Thai-Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup

Thai-Inspired Chicken Meatball Soup

(From the New York Times)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeno
2 pounds ground chicken
1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped, a few whole leaves reserved for serving
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
2 cups chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 ounces baby spinach
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
Steam white rice for serving

STEP 1: Using the small holes of a box grater, or a microplane, grate the ginger and jalapeño (or finely chop them by hand or even use a small food processor). Transfer half to a large bowl and set the rest aside. To the large bowl, add the chicken, finely chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands or a fork to fully combine but do not overmix.

STEP 2: Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form 2-inch meatballs (about 2 ounces each). In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs in a single layer and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on two sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat, adding oil as needed.

STEP 3: Once all the meatballs are browned and out of the pot, if the oil is burned, wipe it out and add a bit more to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the reserved ginger mixture and sauce until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, sugar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and any juices from plate, and simmer until the flavors come together and the meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes.

STEP 4: Remove from heat, and stir in the spinach and lime juice. Divide rice among bowls, then top with meatballs, broth, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.


Notes:

• Meatballs might fall apart. Some note to add a bit of panko and egg to the meatballs to hold them together.
• Could bake the meatballs on parchment in the oven at 425 for 20 minutes.
• Some say to double to jalapeño.
• Add some lemongrass to the broth.

Chicken in Creamy Tomato Curry: Chicken Tikka Masala

Food Network

Ingredients

Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large bite-sized chunks

Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)

2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons paprika

8 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 to 2 cups water

Oil, for grilling

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole

1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/4 cup canola oil

1. For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.
2. For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.
3. Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.
4. Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).
5. Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

1. Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.
2. Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

Pinchos Morunos: Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

Pinchos Morunos: Spanish Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 T ground coriander
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1 T smoked paprika
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 one-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 T lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 2 T honey
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2-3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1-2 T chopped fresh oregano

1. In a medium bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Add the pork and toss to coat evenly, massaging the spices into the meat until no dry rub remains.
3. Let the meat sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, and garlic. Set aside.
5. In a large skillet (I used a 14-inch skillet) over medium-high, heat 2 T of the oil until just smoking. Add the meat in a single layer and cook without moving until deeply browned on one side, about 3 minutes.
6. Using tongs, flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees.
7. Off the heat, pour the lemon juice-garlic mixture over the meat and toss to evenly coat, then transfer to a serving dish. (I tossed the sauce with the meat in my serving dish.)
8. Sprinkle the oregano over the pork and drizzle with the remaining 1 T of oil, if desired. (I omitted the additional oil.)
9. Serve with lemon wedges.

Liu Shaokun's Spicy Buckwheat Noodles with Chicken

YIELD

4 lunch main-course or side-dish servings

INGREDIENTS

1. • 3 cups chicken broth or water (24 fl oz)
   • 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2)
   • 1/2 lb dried buckwheat noodles such as soba noodles
   • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
   • 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
   • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
   • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
   • 1 tablespoon chile oil containing sesame oil (such as Chiu Chow Chili Oil from Lee Kum Kee) plus some of sediment from jar
   • 2 garlic cloves, minced
   • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
   • 1/8 teaspoon salt
   • 3 scallions (green parts only), thinly sliced
   • 2 tablespoons soy nuts (roasted salted soybeans)

PREPARATION

1. 1. Bring broth to a simmer in a 3-quart saucepan, then add chicken and simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover, then let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cool at least 10 minutes, reserving broth for another use.
   2. While chicken is poaching, bring 4 quarts salted cold water to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart saucepan over moderately high heat. Stir in noodles, then 1/2 cup cold water. When water returns to a boil, add another 1/2 cup cold water and bring to a boil again, stirring, then repeat once more, or until noodles are just tender but still firm and chewy throughout.
   3. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse well under cold water to cool, then drain well. Toss noodles with peanut oil in a large bowl.
   4. Stir together vinegar, soy sauces, chile oil with sediment, garlic, sugar, and salt in another bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add to noodles and toss until coated.
   5. Shred chicken with your fingers into 1/4-inch-wide strips and add to noodles, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with scallions and soy nuts.
   6. From Epicurious

Bacon and Cheddar Toasts

YIELD

Makes 56 hors d'oeuvres

ACTIVE TIME

25 minutes

TOTAL TIME

1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1. • 1/2 lb extra-sharp white Cheddar, coarsely grated (2 cups)
   • 1/2 lb cold sliced lean bacon, finely chopped
   • 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
   • 1 1/2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
   • 1/2 teaspoon salt
   • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
   • 14 very thin slices firm white sandwich bread

PREPARATION

1. 1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
   2. Stir together cheese, bacon, onion, horseradish, salt, and pepper in a bowl with a rubber spatula until blended well.
   3. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons mixture evenly to edges of each slice of bread with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Arrange slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and freeze, covered with wax paper, until firm, about 15 minutes.
   4. Trim crusts off bread and reserve for another use (see cooks' note, below), then cut each slice into 4 squares. Bake toasts on baking sheet until beginning to brown on edges, about 20 minutes.

Cooks' Note

• Reserved crusts (with some of topping still on them) can be baked at 375°F until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, then cooled. Break up crusts and sprinkle over salads.
• Toasts can be prepared and cut 2 weeks ahead and frozen, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. Thaw before baking.

 From Epicurious

Parmesan Chicken

Parmesan Chicken (Barefoot Contessa)

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1-1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• Unsalted butter
• Good olive oil
• Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry
• Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe)

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Lemon Vinaigrette (Makes 3/4 Cup)

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

SERVES4

PREP TIME:30 minutes

COOKING TIME:20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken and sauce:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or chile-garlic paste

For the stir-fry:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 medium bell peppers, large dice
• 2 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced on a slight diagonal
• Kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
• Steamed rice, for serving (optional)

EQUIPMENT

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk
• Flat-bottomed wok or large frying pan
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Mixing bowls
• Metal spatula

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Place the tamari or soy sauce, wine or sherry, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the mixture over the chicken and toss to combine; set the chicken aside.
2. Make the sauce. Add the vinegar, sugar, and sambal to the remaining marinade and whisk until the sugar is dissolved; set this sauce aside.
3. Stir-fry the vegetables and aromatics. Heat a flat-bottomed wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot (a flick of water should sizzle and evaporate right away), about 2 minutes. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the oil, add the bell peppers and celery, and season with salt. Stir-fry with a metal spatula until crisp-tender and browned in spots, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
4. Stir-fry the chicken. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the pan. Add the chicken and spread into an even layer. Let cook undisturbed until golden-brown and seared on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir-fry until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more.
5. Return the vegetables to the pan and stir-fry with the sauce. Add the reserved vegetables and peanuts to the pan. Rewhisk the reserved sauce to dissolve the cornstarch. Pour into the pan and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, is glossy, and evenly coats everything in the pan, about 1 minute more. Sprinkle with the scallions if using and serve immediately with rice.

RECIPE NOTES

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.