Spanish Chicken Stew

Braised chicken has become one of my favorite things to cook and eat in recent years. It's pretty hard to mess up, and produces great results for a low cost and mostly inactive cooking time. Recent examples have included a Chinese and a French version, as well as one that sprang from entirely my own brain. I planned out this chicken stew to emulate a Spanish flavor profile, using paprika, chorizo, and sherry vinegar. I don't know if this is something that would actually be made in Spain, but it turned out well. The paprika and chorizo give it a hint of heat and the vinegar lends a subtle, tangy acidity. 

The chicken is the central ingredient here, and I used three leg quarters, which I split apart into legs and thighs for more even cooking. A sharp knife should go easily through the tendon. Leg quarters are one of my top three cuts for braising, along with pork shoulder and beef chuck. They are very economical. Locally, we can get a 10 pound bag for just a few dollars. These particular quarters were quite roughly butchered (probably a reason for the low price), each with a piece of the backbone still attached. I put in the time to take the backbones off, which I froze to be made into stock later. In these crazy times, I found this simple task quite mentally therapeutic. Taking off the backbones also improves the presentation of the thighs.

The chorizo used here is the Spanish variety, which is a firm, cured sausage flavored with paprika. It can be eaten as-is, or as an accent ingredient as I've done here. This differs from Mexican-style chorizo, which is a fresh sausage that is great in tacos or quesadillas, but not appropriate here. I also continue to experiment with potato starch as a thickener, which has been working quite well. It's definitely become a staple in my kitchen for both thickening and breading. I went with roasted potatoes to accompany the stew, but you could definitely use mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cocktail

We were first introduced to Skrewball peanut butter whiskey a few months ago, and Ariel became an instant fan. It's basically a sweet peanut liqueur with an intense aroma. Since then, I've been experimenting with it in cocktails. I quickly got the idea to make an homage to peanut butter and jelly, but struggled with what ingredient could emulate the jelly part. Most wine does not retain enough grape flavor to work, but then it occurred to me that there is one wine that does: Manischewitz. Despite the fact that no one seems to actually like it, every Jewish family seems to have a bottle lying around that makes a brief appearance at holidays. They typically sit open and unrefrigerated for years, quietly oxidizing. Do yourself a favor and a get a fresh bottle for this drink. 

I speculated about trying port instead of Manischewitz, which Ariel said would be a waste of port. I might try it with a younger ruby port. Other Concord grape wines, like Mogen David, could also be an option here. To build the rest of the cocktail, I added a lemon peel for a little aroma. This goes a long way to adding some complexity to this otherwise frivolous drink. Use a good cocktail cherry for the garnish and avoid the bright red kind. I used an amarena cherry from Trader Joe's. While this cocktail isn't something I would drink every day, it is quite pleasant. Sometimes two odd ingredients can come together in surprising ways.

The use America's classic kosher wine made this a fun post for Rosh Hashanah. I used the other half of the 9 pound brisket from Passover (it froze very well) to do a roughly doubled version of my recipe from 3 years ago. The leftovers went in the freezer for a future quick and easy meal. Ariel made a potato kugel for the first time, which is basically a huge potato cake. It was a completely new thing for me, and I enjoyed it. It was one of those things that makes you think "how is this going to work?" when it goes into the pan, but came out perfectly. For both the brisket and kugel, I made a big batch of schmaltz. It's been a real pleasure to delve into Ashkenazi traditions and cuisine over the last several years. There's something to be said about a family with three new years. Shana tova!

Tomato Jam

Today, I'm pleased to present a recipe from Ariel, which serves as a follow up to her strawberry jam from 2012. As I mentioned earlier, our cherry tomato plants have been quite prolific lately. Tomato jam is a great way to use them up while also putting them into something that won't go bad as quickly. The tomatoes for this recipe came from one day of picking. Although I'm generally not a huge fan of cherry tomatoes, this was an interesting and enjoyable application. It was very nice on a warm pita with a little goat cheese.

Ariel used yellow sunburst tomatoes, which resulted in a deep orange-colored jam. Other colors of tomatoes could be mixed for different colored jams. The main discussion we had afterward was about the sugar content. I didn't mind it, but Ariel thought it was much too sweet. I suppose the sugar does obscure the tomato flavor a bit. I tried the jam by itself on toast, as well with goat cheese as shown above. The goat cheese does balance out the sweetness. Dropping the sugar down as low as 1/2 cup could be a good experiment for the future. 

Summer Squash Frittata

As summer gives way to chillier weather, it's a good time to discuss the results from our garden this year. We planted three types of tomatoes (yellow sunburst, black cherry, and mortgage lifters), which all did well. All four herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary, and mint) were dependable producers, with lots of mint fueling my cocktail experiments. The only real failure this year were the cucumbers, which I suspect a rabbit destroyed early in the season. The previous two summers, I was making pickles left and right, so this was a surprise. We had previously never had much success with squash, but we planted two anyway, a yellow crookneck and a white pattypan. The crookneck has done decently, producing several fruit for us, but the for the last month or so, the pattypan plant has been incredibly prolific. I've been trying all kinds of different ways to cook it, but this frittata was one of my favorites.

When I was first learning to cook, I made frittata quite often, because you can put basically anything in it and it turns out fine. The recipe I posted back in 2012 was definitely a "kitchen sink" sort of frittata, while this one is simpler and more refined, allowing each ingredient to be heard. The bacon-onion combination calls to mind the flavors of the classic flammekueche. The pattypan squash I used here has a very mild flavor, but adds texture to the frittata. I usually let them grow to about a 4-inch diameter. Much bigger, and you'll have to dig the seeds out first. To get a little over a pound of grated squash, I used about two pattypans. You could also easily use crookneck or zucchini squash here. 

I'm not typically prescriptive about what kind of pan to use, but a 10-inch cast iron is ideal for this dish. You want something that's both broiler safe but also nonstick enough to allow the frittata to release. This makes cast iron or carbon steel ideal. If you have a different sized pan, adjust the amounts accordingly. For a 12-inch pan, you would probably need another squash and a few more eggs. This particular pan is a Tramontina from Costco. It's a very versatile pan, and is one of the most frequently used in my kitchen. It's great for shallow frying a schnitzel, searing a steak or a hamburger, or just sautéing vegetables. We can definitely add frittata to that list. 

Sliced Beef with Broccoli (玉蘭炒牛肉)

Other than last week's braised spare ribs (a loose adaptation at best), it's been nearly 3 months since I've directly taken on a Pei Mei recipe. Today's dish is sliced beef with broccoli. The Chinese name is yulan chao niurou. This translates to "magnolia stir fried beef," yet another reference to a flower in the name of a dish. I assume this is a poetic flourish, but yu also means jade, which might refer to the green broccoli. Everything in this dish is pretty much classic Chinese, but it's notably one (like egg drop soup) that became a staple of American Chinese takeout. Ariel noted this was very similar to what she grew up eating.

Pei Mei's original recipe calls for gailan, a Chinese broccoli that has leaves at the ends. It's commonly found at Chinese stores, but as we have very limited access during the pandemic, I used regular "western" broccoli instead. Either way works, but if you do have access to gailan, it is delicious. For the beef, she calls for tenderloin (the Chinese just says tender beef), which I think is an odd choice. Since we are using the baking soda tenderizing technique and slicing it very thin, a tougher, more flavorful cut makes more sense. I use flank steak, which is widely available. I previously used the exact same tenderizing (sometimes called "velveting") in the beef chow fun recipe. My recipe roughly doubles Pei Mei's.

The sauce consists mostly of oyster sauce, which is an ingredient I haven't discussed before on the blog. It's another of the many umami-rich Chinese sauces and pastes, but instead of fermented beans, it's made from oysters. This makes it a relative of Hong Kong's famous XO sauce, which is made from scallops. I don't use it all that often, but it's good to have on hand for when it does come up. The sauce in this recipe is enough to coat everything, but is not meant to dominate the dish. The takeout style is definitely saucier, so take that into account if you want to go that route. Overall, this one comes together reasonably easily, and is a very satisfying meal. Additionally, swapping out the gailan for regular broccoli means everything can be found at an average Midwestern grocery store.

Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Chicken sandwiches are a popular lunch choice at our house, and are a great way to use leftover chicken. Since discovering the dish a few years ago, cotoletta alla palermitana has become one of my favorite chicken dishes to make, especially in the summer. Enjoying a daiquiri while tending the grill makes it even better. I usually make extra so we have some for lunch the next day. Although I highly recommend trying the grilled version, any cutlet, such as a chicken schnitzel or katsu, will work for a sandwich. These sandwiches, which combine the chicken cutlets with flavors from the classic caprese salad were one of our favorites.

I made the pesto in a mortar and pestle using homegrown basil. We used most of it for pasta the previous day and had a little left for this. Mixing the pesto with Kewpie mayonnaise makes for a delicious spread. The tomatoes also came fresh from the garden. The buns Ariel made for the Jucy Lucy were such a hit, she made some more, which we used here. Any kind of good bread will work. As with many people, the pandemic has been an opportunity for us to explore homemade bread. 

Sichuan-Style Braised Spare Ribs (紅燒排骨)

This recipe is based on one I meant to post back in May, but I wasn't quite satisfied with how it turned out. The original was my version of Pei Mei's Sichuan-style beef stew. It is a dish in the hongshao (red cooked) style of braised meat, similar to Chairman Mao's pork belly. This time, though, I decided to adapt it to spare ribs, which I had in the freezer. The result was thoroughly enjoyable. Although I still prefer the pork belly version, this is a nice change of pace. The ribs fall right off the bone and the sauce pairs well with rice. While I'm not sure this would be considered an "authentic" Sichuan-style recipe, I do think I've respected the style, and it turned out well.

The main difference in terms of seasoning between this and Chairman Mao's pork belly is that it swaps out the sugar for doubanjiang, the hot bean paste which is a cornerstone of Sichuan flavor. Using just two tablespoons gives the sauce a background heat, but doesn't take over. It is, however, very salty. This makes it effectively immortal in the refrigerator, but can be overpowering. While the rice does balance this out, I might compensate by cutting the soy sauce back a bit next time. Other than the garlic, everything else here has appeared in my previous hongshao recipes. The pork stock I used is the same as in the Chairman's pork. If you like Sichuan peppercorns, they can also be added. With how big the flavors are in this dish, it works well with a simple green vegetable as a side. We had stir-fried snap peas.