1-1/4 c coarse polenta (cornmeal)
4 c water
1 tsp salt
3 TB unsalted butter
12 oz sweet or hot Italian sausage

Combine the polenta, water, and salt in a 2-3 quart microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for a total of about 8-10 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Stir in the butter. Meanwhile slice or crumble the sausage and saute until cooked thru. Drain off the fat, mix the sausage with the polenta, and turn into a greased or buttered loaf pan. Smooth out the top, let cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours.

To serve, slice the solidified polenta into slices about 1 inch thick then saute carefully in a nonstick pan, using some butter or olive oil, until browned on both sides. I like to serve this with a simple tomato sauce.

Vegetarian variation: Instead of sausage, use a combination of onion, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Cauliflower with garlic, capers, and raisins

This is a great way to prepare cauliflower. If you want to be strictly vegetarian, omit the anchovies, although your taste buds will be sorry.

1 large head of cauliflower
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly
2 TB capers, rinsed and drained, patted dry on paper towels
3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs (see below)
1/3 c raisins, preferably golden
2 anchovy fillets, minced
1 TB white wine vinegar
1/4 c chopped Italian parsley
1/2 c olive oil, divided

Cut the CF into into 1 to 2 inch pieces, then boil in salted water until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.

Put half (4 TB) of the oil in a saute pan and heat over medium. Add the garlic and cook until just starting to color. Add the capers and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until the crumbs are browned and a bit crispy. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the CF. Cook over medium heat until the CF is just starting to brown. Add the raisins, vinegar, anchovies,  and 1/2 c water and cook stirring, until the CF is cooked through, the raisins are soft, and the liquid is almost all gone. Off heat, add the breadcrumb mixture and parsley, then serve.

Note:  Fresh breadcrumbs are crumbs of soft bread – nor hard and dried out bread. You can use stale bread as long as it is not all dried out but is still pliable. Use your food processor to zap the bread into crumbs, about chick pea sized or a bit smaller.

 

Easy clam chowder

“Easy” because you don’t need live, in-the-shell clams—although you can certainly use them.

4 slices good, smoky bacon
2-6oz cans of whole or chopped clams
1 8oz bottle clam juice
1 c minced onion
2-3 c peeled and diced potato
2 TB flour
big pinch dried thyme
3/4 c milk
3/4 c heavy cream (or sub 1-1/2 c half and half for the milk and cream)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Drain the clams and set aside. Combine the liquid from the cans with the bottled clam juice and, if needed, add water to make 2 cups.

Dice the bacon and cook in your soup put until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and potato to the fat remaining in the pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring. Stir in the flour and thyme, and stir for a minute. Add the clam juice and simmer for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened. Add the cream, milk, clams, bacon, and white pepper. Taste for salt, although you probably won’t need any because the clam juice is salty. Bring just to a bare simmer (don’t boil!) and serve.

Peter’s egg salad

Most egg salad is either insipid, consisting of little more than eggs and mayo (or worse, Miracle Whip), or it’s way too involved and complex. THis one, I think, strikes the right balance.

4 hard cooked eggs (see below)
1/3 c chopped celery
2 TB finely chopped scallions (white part)
1/3c Hellman’s mayo
1 TB capers, drained
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste

Chop the eggs, or put them thru an egg slicer twice, turning 1/4 turn between cuts. Mix well with all other ingredients and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

In my experience, the best way to hard-cook eggs without getting the dreaded green ring – harmless but unsightly – is to put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water at least 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and cover. Let sit 20 minutes and you’re done. Cool immediately under running water.

Brown rice cakes

Brown rice is good for us, right? But, it does not always taste so good. Here’s an exception.

1 c long grained brown rice

Bring the rice, 1 tsp salt, and 2-1/2 c water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about an hour, covered. Stir now and then and add water near the end of cooking as needed. You want the result to be soft, gooey rice, softer than if you were going to just eat it plain. Let cool and then refrigerate for an hour or more.

2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c finely chopped scallions, the white and part of the green
1/3 c finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
big pinch of salt
several grindings of black pepper

Thoroughly mix these ingredients with the cold rice. Form into 6 to 8 patties, pressing firmly. Saute in olive oil until nicely browned.

Kimchee (Korean pickled cabbage)

You either love it or hate it. Guess which camp I fall into! A national institution in Korea, kimchee is very spicy, has an odd smell, and admittedly is not for everyone. But, it’s easy to get addicted to. Eat it as a side, put it on rice, add to soups, And, I am glad to say, easy to make. There are many recipes, here’s mine. I find that Korean red pepper is best, and it is available in many oriental markets. As you experiment, you may vary the red pepper to suit your taste – and different brands vary in hotness, as one would expect.

1 nappa (Chinese) cabbage about 2-1/2 lbs (weight not critical)
3 TB kosher salt
2 c daikon radish peeled and cut into 1/4″ slices (optional)
1 tsp sugar
1 c water

Remove and discard any damaged leaves from the outside of the cabbage then cut into pieces about 1 to 1-1/2 inch in size. In a large bowl, toss with the salt, sugar, water, and optional daikon. Weight with a plate and let sit for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and reserve the liquid.

1 bunch scallions
1 inch piece fresh ginger
3 TB red pepper powder

Peel and finely mince the ginger. Cut the roots and the top few inches of green off the scallions, cut into 2 inch pieces, and slice lengthwise into slivers. Toss the ginger and scallions and red pepper with the cabbage. I like to do this with my hands, but I make sure not to lick my fingers after! Here’s a pic of the ingredients all mixed together.

Pack the mixture into a well-cleaned glass jar – you’ll need about 2 quarts capacity. Don’t be shy about pressing it down—in fact, it should be well-packed. Add water and some of the reserved liquid to almost cover. The reserved liquid is salty, and add more or less depending on how salty you want your kimchee.

Put some water in a heavy-duty plastic bag and put it in the jar to weigh down the mixture. Pretty soon the solids will compress and be totally covered by the brine – just what you want. Ideally, the solids will be just covered, you  don’t want a lot of excess liquid. Let sit at room temperature overnight.

What gives kimchee its special character is fermenting, in essentially the same way as sauerkraut is made. The friendly yeasts, naturally present on the nappa, grow and multiply and give off various flavor compounds. You’ll never see these wee beasties, but you will surely taste and smell the result of their work! The longer the fermentation, the more potent the result. The longer you let it sit out of the fridge, and the warmer your kitchen, the more fermentation will occur. Once in the fridge, fermentation essentially stops. Experiment – you can always take it out of the fridge for a day to kick up the flavor if you like.

Keep your jar well sealed. The smell can be quite potent and even I don;t want to smell kimchee if I am not eating it. My approach is to cover the jar with a double layer of plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, then put the jar in a large zipper bag.

Black bean soup

I love black bean soup, and this recipe is a favorite. It makes judicious use of canned ingredients, so is fairly quick and easy.

• 1/2 lb andouille sausage thinly sliced (preferred) or 1/2 lb smoky bacon cut into 1 inch pieces.
• 2 c diced onion, more or less
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced finely
• 1  can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 can (15 oz) chopped tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 3 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed (save the liquid)
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, diced (adjust to taste)
• Liquid smoke seasoning, to taste

Garnishes (choose what you like, at least 2)

• Chopped cilantro
• Lime juice
• Thinly sliced scallions
• Sour cream
• Grated cheddar cheese

In a soup pot, saute the sausage over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute for 5 minutes and add all the remaining ingredients except the liquid smoke. Simmer for 1 hour. At this time you should taste and add salt as needed, and also the liquid smoke if you like (the sausage or bacon may have added enough smoky flavor). If the soup is too thick, add the reserved bean juice. Serve with your choice of garnishes.