Back in the Kitchen
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| Me and my dad at my wedding in June 2008 |
This month I have two recipes to share with you. One, I actually made back in early June, but it's oh-so appropriate for August/September cooking as it features eggplant as the star. I am not growing eggplant in my garden, (Josh is not a fan of the purple veg) but my neighbors are and I'm seeing it at the Farmer's Market too so it's the perfect time to make this recipe. The second, is a twist on a classic Hungarian dish and it is total comfort food. We can almost hear 'the fat lady' getting ready to sing summer's departure, and on those cooler nights we start seeing, this dish will make you feel warm from the inside out.
I look forward to the next few months. The absence from my kitchen has sparked creativity - new, fun recipes to try and classics to tweak, but most importantly, an urge to make some old family recipes. I'm convinced they will help to heal my heart as well as satisfy my stomach.
Charred Eggplant with Lemon
Serves 4
*adapted from the cookbook Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
Ingredients
2 lbs eggplant, or two large eggplants
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, grated with microplane
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 lemons
Preparation
Ingredients
2 lbs eggplant, or two large eggplants
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, grated with microplane
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 lemons
Preparation
1. Set the eggplants directly on the burners of a gas stove or grill with the flame up high. Allow the eggplants to char on all sides, turning often with tongs and taking care not to puncture or split them when turning. Char for approximately 14 minutes or until cooked through. When the skin splits and the eggplants start to collapse, place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam in their own heat like this for about 15 minutes, then uncover and rest until cool enough to handle.
2. Cut eggplants from stem to base and scoop flesh into a clean bowl - discard skin. Gently break down any large pieces of eggplant so that it is a little chunky, but roughly all the same texture. Gently fold in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and salt.
3. Meanwhile boil the lemons for 5 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut into thin rounds. Grill a couple minutes on each side so that the lemons soften and pick up some color from the grill.
4. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of fresh parsley and some grilled Naan bread. I also like to serve it with some cooling tzaziki sauce and/or some lemony hummus.
Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms
Serves 4-6
*I add mushrooms to this traditional Hungarian dish. I like cooking chicken skin-on and bone-in, but this recipe will easily work with boneless, skinless chicken pieces as well, if that's what you prefer.
Ingredients
1. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces well and let them sit at room temperature while you cut the onions and mushrooms. Slice onions, quarter mushrooms
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When the butter is hot, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down in the pan. Let the chicken pieces cook 4-5 minutes on one side, until well browned, then turn them over and let them cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter, set aside.
3. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms to the sauté pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, until lightly browned and softened, about 7 minutes.
4. Add the paprika and some salt and black pepper to the onions and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, again scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then nestle the chicken pieces into the pan, on top of the onions. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken pieces). When the chicken is cooked through (at least 165° if you use a thermometer, or if the juices run clear, not pink when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a knife) remove the pan from the heat. (If you want, you can also keep cooking the chicken until it begins to fall off the bone, which may take another 30 minutes or so and which I prefer)
5. When the chicken is done to your taste, remove the chicken from the pan. Allow the pan to cool for a minute and then slowly stir in the sour cream and adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Plate the chicken and sauce over some buttered egg noodles and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
2. Cut eggplants from stem to base and scoop flesh into a clean bowl - discard skin. Gently break down any large pieces of eggplant so that it is a little chunky, but roughly all the same texture. Gently fold in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and salt.
3. Meanwhile boil the lemons for 5 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut into thin rounds. Grill a couple minutes on each side so that the lemons soften and pick up some color from the grill.
4. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of fresh parsley and some grilled Naan bread. I also like to serve it with some cooling tzaziki sauce and/or some lemony hummus.
Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms
*I add mushrooms to this traditional Hungarian dish. I like cooking chicken skin-on and bone-in, but this recipe will easily work with boneless, skinless chicken pieces as well, if that's what you prefer.
Ingredients
2 lbs of chicken pieces, preferably thighs and legs
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter
2 large yellow onions
16 oz button mushrooms, cleaned
2 Tbsp sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Preparation
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter
2 large yellow onions
16 oz button mushrooms, cleaned
2 Tbsp sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sour cream
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Preparation
1. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces well and let them sit at room temperature while you cut the onions and mushrooms. Slice onions, quarter mushrooms
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and melt the butter. When the butter is hot, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down in the pan. Let the chicken pieces cook 4-5 minutes on one side, until well browned, then turn them over and let them cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter, set aside.
3. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms to the sauté pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, until lightly browned and softened, about 7 minutes.
4. Add the paprika and some salt and black pepper to the onions and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, again scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and then nestle the chicken pieces into the pan, on top of the onions. Cover and cook on a low simmer for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken pieces). When the chicken is cooked through (at least 165° if you use a thermometer, or if the juices run clear, not pink when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a knife) remove the pan from the heat. (If you want, you can also keep cooking the chicken until it begins to fall off the bone, which may take another 30 minutes or so and which I prefer)
5. When the chicken is done to your taste, remove the chicken from the pan. Allow the pan to cool for a minute and then slowly stir in the sour cream and adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Plate the chicken and sauce over some buttered egg noodles and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
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