I refer to spring asparagus because I refer to the thin stalks, not the fatter ones, and they are perfect for this recipe. You could use this along with the fried rice and spring greens or the risotto with mushrooms and asparagus, posted earlier.
- 1 lb. skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Crisco oil
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup liquid honey
- 3 tbsp. cider vinegar
- fresh asparagus, rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces. In a shallow bowl combine the flour, sesame seeds, pinch of pepper and salt. In another small bowl, add the beaten eggs.
Dip the chicken into the flour mixture, then the egg mixture and back into the flour mixture. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of oil over high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook about 4 minutes or until completely cooked through. Use a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel to drain.
In a large skillet, combine the carrot, honey, vinegar and 1 tbsp. of water. Bring to boiling and add the asparagus. Add the chicken and stir to coat.
Pour this over rice or noodles of your choice. The only thing missing here is the fortune cookie.
Spiced Duck With Goat’s Cheese Spring Rolls and a Cherry Compote
Big weekend coming up – lots of company arriving and oh, what the heck – summer is on the way as well. Give this one a go. Yes, it is out of your comfort zone (perhaps) but sooooo worth it.
- 4 duck breasts
- 1 pinch each of ground cardamom and star anise (ground)
- zest of half a lime
- 1 tsp. olive oil, plus a little extra
- 1 tbsp. butter
- Spring Rolls, Cherry Compote and Endive Salad (recipes follow)
In a small bowl, combine the cardamom, star anise and the lime zest. Rub this mixture evenly over the duck breasts. Score the duck breasts by taking a sharp knife and just skimming across the fat in a diagonal stroke and then in the other direction to create small diamonds. This will allow the fat to render off evenly, leaving a crisp surface.
In a medium sized fry pan on a low heat, use a small amount of olive oil and fry the duck fat side down. This will allow the fat to render (13-15 minutes). Turn them over, add the butter and cook a further 10 minutes. Once they have reached the desired doneness, remove from the heat and allow to rest.
Goat Cheese Spring Rolls
- 1 cup crumbled goat’s cheese
- 1 celery stalk, ribs removed, sliced thin
- pinch of white pepper
- 4 spring roll wrappers
- 8 spring green leaves
- 1 egg, whisked
- olive oil for frying
Mix goat’s cheese, celery and pepper. Shape into 4 even-sized logs. Lay out the spring roll wrappers, place a log at one corner of the wrapper on the diagonal, top with 2 green leaves. Leave a 1 inch perimeter. Repeat until all 4 wrappers are complete.
Using your fingers, brush with the beaten egg, the outer inch of the wrapper. Fold up the bottom corner over the log and fold in the sides. Roll the wrapper up. Fill a deep frying pan with 1 inch of olive oil. Fry the rolls on a low to medium heat until they turn a golden brown.
Remove to a paper towel to drain until ready to serve.
Cherry Compote
2 cups frozen sour cherries (or fresh if you can buy them)
1 tsp. sugar
1 cinnamon stick
star anise
pinch of salt
splash to a sherry vinegar
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a low-medium heat and allow to cook down for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. It should be a sauce-like consistency coating the cherries. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Endive Salad
2 tsp. liquid honey
1 pinch of white pepper
1/4 lime, juiced
4 Belgium endives cut into quarters, lengthwise
1/4 cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
small handfuls of baby spring green mix
In a small saucepan heat the honey, pepper and lime juice slightly over a low heat. In a mixing bowl combine the honey mixture with the remaining ingredients and toss until the greens are coated.
To serve:
Arrange the sliced duck breast (cut against the grain) into 3 pieces on 4 round plates. Cut the spring rolls in half on an angle and arrange on each plate. Place a spoonful of the compote over the duck breasts and then add the endive salad around. How special is this?
Serve with a wonderful Pinot Noir or a Merlot. The secret here is to chill the wine for 15 minutes then serve. The aroma and taste of the wine is truly enhanced and can stand up to the duck.
Chicken Enchiladas With A Poblano And Spinach Cream
You don’t have to buy the frozen enchiladas when you can make something as tasty as these.
- 2 fresh poblano peppers
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 6 tbsp. butter, not margarine
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cups coarsely shredded cooked roast chicken
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Roast the peppers over open flame for about 5 minutes, turning often until the skins have blistered and blackened on all sides OR lay them on a baking sheet 4 inches below the broiler (8-10 minutes) also turning on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to allow them to steam. When cool enough, peel off the black outer skin and seeds. Chop the flesh coarsely and add to a blender. Add the fresh spinach and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside. In a medium sized saucepan, add the milk and stock and warm up. In a large saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Now raise the heat and add the milk mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce the temperature and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Pour half of the mixture into the blender and process until smooth. Pour this back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. If needed, season with a little salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a bowl and stir in one cup of the sauce. Divided the chicken equally in the tortillas and roll up.
Place these in the baking dish, seam side down. Pour the remaining sauce over all and top with the shredded cheese. Bake until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese has melted. (18-20 minutes).
Serve immediately with a crisp salad, glass of chilled white wine and the world is yours for the ‘eating’.
Chicken Pot Pie Deconstructed
Chicken Pot Pie has to be considered as ‘comfort’ food. Try this one out and see if you agree.
- 1 lb. frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 cup celery, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, diced 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- pinch of sea salt
- pinch of freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen kernel corn
- 3 cups diced cooked chicken, white and dark meat
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut the pastry discs large enough to cover 6 individual bowls. Place discs on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown (according to package instructions). Remove from the oven and allow to cool down.
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the canola oil and butter. When melted, add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until the onion is translucent. Add the potatoes and 1 cup of the stock. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer, cooking until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
Whisk together the remaining stock, whipping cream and flour until smooth and stir into the vegetable mixture and cook until thickened. Stir in the thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, peas and chicken.
Heat through. Divide and ladle into the warmed bowls. Top with the puff pastry discs and serve.
Crispy Chicken With Smashed Potatoes
This is one way to use two recipes and put them together. The Smashed potatoes recipe is on my site under Vegetables and now add this chicken recipe and Voila! a wonderful dinner.
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 whole chicken (4-5 lbs)
- 2 tbsp. butter, unsalted
- 1 bunch of fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the salt and cornstarch. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
Rub the skin of the chicken with the butter, then salt mixture and stuff a little of the rosemary into the cavity. On a trimmed baking sheet, lay out the rosemary and lay the chicken, breast side upon top and be sure to tuck the wings in (or tie up). Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and roast for one half hour. Rotate the pan and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Check the thickest part of the thigh for an internal temperature of 165 degrees and that the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve with the smashed potatoes, substituting the steak spice for some rosemary. Add your favourite vegetable (squash/roasted vegetables or a simple salad).
Yummy.
Citrus Chicken Breast
This is a lovely way to serve chicken, but you could change that out for a beautiful trout fillet.
- 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 1/4 cup lime juice or pink grapefruit juice
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- pinch of salt and ground pepper each
- lime wedges
In a small bowl, whisk together the citrus juice, shallot, honey, oil, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Put the chicken breasts in a sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over. Seal and place in the refrigerator for about 3 hours.
Preheat your broiler. Place the chicken , once drained and reserving the marinade, and put the chicken in the broiler pan. Place the meat about 5 inches below the broiler and cook for 6-7 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brush with the remaining marinade. Discard any remaining liquid.
Broil another 6-7 minutes until cooked, but not burnt. Check that the internal temperature is 170 degrees.
Serve with a kale broccoli coleslaw. Enjoy.
Slow Cooker Chicken Mole
Okay, no one has said I was a bright light. Last night Don made this incredible meal. Now….did I think to take a picture? Heck no. This morning I decided I would post this dish and then exclaimed “we didn’t take any pictures”. Never mind, I am posting this now and tomorrow we will have a picture. I promise and that is because we have some leftovers. Yaaaaay.
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp. each of chili powder, coriander and salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp. raisins
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs and breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (1 1/2 tbsp. dried)
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
Mole
Drain the tomatoes, reserving 1/2 cup of juice. Crush the tomatoes and add to the slow cooker with the reserved juice.
Stir in the chopped onion, garlic, chili powder, coriander, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Stir in the broth, raisins, peanut butter and chocolate. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Chicken
Using a hand immersion blender, blend mole until smooth and set aside.
Take 1 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro, sprinkle over the chicken, and sauté in a casserole with lid, cooking until lightly browned. Pour the mole over the chicken, cover and simmer on stove top for about 35-40 minutes.
Serve over Spanish rice or noodles. We topped ours with homemade Crème Fraiche and grated cheddar cheese.
So help me, this is magnificent. Try it! You will see.
Fruit and Cheese Dressing For Your Turkey
Everyone has a favourite dressing for the fabulous Christmas Turkey that graces the table. This one is just a little different and is fabulous tasting. If you are in doubt, try it on a large chicken…well it is just a suggestion…..okay, I’m kidding!
- 2 leeks, cut in half, rinsed well and sliced
- 1 cup celery, ribs removed and thinly cut
- 1/2 cup butter
- pinch of pepper
- 1/8 tsp. dried cloves
- 8 cups dry bread crumbs
- 2 large firm pears, cored, sliced in wedges
- 1/2 cup crisp bacon, chopped
- 2 small oranges or 1 large, segmented using only the flesh
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the leeks and celery in butter until tender (about 5-6 minutes). Stir in the pepper and cloves.
Put this in a large bowl and stir to mix together. Drizzle in the chicken broth and toss to combine. Stir in the cheese.
Grease a 3 quart casserole dish with butter and transfer the ingredients. Bake, covered for 50-55 minutes until cooked through.
**If you are using a 12-14 lb. turkey, you can simply stuff the turkey and bake it.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
Lime Grilled Teriyaki Chicken With Light Pineapple Salad
Simple. Super Tasty. Great meal to have before going out to celebrate with friends and family.
- 4 boneless, skin removed, chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tsp. lime zest
- 1 pineapple
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- pinch of salt
Lay the chicken breasts (one at a time) between top and bottom layers of saran wrap and lightly pound out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch.
Whisk the lime juice, teriyaki, honey, oil, lime zest together in a bowl and reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade. Pour the balance into a large zip lock bag and add the chicken. Seal the bag, making sure to remove all the air. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat your barbecue (yes, even during the winter) to a medium temperature.
Now combine 3 1/2 cups of the pineapple which has been coarsely chopped, 1 cup of the cucumber, and 1 cup of the grapes, halved. Stir in 1 tbsp. of lime juice and a small pinch of salt.
Oil the grill and grill the chicken about 5 minutes each side, brushing the surfaces with the reserved marinade during the last couple of minutes of cooking time.
Cut each breast into 3 pieces and set in the middle of the plate. Spoon the salad around the pieces and now you simply need a slice or two of garlic toast and, of yeah, some chilled wine.
Told you it was light and tasty..
Chicken Club Burgers
Still trying to keep it “lighter” for the upcoming celebrations. This would work as well as tasting great.
- 16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 7 strips of maple bacon (approx. 7 oz.)
- sea salt
- 3 oz. Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
- 4 English Muffins,
- 4 slices of tomato
- 8 slices cucumber
- slices of avocado, shredded lettuce and mayonnaise
Cut both meats into small pieces and pot through the large holes of the meat grinder. Mix these together in a bowl and now re-insert through the small holes of the grinder.
Divide into 4 equal portions and turn on the grill to high. Season the patties with a pinch of coarse salt and black pepper, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 168 degrees. This should be about 5 minutes each side.
In the last minute of cooking time place the cheese on top of the meat and toasting the muffins about 30 seconds.
Put together the sandwich, adding your toppings and enjoy.
I hope you noticed the lack of big calories?
Don’s To Die For Turkey Pot Pie
Trust me, I do not tell a lie. It is totally addictive and you will always keep this recipe handy for you to make up year after year.
- 2 medium carrots, chopped fine
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 1 ear of corn, kernals removed
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Knorr chicken cube, dissolved in 1 cup water
- 1 tin Campbell’s cream of celery soup (secret ingredient)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 bundle bouquet garni: 2 tsp. marjoram, 2 tsp. thyme, 2 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp. parsley
- 4 cups chopped cooked turkey
- Pastry to cover
In a medium pot, melt the butter with the olive oil and saute the vegetables until soft. Add 1/4 flour and cook a further 5-8 minutes.
Add 1 cup milk and stir to combine. Add the dissolved Knorr chicken cube, bouquet garni and the tin of soup, blended with the second cup of milk. Stir for about 7-8 minutes.
Add 4 cups of turkey (bones and cartilage removed). Stir to combine and let cool.
Spoon into 2- 8 inch pie plates and top with pie pastry or puff pastry. Cook for 30 minutes in a 375 oven.
When completely cooled, wrap with plastic wrap and then tin foil and place in the freezer. HA! It won’t last that along.
*p.s. I prefer the puff pastry top but that is just me.
Paprika Chicken With Roasted Garlic
Roasting the chicken at these temperatures allows the skin to become crispier without burning the paprika mixture.
- 2 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- coarse salt
- 2 whole chickens (3 lbs. each approx.)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 7 heads of garlic, cut in half horizontally
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mix together the paprika, oregano and 1 tbsp. salt. Place the chickens on a rimmed baking sheet and tuck the wings under. Tie with kitchen twine.
Pat the chickens dry with a paper towel and then rub the skin on each bird with a tablespoon of oil, then the paprika mixture. (wear gloves or you will have red hands). Stuff 2 garlic pieces in each cavity.
Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Roast the chickens for 30 minutes then baste with the pan juices. Place the garlic prices around the chickens and drizzle with olive oil. Turn the garlic, cut side down and roast for 20-25 minutes.
Tent the chickens loosely with tin foil and roast until the juices run clear and a thermometer reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part of the leg. (probably another half hour). Uncover the chickens and let rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve with the roasted garlic. Perhaps a crisp salad as well as corn on the cob would make the perfect dinner.