Gastronomy – Page 2 – The Hickory Hokie

Enchilada de AJP

Ingredients

8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 cups Chicken Broth
12 Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
2 whole 4 Oz Cans Green Chilies, Diced
3 whole Jalapeno
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
8 oz Sour Cream
Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Cheddar Cheese, Grated
Habenaro Rotel
Cilantro, Chopped
Fajita Spice Blend
Adobo Spice Blend
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Smoked Paprika

Preparation Instructions

Saute onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.

Crockpot Thai Green Curry Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 cans light coconut milk
1 jar green curry paste
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
2.5 pounds chicken breast, cut into small chunks
1 red onion, cut in half and then sliced into thirds
sliced mushrooms of choice, bok choy & jalapenos (as much as you want)
2 tbsp cornstarch
a super giant squirt of Sriracha

Instructions

In the bottom of the crockpot, whisk together the coconut milk, green curry paste, brown sugar, and garlic.
Add in the chicken and onion.
Cook for 3-4 hours (or as long as your crock pot needs).
Whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water. Add to the crock pot and cook for another 30 minutes or until the curry thickens up.

African Beef and Peanut Stew

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 pounds beef, cut into small cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
3 or 4 jalapenos, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1.5 cups chicken broth
6 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup chunky natural peanut butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Take a Dutch oven or a non-nonstick pan, pour a little oil on the bottom, and set it over medium-high heat. Let the pan get very hot, then add the beef chunks. Do not crowd the beef. Make sure the chunks do not touch. Cook the beef until it’s nicely browned, about 2-3 minutes on each side. You may have to do a few batches of this, depending on how much meat you’re using. Set the beef chunks aside.

Reduce the heat to medium, add some more oil to the pot, then add the onions. Sauté until softened. Add the jalapenos, garlic and ginger, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Return the beef chunks to the pot and add water to cover (about 1.5 cups). Add tomatoes, cayenne, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until meat is tender, about 2 hours. If you find the stew getting too thick, add a little more water or some more tomatoes while it continues to cook.

Once the meat feels tender enough to puncture with a fork, add 1/2 – 3/4 cups peanut butter and continue to simmer until the meat is very tender (it should easily flake apart) and the veggies have cooked down into a nice gravy, about another hour.

At this point, taste it and add more seasonings or peanut butter if desired. If the stew is too juicy, you can use cornstarch to thicken the gravy, but you usually won’t have to do that. This is a very forgiving recipe. You can adjust all of the ingredients somewhat without causing a problem.

Roasted Garlic Gazpacho

Ingredients

8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 English or hothouse cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (do not peel)
5 cups tomato juice, such as Campbells’s (not the low sodium)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita or Lucini
1/4 cup red wine vinegar, best quality such as Pompeian Gourmet
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco (optional)

Instructions

Place the unpeeled garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool, then remove skins (they should slip right off) and scrape off any char.
Add the peeled roasted garlic to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse, scraping down sides as necessary, until garlic is finely puréed. Add the chopped tomatoes and pulse until coarsely chopped. Do not overmix; the soup should be slightly chunky. Transfer the tomato mixture to an extra large bowl. Add the red bell peppers and cucumbers to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped; add to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Stir in the tomato juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and chill until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the better it tastes. Serve cold.

Chilled Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
5 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 (26 oz) boxes Pomi chopped tomatoes or 2 (28 oz) cans crushed or diced tomatoes
4 cups water
1-1/2 cups orange juice, preferably not from concentrate
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
10 leaves fresh basil, plus more for garnishing soup
1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, water, orange juice, sugar, salt and basil and bring the soup to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until completely smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée soup in batches. Always be careful not to fill the jar more than halfway, and leave the hole in the lid open and loosely cover with a dish towel to allow the heat to escape.) Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or sugar if necessary.
Transfer the soup to a container (or leave in the pot if you wish) and refrigerate until very cold.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh chopped basil. Garnish with whole basil leaves if desired.

Summer Corn Soup with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping cup chopped shallots
6 cups (48 ounces) low sodium chicken broth (I like Swanson Organic)
6 ears fresh corn (white or yellow are both fine, but yellow makes for a prettier soup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

Instructions

Remove the husks and silks from the corn. Set one ear of corn aside. Use a knife to cut the kernels off of the remaining 5 cobs, then break the scraped cobs in half. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, corn kernels, broken cobs, whole ear of corn, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove the whole ear of corn and set aside to cool. Cook the soup for 10 minutes more, then remove the broken cobs from the pot and discard.
Off the heat, use a hand held immersion blender to purée the soup until very smooth. Be patient…it takes a while. The soup should have a creamy consistency without being gloppy. If it’s too thick, thin it with water or chicken stock bit by bit; if it’s too thin, cook over medium heat until thickened.
Use a knife to cut the cooked kernels off of the cooled whole cob, then add the kernels to the soup along with the herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (if necessary, you can add a bit of sugar to bring out the corn’s natural sweetness). Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with tiny sprigs of fresh basil if desired.
Note: If you don’t have a stick blender, let the soup cool slightly and purée it in batches in a blender. Be sure to crack the lid or remove the center cap to allow steam to escape and cover with a dishtowel so it won’t splatter. Rinse the pot and return the soup to the pot.

Chilled Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

4 red bell peppers (about 2 pounds), seeded and quartered
3 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1-1/4 pounds), quartered
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, plus more for garnishing the soup
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
2-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
Place the bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and 2-1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are just starting to brown.
Transfer the vegetables and all the juices to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the rosemary, cayenne pepper, anise seeds and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and purée until almost smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; add the water and balsamic vinegar. Chill in the refrigerator until cold. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or balsamic vinegar if necessary. (Note that the soup thickens as it chills; you can thin with a bit of water if necessary.) Serve cold, garnished with fresh rosemary if desired.

Creamy Zucchini, Walnut and Dill Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, cut into quarters
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth (such as Swanson Organic)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dried, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Do not brown.
Add the zucchini, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
Meanwhile, place the walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it as nuts can burn quickly.)
Add the dill and walnuts. Working in batches, process the soup in a blender until smooth. (Be careful not to fill the jar more than halfway, and leave the hole in the lid open and loosely cover with a dish towel to allow the heat to escape.) Pour the puréed soup into a large bowl.

Mushroom Asiago Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb sliced mushrooms
½ tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 sprigs fresh thyme or ¾ tsp dried thyme leaves
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup shredded Asiago cheese
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Cut each chicken breast into thirds by first cutting each breast in half crosswise, then set the thinner half aside. Slice the thicker part of the breast in half horizontally (parallel to the cutting board) to produce 2 more thin cutlets. Cover the chicken breast pieces with a sheet of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small skillet until all of the pieces are about ¼” thick. Lightly season each cutlet on both sides with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. (see video below)
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt about 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Add as many cutlets as will fit comfortably into the skillet, but be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes until golden brown on the first side, then flip and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate and cover lightly with foil. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets.
When all of the chicken is cooked, add remaining butter to the skillet along with the mushrooms and ½ tsp salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and become softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Pour white wine (or ½ cup chicken broth) into the skillet and stir to scrape up anything that is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has nearly all evaporated, add ¾ cup chicken broth and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 10–15 minutes at a rapid simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in heavy cream. Sprinkle the Asiago cheese over the top of the sauce and stir constantly until the cheese melts. Nestle the chicken back into the skillet and allow it to simmer in the sauce just until the chicken is heated through and the sauce has slightly thickened.

Green Chile Beef and Cabbage Bowl

Slow Cooker Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef:
2 lb. beef chuck roast, well trimmed and cut into thick strips (I had nearly 3 lbs. of beef before it was trimmed.)
1 T Taco Seasoning (or your favorite Southwestern spice blend)
2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
2 cans (4 oz. can) diced green chiles with juice

Ingredients for Cabbage Slaw and Dressing:
1 small head green cabbage
1/2 small head red cabbage
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
6 T mayo or light mayo
4 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. (or more) Green Tabasco Sauce

Ingredients for the Avocado Salsa:
2 large avocados, diced
1 medium Poblano (Pasilla) pepper, diced very small
1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

Instructions:
Trim all visible fat and any undesireable parts from the chuck roast and cut into thick strips. Rub strips of beef with the taco seasoning. Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan and brown the beef well on all sides. (Don’t skip this step; the browning adds a lot of flavor.)

Put the strips of browned beef in the slow cooker and pour in the diced green chiles and juice from the cans. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef shreds apart easily. When the beef is done, use a large slotted spoon to remove it to a cutting board, leaving the liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the beef apart with two forks and put it back in the slow cooker to absorb the liquid and keep warm while you make the cabbage slaw and salsa.

Cut the cabbage into very thin strips. Slice the green onions. Whisk together the mayo, lime juice, and Green Tabasco sauce to make the dressing. Then put the cabbage and green onions into a bowl and toss with the dressing.

Peel and cut up the avocado, place in a bowl, and toss with the lime juice. Finely chop the cilantro and Poblano and add it to the avocado. Drizzle in the olive oil and gently toss again.

To assemble the bowl, put a layer of the slaw, then a generous amount of the spicy beef, topped by a couple of spoonfuls of the avocado salsa.