Pan Roasted Chicken and Green Lentils with Lacinto Kale

This is a recipe that I developed. The roasting method is easy to adapt to other sauces, for example instead of tomato paste, sometimes I substitute pesto. I have to admit I'm not a huge kale fan. I think it's tough and awkward to cook with and doesn't have the depth of flavor that escarole has. Neither does it have the versatility of escarole. Nevertheless, I really like the Lacinto kale. It still has that kale vibe, but it's much easier to work with. It's also a little softer and more amenable to sauté.

1 c or 8 oz by weight green lentils

Water and chicken or vegetable broth

1 elephant garlic head

2 tomatoes

1 largish shallot

1 small bunch Lacinto Kale

2 small red onions

3-4 baby carrots

1 lemon

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Approximately 1/4 tube of double concentrate tomato paste

Salt, pepper

Olive oil

Put lentils in a sauce pan and cover with a combination of water and broth. Cut the 2 red onions and lemon in half and add to pan. Also add the baby carrots. 

Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to simmer for at least 1 hour. I had to simmer for over 1 1/2 hours to get the lentils to the right softness that I like. You will probably need to add more water or broth once or twice. Drain the lentils and discard the veggies.

Chop the shallots and halve the large cloves of elephant garlic. Dice the tomatoes. Chop the kale into large bite size pieces. 

Add oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots. Cook til the shallots start to soften and add the tomatoes and kale. Cook til the kale softens and the color changes to a brighter shade of green. Add the lentils and some broth. Stir to mix, cover partially and let simmer til the broth is almost gone. 

Meanwhile trim any fat/bone/gristle from the breasts. Score the top deeply along the whole breast in a grid of 1 inch squares. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Squeeze out 2-3 strands of tomato paste about the length of each breast. Spread over the breast and into the scoring. 

Heat 2-4 T of olive oil. Put the breasts into the pan scored side up. Brown the bottom on medium to medium high heat for 7-10 minutes. Turn the breasts over. Cook on medium or less heat until they are cooked through about 20 minutes. As they are close to done turn up the heat to medium high and let the breasts char. 

Serve each breast with a spoonful of the thick tomato paste oil. 

While this is a nice hearty meal, I sometimes add a baked potato for each plate. 

Chickpea and Tomato Curry (Chana Masala)

Shoot - another recipe that I was too lazy to write down where I got it from. Betty Crocker has a very similar recipe, but that's not where I found this. Here is another version that ups the Indian spice content. Anywho, I like this dish because the lemon and ginger pop and it's super easy to make. It's also a recipe that scales up really well and the leftovers taste good the next day at the office.

1 T olive oil
1 med onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 T ginger minced
1 T curry powder
2 15 oz cans chick peas
28 oz diced tomatoes
½ c cilantro chopped
½ c italian parsley chopped
1 T lemon juice

Heat olive oil in a skillet.
Add ginger, garlic, onion, and curry powder.
Cook over medium heat until onion is tender, stirring often. About 2-4 mins.
Stir in chickpeas and toms.
Heat to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 15 mins. Add a little water if it dries out too much.
Add cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, and salt.

Serve over rice. Garnish with yogurt.

Martha Stewart's Pan Roasted Chicken

This recipe is primarily Martha Stewart's but I've improved it using bits and bobs from other recipes that I have come across. I always serve this dish with rice.

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 chopped tomato
1/2 onion chopped
3-4 cloves garlic chopped
8-16 olives, green/kalamata, pitted and sliced
3 T capers, drained and rinsed
Handful of roasted pine nuts (optional)
3 T olive oil
Several splashes of madeira cooking sherry or red wine
2 skin-on chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each)
2 skin-on chicken legs
kosher salt

pepper
lemon slices

Heat oven to 475 degrees.
Mix tomatoes, olives, capers with 1 T olive oil - add roasted pine nuts.
Heat a large skillet with rest of olive oil. 

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper - go easy on the salt . 

Place skin down on skillet and cook until deep golden brown (about 4 minutes).

Toss garlic and onions into skillet and splash with madeira.
Cover and let cook for another minute.
Use tongs to flip chicken pieces and toss in tomato mixture.
Place skillet in oven uncovered and cook for 15-18 minutes.

Ginger Parmesan Rice

I love this rice dish. Cheesy and tangy and just good all around. If anyone knows where this is from please let me know, I found this recipe before I was keeping track. If you use brown rice, use water instead of chicken broth because the brown rice doesn't soak up flavor like white rice.

1 c long-grain rice
2 1-inch long pieces ginger - cut into rounds
1 t minced ginger
1 2/3 c chicken broth
2 green onions thinly sliced
3 T vegetable oil
1 T sesame oil
1 t unseasoned rice vinegar
2 T grated parmesan cheese - add more as desired

Cook rice with chicken broth and ginger rounds.
Combine onions and minced ginger in a food processor.
Add oils and vinegar and blend until almost smooth.
Remove ginger from rice and toss with oil mixture and parmesan cheese.

Roast Fennel with Tomatoes and White Beans

This is a fantastic recipe. It is a great holiday time side dish but is satisfying enough to be a main dish over pasta. For leftovers add potato, onion, and prosciutto and fry it all up together. It's good as a hash with eggs of your choice.

For pasta sauce, I add onion and sausage. You can add these to the non pasta version but I think the fennel should be more prominent in the side dish version.

2 sausage links - either cut into rounds or remove skins and chopped into pieces
2 large red onions - about equal to the amount of fennel

Pan fry sausage in skillet prior to cooking fennel and reserve the sausage leaving the oil/fat in the skillet.
Then at end, add sausage back with beans and fennel fronds.

2 large fennel bulbs with fronds
1/2 c approx of finely chopped fennel fronds (optional but add a nice savory flavor)
3/4 c olive oil (use less if desired)
Salt
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
4 large sprigs fresh oregano
3-5 large garlic cloves chopped
1 15 oz can cannellini beans (original recipe called for 2 but I think 1 is better)
Feta cheese for garnish.

Preheat the over to 425.
Chop fronds. Trim fennel bulbs and cut in half vertically. Leave some bottom core intact.
Cut each half into 1/2 inch thick wedges.
Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet until very hot on medium-high heat. (approx 3 mins.)
Add fennel in a single layer and salt to taste.
Cook until fennel starts to brown and soften. Turn occasionally. (approx 11 mins.)
Add tomatoes, garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper, pepper and a little more salt if desired.
Mix gently.

Transfer skillet to oven. Bake for 30 mins. Stir once or twice.
Mix in beans and chopped fennel fronds.
Bake 5 mintues more to heat through. Transfer to large shallow bowl.
Garnish with feta cheese and serve.

Roast Salmon with Chile Caper Vinaigrette

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine. It's a nice solid dish that has a good spicy dressing.

1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 lb.), cut into florets
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
4 6-oz. skinless salmon fillets
1 red Fresno chile or jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings, seeds removed if desired
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons drained capers

Preheat oven to 400°. Toss broccoli and 2 Tbsp. oil on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until browned and crisp-tender, 12–15 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven and rub salmon with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Push broccoli to edges of baking sheet and place salmon in the center. Roast until salmon is opaque throughout, 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine chile, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in small bowl and let sit until chiles are slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Mix in capers and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper.

Serve salmon and broccoli drizzled with chile vinaigrette.

Squash and Bean Minestrone with Arugula Salsa

Great recipe from Bon Appetit. Of course I had to make some substitutions since I can't just make any recipe as is. I used 1/2 lb prosciutto ends instead of the ham hock and it worked perfectly. I used zucchini instead of the squash and sugar snap pea pods instead of the green beans since I couldn't get the squash or green beans at my local store. For some reason they were out, but it didn't matter. 

While the soup is good, the salsa really makes this a special meal. I think the tomatoes are necessary even though the recipe says optional. 

This is important - because I didn't use the ham hocks, I couldn't cook the beans with the ham bone. So, to give the beans that some savory vibe, I used a couple large sprigs of sage. 

Minestrone 

2 smoked ham hocks (about 1½ lb.) or 1/2 lb. prosciutto ends
1 pound dried navy or cannellini (white kidney) beans
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
2 small celery stalks with leaves (from celery heart), chopped
2 cloves garlic cloves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 butternut squash (about 2½ lb.), peeled, cut into ½” pieces
1 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1” pieces
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth1 pound small pasta (such as tiny shells or pipette)
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
2 bunches flat-leaf spinach, thick stems removed

Arugula Salsa

2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped (optional) 
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 cups arugula leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon finely chopped capers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions: Remove meat from ham hocks and cut into large pieces; set meat aside. Place navy beans and ham bones in a large pot; add cold water to cover by 2”. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour.

Heat ¼ cup oil in another large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add ham hock meat, onion, leeks, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 20 minutes. Add squash, green beans, navy beans and soaking liquid, broth, and bones to pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until navy beans are tender, 1½–2 hours.

When soup is almost finished cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil and add ¼ cup parsley and toss to coat.

Discard ham bones. Add spinach and remaining ¾ cup parsley to soup.Divide soup among bowls. Add pasta, top with Arugula Salsa Verde, and drizzle with oil.

Arugula Salsa 
Mix tomatoes, if using, lemon zest, garlic, arugula, breadcrumbs, capers, and vinegar in a small bowl. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix in ¾ cup oil, then Parmesan. Pour a little oil on surface to keep salsa from discoloring.

Stewed Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes and Guanchiale

I liked this recipe but it took too much time for the outcome. I really liked making minestrone with the leftovers!

2 cups dried cannellini beans (3/4 pound), soaked overnight and drained
1 small onion, halved, plus 1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound guanciale or pancetta, finely chopped (I used prosciutto ends)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 dried hot red chiles (I used crushed red pepper)
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
One 28-ounce can peeled whole Italian tomatoes in puree, crushed by hand
1 teaspoon finely chopped marjoram
Freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan, cover the beans and halved onion with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, add a generous pinch of salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain the beans and spread them on a baking sheet to cool slightly; discard the onion.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the guanciale and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until translucent and the fat is just rendered, 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion, garlic and chiles and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened and just starting to brown, 8 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and sage and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juices and bring just to a simmer.

Add the beans to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until coated in a light sauce, about 7 minutes. Stir in the marjoram, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Mushroom Ragù

Like the roast carrots, the ragù is part of a recipe that I didn't want to make since it's not naturally gluten free. I plan on trying the gnocchi with gluten free flour in the next couple weeks. 

It's good solid mushroom sauce that has a nice hearty, almost meaty vibe. If you have any sage, don't be shy about throwing that in. As usual, I substitute olive oil for the butter.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, such as porcini, morels, oyster and hen-of-the-woods, quartered if large 
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock

In a very large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add half of the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tender and just browned, about 7 minutes. Add half each of the shallots, garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. In the skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Return all of the mushrooms to the skillet. Stir in the wine and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and season the ragù with salt and pepper; keep warm over low heat.

Roast Carrots

These carrots come from a larger recipe from Food and Wine Magazine.

I really like these carrots. The coriander and cumin add a wonderful curry-like flavor that complements the natural sweetness of the carrots.

2 pounds medium carrots, preferably mixed colors, halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, finely crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper 

Preheat the oven to 400°. On 2 large rimmed baking sheets, toss the carrots with the olive oil, coriander and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 25 minutes, until crisp-tender; keep warm.