Coconut Chicken and Cauliflower Curry

One of the loveliest gifts I have ever received was a wooden chest full of spices. The ornately carved lid opens up to reveal rows of jars of spices straight from the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India. Every time I open that box I thrill. I can imagine the noise, the dust, the endless rows of camels and the riotous colours of their ornamentation. The kitchen is where I do my traveling, my ingredients bringing me a piece of the world I have not yet, and may never, see.

This curry is about as simple as you can get, comfortably exotic and absolutely satisfying. It's based on a cauliflower curry that my mother often made when we went camping. It relies on the flavours of garam masala, a blend of sweet spices that are appealing to nearly everyone.

Coconut Chicken and Cauliflower Curry  6 servings

3 tablespoons Canola or other vegetable Oil

2 teaspoons Salt
2 pounds boneless Chicken Thighs
1 large Onion, diced
2 large Carrots, peeled and cut into 1"sticks
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated Ginger
2 small Zucchini or 6 small Pattypan Squash
1 head Cauliflower, broken into 1" florets
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 can Coconut Milk
2 cups Brown or White Rice, cooked according to package directions
Possible Accompaniments: Chutney, Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Cashews or Almonds, Toasted Coconut, Lime Pickle


Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok (something big enough to hold all the listed ingredients) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper and brown well on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and carrots to the oil remaining in the pan and cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for just a minute longer, then add the cauliflower and zucchini. Sprinkle in the garam masala. Stir in the coconut milk and the reserved chicken. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Season to taste with salt and serve over rice with as many accompaniments as you can muster.

Chicken and Peach Souvlaki

 

Being a food lover and feeding children can be hard.  I remember Molly sitting in her highchair eating bits of duck confit and roasted asparagus, me thinking that she would always appreciate what I put on her plate.   Somewhere along the way things fell apart and now we're all kind of relieved when it's pizza night and no one complains about dinner.

One night last week I thought up this lovely take on souvlaki.  Peaches and basil are a great combination, and both are peaking right now in the heat of the Annapolis Valley.  I can't say that my children loved grilled peaches, but I think you will!

This time last year: Garlicky Green Beans

Chicken and Peach Souvlaki
four servings

1 pound boneless Chicken Breast or thighs
Juice of 1 Lemon
3 tablespoons  Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Green Onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Basil
1 teaspoon Salt
a few grinds of Black Pepper
6 nearly ripe Peaches

Cut the chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Place the chicken in a bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, green onions, basil, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine and let marinate for an hour (or overnight) in the refrigerator.  Soak 8 bamboo skewers in cold water to cover.  Cut the peaches in half and dig out the pits, then cut in half again.  Thread chicken and peaches alternating on the skewers.  Preheat barbecue to medium heat and grill skewers until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Chicken Pickin'

This winter, I couldn't get enough Christmas dinner, so we've been re-enacting it every couple of weeks. Roasted chicken is my absolute don't-mess-with tradition for this meal, and I need leftovers. In this land of plenty, free range chickens are available from many farmers, and my favourite is Maple and Ewe. Their chickens are large, like at least 6 pounds. This makes them a bit of an investment, but you can make at least three meals of one (and enjoy each immensely!) They take a couple hours to cook, and they are so flavourful that I just add salt and pepper, throw it in the oven, and back off. I roast mine at low temperature, about 300°, until it reaches about 175° in the thickest part of the breast. Then I cook a mini array of vegetables, make some gravy, and we're feasting like the Kings and Queens of Winter.

It is really worth searching out a decent bird for your family. Not only will you be supporting the local economy, you will be rewarded with unparalleled flavour for practically no effort. A larger chicken yields more meat per pound, so go ahead! Leftover cooked chicken can be made into chicken soup, added to salads and sandwiches, or incorporated into a new dish over the coming days. Maple and Ewe free-range chickens are available at Meadowbrook Meat Market and the Wolfville Farmer's Market.

Christmas Anytime Roasted Chicken

1 Free Range Chicken

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°. Put the chicken in a metal roasting pan and rub with salt and pepper-I use lots. Roast in the middle of the oven until the thickest part of the breast reaches 175°. Let the chicken rest while you prepare vegetables or whatever. Leaving the juices behind in the pan, carefully lift the chicken onto a serving platter. I remember it being a big deal to carve the holiday bird, but we don't need this kind of fuss. Just remove the leg/thigh after the bird cools a bit (resting will make the meat juicier anyway). Then cut them in half (there is a natural divide, so this is easy). Gently pull the breast meat off and cut it into several chunky pieces.

For the gravy, take the pan the chicken cooked in and set it over a burner. It won't fit, don't worry. Turn the burner to medium and scrape the pan with a fork. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons of flour and work it into the juices and fat. Add about two cups of water and stir it up like crazy (you might switch to a whisk at this point), getting into the corners of the pan so all of the liquid gets a turn directly over the heat. Add salt to taste, and maybe a little rosemary or thyme. Continue to stir and cook while the gravy bubbles and thickens. If it's too thick, thin with a bit more water. Serve the chicken and gravy with lots of veggies. Refrigerate the leftover chicken and gravy.

Later, or the next day, completely strip the chicken carcass of meat. Put all the bones and bits of skin into a large pot and cover with water. Set over medium-low heat and cook for several hours, then strain. This is now the base of a delicious chicken vegetable soup.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Maybe you don't need a recipe for this. Maybe you do. In any case, feel free to add any vegetables you like, including whatever leftover cooked vegetables are in your fridge. I also like to add a handful of uncooked red lentils, quinoa, barley or rice just before stirring in the stock. Make sure your grain is cooked completely before removing the soup from the heat.

1 Onion, diced

4 stalks Celery, diced

3 Carrots, diced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 lb. Sweet Potato, diced (or Winter Squash or Potato)

½ C. Barley, Quinoa, Rice or Lentils, optional

the Chicken Stock from above

½ bunch Parsley, chopped

½ bunch Spinach, Kale, or Swiss Chard, sliced thinly
2 C. leftover cooked chicken, chopped 

Your stock should have a thin layer of fat on top. Spoon a little of this off carefully and place in a large pot over medium heat (you can use olive oil if necessary). Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and cook for twenty minutes or so, stirring often and breathing in the amazing aromas as the vegetables caramelize slightly. Add the sweet potato, chicken stock and optional grains and bring to a near boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potato is tender. Add parsley, chopped greens and chicken and simmer until greens are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Kale and Swiss Chard

Kale and Swiss Chard are among the most beautiful of vegetables. Sold in enormous bunches, and in a multitude of gorgeous colours, these greens practically jump into your market bag (they do look stylish jauntily peeking out of there). It's only when you get home that you go "uh-oh! What was I thinking, buying this many greens?" Well, if you are crazy healthy like my two good friends named Melissa and Melyssa, you put them in a smoothie and head back the next week for more. However, the rest of us may want to dress it up a little, or at least cook it. Luckily, it's easy.

Greens with Caramelized Onions
1 T. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, sliced or diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss Chard or Kale, chopped (stems are most welcome, but separate them from the leaves and chop them)
Salt and Pepper
Optional: Balsamic Vinegar, Raisins, Dried Cherries, Feta, Parmesan Cheese

Heat your largest pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and onions. Stir and cook for at least ten minutes, until onions have softened and are browned in spots. You may add a little water from time to time if the onions are sticking. Turn the heat to high and stir in the garlic and stems. Saute for a minute. If you're using kale, add the chopped leaves at this point and about 1/4 C. water. Cover and cook for about five minutes, until kale is tender. If using Swiss Chard, the water isn't necessary. Just add the leaves and stir until wilted. In either case, season to taste with salt and pepper. If you like, add a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, and/or a small amount of any or all of the suggested toppings!


Chicken Penne with Raspberries and Greens

1 batch Greens with Caramelized Onions
1 C. Whipping Cream
1/2 C. Apple Cider (optional, I love Boates)
1 lb. Penne or your favourite pasta, cooked
2 C. cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 pint Raspberries
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese and Chopped Parsley

Prepare the greens in your largest pan, then stir in the cream and cider if using. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and let bubble for a minute. Stir in the pasta and chicken. Cover and cook for about five minutes, until sauce has thickened and pasta is nicely coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and divide among 6 bowls. Garnish with the raspberries and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and parsley.

Hodge Podge

My Nova Scotia Garden in June

Do you know what Hodge Podge is? Then chances are, you are from Atlantic Canada. Though I'm not exactly sure where the exact culinary boundaries are, it's safe to say that my friends from Nova Scotia say "yum!" while those from elsewhere say "huh?". Hodge Podge is a wonderful perfectly seasonal mix of new-from-the-garden (or market) vegetables, napped with a creamy sauce. I think the rules are usually potatoes, carrots, peas and beans, although asparagus, spinach, onions and just about any fresh vegetable should be welcome. Last week, my dear friend Alexis killed her chickens and brought me one. I roasted it with fresh herbs, made my first batch of Hodge Podge of the year, and dug in. Bliss!

Hodge Podge serves 4-6
1 lb. New Potatoes, halved if large
1 lb. New Carrots, cut into thick slices
1/2 lb. Sugar Snap Peas, stems removed (or use 1/2 lb shelled peas)
1 lb. Green or Yellow Beans, stems removed and snapped in half
2 T. Butter
2 T. All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 C. Milk
1/2 t. Salt
Pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the potatoes and carrots. After 10 minutes, check the potatoes. When they are almost tender, add the beans. Simmer for another few minutes, then turn off the heat and add the peas. Leave while you make the sauce. Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the butter, and when it has melted, whisk in the flour. When it is smooth, slowly add the milk, whisking all the while. Continue cooking until mixture bubbles and thickens. Season with the salt and add pepper to taste. Drain the cooked vegetables, saving a little water for thinning. Add to the pot containing the sauce and combine thoroughly, adding cooking water if necessary.
Now that you have your basic Hodge Podge (try it like this first if you've never had it before) you can go crazy with variations. Try stirring in a couple tablespoons of pesto, or chopped fresh herbs. Add asparagus with the beans, or chopped spinach with the peas. If you grow garlic and have scapes to use up, chop them and add with the beans.
Best of all, cut a roasted chicken from your neighbour into serving pieces. Load up your plate with Hodge Podge, then top with a piece of chicken and a spoonful of the roasting juices from the pan.

Spinach

Spinach. It's green and leafy. You know it's good for you, but maybe you don't eat enough of it. Yet I know by the popularity of the Poppyseed dressing at the Cafe that lots of you are eating it, in the form of Spinach Salad. Add some Bacon, a few slivers of Red Onion, some Tomato and Sliced Egg, and you're in business. We've usually been able to find a local source of spinach by late March or April, which makes it the first fresh local vegetable in spring. We've been buying beautiful spinach from Katrina Fairn at the Berwick Farmer's Market and Taproot Farms, and I've gotten lovely stuff in previous years from Goldfinch Farm (just look for Dora at the Wolfville Farmer's Market). And while one can certainly consume plenty in raw form, cooking it reduces its volume so much you can easily eat half your daily vegetable requirement in a few luscious bites.

In fact, it's cooked Spinach that I now adore, in many different forms. Just try adding a large chopped bunch to a hot pan with Olive Oil and Garlic and turning it until it's cooked (sprinkle in some salt to taste). Or make a simple pizza and top with chopped Spinach, Tomato and minced Garlic. Mix cooked Spinach into your scrambled Eggs, add a big handful to any pasta dish, stir lots into curries and soups and use a bed of chopped spinach under just about anything. Spinach adds great flavour, and virtually calorie free volume (there may be more to come on this subject, since I love to pig out but don't like the side effects). Here's the latest favourite staff meal at Union Street:

Spinach and Veggie Skillet with Broiled Cheese

For 2 Veggie Lovers

1 T. Olive Oil
½ C. Red Onion, sliced
1 C. Mushrooms, sliced (we like Valley Mushrooms)
2 C. Red or Green Peppers, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 enormous handfuls Spinach, chopped
1 C. Decent Tomato Sauce, or 1 large Tomato, chopped
1 C. Cooked Chicken, chopped
½ C. Feta cheese or Mozzarella

Preheat your oven's broiler and move the rack to the top position. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and peppers and saute until onions have softened and mushrooms are beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic, spinach and a pinch of salt and cook for another minute, until the spinach has wilted. Add the tomato sauce or tomatoes and the chicken if you're using it. Top evenly with the cheese. Place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes, watching intently, until the cheese has melted and is bubbling and browned. Divide between two bowls and serve with crusty bread.

We have experimented with about a hundred different Poppyseed Dressing recipes, but we feel this is the best. It comes in a roundabout way from the old Broadstreet Cafe in Kentville, NS via my dear friend and fellow food lover Terry Thornhill. It has a shocking amount of sugar, but it does make Spinach tempting to even the most vegetable-wary.

Poppyseed Dressing makes lots, and keeps at least 1 month in the fridge
1 T. Dry Mustard
1/2 C. Sugar
1/3 C. Vinegar
1 C. Canola Oil
1 t. Poppyseeds
1/2 t. Salt
1/8 t. Pepper
1/2 t. (yes) Garlic Salt

Put all the ingredients except the poppyseeds in a blender and blend until thick. Pour into a jar and add the poppyseeds, shaking to distribute. My oh my.