Main courses

January in the kitchen – Chicken Chili with Beans and Sweet Potatoes
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January in the kitchen – Chicken Chili with Beans and Sweet Potatoes

Chicken Chili with Beans and Sweet Potatoes

This is the second of three chili dishes, and the only one made in a slow cooker. I used Good Mother Stallard beans, but you could use dry tepary or navy beans. You need to start by soaking the beans the night before.

Heirloom dried beans

Heirloom Good Mother Stallard Beans

  • 1 pound of dried tepary, navy or other bean of choice
  • 10 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 slices of thick bacon, chopped into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 dried whole pasilla peppers
  • 4 cups of chicken stock such as Magic Mineral with Chicken
  • 2 yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 Anaheim or poblano peppers, seeded, ribs removed and cut into 1/3 inch dice
  • 1 small Serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon of mild chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 2 cups of peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (1 inch)
  • Salt to taste
  1. Rinse the beans; pick them over to remove any stones. Place in a large pot and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water. Soak the beans overnight.
  2. The next day, drain and rinse the beans again. Cover with cold water, add the whole dried pasilla peppers to the water and bring to a boil and cook until the beans are soft but still retain some bite. Depending on your bean type this will take an hour or more. Cool in the cooking water, removing and discarding the dried pepper.
  3. Heat a skillet and fry the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels.
  4. In the bacon fat remaining in the skillet, sauté the chopped onions on medium heat until softened (about 10 minutes), add the garlic and fresh peppers. Continue to cook on low for another 5. Sprinkle with paprika, chili powder and cocoa, stir well then add the tomato paste and honey and stir again. Add one cup of the chicken stock to the skillet and stir up any crusty bits in the pan.
  5. Drain the beans over a bowl so you can keep the cooking water.
  6. Add the chopped chicken to the slow cooker, cover with the onion and spice mixture, drained beans, bacon, cubed sweet potatoes, and remaining 3 cups of chicken stock. Stir well.
  7. The liquid level should just cover the beans and chicken. Add some bean cooking liquid if needed.
Into the Slow Cooker

Into the Slow Cooker

  1. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  2. Serve garnished with shredded cheese, yogurt or sour cream, finely chopped red onion, and cilantro.
Chicken Chili with Beans and Sweet Potatoes

Chicken Chili with Beans and Sweet Potatoes

January in the kitchen – A Tale of Three Chilies
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January in the kitchen – A Tale of Three Chilies

Chili Time – A Bowl of Red

I have a confession; I don’t like New Year’s Eve. My idea of a great New Year’s Eve is snuggling in bed at 10 pm with my hubby and a good book. But, New Year’s Day is an entirely different story. It’s the beginning of a new year and I can’t think of anything better than taking a long hike in the redwoods with the dogs, and being surrounded by good friends. That’s how our annual New Year’s Day hike and chili party got started. The first year there were only two of us hiking, but it was magical. Shrouded in fog and a light drizzle, we walked through an empty forest while the moisture dripped from the trees while the dogs ran joyfully up and down the ravines. We repeat that same 6-mile hike every year with a changing cast of characters. Who would believe this beautiful park is just minutes from downtown Oakland!

But, hike or not, everyone is invited back to the house for the annual chili feast.

There will be a chili for every dietary need, gluten free, vegetarian, and paleo. My chili recipe research starts the day after Christmas; each year they are different.  I make a lot to satisfy appetites sharpened by the walk, but still have leftovers to stock in the freezer for busy winter evenings. Chili is the perfect cold night meal. In Tex-Mex cooking it originally was eaten over hot dogs or hamburgers at a BBQ, and it’s good that way. My favorite is over baked potatoes.

Did you know that the inspiration for chili came from the Canary Islands? Real Texas chili has its roots in North Africa. I had never thought about this until I read a fascinating history of chili and Tex-Mex cooking in a book called “The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos”.

How did this come about? The Canary Islands were a Spanish possession, as was Texas originally. In 1731 Islanders were encouraged to relocate to San Antonio (Texas) because settlers were in short supply and few Spaniards were interested in living in such a wilderness.

It turns out that the aboriginal inhabitants of the Canary Islands were the Guanche, believed to be related to the Berber people from Morocco. According to the American Spice Trade Association, the “lavish use of spices” characterizes Berber foods. The cuisine’s “flavor imprint” is made up of “cumin, coriander, saffron, chili, ginger, cinnamon, and paprika.” The Canary Islanders brought a taste for cumin to Texas in amounts that Spaniards would have found overwhelming.

Outdoor socializing was also part of the Canary Island tradition; the Islanders started the San Antonio chili stand, an informal outdoor restaurant. Their original location was around Military Square. The chili stands were popular tourist and late night destinations until closed in the 1930’s for sanitary reasons. But chili had already become an essential part of the Tex-Mex food scene.

Our family’s traditional New Year’s Day hike and chili feast has its roots in Texas (where my father was born and I still have family) and California, where the weather is perfect for a New Year’s Day hike through the redwood forest.

I spend the week between Christmas and New Years making at least three kinds of chili, perfect party food. It is much improved by sitting in the refrigerator for a couple of days, and freezes well.

Let’s start with authentic. Real Texas chili does not contain tomatoes or beans. This “Bowl of Red” is true to tradition. The recipe is adapted from “The Tex-Mex Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos”.

A Bowl of Red

A Bowl of Red

Texas Red Chili AKA Chili Con Carne

Serves 6-8

  • 3 ½ pounds of beef stew meat cubed into ½ inch pieces and dried (chuck preferred)
  • 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, more if needed
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons ground Ancho chili powder (or other mild chili powder)
  • 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
  • 1-2 tablespoons medium to hot paprika (depending on your desire for heat)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4-6 cups of beef broth
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons of corn flour (masa harina)

 

Beef Chili

Chili Con Carne

  1. Toast the whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet until golden, remove to a small plate to cool. Once cool, grind to a powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  2. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.
  3. Add the beef (you will need to do this in several batches) and brown on all sides. Once browned, remove the meat to a bowl. Add more oil if needed for the next batch.
  4. Once all the meat has been browned, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, add the chopped onion and cook on medium for 10 minutes until soft.
  5. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
  6. Return the beef to the pan, include any juices in the bottom of the bowl.
  7. Add the ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and black pepper. Mix to combine and coat the meat with the spices.
  8. Add the beef broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
  9. Cook on low heat, covered, for 2 hours until the meat is tender.
  10. Combine the masa harina with ¼ cup of cold water and stir until a thin paste forms.
  11. Add the cornmeal mixture to the simmering chili and stir until it dissolves.
  12. Cook on simmer for an additional 10 minutes to blend flavors and thicken the chili.
  13. Taste for salt.

Traditional garnishes are sour cream (to cool it down), chopped red onion, cilantro, pickled jalapenos (if you want more heat), and shredded cheese.

The other chilies on the menu are chicken with sweet potatoes, and a vegetarian chili with butternut squash. Look for more posts and pictures of the hiking group on New Year’s Day.

Beef Chili from Texas

Chili Con Carne – A Bowl of Red

I’ll be taking this to share on Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen’s, and Fiesta Friday at the Novice Gardener.

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I wish you the happiest of New Year’s, and a 2015 filled with joy and love. Thank you for visiting. Y’all come back.

December in the kitchen – Coconut crusted chicken and persimmon caprese
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December in the kitchen – Coconut crusted chicken and persimmon caprese

I love a crisp coating on chicken, but would like to avoid the refined carbohydrates and fat of fried chicken. I’ve been searching for something that gives chicken that same satisfying crunch in a baked version. Paleo circles use almond meal to coat chicken. I tried it and found it to be too heavy, not crisp enough, and fairly high in calories (although delicious).

Then I had an idea; what about coconut meal? Maybe coconut meal (which has more texture than coconut flour) would be a healthy way to add coconut flavor to the chicken, eliminate gluten, and increase crispness. As an added benefit, it is both high in fiber and low in saturated fat. And, coconut fried shrimp have a lovely crunch (although there is still the problem of frying), so crunch is possible.

Thus was born Coconut Crusted Chicken!

With the chicken I wanted to serve something festive. There were some Fuyu persimmons, picked up at a farm stand the week before, in a bowl on the counter. I made a simple caprese salad by replacing the usual tomatoes with persimmons, garnishing with pomegranate seeds and chopped almonds. As a finishing touch I drizzled an aged balsamic vinegar over the whole.

coconut crusted chicken

Coconut crusted chicken

Coconut Crusted Chicken

  • 6 -8 bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed to remove any excess skin and fat (you can use other cuts, adjust the cooking time)
  • 1 cup of coconut meal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place racks in a roasting or baking pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer.
  3. Place the coconut meal, salt, and cumin in a shallow bowl or plate and mix.
  4. Roll the chicken in the coating, patting it on to cover all sides
  5. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the racks.
  6. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour until juices run clear and chicken is crisp.
persimmon salad with mozzarella

Persimmon caprese

Persimmon Caprese Salad

  • 4 fuyu persimmons, sliced about ¼ inch thick
  • 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds
  • ¼ cup of chopped roast almonds
  • Aged balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Alternate the persimmon and mozzarella slices on a platter.
  2. Generously salt and pepper.
  3. Garnish with the almonds and pomegranate seeds.
  4. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
persimmon salad

Persimmon caprese

I added a salad of arugula for a touch of green and the sharpness of the leaves.

Coconut crusted chicken with persimmon caprese

Coconut crusted chicken with persimmon caprese

It worked!

I’m taking this to the party at Friday Favorites sponsored by the Blog The Diary of a Real Housewife, and Real Food Fridays sponsored by Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen. Come join us at the last parties of 2014. Happy Holidays!

December in the kitchen – Red lentil and cauliflower couscous
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December in the kitchen – Red lentil and cauliflower couscous

Lately I have been reading a lot about substituting cauliflower for rice and couscous in recipes. The substitution is popular in paleo circles as well as with folks trying to cut down on carbohydrates (useful after the holidays). It seems to me that any way you can add more vegetables to your diet is a good thing.

This recipe combines the cauliflower “couscous” with lentils and preserved mandarin oranges. It can be served hot, room temperature, or cold as a salad with some tasty greens on the side. This could even be the main dish for a vegetarian meal, it’s gluten free and vegan.

Red Lentils and Cauliflower Couscous

Red Lentils and Cauliflower Couscous

Cauliflower Couscous with Red Lentils and Easy Preserved Mandarins    (serves 4)

  • 2 mandarin oranges, sliced thinly
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  • 1 small cauliflower, “riced” in a food processor
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup almonds, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro for garnish

Preserved Mandarin Oranges:

  1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the sugar and 1½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper; stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
  2. Add the slices of mandarin orange and cook over medium heat until softened, about 15 minutes.
  3. Transfer the orange slices to a plate and boil the remaining liquid until reduced to 1/3 cup; it will take about 3 minutes. Let cool, then whisk in ¼ cup of olive oil. Set aside.

Cauliflower Couscous

  1. Break the cauliflower into medium sized pieces and add to the food processor, pulse the machine until the cauliflower resembles couscous. You may need to do this in batches. Don’t over process.
cauliflower rice

Cauliflower couscous or rice

Red Lentils

  1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the lentils and cook over medium heat until tender but not mushy, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain.
  2. Heat a frying pan on medium heat; add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot and beginning to shimmer, add the onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes.
  1. Add the cauliflower to the pan, increase the heat to medium high and sauté, stirring constantly, until the cauliflower is beginning to soften and brown. It should retain some texture and still be crisp.
  2. Add the lentils to the pan and reheat the whole.
  3. Add the reserved liquid from the mandarin oranges and the lemon juice. Taste for salt and turn out to a serving dish.
  4. Serve garnished with almonds, the slices of mandarin orange, scallions, and chopped cilantro.

I served this with the marmalade chicken. It was a great combination with the pilaf coming together while the chicken was in the oven.

Cauliflower couscous

Cauliflower couscous

How have you used cauliflower to replace rice or pasta or couscous? I’d love to hear other ideas.

December in the kitchen – Marmalade chicken
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December in the kitchen – Marmalade chicken

I was all ready to create a new recipe tonight but ran out of steam, does that ever happen to you? So, what to do? I poked around in the pantry and fridge to discover what could be used as a quick, easy, hassle free “dress up” for the chicken thighs I had planned to cook. I found a jar of ginger marmalade and some whole grain mustard; together with some soy sauce they would make a simple glaze for the chicken. Three ingredients (not counting the chicken), what could be easier?

You could use any kind of marmalade you have on hand…ginger, orange or lemon. You could also use chicken breasts or legs or wings, I just happened to have thighs which are favored by my family.

Marmalade baked chicken

  • 1/2 cup of marmalade
  • 2 rounded teaspoons of Dijon mustard, regular or whole grain
  • 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
  • 6-8 chicken bone-in thighs, trimmed of excess skin and fat
marmalade baked chicken

marmalade baked chicken

  1. Melt the marmalade in a small saucepan or the microwave; mix with the mustard and soy sauce.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
  3. Line a baking pan with foil, place some racks on top (I used cookie cooling racks). The racks will keep the thighs out of the melting fat below.
  4. Pat the thighs dry with paper towels, place them skin side up on the racks in the baking pan. Brush the marmalade mix over the skin and exposed meat.
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 ½ hour depending on the size of the thighs.

 This is a perfect dish for a busy weekday evening. Bake some sweet potatoes in the oven with the chicken, make a salad and dinner is ready with a minimum of fuss and hands-on time.

baked chicken

Marmalade chicken

I made a lentil and cauliflower couscous to go with the chicken, look for that recipe on another post.

You could save the juices to use in soup or another dish. Pour the juices in the bottom of the pan into a large heatproof container and put it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, skim off the fat and discard it.

Tip – I keep the cans from tomatoes or other canned goods for discarding fat. Place the fat in the can, put the can in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Plastic yogurt containers also work.

I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday to share with Angie from the Novice Gardener as well as Real Food Fridays hosted by Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen. This is the busy season for us all.

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