My brother is visiting this weekend, so I should be cleaning the back bedroom right now. Should being the key word there. I cleaned up a bit, then came across a Rachael Ray magazine. August 2009, with page 85 distinctly marked. Moroccan Skillet chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous. Mmmmmmm.
This is one of my most favorite recipes ever. No really. It's incredible! It's the perfect recipe to make while you sip some red wine (St. Julian's Red Heron, if you're a classy lady like me). It's both exotic and accessable at the same time. What's even better is that it's quick to make, and it's probably good for you, too (if you don't over-indulge).
Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous
Every Day with Rachael Ray, August 2009, pg. 85
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (about a palmful)
* 2 teaspoons turmeric (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 2/3 palmful)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 pounds skinless, boneless dark- or white-meat chicken, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
* Salt and pepper
* 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup pitted large green olives
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 1/2 cups couscous
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together the paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until rippling and beginning to smoke. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and sliced lemon; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken stock, the olives and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and the butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the pine nuts. Top the chicken with the parsley. To serve, spoon the chicken and sauce over the couscous.
A few tips:
1) I never toast the pine nuts, and it tastes just fine.
2) The first time I made this with the olives and it was great. I forgot that Aric doesn't like green olives, so now when I make it, I omit the olives. It still tastes good, but I miss the salty bite.
3) When you slice up the lemons, be sure to get the seeds out before tossing them in the pan. The first time I tried this, I forgot about the seeds. When it came time to eat, I bit down on a lemon seed, thinking it was a pine nut. Not good.
4) Watch out for the turmeric. It stains everything it touches a crazy yellow-orange - including your nails.
1/2/10
Lemon Curd
Times are tough, money is tight, yadda yadda. We all know the drill. So instead of fabulously expensive gifts, I decided to go the homemade route. Cheaper, certainly, but also kinder.
For my parents (and also myself) I made lemon curd. If you've never had it, the best way to describe it is to call it lemon jelly. It's thicker, though, almost custard-like in its consistency. However you describe it, though, you have to include this word: delicious!
Lemon Curd
(from Every Day with Rachel Ray)
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
* 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten
* 1/4 cup finely grated lemon peel (about 3 lemons)
* 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
If you are going to attempt this recipe, allow me to pass along some advice. When it comes to zesting lemons, a zester is probably the worst thing you could use. Try a microplane. It will make your life much easier. And that whole "zest three lemons"? That's crap - I had to zest every lemon that I squeezed.
Also, I had to simmer my lemon curd for a long time to get it up to the proper temperature. As tempting as it was to crank the heat, don't do it - you don't want to cook the eggs into a scramble.
The magazine has a list of suggestions for you to use this lemon curd. My particular favorite is to stir a dollop into some plain yogurt, and then toss in a bunch of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. This has been my breakfast for the past two days and I have to say, my stomach is really happy.
Bottom line? Labor intensive, but soooooo worth it.
For my parents (and also myself) I made lemon curd. If you've never had it, the best way to describe it is to call it lemon jelly. It's thicker, though, almost custard-like in its consistency. However you describe it, though, you have to include this word: delicious!
Lemon Curd
(from Every Day with Rachel Ray)
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
* 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten
* 1/4 cup finely grated lemon peel (about 3 lemons)
* 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
If you are going to attempt this recipe, allow me to pass along some advice. When it comes to zesting lemons, a zester is probably the worst thing you could use. Try a microplane. It will make your life much easier. And that whole "zest three lemons"? That's crap - I had to zest every lemon that I squeezed.
Also, I had to simmer my lemon curd for a long time to get it up to the proper temperature. As tempting as it was to crank the heat, don't do it - you don't want to cook the eggs into a scramble.
The magazine has a list of suggestions for you to use this lemon curd. My particular favorite is to stir a dollop into some plain yogurt, and then toss in a bunch of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. This has been my breakfast for the past two days and I have to say, my stomach is really happy.
Bottom line? Labor intensive, but soooooo worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
