Tomato-Braised Short Ribs and Creamy Parmesan Polenta... And A Giveaway!

Here in Upstate New York, fall has certainly arrived. The leaves are stunning this year (some of the most vibrant reds and oranges I have seen in years) and when the sun goes down, the house begs for the warmth of a wood stove. Autumn is also the time when slow cookers come out of the cupboard and the smells of stews and braised meat waft through the house (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it). How about some delicious braised short ribs? I posted my Tomato-Braised Short Ribs and Creamy Parmesan Polenta recipe over on the Eat Local blog... I hope you'll check it out. While the meat cooks away in the oven for a few hours, this dish really only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, perfect for a lazy Sunday or casual dinner with friends (you can watch a movie or take the dog for a walk while it hangs out in the oven). 

But wait! There's more!

I've entered this recipe in the Calling All Cooks recipe contest, and I've been selected as a semi-finalist! But I need your help to make it to the finals. If you could, please head over to Facebook and vote for my recipe by "liking" it. The top five make it to the finals. Voting ends Wednesday, October 19th at 1pm, so you don't have long! I'd really appreciate your help.

As a thank you for your vote, please let me know in this post's comments that you voted for me, and you will be entered to win a gift basket full of tasty treats from Silly Goose Farm! Just leave a way to contact you, as well (like your email address). Already voted? That's okay. Get your friends to vote and leave me a note in the comments telling me you voted. A winner will be announced on Friday!

Thanks again for your help! PS - While you are on Facebook, stop over and "like" Silly Goose Farm, too!

Thanks everyone for your support. I was the runner-up in the competition (but I still netted some great prizes and amazing exposure). As a thank you, all three commenters (Tara, Christine, and Becky) will be receiving a special gift from Silly Goose Farm -- thanks for your sweet notes, ladies!

Peach BBQ Sauce

Someone said to me recently, "That's BBQ sauce? It looks so light!" And it's true. When most people hear "BBQ sauce," they expect a ruddy red condiment with a tomato tang. But not this recipe. There is no tomato at all here! Just peaches and lots of yummy spices, essentially. The acidity that is typically found in tomatoes is presented by other ingredients. This peach BBQ sauce has a fiery kick to it, so don't be mislead by the pale color - this sauce has strong enough "legs" to stand up to most BBQ applications (though my kids like it on chicken nuggets).  I paired mine with wood-grilled baby back ribs. Have fun with this, and if you make it, report back to me on what you paired it with!

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Peach BBQ Sauce
Makes Roughly 3 Pints

3/4 cup red onion (about one medium), diced
2 jalapeño peppers, minced with seeds*
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups peaches, skins removed, diced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon whiskey

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, peppers, and garlic into the pot and sprinkle with the salt. Sweat until the onions turn translucent (reduce the heat if needed to avoid burning the garlic).

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the peaches. Use a wooden spoon to break the peaches down. Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, black pepper and cloves. Simmer until slightly thickened and stir often (about 15 minutes). Add the whiskey and cook for two additional minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Ladle one-quarter of the sauce into a blender and puree (be careful of steam!). Or use a stick immersion blender to puree in the pot. This sauce can be hot water bath canned, frozen, or kept in the refrigerator for one month. Enjoy!

*If two jalapeños seems to spicy for your taste, you can reduce to one pepper, with seeds, or completely eliminate the seeds altogether (the seeds are the hottest part of the pepper).

Strawberry Salad

Salad greens from my mother's garden; berries picked by me

Two words indicative of summer are strawberry and salad. Put them together, and experience a flavor profile that is reminiscent of running barefoot through sprinklers, making s'mores, getting sun freckles on one's shoulders, and backyard camping in rickety tents. This Strawberry Salad is a quick, easy meal that can be whipped up for a tasty lunch or healthy dinner. Enjoy!

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Strawberry Salad with Candied Walnuts

Serves Two

5 cups (for me, about 4 big handfuls) salad greens, washed and dried

1/2 cup red onion, sliced

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled*

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup walnuts, shelled and halved

1 egg white

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven broiler (or set oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). Combine egg white, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and paprika. Add nuts and mix with fork. Place nuts on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden.

2. Meanwhile, combine the salad greens, red onion, cheese and strawberries. Once walnuts are done, sprinkle on top of salad. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season as desired with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

*Bleu cheese would also be delicious!

Lemon Chicken and Mediterranean Couscous

I think I've found the perfect go-to dish. Good hot or cold, simple to make, and impressive enough for company. May I introduce you to Lemon Chicken with Mediterranean Couscous?

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Lemon Chicken with Mediterranean Couscous
Adapted from Epicurious.com
Serves 4

For the Chicken:
8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 lbs)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh thyme (about 5 sprigs)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 slices of lemon (1/8-1/4 inch thick)

For the Couscous:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped and smashed
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
10 ounces plain couscous
3/4 cup raisins
1 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Place oven rack in upper third of oven, preheat ot 500 degrees Fahrenheit OR heat grill to high heat.

2. Toss chicken with oil, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then transfer to a shallow baking pan OR place on grill.

3. Bake/grill chicken for 10 minutes (if grilling, be sure to turn for even cooking and grill marks), then top each chicken with a slice of lemon. Continue to bake chicken until is it golden and cooked thoroughly (about 15 more minutes, slightly less for grill).

4. In the meantime, bring chicken broth, 1 tablespoon oil, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, cinnamon, and cumin to a boil. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Scatter raisins over the couscous, cover and let stand for about 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, then add red bell pepper, carrot and lemon zest. Whish remaining oil, salt, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add to couscous and toss to coat. Season to taste. Can be made up to one day ahead, just cover, chill, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Original recipes from Epicurious can be found here and here.

Turkey Burgers and Oven Fries

What better way to celebrate the potato than with fries! While I could definitely just eat fries alone, I thought a spin on the classic combination of "burgers and fries" would be more apropos (bonus - did you know potatoes are naturally fat free? AWESOME!).

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Turkey Burgers with Honey Mustard Dressing

Makes 4 burgers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1/2 apple, peeled and diced small

2 shallots, minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes OR 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon Bell's Seasoning

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

4 poppy seed kaiser rolls (or bread of choice)

2 cups spring mix or other baby lettuce

4 slices American cheese

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, garlic, celery, apple, shallot, salt, pepper, parsley and Bell's Seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. The turkey mixture will be very wet. Form into four patties and place in skillet.

3. Cook burgers for 4-5 minutes. Turn, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.

4. In the meantime, split and lightly toast kaiser rolls. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard and honey.

5. Spread 2 tablespoons of honey mustard dressing on one half of toasted kaiser roll. Layer spring mix on bottom half of kaiser roll, top with one turkey burger patty, American cheese (if desired) and top half of kaiser roll.* Enjoy!

*On second tasting, I substituted honey mustard dressing with Silly Goose Farm ginger-peach chutney (available for purchase soon!) and the American cheese for bleu cheese - it was equally delicious!

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Oven Fries with Spicy Ketchup

Serves 4*

4 large potatoes, peeled**

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon cracked pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.

2. Cut potatoes into "sticks" as uniformly as possible. Place in a large pot and with enough cold water to just cover. Boil over high heat until potatoes are just pierced with a folk.

3. Remove potatoes from boiling water and place on baking sheet. Coat with olive oil. Top with garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and allspice. Toss to coat.

4. Bake potatoes on top shelf in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn and bake for another 10 minutes (or until desired "browning" is reached).

5. In the meantime, combine ketchup, cumin and chili powder in a small bowl. Mix to combine.

6. Serve oven fries with spicy ketchup. Enjoy!

*This recipe can easily be increased or decreased.

**I used Red Chieftain potatoes from this year's crop, but the potato gold standard (Yukon Gold, that is) is a wise choice.

Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan

A week ago, my darling friend Christine discussed her love of Indian food (more specifically, Naan) over on her blog. I too share a deep love for Indian food and have been incredibly lucky to have enjoyed it all over the world (I think my favorite was at Taj Mahal de L'Ouest in Montreal). Dave and I even joke that we have tried so many different versions of our favorite dish, Chicken Tikka Masala, we could probably write a book on the regional differences of the dish.

For those of you not as familiar with Chicken Tikka Masala or Naan, I can describe them as a spicy tomato-based dish with marinated chicken served over rice (the former) and a version of flatbread similar to Pita (the latter). Before I had the kids, I think I made these two recipes every Sunday. So with all that practice, you better believe I've been able to develop what I think is a decent recipe for both Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan. My recipe falls more regionally in-line with what I have had in North America, so for all you Europeans and Asians out there hoping for an authentic representation, you'll find I've bastardized this a bit. I like spicy food, so read the cook's notes at the bottom of the recipe if you prefer a milder version.

So, without further adieu, here are my recipes for Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala.

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Na'an
Makes about 20 pieces

1 (.25oz) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
1/4 cup butter, melted*

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand for about 10 minutes, or until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg and salt, and flour. Knead for six to eight minutes on a lightly floured surface. The dough will become smooth and pliable. Coat a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside and coat with oil, and cover with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise in a warm area until it has nearly doubled in size.

2. Punch down the dough. Pinch off golfball-sized pieces of dough and roll and tuck to form smooth orbs. Place on an oiled tray and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise in a warm area for about 30 minutes.

3. Heat a large, flat surface on the stove, and brush with melted butter.** On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough out as thin as possible without tearing (you can also form with your hands, like shaping pizza dough). Place each piece of flattened dough onto the hot surface. Cook for approximately one to two minutes or until brown and air bubbles have formed. Flip the dough, cook for one minute, and remove from heat to cool.

*Technically, you should use ghee, which is a melted clarified butter that can be found in the baking aisle at your grocer, but simple microwave-melted butter does the trick.

**I use a Lodge cast iron griddle, but I think a large skillet or fry pan, or an electric griddle, would work well. You can try to broil and flip in the oven, but the results aren't quite the same.

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Chicken Tikka Masala
Makes 6-8 servings

Marinade and Chicken*
1 cup plain yogurt
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced and seeds removed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground red pepper or chili paste**
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 long piece of ginger root, minced, or 1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into one-inch cubes

Sauce***
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (28-oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream****
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1. In a large dish or bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours (and up to overnight).

2. Heat a large skillet pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken (there will be a lot of marinade still on the chicken, this is perfectly fine). Cook chicken until no longer pink. Be sure not to overcook (all chicken should be cooked in less than 10 minutes).

3. Heat a large skillet pan (either remove the chicken from that skillet previously used, or start fresh with a new pan) over medium-high heat. Add butter and garlic. Cook garlic until it becomes soft. Reduce heat to medium. Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, chili powder, garam masala and salt. Toast all spices and seasonings in the pan with the garlic and butter until they develop a nutty aroma (about two minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomato sauce and stir to incorporate all the spices. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and allow to simmer on low heat for five minutes. Add chicken. Allow chicken and sauce to simmer together for an additional five minutes. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice (I like to add peas to the rice) and top with cilantro.

*As mentioned, I like my Chicken Tikka Masala on the spicy side. If you are concerned with the heat, omit the jalapeno pepper and reduce red pepper/chili paste by half.

**I always keep chili paste and ginger paste in the refrigerator. You can buy in tubes in the produce section (with the rest of the herbs) relatively cheaply at your grocer. They are great for spontaneous bouts of Asian cooking.

***Again, if you are concerned with the level of heat of the sauce, omit the chili powder.

****To lighten the sauce, try whole milk in place of heavy cream.

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This recipe is great to serve guests, as it makes a big batch. The sauce can be frozen until needed, and the Naan also freezes well. For those of you with confined cooking spaces and apartment dwellers, I would recommend making the Naan ahead of time and keeping it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer until needed. Simply reheat in the oven on a low setting, and keep an eye on it because it reheats quickly. Also, the sauce and chicken can be kept at a simmer while the rice is cooking to help reduce the amount of pots working on the stove at once.

ENJOY!