Chicken Bacon Pitas

Chicken + Bacon is really good. One week for my Sunday dinner, I really wanted to do something with chicken and bacon so I made the following recipe. It developed over a few weeks into one of my favorite dishes. You can also create variations of the recipe for new delicious creations. I have never tried it (yet) but I think it would be good to add hash browns with the chicken, bacon, and onion mixture, and add a fried egg on top -- essentially a chicken bacon brunch hash. Today I added mushrooms and it was delicious. You can also serve it on bread, tortillas, or rolls.

Finished product

After I added the onions, chicken and bacon together

Folding the cheese into the mixture while it melts

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Chicken Bacon Pitas

1 teas cumin
1 teas  rosemary
2 garlic cloves
1 T butter
2 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
½ lb of bacon
2 yellow onions
1 red onion (use another yellow onion if no red onion available)
Mozzarella cheese (or another soft cheese)
Pita bread or rolls

Slice the onions in thin medium long slices. (I usually will slice the onion and then cut the onion in half.) Slice the  chicken breast into cubes. Saute the onions and chicken breast in different pans with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the bacon in another pan. When the bacon is finished, drain the bacon grease saving 1 tablespoon of grease. Then chop the bacon into ½ inch cubes. When everything has finished sauteing, mix together the onions, bacon, leftover bacon grease, and chicken. Add cumin, garlic, rosemary and butter and saute until butter has melted. Stir in the herbs.

Next in another saute pan, heat until hot and then add a cup or so of the mixture (enough to fill a pita) and add the cheese. Stir cheese until melted. Then add to a pita or roll and serve.

Roasted Asparagus

And here's my other favorite way to prepare asparagus.

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Roasted Asparagus

Source: Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs thin asparagus, tough ends snapped off
2 T extra virgin olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 450F. Place the asparagus on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over them and toss gently with your hands to coat each spear from end to end. Spread the spears out in a single layer over the baking sheet.

Roast in the preheated oven, shaking the pan once or twice to turn the spears, until the asparagus are lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Variation: Roasted Asparagus with Rosemary and Garlic

Add 2 medium garlic cloves, minced, and 1 teas minced fresh rosemary leaves to the oil, then coat the asparagus with this mixture.

Note from Betsy: This recipe is quite forgiving. I have used thick asparagus--just cook it a little longer. I almost never remember to shake the pan halfway through cooking. Most of the time I throw the ingredients together without measuring, and it always turns out delicious.

Pan-Browned Asparagus with Butter

We're eating lots of asparagus these days, so I thought I'd share one of my two favorite ways to prepare it.

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Pan-Browned Asparagus with Butter

Source: Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop
Serves 4

2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 lbs thin or medium asparagus, tough ends snapped off
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Place the asparagus in the skillet in a single layer (or as close to one as you can get--when the asparagus overlaps, I have not had any problems with it cooking as it should). Season with salt to taste. Cover and cook until they are crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus.

Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the asparagus, shaking the pan occasionally to turn them, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Season with pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Mole de Olla—Beef Stew in a Pot

New information (December 2015):

A couple of years after posting this recipe, I watched an episode of Pati Jinich's PBS cooking show (http://patismexicantable.com/tvshow/) and I was excited to see her explaining how she makes Mole de Olla. For years I assumed this was not an authentic Mexican dish since I couldn't find it in any cookbook written by an expert. I'd originally discovered the recipe in the late 70s, in a "Mexican" cookbook, likely by Better Homes and Gardens. Since the 90s I have relied on books by Rick Bayless and, less frequently, Diana Kennedy, both Americans who made Mexican cookery the focus of their lives and careers. However, Pati Jinich was born and raised in Mexico City and she states that although this dish isn't a typical mole (the thick, spicy sauce flavored with chocolate), it is an old traditional recipe and there are many variations in Mexico. I feel slightly embarrassed I care so much about authenticity when what really matters is that this soupy stew is really tasty.

I cook this soup every summer when corn on the cob is at its best. I've also started freezing 1-inch pieces of corn so I can enjoy this in winter (the corn isn't quite as firm, but still flavorful). Don't be tempted to add corn cut off the cob. I feel certain that the cob adds flavor. Corn on the cob means this soup must be eaten with both a spoon and a fork (or fingers).

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Mole de Olla—Beef Stew in a Pot

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 T cooking oil
3 c water
1/4 c snipped fresh parsley, or 1 T dried parsley
2 teas salt
1/8 teas pepper
1/2-1 teas crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 (16-oz) can tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut up
1 c water
2 T sesame seed
2 cloves garlic
1 teas instant beef bouillon granules
1/8 teas ground cumin
2 medium zucchini or summer squash, or chayote cut up (1 pound)
2 pounds small waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut in 1 inch pieces
3 ears fresh corn, cut in 1-inch pieces (I often add more since we love it)

In large pot, brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil. Return all meat to pot. Add the 3 cups water, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours or until the stew meat is tender. In blender container place undrained tomatoes,  crushed red pepper, onion, 1 c water, sesame seed, garlic, bouillon granules, and cumin; blend till nearly smooth. Add liquid to beef mixture along with potatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add corn and replace lid. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are nearly cooked. Add squash for last 5 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Notes:

If you can find it, substitute chayote squash for the zucchini. Its texture is more dense and holds up better but should be cooked longer--10 minutes or until done. Also, I find that waxy (often red) potatoes work better in soups than russets which tend to fall apart into mush if they are overcooked.

Pati Jinich's version is much the same as the recipe I offer here, although she doesn't include potatoes. She uses both zucchini and chayote--I think I'll chose one or the other. And she uses green beans, cut up. Pati also roasts whole tomatoes and tomatillos and garlic before blending them and toasts the sesame seeds until they start to pop. She puts a halved white onion in the cooking water for the meat. She also toasts and boils until tender some ancho chile pods then blends them to make a chile sauce to add to the broth. This results in final product that looks slightly thicker than my version. Go check hers out and try it. I'm going to do the same but I'm going to hang on to the potatoes. https://patijinich.com/recipe/mole-de-olla/

Salmon Cakes

This recipe uses canned salmon which I haven't used much in the past but I trust the author of this recipe and have found it to be a quick meal made of pantry ingredients. I usually splurge and buy good quality wild salmon but it isn't necessary.

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Salmon Cakes 

Adapted from: What We Eat When We Eat Alone  by Deborah Madison
Serves two but can easily be multiplied.

1 (7 1/2 oz can) salmon, about 1 cup
1 1/2 T minced scallions or onion
2 T chopped parsley
1/2 teas grated lemon zest
1 T mayonnaise
1/2-1 teas mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 c plus 2 T breadcrumbs, fresh or dried
olive oil for frying
optional: arugula, lemon wedges, sour cream, horseradish, or additional mayonnaise as topping


Drain the can of salmon; place in a bowl. Break it up with a fork and pick out any bones that bother you. Most of them will be quite soft because they've been canned and they'll add calcium to your diet if you happen to eat them. Add the scallions, parsley, lemon zest, mayonnaise, and mustard, and mix everything together. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir the egg into the fish followed by the breadcrumbs.

Heat a cast-iron or nonstick skillet and coat it with the oil. Shape the salmon mixture into patties. Carefully place them in the skillet and let cook for 5 minutes per side. They should be brown and crisp on the outside but moist and tender on the inside. Serve on a bed of arugula with lemon wedges and sour cream or mayonnaise or horseradish.

Note for the beginning cook: Grating the zest off any citrus means to take the color off the skin, leaving behind the white. You can do this with a rasp grater (such as a microplane), the smallest section of your box grater, or by peeling of sections with your peeler and then chopping with a knife. It is worth the effort. I advise against using dried lemon. Substituting lemon juice itself adds acidity and too much moisture. The zest provides lemon flavor without its tartness.

Central Grocery’s Muffuletta Sandwiches

Years ago I visited New Orleans and fell in love with the Muffulettas at Central Grocery in the French Quarter. I bought two bottles of their olive salad to bring home with me but they didn't last long. I felt lucky to find online a recipe that tasted remarkably like Central Grocery's signature sandwich spread. It's been so long I'm uncertain, though, where I found it.

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Central Grocery’s Muffuletta Sandwiches

Serves about 6, depending on how much salad is spread on the sandwiches

Rolls--the authentic sandwich is made on a thin, disk of bread and cut into four servings, but I substitute hoagie rolls if I don't have time to make a loaf.

Lunchmeats, such as ham, prosciutto, genoa salami, mortadella

Provolone cheese

Olive salad:

2/3 c green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2/3 c black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 (16-oz) jar Italian Mix Giardiniera, juice reserved, vegetables chopped
1/4 c pimientos, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 filet anchovy, finely chopped or mashed (or 1 teas anchovy paste)
1 T capers
1/3 c parsley, finely chopped
1 teas oregano (or1 T chopped fresh oregano)
1/4 teas black pepper
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

Mix ingredients together and add some of the reserved Giardiniera liquid if desired (I usually don’t—the olive oil makes it juicy enough). It would be best to let it sit for an hour or so to blend the flavors but if you are in a rush, use it as soon as it is mixed. Spread some olive salad on sandwich rolls. Layer meat and cheese on rolls and serve—or let diners build their own sandwiches.

Note from Colette:  If anchovies are unfamiliar to you, don't hesitate to use them. I've tried this without the anchovy and its absence was noticeable. Anchovy is an important flavor component. In the grocery store you'll find these near tuna fish cans in small bottles or tins. I hear that Italian varieties are the best but haven't done my own testing so can't verify that rumor. Once you open a tin, move the filets to a small jar and cover with olive oil. If you buy a jar of anchovies, ensure they are covered with oil as well. This will help them to store for a very long time in your refrigerator. Tubes of anchovy paste are convenient and mess free, but I don't find them to last as long as jarred anchovies.

Bubble n' Squeak

I've long held the belief that this dish is Irish and that the name comes from a sound made when the vegetables are cooked together. A google search reveals that it can also be British and is a way to use leftovers. What ever its origins, it has been a mainstay in our recipe collection for a good many years.

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Bubble n’ Squeak 

Source: Washington Post
Serves 4-5

1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 slices bacon, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 c cooked, cubed ham
1 T butter
3 c potatoes – baked, cooled and thinly sliced—peel or not according to your taste
1/2 teas paprika salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or sauté pan at medium heat, cook cabbage in a small amount of water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; remove cabbage and set aside. In same pan, sauté bacon and onion until soft; add ham and cook until heated through. Stir in butter, then add the cooked cabbage and potatoes and mix well. Season with paprika, salt and pepper and let cook until browned. You can change this recipe to suit your needs by increasing or decreasing any ingredient. If you increase the cabbage or potatoes a great deal, increase the paprika, too.

Note from Betsy: this is truly a one hour recipe if you have leftover baked potatoes. Or you can microwave the potatoes.