Recipe Review from 1/28/13

Three days of good weather allowed our Barn-guys to finish the house wrap, put the windows in, and start siding.  They nearly got three sides finished before the cold weather came back with a vengeance, like -20*F  (-28*C) with the same for a windchill.  The siding is a really nice shade of red, almost a weathered red, with white trim.  We're going with a white barn door.

-19*F (-28*C) at 7:15am on 2/4/13.  A bit chilly, yes.

South side of the Barn, with man-door and window installed

West side (or back) of Barn; upper window installed

This week was lining up to be a busy one, so it was crock pot dishes and stews for meals.  I needed things that could be made ahead of time, were easy to reheat and would last several days.  Ultimately, only one new dish, but I'm posting two - the second dish is worthy of a second mention.



Chicken Stew with Shallots, Cider, and Butternut Squash (Ckng Light, Jan/Feb 06)  GF option
Repeat dish, from January 2006.

This came up on Ckng Lght BB and grabbed my attention.  It was only when I consulted my '07 Annual that I realized I had already made it.  Still, I needed something for lunches, this was noted as being good and quick, so Chicken Stew it was.  Don't let the curry put you off, this is more flavor than heat.  This can also be made GF if you opt to saute the chicken without the flour coating and then thicken the liquid with cornstarch or arrowroot.

I forgot to grab the sparkling cider at the store, so we subbed a beer.  Chicken stock would also work fine, but the cider does add a nice background note.  I do recommend sticking with sparkling cider, as regular cider can be a bit overpowering.

Six servings is about accurate.  I think we ended up with 7 total.

Lightly spiced with curry, this thick stew pairs well with steamed rice and a green salad. Fermented cider, also called hard cider, is usually found in the beer section of grocery stores and liquor stores. Nonalcoholic sparkling dry cider makes a good substitute.

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup sliced shallots (about 6 medium)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups fermented dry cider    I forgot to buy the cider, so we subbed a lighter beer. 
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots; saute 5 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add curry powder; saute 1 minute. Spoon shallot mixture into a large bowl.

Place 1/3 cup flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned chicken to shallot mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Add cider to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1 cup broth and 1 tablespoon flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add broth mixture, remaining broth, and water; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in squash. Simmer, uncovered, 55 minutes or until chicken and squash are very tender and sauce thickens. Spoon about 1 cup stew into each of 6 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 teaspoons almonds and parsley, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Jeanne Kelley
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006 



Butternut Squash with Mushrooms and Pasta  (Ckng Lght Jan/Feb 2013)   Vegetarian option
I modified this one rather substantially.  First, I dropped the chicken completely.  Then, to assemble the sauce, I melted 2 tbsp butter, and lightly sauted the flour before adding the recommended stock.  Once it started to thicken slightly, I seasoned with salt and pepper and added the marscarpone.  I set this aside while the veggies and pasta finished cooking then combined.

Result? Very good!  This could be a versitile dish - try swapping out some butternut and replacing with cauliflower or broccoli.  Or bring back in the chicken; roasted shrimp would also be good.

This is the recipe as posted on Ckng Lght: 

copyright by Scifi with Paprika.

• 8 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta
• 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided 
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 4 cups peeled (1-inch) cubed butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices shallots
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 (3.5-ounce) packages shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add stock to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mascarpone, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
3. Preheat oven to 450°. Combine squash, shallots, garlic, and sliced shiitake mushrooms. Drizzle vegetable mixture with olive oil; toss. Transfer squash mixture to a small roasting pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add vegetable mixture to pasta mixture; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with chives, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Mary Drennen, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2013