Tag Archives: rice

Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken with Feta and Olives

25 Aug

Necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, I had recently purchased a pack of chicken thighs, without a clear idea of what to do with them — except that now I was home from work and dinner time was looming, I needed an easy solution, and a fairly quick one. So I opened the fridge and cupboards to see what my options were. I guess I could have asked ChatGPT to come up with a recipe, but that would have meant inputting the available ingredients into a prompt, which 1) I was too lazy to do, and also, 2) I like to think that the non-artificial intelligence center within my cranium is still capable of putting 1+1, or 2+3, together to come up with something to eat. (But ask me next week…).

The result of my kitchen scan? I had cherry tomatoes that definitely needed using and some yellow squash from the garden that was now languishing in the crisper bin. Hmmm. What else was in the fridge? There was feta, kalamata olives, and cream. And rosemary outside. An idea began to form. So, what follows is a non-recipe recipe, without actual amounts. I’m confident that no matter how you yourself approach this dish, you can’t go wrong. The ingredients combine into something really, really good!

Mediterranean Chicken with Feta and Olives

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Olive oil (I used garlic-infused olive oil)
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Yellow summer squash (or zucchini if you have it), diced
Kalamata olives
Feta cheese (cubed or crumbled)
Heavy cream
Oregano (dried or fresh)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180C).
  2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary.
  3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, saute the thighs in olive oil over high heat until they are no longer pink on the outside and have picked up a bit of color.
  4. Place the thighs, and any juices or crispy bits from the pot, into a casserole dish large enough to fit the thighs in one layer.
  5. Sprinkle the olives, tomatoes, squash, and feta around the thighs, drizzle with some cream, and sprinkle a little more salt, pepper, and oregano over top.

6. Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes and squash are soft.

    You can serve this multiple ways: with crusty bread to soak up the creamy, tomato-ey broth, over quinoa or rice, with potatoes or other roast vegetables, etc.

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    Recipe: Stuffed Grape Leaves

    13 Feb

    I would be hard pressed to come up with a last meal. I like so many foods, that I’d want something more along the lines of a smorgasbord. But one dish that would certainly be part of that smorgasbord would be stuffed grape leaves — the warm, simple, and oh so heavenly Lebanese version made with a lemony lamb and rice filling. In my very biased view, the versions of stuffed grape leaves that are meant to be eaten cold (usually meatless) cannot compare with their fragrant, hot-out-of the pot counterparts.

    For a sublime gastronomic experience, dip these grape leaves in plain yogurt. The cool, smooth tanginess complements them perfectly. See photos below for step-by-step instructions on how to fill and roll grape leaves.

    Stuffed Grape Leaves

    1 (15-oz. ) jar grape leaves in vinegar brine
    1 lb. ground lamb
    1 c. white rice, such as jasmine
    1/8 tsp. cinnamon
    1/8 tsp. allspice
    1 tbsp. salt
    1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

    Preparation

    1. Open the jar of grape leaves, pour out the brine, and carefully ease the grape leaves out of the jar. (They will be tightly packed, in rolls.)
    2. Put the grape leaves in warm water and let soak while making the filling.
    3. For filling, combine lamb, rice, cinnamon, and allspice in a medium bowl, and mix well. Set aside.
    4. Gently swish grape leaves around in the warm water, and slowly begin to separate as many as possible, taking care to not tear them. When most have come out of their rolls, drain the water.
    5. Line the bottom of a medium saucepan with a layer of grape leaves (this is a good way to use any that are torn or too small).
    6. Select a grape leaf and shake to remove any excess water that may be clinging to it. Place it on a cutting board glossy side down (veiny side up).  If there is a bit of stem still attached, cut it off (see photo below).

    7. Take a bit of filling and shape into a small roll; lay horizontally across grape leaf, just above where the stem was.

    8. Fold the bottom part of the grape leaf over the filling.

    8. Tuck in each side, as if making a burrito.

    9. Continue to roll the grape leaf, folding in the sides as you go.

    10. Place the rolled grape leaf seam side down in the sauce pan, tucking tightly against the side of pan.

    11. Repeat the process until you have run out of filling. Depending on the size of the saucepan, you should have about two layers of rolled grape leaves. Be sure to tuck them in tightly; you do not want them to unroll while cooking.
    12. Sprinkle the 1 tbsp. salt on top of the grape leaves. Add enough water to the pan to just cover the grape leaves. Place an inverted heat-proof ceramic plate on top of the grape leaves (you can also use the lid of a smaller saucepan–you will need something that fits inside the main saucepan and can lay on top of the grape leaves to keep them from shifting while cooking). Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
    13.  Cook, covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Lift the lid, and pour in the lemon juice (you can pour it around the sides of the plate; it will seep underneath). Replace the lid, reduce heat to low/simmer, and cook for 15 more minutes, checking periodically to make sure the water has not completely dried up. Ideally, the water will be absorbed by the end of the cooking period, but you don’t want to run the risk of burning the grape leaves.
    14. After 15 minutes, gently pour out any water that might remain, holding the grape leaves in place with the plate (or small lid).
    15. Invert the sauce pan onto a serving platter, discard the grape leaves that lined the pan, and serve the stuffed grape leaves immediately, with plain yogurt as an accompaniment.

    Adapted from Lebanese Cuisine, by Madelain Farah.

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    Recipe: Mulligatawny Soup (Curried Rice Soup)

    11 Dec

    What do you do when 1) you have omnivores and vegans coming to dinner, and 2) it’s cold outside and you want something warm and filling that everyone will enjoy? Well, you could offer your guests a deconstructed curried rice soup to suit every palate (and dietary preference). Mulligatawny–with or without chicken–is another example of cross-cultural fusion: an Anglo-Indian soup with a name that means “pepper water.”  And like many other hybrids, there are infinite variations on the theme; this is just one version that can be served two ways.

    When I am making this for the family, I prepare it with chicken broth and chicken as in the photo below. But it is just as good (and more versatile) made with vegetable broth and served with a variety of accompaniments on the side, so guests can add the ingredients they prefer.

    Note: The instructions below are for making the soup to suit both omnivorous and vegan guests. If not meant to be vegan, the soup can be made with chicken broth and chicken; cook the chicken in the pot before you cook the onions, celery, and carrots. Remove the chicken from the pot when it is no longer pink, add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and proceed with the recipe as indicated below; return chicken to soup along with the apple and rice.

    Mulligatawny Soup (Curried Rice Soup–with or without Chicken)

    Soup Base

    3 tbsp. canola oil
    1 onion, finely chopped
    4 stalks celery, finely diced
    2 carrots, grated
    3 tbsp. flour
    1.5 tbsp. curry powder
    10-12  c.  vegetable broth (or water and equivalent bouillon cubes)
    1 green apple, peeled, cored, and grated
    1 c. rice (I usually use white jasmine rice, but have also made this with brown basmati)
    salt and lots of freshly ground pepper to taste
    1 (13.5-oz.) can lite coconut milk

    Accompaniments
    [Choose as many as desired and serve each separately alongside the soup]

    2-3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
    1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas/garbanzos, simmered in their liquid until warm, then drained
    8 0z. mushrooms, sliced and cut in half, sauteed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper
    2 zucchinis, sliced and cut into quarters, prepared same as mushrooms
    1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed
    handful baby spinach, raw

    Preparation

    1. Saute onion, celery, and carrots in oil in large soup pot until soft and golden. Add flour and curry powder, and cook 5 minutes. Add broth (start with 10 c.), mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes.
    2. Add apple, rice, salt, and pepper, and simmer 15-20 minutes more, or until rice is done. Add more broth as needed to maintain a fairly soupy consistency.
    3. Just before serving, add coconut milk and adjust seasonings to taste.
    4. Serve soup in bowls and allow your guests to add any of the accompaniments they desire.

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