Chicken Mole: Slow Cooker

A while back I saw 10th Avenue Burrito's YouTube clip from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Ever since then, I've wanted to try and make my own mole sauce. I went to the restaurant to taste theirs, because the clip just made my mouth water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4wqNRjKBkw

I mean, seriously. The amount of ingredients...

But I found their pork mole to be a bit bland. Maybe I was expecting a 4th of July in my mouth due to all the amazing ingredients, but I thought their signature dish was just, "eh."  Perhaps it's the lack of sauce? The wait time from kitchen to plate? Regardless, I wanted to try and make my own.

I found this recipe at: http://www.honeygheeandme.com/2013/03/crock-pot-chicken-mole-simple-html/


As per that website:

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. chicken (I used 2 breasts & 2 thighs- bone-in, skins removed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp ghee (or butter)

1 medium onion, chopped (2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)

5 large whole tomatoes, skins removed- see how-to below (or 1 can whole tomatoes)

5 dried New Mexico chilies, chopped

1/4 cup almond butter (unsalted, crunchy or smooth are fine- keep in mind chunky adds a crunch to the finished product)

2.5 ounces dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe’s salt & pepper chocolate, see photo above)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp guajillo chili powder

1 tsp salt

So, this is how the magic happens...

First you chop the onion and garlic and saute it in 1 tbsp of butter. Then add that to the crock pot. Using the same skillet, this time on high, add the other tbsp of butter. Rub the chicken down with salt and pepper and saute about 3 minutes per side. I used 2 lb of chicken thighs. Add to crock pot.

I used canned Italian whole peeled tomatoes since it's not exactly tomato season here in Jersey. I added the can to the crock pot. 

As for the chile peppers... Great article that I found. Yes, I research my dinners. http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/content/files/00%20winter.pdf

"New Mexico chilies" just didn't cut it for me. So I went to the international section and managed to find 2 out of the 3 mole chiles. I used 2 mulato and 2 pasilla, both chopped after discarding the seeds. I also have no idea how hot this dish will be, but so much of the heat is in the seeds so I figured I could always add more heat later if I needed to. I couldn't find the ancho chile peppers, but I thought 66.6% was okay. Add to crock pot. 

I used crunch almond butter, and just eyeballed it. Which means it was more like half a cup. 

I also used ghiradelli dark chocolate. Not because I'm a snob, because it was on sale. 2 oz. 

Then I added the dry spices. I also threw in half a box of raisins, since that's traditional, but not included in this recipe. Be careful with raisins. People think they are healthy, but their sugar content is off the charts. I didn't add tortilla strips though, which is also traditional...

Now, I could have blended this all up, and I still might with my immersion blender. I like having the option. But I think it cooks down enough that it's not really necessary. I set it to low for 6 hours and it smells and tastes delicious! So many flavors... Highly recommend. 

Pasta Fagioli

This recipe comes from: http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2012/01/pasta-e-fagioli/ I am posting it here because it is by far the closest thing I have ever made to my grandmother's famous pasta fagioli. Now, if you're the type of person who likes the variety that comes from Olive Garden, just know that this is very, VERY different. And it's delicious. And the best thing in the world to eat on a cold, snowy night.

My additions: My grandmother's secret: always add the celery LEAVES. Also, I didn't add the carrot. My grandmother never put carrots in her pasta fagioli. I also didn't add the pancetta or bacon. My grandmother would have used water, but I went with the chicken broth and loved it. Definitely use cannellini and ditalini. And do not over puree. Just enough to make the color change. I love this soup! Enjoy!



Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Large Carrot, Finely Chopped
2 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Pancetta or Bacon (Optional)
6 Peeled, Seeded and Chopped Ripe Roma Tomatoes (or About 1 (14 Ounce) Can Chopped Tomatoes)
1 Quart Chicken Broth
2 (14 Ounce) Tins Cannellini Beans (or Equivalent, Prepared From Dried)
1 1/4 Cup Small Pasta (Tubettini or Ditalini)
1/3 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Dash Of Red Pepper Flakes
To Serve:
Good Quality Olive Oil
Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, then cook the onion, carrot, pancetta, and celery until soft.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Pour in the broth, beans and chopped tomatoes, and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove a few scoops of the bean mixture and puree or mash, then return to the pot.
Add the pasta, chopped parsley and seasonings.
Cook until the pasta is cooked al dente.
Serve in bowls topped with a drizzle of olive oil, the shaved cheese and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Indian Curry Lentil Soup: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Foreign Film and Taste Night 1

New Year's Resolution: Foreign Movie and Foreign Food Night!

We started this Friday with "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which is a British flick that takes place in India. Currently on HBO Go, and features a star studded British cast. Great movie. So to go along with it, I made Indian Curry Lentil Soup. Delish and totally set the mood.

Found this great Indian curry lentil soup recipe online. Awesome because I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry and it was delicious. Healthy and yummy and a great start to the new year :)



3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
2 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp curry powder
1 cup green lentils
4 1/4 cups water
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tbsp lemon juice (I used more)
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
2 green onions and a thinly sliced lemon as garnish

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Then add half of the chopped garlic and cook for another 4 minutes--everything should be soft but not brown. Add 2 tbsp curry powder and stir until fragrant (about one minute). Add lentils and 4 cups of water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree the chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and garlic in your food processor.

Add the chickpea mixture and butter to the lentil soup and season with salt, pepper, and more curry if you like.

Fall Feast: Butternut Squash, Apples, Chicken, and Grains

One of my new favorite recipes, so I thought I would share. A true OP Sands invention here.

 1/2 package of Harvest Grains Blend from Trader Joe's. (Israeli Style Couscous, Orzo, Baby Garbanzo Beans, and Red Quinoa.)
1 3/4 cup reduced sodium organic chicken broth
1 onion
1 apple
1 butternut squash
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp. butter
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Ok, so this could really be a one pot deal if you wanted it to... But this is what I did:

Make the Harvest Grains by bringing the chicken broth to a boil.  Add 1 tbsp of butter and the harvest grains. Bring back to a boil and then let simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice and dice the butternut squash, onion, and apple. Put all the ingredients into a plastic baggie, add olive oil and salt and pepper, and toss. Then spread onto a cookie tray. Roast all three of these together at 450 for about 25 minutes, and broil for 2 minutes on high at the end to get a slight crisp.

Cook the 2  chicken breasts and cut into bite size pieces.

Combine everything into one pot of delicious fall taste sensation! Add a glass of wine if you will.

Thai Coconut Curry with Jasmine Rice

This is one of my all time favorite dishes. This recipe is really simple, and brings a little Thai to my home. Try it out!

1 can lite coconut milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 package of stir fry veggies (or cut up your own: mushrooms, broccoli, red pepper, onion, snap peas)
1-2 tbsp fish sauce
Thai basil leaves
Jasmine rice for serving

Bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Add the brown sugar and curry paste (more if you like a kick!). Bring to a boil. Add the veggies. (You can add chicken and shrimp, too!)  Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add some Thai basil leaves if you like, and the fish sauce to taste. Serve over jasmine rice.
Makes 4 servings. 

Delicious!

Heat Wave Water

Thirsty?

When it is so hot outside that you feel as though you are in a sauna, you need to hydrate. But plain old tap water may not taste that great. And who wants to ruin the environment with plastic bottle waste? So, from someone who dislikes Jersey tap water because I'm a New York City tap water snob, here is a great way to make the best drink for you incredibly refreshing and tasty!

1. Fill a pitcher with water (approx 2 liters)
2. Add sliced, fresh ginger (1 tsp)
3. Add cucumber slices (1 medium)
4. Add lemon slices (1 lemon)
5. Add mint leaves (approx 12)

I swear, this is delicious, and the ginger helps to soothe your tummy.

Try it! Soooo good.

Spicy Fish Tacos with Pineapple Slaw

So you made the stir-fry, but you have some pineapple left over? And you loveeee fish tacos? Well, I have a treat for you!

You need:
1 can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (International section, by Goya products).
1/2 cup sour cream (reduced fat/fat free or Greek Yogurt fat free is an awesome substitute)
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
some olive oil
1 pound firm fish--salmon, mahimahi, tilapia if you must... I used canned wild Alaskan salmon because a. time b. cost c. quality of fish
4 cups thinly shaved green cabbage (love that food processor!)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (I food processed this, too, since it was already out and utilized)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced (I took this out; didn't seem necessary with the chipotle, but if you LOVE spice, go for it!)
1/2 cup small diced FRESH pineapple
1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 oregano
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
corn or flour tortillas, toasted

As you can see, a decent amount of prep. But don't let that scare you! These tacos are amazing! And even if you don't like fish, you can always substitute with chicken, beef, shrimp, or even black beans. The flavor is incredible.

Ok, so here's what you do:

In a bowl, combine the chiptole peppers with the sour cream/Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Now, this is to taste. The recipe I used said to use 1/2 of a 7 oz can. But if you can't handle heat, you should use an EXTREMELY small portion. These chipotles pack a lot of bang for their buck. I used one pepper for myself and scooped out many of the seeds, and it was still pretty spicy. So beware. This could ruin it for you. I suggest tasting it as you go until you've reached your "hot spot."

If you're using real fish (or chicken, or beef, or shrimp), coat your fish with the sauce, reserving 1/4 of the mixture. Try to let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you're me, dump your canned salmon right on in there (do the same for precooked black beans). Then toss your fish, chicken, beef, shrimp on the barbie. Grill it up nice--you want it charred. Turn once, 6-8 minutes total for fish. Then coarsely chop it up.

While it's marinating, combine cabbage, red onion, jalapeno, pineapple, the juice of the 1 lime, the rest of the cilantro, cumin, and oregano. Toss and season with salt.

This cole slaw is incredible. Seriously. You have no idea. Magnificent. I might serve this separate from these tacos one day.

Ok, now lay out your toasted tortillas (or not toasted if you're me and you're starving and a few minutes and another dirty dish is starting to make you anxious). Divide your fish/meat among them. Top with the slaw and a slice or 2 of avocado. Spoon reserved sauce on top. Serves 4. (You get 2 each! yay!)