Comfort Food Classics: Chicken Noodle Soup

As the weather finally gets colder and the days shorter I find myself making more comfort food. Chicken Noodle Soup is one of those recipes that I think people dismiss sometimes as too basic, but when made well can really taste simply delicious. I have played around with a recipe for years and even when my friend Paul asked me to resend a version I had sent him some time ago I wasn't sure if I could do that  - exactly - so this is where I am now. I can't really take any credit for the origins of this recipe. The base is a hybrid formed from the marriages of Williams-Sonoma and Barefoot Contessa recipes (not a bad coupling if I do say so myself). Over the years I have doctored and added elements that gave me the flavor I was looking for. Served with some crusty bread and a salad, this is the perfect quick weeknight meal.

Couple of notes: Fresh veggies and herbs are key here. It really does make a difference in the taste. If you can make your own stock that much the better but on a day to day basis I use Kitchen Basics, no salt added stock. I like to use half veggie stock, half chicken stocker for a richer flavor. When I am feeling horrible, especially if my nose if clogged I tend to like a lot of garlic, but if you are not a garlic lover, then just cut the amount to taste. If you are pressed for time a rotisserie chicken can easily be used. You may have to skim some fat off the soup before serving though.

This freezes pretty well, Just add some new stock to the frozen batch and reheat on the stove top. Enjoy!

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Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole chicken breast, bone-in, skin on
Olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 small cloves garlic, smashed then finely minced
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
2 oz egg noodles
6 cups stock
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, plus some for garnish
Salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Baste the chicken breast with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast, skin side up for 25-30 minutes until just pink on the inside. You want the chicken to be slightly undercooked. Remove from oven. Allow to cool then skin and remove the meat from bone, cutting up the meat into 1-inch cubes. (You should have about a 1/2 pound of meat.) Set aside.

Heat a large pot on the stove. When hot add a small amount of olive oil and coat the bottom of the pan. Add in onions, celery and carrots and cook until softened, about 10-12 minutes. (Turn down the heat if veggies start to brown.) Once cooked, add garlic and cooked for another minute. Add the broth and bay leaf heat until slowly boiling. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface of the stock. Add noodles, remaining spices and cook about 8 minutes until noodles are almost done, then add reserve chicken, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 4 more minutes and then serve.

Broiled Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce

They had beautiful wild-caught salmon at the store today that I just couldn't resist so tonight for dinner we are having Broiled Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce. I love this recipe - it is deceptively easy to make but can be a real show stopper if you are looking for a nice "dinner for the boss" meal. I am serving it with a basic risotto and green peas. Simple clean flavors that taste good any time of year. To be honest I am not sure where this recipe originated from. It is one of those that I have been carrying around for years, written on a page torn out of my Daytimer - so that means I have had it for a really long time! It also means I probably saw it in a magazine at the doctor's office or at a friend's house, so my apologies to the original author. You are a genius whoever you are!

Couple of notes: Try and get as even a thickness as possible of fillet. I asked my fish guy to trim down a slightly larger piece for me to just get at the center of the fillet. If you don't you will almost definitely overcook the thinner pieces to get the thickest part the right temperature. For me If your fish counter at the market won't trim it for you it is worth it to buy a little extra, trim it up and have salmon that you can grind up for salmon cakes or some other application where it doesn't matter what the fish looks like.

The sauce makes way more than you will need/want unless you want to slather your salmon in sauce. That being said, it is very tasty and goes well with other fish and chicken. The recipe calls for heavy cream - I have used low-fat milk when it was all I had with less creamy and luxurious results but if it is just family dinner it will be fine. (If you are making it for the boss, pull out all the stops and use the heavy cream - it is worth it!) You can substitute dried dill for the fresh but the sauce will not have as nice a flavor. Worth it, I promise.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Broiled Salmon

21/2-3 pound salmon fillet, preferably wild caught
Low-sodium soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat broiler.

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Arrange salmon, skin side down, in a foil-lined pan and rub thoroughly with soy sauce. Season salmon with salt and pepper and broil about 4 inches from heat 12 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer salmon to a platter and garnish with herbs.

Serve salmon warm or at room temperature with mustard dill sauce.

Mustard Dill Sauce

1/2 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, or to taste

In a bowl combine well all ingredients and season with pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled, covered. Let sauce come to room temperature and whisk before serving.

This dinner meal brought to you by the letter H: Healthy Halibut with Horseradish

Quite a few of you asked for healthy, quick dinners that don't skimp on flavor, so I did a little research and here is the first of hopefully many tasty options. This was a hands-down winner at the table, even tempting The Pods. In total, with prep time, the recipe took about 20 minutes to make, but you would never know from looking at it once it's plated.

The original recipe comes from one of the first cookbooks I bought as an adult, "The Golden Door Cookbook" by Michel Stroot. I am not sure if it is in print anymore. I tried to buy it for a friend a few years ago, without success, but if you come across it in a used bookstore or online somewhere grab it. Michel is the original chef at the Golden Door Spa in Southern California - the zen oasis of healthy living and good food where you could go to work out and realign your life while still eating well. I will be honest and say that I bought the book for all the wrong reasons. I remember browsing in a little independent bookstore in Del Mar with a roommate and coming across this cook book on the sale table. I flipped it open to the center of the book and came across a photo of "Lobster-Filled Papaya". It is this saliva-inducing photo of a full lobster claw practically toppling off this mountain of large chuck lobster meat, balanced in a papaya half that compelled me to buy the book. I wasn't even really all that in to cooking yet, but that picture called to me - aspirational I guess. Anyway, I bought the book and have since then found a ton of really yummy things in it to make.

Couple of notes: If you can get fresh halibut great, but I used frozen steaks from the commissary and it was wonderful. I served the halibut with 5-minute couscous but I think it would also be really tasty with steamed red potatoes with parsley.

The recipe calls for savoy cabbage leaves to be steamed in a bamboo steamer but to expedite things I just julliened the leaves and steamed them in a little bit of veggie broth over medium low heat while the fish cooked in the oven. Keep an eye on the cabbage when you are cooking this way - you want them to wilt but not get soggy. If you can't find savoy cabbage, use what you can find fresh in the veggie section - it isn't as important to have the pretty frilly savoy leaves if you are going to cut it up.

The sauce will make way more than you need but I saved it and used it with a beef recipe a couple of nights later and it was delicious.

You will need a pan and cover that you can take from stove top to oven. I use All-Clad pans and they work beautifully. If you don't have a pan that you can do this with the alternative is to cook the fish, covered on the stove top for about 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. You will need to keep an eye on it on the stove to make sure that there is enough liquid in the pan and add more if needed. I used vegetable stock to refresh the pan once, on the stovetop.

Let me know what you think. I am still working on vegetarian recipes as well as adding more photos to the blog. Enjoy!

Baked Halibut on Savoy Cabbage

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced red onion (about half a small onion)
4 (4-oz.) halibut steaks
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme with 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Vegetable stock
3 savoy cabbage leaves per person, julliened
1⁄2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 lemon, quartered


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small bowl, combine yogurt and horseradish; mix well. Set aside.

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until translucent and softened. Arrange halibut steaks in single layer over onion; add wine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; place thyme sprigs or dried thyme and zest on fish. Cover and bake about 10 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through.

While fish is cooking place sliced cabbage leaves in a pan with a 1/4 cup of vegetable stock. Cover and steam 8 to 10 minutes or until leaves soften.

To serve, arrange cabbage on each plate. Place fish and onion over leaves; ladle some of the cooking liquid evenly over fish. Spoon dollop of yogurt mixture onto each fillet. Garnish with lemon wedges.


Per Serving: 190 calories, 4.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 26 g protein, 6.5 g carbohydrate, 40 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber.

Low-fat Pittsburgh Fare Fast - Kilbasa, Cabbage and Pierogis

The Other Half is from the Pittsburgh region and was raised on pierogis, cabbage and brat. This is also the man who thinks that Kraft Mac and Cheese and a can a tuna fish is the ultimate meal - one which is only made when I am not present in the house - but that being said he has come to appreciate my attempts to make his favorite eats a little healthier. I have to admit the first time I tried brats and cabbage I was not overwhelmed, but since it is a personal favorite of his I was on a mission to come up with a version that (a) the kids would eat; (b) was not going to kill anyone and (c) tastes good. To make it a quick to the table recipe I do use packaged pierogis - Mrs. T's low-fat Cheddar and Potato - but if that is not your speed this recipe is also really good with baked sweet potatoes, mashed or not or if you have the fortitude to make homemade pierogis. You can also buy jarred red cabbage if you are really pressed for time but I like the taste of the fresh cabbage as well as a little crunch. Even on an insane, then things happening at once kind of night I can usually get this on the table in 20-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Kilbasa, Cabbage and Pierogis

1 package frozen pierogis ( I used cheddar and potato but there are other options)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small onion)
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup diced apple (preferrably golden but I have used others and it is fine)
8 oz shredded red cabbage (box grater or food processor works great for this, just keep it course); you can also purchase a package of precut red cabbage - usually with the coleslaw fixings in the veggie department
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 package turkey kilbasa, cut into 1/2" pieces
chopped parsley

Cook pierogis according to package instructions. (The Other Half likes them boiled; I prefer them baked - both work.)

In large pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add apple, cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook, stirrig,  until cabbage is wilted - about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.

Add remaining olive oil to warm pan with kilbasa and cook 3-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until heated through and browned on both sides. Return cabbage to pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with pierogis.

Pork Chops to Make a Bad Day Better

Okay. I have had a crummy week - no two ways about it. Lots of whining (or is that wining...?) that could be done but instead when things are glum I tend to cook. Everything looks better with a good meal in you, I think. So this week when I was at a rotten place I made a nice dinner for myself and The Other Half. I'm not sure if others would consider this comfort food but for me this recipe is warm and comforting and made a bad day just a little better.

This recipe comes from "The Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver - one of my foodie crushes. I served it with creamed spinach (Green Giant, not homemade this time) and long grain rice. Because of the bold flavors in the herbs there are a variety of wines that would pair nicely with this. We chose a lovely Riesling that was a crisp, clean companion to the meal. Enjoy!

Couple of notes:

Buy nice thick single chops, or in the absence of that see if you can get double-rib chops - the butcher at your local grocery store should be able to cut them for you. If you get chops that are super large (more than an inch thick) you will want to pan sear them per the recipe and then finish them off in the oven at 375 degrees until the juices run clear and the core temperature is at least 145 degrees for 15 seconds with a meat thermometer (about 15-30 minutes depending on thickness, check frequently so they don't dry out). So important to check the temperature to make sure they are cooked all the way through!

Use fresh herbs - I know this is often my battle cry but in this instance it will make the difference between a chop that you eat and say "What was Nancy thinking?" and a chop that you eat and say "Is it okay if I pick the bone up and eat every last little morsel like I am at a Renaissance fair?"

If you don't own a mortal and pestle you can McGyver one using a wooden or heavy plastic bowl and a round fist sized rock wrapped in plastic wrap - you can find a good rock at almost any garden supply store. The other option would be to use a food processor - just don't work it too much - you won't get as nice a paste.

Pork Chops with Thyme, Lemon and Pesto

1 handful of thyme picked from stem
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove of garlic
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
(4) thick loin chops or two-rib regular chops
pesto (recipe below)

Using a mortar and pestle pound the thyme with 1 teaspoon of salt until it becomes a paste, then add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of black pepper and pound again. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the olive oil. The paste should be the consistency of toothpaste.

Smear the mixture over the chops and leave out to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a caste iron pan or stove top griddle on medium high heat. Place the chops in pan (they make a bit of smoke so get your fan on!). Cook on each side 4-5 minutes, letting each side get nicely charred and golden. Don`t let them burn - if it looks as if they are getting too much colour turn the heat down. They should take about 8 minutes to cook at a medium high heat. After 8 minutes total take the pan off the heat and check the chops temperature, inserting the meat thermometer from the side. When the temperature registers 145 degrees the chops are done.

Rest the chops for a few minutes while making the pesto, then spoon a dollop of pesto over them.

Pesto 

1/4 cup garlic, chopped (3-4 good size pieces)
3 healthy handfuls of fresh basil leaves
1 handful of pine nuts
1/4  cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
lemon juice

Put your garlic into a food processor. Combine into a pulp with shredded basil leaves. Add the pine nuts into the mixture and pulse again. Turn out into a bowl and add half of the cheese. While gently stirring, add in olive oil until sauce starts to bind and becomes semi-wet in consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add remaining cheese. Add more oil as needed and then finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to keep the color bright and help bring out the flavor of the basil over the garlic.

Penne with Sausage, Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms and Syrah Wine Sauce

Here in the south we don't have a typical fall. Summer drags on into Indian Summer and then Fall slides in stealthily for a few weeks before bang - it is cold. So when the temperature drops in the slightest, as it did this week, I was ready with a favorite fall dish to compliment the nip in the air.

We invited friends over for the afternoon. You know this couple - they don't mind that your house is not perfectly clean and that the heathens are under foot - heck, they are right there on the floor reading the latest installment of the ToysRUs catalog with them and cow racing on Wii. Comfortable folks deserve comfort food, and this is one of my favorite dishes for just such an occasion. The recipe comes from this great cook book that I received from dear friend and fellow foody, entitled "The Wine Lover's Cookbook: Great Recipes for the Perfect Glass of Wine" by Sid Goldstein - I highly recommend picking up a copy if you can find it.

We started the day off with some olives, marinated artichokes and bruschetta while the kids ate their dinner and then once they were tucked in bed, made our own dinner.

Couple of notes: I have found it virtually impossible to find fresh porcini mushrooms, but the dried ones seem to be readily available in the super market. Most of the times I find them on the endcaps with other specialty items, in the produce section. If you can find fresh ones, jump on them - it really does enhance the flavor. I tend to use a broader variety of mushrooms then what is listed in the recipe. There are so many wonderful shrooms to choose from - take a look at what is available fresh at your local store and experiment.

The wine that you cook with should be one that you would be willing to drink with dinner as well. Don't skimp on this ingredient but don't break the bank. There are a nice variety of $10-$15 bottles of syrah our there that will be very good in the recipe. Alternatively you could also use a zinfandel if you have one that you like.

I buy a can of tomato paste, spoon it out a tablespoon at a time on to pieces of press and seal, seal up the packets and then freeze them in a bag. Then when a recipe calls for a tablespoon of tomato paste I don't have an open can sitting in my fridge waiting to get thrown away. Just peel off the press and seal, throw the frozen glob of tomato paste into the dish and watch it dissolve.

We served this with a toasted baguette, fresh arugula salad and fresh asiago cheese. For dessert we had dark chocolate covered strawberries and expresso.

Enjoy!

Penne with Sausage, Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms, and Syrah

(makes 4 servings)

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

12 ounces Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices (I use Botto's Hot Italian Sausage)

11/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)

3 cloves garlic, chopped

(1) package baby portobello mushrooms, chopped

3/4 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

11/2 cups syrah

14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound dried penne or other small dried pasta

Chopped pasta for garnish

Shredded asiago cheese

Soak porcini in hot water for 2 to 3 hours. Drain.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until good and hot. Saute sausage for 6 to 7 minutes, turning to brown on both sides. Remove with slotted

spoon, place on paper towels, and pat dry.

Add onions and garlic to pan and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add porcini, portobellos, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, and continue sauteing for 3 to 4

minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to reduce by half. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved sausage and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carefully add penne to boiling water and cook according to package directions or until it is al dente (about 8 -10 minutes). Drain and return penne to pot. Add sauce to pasta and mix thoroughly. Add a handful of chopped parsley.

To serve, divide pasta among 4 large pasta or soup bowls. Garnish with freshly grated asiago cheese.

Chicken with Figs, Two Ways

A recent offer of fresh figs sent me on a search for a good savory recipe that I could include them in. After much taste testing (mostly good, occasionally horrid) I ended up with two recipes that I wanted to share with you. The first is an elegant presentation - great for that "I want to impress the boss" dinner or if you want to make something nice for The Other Half. It comes from one of my go-to cookbook, "The Silver Palate" and is a definite crowd pleaser. The second is a much less fussy, though no less tasty recipe that my whole family will eat - even the pod who eats virtually nothing. 


Silver Palate Chicken with Figs 
Couple of notes: I could not find green peppercorns the first time I made this so I substituted black peppercorns instead. If you do that, cut the amount of peppercorns you use to 2 teaspoons - black peppercorns have a much stronger favor. FYI - I finally found the green ones by the pickling spices.

Take the time to marinate the chicken a day ahead. It really makes a difference in the depth of flavor. I served this with wilted spinach cooked with in chicken stock with a little garlic, salt and pepper, and jasmine rice.

2 chickens (2 and a half to 3 pounds each), cut into 8 pieces each
6 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup best-quality olive oil
4 teaspoons green peppercorns (packed in water), drained
1 cup imported black olives
1 and a half cups dried apricots
1 cup dried small figs or large fig fresh figs, cut into pieces
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Madeira
1 cup large pecan pieces (optional but adds a nice crunch)
Grated zest of 2 lemons
 
One day before serving, combine the chicken, garlic, thyme, cumin, ginger, salt, vinegar, oil, peppercorns, olives, apricots, and figs in a large bowl.  Marinate covered in the refrigerator overnight.  Remove the bowl from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
 
Arrange  the chicken in a single layer in a large shallow baking pan.  Spoon the marinade mixture evenly over the chicken.  Sprinkle with the sugar and pour the Madeira between the pieces. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake, basting frequently with the pan juices, until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a sharp skewer, 40 to 50 minutes.
 
Using a fork and slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, olives, and dried fruit to a large serving platter. Drizzle with a few large spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle with the pecans.  Sprinkle the lemon zest over all.

Moroccan Chicken

The greatest thing about this recipe is the relatively low hands-on time. This is a great soccer practice night dish and is finished with couscous or rice and a nice salad to make a tasty and quick dinner. It is low in fat and calories but high in protein and fiber - an extra bonus if you are trying to watch your weight.

Notes: Fresh ginger spoils much quicker than I can use it so I often buy a large piece, cut it up into 1" sections and put them in a freezer bag in the freezer. When I need fresh ginger I take out a piece per tablespoon needed, let it defrost slightly, peel it with a peeler and then zest it with a microplane or mince it depending on the recipe. You get all the lovely flavor of fresh ginger but without all the waste.

I buy skin-on chicken breasts, then split and skin them. It's important to have the bone though - it helps to keep the chicken moist. The recipe is not as tasty if you use boneless breasts and dries out too quickly.

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 spanish onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
(1) 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander (I prefer to use roasted ground coriander - it has a warmer taste) 
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
(6) 4 oz. skinless, bone-in chicken breast
(1) 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
6 dried figs, cut in half or about a cup of fresh figs, cut into pieces
salt and black pepper to taste


Warm oil in Dutch oven or heavy pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), broth, parsley, paprika, coriander, lemon rind, cinnamon and saffron. Add the chicken, placing breast side down in the pan), chickpeas and figs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center when tested with a sharp knife.