Sunday, October 31, 2010

Tasty Stuffed Chiles





Call it inspiration from being in the desert Southwest of the US last week, where so much food is made with blue cornmeal and Mexican elements. I just got this idea yesterday and had to see it to completion. We had the leftovers this evening, and they were even better than last night's meal! Could be slightly revised to make in a slow cooker.

Polenta-Stuffed Chiles
3-4 poblano chiles, straight shaped if possible (for easier stuffing)*
1 onion
1 T. canola oil
1 pkg (about 14 oz.) fresh chicken breast tenders
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 14 oz. can of tomatoes
½ c. red wine (optional)
1 c. chicken bouillon
½ head of garlic (roasted ahead of time)
1-½  c. parmesan, shredded
1 c. cilantro, washed and chopped
½ pkg. prepared Trader Joe’s polenta (approx. 9 oz.)

Wash peppers and cut off tops. Save usable parts of tops and chop with ¾ of the onion. Meanwhile, remove seeds from peppers without cutting into them. Rinse out thoroughly and set aside. *Note: though poblano peppers are not particularly “hot,” when rinsing them, you may cough from the fumes created by the water spray. Similarly, if you handle them without gloves, you may regret rubbing your eyes later.

In oil, sauté onion and pepper on medium-high heat, and after a few minutes add the chicken tenders. Sauté all together until chicken begins to brown, turning chicken tenders at least once during this time.

Remove chicken to a waiting plate or bowl. Add 4 of the Romas and the canned tomatoes (or one 22 oz. can tomatoes will do fine, instead) and chop down as it cooks with the onions. When hot, add the wine and cook off alcohol. Cover with lid, turn down flame, and let simmer until all tomatoes are quite soft. Add ½ c. of the cilantro and cook down, uncovered.  

Lightly grease the bottom of oven-proof casserole with oil.

Meanwhile in food processor, add the polenta, remaining chopped onion, roasted garlic, chopped Roma tomato, 1 c. parmesan, and ¼ c. cilantro. Mix thoroughly. Using a long handled teaspoon, fill peppers with this mixture, which will be slightly liquid.

Lay chicken pieces in bottom of casserole dish; use them to prop up the peppers slightly so that the filling doesn’t drip out. Add peppers.
 

If any filling remains, just add it to the tomato mixture that is now cooked down. Puree in food processor. Pour tomato mixture over the peppers and chicken. Place lid or aluminum foil on casserole and bake for 45 minutes. In last ten minutes, remove lid, add last of the cilantro and then last of the parmesan. 

Cook uncovered until golden brown on top.

 Bon apetit!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Okonomiyaki (Say THAT three times, fast!)

 Because I love trying new foods, and found my curiosity piqued by someone's FB post earlier this week, I decided I'd lived too long never having heard of Japanese pizza. While I want to keep trying different versions of the recipe, this was quite tasty, and I had to stop at half a "pizza" to keep to a reasonable portion size.

Here's my rendition:

Okonomiyaki with Unagi

3 small Japanese eggplants, sliced
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c. chopped green onion
1/2 c. finely shredded cabbages
1 c. flour
1 egg
~1 c. dashi, divided use (I used a powdered kind and reconstituted it)
1 T. mayo
Japanese pizza sauce (this was my least favorite taste sensation, but mixed in with everything, it was fine)
Seaweed flakes (ao-nori)
Furikake (a sesame seed seasoning that I've used for sushi in the past)
4 oz. prepared unagi (BBQed eel), chopped


Saute eggplant, mushrooms and green onions in a scant tsp. oil. Add 1/4 c. water or dashi and cover to cook eggplant to a nice soft consistency. Remove to bowl and wipe out skillet.

In a small bowl, place flour and make a well in the middle. Add egg and 1/2 c. dashi. Stir together just until it forms a dough. Mix in cabbage.

Heat skillet  to medium high and add another tsp. oil. Add dough, spreading out evenly in pan. It's nice if it's round, but, heck, it doesn't matter!

When browned on one side, probably 2-3 min., carefully flip over to cook again. Now place pancake (oops! pizza crust!) on a plate. Add sauteed vegetables.


In small jar, mix mayo with 1 Tbsp. dashi and shake well. Drizzle over pizza. Using bottled Japanese pizza sauce, do the same thing in the other direction. Sprinkle with ao-nori flakes and furikake (sesame seeds and seaweed), to taste. Top with chopped unagi.




Cut into wedges or just dig in.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Roast Pork Loin "Carnitas"

I love Trader Joe's! They have awesome pork tenderloin in the meat section that couldn't be easier to roast and serve. Here's what I did with it this time.

Pork "Carnitas"                       

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (on "Roast" if you have a convection oven)

1 pork loin (approx 1 lb.)
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 t. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil (divided use)
juice of 2 oranges and 1 lemon
cooked rice
2 onions, diced
1 pasilla or ancho pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
sour cream

In a Dutch oven or Le Creuset-type pot, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Add paprika and cumin, and when hot, place pork loin in pan. Cook on high a minute or two each side, lowering flame if it starts to get too hot.

When loin is seared, add juices to deglaze the pan, scraping sides and bottom. Place lid on pot (or tightly seal with aluminum foil) and roast for 30 minutes in preheated oven.

Allow to sit 10 minutes.

Remove meat to a plate (and as much of the sauce as you can get too) and add the remaining olive oil, onions and peppers to the pot.
 
On the stove, saute until softened and browned. Take off the heat.




Chop pork loin coarsely, in approximately bite-sized pieces. Add sauce back into pot with cubed pork and toss to mix.
Chop tomatoes and cilantro.

Whip sour cream with a fork. Place rice in serving bowl or platter. Top with chopped meat. Layer onions and peppers on that, and end with tomatoes and then cilantro.

Sour cream can be drizzled over the entire dish or placed on table for guests to serve themselves.

Hope there will be leftovers for tomorrow night!