Chicken, Chard, and Carrots, a One Pan Meal

I first tried this recipe in the spring when I had a bunch of chard in the garden and I was happy to find a way to use it. The dish turned out to taste richly garlicky and meaty. It is convenient, too, since the vegetables are included.

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Chicken, Chard, and Carrots, a One Pan Meal

Adapted from Cook It in Cast Iron: Kitchen-tested Recipes for the One Pan That Does It All from America's Test Kitchen's Cook's Country

Serves:  4-6

Note: Although I am enthusiastic about this recipe, I find it heavy on the meat and light on the vegetables, especially the chard. The book indicates it serves four, meaning that each diner will eat two thighs. If you'd like to increase the vegetables, do so, although more chard will be look like it won't fit into the skillet (give it time to cook down). For my tastes, I think I'll increase the vegetables but reduce the amount of chicken pieces by two.


8 5-7 oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed but not skinned
1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped finely
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced fresh thyme or 1 teas dried
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced (don't skip this recipe if you don't have this)
2 T flour
1 c chicken broth
1 pd carrots, peeled and halved crosswise, or into thirds and quarter the thick ends
1 1/2 pds Swiss chard, (or more if your family likes veggies) stemmed and halved and cut into 1 inch strips
3 T whole-grain mustard
1 T butter, melted
1 teas grated lemon zest plus 2 teas lemon juice

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet (any oven-safe skillet will work) on stove top over medium-high heat and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Add the oil and let heat until it is beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken in batches, making sure the skin is dark brown. Transfer chicken to a plate or tray while you continue.

Preheat the oven to 335F.

Pour off most of the oil; leave about 1 T in the skillet. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, and anchovies and cook briefly (half a minute will do). Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring. Gradually add the broth, making sure to scrape up the fond on the bottom of the skillet. Make sure there are no lumps of flour. Add the carrots and bring to a simmer.

Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the carrots. The skin should be above the level of the liquid. Pour over the chicken any juices that accumulated while set aside. Transfer to the oven and cook until about 165F or until the meat offers little resistance when poked with a tip of a knife but isn't falling off the bones. At this temperature it took about 45 minutes in my oven. (The original recipe calls for a 325F oven and says it will take 60-75 minutes). I advise checking the chicken with a thermometer at the 45 minute point. Keep cooking if it isn't at 165 degrees.

While the chicken is braising, clean and prepare the chard. Mix together the mustard, butter and lemon zest and juice in a small bowl.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Keep one pot-holder resting on the handle even when you aren't holding it so you don't forget and grab the hot handle. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover lightly with foil (tightly would make the skin steam and get flabby). Place the skillet back on the stove top and stir in the chard handful by handful. You'll think it won't fit but pile it on and stir after each addition. Place a lid over the skillet if you have one. This will cook down fairly quickly but I advise you remove it from heat as soon as the chard wilts; it will continue to cook while you add the final ingredients. Stir in the mustard mixture. Either place vegetables and chicken on a platter, or dish up into shallow bowls and serve. If you think you will have left overs, you may want to remove the food from the hot cast iron so the chard won't become over cooked.

I found this to provide quite a bit of "gravy" so recommend serving in a bowl. Serve with bread to sop up this delicious sauce.

Roasted Peach Drizzle

It is barely still peach season but before our minds turn to winter squash and pumpkins, here's one more peach recipe--not quite a syrup and not a fruit butter, but a "drizzle". Although it is a canning recipe, the peaches can be roasted, refrigerated, and used within the week. You could freeze the sauce, too, if you don't want to spend time canning. This is fantastic on Sweet Zucchini Waffles with fresh peach slices and whipped cream. If you don't have fresh peaches, you could use raspberries instead and fashion a peach-melba topping for waffles or for ice cream. This is a great recipe for someone who suffers from peach peeling fatigue--the skin remains on the fruit while roasting and is blended with the peaches.

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Roasted Peach Drizzle

Adapted from foodinjars.com

Yield: 3-3 1/2 pints

This can be halved or quartered. 

8 c peach pieces, skin included

2 c sugar

2 vanilla pods, scraped
juice of 1 lemon

Place peaches, sugar, and vanilla in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Roast in the oven at 350Fwithout a lid for 2-2 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly and blend with blender or stick blender until smooth. Add lemon juice and stir. Return to burner and bring back to a simmer. When simmering, place sauce in hot half pint jars (or half cup) with 1/2-inch headspace, check for air bubbles, clean the jar rims. Place lids (that have been softened in boiling water) on top of clean jars and top with rings. Place in a water bath canner and process for 10 minutes at sea level (for added altitude timing, see below).

1,001-3,000 ft--5 additional minutes

3,001-6,000 ft--10 additional minutes

6,001-8,000 ft--15 additional minutes

8,001-10,000 ft--20 additional minutes

When the time has passed, turn off heat, remove lid and allow jars to rest in the water for 5-10 minutes. Remove jars from hot water and place on a towel in a spot where they can remain undisturbed for 24 hours. Store and use within a year. If the drizzle separates a bit give it a good stir before serving.

Peach Salsa

My home is at a high altitude but in a river bottom, where freezing air settles, so my peach tree has born only twice in its seven year life. This was one of those summers and we've relished this gift from Mother Nature. Our peach season has come and gone (well, there are a few peaches still in the fridge). I've bottled peach halves, jam, peach BBQ sauce, conserve, and this salsa which has proven to be my favorite method for preserving the fruit. Even if you don't want to can it, this is tasty enough you could divide the recipe and keep the salsa in the fridge for a week, if it lasts that long.

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Peach Salsa

Adapted from: Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-round by Marisa McClellan
Yield: The author claims the yield is 4 pints but I've made this three times and produced no more than 3 pints. 

6 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches (about 4 pounds)
1 1/2 c distilled white vinegar
3/4 c granulated sugar

1 1/2 chopped onions (1 large onion) (red is very pretty, but not necessary)

1 c chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)

3 jalapeno peppers, minced (I'm a wimp and used 1- 1 1/2)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teas salt

1 teas ground cumin

1/4 teas cayenne pepper, you can leave out (which I do) or increase depending on heat tolerance

Prepare a boiling water bath and pint jars. When you start cooking the salsa, you can start bringing the water to a boil. Have your jars in the water so they will be hot when you ladle the salsa into them. Place the lids in a small saucepan and when closer to topping the jars, cover with boiling water.

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. I like to mix the vinegar and the sugar together first and then add the peaches, stirring with additions. This kept the peaches from discoloring while I continue chopping. Bring all to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. The author allows it to simmer about 10 minutes but in high altitude that is too short a time for the juices to reduce. She instructs to simmer until the salsa no longer looks watery. Taste and adjust with additional jalapeno or vinegar, if needed.

Ladle the hot salsa into the jars, and leave 1/2-inch headspace. With a damp paper towel, wipe the rim and place the lids and rings on the jars. Tighten but only with your finger tips. Process for 15 minutes at sea level, add additional minutes for higher altitudes:

1,001-3,000 ft--5 additional minutes

3,001-6,000 ft--10 additional minutes

6,001-8,000 ft--15 additional minutes

8,001-10,000 ft--20 additional minutes

When finished, turn off the heat, remove the lid and allow jars to rest for 5 minutes to cool off slightly. Remove the jars and allow to sit for 24 hours before labeling and storing. Remember to test the seals and if any jar didn't seal keep the salsa in the refrigerator before use.

This is great for use as a fruit salsa but the author recommends it as a simmer sauce for chicken legs and thighs.

Note:

If you want this to be hotter, increase the cayenne, not the jalapeno. The canning recipe is balanced and safe as it stands. If you change ingredients you shouldn't process the salsa in bottles but refrigerate.

Creamy Corn Pasta with Basil

Well, hello!

Turns out that my little guy arrived shortly after my last post, a week before we expected him based on my previous deliveries. My summer has been a whirlwind as we have all adjusted to the addition of boy number four. Despite some difficult days and weeks, he is now sleeping through the night (hurray!!) and is a super pleasant baby for most of the day.

Most of my cooking is still survival-mode, feed-the-family cooking, but I'm starting to do a few more things, especially with all the fresh, amazing produce available here this time of year. Maybe I can manage this pasta soon. I discovered it last summer, and it's a lovely way to use fresh corn. As you can see, it was popular with a least one little!

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Creamy Corn Pasta with Basil

Source: New York Times
Serves 4

12 oz dry orecchiette or farfalle
1 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced with the whites and greens separate
2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 c kernels)
1/2 teas ground black pepper
3 T unsalted butter
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste
1/3 c torn basil or mint, more for garnish
1/4 teas red pepper flakes, or to taste
fresh lemon juice, as needed

Cook pasta in salted water, until almost al dente but not quite. Reserve 1 c pasta water. (I have made this recipe twice and have forgotten to save the pasta water every time. I'm sure it will taste better with it!)

Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook scallion whites with a pinch of salt until soft, just a couple of minutes. Add 1/4 c water and all but 1/4 c corn. Simmer for several minutes until corn is almost tender. Add 1/4 teas salt and 1/4 teas pepper. Place mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. Add water if you need it to get a "thick but pourable texture."

Place the same pan over high heat. Melt the butter, then add the remaining 1/4 c corn. Cook for 2 minutes, until corn is tender. Add corn puree from the blender and cook for 30 seconds.

Turn the heat down to medium, and add pasta and 1/4 c pasta water. Mix everything together to coat the pasta. Cook for one minute. Add more water if needed--my experience was that it needed quite a bit more water. I poured the water into the blender first to get every last bit of corn puree out, too.

Stir in 1/4 c scallion greens, cheese, herbs, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teas each of salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice. Garnish with scallions, herbs, olive oil, and pepper.

Magic Cookie Bars

Well, my little guy is taking his sweet time getting here, but my maternity leave from work has started and I haven't had anything planned because we're so close to the due date. And having irregular contractions for days on end calls for some comfort food! So I'll sneak in another recipe or two.

Recently we had some graham crackers leftover from making s'mores up the canyon. On a whim I tried the magic cookie bar recipe on the back; I have always loved these seven layer bars, with coconut and chocolate and nuts, but haven't tried to make them myself.

I found the result of the recipe on the back of the graham cracker box to be way too sweet for me, with butterscotch chips, sweetened coconut, and sweetened, condensed milk, and I even substituted dark chocolate. Also the graham cracker and butter crust just crumbled and wouldn't hold a shape. So, as I started looking for other options, I found this one from the New York Times that set out to solve these two problems: the cloying sweetness and the flimsy crust! And it succeeds pretty well, Eli and I agree. "Tookie, pease, Mama!"

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Magic Cookie Bars

Source: New York Times
Yields a 9x13 pan of deliciousness

For the crust:

6 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; more for greasing the pan
20 graham crackers
1/4 c brown sugar
1 1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teas kosher salt
1 large egg

For the topping:

1 14-oz can sweetened, condensed milk
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 1/2 c)
1 c pecans, chopped
2 c unsweetened, flaked coconut

Heat oven to 350F. Butter (or spray) a 9x13 pan, then line with parchment paper.

Process the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Then add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse until the mixture is combined. With the machine running, add the egg and melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened and clumps form.

Place the crumbs in the prepared pan. Use your fingers to separate the clumps and then press the mixture into an even layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, until crust is set and dry.

Pour the milk over the crust and use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle half the chocolate and half the pecans over the surface, then sprinkle all of the coconut on top. Finally add the remaining chocolate and nuts.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the toppings are golden brown. Let the bars cool in the pan, on a wire rack. To cut, pull the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. Though less sweet than the first recipe I tried, these are still quite rich so cut them small!

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Chicken and Chard Gratin

Hooray for lazy gardening! A small chard patch that I planted last year in the front of my house came up by itself this spring and provided enough for this meal. Chard is often served in soups or as a side dish; try this for a main dish option.

I will probably be a bit inactive on Pie Crust Cookies for the next few months, as I prepare for and care for another type of harvest, due at the end of May. I'll post a picture or two once he's arrived!

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Chicken and Chard Gratin

Source: How to Cook Everything Fast by Mark Bittman

3 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs chard
4-8 ounces Gruyere cheese, 1-2 c grated
2 thick slices rustic bread

A couple of notes on ingredients: Bittman offers several flavor variations with cheddar, mozzarella, or Jack cheese, so try these if you don't find Gruyere or if you'd prefer cheaper cheese. Also the bread slices are for bread crumbs; feel free to use 1 c bread crumbs if you already have them on hand.

I'm modifying Bittman's "prep as you go" instructions because prepping chard takes me longer than it does Bittman. Either I'm slow, garden chard is dirtier, or my little person interruptions make it take much longer (probably all three!). I made this recipe last time with young chard and didn't worry about removing the stems, and it turned out great. So I might be more lax about leaving in chopped chard stems in the future.

Begin by prepping the chard, removing thick stems and slicing them thinly. Chop the leaves. Then cut the chicken into chunks.

Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Turn the broiler to high, and move the rack so it's 6 inches from the heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until it loses its pink color, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, mince the two garlic cloves and grate the cheese.

When the chicken is no longer pink, add the garlic, chard, and another sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until the chard leaves are just wilted, stirring occasionally, another 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, tear up the bread slices and pulse in a food processor until they are bread crumbs.

When the chard is just wilted, sprinkle the cheese and bread crumbs over the top and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and bread crumbs are browned and crisp, 2-5 minutes.

Serve with buttered egg noodles for a fast meal.

Bee-Bim Bop

I don't get to eat Korean food often and am familiar only with two to three dishes. But I have loved Bee-bim Bop for some time. Several years ago, Betsy discovered the children's book Bee-bim Bop by Linda Sue Park, a delightful rhyming and rhythmic story about a family cooking together. Park explains that the name means mixed up rice in Korean. Because I am referencing the book I am using her spelling; it is also often spelled bibimbap or bibimbop. Let me encourage you to read this book if you haven't already.

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Bee-bim Bop (Rice Topped with Vegetables and Meat)

Source: Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
Serves 4

These are the instructions found in the book. However, personal experience and online research has lead me to believe there are other ingredients that are great, too. See below.

In one recipe, after each ingredient (except the meat) was cooked, it was mixed with a tablespoon of sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds (1/2 teas for these amounts). This suggestion adds flavor but it isn't required.

Restaurants sometimes serve this in heated stone bowls which make the rice crispy. To mimic this effect (and avoid buying some stone bowls) I heated some oil in a skillet and placed the cooked rice in and allowed some of the bottom rice to brown and become crispy. This is also not required.

Keep each component in a warm oven after cooking.

2 c white rice
4 c water
1 pound tender lean beef (such as sirloin tip although I have used chuck steak)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into julienne strips (matchstick size), or shredded on large holes of grater
1 pd fresh spinach, washed, or 2 pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted or use Swiss chard
1 pd mung bean sprouts
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

For the marinade:

  2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  2 scallions, sliced
  5 T soy sauce
  2 T sugar
  2 T vegetable oil
  1 teas sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
  1 T sesame oil
  1/8 teas black pepper

Cook the rice using your favorite method.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large zip-lock bag or a plastic container. Slice the beef across the grain into very thin slices. This will be easier if you freeze the beef for 30-60 minutes before slicing. Place the beef into the bag, close the top and carefully squish the beef in the marinade (this will increase the tenderness of the beef). You can also stir it all together in the plastic container.  Set the bag with the beef and marinade aside or in the refrigerator if you think it will take you more than an hour to prep other ingredients.

[Optional egg treatment--egg pancakes: Break the eggs into a large measuring cup. Beat with a fork until fully mixed. Heat 1 teas oil over medium heat in non-stick pan. Pour about 1/4 of the egg into the pan. Rotate the pan quickly so the egg spreads out in a thin layer on the bottom. Cook the egg for 1 minute. Using a wide spatula, flip the egg over and cook the other side for 1 minute. This may be easier to grab carefully with your fingertips. You now have an egg pancake. Flip the pancake out onto a cutting board and leave to cool. Repeat until you have used up all the egg, adding a little more oil if needed. You should be able to make at least 4 pancakes. Leave them on the cutting board until cool enough to handle. When cool, place them in a neat stack. Roll up the stack tightly and cut the roll into 1/4-in slices. Place the slices into a medium-sized bowl, unroll them and lightly toss. They will look like yellow ribbons. Set aside.]

Heat 1 T oil in a large frying pan over high heat and stir-fry the carrots until tender. Empty the carrots into a bowl and set aside.

If you are using frozen spinach, squeeze some of the water out of it. If you are using fresh spinach, cook it for 2 minutes in a pot of boiling water, drain and let cool for a few minutes, then squeeze some of the water out. Put 1 T oil into the frying pan and stir-fry the thawed or precooked spinach for 2-3 minutes until tender. If you use fresh Swiss chard, chop it coarsely and stir fry it.  Empty the spinach into a bowl, season it with salt and pepper and set in oven.

Pour one c water into a large saucepan. Add 1/4 teas salt. Put the pan over high heat. When the water boils, place the bean sprouts into the pan. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the bean sprouts and empty them into a bowl.

Wipe out the frying pan and heat again over high heat for about 30 seconds. Take the beef and marinade and dump them into the frying pan--all at once. When the beef hits the pan, it will sizzle loudly. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, spread the beef out in the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes until all the red meat is cooked. Turn off the heat. You'll be left with a bit of flavorful gravy with the beef.

To serve:

Put the rice, the bowls of egg strips and vegetables, and the pan of meat where everyone can reach them. Each person puts a pile of rice in the middle of a soup bowl or plate and some meat and vegetables on top. Be sure to pour a couple of spoonfuls of gravy your rice.) Top with egg ribbons. If you like spicy food, add some hot-pepper paste or some gochujang which you may find in an Asian grocery store. Apparently you can make your own, a fairly complicated process.

Now "bee-bim" (mix everything together in your bowl). It is ready to eat. If you like it, kimchee is a good accompaniment.

Betsy and I like fried eggs instead instead of the egg pancake. If you leave the yolk quite runny and stir it into the hot vegetables, it cooks the rest of the way and flavors the whole dish.

Here are other ingredients you might like to use; stir fry if appropriate.

zucchini
snow peas or sugar snaps
green beans
mushrooms
crumbled nori
julienned cucumber or cucumber slices that you've salted and rested for an hour (rinse them, pat them dry and add some sesame oil and roasted seeds)
See this site for ingredients more traditional in Korea.

Note:

The heat for stir-frying vegetables will depend on your stove top. Closely attend the first time you cook this recipe and modify the heat if you need to.