3-4 hard-boiled eggs (depending on amount of chicken used)
10-oz pouch or 12-oz can chicken breast, drained
1 small or medium apple, cored and diced, peeling optional, or a handful of dried fruit (golden raisins are good)
enough mayonnaise to stick it together, very approximately 2-3 Tbsp
1 tsp curry powder, plus to taste, optional
Mash eggs with a fork. Break up the chicken and stir in. Add apple (or other fruit), a spoonful of mayo, and a tsp of curry powder (if using). Stir together, adding more mayo if needed (this will vary greatly depending on how well you manage to drain the chicken). Add more curry powder if needed; remember that the flavor will strengthen overnight. Serve on a lettuce leaf or make into a sandwich (I recommend a seedy or cracked-grain bread).
Before using, check whether you need to add mayo or curry powder.
The rest of the story
I've had a few curried chicken sandwiches and liked them; so I tried to make some, using the same method as I do for tuna sandwiches, and it came out pretty good (although not as high in iron as the tuna). Also, our excellent local Food Bank hasn't always had tuna this year (I heard somewhere last spring that their demand had increased 500% with the pandemic), so I was looking for things to do with the chicken they've sometimes substituted. You could probably make this with tuna instead, why not? It's an excellent way to use up apples that are starting to lose their crispness but are still good (and have some crunch left); you don't notice the soft edges through the squishy rest of it.
This recipe should also work with chopped celery instead of the apple, but I haven't tried it that way yet. If you're eating it on boring white bread, you can try adding some chopped nuts or sunflower seeds as well (I find it a bit too crunchy on good bread, YMMV). If you don't like curry, cinnamon might be good instead, but I haven't tried that either. For a hotter curry, add a dash of cayenne pepper.
BTW, if you find that regular eggs don't really agree with you, try cage-free or even organic eggs (not if you have a full allergy, of course). I know they claim there's no difference, but those tests were probably controlled for things like diet. I'm one of several people I know who find it's worth springing for a slightly better egg; and things with eggs in them, like mayo and ice cream.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
21 September, 2020
12 July, 2020
Pork chops and pears agridouce
2 thick pork chops
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, to taste
approx. 1 Tbsp. oil
2 firm winter pears, such as Bosc
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)
1/2 -1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
approx. 2 tsp. butter (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Put a little oil in a skillet, just enough for frying, and add pepper and ginger. Stir and heat gently until ginger starts to darken, then add pork chops and brown. Place in a baking dish large enough to hold chops and pears in a single layer (best if it’s a very cozy layer, though). Peel pears, cut in half and core. Place cut side up in the dish and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Put a dab of butter in the cavity of each pear. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over chops and pears. Pour vinegar over it all. Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chops are cooked through.
Makes two servings (with lots of extra liquid that might be good for cooking rice in)
Adapted from: Cooking for two today / Jean Hewitt.
The rest of the story
I use agridouce here to connote a Euro/Western kind of sweet-and-sour that is more common in classical and medieval recipes but has almost disappeared from modern ones.
The original recipe called for dry sherry, but I don't usually care for any kind of wine in my food (it's rotten grape juice, after all, and no matter how carefully it's been rotted, it still tastes like rotten grape juice to me and you're welcome to it). Usually I substitute an appropriate broth, but this time I didn't have any on hand; what I did have was a nice bottle of balsamic vinegar. So I thought, same stuff fermented with a different yeast, that's all, and tried it.
This also works with thinner chops, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time. It's really best with 1-inch, bone-in chops, but quite forgiving. Don't use Bartlett-type eating/dessert pears, they go to mush when baked.
A couple of other little caveats:
- 3 Tbsps looks like a LOT of sugar, but use it all for your first attempt; if it really comes out too sweet you can cut it back next time, but you've got all that vinegar to balance.
- Be careful taking the lid off, and even just opening the oven; there's a wave of vinegar steam lying in wait to attack your eyeballs and sinus membranes if you give it half a chance!
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, to taste
approx. 1 Tbsp. oil
2 firm winter pears, such as Bosc
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (optional)
1/2 -1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
approx. 2 tsp. butter (optional)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Put a little oil in a skillet, just enough for frying, and add pepper and ginger. Stir and heat gently until ginger starts to darken, then add pork chops and brown. Place in a baking dish large enough to hold chops and pears in a single layer (best if it’s a very cozy layer, though). Peel pears, cut in half and core. Place cut side up in the dish and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Put a dab of butter in the cavity of each pear. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over chops and pears. Pour vinegar over it all. Cover and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 10 minutes or until chops are cooked through.
Makes two servings (with lots of extra liquid that might be good for cooking rice in)
Adapted from: Cooking for two today / Jean Hewitt.
The rest of the story
I use agridouce here to connote a Euro/Western kind of sweet-and-sour that is more common in classical and medieval recipes but has almost disappeared from modern ones.
The original recipe called for dry sherry, but I don't usually care for any kind of wine in my food (it's rotten grape juice, after all, and no matter how carefully it's been rotted, it still tastes like rotten grape juice to me and you're welcome to it). Usually I substitute an appropriate broth, but this time I didn't have any on hand; what I did have was a nice bottle of balsamic vinegar. So I thought, same stuff fermented with a different yeast, that's all, and tried it.
This also works with thinner chops, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time. It's really best with 1-inch, bone-in chops, but quite forgiving. Don't use Bartlett-type eating/dessert pears, they go to mush when baked.
A couple of other little caveats:
- 3 Tbsps looks like a LOT of sugar, but use it all for your first attempt; if it really comes out too sweet you can cut it back next time, but you've got all that vinegar to balance.
- Be careful taking the lid off, and even just opening the oven; there's a wave of vinegar steam lying in wait to attack your eyeballs and sinus membranes if you give it half a chance!
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
02 March, 2020
Chick/chick
or, Chicken and chickpeas (garbanzos)
about 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (thighs recommended)
1/4 cup chopped onion, to taste
1/4 cup chopped celery, to taste
1-2 chopped carrots, to taste (optional)
15.5-oz can or about 2 cups cooked garbanzos (chickpeas), drained if appropriate
1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, to taste
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs usually come sort of rolled back around the space where the bone was; if your slow cooker is big enough, unroll them and lay them flat over the bottom (optional: it just lets them cook more quickly and makes them easier to shred). If using chicken breasts, cut them into 2-5 pieces. Top with the onion, celery, and carrots, cover, and cook about two hours, until the chicken is done and starting to break apart when poked. Add garbanzos and at least enough barbecue sauce to moisten everything well. Continue to cook (still covered) until the garbanzos are heated through, and up to another hour or so. Freezes well, especially if you leave out the carrots (they can be a bit grainy after freezing).
This one was a plain case of "what the .... can I do with these garbanzos without going to the grocery store?"
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
about 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (thighs recommended)
1/4 cup chopped onion, to taste
1/4 cup chopped celery, to taste
1-2 chopped carrots, to taste (optional)
15.5-oz can or about 2 cups cooked garbanzos (chickpeas), drained if appropriate
1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, to taste
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs usually come sort of rolled back around the space where the bone was; if your slow cooker is big enough, unroll them and lay them flat over the bottom (optional: it just lets them cook more quickly and makes them easier to shred). If using chicken breasts, cut them into 2-5 pieces. Top with the onion, celery, and carrots, cover, and cook about two hours, until the chicken is done and starting to break apart when poked. Add garbanzos and at least enough barbecue sauce to moisten everything well. Continue to cook (still covered) until the garbanzos are heated through, and up to another hour or so. Freezes well, especially if you leave out the carrots (they can be a bit grainy after freezing).
This one was a plain case of "what the .... can I do with these garbanzos without going to the grocery store?"
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
25 January, 2020
Curried Tuna Salad or Sandwich
6 oz. canned tuna, drained, chopped or shredded if needed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp minced celery, to taste
1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 cup apple, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp currants
1 Tbsp minced fresh basil
1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup mayonaise*
1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
Thoroughly mix tuna, lemon juice, salt, pepper, celery, onion, apple, currants, and basil. Combine curry powder, mayonnaise, and mustard; fold into tuna until evenly moistened.
Makes about 1 cup
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated via High Seas Tuna
The rest of the story
Another Market newsletter recipe that I hunted up in support of one of our vendors, Sassy Seafood, who do sustainable fishing out of Westport. I'm posting it here as well because the food bank sometimes has canned tuna (if you have one of their big 12-ounce cans, just double this recipe or follow the link to the original recipe). They also sometimes have canned chicken, which should work just fine here instead of the tuna.
One note: I cannot recommend using Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise... in anything, actually. Miracle Whip is sweetened and will change the resulting flavor. In fact, for the very best result, try this:
*Fresh Homemade Mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. white wine vinegar (do not confuse with white vinegar)
3/4 cup corn oil
Briskly whisk egg yolk for 15 seconds. Whisk in salt, mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; continue whisking until the yolk thickens and color brightens, about another 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk. Whisk about a minute, until the mixture thickens. Repeat with second 1/4 cup, whisking about 30 seconds until oil is thoroughly blended in. Add the last 1/4 cup of oil all at once and whisk about 30 seconds to thoroughly blend it in.
Food Processor Method
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Use a whole egg and double the amounts of the other ingredients. Fit the food processor with a metal blade, place everything except the oil in it, and pulse a few times to thoroughly combine the ingredients. With the processor running, add oil in a thin stream and allow to incorporate completely.
Adapted from: The best recipe / by the editors of Cook's Ilustrated. Boston Common Press, c1999. ISBN: 0936184388.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
1 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp minced celery, to taste
1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 cup apple, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp currants
1 Tbsp minced fresh basil
1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup mayonaise*
1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
Thoroughly mix tuna, lemon juice, salt, pepper, celery, onion, apple, currants, and basil. Combine curry powder, mayonnaise, and mustard; fold into tuna until evenly moistened.
Makes about 1 cup
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated via High Seas Tuna
The rest of the story
Another Market newsletter recipe that I hunted up in support of one of our vendors, Sassy Seafood, who do sustainable fishing out of Westport. I'm posting it here as well because the food bank sometimes has canned tuna (if you have one of their big 12-ounce cans, just double this recipe or follow the link to the original recipe). They also sometimes have canned chicken, which should work just fine here instead of the tuna.
One note: I cannot recommend using Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise... in anything, actually. Miracle Whip is sweetened and will change the resulting flavor. In fact, for the very best result, try this:
*Fresh Homemade Mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. white wine vinegar (do not confuse with white vinegar)
3/4 cup corn oil
Briskly whisk egg yolk for 15 seconds. Whisk in salt, mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; continue whisking until the yolk thickens and color brightens, about another 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup oil in a slow, steady stream while continuing to whisk. Whisk about a minute, until the mixture thickens. Repeat with second 1/4 cup, whisking about 30 seconds until oil is thoroughly blended in. Add the last 1/4 cup of oil all at once and whisk about 30 seconds to thoroughly blend it in.
Food Processor Method
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Use a whole egg and double the amounts of the other ingredients. Fit the food processor with a metal blade, place everything except the oil in it, and pulse a few times to thoroughly combine the ingredients. With the processor running, add oil in a thin stream and allow to incorporate completely.
Adapted from: The best recipe / by the editors of Cook's Ilustrated. Boston Common Press, c1999. ISBN: 0936184388.
Esperanta traduko: this post is also available in Esperanto, because Dana is a language geek.
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