Ancho Chicken With Warm Corn, Zucchini and Tomato Salad

From the Washington Post - Ellie Krieger's Nourish column,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/ancho-chicken-warm-corn-zucchini-and-tomato-salad/14233/

My son was home one weekend, and we love to cook together.  In classic fashion, I set out about 20 recipes that I wanted to make and had him make the final decision.  He was a winner - as were we all - as he chose for us to make this chicken recipe with the Golden Lentil with Soft, Sweet Onions on the side, also from the Washington Post.  Maybe an overdose on protein between the two dishes, but a great combination of tastes.  Small portions are filling, but it's hard to stop at just one serving.

Since I don't tend to like to watch chicken cooking on the stove, we used the spice rub, then baked the chicken at 375 for about 24 minutes, and cooked the vegetable mixture on the stove, lightly sprinkling in more of the same spices.

NOURISH SEP 10, 2014

This is the perfect recipe to bridge summer and fall. Its focal point is a bounty of colorful summer produce, cooked just enough to retain fresh appeal but warmed and softened enough to comfort.

It also happens to be good year-round made with frozen corn kernels. If you don't have ancho chili powder on hand, substitute any mild chili powder or even paprika.

A finishing touch of buttery avocado seals the deal.

Make Ahead: This dish may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Allow it to come to room temperature or warm it in the microwave, and slice the avocado and add cilantro, right before serving.

SERVINGS:

Tested size: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (may substitute mild chili powder or paprika)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
4 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, each cut in half
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 1 large or 2 small ears fresh corn)
1 clove garlic, minced
Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves


DIRECTIONS

Stir together the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides of the chicken, rubbing it in a little with your fingers.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken pieces; cook for a total of about 6 minutes, turning them over as needed, until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet; once the oil is quite hot, add the onion and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes or until softened, then add the zucchini, tomatoes, corn and garlic; cook until all of the vegetables are softened but they still retain their shape, about 3 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Divide the vegetable mixture among individual plates. Top each with a piece of chicken and a few slices of avocado. Sprinkle with the lime juice and cilantro, and serve.

Golden Lentils with Soft, Sweet Onions

from the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/golden-lentils-soft-sweet-onions/13840/


Tested size: 8-10 servings; makes 5 cups

This isn't as thick and creamy as mashed potatoes, but it is high in protein and fiber and is a good side dish that you can make more or less spicy depending on what the rest of the meal.

Perfect with Ancho chicken with warm corn, zucchini and tomato salad, also from the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/ancho-chicken-warm-corn-zucchini-and-tomato-salad/14233/

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
5 cups water
Freshly ground black pepper
Ground cayenne pepper or paprika or a few drops of hot sauce
Tomatoes or yogurt with pomegranate seeds to top

DIRECTIONS

Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions, stirring to coat; cook until the onions wilt, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are super soft and very sweet, 10 to 20 minutes or longer, if needed. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of vinegar during the last 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the lentils and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low until barely bubbling around the edges (use a heat diffuser, if you have one, underneath). Partially cover and cook gently until the lentils are perfectly soft, about 40 minutes. The mash will be supple at this stage. If you'd like it stiffer, simmer uncovered for a little longer.

Add the lentils to the onions, stirring to thoroughly blend; taste, and add salt and/or vinegar as needed. Season to taste with black pepper and cayenne pepper.  I probably added about 1/4 tsp of pepper and 1/8 tsp of paprika.  Just keep tasting it til you love the taste.

Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Based on 10 servings - 1/2 cup each - 170 calories, 10 gm protein, 28 gm carbs, 3 gm fat, 0 gm saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 12 gm dietary fiber, 3 gm sugar.

Deep-dish winter fruit pie with walnut crumble

To save the trouble of making a crust and to decrease the calories, I made this without a crust.  Since I couldn't find figs, I substituted about 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/4 cup golden raisins.  It came out delicious and filled a deep pie dish and an 8x8 inch square.  It became better each day, and sweeter, making me think that we could do without the raisins.  Even the cranberries, which can be quite tart, became sweet with the baking.

This deep-dish crumb-topped pie combines several winter fruits and confirms that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The pears become soft, the apples remain slightly firm, the figs add texture and sweetness, and the tart cranberries pop in your mouth, making this rustic pie a sensory treat. Be sure to plan ahead, as this recipe calls for chilling the dough for one hour, chilling it again after you roll it out (this reduces shrinkage of the crust during baking), and then baking the pie for over an hour. It is an hours-long process, off and on, but it is worth every minute. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a glass of apple or pear brandy (preferably from Clear Creek Distillery), it is the perfect final touch to a dinner party.

ingredients

Pie Pastry

• 1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Walnut Crumb Topping

• 3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed (5 3/4 ounces) brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Fruit Filling

• 1 cup (5 1/2 ounces) dried figs (see below)
• 4 small apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 ounces prepped)
• 4 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick (1 1/4 pounds prepped)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• I left out the figs (because I couldn't find any) and added 1/4 cup dried cranberries ; consider 1/4 cup raisins

preparation

To make the pie pastry, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, then put the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Add the butter to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, a food processor, an electric mixer, or your hands, just until the mixture becomes coarse and crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Stir the water and lemon juice together, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured work surface and press it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch disk, then line a 9 or 10 by 3-inch springform pan with the rolled-out dough. Patch any holes and trim off any dough that hangs over the edges of the pan. Chill for an additional 30 minutes while you prepare the crumb topping and the fruit filling.

To make the walnut crumb topping, mix the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the butter, then work it in with your hands until the texture of crumbs. Put the topping in the refrigerator while you make the fruit filling.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

To make the fruit filling, remove the stem from each fig, then boil the figs in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Slice each fig into 4 to 5 pieces, put them in a large bowl, and add the apples, pears, and cranberries. Separately, rub the sugar and cornstarch together, then add to the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.

Transfer the filling to the pie shell and top with the walnut crumb. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the crumb is golden, the fruit juices are bubbling thickly around the edges, and the fruit is tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. If the crumb is getting too dark, cover it with foil.

Storage: Covered with a tea towel, the pie will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Spooned into a bowl and drizzled with chilled cream, it makes a wonderful breakfast.

Reprinted with permission from Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson, copyright © 2009. Photography © 2009 by Sara Remington. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Turkey Soup 2014

Here's an original recipe using chicken soup ingredients as a basis, then other odds and ends I found in the fridge -- and it turned out to be quite good!

Update 12/19/14 - froze it after a few days, then just defrosted it - actually upgrade that to excellent!

I started with the remains from our RedBreast Organic Turkey prepared with the Turkey Rub from food network.com.

Ingredients:

Wings and drumsticks
1 fennel bulb plus a few stalks
1 yellow onion, quartered
3 stalks of celery, peeled and sliced
5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
3 sprigs of sage, tied
dried oregano sprinkled over the top
generous amount of Kosher salt, to taste as the soup cooks
ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Boil 12 cups of water.

2) Add the cooked turkey parts and bring to a boil again.  Skim the foam over the next few minutes.

3) Add all the other ingredients and continue to adjust the salt and pepper (mostly the salt) as it cooks for the next hour or so.  The soup is done cooking when all the vegetables are soft.