Category: Food Love

Recipes I’ve found, tried and loved. And in some cases, fiddled with.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

Posted on by Stephen

Yes, I like curry a lot. I found this one to try for Christmas Dinner, because me attempting turkey would surely end in disaster.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Original recipe calls for breasts)
1 medium onion – thinly sliced
15 oz can chickpeas – drained and rinsed
2 medium sweet potatoes – peeled and diced
½ cup coconut milk (Recipe calls for light, but I used the full fat version)
½ cup chicken stock – low sodium
15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder – salt-free
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chili powder (Recipe calls for half this amount of cayenne. Could use red chili flakes as well)
1 cup green peas – frozen
2 tablespoons lemon juice
cilantro – optional garnish

 

In the bottom of the slow cooker, whisk together coconut milk, chicken stock, tomato sauce, curry powder, salt and cayenne.

Add chicken breasts, onion, chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Using tongs, gently toss ingredients together to ensure evenly coated.

Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.

Stir in peas and lemon juice 5 minutes before serving.

Serve over rice and with plenty of fresh cilantro.

 

Recipe source: http://thelemonbowl.com/2013/05/slow-cooker-chicken-curry.html

Recipe: Mattar Paneer

Posted on by Stephen

2 cups paneer cheese, cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil or 5 tablespoons ghee
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I didn’t have cayenne, so I used a ground Indian chili pepper)
1 cup diced tomato, with juice
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

 

Heat 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet and saute the paneer in batches (add more oil if necessary), until lightly browned, and drain on paper toweling.

In a large pan, heat the 3 tbsp oil or ghee and cook the onion, ginger and garlic until the onion is tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook until the spices become fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Add the paneer, water, and peas and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce is thick and smooth.

Garnish with cilantro before serving.

 

Original Recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/mattar-paneer-indian-peas-with-paneer-cheese-82641

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Posted on by Stephen

1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece whole ginger, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 2 tablespoons garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups cooked rice, to serve

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, paprika, and kosher salt until the chicken is evenly covered with spices. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices.

? If you have the time: Marinate the chicken in 1/2 cup yogurt for up to 6 hours. Shake to remove excess yogurt before transferring to the slow cooker.

? If you have the time: Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet until softened, then stir in the ginger, tomato paste, and spices until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker with the chicken and diced tomatoes. This will give your tikka masala more depth of flavor.

Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the heavy cream. If you prefer a thicker sauce, leave the slow cooker uncovered for the last 15 minutes. Taste and add more garam masala or salt to taste.

Serve over rice with fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top of each serving.

 

Original Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala-recipes-from-the-kitchn-211284

Recipe: Indian Chili Chicken

Posted on by Stephen

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6 to 8 smallish ones)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, plus extra if required
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon bouillon powder (or 1/2 a stock cube)
1 to 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 to 2 green bird’s eye chili(s), sliced (add more if you like your sauce spicy)
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Fresh, chopped cilantro, to garnish
Sliced green onions, to garnish
Cooked rice or noodles, to serve

Cut each chicken thighs into 2 to 3 smaller pieces. Place them in a large bowl, and stir in the soy sauce, black pepper and bouillon powder. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours, or even overnight.

When ready to cook, let the chicken come to room temperature on the counter for 20 minutes. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the ginger, garlic and bird’s eye chili. Sauté for a minute, until fragrant, then add the green pepper and chicken. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, coating the chicken in the ginger, garlic and chili mixture.

Turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, covered, until the chicken is cooked. If the pan looks like it’s drying out, add 1/4 cup of water.

Whisk the vinegar, cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl. Once the chicken is almost cooked, uncover the pan, and add the vinegar-cornstarch mixture. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and add salt to taste.

Serve, garnished with green onions and cilantro, over rice or noodles. This dish re-heats and freezes very well; the dish is even better on the second day. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

 

Original Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-indian-chilli-chicken-recipes-from-the-kitchn-208278

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Posted on by Stephen

1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or a mix
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 to 1 1/4 cups chicken stock, divided
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado, salsa, hot sauce, diced green onions, shredded lettuce

Combine the chicken breasts, diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, chili powder, salt, and cumin in the bowl of a 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Make sure the chicken is covered. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove the lid and add the rice, black beans, frozen corn, and another 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Replace the lid and continue cooking on low for another 3 to 4 hours. Check the rice periodically in the last hour of cooking, stirring once or twice to make sure the rice cooks evenly and adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Cooking is done when the rice is tender — if the rice is done while there is still liquid left in the slow cooker, remove the lid and cook on high to let the liquid evaporate. Total cooking time from start to finish is 6 to 8 hours.

Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can do this either in the slow cooker itself and then mix it into the rice, or you can transfer the chicken to a cutting board if you prefer to keep it separate. Taste the burrito mix and stir in more salt or other seasonings to taste.

 

Original Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooker-chicken-burrito-bowls-recipes-from-the-kitchn-207333

Recipe: Chinese Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder (Served with Asian Slaw)

Posted on by Stephen

Pork:

1.35kg trimmed pork shoulder
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp salt
750ml chicken stock
250ml dark soy sauce
35g packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsps toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 spring onions, cut into 5-cm pieces
1 garlic head, halved
1 (5-cm) knob unpeeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
8 dried shiitake mushrooms, optional
Hot cooked Chinese egg noodles, for serving

1) Rub the pork all over with the five-spice powder and salt. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, the mushrooms, if using, and the meat, turning it a few times to coat. Cover the cooker, set it on HIGH, and cook for 4 hours.

2) Set the cooker on LOW and cook until the meat is very tender, at least another 2 hours (6 hours total).

3) Transfer the pork to a platter, cover lightly, and let rest 15 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and skim off and discard the vegetables and fat that rise to the surface. Slicethe meat and serve warm or at room temperature with noodles and the sauce on the side.

 

Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/chinese-slow-cooked-pork-shoulder.html

 

Asian Slaw:

1 bunch (6 large) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 (16-ounce) bags coleslaw mix or 1 (16-ounce) bag each of shredded green and shredded red cabbage
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (from about a 1-inch piece)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, optional
1 teaspoon salt
20 grinds black pepper

Rough up the scallion slices a little with your fingers so all the little layers of the scallion whites separate. Toss the coleslaw mix or both kinds of cabbage, the red onion and scallions together in a large bowl until everything is thoroughly mixed. You can make the slaw up to this point up to a day in advance as long as you keep it refrigerated. Before serving, simply bring the slaw back to room temperature, make the dressing and toss.

Stir the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl until blended, then pour over the vegetables. Serve within 1 hour of dressing or the cabbage will get wilty and sad.

 

Original Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/asian-style-slaw-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Recipe: Crock Pot Balsamic and Cranberry Pork Tenderloin

Posted on by Stephen

1 pork tenderloin (about 1½ lbs)
1 cup of chicken broth
¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
1 cup of dried cranberry, cranraisins, cherries, etc
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of dried rosemary

Add the oil to a hot pan and brown the tenderloin on all sides. Put the browned pork tenderloin in the bottom of the crock pot and pour all the remaining ingredients in.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

I served it over rice with julienned celery root.

**Pay close attention to proportions on this one. I used a larger amount of pork (due to the sizes available at the store) and it could have done with more of the liquids. The pork was super tender and juicy, but there was very little excess jus at the end. If I had paid closer attention, there would have been more to spoon over the rice and celery root. You could also reduce some more broth, balsamic vinegar, cranberries and rosemary separately to add to after the fact.

 

Original recipe: http://ourfullplate.com/recipes/crock-pot/paleo-crock-pot-pork-tenderloin-in-a-balsamic-cranberry-reduction/

Recipe: Slow Cooker Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Posted on by Stephen

1 cup diagonally sliced carrots
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated gingerroot
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons red curry paste**
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cups  chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

 In slow cooker, mix carrots, onion, bell pepper, garlic, gingerroot, fish sauce and curry paste. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 6 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Place chicken over vegetables in slow cooker. Pour broth over chicken.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from slow cooker to plate; shred, using 2 forks. Return chicken to slow cooker. Stir in coconut milk, mushrooms and basil. Cover; cook 30 minutes longer or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in lime juice before serving.

**Next time I make this, I’m adding a smidge more curry paste. Tastes great as is, but it could use just a touch more.

 

Original recipe: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-thai-coconut-chicken-soup/7cc193b0-0b00-4ff5-9527-ae68db64039b

Recipe: Spicy Crockpot Chicken with Chipotle Marmalade Sauce

Posted on by Stephen

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped, with about 1 teaspoon of the sauce
1/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oil
Dash pepper
Dash salt
5 boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

 Combine the chipotle with adobo sauce, marmalade, chili powder, garlic powder, vinegar, honey, chicken broth, and oil.

Wash chicken and pat dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken breasts in the slow cooker; pour marmalade mixer over all. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

The recipe can be doubled and cooked for the same amount of time, which I would recommend, since it only makes 4 portions.

Recipe says to remove the chicken at then end of the cooking process and then transfer the sauce to a saucepan and thicken it with the cornstarch. I didn’t do that. I broke it up in the sauce and then served it over a bed of rice covered in sliced, raw fennel. The fennel adds a nice crunch and some coolness against the spice.

 

Original recipe: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchicken/r/r80127g.htm

Recipe: Lime Chicken with Garlic and Thyme

Posted on by Stephen

7  breasts halves (skinless boneless chicken)
1/3 cup lime juice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4  tsp thyme leaves (dried)
1/4 tsp black pepper (ground)
2 tbsps butter

Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker; pour in the lime juice and chicken stock. Add the garlic, thyme, pepper, and butter. Cover, and cook on Low until the chicken is very tender, 8 to 10 hours.

 

Original Source: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Slow-Cooker-Lime-Chicken-With-Rice-Allrecipes