Main courses

March in the Kitchen – Obe’s Chicken
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March in the Kitchen – Obe’s Chicken

This recipe came to me via a long time friend of my parents, Obe. He had retired to Florida from a long career traveling the world in the merchant marines. Obe was a character (understatement), told wonderful stories, and threw great parties. His recipe has been in my files for decades. It seems timeless, and I return to it again and again when I want something simple but impressive. Do you have those as well? What are your timeless recipes? Obe’s Chicken is simple but it’s a winner because of the presentation. My mother called it “Game Hens Obe” because Obe made it with halved Cornish game hens. I’ve adapted the recipe (the first spring asparagus was too inviting and the game hens were all frozen). The original recipe called for halved game hens, small baking onions, and lightly steamed green beans. That’s the way Obe served it. The sumac is my own addition, I like the slight lemony flavor and lovely color. You could easily leave it out without compromising any flavor.

This is the perfect introduction to spring, an attractive platter full of lovely colors and aromas. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled and could be the centerpiece of a large dinner party. It’s time for your best china and stemware.

Chicken Obe

(serves 4-6)

Chicken Obe

Chicken Obe

  •  6 chicken leg/thigh pieces or 3 game hens, halved
  • 6 Plum tomatoes (one for each serving), may substitute whole canned plum tomatoes
  • 12 large shallots or small boiling onions
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • Kosher salt 
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends snapped off and peeled if necessary
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
  • splash of wine vinegar
  1. Dry the chicken with paper towels and put into a large bowl. Rub with the sumac, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  3. Peel the shallots or onions.
  4. Skin the tomatoes (if using fresh) by dropping them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and cool, the skins should easily peel off. Leave them whole.

    Plum tomatoes ready to peel

    Plum tomatoes ready to peel

  5. Line a roasting pan with foil, put a rack in the pan to keep the chicken above the juices (I used a couple of cake cooling racks). Place the chicken on the racks in a single layer.

    Chicken with Shallots, ready for the oven

    Chicken with Shallots, ready for the oven

  6. Drop the shallots or onions into the bowl which had contained the chicken, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and roll them around to cover with any residual spice mix. Add them to the roasting pan with the chicken, nestling them among the chicken pieces. Brush the chicken with any olive oil remaining in the bowl. Bake in middle part of the oven for 45 minutes. Check to see if cooked through (game hens could take longer depending on their size).
  7. Meanwhile rinse the asparagus and place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven with the chicken for the final 12 minutes.
  8. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet, preferably non-stick, on medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until they are beginning to soften. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

    Italian plum tomatoes

    Italian plum tomatoes

  9. When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and carefully add any juices to the skillet where the tomatoes were cooked. Bring to a boil, add the sugar and continue to cook until it turns syrupy. Add a splash of wine vinegar.
  10. Carefully add the tomatoes (plus any accumulated juices) and shallots (or onions) from the baking pan to the skillet to warm and coat with the sauce.

    Sauce

    Sauce

  11. Spread the asparagus on a warm platter, top with the chicken, then the tomatoes and shallots. Pour any sauce over all.
Chicken with asparagus, tomatoes, and shallots.

Chicken with asparagus, tomatoes, and shallots.

Serve each person a portion of asparagus, chicken, a tomato, and two shallots.

Baked Chicken Obe

Baked Chicken Obe

I’m taking a platter to the party at Fiesta Friday hosted by Angie at the Novice Gardener.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

March in the Kitchen – Lamb Burgers for St. Patrick’s Day
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March in the Kitchen – Lamb Burgers for St. Patrick’s Day

I’ve been working on this recipe for a few weeks, I think I’ve got it! And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Ground lamb can be a tough one to get right. It’s most often too “lamb-ey”, even though I like lamb. I wanted a moist and tender lamb burger with a more subtle taste. A post with a recipe for chicken meatballs on the blog “The Frugal Hausfrau” gave me an idea. What if I took her idea and adapted it to my lamb burgers? She used ricotta in the mix to lighten things up and keep the meat moist. I had tried feta, it didn’t do the trick. But ricotta….hmmm.

Tender Lamb Burgers

  • 1 1/4 lbs. of ground lamb
  • 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Ras el Hanout (paprika, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, grains of paradise, allspice, nutmeg, mace, cayenne from the Oaktown Spice Shop)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/4 cup of chutney (any kind), chopped if large pieces
  • 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, lightly whipped
  • squeezed juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  • Olive oil for frying
Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers Before Cooking

  1. Mix the seasonings (everything but the lamb) with the ricotta.
  2. Add the ground lamb to the seasoned ricotta and gently mix everything together.
  3. Form into patties of your desired size (I made 5 generous ones).
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  5. Preheat a large skillet on medium high, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan
  6. Fry the patties until done to your liking, for me that was about 4 minutes to a side.

Serve with in a roll with humus, cucumber, sliced red pepper, avocado, thinly sliced onion and parsley.

Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers

Or with sauteed greens or other veggies.

Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers with avocado and greens

They turned out to be what I was looking for.

I’m going to take these to Fiesta Friday #59 to share with Angie and the gang at the Novice Gardener. Friday goes with burgers. Please come and check out the rest of the party.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

These could also be made into meatballs and browned in a skillet or the oven. Because of the chutney and bit of sugar they brown up beautifully.

 

March in the Kitchen – Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Rice
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March in the Kitchen – Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Rice

Why you ask is this called Brussels sprouts with rice rather than rice with Brussels sprouts? There are more sprouts than rice in this recipe, the rice just giving a bit more body to the saute. The Brussels sprouts carmelize when sauteed on high heat, picking up a lovely roasty flavor, they are definitely the stars.

Years ago someone told me that the trick to cooking cabbage (or vegetables in the cabbage family) is lots of good quality oil or butter, and lots of salt. I find that to be true and would add that lemon juice and/or zest contribute a freshness which is quite lovely.

Brussels Sprouts

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Rice

This could easily be a main course for a vegetarian (and glutin free) dinner. If you want meat and a “one-dish meal” add some diced roast chicken at the same time you stir in the rice. This is also a wonderful side dish with grilled chicken or lamb chops. Starch and vegetables in one dish.

When you cook rice or order take out, make or purchase extra. Store the leftovers in a heavy duty zip bag or other container in the freezer. I flatten it first so it is easier to thaw. It reheats “good as new” in the microwave. Or, if you are not in a hurry, let it sit at room temperature on the counter to thaw. It’s a base for an amazing number of quick meals, from Italian fried rice to a simple brothy soup with a spoonful of rice and a garnish of parsley, lemon juice, and Parmesan.

  • 1 lb. of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (you could use your processor with the slicing blade or use a sharp knife)
  •  4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped 
  • 1 leek chopped (optional, I found one in the bottom of the produce bin)
  • 2 cups of cooked rice
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (emulsified in the white wine)
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Chopped pea shoots (optional, about 1/2 cup)
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wide bottomed saucepan over medium high heat.
  2. Add the chopped shallots and leek to the pan, saute until they soften and brown (about 5 minutes)
  3. Add the Brussels sprouts and continue to cook, stirring occassionally, until they are browning and starting to carmelize, add additional olive oil if needed. This took about 10 minutes for a full pan.
  4. Add cooked rice to the pan and continue to saute until the rice is hot.
  5. Add the white wine/mustard mix, cook to blend.
  6. Add the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon juice over the dish.
  7. Lastly stir in the pea shoots, if using. Parsley would also be good, or a few roast sliced almonds…you can see where I’m going with this.

Serve.

March in the Kitchen – Cod Cheeks with Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde
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March in the Kitchen – Cod Cheeks with Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde

Have you ever seen cod cheeks at the fish store? I don’t often see them but grab them whenever they appear. They look like large scallops (and I think are sometimes used as a cheat for them). The meat is near the bone and makes a flavorful dish.

Cod Cheeks

Cod Cheeks

I find they are best simply sautéed in a combination of butter and olive oil, a little finely chopped garlic added at the end, then a splash of white wine to finish. I served them with spicy lemon salsa verde. You could use chopped parsley and it would be good as well.

  • 1 lb of fresh cod cheeks
  • 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped garlic clove
  • ¼ cup of dry white wine
  • Salt to taste
  • Optional chopped parsley or spicy lemon salsa verde

 

Cod Cheeks

Cod Cheeks

  1. Pick over the cod cheeks, cutting out any hard bits.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
  3. When the butter has melted and the foaming has stopped, add the cod cheeks to the skillet.
  4. Brown on one side; then turn and brown the other. Continue to cook until they are opaque and white into the center.
  5. Remove the cod to a warm bowl and add the chopped garlic to the skillet, turning the heat down to medium. Cook until softened, do not let the garlic brown or it will be bitter.
  6. Add the white wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce until beginning to look syrupy, and then add the last tablespoon of butter. Stir until it melts into a smooth sauce.
  7. Briefly return the cod cheeks to the sauce to coat and serve warm with a chopped parsley garnish or salsa verde.
Cod Cheeks with Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde

Cod Cheeks with Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde

I’m going to share this with the gang at Angie’s on Fiesta Friday #58.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

February in the Kitchen – Best Turkey Burgers
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February in the Kitchen – Best Turkey Burgers

What do you think of turkey burgers? I know what I do; I say no thanks and I’ll pass. They are most often dry, bland and flavorless. But, it’s a challenge. How to make a moist, flavorful turkey burger…that is the question. In the past I have mixed the turkey with ground chuck or sausage, both higher in fat. That works ok. But this time, I wanted something that was mostly turkey. Then I got an idea; lately there have been quite a few warm avocado recipes on-line. Search and you will find baked avocados wrapped in bacon, avocados baked with an egg in the cavity, and grilled half avocados with lemon (which is surprisingly yummy) to mention a few. And avocado is often served on top of a burger; what about mixing it in with the meat? The avocado would add some additional healthy fat and creaminess to the burger.

In addition to moistness, I wanted flavor. Ground turkey is lacking in the umami factor which makes food savory. Enter chopped prosciutto and soy sauce, both high in umami; plus a wee bit of grated aged sharp cheddar. Now we were getting somewhere! And, the burgers were delicious. So good that they were gone before I could finish photographing them.

Best Every Turkey Burgers (serves 4)

  • 1 ½ lb. ground dark meat turkey
  • ¼ cup chopped prosciutto
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 medium avocado, diced
  • 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch Calabrian chopped hot peppers or chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Turkey Burgers

Turkey Burgers with avocado

  1. Gently mix the first 7 ingredients listed above (everything but the olive oil) and form into 4 burgers. This will probably make 6 burgers for those with smaller appetites.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.
  3. Carefully transfer the burgers to the hot pan, the mix if fairly loose but will firm up a bit once cooked.
  4. Fry the burgers about 4 minutes to a side (or grill on a BBQ) until no longer pink in the middle.
Turkey Burgers

Turkey Burgers

Serve on toasted buns or with a salad and vegetables. I served them with roast asparagus, arugula salad, and oven baked potato wedges. There were no leftovers.