The Global Kitchen: Coq Au Vin Blanc Meatballs

Coq au vin is a classic French dish made with chicken braised wine. In this recipe we use a dry white wine instead of red. This recipe is from the Half Baked Harvest Everyday cookbook by Tieghan Gerard. One thing I love about her cookbooks and recipes is she makes these recipes that look so fancy but are not super complicated.  Using meatballs was a creation of hers to make this dish easier and quicker to throw together. And let me just say it was delicious! One of my favorite things I have made. The sauce is delish. You better believe I saved every bit of it for the leftovers. 

One change I made was instead of using actual mushrooms I used mushroom Better than Boullion. As much as I want to cook with mushrooms, I am still hesitant. I have never liked the texture much. I will do it eventually. This way I still get the taste of mushrooms without the texture issues. Bacon is another thing added to this dish for some added flavor. And the flavor it amazing in my humble opinion. 

The Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken

1 large egg beaten

1/3 C of panko breadcrumbs (I used pork rind panko)

Fine Pink Himalayan Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil plus more for your hands

2 slices thick cut bacon chopped

3 C shiitake or cremini mushrooms sliced

2 TBSP salted butter

2 shallots chopped (I used ground shallot)

1 TBSP thyme (fresh or dried)

Crushed red pepper flakes

3 garlic cloves finely chopped or grated

1.5 C dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)

3/4 C of milk, half and half, or heavy whipping cream

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

The Recipe:

In medium bowl, combine the chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, then roll into 1-inch balls and place on a plate.

Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until crispy and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate, reserving the fat in the skillet.

Add the meatballs to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning a few times until browned and crisp, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the bacon.

Add the olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the butter, shallots, thyme, and a pinch of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are golden brown and the shallots are softened. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer the mushrooms to the plate with the bacon and meatballs. 

Pour the wine and 1/4 C of water into the skillet. Cook, scrapping up any browned bits from the bottom until reduced slightly approximately 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and Dijon mustard. Return the bacon, meatballs, and mushrooms to the skillet and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened and everything is warmed through. 5-10 minutes. 

Transfer the meatballs to plates and spoon the sauce over them. 

You can garnish with fresh thyme and serve with mashed potatoes or a mushroom wild rice. 

The Global Kitchen: Chicken Prikash from Hungary

 

Chicken Prikash is a very popular dish found in Hungary. The name comes from the use of a lot of paprika to make up the dish. Paprika is sourced from Hungary and is found in a lot of the country's cuisine. The dish can be made using sweet or spicy paprika (I used both) and a orangish color. Some dishes include peppers and tomatoes but to I did not use either. 

It is traditionally served with egg noodles or a noodle similar to the German Spätzle. It can also be served with rice or millet. I was trying to eat healthier and chose to eat it with spaghetti squash. It would have been much better with noodles or rice, I am sure. 

Quartered chicken is a more traditional way of making this dish, but modern interpretations call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs (this is the way I made it). The chicken is dredged in a flour and paprika mixture and a bit of salt and pepper (in my onion the sauce could have used some salt as well). 

This dish was adopted by Hungarian Jews as a meal to have on the Sabbath and remains popular among the group today.  However, when they make the dish, they do not include the sour cream. 

Some other ingredients that have been included are peppers, garlic, tomatoes (this also would add a depth of flavor to the dish I feel like this variation is missing).

My opinion of this dish was that the paprika does really shine. I wish I had used more of the hot paprika for some added depth and I definitely think the sauce needs some salt as well. Some of my issues with the dish may be overcome if I serve it with the traditional noodles instead of the spaghetti squash. 

In my opinion, this dish was a bit of a miss for me, but I think it could be improved upon by adding some additional ingredients like the tomatoes and peppers and the salt mentioned earlier. I would say this probably won't be one I make again, but I have some leftovers I can play around with and see if it improves. 

This is what cooking is all about. Trying new things. Some things are great and a huge hit, others are not. In the past this would have really set me back. I would think I was a bad cook because it didn't turn out great when in reality, I probably just chose a bad recipe to try.  Not to mention a questionable side dish for this. Let me encourage you, don't let that one bad dish set you back. Learn from it. Figure out what would have made it better. Next time, things will turn out better and tastier. 

Now what to do with these leftovers...

The Global Kitchen: Tikka Masala turkey meatballs with garlic turmeric rice and samosas from India

I have always wanted to make Indian food but was intimidated to try it. Recently I discovered a line of products that helped me realize my goal. Indian As Apple Pie is a brand sold at Harvest Market that is also healthy. This dish was made with the Tikka Masala sauce. I made the meatballs with seasonings from Burlap and Barrel. 

The ingredients:

1lb ground turkey

1/4 C breadcrumbs or panko

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp corriander

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 TBSP paprika

1/4 tsp red chili flakes

2 tsp of salt

1/2 TBSP ginger

1 TBSP garlic

1/4 C chopped cilantro

The Recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In stand mixer combine all ingredients and mix until well combined.

Make equally sized balls  and place in baking dish that has been greased. 

Bake for 20 minutes. 

Remove from oven and add the Tika Masala sauce and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Making sure meatballs are cooked to 165 degrees.

I also made with this a Garlic Turmeric Rice as a side dish. 

The ingredients:

1 tsp bay leaf pwdr or 1 bay leaf

1 tsp garlic 

1/4 C yellow onion 

1.5 C chicken broth

1 C basmati rice (or Jasmine rice)

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1 TBSP butter

The Recipe:

Add all ingredients to a rice cooker and stir to mix all the seasonings well. I have an Aroma Touch Rice cooker and select the white rice setting. The rice comes out perfect!

To go with this, I bought some Deep Indian Kitchen chicken samosas which I love. They also have a pea and potato samosa which are great as well, but they are bigger in size. Deep Indian Kitchen is a line of Frozen Indian meals and appetizers. You can find these at the Indian market, Harvest Market, and Target that I know of. If you want to try some Indian and see if you would like it this is a great way to start. 

Overall, I was very happy with my first attempt at making Indian food and it was pretty quick and easy. This meal did have a bit of a spiciness to it just so you are aware. I highly suggest the brands mentioned they are very good. 

Tip: When cooking make sure you read the tsp vs TBSP carefully. I accidentally used TBSP instead of tsp in my meatballs, so they were a little on the salty side. Not bad but just a tip to remember to learn from my mistake. 

I feel like this was a relatively healthy meal minus the samosas. I used lean meats and lots of seasoning for flavor. The sauce is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free. The sauce is also low carb at only 5G per 1/4 C serving this includes 2G of sugar. I did use basmati rice this time next time I would like to try this with brown rice instead to make it a bit healthier. 

The Global Kitchen: Coq Au Vin from France

 I have loved the look and idea of this dish for years. I tried it once, but it was a bit heavy on the wine. I wanted to try it again and I found a recipe that is yummy. 

A bit of history first. Coq Au Vin means chicken with wine. It is a French dish with chicken braised with wine, bacon, mushrooms, and garlic. It is typically used with a red Burgandy wine. The dish can be traced to ancient Gaul and Julius Ceasar but was not documented until the early 20th century. It is thought to have been a rustic dish long before that. It has become a popular dish since Julia Child made it and added it to her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It has become one of her signature dishes and increased the popularity of the dish in the United States. 

Usual seasonings used in Coq Au Vin are salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. 

I used a recipe from my new cookbook Half Baked Harvest and made a few adjustments for my taste. 

The Ingredients:

3-4 slices of bacon, chopped

4 TBSP olive oil

1 sweet onion diced

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 small russet potato, cut into 1/2 in pieces

2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 in pieces

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 1/2 lbs of chicken

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 C sliced cremini mushrooms

2 C red wine

2 C chicken broth

2 bay leaves

4 springs of fresh thyme

The Recipe:

In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over med hi heat until crisp. 

Add 2 TBSP olive oil, the onion, garlic, potato, and carrots and cook until softened. 

Stir in the tomato paste.

Push the veggies to the edges and add remaining olive oil to middle and add chicken seasoned with

    salt and pepper and sear until browned on each side. 

Stir in the mushrooms and cook another 1-2 minutes until softened. 

Slowly pour in the red wine and the chicken stock.

Add the bay leaves, thyme, and season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. 

Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by 1/3.

To serve, remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme.

My alterations:

I used garlic powder instead of garlic gloves. 

I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and seasoned them also with Herbes de Provence seasoning.

I used mushroom based better than bouillon instead of mushrooms (I am not a fan of the texture).

I used dried thyme and ground bay leaves instead of fresh (these did not need to be removed).

I also cooked this in my slow cooker, I braised everything together until the chicken was seared then I

    slow cooked for 4 hours, for the last 30 minutes I took the lid off to thicken the sauce.

For a side, I made some wild rice in my rice cooker and added some of the mushroom-based bouillon with chicken stock.

The Global Kitchen: Mexico- Tacos al Pastor and Mexican Rice

 Today I made what is probably one of my favorite new dishes so far. Tacos al Pastor from Mexico with a side of Mexican Rice.

One of the reasons I think is because I used some new techniques and feel like my cooking skills are improving. Plus, I mean tacos, right!

First a little history about the dish. Also known as, tacos de trompo, is Spanish for 'shepherd style'. Authentically, this is grilled on a spit and pork is the meat used. It originated in the Central Mexican region of Puebla and Mexico City. It was originally brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants and is based on their lamb shawarmas. It features a flavor palate typical of traditional Mexican adobada (marinade). It is a popular street food that has spread to the US. Traditional ingredients are pork, onion, cilantro, and pineapple. It was brought to Mexico in the late 19th early 20th century. In the 1920's the lamb was replaced with pork and later they added marinating it in adobo and adding corn tortillas and thus the Taco Al Pastor was born. In it thought to have become popular during the 1960's. 

Pork is marinated in a combination of dried chilies, spices, pineapple, and anchiote paste. It is then typically slowly cooked on a spit. The meat is thinly sliced into a corn tortilla and served with chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and diced pineapple. 

The marinade:

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 dried guajillo chiles, seeded, and stems removed and rehydrated for 5 minutes

1 TBSP honey or agave

1/4 C pineapple juice

1/4 C White vinegar

2 TBSP achiote paste

1/2 C water

Mix all together in a small pot and bring to simmer. Cook for 3 minutes then cool for 10 minutes. 

Pour the marinade into a blender and blend until smooth.

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the marinade. Toss to coat and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours. You can slice pork before marinating or after. I used pork shoulder and sliced it thinly before adding the marinade. 

Tip: when slicing the pork make sure if is still slightly frozen, it slices easier. 

Recipe:

When ready to cook, preheat grill or pan to medium high heat.

Place the pork and pineapple in the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side until pork just cooked through.

Chop the pork and pineapple if you have not yet (you can use canned pineapple that's diced)

Divide the pork and pineapple between the tortillas.

Top with onion and cilantro, add lime if desired. I also added some shredded monterey jack cheese. 

                                         

I added a couple things to my dish. I added a splash of lime juice and some black lime seasoning from Burlap and Barrel. I also omitted the onions, since I don't prefer them. 

I warmed my corn tortillas on the gas oven until some scorch marks appears. 

                                       

I was very excited when chopping the cilantro because I use some techniques I have learned on some cooking shows especially Selena+Chef, and it worked so well, and I still have all my fingers!

The finished product was surprising to me but very good. I was expecting with all the seasoning for it to still be pretty spicy with the chilies and achiote paste but it was more sweet than anything. The honey, pineapple, and lime juice would have contributed to this. If you prefer spicier food, you could omit the honey and lime juice, it will still have the sweet flavors from the pineapple. 

For the side, I made a prepackaged Mexican rice from Knorr brands. I like their rice mixes but always add my own things. In this case I made the rice with a mix of chicken broth and water, and when it finished cooking in my rice cooker I added a splash of lime juice, some chopped cilantro, and some black lime seasoning. 

To add a beverage to this dish you could make yourself a margarita or enjoy a nice glass of water with sliced lime. 

The hardest part of this recipe was making the marinade and it wasn't difficult just time consuming. I was actually surprised how easy it was to make. It would be elevated even more if I had a grill and could grill the meat and pineapple. 

This would be a great recipe to try out for Taco Tuesdays if you are looking to change up your normal taco routine. Or a great recipe to try out on Cinco De Mayo. 

The Global Kitchen: Restaurant review of The Hot Pot and BBQ Buffet- Korea

 

Last night, I had the opportunity to join a friend in trying a new restaurant in town. The Hot Pot and BBW Buffet. It was very good and an all around food experience. It was a little pricey so won't be someplace I go frequently but it is well worth it for the experience.

First, the table was interesting because you cook all of the food at your table so you have spots for the hot pots and a grill pan at the table. The grill pan is if you do the Korean BBQ (we did not). Not all of the tables had the option for both some just had the spots for the hot pots. You could control the burners at your seat so if your pot or grill needs adjusted you have control of it. 

Second, the menu did not have all the options but gave a good idea of what would be available. The Hot Pot buffet and Korean BBQ were $30 per person but you could do both for $36. You ordered a soup base from the wait staff, and they got it all set up for you at the table and got it started cooking. While they did that you went to the buffet and grabbed the raw ingredients you would add to your pot. There were a lot of options from beef, chicken, pork, to exotic seafoods like octopus, squid, and things like tofu and meatballs. Then there were the vegetables everyday things like mushrooms, potato, romaine, but also special items like seaweed, watercress, bok choy, etc. You had noodles you could add to your pot, and they had a make your own dipping sauce bar. 

                                          

I ordered the red curry broth but they had everything from an original soup baste with minimal flavorings to a spicy one. I chose the red curry because it had a little spice but was not too spicy. It was perfect for me and so tasty. I will advise you do no realize how small the meat shrinks up when cooked so I would suggest doubling what you think is enough. My favorite items to add to the hot pot was the corn and the watercress. I had not had watercress before but I actually really liked it.         

                                         

I tried a couple different dipping sauces, but their house made teriyaki sauce is really good. I added a little brown sugar and healthy bunch of cilantro to mine and it tasted so good. 

I would highly suggest everyone go check them out. I know I plan to go back and try the Korean BBQ next time. It is quite the experience, and you definitely get plenty of food. The wait staff was very friendly, and they make sure that you know what to do and were on hand for any questions we may have had. 

They do offer a selection of different ice creams as dessert. 

Overall, this was a great experience, and we had a great time trying something new. If you remember my post about the Japanese Sukiyaki the Hot Pot is similar to that. Just keep in mind the cost because it is more that I would normally spend on a meal. However, it is a great place to enjoy on occasion. It would be a great place to have a date night if you are looking for something new. 

The Global Kitchen: Creole/Cajun Sausage, Rice, and Beans

I love the flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine. Creole cuisine is created in New Orleans with European, African, and Native American influences. Creole focuses on rich sauces, local herbs, red ripe tomatoes, and uses seafood in a lot of their food. This recipe is really Cajun but instead of a Cajun seasoning I used a homemade creole seasoning. Cajun cuisine is found along the bayous of Louisiana and is a combination of French and Southern cuisine. 

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

12 oz cooked andouille sausage

1 C onion diced

4 cloved garlic minced

1 tsp creole or cajun seasoning

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 1/2 C chicken stock

1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 C white rice

1 can red kidney beans, drained

fresh parsley chopped for garnish

salt to taste

Recipe:

Heat large skillet (with lid) on medium-high heat and add olive oil. Saute sausage about 5 minutes and remove and set aside. 

Add in diced onion and cook 3-5 minutes until soft, add in minced garlic and cook another minute. 

Add back in the sausage and sprinkle with cajun/ creole seasoning, paprika, chili powder, onion and garlic powder, and red pepper flakes and mix until coated. 

Add in the chicken broth, tomatoes, and rice. Turn up the heat a bit and bring to a simmer and stir scrapping the bottom for any browned bits. 

Move the skillet to the smallest burner and reduce heat to lowest setting. Place the lid on and cook for 20 minutes (do not remove the lid). Turn off then let rest 5-10 minutes before removing the lid. 

Remove lid and stir in beans and garnish. 

Modifications:

I used celery instead of onion, did not include the minced garlic, added a can of green chilis, and used beef stock instead of chicken. 

Local Markets

 Did you know that Springfield is home to some small local markets? Among them three international markets and a small market full of local foods. Below is a brief overview of some of the places if you would like to check them out. 

Asian Market

Some of my favorite things to get at this market are sauces and vinegars, Yakisoba noodles, and thinly sliced meats. This week all I bought was some seasoned soy sauce. There are all sorts of things from produce to rice, noodles, snack foods, wine, and cookware. This is a great market if you are looking to expand your tastes a bit and are looking for some unusual items. 

1330 Wabash Ave Springfield IL 62704

Masala Market

The Masala Market is a market for Indian cuisine. I was not able to purchase anything since their EBT system was down but they had my favorite brand of premade Indian dishes, Deep.

I would like to go back and try some new things. I am especially interested in these Chutney sauces. They have rice, spices, produce, meat, snack foods and cookies. This would be a great place to check out if you are wanting to try Indian food. I highly suggest the Deep brand of frozen premade dishes. This is a great way to try Indian food if you are not sure if you will like them. 

1650 Wabash Ave Springfield IL 62704

Almandina International Foods Market

This is a local international market focusing on authentic Middle Eastern, Indian, and African food. This is a little hole in the wall place, but they have the best selection of Deep frozen options that I have seen in town. I bought some new things to try. Like the other markets they offer frozen foods, meats, produce, snacks, rice, spices. There are a number of things I was not familiar with. I was secretly hoping to find the fruit leather I had in South Africa or the Biltong. I did not see these items on my first visit. This place does have some things you would find at a regular market as well. 

              

2700 W Lawrence Ave Springfield IL 62704

Country Market

This was not an international market but is a place full of local items and some Amish baked goods. They also had some great spices, meat options, and produce. This market is local and family owned. They focus on selling locally grown, harvested, and sourced products. I bought a couple new spices to try from the Spice House. I also bought some Amish baked goods to enjoy! They also sell plants as well!

                                       

1610 Wabash Ave Springfield IL 62704