Friday, April 20, 2007

White Bean Chicken Chili

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
  • 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 (15 ounce) can white beans
  • 2 ears fresh corn
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 lime, sliced

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
  2. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve with these toppings for people to choose from: limes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and tortilla chips.

SHRIMP IN GARLIC SAUCE

ingredients

1 1/2 cups clam juice
1 onion slice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine

preparation

Boil first 4 ingredients until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, approximately 25 minutes. Strain. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and half of garlic and sauté until shrimp are almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet. Add remaining garlic and wine to skillet and boil until reduced to glaze, about 2 minutes. Stir in clam juice mixture and boil until reduced to thin sauce consistency, about 4 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet and return to boil. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

Bon Appétit, 1999

WILD-MUSHROOM FRITTATA

ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp butter
3/4 lb wild mushrooms (such as shiitake), chopped into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tsp fresh thyme
5 egg whites
2 tbsp each chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, chervil)
Squeeze of lemon

preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. Heat oil on high in a 6-inch cast-iron skillet for 2 minutes. Add butter; when it foams, add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onions and thyme; sauté 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in egg whites with a heatproof rubber spatula until eggs start to set. Transfer skillet to oven and bake 5 minutes, until golden. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and lemon juice. Cut into wedges and serve.

SELF, February 2006

GRILLED TUNA WITH WARM WHITE BEAN SALAD

ingredients

1/2 pound dried Great Northern beans (1 1/4 cups)
4 cups salted water
2 garlic cloves, 1 crushed and 1 chopped and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon
salt
2 cups packed arugula leaves, washed well and spun dry
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
four 4-ounce skinless tuna steaks (each about 1/2 inch thick)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
freshly ground black pepper

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

preparation

In a large saucepan simmer beans in salted water with crushed garlic until tender, about 1 hour, and drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. In a small bowl mash
1/2 cup beans with a fork and return mashed and whole beans to pan with reserved liquid. Chop 1 cup arugula and stir into beans (off heat) with garlic paste, onion, parsley, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep bean salad warm, covered, over very low heat while cooking arugula.

Prepare grill while beans are cooking.

Rinse and pat dry tuna. On a plate combine tuna steaks with remaining tablespoon lemon juice, turning to coat, and sprinkle both sides with fennel seeds, pepper, and salt to taste. Grill fish on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals about 3 minutes on each side, or until barely cooked through. (Alternatively, fish may be cooked in a heated well-seasoned ridged grill pan in same manner.)

Arrange bean salad and remaining cup arugula on 4 plates and top with fish. Squeeze lemon over the fish.

Gourmet, April 1996


CELERY, SESAME, AND TOFU SALAD

ingredients

1 (14-oz) block of firm tofu
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 large celery ribs
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

preparation

Rinse tofu and pat dry, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in 1 layer on a triple thickness of paper towels, then cover with another triple thickness of paper towels. Put a small baking sheet on top of tofu and weight with 3 (1-lb) cans (this removes excess moisture), 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together oils, vinegar, soy sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Trim celery, then peel with a vegetable peeler and slice very thin diagonally. Cut tofu crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide sticks and transfer to a bowl. Toss gently with dressing, celery, sesame seeds, and salt to taste.

Gourmet, June 2006

LOW-FAT VEGETABLE SOUP

ingredients

3 medium zucchini, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
10 mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 14 1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Additional chopped fresh parsley

preparation

Combine zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, onion and potato in heavy large Dutch oven. Add vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons parsley, cilantro, garlic, basil and oregano. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Strain cooking liquid into large saucepan; reserve vegetables. Place 3 cups vegetables in blender. Add 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Puree until smooth. Stir puree into remaining cooking liquid in saucepan. Return remaining vegetables to cooking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with additional parsley.

Bon Appétit, October 1995

ZUCCHINI MASH

Epicurious:

ingredients

1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
6 medium zucchini (1 3/4 lb), halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped scallion greens

preparation

Cook bell pepper in oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a wide 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add zucchini, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, then cook at a brisk simmer, covered, 6 minutes. Remove lid and simmer until most of liquid is evaporated and zucchini is soft, about 6 minutes.

Coarsely mash zucchini with a potato masher and add scallion greens and remaining tablespoon butter, stirring, until butter is incorporated.

impressive but simple

from chowhound.

Simple Tortellini
Bring 4 cups of chicken stock to a boil (I use the brand in the yellow carton). Add one 9 oz package of tortillini (sometimes I use cheese, sometimes something else) and cook until just tender. Serve in a bowl with chiffonades of fresh basil (about a teaspoon per bowl), lots of black pepper and sprinking of parmesan cheese. It is scary easy and people rave over it.

Pasta e Fagioli
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup elbow macaroni


Pasta e Fagioli
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Italian Ladies

4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup elbow macaroni
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure closed with kitchen twine. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and saute until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, and sachet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the sachet. Puree 1 cup of the bean mixture in a blender until smooth*. Before putting the puree back into the soup, add the macaroni and boil with the lid on until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Return the puree to the remaining soup in the saucepan and stir well. Season the soup with ground black pepper and red pepper flakes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.