Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

This dish makes an excellent dinner.  Granted, peeling 40 garlic cloves can take a while, but it's easier if you throw them in the microwave for about 30 seconds first.

Serve with a side of potatoes (or your favorite starchy side) and crusty bread to soak up all the sauce. 

And, no, 40 garlic cloves is not too much.  In fact, this could feature much, much more.  The garlic becomes soft and muted and not overpowering at all. 

 

Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves 

 

Ingredients

4-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Dried herbs de Provence

Salt 

1 tbsp oil 

40 garlic cloves, peeled and whole (about 3 garlic bulbs) 

1 cup dry white wine

1 bunch fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1/2 tbsp dried parsley 

2 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste 

Fresh parsley for garnish (optional) 

 

Directions

Season chicken thighs with salt and herbs de Provence.  Set aside until ready to cook.

Heat oil in an oven-proof skillet to medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs until golden brown on both sides (4-6 minutes per side).  Remove chicken thighs to a plate.

Lower heat to medium.  Add garlic and saute for about 3 minutes until golden on all sides.  

Add wine to the pan and deglaze.  Add thyme, bay leaves, and dried parsley.  Allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth and bring back to a simmer.  Place chicken thighs on top.  Cover tightly with foil and pan lid.  Put in a 350 degree oven and cook for 30-40 minutes (until thighs are at least 165, up to 190 degrees).

Remove from oven.  Remove chicken thighs and set aside briefly.  Remove thyme stems and bay leaves.  Smash some of the garlic pieces into the sauce with a potato masher.  If thicker sauce desired, simmer on medium heat until sauce reduces.

Place chicken thighs back in skillet.  Place in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp skin (or put under a broiler).

Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve. 

 

 

 

 

 

Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Pears

 This dish turned out fantastic.  A very subtle and full flavor.  I served it with a side of roasted broccoli, but it might have been just as good without a side at all.

Also, I ended up using dried herbs instead of fresh ones, and it still tasted delicious. If you prep the vinegar mixture early the herbs will have time to soften. 

 

Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Pears

 

Ingredients

4 small bone-in pork rib chops

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon salt, divided

½ teaspoon ground pepper

 3 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage, divided, plus more for garnish

2 teaspoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado

6 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage

1 sliced yellow onion

2 medium pears, cored and sliced

Directions

Sprinkle pork chops with 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. If time, allow to sit in fridge until ready to prepare.

Combine 3 tablespoons vinegar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon thyme and 2 teaspoons sage in a small bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture in a separate small bowl; set both mixtures aside.

In a skillet large enough to fit the pork chops in a single layer, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops. Cook, turning once, until the pork is slightly pink in the center and the juices run clear, 6 to 8 minutes (145 temp). Pour the reserved 1 tablespoon vinegar mixture over the pork chops; cook until a thin syrup forms, about 30 seconds.Transfer the pork chops to a plate with the drippings; cover and keep warm.  

Add cabbage and onion to the skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender-crisp and the onions are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining vinegar mixture and the sliced pears; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until the pears are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. 

Pour any juices from the resting pork chops into the cabbage mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Nestle pork chops in the skillet, and garnish with additional fresh thyme and sage, if desired.  Serve.

 

Original link:

 https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259596/pork-chops-with-red-cabbage-and-pears/

Creamy Dijon Chicken

 This dish went amazingly well with a side of mashed potatoes.  Feel free to add a heavy serving of spinach to the dish - it turns out so delicious.

 

 Creamy Dijon Chicken

 

Ingredients

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tbsp oil

1 shallot minced

4 cloves garlic, minced 

2 tbsp butter

1 cup chicken broth

1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

2-4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or similar hard cheese)

Fresh squeezed lemon, as needed 

2-3 cups spinach, roughly chopped

 

Directions

In a small bowl mix together the seasoning for the chicken: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place the thighs smooth side down on a chopping board and slice any pieces of connecting meat that prevent them from lying completely flat (or that would cause them to curl in the pan). Use the blunt end of your knife to gently pound any thicker parts of the thigh so they are even thickness. Season both sides with the seasoning mix.  

Add 1 tbsp oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the thighs and fry both sides until lightly charred and cooked right through the center (4-5 minutes on each side depending on size). Remove and place on a plate to one side, leaving the excess fat in the pan. 

Lower the heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp of oil, and saute the shallots until soft and golden. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, then add butter and cook until melted.  

Next pour the chicken broth into the skillet and add the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir together and scrape up any brown bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Now add in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and stir well. Allow the sauce to simmer in the skillet for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce at this point and add salt and pepper if desired.  Add a squeeze of lemon if desired, and continue to adjust sauce as needed until it is perfect.  Pour in the juices from the resting chicken and stir well.  Add in the fresh spinach and stir it into the sauce allowing the heat to wilt the spinach.

Finally, return the cooked chicken to the skillet and enjoy!

Original link:

 https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-dijon-chicken/

Coconut Lime Salmon

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but this recipe actually came together pretty easily and required very little chopping.  The flavor was delicious, and the dish paired exceptionally well with a side of brown rice. 

 

Coconut Lime Salmon 

 

Ingredients

Salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

2 tbsp butter

3-4 baby bok choy, thoroughly washed, stem end removed, and sliced in half

4 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp cooking oil

 

Sugar rub

 2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

 

Coconut lime sauce 

1 tsp lemongrass paste, or finely minced lemongrass

1 tsp ginger paste, or fresh grated ginger root

14 oz can coconut milk, full fat

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp tumeric

Lime zest from one line

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

 

To serve (optional)

Lime wedges

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

 

 

Directions 

Prepare the salmon. Sprinkle salmon lightly with salt and let come to room temp while preparing sauce ingredients. 

Gather the sauce ingredients. In a small container combine the lemongrass and ginger.  In another bowl combine remaining sauce ingredients and set aside. 

Cook the bok choy. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and bok choy.  Cook, stirring and turning occasionally, until bok choy leaves are wilted and crisp-tender.  Remove bok choy and garlic to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Cook the salmon. Combine sugar rub ingredients.  Generously sprinkle top of the salmon fillets with sugar rub. 

Melt 2 tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Place salmon in skillet, sugar rub side down. Allow to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then cook a further 2 minutes, moving the fillets around n the pan a bit, until the underside is deep golden and caramelized. Sprinkle the top with some sugar rub (you may still have some leftover), then flip salmon and cook the other side until golden (about 3 minutes more).  Be careful not to overcook the salmon or burn the sugar rub. Remove salmon to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Prepare the sauce. Keep the browned butter in the skillet and maintain medium heat. Add the lemongrass/ginger to the skillet and stir, scraping up any browned bits and cooking for 30 seconds or so.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients.  Bring sauce to a boil, and allow to gently boil and reduce for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.  

Serve. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in any juice from the salmon to the sauce and stir in well. Place salmon fillets in the sauce skillet.  Serve with bok choy, and cilantro and lime as optional garnishes.

 

Link:

 https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/sugar-seared-salmon/

Italian Grilled Sandwiches

This was an excellent summer dinner that used up a lot of pantry ingredients.  It's going to be less formal recipe and more just vibes, recording what I did for posterity...

 

Italian Grilled Sandwiches

 

Ingredients

Sliced rustic loaf (we used 3 cheese semolina)

Variety of shredded cheeses (we used cheddar, mozzarella, and a bit of Swiss)

Sliced Italian charcuterie meats, such as pepperoni and salami

Sliced tomato 

Garlic-Herb Aioli 

Butter 

Garlic-Herb Aioli

1 cup mayo

Small drizzle of olive oil

Various pantry spices, including garlic salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and parsley

Heavy sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese 

 

Directions

Mix garlic-herb aioli.  Adjust to taste, but generally go light on the garlic salt (all the other ingredients will be salty), heavier on the garlic powder and basil.  You can make this fancier with fresh Parm and fresh herbs, but honestly it was fantastic with dried herbs and shaker cheese. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hour. (This allows the flavors to meld and the dried herbs to soften.)

Prepare sandwiches like a grilled cheese.  Butter stack of bread on one side.  Heat a pan over medium heat. Place one slice of buttered bread. Sprinkle lightly with shredded cheese.  Add one layer of overlapping meats followed by a layer of sliced tomatoes.  Sprinkle lightly again with shredded cheese.  Slather top slice of bread with healthy dollop of garlic-herb aioli and place on top of sandwich, buttered side up.

Grill until bottom slice of bread is nice and golden brown (about 5 minutes).  Flip and continue to cook until both sides are golden brown.  Enjoy!

Creamy Paprika Chicken

This was a delicious dinner meal.  We served it with baby potatoes and broccoli. 

My sun dried tomatoes were a little old (pantry cleaning...) so as the sauce was finishing I added a slight drizzle of red wine vinegar which really rounded out the flavor.

Creamy Paprika Chicken

 

Ingredients

1.4lbs / 640g boneless skinless Chicken Thighs (4-5 thighs)
2 tsp Sweet Paprika
1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp EACH: Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 small Red Onion, finely diced
2oz / 60g Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
2 tsp Smoked Paprika
3/4 cup / 180ml EACH: Chicken Stock, Heavy/Double Cream
1 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp / 15g Unsalted Butter

Directions

Place the thighs smooth side down on a chopping board and slice any pieces of connecting meat that prevent them from lying completely flat (or that would cause them to curl in the pan). Use the blunt end of your knife to gently pound any thicker parts of the thigh so they are even thickness. Season both sides with the seasoning mix.
 

Add 1 tbsp oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the thighs and fry both sides until lightly charred and cooked right through the center (4-5 minutes on each side depending on size). Remove and place on a plate to one side, leaving the excess fat in the pan.
 

Lower the heat to medium and fry the onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic, sun dried tomatoes and smoked paprika and fry for another minute or so. Pour in the stock and cream, then stir in the mustard. Simmer for around 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the resting juices from the chicken, then swiftly stir in the butter until it melts into the sauce.
 

Check for seasoning and adjust if needed, then add the chicken back to the pan and baste in the sauce. Serve and enjoy!


Original link:

 https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/creamy-paprika-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-33967

Slow Roasted Salmon with Herb Salsa

This dish comes together very easily and tastes so fresh and delicious.  The salmon is slow roasted so gently that it is difficult to over cook.

 

Slow Roasted Salmon with Herb Salsa 

 

Ingredients 

 Salmon

1 generous handful of parsley

A couple sprigs of dill

1 2 pound salmon filet, skin removed

Salt

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

 

Herb Salsa

 3 tbsp finely diced shallot (about 1 medium shallot)

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup very finely chopped parsley leaves 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest 

Salt 

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 F. Make a bed of herbs with the parsley and dill, laying them out on the center of a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Season both sides of the fish with salt and tuck into the bed of herbs. Drizzle a tbsp of olive oil onto the fish and rub it evenly with your hands. Slide the pan into the oven and roast for 40-50 mins, until the fish begins to flake in the thickest part of the filet with you poke it with a knife or your finger.

While the salmon is cooking, prepare the herb salsa. In a small bowl combine the shallot and vinegar and let sit for 15 mins to macerate.

In a separate small bowl, combine parsley, olive oil, lemon zest, and a generous pinch of salt.

Just before serving, use a slotted spoon to add the shallot (holding back the vinegar) to the parsley oil. Stir, taste, and add vinegar to taste. 

Transfer the salmon to a platter and serve with generous dollops of herb salsa on top.

Leftover salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.