Chicken Rouladen with Browned Butter and Capers

(about 6-8 servings)

When the week is almost over, I usually look through my refrigerator to see if there's anything I need to use up before it expires. I had some prosciutto, a small amount of sun-dried tomato pesto and goat cheese; all needed to get eaten within the next few days.

I felt like chicken this weekend, so I came up with these rouladen. They turned out rather well.

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
3 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 slices prosciutto, cut in half
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly

4 tbsp butter
1 cup dry white wine
2 small plum tomatoes, chopped
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
about 2 tbsp capers


Carefully slice each breast through the centre lengthwise, and gently pound them as thin as you can without tearing them.

Mix together the goat cheese, pesto and garlic and divide evenly between the 8 chicken cutlets; (about 1 generous tablespoon for each). Spread over half of one side of each piece.

Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the cheese, top with a piece of prosciutto, and a bit of onion.

Roll up each roulade and tie with kitchen string or secure with wooden toothpicks.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet and fry the rouladen until browned on all sides. Lower the heat, pour in the wine and cover the skillet with a lid. Simmer gently for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the rouladen and set aside. Pour off the remaining liquid and reserve.

Heat the rest of the butter (3 tbsp) and cook, scraping in the browned pan bits, until the butter gets a nutty brown colour. Carefully add the tomato, the reserved liquid, a bit of lemon juice and the capers. Cook stirring for about a minute, then return the rouladen to the skillet. Cook an additional 2 minutes or until the rouladen are heated through.

Serve.

Çerkez Tavugu, Circassian Chicken with Walnut Sauce

(about 6-8 servings)

I made this many years ago, and decided to make it again. I have no idea why I waited so long as it's quite delicious.

This dish is served at room temperature making it a great for buffets or for a hot summer day.

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 lbs skinless and boneless chicken breasts
3-4 slices bread
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces, lightly toasted, (reserve a few pieces for garnish)

bread, or pita for serving

Add the chicken broth, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a saucepan; bring to a boil. Simmer until the onion softens. Add the chicken. Allow to simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Remove from heat and let the chicken cool in the broth.

Remove the cooled chicken from the broth and either shred or cut into small strips. Arrange on a serving platter.

Place 3 slices of bread (to start), paprika and walnuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles crumbs. Slowly pour in the reserved broth and onions. If the sauce seems too thin then add the extra slice of bread; if the sauce seems too thick, then add a bit of water. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Spread evenly over the chicken and garnish with the reserved walnut pieces. Serve at room temperature with bread or pita bread.

Murgh Makhani, Butter Chicken

(4-6 servings)

This wonderful Indian dish features marinated chicken braised in a a spiced tomato cream sauce. It's one of those dishes which seems to taste even better reheated the next day.

Last week, a fellow at work mentioned there was a new Whole Foods near his office. As soon as I was done for the day I raced over there to check it out. It's a bit further than the one I've been going to, but the route is more direct, making it easier to get to.

I went all out in the bulk spice section. Everything was fresh (the store had only been open for one week). Among the 15 or so spices I ended up getting, was ground cardamon. That wonderful odour filled my entire kitchen within an hour or two.

Chicken Marinade
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
2 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
8 chicken thighs,  skinless and boneless (about 1 1/2 lbs) cut into bite-size pieces
(you could use breasts instead, I just happen to love thighs)

Sauce
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter (or regular butter, if you wish)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp garam masala*
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp chili powder
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
a pinch or two of cayenne if you prefer more heat
salt to taste

Combine all of the chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl and let sit for an hour or two.

Heat the ghee or butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper and fry until the onion  becomes transparent; about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, honey, garam masala, turmeric, fenugreek and chili powder. Stir to combine well. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 35-45 minutes, or until the mixture is very soft.

Remove the cover and raise the heat a touch, and add the chicken and all it's marinade. When everything starts to simmer, lower the heat again, cover  and cook for about an hour.

Remove the cover and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring a bit from time to time; about 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and heavy cream. Check for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, remove from heat. Nice with rice or naan.

*Garam Masala - in recent years I have noticed this more and more in the spice section of regular grocery stores. The brands can vary somewhat, but typically this is any combination of cinnamon, coriander, fennel, cumin, black pepper, cardamon, nutmeg, star anise, bay leaves and cloves.

Mexican Food : Chicken Mole

(6 servings)

Since moving to Texas, I have discovered there are endless varieties of chicken mole to be found. This Mexican dish features a complex sauce made of chilies, nuts and chocolate.

I have no idea how authentic my version is. It's come about from trying different recipes and making adjustments here and there until I had something I was happy with. The chilies I use are pretty mild; if you prefer something hotter, then feel free to swap them out. This recipe doubles easily and freezes well.

2 dried ancho chilies
2 dried mulato chilies
1 dried pasilla chili
1 1/2 cups hot water

1 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup green pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon

4 roma tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup raisins

1 cup chicken broth
2 disks Mexican chocolate or 3 oz unsweetened chocolate

12 skinless and boneless chicken thighs, try to get fairly large ones

Heat a skillet over medium heat and toss in the dried chilies. Toast them until they begin to smell smoky. Remove from heat and transfer the chilies to the hot water to soak for about 30 minutes or until they have softened. Sometimes I do this the day before and let them soak in the water overnight.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the teaspoon of oil. Add the pumpkin seeds, almonds and peanuts, and stir until they begin to warm up. Add the sesame seeds and continue to stir until the nuts are lightly toasted and you can smell them. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Heat a tablespoon of oil a large dutch oven or heavy pot and add the onions and garlic. Saute over low heat until the onions are a nice medium brown; about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt, cumin and cinnamon.

Remove the chilies from the water and reserve the liquid. Remove the stems and seeds from the softened chilies.

To the bowl of a food processor, transfer the toasted nuts, softened cleaned chilies, the chili water, tomatoes and raisins. Process until smooth.

Transfer the processed mixture to the softened onions, and stir in the broth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture simmers. Add the chocolate and stir until it has melted. Set the heat to low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, checking and stirring from time to time.

Add the chicken, stir, cover and cook over low heat for an additional 40 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Serve with rice and salad.

Fantastic Chicken With Mushrooms

(4 servings)

This photo doesn't really do this dish justice; it tastes much better than it looks.

For most of my chicken dishes which require braising, I like to use skinless and boneless chicken thighs. They are always available at my local Whole Foods and they are quite inexpensive.

1/2 cup hot water
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
freshly ground pepper
8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp Better than Bouillon, Chicken or 2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 lb brown mushrooms, or a mixture, sliced
1/3 cup heavy cream

Add the porcini mushrooms to the hot water and soak about 30 minutes or until they are soft.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium- low heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 10 minutes or so until the onions soften and are golden brown. Stir in the rosemary and pepper.

Turn up the heat a bit and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes being careful not to burn anything.
Add the wine, bouillon and fresh mushrooms. Lower the heat again.

Remove the porcini from the water and reserve the water. Cut up the porcini and add them, as well as the reserved liquid to the chicken mixture. Combine well. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the cream, adjust the seasoning and increase the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring when necessary until the liquid is greatly reduced by about three quarters.

Return the chicken, lower the heat and cook for a few more minutes or until the meat is thoroughly hot.

Serve with rice or egg noodles.