Recipe Review from 6/24/12

A good week all in all, concluding with a fast trip to the Twin Cities to catch a noon Twin's game on Saturday.  Whoo-ee!  Can we say HOT?  We lasted about two innings in our seats before I said, "We're moving!  I'd rather eat a hot dog than be a hot dog!"  We found some empty seats way up high, in the shade, just off of home plate on the first base line. Things were much better after that, especially when the Twin's won. 

Had a couple good recipes from last week too: 
Pasta Fagioli  (Ckng Lght Bulletin Board) 
This is what I called "adult" macaroni and tomatoes, which might be a regional thing - elbow macaroni mixed with a can of diced or stewed tomatoes.  This calls for sauteing some onion and garlic, adding a bit of crushed red pepper, then cooking the noodles (your choice) in the subsequent broth.  And toss in a can of chickpeas for protien.  You can make it soup-like or pasta-like; I chose pasta-like.   Fast, tasty, and made enough for about 4 meals for two of us (both supper and lunches).
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cans peeled tomatoes      (I used 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes)
1 (15oz) can cici beans, drained  (also known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans)
3 cans low sodium chicken broth   (I used two cans to make it more like a pasta dish)
½ lb small pasta  (or more if you want it more as a pasta than a soup)  I found 1/2lb elbo mac was about perfect
oregano
salt to taste
grated parmesan cheese

1. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil, saute garlic and crushed red pepper over medium heat.  Add onion and saute for 10 minutes or until onion is soft.  (I like to caramelize slightly).
2. Add tomatoes breaking them upwith your hand. Cook the tomatoes for 10 minutes and add salt if desired.
3. Add beans and heat for three minutes.
4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pasta and cook for about 12-15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
7. Serve with grated cheese.



Curried Chicken with Cashews (CI, May/June 2012)
For many years I had a subscription to Cooks Illustrated, which in our house we fondly called "Cooking for Engineers" (if you live with and Engineer or a Scientist, you will understand).  I saw an issue on the newstand recently that grabbed my fancy and this recipe was a result.  You poach the chicken first in water brought to a simmer, then  remove ehat and let stand.  The nice thing about this sou vide is that I can do other prep while the chicken poaches and I don't have to worry about it overcooking.  Will use this method exclusively now?  Probably not, because sometimes I just like the taste of grilled chicken in a salad a bit more than the neutral flavors from poaching. 

Serves 4 to 6

To ensure that the chicken cooks through, start with cold water in step 1 and don’t use breasts that weigh more than 8 ounces or are thicker than 1 inch. This salad can be served in a sandwich or spooned over leafy greens.

Ingredients

·         4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,no more than 1 inch thick, trimmed

·         1 teaspoon vegetable oil

·         1 teaspoon curry powder

·         1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

·         1/2 cup mayonnaise

·         2 tablespoons lime juice

·         1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

·         2 celery ribs, minced  (I used carrots)

·         1 shallot, minced (forgot)

·         1/2 cup raw cashews, toasted and chopped coarse   (I used toasted almonds)

·         1/3 cup golden raisins  (I used cranberries)

·         2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 6 cups cold water in Dutch oven. Submerge chicken in water. Heat pot over medium heat until water registers 170 degrees. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand until chicken registers 165 degrees, 15 to 17 minutes.

2. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined tray. Refrigerate until chicken is cool, about 30 minutes. While chicken cools, microwave vegetable oil, curry powder, and cayenne, uncovered, until oil is hot, about 30 seconds. Whisk mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, and curry mixture together in large bowl.

3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into ½-inch pieces. Transfer chicken to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Add celery, shallot, cashews, raisins, and cilantro; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)