Brainy Wintry Skillet Stew ~ Moroccan Style...

Stews... you can find them just about anywhere and make them in just about any cookware; even a skillet!

As you probably know, the main Moroccan dish most people are familiar with is couscous; beef is the most commonly eaten red meat in Morocco. Chicken is also stewed or roasted.

For this dish, you will need skinless, boneless chicken breasts, one onion, one green pepper and red grape 'cherry' tomatoes, buttermilk and peanut butter.

Begin this dish by sauteing the onion, green pepper and tomatoes on med. heat in coconut oil, adding some red pepper flakes, garlic powder, ginger, paprika and cumin as well as either white or black pepper to taste. Most Moroccan recipes make use of a lot of ginger, cumin, and turmeric.

Set aside the onion, pepper and tomatoes, and brown the chicken breast meat cut into chunks in the same skillet adding a drizzle of olive oil. Then return the veggies to the same skillet.

To this, add about 1/4 cup of whole 'fat rich' buttermilk and 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with 1 tbs of creamy salted butter and the same amount of peanut butter. Stir and let simmer on low heat while you prepare a side of couscous or mashed potatoes. Once the couscous is ready and or when the potatoes are tender, drain and mash with butter and sour cream until thick and smooth. Ladle onto a low lipped plate, pour the chicken stew over the top and serve.

~ Tutti a Tavola

Have a Brainy New Year... Make Beef Burgundy!

 

"Beef Burgundy", is a beef stew braised in red wine, often red Burgundy, along with beef stock, generally flavored with carrots, onions, garlic, pearl onions, and mushrooms. Its a traditional countryside but elegant French dish.

The simplest recipe if you need one... is this famous Julia Child recipe. She called it the best beef dish ever concocted by man. And, it just so happens to be the one I use to cook up this delicious beef dish. 

3/4 lb boneless beef sirloin cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (for a cheaper cut try chuck roast)
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup sliced mushrooms 

You can cook the beef and mushrooms in a skillet on the stove while you roast in a glass dish in the oven some garden fresh carrots, asparagus and tiny new potatoes.  

Sear the beef cubes in olive oil, add the salt and pepper and dried herbs of your liking... I recommend rosemary, mint, oregano and thyme. Add to that, 1/3 cup of beef stock and 1/4 cup of red wine. You may wish to add a little more of either stock or wine depending on your preferences.  

Personally, I like to cook the mushrooms off side in another skillet in butter and cream with a dash of red wine and dried herbs; same as above. Lastly, adding them to the beef just before serving.  

~ Tutti a Tavola!

 
*For desert... a crepe Suzette is the perfect end to a delicious meal. If you want to be Brainy frugal about it you can use leftover pancakes fried in butter with splash of brandy. Serve on a plate with heavy cream and homemade raspberry jam or halved ripe red plums or cherries. 

 

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Mashed Potatoes for Christmas...

Yes, why not for Christmas... Rosemary is a special herb and its a Christmas herb.

Roasted Tuscan garlic chicken with rosemary marinated in lemon juice and served with potatoes mashed with Parmesan cheese and garlic. You will need to buy: a package of chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on. Fresh garlic, one lemon, fresh rosemary sprigs or use dried, yellow gold potatoes (six or seven med. size) and Parmesan cheese.

To begin, marinate the chicken thighs in a glass baking dish using the juice of one lemon, toss over the top 3-4 peeled and diced garlic cloves, drizzle on some olive oil and lay on your rosemary sprigs or sprinkle generously dried rosemary. Heat your oven to 425F.

After 12-15 min. of marinating time, place the chicken in the oven and roast for about 30-40 min uncovered. Check to see if the skin is crisping and if yes, turn over the thighs, return to the oven for 5 min. After five minutes or so turn the thighs back over and consider adding a few fresh washed red cherry tomatoes and a generous handful of your favorite olives (use low sodium).

Return to the oven covered, reduce heat to 350F and let roast for another 15 -20 min. Take this time now to prepare the potatoes. Wash, peel and halve, the potatoes. Add to boiling salted water and cover. When tender, drain and mash using 3 tbs of butter, the same of sour cream, a dash of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp of minced garlic and 1 tsp of dried herbs - Italian blend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

The Appian Way to a Brainy Christmas Gourmet Dinner...

Show me the 'Appian' way to go home...

Turn on the oven to 400, drizzle a glass baking dish with olive oil, lay in as many chicken thighs, bone in skin on, as you will need to serve. Sprinkle over the top: garlic powder, red pepper flakes and dried herbs - rosemary, mint, oregano and sage. Also, dice up 3 cloves of fresh garlic and lay on the thighs. Bake/roast for about 45 minutes or until fully cooked and crispy skin side up. For the final step, a little secret ingredient... spoon over the top honey flavored open pit barbecue sauce and return to the oven for 5-6 mins.

In the meantime, microwave a whole small butternut squash until tender. Wash, peel and boil as many yellow gold potatoes as you will need. When tender, drain and mash with butter, heavy cream and sour cream until smooth.

Put it all together and put it on the table; a delicious meal for any time, even this Christmas!

~ Tutti a Tavola!


*Appian way - queen of the long roads... this dish takes you back along a road you don't want to depart from

Brainy Gourmet Hot and Spicy Asian Pork...

Who thinks chili peppers when someone mentions Asian food, right? Well, a lot of Asian cuisine is hot and spicy. Schezwan is a style of Chinese cuisine originating from Sichuan Province. It has bold flavors, particularly the pungency including an oiliness (peppercorn oil) and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chili peppers.

This is certainly a dish to heat of the middle of any week or weekend. To prepare, you will need: preferred meat of choice (cut into strips) or ground turkey made into meatballs. One onion, one roasted red chili pepper (alternative-jarred roasted red pepper), one green zucchini or any green veggie. To begin, in a large skillet, saute chop onion and roasted red pepper in coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil or the traditional peppercorn oil if you have. Toss in julienne sliced zucchini and stir until just browned on all edges; set aside.

Since ground turkey (+ 1 egg optional) was used, a meatball mixture was made in advance. In the same skillet, brown the meatballs on all sides. Pour in about 1/4 cup beef or veggie soup stock. Let this bubble up covered.

Once the stock reduces, add 2 tbs of soy sauce, 1/2 half tsp of ground ginger, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and the same of chili powder. For extra zing, 1 tbs of molasses or honey with a either a squeeze of lime juice or lemon.  An alternative to the citrus is to use apple cider vinegar. Let this simmer while you prepare the rice noodles.

Bring back the sauteed veggies and allow to sizzle until the sides begin to get sticky. Serve on top of the rice noodles (or linguine pasta) and top with shredded coconut and crushed peanuts...and put out the hot and spicy sauce; never enough when it comes to Schezwan!

and or with Pork Medallions...

~ Tutti a Tavola!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ~ CORNMEAL POLENTA INSTEAD OF DRESSING

  

Whether a traditionalist or not, there is nothing more wonderful than having family and friends gathered around the table on Thanksgiving.

For something different or other than traditional dressing/stuffing try creamy cornmeal polenta. A lovely and colorful accompaniment to that or any dinner is roasted beet root and zucchini salad with pine nut or sunflower seeds or slivered almonds along with either figs or dried plums.

Polenta -
2 tbs of olive oil
one whole onion chopped
4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan
4 tbs of butter or 1/2 stick

Heat oven to 350F. On the stove, saute your onion in the olive oil in a deep oven safe pot until browned on all edges; then, add your stock and 5 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high and slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Then cover and bake for 45-50 min.with an occasional stir - about every 10 min. Remove from the oven, add the butter and parmesan for one last stir, then let it set covered.

As for the roasted beets and zucchini, slice like large coins and put them on a cookie sheet with olive oil and fresh dried herbs in the oven on the lower rack for as long as the polenta is in. Once tender, remove and drizzle with organic honey and balsamic vinegar (lightly) and sprinkle on the pine nuts and figs. Garnish!

*You can use only beet root if zucchini is not preferred. And, to the polenta, sauteed mushrooms are a nice touch.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Orange Chicken at home...

 

You will never be disappointed again...

For this dish, you will need: boneless chicken breasts (as many per person), cooking oils (veg and coconut), flour, buttermilk, lo mein noodles (sub.with angel hair pasta), chicken stock, orange sauce, onion, spinach leaves, ginger, garlic and red pepper paste as well as peanuts (low sodium). 

To begin, cut chicken breasts into large nugget cubes and set aside. Put one cup of buttermilk in a bowl for batter preparation. Fill a plastic bag with flour (1 cup) along with a dash of salt, garlic powder, black pepper and paprika. Put the cut chicken pieces into the buttermilk and then into the flour bag and give it a good shake. 

In a large deep skillet, melt into 1 and half cups of veg oil, 2 tbs of coconut oil... more than less. Start to fry your battered chicken when oil is hot. When chicken is browned all around, remove and place in a glass baking dish. Also, preheat oven to 325. Continue to fry chicken nuggets until all have been fried and placed into the glass baking dish.Then, place in oven.

Drain out the used frying oil, wipe out the skillet and prepare to cook pasta. First, stir fry chopped onion with at least or more one tbs of garlic, ginger and red pepper paste in olive oil and tbs of coconut oil. Then, break in half (one box) pasta or lo mein (dry) into the skillet and stir. Add to that 1 cup of chicken stock and 3/4 cup of water. Cook until pasta is firm or tender. Lastly, add torn up or shredded fresh spinach leaves. 

 

Finally, take chicken from the oven and stir in orange sauce covering every piece... ladle pasta into a serving dish, top with chicken in orange sauce and top with peanuts then serve!

~ Tutti a Tavola!