Gourmet's Latin Style Chicken and Rice

When hubby and I moved to San Diego two years ago we couldn't wait to fully embrace an active, outdoorsy lifestyle - hikes on the weekends, laps in the Pacific ocean, kayaking & surfing, perhaps a few evening sunset runs. While we have indulged ourselves of each of these activities, life and work tend to get in the way and make for some very good excuses.


After two years of gym free living, we finally took the plunge and decided to join one, realizing our appetites were larger than our desires for physical movement. Ho Hum. I'm both excited and a little sad. Maybe joining a gym will get me running outside more often :) Funny how I need to pay someone else money to inspire myself to indulge in a free activity!

On to the food, I made this Latin Style Chicken and Rice when looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal. First spotted by Cate from Sweetnicks this yummy dish originated from the soon to be defunct Gourmet Magazine (sad, very sad). The dish doesn't strike me as particularly Latin, but I liked it nonetheless. Hubby especially loved the chicken thighs as we traditionally eat chicken breasts or tenders out of habit and ease. As a compromise, I used half and half and was happy with the results. The original recipe calls for bone-in chicken thighs so proceed as you please!

Gourmet's Latin Style Chicken and Rice
adapted from Gourmet Magazine

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup medium grain white rice
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas (not thawed)
salt & pepper

Season chicken salt and pepper to taste. Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (at least 2 inches deep) over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken, turning once, about 10 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to a plate.

In the same pan, cook onion and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, water, saffron, tumeric, garlic salt and bay leaf and bring to a full boil. Nestle chicken in rice, keeping as much rice around (rather than under) chicken as possible, and add juices from plate.

Simmer, covered tightly with lid, over low heat until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 -25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas. Cover with a kitchen towel and then lid and let stand until all of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Baked Costa Rican Style Tilapia with Tropical Pineapple Rice

What to do now?

After a greuling year of campaigns, political controversy and economic despair our country is left with hope and the promise of a new day. We've lived and breathed this monumental, historic race and now new & old political junkies everywhere are left with a politics hangover. For months, I have replaced my usual web browsing with an ardent obsession with political blogs.

Where I once read perezhilton.com with my morning cup of coffee, I found myself typing poltico.com into my browser first thing each morning. I sat glued to CNN, waiting and watching to see what would happen next. The long, hard fight is not over for President-Elect Barack Obama but now that the election is over, what do I do?

Cook and bake! Now that I can pull myself away from CNN, I'll be spending more time in the kitchen. For those still glued to see what unfolds next for our new President, here's a quick and easy meal to throw together. Keep me up to date. I need a break. Here's some photos pre-oven:

I first saw this recipe for Baked Costa Rican Style Tilapia with Pineapple Black Bean Rice on Simply Delicioso, Ingrid Hoffman's cooking show. It was the first episode of hers that I'd ever seen, but I instantly knew I needed to make this tropical fish. As the name spells out, tilapia is baked with a delightfully sweet and spicy rice accented by pineapples, salsa and black beans. Pop it all in the oven and you're left with a sophisticated, yet delicious and healthy meal.

I loved the rice so much that I'd definitely consider making rice this way again to serve with other meals though next time, I'd drain some of the excess liquid from the rice, pineapple and salsa mixture before baking. If you decide to cook this, I'd make sure to chop up the pineapple very finely and use a tasty salsa with a lot of spice! I was lucky to have a jar of homemade salsa on hand thanks to a lovely gift so the salsa added a lot of good flavor.

Baked Costa Rican Style Tilapia with Tropical Rice
Adapted from Ingrid Hoffman
1 cup short grain brown rice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I used orange pineapple mango juice)
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 cups homemade salsa
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 limes, thinly sliced

Directions

Combine the rice, chicken broth and a dash of salt in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. If using white rice, follow package directions.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, the garlic, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Add the tilapia fillets to the marinade, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of the cilantro in a 2 or 3-quart baking dish. If there is a lot of liquid, drain some since you'll be adding the marinade. Remove the tilapia from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and lay the fish fillets over the rice mixture, overlapping if necessary. Pour the reserved marinade over the fish. Shingle the lime slices over the fish. Bake until the fish flakes easily, is opaque, and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

Creamy Seafood Risotto with a little forethought for the week

I did it! After my last post about disorganization in the kitchen, I've decided to take some initiative and plan out meals for the week. I know many of you probably already do this, but for me this is a huge accomplishment. For some reason, I find it challenging to commit to what we'll be eating each day of the week.

What if I "schedule" tacos for Wednesday night, but Wednesday rolls around and that's the last thing I want to eat? Whatever happened to living on the edge? Ahh, cheers to growing up.

Well, for one I usually end up going to the grocery store just about everyday for just one more ingredient. During each of those trips, I typically add three to four unplanned grocery items and obviously, this becomes a costly dilemma. Though some choose not to believe it, we're in a recession, folks and it ain't pretty. {Pardon my folksy talk.}


I started off this week's meal list with a Creamy Seafood Risotto packed with jumbo shrimp, calamari and bay scallops with a touch of color from saffron. Arborio rice simmers in a mixture of broth and clam juice - risotto style, requiring a lot of stirring and a little bit of patience. All in all, this dish is not too time consuming if you don't mind standing by the stove. Before serving, cream adds a rich touch and binds the flavors and ingredients together. I wavered about adding the cream at the last minute, hoping to save some fat and calories, but I highly suggest you go for it. Some things in life are worth it, and this is one of them.

Lastly, I adapted this recipe from October's Cooking Light that had a feature about meals for two. Hubby and I quickly realized we must have oversized portion expectations, because this meal for two could have been bigger. If you're hungry people like us, try doubling the recipe.

Oh, and without further adieu, here is my meal plan for the week:

• Sunday - Creamy Seafood Risotto
• Monday - Asian Stir Fry (usually made on the go, sans recipes)
• Tuesday - Italian Goat Cheese Fritatta
• Wednesday - leftovers
• Thursday - Jamie Oliver's le migliori polpette di tonno, the best tuna meatballs
• Friday - eat out
• Saturday - I can't plan that far ahead

Creamy Seafood Risotto
Adapted from Cooking Light, October '08

2 cups fish or chicken broth
1 8 oz. bottle clam juice
2 teaspoons butter
1/8 cup chopped shallots
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces bay scallops & calamari rings
2 tablespoons whipping cream
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Bring broth and clam juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

2. Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray. Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add shallots & onion to pan and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice and saffron to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice to pan; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup hot broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next. If the liquid is cooking off too quickly, turn the heat down a little.

3. Stir in tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp, calamari and scallops; cook for 4 minutes or until seafood is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with toasted bread.

Too Hot to Cook?

It's officially blazing...Summertime is in full effect! I've been spending some quality time in our nation's capital and the humidity here is slowly killing me. The cool summer breezes of San Diego feel like a distant, fond memory and I'm beginning to have dreams that I'm trapped in a sauna. Have you ever seen the movie A Time To Kill where Ashley Judd spends a considerable amount of the movie sweating? Well, that's me but I don't quite pull off the sexy sweaty look as well as Ashley.


This past weekend, a quick jog through the park turned into a sweaty, cardio attack on my body. I say 'attack' as the combination of steep hills, blazing sunshine and opressive humidity made my body think that I was launching an assault on myself. Though I consider myself to be in fairly good shape, I suppose I'm not in DC shape. Though I used to easily run 5-6 miles a day, somehow I can barely eek out about 4 these days.

Alright, enough crying & complaining for now. For those of you who are equally trapped in miserable heat, here's a quick & refreshing side dish that I've begun to enjoy for lunch. It's quite a nutritional powerhouse and I am happy to report that you won't break into a sweat while making this Mango & Black Bean Salad. This also pairs well with fish and shrimp dishes if you're brave enough to turn on your stove or oven!

Because this is a healthy little treat, I'm submitting this to Cate's ARF/5-A-Day roundup at her lovely site, Sweetnicks. Check out her roundup every Tuesday for some healthy inspiration.

Beat the Heat Mango & Black Bean Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light
1 1/2 cups chopped, ripe mango
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh salsa (I used peach mango salsa)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more if you like heat)
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix.

Print the recipe here:

Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Saffron Coucous

I'd like to put a disclaimer out there that this dish is probably not authentically Moroccan in any way. Because of poor planning and evening commitments, I had to bastardize this guy to fit my needs. Though the original calls for apricots, I had none and used raisins. The chickpeas I thought were in my pantry were somehow missing so I left those out. I added cannellini beans to the leftovers, and would highly suggest these as an alternative. Lastly, the original calls for a whole chicken. I imagine bone-in chicken would be delicious, but since I was cooking for one, I used boneless skinless chicken. I like leftovers, but not sure about a whole chicken. Lots of changes made on the fly, huh? Thankfully, this turned out delicious and full of flavor. Cinnamon and the sweet raisins offset the spiciness from the red pepper while simmering the chicken in the spices results in juicy and tender meat.

Since the couscous calls for raisins, the raisins in the chicken dish may be overkill for some. I love them, so didn't mind the extras. If you decide to make this, maybe you should plan ahead unlike me!

Moroccan Spiced Chicken
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 1/4 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 1 to 2 lemons
5 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used about 1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion , halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
1 medium carrot , peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins
1 cup dried apricots , halved (I used about 1/2 cup raisins)
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Combine spices in small bowl and set aside.

2. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large heavy--bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown chicken pieces in single layer until seared, but not cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate;if using whole chicken, peel off skin and discard.

3. Add onion and lemon zest to the pot, stirring occasionally, until onions have browned at edges but still retain shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add 1 tablespoon water if pan gets too dark). Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened and very fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

4. Add carrots, apricots or raisins, and chicken (with any accumulated juices) to pot, arranging breast pieces in single layer on top of carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Transfer chicken to plate or bowl and tent with foil. Add chickpeas to pot; increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and carrots are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot and add cilantro and lemon juice; stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with couscous.

Saffron Couscous with Toasted Almonds
From Cook's Illustrated
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups plain couscous
3/4 cup sliced almonds
pinch of saffron threads, crumbled with fingers
1 small onion , chopped fine
3/4 cup raisins
Table salt
1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Ground black pepper

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the couscous and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until some grains are beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Scrape the grains from the skillet into a large bowl and return the pan to medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until they are lightly toasted and aromatic, about 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape them into a small bowl.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Once it melts, add the saffron, onion, raisins, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.

3. Add the boiling liquid to the bowl with the toasted couscous, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to sit until the couscous is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, fluff the grains with a fork, and gently stir in the almonds and lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Taste & Create: Savory Strawberry Risotto

Today's post is part of a very fun blog event, Taste and Create, hosted by For the Love of Food. Nicole randomly pairs food bloggers and we have the fun task of creating a tasty dish from our partner's blog.

Photo Taken Indoors

For my first adventure, I've been matched with Rosella from Ma che ti sei mangiato, a lovely blog based in Italy. Armed with the wonders of the Internet, Babel Fish provided me with a rough & sometimes confusing translation of Rosella's amazing looking dishes. Technology's not perfect quite yet! Loving Italian food, I enjoyed perusing all of her creations and finally settled upon one that is traditionally Italian though one new to me: Strawberry Risotto.

As a lover of strawberries, I've had them in nearly every form: bread, muffins, pie, shortcakes, and tarts. Could strawberries be savory? Or, would the dish be more like a dessert? I had to know!

Adapting from Rosella's post, here's the steps I followed to create this tasty dish. The risotto is certainly savory with just a hint of the berries. If you weren't told strawberries were hiding in there, you'd probably never know. The risotto would go wonderfully with a big glass of white wine. You might as well finish off the wine bottle you opened to make the risotto!

Thanks Rosella. I had a great time learning some Italian words :)

Photo taken outdoors...what a color difference!

Risotto Alle Fragole, Strawberry Risotto
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil (Olio extra vergine d'oliva)
1 small shallot (scalogno)
1 cup risotto rice (riso)
4 cups vegetable broth (brodo vegetale)
1 glass white wine (vino blanco) - I used a little more than 1/2 cup of white wine
4-8 strawberries (fragole)
cream (panna da cucina) -- I used a few pats of butter

1. Bring the broth to a boil. Turn heat down until its simmering.
2. Wash and hull strawberries. Lightly crush them if you have a mortar & pestle. I don't, so I sent them through the food processor a few times.

3. Saute shallots in olive oil or butter over medium heat. Don't allow to brown.
4. Add rice and toss to ensure all grains are covered by butter or oil.
5. Pour in the wine and let it reduce, meanwhile continue to stir to prevent rice from sticking.
6. Pour 1-2 ladles of the broth onto the rice and allow to reduce (until nearly dry) before adding 2 additional ladles. Allow to reduce and add strawberries.
7. Continue to add ladles of broth until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
8. If using cream, take pot off the heat and stir in.

Shrimp and Sausage Saffron Rice

Cooking with the worlds' most expensive spice can be an adventure. It is estimated that it takes some 14,000 stigmas to produce only one ounce of saffron threads. This labor-intensive process contributes to the figures that the bright red threads can soar upwards of $50 per quarter-ounce. Wow, don't really want to mess up a dish with these costs. I could almost fill up my gas for the same amount of money!

Well, I am always up for a culinary experiment, though one with saffron needs to be taken a little more seriously in the event of failure. Luckily, this recipe is a fairly simple one, yet still full of flavor and complexity. The saffron lends the rice a beautiful, deep yellow color. In fact, one part saffron to 150,000 parts water will still turn the water a bright yellow and impart a distinctive flavor.

Shrimp and Sausage Saffron Rice

(adapted from Real Simple)

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I substituted keilbasa I already had)

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium chicken broth

12 saffron threads, crumbled

1 cup long-grain white rice

3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/3 cup frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and green peppers. Saute, until onions are translucent and tender. Add garlic. Deglaze the wok by adding the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any brown bits. Add the broth, saffron, and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir the shrimp and peas into the rice, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with the salt and pepper. Spoon onto plates and add the cilantro.