Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
1 TBSP sesame oil
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 TBSP ginger, minced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package of frozen stir fry vegetables
1 c chicken stock + amount that rice calls for
1 c brown rice (cooked according to instructions)
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted*
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar ginger and garlic in a medium bowl.  Add cubed chicken and marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan.  Remove chicken from marinade, but reserve the liquid for later use.  Sauté chicken until browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add frozen vegetables to chicken and continue cooking until vegetables thaw, for about 3 minutes.  Add reserved liquid to sauté pan and 1c chicken stock.  Cook for 5 minutes longer, or until vegetables are cooked thoroughly and liquid is reduced. 

Serve over rice and top with toasted sesame seeds.

*To toast sesame seeds, place in a frying pan on a medium flame and cook until browned.  Be careful, they will burn easily.

Ratatouille

4 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
28oz  can San Marzano tomatoes
1c chicken or vegetable stock
1 TBSP herbs de Provence
sea salt and pepper

Liberally salt the cubed eggplant and set aside*.  Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and saute the garlic, stirring for 3 minutes until the garlic starts to brown.  Add diced pepper and continue to cook for 4 minutes, until pepper starts to soften.  Add cubed eggplant and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, stock and herbs de Provence.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over brown rice. 

*Note:  Salting eggplant prior to cooking will remove the bitterness.

Fresh Summer Salad

-1/2c olive oil
-1 medium red onion
- 3 ears of sweet corn
-1 pint of grape tomatoes
-1 lemon
-1 cup feta cheese
-2 cups sugar snap peas
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
-1 tsp herbs de Provence
-1 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped or 1 tsp dried oregano
-1lb whole wheat penne pasta
-salt and pepper

Juice one lemon and whisk with 1/4 c olive oil in a small bowl.  In a deep dish, place chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.  Pour lemon mixture over chicken breasts and marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

Preheat grill (or you can saute.)  Grill chicken breasts 8-10 min per side. 

While the chicken cooks, boil the corn for about 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.  Prepare the water for the pasta and bring to a rolling boil.  After salting the water, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.  While the pasta boils, preheat a saute pan with 2 TBSP olive oil and saute the red onion for 8 minutes.  When onions are soft and caramelized, place in a large mixing bowl.  Add 2 TBSP olive oil to the same saute pan and saute peas for 3-4 minutes.  Add the peas to the onions in the bowl.

Take each ear of corn and slice off the kernals with a sharp knife.  Add corn to the onions and peas.  When the chicken is done, cut it up into cubes.  Add it to the bowl and combine the grape tomatoes, feta, cooked pasta, oregano and herbs de provence. 

Stir and serve warm or chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Chipotle Cornbread

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
6 TBSP honey
1 1/2 - 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Grease a 9″ cast iron skillet or a 9″ round baking pan with butter*.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  Stir with a whisk to combine.  In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil and honey.

Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.  Stir in chopped chipotles.  Pour into greased cast iron skillet and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve warm or room temperature.

*Baking cornbread in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet produces a more flavorful bread.

Caribbean Rice and Peas with Smoked Sausage and Chicken

-2 TBSP olive oil
-2lb smoked sausage (Kielbasa), sliced
-3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c cilantro, chopped
1 packet sazon (Goya)
1 tsp dried oregano
28 oz tomato sauce
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup brown rice

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan on medium-high.  Brown sausage; remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.  Add cubed chicken and brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with sausage.  Return pan to heat.

Add onions, pepper and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes.

Stir in chopped cilantro, oregano and tomato sauce and cook for 3 minutes.

Return the browned sausage and chicken to the pan and add  sazon, peas and rice.  Pour in chicken stock to cover all ingredients.  Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for about 50-60 minutes, or until ricer is tender.

Sauteed Breaded Pork Chops

4, boneless pork chops (about 3″ thickness)
1/2c seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. 

While oven preheats, put 1/2c olive oil in a shallow dish and bread crumbs in another dish.  Season both sides of pork chops with thyme, salt and pepper.  Dip pork chops in olive oil and then dredge in bread crumbs.  Repeat for remaining. 

Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in an oven proof saute pan on medium heat.  Saute pork chops for about 8-10 minutes per side.  After the second side is sauteed for the allotted time, put the saute pan in the oven and finish cooking the chops until they reach an internal temperature of 170 (approx 20 mins depending on thickness.)

Serve with applesauce.

Tip:  While you saute the chops, you can roast potatoes or brussel sprouts tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Make sure the racks in your oven are in thirds to have room for the chops. 

If you don’t have super-thick chops, sauteing them 10-12 minutes per side on the stove top will cook them thoroughly.

Tip:  The trick to making your sauce stick to pasta is adding a little of the pasta water to your sauce.  Pasta water acts as a thickener and your sauce will bind to the noodles better. 

Puttanesca Sauce

2 TBSP Olive Oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped
2 TBSP capers
1 TBSP anchovy paste
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
28 oz tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions on package. 

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.  Saute garlic for 1 minute.  Add olives, capers, anchovy paste and  herbs, and saute for a minute more.  Add tomato puree and simmer for 10 minutes. 

When your pasta is al dente, drain reserving 1/2 of water from the pasta.  Toss pasta and the 1/2 c pasta water in the  sauce.  Stir until pasta is coated.

Serve with fresh parmesaean cheese.

Venezuelan Shredded Beef

Dough
3 cups fine yellow corn meal
1 c hot beef stock
2 1/2 cups hot water
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Mix corn meal, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Pour hot stock and water and stir to mix and moisten.  Let the dough sit while you make the beef filling.

Ground Beef Filling
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp adobo seasoning (recipe below)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 c pitted spanish olives with pimentos, chopped
1- 8oz can tomato sauce
1 packet sazon

Heat oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Brown ground beef and season with adobo.  Stir in onion, pepper, garlic, olives,  tomato sauce and sazon.  Cook, stirring often until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Cool slightly.

Dough should be very moist, but not stick to your fingers.  Grab a small fistful of dough (about 2-3 TBSP)  and roll it in your hand into a golf ball size.  Flaten it with your hand and place between two sheets of parchment paper.  With a rolling pin, roll into a 4-inch circle.  Spoon about a tablespoon of the beef filling on one half of the disk, then fold the other half over the mixture, using the parchment paper, making a half moon shape.  Seal the edge with your fingers.  Trim any excess dough with a knife.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a moist towel to prevent the patties from drying out. 

Fill a sauté pan with corn oil, about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan.  Heat until oil reaches a temperature of 350ºF.  Fry empanadas about 2 minutes per side or until evenly browned.  Drain on paper towels to get rid of excess oil. 

Keep warm in a 200ºF oven on a cookie sheet.  Serve with aji sauce.

Aji Sauce
4 tomatillos, skins removed and washed
5 scallions, chopped
1/2 c cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 limes. juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

Boil the tomatillos for 10 minutes.  Combine tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and jalapeno in a food processor and pulse until liquefied. 

Place liquid in a bow and stir in lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Serve hot or cold.

Adobo Seasoning
3 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion power
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix all spices together and store in an air tight container.

*Beef filling recipe provided by Goya with slight alterations