Curried Quinoa with Roasted Summer Vegetables

Instead of serving this dish warm, you can combine the quinoa and roasted vegetables and chill it as a salad. To serve, adjust seasoning, adding more vinegar and salt if needed, and top with the toasted almonds. 


INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
1 1/4 cups quinoa, rinsed in a fine strainer
3 cups eggplant, in 1/2-inch dice 
1 red bell pepper, 1/2-inch dice 
1 large zucchini, in 1/2-inch dice 
4 tablespoons vegetable oil + more as needed
Pepper to taste
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar + more to taste
1/3 cup raisins
1 tomato, in 1/2-inch dice


INSTRUCTIONS: Before chopping ingredients, preheat the oven to 400º. Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil with 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt. Add the quinoa, return to a simmer, cover and cook until the grains are tender and almost translucent but still have a crunch, 10-12 minutes. If there is any excess water, strain again in fine strainer. Spread out on a clean baking sheet to stop the cooking.


Meanwhile, toss the eggplant, bell pepper and zucchini in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the oil and plenty of salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven until the eggplant is tender, stirring once or twice, 15 minutes.


Spread almonds on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven until browned, 5-7 minutes. 


Combine shallots, curry powder and vinegar in medium bowl. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Top with the quinoa, raisins and tomato. Stir well to integrate dressing into grains, and season to taste with salt and pepper and add more vinegar and oil if needed. Place on four plates and top each serving with the roasted vegetables and the almonds.

Mexican Style Chicken Kiev

8 chicken breast halves
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles divided into 8 portions
1/4 pound jack cheese cut into 8 strips
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
cumin, to taste
pepper, to taste
Butter


Pound chicken pieces to about 1/4 inch thickness.  Put chilis and jack cheese strip in center of each chicken piece.  Roll up and tuck ends under.  Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt, cumin, and pepper.  Dip each stuffed chicken in shallow bowl of 6 tablespoons melted butter and roll in crumb mixture.


Place chicken, seam side down, in oblong baking dish and drizzle with a little melted butter.  Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees 20 minutes or until done.  Serve with salsa or enchilada sauce, if desired.  Makes 8 servings.

Country Style Chicken Kiev

1/4 c bread crumbs
2 T parmesan 
1 t basil
1 t oregano
1/2 t garlic salt
1/4 t salt
2/3 c butter, melted
2 whole chicken breasts 
1/4 c white wine
1/4 c green onion, chopped
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

Combine first 6 ingredients. Cut chicken in 4 pieces. Dip in melted butter then roll  in the combined crumb/herb/cheese mixture.  Bake in  2 qt shallow casserole skin side up  for 50-60 minutes at 375°. Then combine remaining melted butter, white wine, green onions & parsley- pour over baked chicken and bake 2-3 more minutes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 double chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 thin slices deli ham
16 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Take care not to pound too hard because the meat may tear or create holes. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each breast, followed by 2 slices of ham, and 2 more of cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal.


Season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out on waxed paper or in a flat dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with thyme, kosher salt, pepper, and oil. The oil will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and water, the mixture should be fluid. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer to a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Carrot Juice Chicken

chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, about 2 pounds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
chopped fresh rosemary
chopped fresh thyme
3 to 4 cups carrot juice
red pepper flakes, to taste


Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, heat the oil until hot and brown the chicken well on all sides (working in batches, if necessary), about 20 minutes. Pour all but a tablespoon of fat from the pan and scatter the herbs over the chicken. Ladle in about 1 cup of the carrot juice and add hot pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until juice is reduced to a syrup. Turn the chicken. Ladle in another 1/2 cup and let it reduce. Continue adding the juice in 1/2-cup increments, turning the chicken occasionally, until it is tender and coated in a shiny, orange glaze. When the chicken is cooked through and last ladle of juice has reduce to a sauce-like syrup, transfer the chicken to a serving platter, drizzle with the pan sauce and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Caramel Crunch Shortbread

1/2 C (1 stick) butter
1/2 C packed dark brown sugar
1 C plus 1 T cake flour

Heat over to 375°. Melt butter in small saucepan  over medium heat, stir until butter browns lightly, about 2-3 minutes;don't let become too dark. Remove saucepan form heat. Immediately stir in brown sugar & flour. Add 1 teaspoon  water; mix to firm crumbly dough. Scrape dough into 8" round cake pan; pat into even layer on bottom of pan. With a fork, make perforated lines in top of dough, dividing into 12 wedges. Bake 20 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Unmold, let cool completely. Cut into wedges on perforated lines. Makes 12

Calabacitas Casserole with Polenta

3 tablespoons olive oil 
2 cups corn kernels
4 cloves garlic, smashed 
1 green chile pepper seeded and chopped or, 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped 
2 small to medium zucchini, diced 
1 small to medium yellow squash 
1 large yellow skinned onion, chopped 
1(14-ounce) can stewed tomatoes 
2 teaspoons dark chili powder, just over 1/2 a palm full 
Salt and pepper 
1 (16-ounce) tube prepared polenta 
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack 
3 scallions, chopped 
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley 


Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. 
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. 


Add olive oil, corn, garlic and chiles. Saute 3 minutes, add zucchini and yellow squash and onions, season with salt and pepper, chili powder; cook 7 to 8 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and heat through. Transfer to baking dish. Cut 1 tube of polenta in 1/2-inch slices lengthwise. Top vegetables with polenta and cheese. Place in hot oven to melt cheese and warm polenta, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.