Recipe Review from 10/18/10

We had another beautiful week in the 60*s, ten degrees above normal for this time of year and nobody up here is complaining!  But today, as I write this, it has turned very blustery with sporadic misty-rain.  I had hoped to fit in a bike ride but just not going to happen.  Probably not a bad thing, since I am popping the advil after a very vigiourous yoga workshop yesterday that has left a slew of muscles complaining - admittedly, I'm just not used to spending that much time attempting to balance on my forearms.   The best part of the day was coming home and the Husband had dinner ready:

Moroccan Lentil Stew with Raisins   (Vegetarian Times, Oct 2010)
The simplicity of this dish attracted my attention.  I've thrown a couple of complicated dishes at the Husband lately (for him to make), and I figured I was pushing my luck and needed something uber simple.  I even had the onions pre-chopped in the fridge! Bonus!  The flavors of this are different - intriguing almost - as it is almost  sweet for a stew with the cinnamon and golden raisins.  I had him saute some venison kielbasa and add it to just the bowls to make it a more hearty dish, though it is plenty good just on it's own.  I would definitely make this again.

Moroccan Lentil Stew with Raisins
This exotically flavored stew can be stretched to feed a crowd when ladled over rice or potatoes.

Serves 6 (seriously)

1 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 18-oz cartons prepared lentil soup, such as Dr. McDougall's)  found in the natural section at Cub
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup raisins or currants  I used golden raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon or to taste
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
optional: non-fat plain yogurt of choice

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add  onion and saute 3 minutes, or until softened and translucent.  Add garlic, and good 1 minute or until garlic is softened but not browned, stirring constantly.

2. Stir in tomatoes, soup, chickpeas, raisins, cinnamon, cumin and red pepper flakes.   Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Bring stew to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, 20  minutes or until mixture is reduced and sauce has thickened, stirring often from bottom to prevent sticking.  Garnish with yogurt if desired. 


Roasted Red Pepper Hummus  (Ckng Lght, Oct 2010)
I have a fondness for hummus sandwiches, on nice soft homemade bread with provolone cheese, sprouts and tomato, and my favorite hummus recipe is actually from Cooks Illustrated.  Downside is, that recipe is just a tich putsy and sometimes I need something less complicated.  This one attracted my attention for just that reason.  However, while simple, it did lack the depth of flavor the Cooks Ills. has.  Pros and cons to everthing I guess.  Perhaps with some tweeking I can combine the best of both recipes.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Makes: 2 cups
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
1tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Preparation
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.


Quick (Grouse) Tikka Masala  (Eating Well, Sept/Oct 2010)
Originally had planned to use chicken thighs for this recipe, but the Husband went grouse hunting and came home with two birds.  Grouse is easily overcooked, and I thought the combination of a light sear and then a slow simmer would be ideal.  It worked really well.  In addition, I would make this recipe again using chicken - I liked the flavors and how easily it came together with just a bit of  prep work.  Made closer to 6 servings than the suggested 4, but that could have been because I added 8oz of quartered mushrooms (fridge clean-out).

Oh - almost forgot to add, of all the darn times to run out of garam masala it was when I needed 4 tsp!  Luckily I have Indian Home Cooking by Raghaven Iyer which had a recipe for making my own.  Have spice grinder will make spices! 

Quick Chicken Tikka Masala 
One of the most popular Indian dishes in the U.S. and the U.K., chicken tikka masala usually involves several steps including marinating and grilling the chicken before simmering in a curried tomato cream sauce. We’ve simplified it to a one-skillet dish and lightened it by increasing the vegetables, omitting the butter and using less cream. Serve with brown basmati rice and, for dessert, dates.


4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

4 teaspoons garam masala (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound chicken tenders
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation
1.Stir together garam masala, salt and turmeric in a small dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. (Reserve the remaining spice mix and 1 tablespoon of the remaining flour.)

2.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3.Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour and stir until coated. Add tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and the onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

4.Stir in cream. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Eating Well Note: Garam masala, a blend of spices used in Indian cooking, usually includes cardamom, black pepper, cloves, nutmeg, fennel, cumin and coriander. It is available in the spice section of most supermarkets.