MEXICAN CHILAQUILES

I’ll take a break from sharing my best holiday cookie recipes to post about one of my new favorite dinners: chilaquiles. It’s a traditional Mexican recipe, designed to use up leftovers (tortillas, cooked chicken and such). It’s warm, spicy, cheesy and comforting … perfect for these dark, Midwestern early-winter evenings.

I often have the basic ingredients on hand (and would encourage you to do so as well). There’s grilled or roast chicken in quart zip-top bags in the freezer; a can of tomatoes in the pantry. The only unusual ingredient here is chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. You can purchase these in small cans at any grocery store, and store what you don’t use in a lidded jar in the refrigerator (they’ll keep for weeks). The slightly stale, crumbly bits leftover at the bottom of a bag of tortilla chips are perfectly serviceable as the base for this dish.

MEXICAN CHILAQUILES RECIPE

(adapted from Everyday Food; serves 2 and can easily be doubled)

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 chipotle chile, minced (remove seeds if you want to lessen the heat; see Note)
1 tsp. adobo sauce (from the can of chiles)
1 large chicken boneless chicken breast half, cooked and shredded (or use about 2 cups of shredded chicken from a store-bought roasted bird)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (lightly packed), chopped
1 cup tortilla chips
low-fat feta cheese, non-fat Greek yogurt and additional cilantro leaves for serving

Note: If you don’t have chipotle chiles on hand, add heat and spice with alternative ingredients. Try a blend of chili powder, cumin and a pinch of cayenne.

In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil until fragrant. Add tomatoes, chiles, adobo sauce; fill the tomato can half-full of water and add that to the pan. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Add chicken and continue cooking until it’s warmed through, then add cilantro and remove the pan from the heat. Divide tortilla chips in two deep plates or shallow bowls; spoon chicken mixture over. Top with crumbled feta cheese, sour cream and additional cilantro if desired.

source: http://writes4food.com

TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN OLIVIE SALAD RECIPE

This is a traditional Russian Olivie salad – and it’s one of my favorites. O and the dressing? Mayonnaise – of course! First order of business is a lesson in pronunciation. In English this salad seems to be called “olivier” but that’s not how it’s pronounced in Russian. Phonetically it sounds like this, o-li-v-yea. And salad is sa-lat in Russian, emphasis on the second syllable. Traditionally this dish is made with potatoes, carrots, eggs, peas, pickles and some sort of meat. I had leftover chicken breasts and boiled carrots (from when I made homemade fat free chicken stock) so it was the perfect occasion for this salad.  Various meats can be used instead of chicken though – ham and a Russian type of bologna are frequently added. Yes the combination sounds a tad bit peculiar but it all comes together fabulously. When I was little I used to always eat this salad at large gatherings and celebrations – birthdays, holidays, etc. There would always be a huge batch of this dish present at the table. And you can make this ahead of time, even a couple days in advance – just save the mayo dressing for the day of. So, if you’re bored with your regular spring mix and romaine salad, give this one a try (I can’t promise that you’ll love it) but I know I do

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes, boiled, and peeled
• 2 small carrots, boiled
• 3 eggs, hard boiled
• 1/2 can sweet peas
• 2 pickles
• 1 chicken breast, boiled (or do I say poached?)
• mayonnaise (as much as you're comfortable with)

Instructions

1. Dice the potatoes, eggs, pickles, chicken and carrots (make the pieces as large or small as you like) Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add mayonnaise (no more than a few hours before serving). Refrigerate until ready to eat.
3. *To prepare potatoes - add unpeeled potatoes to a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork (15-20 minutes) - drain, rinse with cold water, and peel the skin off
4. *To prepare eggs - add eggs to a pot of cold water (make sure water is completely covering the eggs) bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes, rinse with cold water, and peel.
5. *To prepare homemade fat free chicken stock - add raw chicken breasts to a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, pour all the water out, fill the pot up with water again and bring to a boil. Using a spoon skim off the foam that forms on the surface when the water comes to a boil and add 2 peeled carrots, 2 celery sticks and 1 whole onion and simmer for 20 minutes. Use the chicken and carrots for the Salat Olivie.

source: https://avocadopesto.com

Hungarian Goulash

Traditional Hungarian goulash is a prime example of how a few simple ingredients, cooked properly, can yield an incredible flavor.  Though many variations of Hungarian goulash exist, and every cook makes it just a bit differently, this is a traditional, authentic recipe from the heart of Hungary.

You already know how much I love Hungary from previous Hungarian recipes I’ve posted so I’ll spare you some of the sentimentality this time.  Needless to say, Hungary holds a special place in my heart, in my family’s hearts.  My brother lived there for 2 years as a young man, regularly wrote home to us about his experiences there, the beautiful scenery and breathtaking buildings, his love for the Hungarian people.  When I visited Budapest I immediately fell in love with it.  It has become one of my most favorite European cities.  Its name comes from the two sides of the city (Buda and Pest) separated by the Danube River running through it.  I don’t know that any city has a more breathtaking site than Budapest’s famous chain bridge, its parliament building, and the incredible Buda Castle.

Hungary’s history has been one of hardship and heartbreak.  But the passion and stamina of soul has remained in the hearts of the Hungarian people.  I’ve always been touched by Hungary’s national anthem, Himnusz, or “hymn”, written by the poet Kölcsey.  Their anthem is a poetic prayer and unlike most anthems that focus on an expression of national pride, the Hungarian anthem is a direct, heartfelt plea to God.  In the mid-20th century, during the years of strongest communist rule in Hungary, the words were not song, only the music was played.  The communist government asked two of the most acclaimed artists of that time, a poet and composer, to rewrite the national anthem.  Both refused.  The next communist leader also tried, unsuccessfully, to have it changed.  Hungary’s national anthem remains Himnusz. 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons pork lard or butter (pork fat is traditionally used)
• 1½ pounds yellow onions, chopped
• ¼ cup good quality sweet imported Hungarian paprika
• 1½ pounds beef (see note), cut into ½ inch pieces
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded/membranes removed, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded/membranes removed, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium high heat and cook the onions until beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the paprika. Add the beef and garlic, return to the heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the beef is no longer pink.
2. Add the bell peppers and cook for another 7-8 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 40 minutes (see note). Add salt to taste.
3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some crusty bread, and a cool cucumber salad.

Notes

If you're using a tougher cut of beef, cook the beef first, without the carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and bell peppers, for 30-45 minutes, then add the vegetables and cook for another 40 minutes until the beef is tender.

source: https://www.daringgourmet.com