Hot and Sour Soup has been one of my almost favorite things for years. I love love love tangy dishes, especially when that tang comes from copious amounts of vinegar or citrus. Plus, this soup has a lot of the flavors I love in Chinese cooking - lots of porky goodness, warm nutty toasted sesame oil, a good kick of heat, and the firm tofu that aids in rounding out some of these intense flavors. What was keeping me from truly embracing it was the texture. You know what I'm talking about here - that thick, gloopy broth that isn't so different from what runs out of my nose during allergy season? Yeah, not appetizing.
Surprisingly, lots of recipes online call for the addition of a corn starch slurry to be added to the soup to achieve that undesirable viscosity, so apparently there are those of you out there that enjoy it. Me, not so much. When I stumbled across this gem, I knew it was a keeper. It has been on repeat in our house for quite a while now, mainly because it comes together super fast and nearly all the ingredients are things you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.
I usually try not to get too nostalgic about my food memories, but I feel an urge to for this post. When I tasted this version of hot and sour soup, I immediately remembered the first time I had egg drop soup that wasn't prepared in a Chinese restaurant's kitchen. A high school girlfriend invited me over for dinner one night at her parent's house, and I gladly accepted, without knowing of the amazing treats that lay ahead of me. Her mom's egg drop soup was divine; homemade chicken stock, perfectly cooked ribbons of egg, a subtle hint of lemon, and none of that slippery, goopy texture. I never knew it could be that good. This recipe reminds me a lot of that - simple, yet packed with flavor and super comforting, something a friend's mom or grandma would make. I was 16 at the time, and I still remember that entire meal. Along side the soup, we had bean sprouts quickly sauteed with soy and butter, perfectly cooked rice, and fried spring rolls. Heaven.
I didn't make any alterations to this recipe, since I think it's pretty much perfect already, but there is of course room to make it more sour or spicy to suit your tastes. I've been reading cookbooks a little obsessively lately, and this little gem was from Flour, Too by Joanne Chang. Seriously, check it out - it is full of amazing goodies, and lots of sweets, which I need to start making more sparingly... it's been like Christmas here with all the cookies, brownies, cakes, etc that I've had around. I can't remember the last time I didn't eat at least 2 cookies in a day. But enough of my new baking/eating my baking addiction.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 scallions, sliced thin, plus
more for garnish
1/2 lb ground pork*
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 lb firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 - 5 button mushrooms, cleaned and
thinly sliced
1 tsp sugar
2/3 cup rice vinegar, plus
more to taste
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp sriracha, plus more to taste
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Prep all your ingredients before you even set your pot over the heat, since this soup comes together super fast. You can use pre-ground pork from the supermarket, or *grind your own, which is what I prefer. Simply take a pork tenderloin or some boneless chops and cut them into smaller hunks that your food processor can handle, and place them on a plate. Put the pork in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up a touch so when you process it, it doesn't get all gummy on you. Once the pork is slightly firmed up from the freezer, toss it in 1/2 pound increments into your food processor and give 5 - 7 1 second pulses. Set aside the 1/2 pound needed for the soup and refrigerate or freeze what remains. You'll now have delicious ground pork with no mystery cuts and much less fat than what you'd get at the grocer.
Place a large saucepan over medium high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the ground pork, ginger, garlic and scallions, stirring occasionally for ~1 minute. Break up the pork a bit with your spoon, but don't fret about getting into fine pieces - some variation in its texture is very welcome in this soup. When it gets to about this point, you'll want to add the stock:
Dial up the heat and cover to bring the soup to a simmer, which should take a couple of minutes. Add the the remaining ingredients except the eggs, and cook uncovered till it comes to a simmer. Once there, start swirling the soup with a fork while you slowly pour in the beaten eggs. Serve immediately with a touch more sesame oil, scallion greens for garnish, and rice vinegar and sriracha at the ready if you want a bit more bite to your soup.
Recipe for 'Mama Chang's Hot and Sour Soup' from Joanne Chang's Flour, Too
It was a bit difficult for me to decide on a name for this soup, since there is so much going on in it. Some of the prospects were carrot and sweet potato soup with peanut, or speedy african style carrot soup with coconut milk, or carrot, sweet potato and kale soup. I decided to go with the flavor profile that dominated the soup, which is kind of a riff of african style peanut soup, but much heartier and nutritious.
Not only is this soup super quick and easy to prepare, it can also act as a foundation for a heartier meal, if you prefer. Since this recipe (as most of the ones I put on here) makes a very large batch, I've found that it freezes well and by adding any protein you wish along with a favorite bean or legume. The yield you get from this recipe along with its versatility makes it very cost effective since it keeps in the freezer so well and can be deliciously stretched.
Since I'm writing this with a writhing 2 year old on my lap, I can't really elaborate on why/how I came to making this soup except for the fact that the last time I made carrot soup, the blade broke on my immersion blender since the sliced carrots weren't smushy enough after 30 minutes of cooking. So this time I shredded them so I wouldn't damage my new tool, and wouldn't have to cook the things forever. Needless to say, my little one loved it, especially for how it only kept her out of my undivided attention for a short while.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb organic carrots, scrubbed
3 small or 2 medium sweet
potatoes, peeled
1 small sweet onion, diced
3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp sweet curry powder
1 tsp corriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flake,
according to taste
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 14 ounce can low fat coconut
milk
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
4 cups water
~8 ounces kale, washed and lightly chopped, removing most of the stems
3 - 4 Tbsp creamy natural peanut butter (more if you'd like your soup extra peanuty)
Place a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and onion along with a fat pinch of kosher salt. Saute for 4 - 6 minutes till onions are beginning to turn translucent.
Meanwhile, run the carrots and sweet potatoes through the shredder attachment in your food processor, or use a standard cheese grater. Add the shredded root veggies to the sauteed onion and add another pinch of salt along with all the spices. Stir well and reduce heat to medium low and cover. Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once to prevent the veg from sticking to the pot.
Uncover and add the coconut milk, stock, water, and peanut butter. Stir well then add the kale with another pinch of salt. Bring to a steady simmer and cover, dialing heat to low. Let simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until root veggies are tender (this may take less than 20 minutes).
Now your soup is technically done, but I reccomend taking it one step further and blitzing it with an immersion blender (easy and quick way) or using your regular blender. I prefer it smooth, but serve to your tastes.
This dish ended up being vegan unintentionally, but you may want to add a plain yogurt drizzle to offset a some of the heat that the red pepper provides. Or, reserve a bit of coconut milk and drizzle that into your bowl. Both ways are very delicious.
What can I say, rice always seems to make its way into my 'fast and easy' meal choices during the week. Needless to say, we eat a lot of rice in our house, and my version of rice pilaf has a bit of delightful toasted orzo added to it, transforming it into what my husband likes to call 'rice a roni, but better.'
This one is especially quick since a lot of the ingredients are easy to keep on hand for whenever the mood strikes you to whip something like this up. It's definitely filling enough for a meal for 3 and elegant (and easy) enough as a side with a larger meal for special guests. I put mushrooms in just about everything, but feel free to tweak it by adding or subbing in some of your favorite veg.
INGREDIENTS
for the lemony rice pilaf
1 cup of your favorite long grain rice
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
peel and juice of medium lemon
2 tsp sea salt
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
for the spinach and chickpeas
1 lb bag of frozen organic chopped spinach
1 14 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
and smashed a bit with potato masher
1 medium onion, chopped
10 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Place a medium pot that has a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add the oil, butter and onion and saute till the onion begins turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the orzo and stir constantly till the orzo has become golden brown. Add the rice and stir for another 2 minutes, then add the broth, lemon juice and peel. Bring to a boil over high and stir once, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 additional minutes.
While the rice is cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil and onion with a pinch of salt. Saute till softened, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook till the liquid has released, then add the frozen spinach and another pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 5 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chickpeas and stir well, cooking long enough for them to be heated through.
Remove the lemon peel from the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the spinach and chickpeas over the rice and top with the feta or parm. This dish is great served family style, particularly if it will be as a side, or in individual bowls.
Recently my mom was asking me if I knew of some versatile new seasoning she could try to liven up her cooking a bit. I felt a bit stuck in a rut myself, and remembered that I've always wanted to try making sofrito but have been too lazy... so of course I told my mom she should make it, since she usually has more gumption than me in the kitchen. Luckily my mom has always been very generous, and froze me a cup of this amazing stuff. It can really go in just about anything, particularly any Latin American dish, and make it something really spectacular. Sofrito is so fragrant that its pungent aroma can be noticed through a zip lock bag, after the sofrito has been frozen.
I had a bunch of leftover braised pork shoulder from a ramen experiment, and had no idea what to do with it. I remembered the sofrito my mom had left me in the freezer and knew I should incorporate that. I just started cooking, not having any clue where I was going to end up, but thankfully I wrote it all down because this meal ended up being really tasty. Not to mention fast, which is what I needed the day I made it since my daughter needed my undivided attention, hence the lack of photos in this post.
INGREDIENTS
for the sofrito rice
1 cup of your favorite long grain rice
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 cup sofrito
1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken stock or water
2 tsp adobo seasoning
for the twice cooked pork
~2 lb cooked pork shoulder (about 4 cups)
-I prepared mine by slowly braising it in a stock that had been made by simmering dried
shitake mushrooms and kotsuobushi, but any way you've cooked it (unless its been
slathered in barbecue sauce) where a mild flavor is yielded should work.
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 heaping Tbsp adobo seasoning
1 tsp cumin
6 - 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup unfiltered cider vinegar
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Place a medium pot over medium high heat and add the sunflower oil and onion. Saute for about 3 minutes, then add the sofrito. Cook till nearly all the moisture has evaporated, then add the rice. Saute for a few minutes till most of the rice has toasted a bit and turned opaque. Add the stock or water and adobo. Bring to a boil, giving it a couple good stirs while it comes up to temp. Cover and dial heat back to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice sit for another 10 - 15 minutes, covered. Don't peek!
While the rice is cooking, place a large enameled cast iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating up, quickly pull apart the cooked pork if needed. Add the oil and pork to the pan, followed by the garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and give it a good stir. Cook and stir occasionally till nearly every bit of moisture has evaporated and the pork starts sizzling again. Add a bit more vinegar or hot sauce to taste.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve in a large bowl, topping it with the pork and black beans. Serve with lots of hot sauce, or some nice crema and cilantro, or serve it along side some corn tortillas or roll it all up in a burrito. Either way, it's going to be really delicious.
*updated 9.24.13
For me, savory pancakes rarely disappoint. These Korean Pancakes are more like a savory crepe though; instead of being filled with succulent goodies, these have them mixed right into the batter. It makes them a bit more difficult to flip, but they come out looking really lovely and the slightly caramelized add ins are on display.
These are very simple and easy to make, but just like with any pancake or crepe recipe, there is some personal fine tuning occasionally needed. Even though the first couple attempts may not produce the most beautiful pancake, they will always taste amazing. They are thin with slightly crisp edges that have a subtle chew, and an intensely flavorful and quick sauce to season them with is all you need to make this a complete snack or appetizer.
Customarily the simplest recipes call for only a healthy amount of scallions added, but I had some bean sprouts I needed to use up so I tossed those in as well. You can really add whatever you like, as long as its done sparingly. A little goes a long way with these, and you don't want to weigh them down too much or they will be impossible to flip without tearing. Some coarsely chopped rock shrimp, thinly sliced mushrooms, julienned bamboo shoots - have fun with it.
INGREDIENTS
makes about 4 pancakes; 4 1st course/appetizers or 2 snacks
3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup AP flour
* You can easily use all rice flour, or AP flour for this (although you'll get a thicker and less delicate pancake with AP flour), but I prefer this ratio the best.
~3/4 cup ice water
1 egg beaten
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
3 cups bean sprouts
1 bunch scallions
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
canola oil for frying the pancakes
for the dipping sauce
scant Tbsp gochujang (korean hot pepper paste)
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Start with preparing the sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small glass bowl and whisk together. Taste and adjust ingredients to your preference. Set aside.
Place a 12" non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the butter and Bragg's. Add the well rinsed and dried bean sprouts to the pan. Saute for 8 minutes, or until nearly all liquid has evaporated. If there is still quite a bit of liquid left in the pan after 8 minutes, create an open space in the center of the pan by pushing the sprouts to the edges. Dial up the heat a bit and let most of the remaining liquid cook off. Place the cooked sprouts onto a plate and set aside.
While your sprouts are cooking, thinly slice the white part of the scallions and chop the green into 1 - 2 inch pieces. Combine the flour(s), egg, fish sauce and most of the water. Whisk until just combined. The batter should resemble crepe batter, or a very thin pancake batter. You may need to add more ice water if this isn't the case.
Place an 8" non-stick skillet over medium heat and add a scant Tbsp of canola oil. Add a quarter of the chopped scallions (both white and green) and saute for about a minute. Add a quarter of the cooked bean sprouts. Add a couple ladlefuls of your pancake batter, taking care to swirl the pan around immediately after to create a thin pancake. Cook until the top of the pancake looks nearly completely dry, then carefully flip and cook for another minute. These steps will look something like this:
Continue the process 3 more times, mixing the batter a little to prevent it separating before using every time. Serve immediately or at room temperature with the spicy, salty, tangy dipping sauce.
I've been making pasta like this for about as long as I can remember, so I never thought of it being something I could translate into a recipe. As we were inhaling it the other day though I thought to myself, why not? It probably seems insanely easy to me because I've made it over 100 times (probably just really easy for some), but maybe others will take it as something slightly different from their go-to weeknight meals.
So, here it is, in all its simplistic and kinda cheating glory. My daughter has always loved this dish, and I usually make it right before the weekend hits so that she and my husband will have something more nutritious to eat while I'm at work besides blueberry scones from our local coffee place. It keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days, or you can definitely freeze it up to 2 months. Toss it into some airtight containers and into the freezer, and you have some homemade frozen dinners!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb Trader Joe's high fiber penne (or your favorite tubular pasta)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce plus 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes w/ no salt added OR
1/2 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce plus 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes w/ no salt OR
1 28 ounce + 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes... no salt added
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled
12 - 16 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, quartered or thickly sliced, your preference
2 small zucchini peeled (optional) and sliced into half moons
1/2 medium or 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 lb sun dried tomato and basil chicken sausage OR your favorite chicken sausage OR
leave it out
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Parmesan cheese
Place a large pot of water on the stove and crank the heat to get it boiling. Place your largest (I use a 16" round and 2.5" deep saute pan) pan over medium heat and get your olive oil in. Add the onion with a pinch of kosher or sea salt and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes.
While your onion is softening up, toss your garlic into a food processor and pulse till well chopped. Add the canned diced tomatoes and process till relatively smooth. If you don't have a food processor, a blender or immersion blender would work too, just don't let it go for too long. Let the tomato/garlic puree hang out while you prepare the rest of the sauce.
Add the mushrooms to the somewhat softened onion with a pinch of salt and saute till they release most of their moisture. Add the zucchini and cook for about 4 minutes. It'll look about like this:
Remove the sausage from its casing and break it into pieces as you add it to the pan. Cook for about 6 minutes, mashing the sausage with the back of a wooden spoon to break it up a bit. If you like your sauce extra chunky, leave it be.
Add the tomato/garlic puree to the veg and sausage. Let it cook for a few minutes before adding the spaghetti sauce (if using). Reduce heat to low and stir occasionally while you get the pasta going.
By now your water should be at a ripping boil. Add about 1 Tbsp of kosher salt and drop in your pasta. Cook for half of the manufacturers recommended cooking time. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain the par cooked pasta.
Dump the pasta into the sauce (or, if you don't have a pan large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, carefully pour the sauce into the pot the pasta cooked in, followed by the drained noodles) and stir pretty much continuously for the remainder of the manufacturer's cooking time. At first it will look like this,
but as it cooks some of the sauce will absorb into the pasta, making it extra tasty, and it will look more like this:
Deeper in color, and much more flavorful than pasta cooked till al dente, then added to the sauce. I read an article by Christopher Kimball of Cook's Illustrated that featured this technique, and it really does works every time. Half the cooking time of whatever pasta you're using, cook it the remaining time in a lovely sauce. Many people say they love pasta even more on the second day... well, that's because it has absorbed a lot of the sauce. You get this result the first time with this dish, which I love.
Turn off the heat and add the butter, stirring well till it is completely melted and combined. You may think to yourself, 'butter in tomato sauce? I'm just going to skip it.' Just try it. It's not life altering, but it makes the dish memorably good, instead of just okay.
Serve with lots of grated Parmesan and share it with people you love. Or even just like a little, since you didn't really break a sweat making this dish.
I've always loved fried rice, but never made it at home. We used to get Chinese take out frequently enough that I never had the desire or need to make it at home. Since we've cut down on eating out, I've been craving it something awful. I figured, how hard can it actually be to make? Not very! I know the instructions seem way too long for this to be an easy meal, but it's only very descriptive since the length of cooking time varies for the veg, and to keep it simple a little order is needed.
The only 'trick' involved in making this dish is using 'day old' rice, which really means cold rice. You can definitely make the rice the day you want to prepare fried rice, you just have to ensure the rice is completely cold before doing so. Being an infamously impatient person when it comes to food, I surprisingly find it easier to make the rice the night before, and let it cool enough to put it in the fridge. Then I can make it whenever I want over the next few days - no pressure.
This dish comes together in a snap, and we've started referring to it as 'garbage rice', much in the same vain as garbage eggs. You can throw whatever is in your fridge that looks good in here. I'm only including in the recipe what I used for the batch pictured, but you can really get creative here. Or not. That's the beauty of fried rice. Add some protein and make it a complete meal, or keep it very simple for a side.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice, or your favorite
rice
2 3/4 - 3 cups water (if using brown rice, use all 3)
2 Tbsp canola or neutral oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 lb button mushrooms (or any other favorite),
thickly sliced
7 - 10 radishes, halved then cut into sixths
1 cup frozen peas (I prefer petit pois)
1/4 purple cabbage (or your fave variety), thinly
sliced
1 bunch (usually 6 - 10) scallions, sliced thinly on
the bias, with a bit set to the side for garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
~4 Tbsp post poaching liquid, Bragg's Amino Acids or fave soy sauce
for the chicken (optional)
2/3 cup Bragg's Amino Acids or low sodium soy
sauce
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 inch knob of peeled ginger, smashed
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp sake (optional)
1 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
other ingredients you may have on hand or want to try...
bamboo shoots, baby corn, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, eggplant, zucchini, tofu, pork or beef, edamame, sliced turnip, sweet potato, snow peas, kale or any other green, quinoa in place of rice... go crazy.
If using brown rice, bring 3 cups of water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the rice and bring back to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 40 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit covered (don't peek, no matter how much you're tempted) for 15 more minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork. To cool down fast, spread rice out on a cookie sheet till room temp, then place it in the fridge to get cold. If using rice on a later date, you can still use the same method, just pack it up in an air tight container and toss in the fridge.
*If using a white rice, add a bit of oil to you pan and saute the rice till it becomes more opaque, then add the water. Bring to a boil and cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The remaining preparation is the same as with brown rice.
I like to make the chicken first, so it can cool while I prepare the fried rice. Combine the Bragg's or soy, garlic, ginger, mirin and sake in a small pot. Cut the breast(s) into 2 equal pieces. Place into the poaching liquid and turn heat on to low and cover. Keep an eye on this, as you don't want it to do anything more than a gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove the chicken and set aside. Crank the heat up to medium high for 5 minutes to reduce the poaching liquid a bit. Set aside till cool enough to touch, then shred with your fingers into bite size pieces.
In a very large pan, add the canola oil and dial heat up to medium high. Add the mushrooms and cook till they've released all their liquid, about 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the radishes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook till it becomes fragrant, about 1 minute. Don't forget to stir occasionally between the additions.
Dump in all your cold rice at once and stir very well. Add the frozen peas and shredded chicken and stir well. Push the rice up to the sides of the pan to make a little 'well' in the middle of the pan. Add the 1 Tbsp of sesame oil and the beaten eggs. Scramble your eggs, leaving big curds if that's what you prefer, or stir constantly to get a smaller curd. Stir the rice into the eggs, then add the scallions. Add ~4 Tbsp of the poaching liquid (more or less, depending on your tastes. Start with a little - you can always add more) and stir well. Taste for seasoning and serve with a sprinkle of sliced scallion and extra soy sauce or poaching liquid. Any extra poaching liquid can be stored in a squeeze bottle or airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
We're wild about chicken tikka masala in our house, and this recipe uses a very similar preparation with the chicken. I thought about using it in another dish, and what could be more perfect than fajitas? Paired with a refreshing and creamy raita, they couldn't have turned out better.
This recipe comes together fast, and my 2 year old loved it. Its a lovely little twist on a classic favorite, and fun enough to make for company. It can easily be made vegetarian by subbing some extra firm tofu for the chicken thighs.
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or
1 lb firm or extra firm tofu
16 oz plain whole milk yogurt
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
pinch cayenne pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1 - 2 red peppers thinly sliced, or any
combination you prefer
1 medium - small red onion, thinly sliced
milk mayonnaise made with 1/2 cup fresh
cilantro (optional)
1 Tbsp canola oil
6 spinach or plain flour tortillas
for the raita:
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and finely
chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Combine the plain yogurt with the next 9 ingredients in a medium glass bowl and stir well to combine. Add the chicken thighs one at a time, thoroughly dredging each one in the yogurt marinade before adding the next. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight fitting lid and let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 4.
Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the raita in a medium glass bowl and stir well. Season to taste. Cover tightly with plastic and place in fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to marry.
When ready to cook the fajitas, line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set in a large cooling rack, like this one. Spray well with canola oil. Turn your oven's broiler on to high (you can also grill this if you like). Pull the chicken out of the dish on piece at a time, running hand along chicken to remove most of the yogurt. Lay atop the rack in a single row.
Place under the broiler and cook for 12 minutes a side, flipping the chicken after the first side has received a nice char. Remove the chicken and set aside to let cool, then slice into thin strips.
While the chicken is broiling, set a large non-stick pan over medium high heat and add the canola oil. Add the onion and saute for 4 minutes, or till they begin to soften. Add the peppers and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or nuke them for several seconds in the microwave to soften them. Add an equal amount of chicken to peppers and onions. Drizzle with cilantro milk mayo and serve raita on the side or in the fajita. Serve immediately.
This is one of my husband's favorite dishes. I always make it on a Friday so him and the little one can slowly house it over the weekend while I'm at work. And of course, it's another vehicle for spinach. It couldn't be easier, and I nearly always have the ingredients on hand. There is a lot of cheese in this, so instead of grabbing a jarred pasta sauce, which is the easiest route, I tend to go for unsalted diced tomatoes from a can to make a quick sauce. It only tacks on a few more minutes, but it is definitely worth it for the flavor you end up with.
You can also get this pasta dish assembled ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a few days before you bake it off. Need to freeze it for up to 3 months? No problem. Ensure it's tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, then foil, and place in the deep chill. Just thaw it in the fridge at least 1 day in advance before baking @ 350* for ~90 minutes, till the cheese starts to turn golden and the sauce is bubbling up on the sides.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ziti, cooked a few minutes
shy of al dente
1 28 oz can + 1 14 oz can unsalted
diced tomatoes, pref organic
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
2 garlic cloves, chopped
pinch of salt and pepper
1 1 lb bag frozen chopped
spinach, pref organic
~6 ounces soft goat cheese
~8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350*. Set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, set a large (12") non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp or so of olive oil. Add the onion and saute till translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the frozen spinach and cook, stirring occasionally for 8 more minutes. Blitz the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and marjoram in a food processor and add to the spinach. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta 3 minutes shy of al dente per brand's instructions. Drain well, and place back in pot. Pour over the spinach and tomato sauce. Crumble in the goat cheese and give only a couple of stirs. Having a few pieces of whole soft goat cheese in here is lovely- you don't want it completely integrated.
Pour the pasta into your favorite 9 x 13ish casserole dish that has been lightly spritzed with olive or canola oil. Shred the mozzarella with your hands and evenly top the pasta with it. Sprinkle with Parmasan. Bake on the center rack of your oven for about 30 - 45 minutes, or till mozzarella is completely melted and the Parm has started to brown. Allow casserole to sit for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
