Category: One Pot Wonders

Cast Iron Skillet Paella

How to Make Paella using a Cast Iron Skillet

Rather than using a traditional paella pan, this method uses a standard 12″ cast iron skillet to get the job done, and the results are spectacular. Note that you will need a lid, or something to cover the skillet, while the rice finishes.

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How to Make Chowder

This post invites you to experiment – it is a blueprint and a technique, not a rigid recipe that must be followed. Use whatever ingredients you have on hand, or whatever you like – less than an hour, start to finish!

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Antipasto Salad

This salad is a meal in itself.  Variety is the key here:  Do what you like, but be sure to include lots of different veggies, greens and Italian deli meats.  Also, be sure to make the dressing from scratch – the dressing really livens up the salad, and since you’re having salad for dinner, you might as well go all out.  Store bought dressing in a salad like this one just won’t meet expectations.

Ingredients & Instructions

For the Dressing:

  1. 1/2 cup olive oil
  2. 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  3. Juice of one lemon
  4. 4-5 cloves garlic, minced or run through a microplane zester
  5. 1 tablespoon dried powdered oregano
  6. 1 teaspoon salt
  7. 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  8. 1 teaspoon sugar

Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Dressing can be made 1 day in advance.  When left standing for a while, dressing will separate – not to worry, just re-whisk to incorporate right before serving.

For the Salad

  1. 10oz Romaine lettuce hearts
  2. Jar of marinated artichoke hearts (6-8oz), drained
  3. Jar of pepperoncini (6-8oz), drained
  4. Croutons, as desired
  5. Assortment of fresh veggies: Mushrooms, Asparagus, Broccoli, Tomatoes (steam certain veggies first and the shock in an ice-bath if necessary)
  6. 6oz assorted Italian Deli Meats:  Salami, Prosciutto, Capocollo, Calabrese
  7. Mozzarella or Provolone cheese

Combine ingredients 1-5 in a large tossing bowl.  Chiffonade Deli Meats and cheese into fine strips and add to bowl.  Toss well to combine.

Final Assembly:

Dress salad all at once or allow eaters to dress for themselves in individual serving bowls.

Thai Red Coconut Curry with Chicken

This delicious Thai dish is full of fresh, bright flavors and is the perfect balance between spicy, sweet and savory.  It also comes together in about 30 minutes, making it the perfect dish for a busy weeknight or some time when you don’t want takeout but aren’t wanting to spend a ton of time in the kitchen either.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

  1. 2-3 lbs chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  2. 2 TBSP red curry paste
  3. 1 small onion, diced
  4. 1 small shallot, diced
  5. 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  6. 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
  7. 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  8. 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  9. Zest of 2 limes
  10. 1 TBSP fresh ginger, grated (or 2 tsp dried powdered)
  11. 1 TBSP anchovy paste or 2 TBSP Thai Fish Sauce (because umami!)
  12. 2 TBSP sweet Thai chili sauce
  13. 2 TBSP soy sauce
  14. 1 cup cheap saké (or chicken stock, if you don’t want to use alcohol), for deglazing
  15. 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
  16. juice of 2-3 limes
  17. 1 TBSP brown sugar
  18. 1 cup fresh basil, leaves roughly torn
  19. Garnish:  Freshly squeezed limes and cilantro (optional)
  20. White rice, for serving

Mise-En-Place

  1. In a medium bowl, mix curry paste and cubed chicken and set aside
  2. Prepare ingredients 3-7, combine, and set aside in a medium bowl (this is your base)
  3. Prepare ingredients 8-10, combine, and set aside in a small bowl (these are your aromatics)
  4. Prepare ingredients 11-13, combine, and set aside in a small bowl (this is your umami bomb)
  5. Measure out saké or chicken stock
  6. Open cans of coconut milk
  7. Measure out brown sugar and lime juice and mix together in a small bowl
  8. Prepare basil and set aside

Cook

  1. Add about 2-3TBSP coconut or olive oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.  Add chicken with curry paste and sauté until chicken is ever so slightly browned (it doesn’t need to be cooked through) and fragrant.  Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve (it’s fine to put it back in the same bowl, you’re going to finish cooking it in the sauce later anyway).
  2. Lower heat to medium.  Add your base (ingredients 3-7) and sauté until onions are translucent and peppers have become quite soft, 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add your aromatics (ingredients 8-10), and continue to sauté until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes
  4. Add saké or chicken stock (flambé if you like), and bring to a boil, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Once boiling, reduce to a simmer.
  5. Add umami bomb (ingredients 11-13) and stir well to incorporate
  6. Stir in coconut milk and brown sugar/lime-juice-mixture, and continue to stir until sauce is well incorporated.  Bring sauce to a boil and allow to reduce by approximately 1/3
  7. Add chicken (and any juices) back to the sauce and stir in.  Allow to simmer, 8-10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
  8. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the fresh basil and cook for 1 minute.  Off the heat, cover, and allow to sit for 5 minutes to give flavors a chance to marry.
  9. Serve over white rice and garnish with a few squeezes of fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro.