Greek Chicken for Dinner; Dessert in the ER

Oh, my poor, little blog has been so neglected this month.  I’m surprised it didn’t refuse my login ID and password out of spite.  I couldn’t have blamed it.  Sometimes, my real life bears precedence over my e-life, and this February has been one of those times.  I decided my blog needed some love, and I better pick an extra delicious recipe to write about in order to show my true affections for my sweet, little blog.  I chose Greek Chicken Thighs, which I found on my newest food obsession, TasteSpotting (world’s greatest website, I assure you).  The implicated chicken thighs are laden with grape tomatoes, garlic, shallots, lemon, and lush olives.  They are finished with feta and parsley, and I thought this would an utter vision of loveliness over couscous and wilted spinach.  I was particularly smitten over the cooking style: the dish is started on the stove, and then finished in the oven.  The notion of roasted grape tomatoes was irresistible.  This recipe and the ensuing post seemed to be the perfect offering to my neglected blog and readers. 

Let me assure you, the results were everything I hoped for, plus a little more than I bargained for.  What could that be, you ask?  Oh, just a joy ride to the ER due to extensive second-degree burns, and unmanageable pain.  The most attractive element of the dish turned around and bit back: the little trip to the oven.  I got the chicken in the oven safely.  I got it out of the oven without the tiniest hiccup.  My downfall: I wanted it just a touch roastier (no, this is not a word), and thought that a few more minutes in the oven were in order.  The chicken was in a sauté pan.  I usually see such a pan on the stove, and I usually pick up the handle, and this is usually not a problem.  However, it apparently slipped my mind that, on this particular evening, this particular sauté pan had spent some quality time in a 450-degree oven.  


I foolishly and whole-heartedly grabbed the handle.  My hand was on it so briefly that the pan never even lifted off the stove, but this millisecond of contact was still enough to do some major damage.  I now wear a bandage that requires a blueprint and makes me resemble Michael Jackson (if only I could find gauze with sparkles).  Underneath this architectural masterpiece, you can see exactly where the handle touched my skin, clearly delineated in a series of blisters.  Oh, well.  The good news: according the experts at the burn clinic (and I think I can trust them), no skin graft is necessary, and I’ve been prescribed enough Percocet to kill a small horse.  The bad news:  my bandage takes half an hour to assemble, and I am now functioning primarily with my left hand, although I am able to type (hallelujah!).  If something involves heat, moisture, dirt, or chemicals, I am a one-hand show these days (try showering or washing dishes using only your non-dominant hand.  It’s not easy). 

Clearly, by the presence of the pictures of this dish, I was deep in denial about the state of my wound.  Most pictures were taken with my left hand, while the afflicted hand soaked in a bowl of cool water.  Given the circumstances, I think they are pretty good.  And, honestly, this chicken was delicious!  If you are not a lover of dark meat, chicken breasts would be a fine substitute, but don’t come crying to me when they are dry.  I never got around to the sautéed spinach, for obvious reasons, but if you can pull this off and stay out of the ER, I would recommend it.  The moral of this story: be careful in the kitchen; cooking is apparently a dangerous business.  This is not my first kitchen causality, nor will it be my last, but I certainly hope that it is my worst.  Mysteriously, I sober when this occurred.  Perhaps, vodka has protective powers, and I should never be without it.  Hmmm… I will look into it, and get back to you. 

Greek Chicken Thighs (adapted from “For the Love of Cooking”)

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

1-2 shallots, sliced into thin rings

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 ½ -2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat, and cut in half if they are huge

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Garlic salt, to taste (about a teaspoon or so)

Dried oregano, to taste

Half package of grape tomatoes, halved (about 25)

1 lemon juiced

Zest of one lemon

1/3 t- ½ cup of chicken stock

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

10 to 12 Greek olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used a mix of kalamata and green)

Crumbled feta cheese

·      Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (425 at sea level).

·      Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in an oven safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender (about 3-5 minutes).  Remove from the pan, and mix with grape tomatoes.

·      Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with pepper, garlic salt, and oregano to taste on each side. Once the pan is very hot, add the seasoned chicken to the pan.

·      Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken has browned nicely on one side.  While the chicken browns, mix together stock, pepper flakes, lemon zest, and lemon juice (you should have about ½ to ¾ cup liquid).

·      When the chicken is golden, flip it.  Add the sauce mixture, and grape tomato-shallot mixture. Place in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

·      Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley, olives, and feta cheese. 

Chocolate Mousse

Based on the content of my blog, you may have inferred that I do not have much of a sweet tooth.  This inference is, indeed, correct.  If anything I have a “cheese tooth,” to the dismay of my oldest brother, who hates cheese, and is unable to make the majority of my recipes.  So far, I have only made empty promises to amend this for him.  Mind you, there are a few cheese-free recipes on here, but he objects to pivotal ingredients in those, as well.  His dislike of cheese is only the tip of the iceberg. 

Back to the task at hand: I don’t dislike sweets, but I generally don’t seek them out.  I will go weak in the knees over a perfectly moist yellow cake, but I tend to scrape off the frosting.  To most people, this is sacra-religious.  I am also a sucker for instant Jell-O chocolate pudding, and I will make no apologies for this.  The point of this babbling is that I am fully aware that my relationship with dessert is unconventional.  And because of this, I have made a conscious effort to make and post a recipe that fits in the dessert genre.  If you write a blog, and you have the slightest desire for people to actually read it, you must try to keep those readers happy.  One of my readers (also known as, one of my classmates) recently requested a recipe for something sweet.  She told me she likes to make the white bean chili, but longs for a dessert recipe to follow her magnificent meal.  When a very busy person takes time out of her day to read your crazy food rants, how do you not comply with such a request?  Thus, I have bestowed upon you an actual recipe for dessert, and I will try to do this more often. 

I decided to make chocolate mousse because it is sort of like Mary Poppins: practically perfect in every way.  It is composed of the world’s most delicious ingredients:  dark chocolate, heavy cream, eggs, and butter.  As if it couldn’t get any better, this recipe even has a splash of booze in it.  Not only does mousse consist of the most delicious things, but it is comprised of them, and only them.  There’s nothing else in it to dilute their flavors and textures.  Their textures are then enhanced by the process:  the majority of the components are whipped up independently before being combined together.  This results in a mousse that is somehow airy and light, and, simultaneously, rich and creamy.  If this sounds like an impossible feat, you will just have to make it, and discover what the impossible tastes like.     

Chocolate Mousse (recipe from the late Gourmet Magazine)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), chopped

¾ stick unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

3 large eggs, separated

1 tablespoon Cognac or other brandy

1 cup very cold heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

·      Melt chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, gently stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.

·      Meanwhile, beat yolks in a small bowl with an electric mixer until thick enough to form a ribbon that takes a few seconds to dissolve, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture along with Cognac, then cool to warm.

·      Beat cream in a medium bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.

·      Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks.

·      Fold whipped cream and beaten whites into chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Transfer to stemmed glasses, 4-ounces ramekins, or a serving dish.

Cooks' Notes:

•The eggs in this recipe are not cooked.

•Mousse can be chilled, its surface covered with parchment paper, up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

My notes:

I only changed 2 things in this recipe:

1.     I made it with 7 ounces of chocolate, instead of eight.  I did this for two reasons:  someone on epicurious.com recommended it, and the chocolate bars I bought just happened to be 3.5 ounces each. 

2.     I also changed the booze.  I used frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur, because hazelnuts and chocolate are such a lovely combination.  To be honest, I’m not sure if it made a difference, so use your best judgment.

Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant and Chicken Sausage

I've been sitting on this recipe for a while.  When I was in Detroit for Thanksgiving, I went on a Food Network-watching binge.  Amidst all the recipes for stuffing and green bean casserole, Tyler Florence’s baked rigatoni with eggplant was a refreshing change of pace.  I am not exactly a huge fan of Florence’s show.  First of all, the title, “Tyler’s Ultimate,” is a little presumptuous.  Who can really claim to be the authority on the ultimate?  And the presumption doesn’t stop there: he introduces every recipe as the “ultimate [insert food here].”  My favorite is the episode where he makes the “ultimate barbecued ribs,” yet his recipe requires neither a grill, nor a smoker.  As far as I’m concerned, at least one of those cooking methods is requisite to “barbecue” ribs.  Also, someone should inform Tyler of the fact that he compulsively says, “boom” after every thing he does in the kitchen. 

Now that the Tyler-bashing is out of my system, I will admit that he does sometimes prepare some rather appealing recipes.  Perhaps I seem to be backpedaling, but please note that said I’m not a huge fan of the show.  The recipes may be a different story, and, for the right recipe, I can handle verbal ticks, and cocky attitudes.  This eggplant rigatoni is just such a recipe.  It consists of soft eggplant, homemade tomato sauce, chunks of chicken sausage, and rigatoni.  As if those luscious ingredients weren’t enough to make your eyes bulge, it’s all glued together by melty, stringy cubes of mozzarella cheese. And if you have never made your own tomato sauce, consider this your golden opportunity.  The ingredients for tomato sauce are inexpensive, the process is satisfying, and your heart will brim over with pride when you taste it.  This recipe will mess up a multiple pots and pans, but it’s worth it.  Don’t worry:  the time the pasta spends snuggling in the oven is more than enough to tackle those dishes.    

I’m sure you’re asking: “Why? Why would an alleged psycho cooker wait over two months to cook and post about something so wonderful?”  Well, the truth is I actually made it during finals, but I did not have the time to write it up.  Before you get any angrier with me, I must tell you there is an upside to my delayed posting: I have now made this twice.  While the first batch was lovely, the second batch was undoubtedly of a higher caliber.  The version below has the perfect ratio of sauce-to-pasta, and it’s heavy on the sausage and the eggplant, making it virtually a one-pot meal (of course, an extra green vegetable won’t hurt anyone). Eggplant rigatoni: make it; love it.

Eggplant Rigatoni  (adapted from Tyler Florence’s recipe)

Olive oil (plenty of it)

¾ of a pound of raw chicken sausage (about 3 links)

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-28 oz. can whole tomatoes including juices, squashed with your hands

2 bay leafs

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup chopped parsley

1 large eggplant (about 1¼ to 1½ pound), one-inch dice

¾ pound rigatoni

½ pound mozzarella, small dice (10 minutes in the freezer will make chopping easier)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·      Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

·      In another pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil in and heat over medium-high to high heat until the pan is very hot.  Add sausages and allow to brown on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side.  They do not have to be cooked through completely because they will finish cooking in the oven. 

·      Remove sausages and set aside.  Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic to the same pan (the moisture from the onion will pick up any brown bits from the sausage).  Season with salt, and pepper, and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent.

·      Add tomatoes, bay leafs and hot pepper flakes.  Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow sauce to simmer for at least 15-20 minutes.

·      In a large wide pan, heat 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add eggplant.  If it doesn’t fit in a single layer, cook it in batches.  Allow to brown for 7-8 minutes, but it doesn’t have to be completely cooked through because it will cook more in the oven.  Once it is browned, season with salt and pepper.

·      Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in boiling water, but take it out a couple of minutes before it is completely cooked through.  Reserve ½ - 1 cup cooking water before draining.

·      Chop sausages into chunks.  Then combine pasta, eggplant, sauce, sausage, parsley, and mozzarella.  Add pasta cooking water if the pasta looks dry, a couple tablespoons at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.  Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and top with Parmesan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Chicken Tagine with Fennel and Olives

If you are a loyal reader (which, of course, you are), you may remember a slightly disastrous encounter with a recipe for chicken sausage with fennel and lentils.  The purpose of that recipe was to experiment with fennel, and the results were boring, and lacking asthetic appeal.  However, in January’s issue of Bon Appetit, I found the answer to my fennel prayers: a chicken tagine with fennel and olives (a tagine is essentially a North African style of braising.  For more information, see my glossary).  Honestly, the title alone had me weak in the knees, and further investigation validated my initial sentiments.  This recipe has some of my favorite ingredients, which happen to be a perfect counterpoint to the fragrant, sweet fennel. What could better balance its anise flavor than salty, briny, meaty, green olives?  The remaining ingredients only augmented my high expectations, and rightfully so: cumin, paprika, lemon, and cilantro.  And all of those delicious elements come together in a lush sauce that pairs perfectly with couscous.   

In addition to the enticing recipe, Bon Appetit provided me with an entire article on fennel, exposing me to all sorts of coveted fennel facts.  For example, fennel is currently in-season.  As if this perfect recipe isn’t enough of a reason to run out to your nearest fennel provider, the “in-season” factor should give you added incentive.  Fennel also happens to be a heavyweight when it comes to nutrition.  I found this surprising:  usually we associate brightly colored vegetables with high nutritional value.  But, apparently, the perfectly pale fennel bulb is packed with fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, amongst other anti-oxidants.  Additionally, anethole, the substance accountable for fennel’s distinctive licoricy flavor, has anti-inflammatory properties, and who couldn’t use that?

Chicken Tagine with Fennel and Olives (adapted from Bon Appetit’s recipe)

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium-sized fennel bulbs, halved, cored, and cut into thin slices

2 teaspoons cumin

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Juice of one lemon, divided

2 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup coarsely chopped green olives, packed in brine

½ cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

§  Heat olive oil over medium-high to high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until very hot.  Place chicken thighs in pan.  If the pan is hot enough, this should be very noisy.  Leave undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until nicely brown.  Flip and cook on other side for 2-3 minutes.

§  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  Remove excess fat from pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons (this can be done carefully with a paper towel)

§  Add fennel to the pan, allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to brown.

§  Add chicken back to the pan.  Add stock, half of lemon juice, spices, and salt/pepper.  Stir to combine.

§  Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, and cover.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken in cooked through.

§  Add olives, and increase heat to allow sauce to reduce for about 5 minutes.

§  Add remaining lemon juice and cilantro.  Serve chicken, fennel, and sauce over couscous and garnish with extra cilantro.

Comments:  I had dangerously high expectations for this recipe, and it somehow managed to exceed them.  The above recipe includes a few minor revisions, compared to the original, and I wouldn’t alter this preparation for anything.  This dish is perfectly balanced.  For those of you who are weary of fennel’s strong anise flair, braising it in this fashion manages to mellow, but not drown out, the flavors.  The cumin lends a touch of smokiness; the hot pepper flakes add a little kick; the lemon brings its usual bright acidity; and the cilantro is an appropriate accompaniment, and not the least bit overpowering, as it sometimes can be.  The original recipe actually calls for a full cup of it, but I added only a half-cup, and it was still enough to make a difference in the flavor, but not so much that it becomes the only flavor.  Even after eating for multiple days in a row, I was mournful over the final serving.  If you are looking for something delicious, but a little unexpected for dinner, chicken tagine with fennel and olives will cure you of this craving.   

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is quite deceptive.  It sounds decadent, luxurious, and potentially difficult to make. You can serve this meal to anyone, and they will most likely be impressed, and feel sort of spoiled.  In truth, shrimp scampi is what I like to call an “affordable luxury.”  It is actually entirely affordable, and can be ready in less than thirty minutes.  When I was in college, I referred to shrimp scampi as “my go-to meal.”  By this I mean that, with a little thought, I generally had all of the necessary ingredients, so even when I was super busy, I could whip it up after a long day, and be perfectly content.  While my definition of “super busy” has certainly changed since my college days, this meal will satisfy, regardless.  Unfortunately, I forgot about this gem of a recipe until a couple of weeks ago.  Apparently, I missed it thoroughly, because I have made it three times since the shrimp graced my freezer.  

Frozen, raw shrimp are the key to the convenience and ease of my shrimp scampi recipe.  They usually come in one-pound bags, which is perfect for four portions.  Not only is this an easy item to stash in the freezer, but it is the most expensive ingredient, and it will cost you less than 10 dollars (i.e. less than $2.50 a plate).  In addition to the shrimp, you need pasta, garlic, a lemon, and some parsley.  Despite my warped perspective on parsley, I can say with confidence that it is mandatory in this dish.  Without it, you are eating a big plate of blonde.  Besides the crucial color element, parsley is used as an ingredient, not as a garnish.  It’s freshness and brightness round out the flavor of the whole dish.  Plus, where I shop, a bunch of flat leaf parsley costs fifty cents, so you have no excuse not to use it.  And the flavor of this dish is truly perfect.  Granted, shrimp scampi basically consists of all of my favorite ingredients on one plate, but I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t love it.  Lemon and garlic were practically made for each other, and the flavor of the shrimp infuses the whole sauce.  Even if you were feeling very generous and gave all of your shrimp to your friend, and only ate the pasta, you would still notice a distinct difference in flavor between this and lemon-garlic-parsley pasta, which, of course, I have nothing against.  However, the presence of the shrimp elevates it to entirely different place.

The following recipe is for one portion, and it can be easily doubled, tripled, etc.  Also, it must be noted that this recipe is fairly spicy, and lemony, and depending on your tastes, you may want to tone it down.

Shrimp Scampi

¼ lb. of frozen, raw shrimp

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil  

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Zest and juice of half a lemon

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ pound of linguine pasta (of course the type of pasta is up to you, but I ALWAYS use linguine here.  But it also happens to be my favorite long pasta)

¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional and controversial)

§  Allow frozen shrimp to sit in a large bowl of cold, but not frigid, water, for 5-10 minutes, or until thawed.  Remove shells and tails, and devein, if necessary.  Pat dry.  Meanwhile, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

§  Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until hot.  Add pasta to boiling water.

§  When the skillet is hot, add garlic and hot pepper flakes, and sauté for 30 seconds or until garlic is fragrant.

§  Add the shrimp to the pan.  Season liberally with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with lemon zest (it’s easiest just to zest the lemon directly into the pan).  When they start to curl and look pink on the bottom edges (about 3 minutes), flip the shrimp, and allow them to continue to cook.

§  The shrimp are done when they are pink and the sides look opaque, not translucent (underdone shrimp are just as bad as overdone).

§  When the pasta and shrimp are done, add the lemon juice to the pan, and then the pasta.  Reserve ½ to 1 cup pasta cooking water.  Toss the pasta with the shrimp and parsley.  Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper if necessary.  If the pasta seems dry, add pasta water (a couple tablespoons at a time) until you reach the desired consistency.  An extra drizzle of olive oil is also nice. 

§  Plate the pasta and shrimp, top with Parmesan, if desired, and enjoy!

§  Note: at high altitudes, the shrimp and the pasta will take about the same amount of time to cook.  At sea level, the shrimp will usually be done faster, but it all depends on how high your heat is.  If the shrimp are done before the pasta, remove the pan from the heat until the pasta is ready.  If the pasta is done, and the shrimp are mostly cooked, add the pasta to the pan, and kept the heat on low.  The heat of the pasta will help them finish cooking. 

Comments:  I think it’s fairly clear that I love this, and you will, too.  I also love to shower it in feathery shavings of Parmesan cheese.  This is fairly controversial:  Italian cooking lore states that cheese and seafood do not pair well.  I disagree.  This does not mean that I will be melting cheddar on Chilean sea bass; however, I feel that hard cheeses, like Parmesan and pecorino, are appropriate in certain seafood situations.  I love it on shrimp scampi, but each chef must make this decision for him or herself.

Now that the great cheese debate it settled, I will present you with another option for this dish.  If you’re pockets are feeling flush, you may want to add some white wine to your scampi.  To do so, start to cook the shrimp before you add the pasta to the boiling water.  When they are just shy of done, remove them from the pan, and set them aside.  Add about ½ cup of dry white wine to the pan.  Increase the heat, allow it to reduce by about half (2-3 minutes).  When the pasta is just shy of al dente, add the shrimp back to the pan, and the lemon juice, then the pasta.  Do everything else the same.  This really provides some lovely additional flavors, but for broke grad students like myself, the other way is cheaper and still perfectly delicious.  It’s just too bad for me that white wine and vodka aren’t interchangeable in the culinary sphere.  Oh, well.  Even if it doesn’t work well with shrimp scampi, it still pairs perfectly with ice.