Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Mujadara is wonderful Middle Eastern comfort food.  Lentils and rice (or bulgur) are cooked with fragrant spices and crispy onions, then greens are added for additional flavor and nutrition.  If you think it sounds boring, it's not at all - the spices add depth of flavor and the crispy leeks add both flavor and texture to a dish that's perfect for a chilly evening or when you're tired after a long day.
I'm not a vegetarian, but I do try to eat quite a few vegetarian meals throughout the week and this fit the bill while being very satisfying and comforting.

A couple of notes - the recipe as printed in the New York Times calls for rice, but a number of reviewers stated that in their household growing up it was always made with bulgur.  One reviewer said he felt bulgur had a superior texture so that's what I used, but I can see where rice would be just as good.  Your choice.  Another note is to use the amount of salt that's called for even if you try to cut down on salt normally.  Both lentils and beans really need salt to bring out their flavor, otherwise they taste like cardboard.

And finally, the leeks need to be sauteed probably a little darker than you'd normally be comfortable with, or they won't get crisp.  You're looking for dark golden brown, just this side of burnt.  Watch them closely while they cook so you can take them out at just the right minute.

print

Mujadara with Leeks and Greens

Serves 4

Notes:  Bulgur and rice have different textures but both are common in mujadara – choose your favorite.  And don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of salt – it’s necessary to give the lentils flavor.

1 cup brown or green lentils

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, roots trimmed

2 ¼ teaspoons salt

¼ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup long-grain rice or bulgur

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

4 cups trimmed and sliced greens (chard, spinach, or kale)

Plain Greek yogurt, for garnish

Place the lentils in a bowl and add warm tap water to cover by 1 inch.  Let soak while you prep the other ingredients.

Halve the leeks lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  Rinse and drain.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown and crispy, 5-10 minutes.  Transfer half of the leeks to a small bowl to use for garnish and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.

Stir garlic into the pot with the remaining leeks and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant.  Stir in rice or bulgur and sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in cumin, allspice and cayenne and sauté 30 seconds.

Drain lentils and stir in the pot.  Add 4 cups water, 2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick.  Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. 

Rinse greens in a colander and spread the damp greens over the lentil mixture.  Cover and cook 5-7 minutes more (depending on how sturdy your greens are), until the rice (or bulgur) and lentils are tender and the greens have wilted.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

Serve sprinkled with reserved crispy leeks and dollop with yogurt.

Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Saffron is an exotic spice with a unique flavor that I can't even begin to describe.  It's expensive because the little saffron threads have to be hand-harvested from crocus flowers, but the good news is that a little goes a long ways in terms of both flavor and color in a recipe.  If you like saffron, I guarantee you'll love this dish.

You can tell this recipe is from a restaurant when you notice the butter and olive oil.  Although it seems like a lot, this recipe does serve four and you could always cut down on the amounts but the taste is absolutely worth it.  The secret is the chicken marinade of saffron, thyme, parsley and lemon zest with just enough olive oil to make a paste.  The incredible flavor is achieved by marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight which allows the marinade to both stick to and permeate the chicken.  The good news is that if you plan ahead and marinate the chicken the night before, the whole dinner takes about 20 minutes to make the next day.  The chicken is cooked over moderate heat to preserve the flavors of the paste and to keep it from drying out.  The sugar snaps add healthy veggie crunch while the couscous or rice rounds out the meal.  Beautiful, delicious and (mostly) healthy.

P.S.  Make extra chicken for the best-ever chicken salad sandwich with toasted almonds, currants, celery and a tiny amount of mayo on a crusty roll.

print

Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight so plan ahead.

Scant ½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 lemon, zested and cut into quarters (for garnish)

3-4 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Crush the saffron as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle.  Reserve about a quarter of the saffron for later, then add the remaining saffron to 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the saffron oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme, the parsley and the lemon zest to a large zip-top bag.  Close the bag and massage to combine the ingredients, then open the bag again and add the chicken pieces.  Close and move the chicken around to make sure each piece is coated evenly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden.  Flip the chicken and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160d, about 3-4 minutes more.  (Watch the temperature so the chicken doesn’t get too dark before it’s cooked through.)  Remove the chicken and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  When it melts, add the sugar snaps, green onions and remaining thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 2-3 minutes until the sugar snaps are bright green and crisp tender.  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the reserved saffron and stir until the butter melts.  Remove from the heat.

To serve, plate the chicken with the sugar snap mixture and hot couscous or rice.  Garnish with the green onion tops and a lemon quarter to be squeezed on everything.

Citrus Chicken Bowls

Last Year's Post: Grown-Up Tuna Salad Sandwich
Two Years Ago:   Baked Oatmeal

Citrus is in season all winter and it seems particularly bright and refreshing on a cold dreary day, don't you think?  This recipe calls for two different citrus fruits in the form of lemon juice and blood orange or tangerine slices.  I used a few of both for the picture, but that's not necessary.  It was actually the result of having most of the blood orange slices fall apart on me, so its a good thing I had a tangerine in the refrigerator as well.

Like all good bowls, this one has a wide range of tastes and textures from the creamy avocado sauce to crunchy nuts, refreshing citrus, healthy kale and meaty chicken.  And it's packed full of fiber and nutrition.  The downside is that it's a fair amount of work, but it's easy if you cook the chicken and rice in advance.  Then all you have to do is a quick saute of the onion, kale and rice, and buzz the avocado sauce which means it could qualify for a weeknight meal.  I briefly debated just using avocado slices instead of making the sauce for simplicity, and I don't think you'd lose much in terms of taste if you go that route.  The major advantage to the sauce is that it's easier to get a little in every bite.

I actually used coconut rice (white rice cooked with half broth, half coconut milk) simply because I had some left over, and it tasted great in the bowl although I almost lost the coconut taste with so much else going on.  If I didn't have leftovers I'd probably cook some brown rice for the added fiber.

print

Citrus Chicken Bowls

Serves 4

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

6 cups Lacinato kale, de-stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise

¼ cup pine nuts (or other nuts of your choice)

4 cups cooked brown or white rice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 blood oranges or tangerines, peeled and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 whole lemon, cut into four wedges

For the avocado sauce:

1 ripe avocado

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lightly pound the chicken breasts if they’re very thick, then season both sides with salt and pepper.  Grill or pan sauté until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the kale and nuts and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the kale is wilted and softened and the nuts are toasted.  Stir in the rice and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.   Keep warm.

To make the avocado sauce, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. 

To assemble the bowls, cut the chicken crosswise into thin pieces.  Divide the rice and kale mixture between four shallow bowls, then top with chicken slices, orange or tangerine segments, a dollop of avocado sauce and a lemon wedge.

Grain Bowls with Halloumi Cheese

Last Year's Post: Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Rustic Greens and Potato Pie

I recently came across an article in Bon Appetit about how to make the best grain bowls.  It started by discussing the grains and suggested using a combo such as black rice with red quinoa.  Hmm, I thought, I just happen to have both.  It went on to suggest greens such as kale or napa cabbage (I just happened to have a half head of napa cabbage sitting in the refrigerator).  Another suggestion to add was winter squash with Gochujang (who has Gochujang hanging around?  me!).  I felt like it was a sign that I needed to make this right now - all I needed was some butternut squash and halloumi.  Now, I realize that most normal people will not have all those ingredients but don't worry, there are many other options listed below.

As for halloumi, I've been wanting to try it for a while.  It's a cheese with a high melting point so you can grill or pan-fry it for a nice brown crispy exterior without it melting all over.  I remembered seeing some at the natural foods store but wanted to see if my neighborhood Safeway carried it since I was there anyway.  While I was checking out the cheese case I asked The Lawyer to talk to the deli employee to see if she knew whether they carried it.  The following conversation is absolutely true:

Me:  "Could you ask to see if they carry halloumi?"
The Lawyer:  "Do you carry hallooni?"
Me:  "Halloumi"
The Lawyer:  "Hallooni"
Deli Employee:  "Hallooni?"
Me:  "Halloumi cheese"
Deli Employee to 2nd Deli Employee:  "Do we carry hallooni?"
2nd Deli Employee:  "Hoonoony?"
Me:  "Never mind".  (Sigh.)

Off to the natural foods store.  Halloumi is a white cheese typically is sold in a block and packaged in plastic.  It may also be referred to as "grilling cheese".  You can find it in natural food stores, cheese shops, and some high-end grocery stores.  It has a mild taste similar to mozzarella and is not as salty as feta.

Grain bowls are fun and easy to customize with different grains, vegetables, greens and vinaigrettes.  I loved the idea of the spicy, creamy butternut squash with crunchy cabbage and halloumi cheese, but you could go with broccoli, tomatoes and kale, for example.  If you don't feel like trying halloumi, substitute feta or mozzarella or Jack cheese.  And use any one or more grains that you happen to have on hand, and any combination of nuts and seeds.  The maple mustard dressing goes particularly well with spicy foods and bitter greens such as kale, but you could also use a bottled balsamic vinaigrette.

We loved the butternut squash with Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) but it will likely require a trip to your local Asian market.  You could substitute a little hot sauce, harissa or sriracha and get much the same effect, or leave it out entirely and just roast the squash with a little olive oil, salt and pepper if you don't want the heat.  Carrots or sweet potatoes could also substitute for the squash.

There is so much going on here in terms of flavor and texture between the grains, nuts and seeds, squash, cabbage, cheese and vinaigrette that you'll never notice the meal is both vegetarian and good for you.  Although there are a number of ingredients and steps, note that the grains, squash and vinaigrette can all be made in advance.  The remaining prep and toasting the seeds, nuts and cheese takes just minutes so this actually could be a great weekday dinner with a little advance planning.

print recipe

Grain Bowls with Halloumi Cheese

Serves 4

Note:  If you don’t want to make the Gochujang Squash recipe, just roast squash according to the directions and either eliminate the heat or substitute a small amount of hot sauce, harissa or sriracha

1 1/3 cups uncooked grains such a quinoa, rice, farro, or bulgur, or a mix (I used 50/50 red quinoa and black rice)

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces and roasted (see following recipe)

Maple Mustard vinaigrette (see following recipe) or bottled balsamic vinaigrette

2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage or Tuscan kale

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup mixed seeds and small nuts (I used sesame, poppy, caraway, fennel and sunflower seeds plus pine nuts)

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 (1/4-inch) slices of Halloumi cheese

Micro-greens, for garnish (optional)

Make ahead:  cook grains according to package directions and cool.  Cook squash according to directions (below) and cool.  Make maple mustard vinaigrette and refrigerate.

Shortly before serving, slice the cabbage or kale and put in a medium bowl with the apple cider vinegar.  With your hands, gently squeeze the cabbage or kale with the vinegar – this will soften it slightly.

Heat the olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet and add the seeds and nuts.  Toast, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove the seeds and nuts from the skillet with a slotted spoon but do not drain the remaining olive oil.

Toast the Halloumi slices in the remaining oil over medium heat until golden on one side, then remove to cool.

To assemble, divide grains between four shallow bowls.  Top with cabbage, squash, seeds and nuts, two slices of cheese per bowl, and micro-greens.  Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Gochujang Roasted Squash

1 teaspoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 teaspooons minced chives

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk Gochujang, soy sauce, oil, and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Add squash and toss to coat.  Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and browned on the edges.  Let cool; top with chives and salt.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

1/2 c walnut oil or canola oil
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 T mustard
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate, covered, for up to two weeks.

Spanish Shrimp

Last Year's Post: Chocolate Honey Almond Tartlets
Two Years Ago:  Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad

I came across this recipe by Mark Bittman of the New York Times and just had to try it, in part because of his description:

Excuse the superlatives; this spin on a Spanish tapa is my favorite, and everyone I serve it to loves it. The shrimp juices infuse the oil, and the sum is beyond delicious. 

The recipe makes the list of his favorites, and he calls it "Simplest and Best Shrimp Dish".  How could you not try it?  And he's right - the recipe is unbelievably simple and beyond delicious.  Buy the best shrimp you can find because it's such a simple dish.  All you do is gently brown some garlic in olive oil, then add the shrimp with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika for flavor and saute until cooked.  The whole process takes maybe 15 minutes.

The shrimp can be served on their own, over rice or pasta, or even over greens as a salad - the garlic oil makes a great dressing.  Mark Bittman also suggests stuffing them into tacos, or I can also see using them in quesadillas or enchiladas.

The original recipe calls for hot paprika, but I used smoked paprika because it was what I had on hand.  It's your choice - a little more heat, or a little more smokiness.  It will be great either way.

print recipe

Spanish Shrimp

Serves 4

Other seafood you can use: similar-sized scallops (or larger, though they’ll take longer to cook).

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

3 or 4 big cloves garlic, cut into slivers

1 ½  pounds shrimp (20 to 30 per pound) peeled, rinsed, and dried

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons hot or smoked paprika

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Warm the olive oil in a large, broad skillet or flameproof baking pan over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp. Add the garlic and cook until it turns golden, a few minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, some salt and pepper, the cumin, and the paprika. Stir to blend and continue to cook, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish and serve immediately.

Good with bread, over rice, tossed with pasta, or over greens as a salad.

Arroz Con Pollo

Last Year's Post: Spicy Homemade Peanut Butter
Two Years Ago:  Gingered Turkey and Spinach Salad

Arroz Con Pollo (air-oz cohn poy-oh) is a traditional dish from Latin America and the Caribbean.  The translation from Spanish is "chicken with rice" but that's not nearly as fun to say.  Although there are many variations, chicken, rice, saffron, tomatoes and olives are standard.  This particular recipe also has peas and I switched out bone-in skin-on chicken pieces in favor of boneless skinless chicken thighs, which are healthier and easier to eat.

The taste reminds me somewhat of paella because both dishes have rice and saffron, but paella traditionally is seafood-based.  Another difference is the addition of the citrus juices used to marinate the chicken, a technique common in Latin America.  Although I don't consider this dish to be particularly fancy, it's very flavorful and a departure from your everyday chicken recipes, plus the fragrance from the saffron is wonderful.

It's not at all difficult but including the marinating time, this dish takes a little over two hours to prepare so if you need to have dinner on the table fast after work you might want to either make this in advance or plan to serve it on a weekend.  It reheats perfectly by the way, and leftovers make great work lunches. I love having leftovers for lunch - they're usually much healthier and more interesting than whatever you'll find in your cafeteria or the nearest fast food place, plus it's a lot cheaper.

click here for a printable recipe

Arroz Con Pollo

Serves 6-8

For chicken
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For rice
1 lb onions, chopped (2 1/2 cups)
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes, including juice
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (12 fl oz)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups long-grain white rice (3/4 lb)
1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed; 5 oz)
1/2 cup small or medium pimiento-stuffed green olives (2 oz), halved crosswise
1/4 cup drained chopped bottled pimientos (2 oz), rinsed

Prepare chicken:

Purée garlic, orange juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. Put chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour purée over them, turning to coat. Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, 1 hour.  Transfer chicken, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl, to paper towels, then pat dry. Reserve marinade.  Heat oil and butter in 6- to 7-quart pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate, reserving fat in pot.

Prepare rice and bake arroz con pollo:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350°F.

Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in fat in pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits from chicken, until vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

While vegetables cook, heat saffron in a dry small skillet over low heat, shaking skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Add cumin and salt to vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in saffron mixture, bay leaf, tomatoes (including juice), broth, water, and reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Add all chicken pieces and gently simmer, covered, over low heat 10 minutes. Stir in rice, then return to a simmer. Cover pot tightly, then transfer to oven and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Scatter peas, olives, and pimientos over rice and chicken (do not stir) and let stand, pot covered with a kitchen towel, until peas are heated through and any remaining liquid is absorbed by rice, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Last Year's Post: Tomatoes!

A couple of years ago we traveled to China because we wanted to see their culture while it's in rapid growth mode as they transition to capitalism.  The pace and scope of their growth is absolutely staggering.  For example, it's a really big deal when an American city has a new skyscraper of 75 or more floors being built, but there must have been over 100 skyscrapers under construction in Beijing alone.  We were on a tour and our guide proudly told us the public restrooms had been greatly improved in preparation for the Beijing Olympics, which had occurred the previous year.  Hoo boy.  All I can say is that I'm glad we didn't go before the Olympics.  All meals were provided on the tour, and dinners were inevitably what I came to term "spinner dinners" because they consisted of multiple dishes served family-style on a large Lazy Susan in the center of the table.  Some things we could identify, and some we couldn't.  When asked what any particular unidentifiable dish was, the answer (in very limited English) was usually "chicken".  Right.  Anyway, there was always a huge bowl of white rice but never any fried rice, which led me to believe fried rice may be more of an American Chinese food tradition.

I think fried rice is something most people like but would regard as somewhat of a guilty pleasure.  It is, after all, typically fried in copious amounts of oil.  The good news is that you can make it at home and cut down on the oil and sodium while amping up the fresh veggies to make it healthier and just as good as any restaurant.  The other advantage of making it rather than buying it is that you can use up any leftover meat or vegetables you have on hand, or take advantage of whatever is in peak season at the farmer's market.  The end result either way will be much more fresh and appealing than takeout.

One of the unique garnishes that I've discovered for fried rice is shredded radishes, lightly seasoned with vinegar.  The peppery tart flavor and beautiful color are a wonderful contrast to the rice.  Although they're not essential to the dish, I would really encourage you to give the radishes a try.  It makes the dish kind of special.

There are only two key things that you need to know about making fried rice successfully, and they both involve the rice.  First, the rice must be cooked and be completely cold before you start cooking, so plan in advance and cook it the day (or morning) before you plan to serve it.  If it's not cold, the grains stick together and become a big lumpy mess.  The second tip is to spread the rice in the pan, press it down, and let it cook for a while to get a little crispy before stirring it. This is not stir-frying where your utensils and the food are in constant motion - that part comes later when you add the other ingredients.  You want the rice to have some crispy bits for flavor as well as texture.

I started with some beautiful raw shrimp but chicken, pork, duck, or any other meat would also work.  I like medium-sized shrimp for this dish because they're just the right size to pop whole into your mouth after removing the tail.

For the vegetables, I chose a combination of regular peas, sugar snap peas, and snow peas but you could use literally any vegetables you like.

The vegetables are briefly blanched in boiling water, then shocked in ice water to stop the cooking process.

The shrimp and eggs are cooked and removed from the pan, then the rice is added.

After the rice is cooked all the other ingredients and sauce are added to the pan and stir-fried until hot.  Yum.

printable recipe

Shrimp Fried Rice

Serves 4

1 cup thawed frozen peas

1 cup sugar snap or snow peas (or a combination), ends trimmed

2 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

½ lb peeled and deveined medium raw shrimp (31-40 per pound)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

3 cups cooked and cooled brown or white rice (approximately 1 cup uncooked)

1 cup coarsely shredded radishes (about 5 large)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (plus more to pass at the table)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Blanch the thawed peas and sugar snap or snow peas by dropping in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and immediately submerge in ice water.  Drain again.  Cut the sugar snaps or snow peas into ½ inch pieces.  Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, then add one tablespoon of oil.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the beaten eggs, then add them to the pan and swirl to coat.  Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, then turn the eggs over and cook for another 10 seconds.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the onion.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.  Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until almost cooked through, another 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and return the skillet to the heat.

Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of oil to the skillet, then add the rice, pressing it flat with the back of a nonstick pan-safe spatula.  Cook until the rice is slightly crispy, turning it over with the spatula, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, combine the radishes and vinegar in a small bowl.  In a second small bowl, combine the soy sauce and sesame oil.  Chop the egg and add it along with the peas and sugar snap or snow peas to the bowl with the shrimp.

When the rice is nicely crisped, add the contents of the shrimp bowl and the soy sauce mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the mixture is heated through.  Serve in bowls and top with radishes.

Serve with extra soy sauce on the side.

Orange-Pecan Salmon with Three Pea Salad

Last Year's Post: Spinach Salad with Spicy Orange Dressing

Think Spring
For some reason this dinner says "spring" to me, although the ingredients are available year-round.  Maybe it's the beautiful green peas or the sweet-tart orange sauce on the salmon.  Whatever, if you find yourself longing for spring this is a great meal to make plus it's healthy.

The salmon is quickly marinated and then served with a unique and fabulous sauce made with orange marmalade, soy sauce, and chopped pecans. Although the salmon recipe specifies plain toasted pecans, I like to make a batch of spiced pecans to freeze and use for recipes like this in addition to topping salads or stir fries.  The sweet-spicy coating adds another layer of flavor to the dish without being overwhelming.

The three pea salad is made with sugar snap peas, snow peas, and green peas with a fresh and light vinaigrette.  It goes beautifully with the salmon.  Here's another idea - if you're planning Easter dinner, the three pea salad would be a fabulous side dish to an entree of ham along with some au gratin potatoes.  The pink ham and creamy white potatoes would look beautiful alongside the emerald green peas.  (I learned the importance of food colors on the plate from The Lawyer's parents, who are both artists.)

The recipe that was the inspiration for this salad included sour cream in the dressing.  I couldn't imagine covering up that beautiful green color with a creamy dressing so my version leaves it out.

After this meal we found ourselves with some leftovers and combined them the next day with some cooked brown rice for a great cold salad.  The orange sauce flavored the rice while the peas added crunch and the salmon added meatiness.  Yum.  Be sure to make extras!

Orange-Pecan Salmon printable recipe

Orange-Pecan Salmon

Serves 4

  

1 cup orange marmalade

½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

4 6-oz salmon fillets, approximately 1” thick, skinned

1 cup toasted chopped pecans

  

In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, soy sauce, salt and pepper.  Pour 1/2 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag.  Add the salmon; seal bag and turn to coat.  Refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.  Set aside the remaining marinade.

Drain and discard marinade from salmon.  Place salmon in a greased 11”x7” baking dish and bake, uncovered, at 350d for 20-25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

In a small saucepan, bring reserved marinade to a boil; cook and stir until slightly thickened.  Serve sauce over the salmon; sprinkle with pecans.

Three Pea Salad printable recipe

Three Pea Salad

Serves 4

  

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

¼ lb sugar snap peas

¼ lb snow peas

6 oz frozen baby peas

In a large bowl, whisk together the shallot and vinegar.  Add the olive oil while whisking, then add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.

Trim the sugar snap peas and snow peas by cutting off the tough ends.  Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.  Fill a large bowl with ice water.  Add the sugar snap peas to the boiling water and blanch for 20 seconds.  Add the snow peas and cook an additional 20 seconds.  Add the frozen baby peas and cook for 30 seconds longer.  Drain and immediately transfer the colander with the peas to the ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain again; spread the peas out on a clean towel and pat dry.

Add the peas to the dressing and toss to coat.

Char Siu Chicken with Chinese Long Beans

Technology is amazing.  I published my last two blog posts from Africa!  I drafted them before leaving on vacation and I wanted to do some editing while sitting in the Amsterdam airport on layover.  You can imagine how I felt when my blog appeard in Dutch.  Luckily, I found the language button and all was well.  It was an amazing vacation that I would highly recommend to anyone.  Luckily I had a post or two waiting when I returned as I recover from jet lag!

I have this love-hate relationship with my slow cooker.  I love the idea of slow-cooked foods but don't like everything I eat to be mushy and taste the same.  At least for me, the solution is to use the slow cooker for part of the meal and prepare part fresh (unless you're making chili or some other classic one pot meal).  In this recipe, boneless skinless chicken thighs are marinated in a Chinese barbecue sauce and then slow-cooked until they're so tender and moist that they come apart easily with a fork.  I prepared crisp-tender Chinese long beans for freshness and because they look dramatic on a plate, and served everything with white rice.

Chinese long beans are the drama queens of the green bean family.  Most recipes I reviewed tell you to cut them into smaller pieces but for me that takes away the whole point of using long beans in the first place.

I've never seen long beans in a typical grocery store but have found them at farmers markets and Asian grocery stores.  If you don't have a favorite Asian grocery store, do a little research online to find out where the highest-rated one is in your town and go have a little adventure -  they're really interesting to wander around.  I shared my favorite one with my friend John when he had two Chinese foreign exchange students living at his house for a month.  They went several times and I think he enjoyed it although he did say they needed a shopping concierge to help you figure out what all that stuff is.

Anyway, I discovered why the recipes tell you to cut the long beans before cooking when I tried to stir fry them.

It was like wrestling with an octopus.  Conventional stir fry techniques simply weren't going to happen, so I fried the one side for a minute, flipped the entire mess over and let it fry for another minute, then added a little water and jammed the lid down to let them steam until they became slightly more cooperative.  You could always cut them first or use regular green beans but that wouldn't be nearly as fun.

The marinade turns the chicken a beautiful mahogany color as it cooks and because you use low-sodium soy sauce it's not nearly as salty as you would think.  (I've said it before, Trader Joe's has the best low sodium soy sauce on the planet.)  The flavor is different than a teriyaki marinade and simply delicious.  The chicken is so tender that it shreds easily, so it would make an outstanding filling for moo shu chicken or a chicken banh mi sandwich if you shredded it and put it back into the sauce to thicken for a few minutes.

* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Char Siu Chicken with Chinese Long Beans
Serves 4-5

Note: the chicken must be marinated for at least two hours before placing in a slow cooker for 6-7 hours, so plan ahead. If you can’t find Chinese long beans you can substitute fresh green beans.

For the chicken:
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
½ teaspoon five spice powder
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the Chinese long beans:
1 bunch Chinese long beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
Black and white sesame seeds

Hot cooked white rice


For the chicken, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Place the chicken and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, prepare white rice and Chinese long beans. For the long beans, trim the ends of the beans and cut into shorter lengths (optional). Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan or wok. Saute the beans for one minutes, then flip and sauté the other side for 1 minute. Turn the heat down to medium and add 1-2 tablespoons of water, then cover and let steam for 2-3 minutes (depending on the size of the beans). Uncover and let any remaining water evaporate, then add the garlic and shallot and stir fry for one minute more.

Serve the beans with white rice, chicken thighs, and sauce spooned over the chicken. Garnish the beans with sesame seeds and serve.

Grilled Chicken, Mushroom and Bok Choy Kebabs

This is a great summer recipe for a grilled meal that's healthy and very satisfying.  If you're not familiar with bok choy (also known as Chinese cabbage), it's a crunchy vegetable with a white stalk and leafy green tops and it's a good source of vitamin A.  The taste reminds me of a cross between celery and cabbage.  It's available in a full-sized mature version and also as baby bok choy.  I prefer baby bok choy because it can be cooked whole or in halves and looks more interesting than the full-sized variety.  (Plus I think baby vegetables are cute.)  Watch for baby bok choy at your local grocer or farmers market.  If you can't find it, full-sized boy choy can be substituted - just chop it into manageable pieces and then blanch and skewer as per the recipe.

In this particular recipe, the crunchy and slightly bitter bok choy contrasts beautifully with meaty cremini mushrooms and chicken thighs that have been marinated in a very flavorful Asian sauce.  The marinade is absolutely fabulous but be sure to use low sodium soy sauce if you're trying to watch your salt intake.  (Hot tip of the day - Trader Joe's soy sauce actually has less sodium the the low-sodium versions I've found in other stores.)

We've all seen pictures of really pretty kebabs that alternate ingredients on the same skewer such as chicken, onion, peppers, etc.  The only problem is that the ingredients need different cooking times so you can end up with some either undercooked or overcooked.  If you put each type of ingredient on a different skewer you avoid the problem.  For example, in this recipe we put the bok choy, mushrooms, and chicken pieces each on their own skewers as you can see in the top photo.  The bok choy are cut in half and blanched, then the  leaves are folded back when skewered so they don't flop all over and burn on the grill.

both sides of the bok choy skewers

The marinade needs to be cooked and cooled plus the chicken needs to marinate for at least 3 hours, so plan to start this recipe in the morning or the night before you plan to grill.

The good news about kebabs is tht they don't take long to cook, which is really good if you live somewhere that's hot right now (approximateloy 100% of the country).  I've said before that The Lawyer likes to grill so much that he doesn't complain about temperatures (high or low) but even he has been checking the shade before grilling lately.  Yikes.  Time to buy investment property on The New Mediterranean (aka Lake Superior).

* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Chicken, Mushroom and Bok Choy Kebabs
Serves 6

3 large garlic cloves
½ reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled ginger
2 teaspoons toasted Asian sesame oil
1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces
1 lb baby bok choy (5 to 6 heads)
½ lb. cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with caps
½ cup vegetable oil
hot cooked white or brown rice

Equipment:
14 (12 inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes


Boil soy sauce, sherry and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using the tines of a fork. When the sauce is reduced, stir in garlic paste, ginger and sesame oil, then cool to room temperature.

Pour half of marinade into a large sealable bag and chill the remainder for basting. Add chicken to bag and marinate, chilled, turning the bag occasionally, at least 3 hours.

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, halve bok choy lengthwise and blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Pat bok choy very dry, then, bending leaves, thread 3 or 4 halves (through the bulb and leaves) onto each of 3 or 4 skewers.

Toss mushrooms with vegetable oil. Thread mushrooms (through sides) and chicken onto separate skewers. Discard remaining marinade.

Grill the chicken approximately 3 minutes, basting occasionally, then flip and grill another 3 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the mushrooms approximately 2 minutes per side, basting on both sides. Grill the bok choy for about 90 seconds on the cut side only, just long enough to create grill marks.
Serve with hot cooked rice.