Family secret revealed: Vij Family's Chicken Curry

I've written before (click here to read all the salivatory details) about our trip to the North American mecca of Indian food that is Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver, BC. There all is sub-continental and sublime. Before we had left w had picked up a copy of the Vij's Cookbook, which until our visit we hadn't cracked. Since then I am constantly looking for inspiration within. Last week w stated that she had the desire for Indian. Me, always being eager to please, knew just where to turn. But when so much opportunity presents itself, where to start? This seemed as good as anyplace. I mean if it is good enough for Vij's family, and his own mother made it, you think it isn't worthy? Me neither. One bite in, you'll agree. With the other things I've made from the Vij's Cookbook (like this fabulous coconut curried vegetable side), this has remarkably complex flavors that are coaxed out of very few ingredients (that is a few of the key spices at right). The key is each ingredients is so flavorful, that the whole coats your tastebuds in savory pleasure. This is tremendously easy to put together, and so rewarding. One final word: be prepared as feelings of inner peace and happiness are soon to be yours!
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Vij Family's Chicken Curry

ingredients:
½ cup canola oil
2 cups finely chopped onions (2 large)
3-inch stick of cinnamon
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 cups chopped tomatoes (2 large)
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 pounds chicken thighs, bone in
1 cup sour cream, stirred
2 cups water
½ cup chopped cilantro (including stems)

method:
1-In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat for one minute. Add onions and cinnamon, and sauté for five to eight minutes, until onions are golden. Add garlic and sauté for four more minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala and cayenne. Cook this masala for five minutes, until the oil separates.

the masala coming together.... and smelling SO good!

2-Remove and discard skin from the chicken thighs. Wash thighs and add to the masala. Stir well. Cook chicken thighs for 10 minutes, until the chicken looks cooked on the outside. Add sour cream and water and stir well. Increase the heat to medium-high. When curry starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring two or three times, until chicken is completely cooked. Poke the thighs with a knife. If the meat is still pink, cook for five more minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Cool curry for at least half an hour.

the chicken after the addition of sour cream & water

3-Transfer cooked chicken to a mixing bowl. Wearing latex gloves, peel chicken meat off the bones. Discard bones and stir chicken back into the curry. Just before serving, heat curry on medium heat until it starts to boil lightly. Stir in cilantro. Divide curry evenly among six bowls.
Serves 6

Ancho Braised Short Ribs: can you say "more please?"

With those delicious bits of beef above as a starting point, I knew I was in for some meat eatin' satisfaction! I had been craving short ribs for weeks. As always with the onset of cooler weather, anything braise-y and beefy sounds like just what the body needs. Hey, you can't fight evolution. Well, you can, but then you end up as some whacked out creationism advocate...or Sarah Palin. Neither of which are good choices. So I fully embrace my carnivorous tendencies and the responsibilities that come from being atop the food chain. And some tender fall off the bone short ribs are one of the best ways to fulfill the destiny God has in mind for me (a little shout out there for all my God lovin' and fearin' readers).

I have one money recipe for short ribs, and almost did the usual, but then a search on epicurious turned up this southwestern version. It sounded good, and as a nod to those former red states taking a leap of faith and going all blue, I took the leap myself and threw this newfangled thing together the other night, and if I may, in a nod to my beer drinkin', truck drivin' readers, this is one fuckin' incredible plate 'o meat! The sauce is just off the hook, infused with an intense, not-too-spicy smokiness from the chilis. The meat was so insanely tender, too. To have something that requires minimal prep and basically cooks itself come out this good is about as good as it gets, eats wise. It's a crazy good world!
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Short Ribs Braised in Ancho Chile Sauce
Yield: Makes 4-6 servings
Active Time: 40 min
Total Time: 4 1/2 hr

ingredients:
4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and ribs discarded
2 cups boiling-hot water
1 medium onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon salt
6 lb beef short ribs or flanken
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup brewed coffee

method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Soak ancho chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl. Taste soaking liquid: It will be a little bitter, but if unpleasantly so, discard it; otherwise, reserve for braising. Transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Pat ribs dry and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as browned to a roasting pan just large enough to hold ribs in 1 layer.

Carefully add chile purée to fat remaining in skillet (it will spatter and steam) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add reserved chile soaking liquid (or 1 1/2 cups water) and coffee and bring to a boil, then pour over ribs (liquid should reach about halfway up sides of meat).

Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim fat from pan juices. Serve ribs with pan juices.

Cooks' note: Ribs improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, ribs covered directly with parchment or wax paper and roasting pan covered with foil. Remove any solidified fat before reheating.

Caponata: Sicilian seasonality!

You want to be a hip, trendy, very now cook? Do using the words "local", "seasonal", and "organic" when you cook make you feel better about yourself? Do you care about where your food comes from? Do you even know what the "Bush Doctrine" is....oh, wait scratch that question. I mean if our possible president-in-waiting doesn't care enough to know, why should we?! If the answers to the first three of those questions are yes, then get your eco-responsible bodies down to your local farmer's market, because the recipe below for that Sicilian wonder known as caponata uses produce ingredients that should be all over the market stalls right now. I found this recipe on the New York Times site a few weeks ago, and it is absolute money! Caponata is the Sicilian version of ratatouille, with the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, every ingredient seeming to compliment the other. It tastes fabulous, and is also a great appetizer for those whiney vegan friends we all have none of. Perfect as a spread with crostini, you can also, as w and I did, put it on top of rice for a main course. Very easy to throw together once all the prep is done, this particular recipe makes a large amount, so your effort will be rewarded over several days!
And in case your going "wow, that is a pretty good picture", it isn't mine. I nabbed it from the NYT site because my picture, frankly, didn't look too appetizing.
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Caponata
By Martha Rose Shulman

from the NYT: "Caponata is a sweet-and-sour Sicilian version of ratatouille. Because eggplant readily absorbs other flavors, it’s particularly good in such a pungent dish. Caponata should be served at room temperature, but it’s good cold and tastes even better if left overnight. Caponata makes a great topping for bruschetta."

ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds eggplant (1 large), roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, from the tender inner stalks, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
Salt to taste
1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably Romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree)
3 heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

method:
1. Roast the eggplant, then allow to cool. Chop coarsely.

2. Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, then add the onion and celery. Stir until the onion softens, about five minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir until just tender, about eight minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another five minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.

3. Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Serves six to eight
Advance preparation: Caponata will keep for three to five days in the refrigerator.

A tale of two markets (w/ a delicious ending!)

After my somewhat traumatizing $22 chicken experience last week at one of our many farmer's markets here in PDX, I had another eye-opener this past Saturday. On Saturdays' here there are two main farmer's markets. One is downtown in the city center park blocks. Very attractive setting, GREAT vendors, where all the "foodies" and wannabes go. It's a great market, but gets crazy crowded (and I preface this next comment by saying I am a huge dog lover, and our beloved Chopper brings us untold happiness, but having said that would all you market shoppers leave your big fucking dogs in the car. It's bad enough with today's giant strollers that parents have, but when you see people with their big labs, newfies, and other oversize mutts, tugging every which way, blocking the flow of an already overcrowded pedestrian walkway, it's time to get a little awareness, don't ya think? Besides, I don't think Fido gives a rat's ass about whether baby artichokes or white asparagus are available!). Then there is the market in the Hollywood neighborhood on the eastside. Much smaller, low key, but with all your basic needs covered without the throngs of people who need to "be seen" downtown. And oh yeah, much lower prices.

Take my haul Saturday. I was in a risotto frame of mind, and made a beeline for the mushroom guy at the Hollywood market. Now there is a great mushroom guy downtown, too. The fungal glory that are morel mushrooms are in high season right now. Mmmmm, morels....earthy, intense, simply amazing. Price downtown: $35 a pound. Price at Hollywood market: $20 a pound. Difference in quality: zero! Plus most other offerings are at this market are at least 10-20% less. Give me a less popular location and better prices any day. Like my experience with the chicken, if we're ever going to get everyday people on board this whole buying locally, sustainably, and any other trendy adjective you want to use, something has to give price-wise.

So what did I make with all this foraged from the forest goodness? Check out one of my all-time favorite, easy, and sensationally delicious go-to dishes. This recipe that I adapted from Gourmet magazine and Anthony Bourdain, is guaranteed to get raves from your crowd!
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Wild Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
Makes 4-6 servings.

ingredients:
3/4 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock or good quality broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 lb fresh wild mushrooms such as morels, shiitakes, porcini, chanterelles, or hedgehogs, trimmed and chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon white truffle oil* (optional)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
method:
Bring stock to a simmer in a 4-quart pot and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Heat oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.

Cook shallots in 2 tablespoons butter in same saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Pour in wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.

Ladle in 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring very frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 16 to 18 minutes. (Save leftover stock for thinning.)

Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon butter, sautéed mushrooms, truffle oil to taste (if using), cheese, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. If desired, thin risotto with some of leftover stock.

The great hamburger derailment!

See that big six-quart pot of goo to the left? That's my hamburger I was going to throw on the grill for dinner last night. I know, it doesn't really look like a hamburger, does it? Somewhere between initial craving and final execution it went way off the tracks. Not that it was such a bad thing, because this was an ass-kickingly good pot of chili. What started out as a morning craving for flame cooked ground beef turned into a two hour after work session of kitchen fun thanks to a recipe I found on epicurious. Thank god my culinary A.D.D. kicked in at work and I found this, because this turned into one of the best bowls of chili I've ever had. Combined with some of Trader Joe's easy and delicious corn bread (one of my favorite TJ things, by the way. try it, you'll see), this was working it on a cool, gray PDX evening. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this was one of the best freaking hamburgers I've ever had!
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Pork, Beef, and Black Bean Chili
adpated from Bon Appétit

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 pound chuck steak, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz. dark beer
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 6-ounce cans tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
3 cups diced onions
3 cups diced red bell peppers

3 cups canned black beans, drained, rinsed (from three 15-ounce cans)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 3/4 cups (about) beef broth
Grated cheddar cheese

method:
Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and ground beef and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes. Add cubed beef and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add beer and water; bring to boil. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and sugar and simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, onions, and peppers and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

The pot bubbling away after adding spices...smells SOOO good!



Add black beans and cilantro to chili.
Add beef broth 3/4 cup at a time, until thinned to desired consistency. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.) Bring chili to simmer. Ladle hot chili into bowls; top with grated cheddar cheese and serve.