November 13, 2011

Sunday
Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Cabbage and Jalapeno-Cilantro Aioli
(http://rx4foodies.wordpress.com/tag/jalapeno-cilantro-aioli/ )
Ingredients
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons lime juice
4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil oil
4 pounds boneless chuck roast, excess fat removed
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 bay leaves
Jalapeno-Cilantro Aioli
Cabbage
Warm tortillas

Directions
Preheat the oven to 275°.
Combine the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle chiles WITH adobo sauce, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, clove, black pepper and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.Dry the roast all over with paper towels, cut away any excess fat and slice the meat into 4 evenly sized pieces. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a very large, oven-proof pot set over high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 10 minutes. [You don't want to sear all the meat at one time or else it will steam rather than sear. You want the sear.] Add the chicken stock first to “deglaze” the caramelized bits at the bottom of the pot, and stir for one minute. Then add the chile puree and bay leaves to the pot and stir until the beef is well-coated, and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Reduce the heat to a simmer, about 5 minutes, and then cover the lid with tin foil and add the lid to create a very tight seal. [This is to ensure that the moisture doesn't escape too quickly during the long braising process.] Place the pot in the oven and braise the meat for 5-6 hours, removing the lid during the last hour or so to allow the simmering liquid to reduce slightly. Allow the beef to cool slightly, spoon off any easily removable fat from the braising liquid and then use two forks to pull/shred the beef into bite size pieces. Serve spooned onto warm corn tortillas with cabbage and drizzled with some jalapeno-cilantro aioli, or your favorite taco toppings. Makes about 20 tacos.

Cilantro-Jalapeno Aioli
(http://rx4foodies.wordpress.com/tag/jalapeno-cilantro-aioli/ )
Ingredients
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (we really like the Trader’s Joe brand)
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded (if you like it less spicy) and chopped
Juice of one lime, plus more to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions
In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, and jalapeno; pulse until smooth. Remove the mayonnaise and pour into a bowl. Add half of lime juice and salt, to taste. If you like it more citrusy, add more lime juice, which is how we like it. Cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving to allow all the flavors to develop. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.Makes about 1 cup of aioli.

Monday
Turkey Kielbasa, Potato, and Kale Soup
(http://rx4foodies.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/turkey-kielbasa-potato-and-kale-soup/ )
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, cut into small dices
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sized russet potatoes, cut into small cubes
14 ounces (1 package) turkey kielbasa, sliced
8 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
8 cups fresh kale, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
1/2 lemon
Grated parmesan cheese
Artisan bread

Directions
In a large dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, saute the onions and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the bay leaves and sliced turkey kielbasa and saute for two minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the dutch oven and add the diced potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-high heat. Add the kale, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the kale is tender. Stir in the cannellini beans, and adjust seasoning to your likings with salt and pepper. Juice half of lemon into soup. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.
Serve with bread.

Tuesday
Banh mi
(http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/banh-mi/detail.aspx )
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup carrot, cut into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks
1/4 cup white (daikon) radish, cut into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks
1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half
garlic salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (12 inch) French baguette
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1 small jalapeno pepper - seeded and cut into 1/16-inch-thick matchsticks
1 wedge lime
Chips

Directions
1.Place rice vinegar, water, and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Allow the mixture to cool.
2.Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the carrot, radish, and onion in a bowl, and allow to stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain off the excess vinegar mixture after the vegetables have marinated.
3.While the vegetables are marinating, preheat the oven's broiler, and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Lightly oil a slotted broiler pan.
4.Sprinkle the chicken breast with garlic salt and pepper, and broil on slotted broiler pan, turning once, until the center of the chicken breast is no longer pink and the surface has browned, about 6 minutes per side. Remove the broiled chicken, and slice into bite-size pieces.
5.Slice the baguette in half the long way, and pull the center of the bread out of the baguette halves, leaving a cavity for the filling. Place the baguette halves under the broiler to lightly toast, 2 to 3 minutes.
6.To assemble the bahn mi sandwich, spread each half of the toasted baguette with mayonnaise, and fill the cavity of the bottom half of the bread with broiled chicken, cucumber slices, pickled carrot, onion, and radish, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno pepper. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the filling, and top with the other half of the baguette. Serve with chips

Wednesday
Healthy Lemon Chicken Recipe
(http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/healthy-lemon-chicken-recipe/ )
Ingredients
1 chicken breast, cut into very small, thin pieces
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil
3 green onions
2 lemons
1 birds eye chili
1/3 cup chinese chicken stock (or regular, or water)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon corn starch (optional)

Directions
Marinate 1 teaspoon oil, corn starch, soy sauce, and chicken for 1 hour. Juice one lemon and add to a small bowl, also add ginger, chicken stock, and the tablespoon of soy sauce. Set aside.
Wash the other lemon well and cut in half. Cut one half in wedges and reserve for garnish, cut the other half into thin slices. Cut the white part of the green onions fine and add to the sliced lemons. Remove the seeds from the chili, chop the flesh fine and add to the lemon as well. Slice the green part of the green onions fine and reserve for garnish. Heat a wok to high and get prepared with the chicken, the sauce, the lemon & green onion mixture as well as the extra cornstarch just in case. Turn on your fans! Add oil to hot wok, and when it starts to smoke, add the chicken and stir fry until no longer pink. About 2 minutes. Add the lemon slices, green onion and chilies and fry for another 15 seconds or until fragrant. Add the sauce and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Give it a minute for chicken to cook and the sauce to thicken. If it isn't thick enough yet combine a 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch with the boiling sauce and stir it back in. Make sure you allow the mixture to come to a boil to assess the thickness. When chicken is cooked through remove from heat. Serve immediately topped with green onions and lemon wedges.

Seaweed salad
(http://www.food.com/recipe/seaweed-salad-247035#ixzz1cy6fzSmX)
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce dried wakame seaweed (whole or cut)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seed, toasted

Directions:
Soak seaweed in warm water to cover, 5 minutes. Drain, rinse then squeeze out excess water. If wakame is uncut, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add the seaweed, scallions, carrots, and cilantro, tossing to combine well. Sprinkle salad with sesame seeds.

Thursday
Paprika and Yogurt Flank Steak Pitas
(http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/paprika-and-yogurt-flank-steak-pitas-with-grilled-vegetables/ )
Ingredients
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 large handful mixed fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme)
1 cup greek yogourt
the juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 ~250g flank steak
pitas
1 zucchini
1 globe eggplant
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pitas

Directions
Combine in a food processor or blender the paprika, fresh herbs, yoghourt, lime juice and salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Add half of the mixture to a ziploc bag and add the steak. Marinate for at least 2 hours. Meanwhile slice the eggplant into 1/2 pieces widthwise. Put into a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to allow any bitter juices to run off and escape. Drain and pat dry to remove any excess salt. (Note: you can skip this step, it makes a difference but it won't make or break the final result.) Turn on your grill and start it preheating on high. Slice the zucchini into 1/2 slices and combine in a bowl with the eggplant. Toss with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Enough to coat. You will likely need more than you think as the eggplant likes to really absorb the oil. This will help it not stick to the grill and ultimately taste fabulous. If your grill is preheated by now, give it a good clean and a quick oil. Reduce the grill to medium and grill your zucchini and eggplant on both sides until nice and soft. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool. Once cooled enough to handle slice the vegetable into long 1/2" strips. Toss with a tablespoon of the remaining marinade. Set Aside. An hour before you are ready to grill remove your meat from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Heat your grill to high and oil the grate. Remove the steak and discard excess marinade. Grill steak on both sides until medium rare. Allow to rest for about 8 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain. Serve meat on pitas topped with grilled vegetable salad and any leftover fresh herbs.

Friday
Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms, sliced (equal amounts Shiitake, and brown are what I used)
1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
1-1/2 cups stock
3 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
4 servings pasta – orzo or farfalle is nice

Directions
Heat a large skillet to medium. Place a large pot of water on high and add a heavy helping of salt. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken breasts. Add oil to skillet and shake pan to coat. Add chicken and allow to brown on both sides, it should take 5-6 minutes per side. Check the chicken to make sure it is cooked through and remove to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil. Reduce heat to medium low and add butter. Once the butter has melted add mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms are browned. Meanwhile, start cooking pasta, when it is ready, drain and set aside. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and a gently seasoning of salt and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour on top of mushroom mixture and cook, stirring for one minute. Add wine and bring to a simmer for another minute. Then stir in stock and cream. Go easy on the stock at first and add more if the sauce gets too thick. Slice chicken into bite size pieces and add to sauce along with parsley. Cook for another minute to heat through. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary. Serve with pasta.

Saturday
Simla mirchi bhaaji
(http://bakasoor.blogspot.com/2010/12/bell-pepper-bhaji-peeth-perun.html )
Ingredients:
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 large bell peppers, roughly chopped (I use green)
1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 pinch asafoetida (hing)
0.5 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp black pepper powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
Salt to taste

Method:
Step 1 - In a pan, preferably flat, heat 3 tblsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the asafoetida and turmeric powder. Saute for a few seconds. Add onions and saute on a medium high flame till the onions start turning brown.
Step 2 - Add the bell peppers and mix well. Cover with a lid for 5 - 6 mins stirring occasionally till the bell peppers are no longer totally raw. Add the salt, black pepper powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder and sugar. Mix well and cook covered till the bell peppers are almost done. We do not want the bell peppers to break down and mash. You should just be able to break them apart with your spoon effortlessly. Adjust taste. At this stage the whole preparation should be slightly stronger than what you desire. This is because, we are now going to add all the chickpea flour.
Step 3 - Lower the heat. Add the chickpea flour spoon by spoon and keep mixing, trying to avoid any lumps from being formed. Once all the chickpea flour is added, cover with a lid and let this cook for 2 to 3 mins, so the flour is no longer raw.
Step 4 - This is an optional step. You can gently press all the preparation to the bottom of the pan and cook it for 5 more mins. on a low flame uncovered. This will give a slightly burnt texture to the vegetable, which according to me, makes it even more tasty.
Serve hot with some chapatis. It tastes great with some plain yogurt too. Hell I use it as a sandwich filling too.