Poultry

Quesadillas for Cinco de Mayo

By Ria / Entrée, Greens, Poultry / 2 Comments / May 5, 2014

Cinco de Mayo… is not an excuse for margaritas! In fact, it commemorates the against-all-odds victory of the Mexican army against the much larger French forces of conquest at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Though the victory in the battle did not lead to victory in the war, it served as a morale booster and matter for pride for the Mexican army and people. Interestingly, that war was the last time a European power invaded any country in the Americas!

Today Cinco de Mayo – Spanish for ‘fifth of May’ – has come to signify a tribute to Mexican heritage and pride and is celebrated widely in the United States and in Mexico. Usually parties with awesome Mexican food drink and music…

When you want to go Mexican in terms of food, there is plenty of choice. And all of them are sooo good! This year my choice is quesadilla, but of course, with a twist.

Quesadilla is one of the quintessential Mexican dishes. One of my favourites to make as well, because of the variety one can work with it. And I’m certain that the quesadilla as it originally was hardly resembles its modern version.

Essentially, a quesadilla is a tortilla stuffed with cheese and various fillings and folded and heated through to form a half moon shape. The cheese is the one constant ingredient, as attested by the ‘queso’, cheese in Spanish, in the name itself. And it is always some type of melty cheese. A combination of cheddar, Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheeses works well. Or any one of them alone will also work. Pre-packed Mexican blends available in the store makes it super easy.

I decided to stick with one traditional variety this time… South Western with traditional filling of corn, red pepper, and onions flavoured with cumin.

And three variations! A Vegetable Medley for my veggie lover friends, a Tikka Chicken for those who like it hot, and a Sesame Chicken for the spicy-not-hot bunch.

Once all the ingredients were ready and chopped, and it’s a lot of chopping, believe me, assembling each one was the fun part. And they are so yummy hot off the griddle, with a cooling side of guacamole, salsa or cilantro-lime-sour cream.

Guacamole is something that goes well with a lot of things, especially of Mexican origin. Only problem is, it gets over so fast!

And of course, accompanied by margaritas before and after…

Just wondering… whether the French celebrate Cinco de Mayo… 🙂

~Ria

Recipe for Quesadillas

10 whole wheat tortillas
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs shredded cheese, combination of pepper jack and cheddar or a Mexican blend

Note: Recipe for fillings follow.

1	Heat a flat griddle, on medium heat.
2	Brush with olive oil.
3	Place a tortilla on the griddle.
4	Sprinkle cheese liberally all over the tortilla.
5	Place the filling of your choice on one half of the tortilla.
6	Carefully fold the other half over, and press with a spatula to seal.
7	Turn over and cook the second side.
8	When both sides are somewhat crisp, transfer to a plate and cut into four wedges.
9	Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

South Western Filling

1 cup whole corn kernels
1 can black beans
1 cup tomatoes, fleshy part chopped
½ cup cilantro, minced
A pinch of cumin powder
Salt to taste

Mix ingredients together and place over cheese on the tortilla on the griddle.

Vegetable Medley Filling

½ cup potato, cut into small cubes and boiled
½ cup carrots, shredded
½ cup broccoli, only the crown chopped
½ cup corn kernels
½ cup red pepper, chopped
½ cup red onions, chopped
½ cup black olives, sliced
¼ cup cilantro minced
2 tbsp pickled jalapenos, minced
salt to taste

Mix ingredients together and place over cheese on the tortilla on the griddle.

Tikka Chicken Filling

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp chicken tikka masala powder (available in Indian grocery stores)
2 tbsp sour cream
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 tbsp paprika or a mix of paprika and cayenne
1 tbsp crushed garlic
Salt to taste

Cut the chicken into small bite size pieces.
Mix with all the spice powders, sour cream and salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven on the broiler setting.
Line a flat pan with aluminium foil and lay the chicken pieces in a single layer.
Broil on the top most rack of the oven for 10 minutes.
When done, remove from the aluminium foil and cover and keep till ready to use.

Sesame Chicken Filling

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp red chilli flakes
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 bunch scallions
Salt to taste

Cut the chicken into thin strips.
Slice the green leafy parts of the scallions.
Marinate the chicken pieces with the soy sauce, sesame oil, chopped onion and garlic, chilli flakes and salt. Keep aside for 30 minutes. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Heat a pan and when the pan is hot, add the sesame seeds.
When they have spluttered completely, add the marinated chicken. Stir together. Cover and cook.
When the chicken is done and the liquids are evaporated, add the sliced scallions and take off the heat.
Keep in a covered container till ready to use.

Chicken Sausage Rice… inspired by Paella!

By Ria / Entrée, Pork, Poultry / Leave a Comment / April 24, 2014

Paella is one of my favourite rice dishes... not only is it delicious, it is sort of a complete meal. At least the version that I make where I incorporate some vegetables into a mainly chicken and seafood dish. The other day when the craving for Paella hit me, I was in the midst of a project deadline and in no way able to spend the time to prepare it. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? I did come up with a dish which has chicken and sausages and resembled Paella enough to make my tummy happy. Win-win all the way!

It is actually very simple... cook sausages and chicken separately. Chop some vegetables. Throw everything together along with some rice, and cook till done. Though I used hot Italian sausages, I think chorizo will be even better.

Any vegetables that will not go mushy will work. As this was not a planned-in-advance dish, I used the red peppers I had in the refrigerator. And of course, onions and garlic. Celery adds some additional flavour to the dish, but can easily be omitted.

The rice I used was regular long grained rice, but again, do you think Arborio rice would be better? Maybe next time I’ll try this dish with Arborio rice. And chorizos.

Yeah, many ways to manage this dish with whatever ingredients you have handy!

~Ria

Chicken Sausage Rice... inspired by Paella!

Author: Ria

Recipe type: Dinner

Ingredients

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken, thighs and breasts mixed
1 lb sausages
1 large onion
2 ribs celery
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
2 cups rice, Arborio or long grain
1 large red pepper, or a mix of vegetables
1 can (12 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken stock (can be made from cubes or substituted with water)
Cooking oil, as required
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the chicken into pieces and mix with chilli powder, paprika, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Leave aside in the refrigerator to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Cut the sausages into bite size pieces.
Wash and drain the rice and leave aside.
Chop the onions and celery roughly. Slice the garlic thinly.
Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces.
In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the sausages. Drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, add another 2 tbsp of oil and brown the marinated chicken pieces on all sides. Keep aside.
Add 2 more tbsp oil to the pan and add the onions, celery and garlic. Fry till they turn transparent.
Add the drained rice and fry for two minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir together. Add the sausages and chicken pieces to the mixture. Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a boil and cover and cook for 15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes to see there is enough liquid in the dish. If not, add enough water to cook.
When the rice is done, switch off the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes.
Serve with a salad dressed with any creamy dressing. Quick and easy and delicious!

Meat-Vegetable Loaf

By Ria / Entrée, Pork, Poultry / 4 Comments / April 10, 2014

Today was a lovely day… first time the temperature crossed 70 this season. And I was in the mood for something on the lighter side for dinner. Like a piece of salmon with some lemon-habanero aioli… With that picture in mind, I set out for the grocery store. I was in the meat and fish section when I saw the shop assistant bringing out fresh ground turkey. Ground up is the best way I like to go with turkey, and it was so fresh. And all my plans underwent a sudden change; when I reached home from the grocery store, I had all the fixings for a meatloaf!

This is not truly a meatloaf… more like a meat vegetable loaf. I add a ton of veggies to the mix. Onion, celery, red and green peppers, green peas, brussels sprouts, green beans, broccoli… these can all go into it, in any combination. In fact, any vegetable that is not too watery like will work. You can use equal quantities of meat and vegetables.

My combination of spices for this meatloaf are rosemary, thyme, dijon mustard, and red chilli powder. If it is summer and my herb garden is growing, I prefer to use the fresh herbs. If not, dried ones will do as well.

So you chop up all the vegetables. And add them to the ground meat. Along with eggs, breadcrumbs and a bit of sour cream. And of course, salt and pepper for seasoning. The beauty of the whole scheme is that there is no hard and fast rule about what can and cannot go into this meatloaf. By the way, has anyone tried a veggie loaf? Could be an interesting thing to try out. 🙂

By the time I had prepared the mix, there was more than could be accommodated in the loaf pan. Easy to pop the remaining mix into ramekins and bake into individual helpings. And these freeze beautifully.

If one doesn’t want to use red meat, a combination of turkey, chicken and pork will work well. This particular meatloaf I made with just ground turkey.

Served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, with or without gravy, this meatloaf is absolute yum!

~Ria

Meat-Vegetable Loaf

Author: Ria

Ingredients

2 lb ground meat (mix of turkey, chicken and pork)
1 onion
2 ribs celery
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 handful of frozen green peas
1 tsp rosemary (fresh or dried)
1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp red chilli powder
4 large cloves of garlic
2 eggs
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato ketchup for garnishing

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
Chop all the vegetables fine.
Mince the garlic and herbs.
Thaw the frozen green peas.
In a large pan, mix together all the ingredients, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Be careful not to overmix.
Place the mix into a loaf pan and form the top into a loaf shape.
Garnish with tomato ketchup.
Bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the loaf. If it comes out clean, the loaf is done. If required, bake for another 10 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes, before slicing. Any extra will freeze well.

Chicken Cacciatore

By Ria / Entrée, Poultry / 1 Comment / March 27, 2014

The other day, I was watching Lidia Bastianich (of Lidia’s Italy fame), on ‘CreateTV’, making chicken cacciatore. And I realised that I hadn’t made it for a while, though it was one of my quick go-to recipes a while back. To pick out the recipe from the file (I do keep a physical file of my favourite recipes!) and create a shopping list was just a five-minute job!

According to Lidia, the dish must have been based originally on some kind of wild game birds, as ‘caccia’ means ‘to hunt’ in Italian. Somewhere along the way, chicken replaced the wild game, and other tweaks happened as well I’m sure, and we have the modern day cacciatore!

Usually, this dish is cooked with a whole chicken cut up into large pieces. But I prefer to make it with bone-in chicken thighs. The uniform sized pieces make it easy to calculate the cooking time.

The way I use the garlic and red chillies in the original cacciatore recipe, is the unique twist to this version. And believe me, it makes a big difference. Marinating the chicken in a mix of finely crushed garlic and red chilli powder, instead of the chilli flakes, lets the flavour penetrate into the meat.

You can marinate the chicken in the refrigerator anywhere from one hour to 24 hours; the closer it is to 24 hours, the softer and more flavourful it is.

And mushrooms… though shitakes are preferred, I use portabellas in a crunch. Lots and lots of them. You can even do away with the stock as the juice of the mushrooms will add sufficient flavour to the dish.

Whenever possible, I like to incorporate some vegetables into any dish I’m cooking. Here I have used red and green peppers. You could also use yellow/ green squash, brussels sprouts, green peas etc.

Chicken cacciatore is very versatile in that it can be served with pasta, rice, or any other starch. I prefer mashed potatoes with a slice of crusty bread on the side to mop up the gravy. And a green salad on the side…

~Ria

Recipe for easy printing

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

2 to 3 lbs chicken, skinless thigh pieces
6 large cloves garlic
1 tsp chilli powder
½ cup flour
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup each red and green pepper pieces, cut lengthwise
2 cups sliced mushrooms, shitake or portobello
2 cups tomato pieces, seeds and pulp removed
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
A few springs of fresh thyme
Fresh basil leaves

Directions

Crush the garlic finely and mix with the chilli powder and enough salt and sprinkle all over the chicken pieces and rub in well to coat. Keep aside for at least an hour (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator.
Season the flour with salt and pepper, and dredge the chicken pieces in the flour.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan. Add the flour dredged chicken pieces to the oil and fry till browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Note: If there is more chicken than can be accommodated without crowding in the pan, fry them in batches.
Drain the chicken pieces on a plate. Into the same pan, add the chopped onions and stir fry till they start to wilt.
Add the mixed vegetables and cook for two minutes.
Add the mushrooms and let it cook for five minutes.
Now add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the stock, tomatoes, and thyme.
Place the chicken pieces back into the pan. Add enough salt and mix everything together. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
At the end of 20 minutes, the chicken pieces should be done, with enough liquid to coat the pieces. If there is more liquid, cook uncovered to let the extra liquid evaporate. If there is not enough liquid, add enough stock or water and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.
Add the fresh basil and stir. Serve with pasta, brown rice, or mashed potatoes.

A pie for Pi Day!

By Ria / Entrée, Poultry / 3 Comments / March 20, 2014

March 14^th, as you know, is Pi Day worldwide, a day on which math enthusiasts celebrate the constant 3.14, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. One way to celebrate the day is to have pie parties, or at least make and eat pies! And to join in with the spirit of celebrations, that is what I decided to do too... make a pie!

Having been gorging on all kinds of sweet stuff during my recent vacation, my choice for this occasion was a pot pie... a vegetarian pot pie! A lot of veggies can go into this pie...

The key ingredient that gives this pot pie a unique kick up is ginger root! And instead of using a roux to thicken the filling, I like to use coconut milk which is healthier and adds to the flavour and creaminess of the filling. And you can prepare the dough ahead of making the pie, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.

This pie makes a very good winter meal. And the leftovers will freeze very well too.

~Ria

Recipe for easy printing

A pie for Pi Day!

Author: Ria

Ingredients

1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 large onion, cut into small wedges
4 ribs of celery, cut into small pieces
3 cups mixed vegetables (red and green peppers, carrots, brussels sprouts) all cut into bite-size pieces. Peas too, but don’t cut them!
2” piece ginger root, cut into thin juliennes
1 can Coconut milk (available in Asian/ Mexican markets)
Salt & black pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
Salt to taste
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter, chilled in the refrigerator
Ice cold water

Directions

To make the pie crust, mix together the flour and salt. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and add to the flour, shaking to coat each piece. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour till the butter is reduced to pea sized bits. Sprinkle ice cold water on the flour and mix till you can just about form a loose dough. Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator.
To make the filling, in a heavy bottomed pan, cook the potato, onion, celery and ginger with a half cup of water. When the potato is half done, add the rest of the vegetables, coconut milk, and enough salt. Cover and cook till everything is done.
While the pan is still on the stove, mash a few of the potato pieces using the back of a wooden spoon to thicken the liquid in the filling. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Allow the filling to cool.
When cool, transfer the filling into a 9” pie pan.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree fahrenheit.
Roll out the dough into a thick circle slightly larger than the pie pan. Gently lift the rolled out dough on the rolling pin and lay it over the pie pan with the filling. Fold under any extra dough and crimp with the edges. Make a few cuts in the dough to allow steam to escape.
Place in the center of the oven and bake for 40 minutes. When the top starts to get slightly brown, take the pie out of the oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting the pie.

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