Kitchen3N

Recipes and food fun from Apt 3N

Zesty Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

IMG_2670 I’ve lusted after many versions of Tequila Lime chicken for ages but never got around to finding a good substitute for tequila (we don’t imbibe or cook with booze around here – except for teeny tiny amounts of vanilla extract or almond extract). I’ve thought about agave syrup, among other things, and thought some more. All that thinking got me nowhere until I watched Pioneer Woman make her tequila lime chicken the other day. Enough is enough. It’s time to give those chicken breasts in the freezer some cilantro/lime lovin’ (is that weird?). IMG_2675 Now I still haven’t found a good substitute for tequila, but I definitely compensated for the flavor in other ways. Along with super fruity EVOO, lime juice, salt and pepper, I added a touch of garlic and honey to the marinade. These days, I always add a bit of sweetness to chicken marinades. It seems to round out all the flavors. And the sauce just takes it over the top. It’s my go to sauce for dressing up any meat or fish. I don’t exactly measure things out these days, so I will attempt to provide the most accurate measurements I can! You really should taste as you go along though. If the flavor falls flat, add salt. If the tang of the yogurt overpowers, add a little bit more garlic. If it’s too pale green, add some more cilantro. If it’s not spicy enough, well you know what to do.

And since I find chicken breasts to be kind of bland, I cut them pretty thin. In this case, getting 6 cutlets from 2 chicken breasts. More surface area = more flavor. Trust me – I know my stuff. Hah!  IMG_2684I served this alongside another PW inspired dish: perfect potato salad. I swapped out pickles for capers. Reduced the mayo and added some cilantro yogurt sauce. Nixed the mustard. I just loved the idea of hardboiled eggs with my potato. And what’s best – my kids ate it! Sweet, sweet victory. You’d be suprised (or if you’re a parent, not surprised) that despite all the effort I put in the kitchen, their favorite food is mac and cheese from a box.

Sorry the pictures are out of focus – I was warding off two hyperactive toddlers while taking them. Good news though: my gorillapod is in the mail! Hopefully that means crisp pictures from here on out!

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

  • juice from 2 limes
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 heaping tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced or mushed through a microplane
  • 1 tbsp honey or agave syrup
  • 2 chicken breasts, sliced across to form 6 cutlets

For the cilantro  yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 2 cups cilantro (loosely packed)
  • 1 large clove of garlic or 2 small
  • 1 green chili
  • 1/4 tsp salt or taste

Directions:

  1. For the sauce: add all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. For the marinade: combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl or large ziploc bag. Add the chicken and marinade at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  3. Heat a grill pan over high heat. For at least 2 minutes. Make sure it is screaming hot. There will be smoke when the chicken hits – that’s ok. It’s part of the process. Spray the grill pan with non stick cooking spray and grill the cutlets for 3 minutes on each side. Arrange them on a platter and tent with aluminum foil to let the meat rest. Serve with cilantro yogurt sauce.

Rhubarb Mango Chutney

IMG_2464Is rhubarb out of season yet? I am way behind with this post, I know. I have been behind on life, in general, as of late. So even though I made my husband track down rhubarb when the season for it first came around (it is surprisingly difficult to find around these parts) and serendipitously also had some delicious, though overripe, Haitian mangoes on hand to make this weeks ago…I am only now sharing it with you. Sad face.

I know the combination of rhubarb, overripe mangoes, anise seeds and mustard oil aren’t ingredients most people have on hand most of the time. But as we near the end of rhubarb season, I hope you can still attempt to make this chutney. Or at least save it for next year.

I know most people tend to make some sort of rhubarb/strawberry pastry this time of year but something strange has happened to me recently. My sweet tooth has faded. Maybe I’ve made one too many cookies. But for some reason, butter rich, sugar filled treats just don’t give me the same satisfaction it used to. Not to say I’ve shunned them for good. I still taste test what I make and indulge when I go out with my girlfriends. Anyway, I was looking for something a bit more savory, and palatable for the rest of the clan. This was probably one of my most successful experimentations. It was annihilated at my in-laws’. Reduced to half in my own home overnight. It just hit every note. Admittedly, there is a lot of sugar in this, but only because the rhubarb was so darn tart. I don’t regularly have rhubarb, I don’t know if they range in tartness, but the tartness of this batch rivaled any lemon. If yours is less tart, feel free to start out with a smaller amount of sugar, and add more as needed.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp mustard oil
  • 1 pinch anise seeds or pach forom
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3 stalks of rhubarb, leaves and ends trimmed, diced into 1 in pieces
  • 4-5 dried red chilis (less for mild heat)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • pulp of 2 overripe mangoes, preferably the haitian variety

Directions

  1. Heat oil over medium high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the anise seeds or pach forom and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add rhubarb, chilis, sugar, vinegar, salt and mango pulp. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
  2. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is broken down. Taste for seasoning.

Cranberry Relish (Achar)

IMG_1740I’m not a pickle/relish/chutney person. My husband is not a turkey-with-all-the-fixin’s kind of guy. So this is how I strive to compromise. You see, I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. It will be pretty small, just my family and his. But there are a few characters in this production who absolutely do not enjoy anything outside the rice and curry/biryani paradigm. So, my spread will look something like this: roast turkey (brined in buttermilk, stuffed with orange, garlic, thyme and sage flavorings), my mother in law’s khichuri, mashed potatoes, salad, either a green bean casserole or sweet potato dish, and this relish. I love cranberry sauce, but in order to make it more palatable for my husband, his brother, and my dad, I thought I’d prepare it according to the traditional Bengali method for achar (non vinegar based relish). It’s sweet, spicy, and tart all at the same time. Obviously cranberries aren’t available in Bangladesh, but they remind me of this other berry like fruit that they do use for achar. The result was pretty good!IMG_1725Mustard oil is not so common in American grocery stores, but if you’ve made the trip to an Asian grocery to get any of the other ingredients required in this (dried red peppers, pach forom), you’ll definitely find the mustard oil. The second it hits the heat, a wonderful aroma fills the whole house. If you can’t find it – don’t fret. Make it with vegetable or olive oil. The result will be a much more mellow relish. Then come all the other aromatics: pach forom, garlic, and red pepper. The seeds will start to pop once they get heated through…time to quickly add the other ingredients!IMG_1726When working with the red peppers, simply snap them in two with your fingers and dump all the seeds out onto the cutting board. Then, when you add them to the hot oil, stand back and prepare for a pepper onslaught on your sinuses! Make sure your vent is going and windows are open, otherwise you’ll find yourself and the rest of your family members in a coughing fit. At this point, I know what you’re thinking: this is really, really weird. And I’ll admit – it’s not for everybody. But if occasionally you find yourself longing for the sweet and spicy relishes of your childhood, this will definitely hit the spot! IMG_1738We would normally serve this with rice or luchi, but I’m sure it would be great on toast. You can make this with pach forom (which I’ve discussed before here) or with anise or fennel seed (which I actually prefer, since the black seeds in pach forom are a bit strong for me). Hope you try this if you’re looking to spice up the usual cranberry sauce! I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving traditions!

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water or orange juice
  • 1 tbsp mustard oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 pinch pach forom or anise seeds or fennel seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 dried red peppers, cut in half, de-seeded
  • 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 5 tbsp sugar or molasses (or to taste)
  • 1 pinch chili powder

Directions

  1. Place the cranberries and juice/water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the cranberries start to pop, remove from heat.
  2. In a medium (9 or 10in) nonstick skillet, heat the msutard oil over medium high heat. Add the pach form or anise/fennel seeds. Once they start to pop, add garlic and chili. Heat through, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add all of the cranberries, along with the juices to the skillet. Season with salt, sugar, and chili powder. Give it all a stir and lower the heat to medium. Let it cook through, until liquid reduces and mixture thickens (not completely: it will continue to thicken off the heat), about 5-7 minutes. Check for seasoning.
  3. Remove from heat. Let it cool. Store in a glass jar or other container. Refrigerate. Consume within two weeks.

Cilantro Dipping Sauce

This sauce, for my husband, is the pastrami to his rye. The basil to his tomato. The mustard to his hot dog. OK, maybe not that last one. The point is – he loves this sauce and could eat it on top of anything. It’s a great condiment to have on hand to jazz up roasted meat or wake up weeknight leftovers. It’s based on this jarred condiment sold by Swad in Indian grocery stores called “Coriander Chutney” but oh so much better. Kind of a chutney-pesto hybrid. And boy do they make good babies.

There’s the kick from the garlic and a nice edge from the green chili. Trust me, you need both to stand up to the bold, verdant flavor of the cilantro.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch cilantro (about 4 cups, unpacked)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 green chili (use more if you like it hot)
  • 2 tbsps lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)

Directions:

Rinse the cilantro to get rid of any dirt/grime. Rough chop, then toss in the food processor. Give the garlic and green chili a rough chop, too. Add them to the guest list. Add salt and lime juice and start the processor. While running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly to help emulsify. If it’s not coming together to a nice saucy consistency, add more oil. Taste for seasoning and serve.

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Here I used it in lieu of basil pesto over roasted shrimp and linguine. Yum!