Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing in this world like homeade soup. In fact, it was really one of the first culinary tasks I decided I had to have just right. My mom always made the best soups...chicken and rice, vegetable beef with barley, turkey noodle. All of them were simple in ingredients, yet completely rich and robust. My first attempts were mute. No flavor. After a few varied attempts I got it though, and have been happy as a clam with it ever since. The key is a good stock. A store-bought broth will be okay here. But, like everything else, homeade is so much better! This makes a large batch..but not HUGE. A dinner and a couple of lunches worth.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 lb shredded or diced chicken (white or dark meat)
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lb pasta (I like "homeade-style" egg noodles)
3 quarts chicken stock (recipe follows)
2 tsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering, 2 minutes or so. Add carrots and onion, and saute for 3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Slowly add in the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken as well as the pasta. Lower heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

* I usually just pull the meat off the chicken carcass before I make the stock to use in soup. If there isn't enough leftover, do not fret! Just roast a couple of bone-in breasts or thighs in the oven (rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper...425 for 40 minutes) and use that instead.

Chicken Stock

carcass from chicken (meat reserved)
1 large onion, quartered
4 carrots, halved
3 stalks celery, VERY roughly chopped
2 tbsp kosher salt
8 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch parsley leaves and stems
2 tbsp olive oil
4 quarts water

Heat olive oil in large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add in onion, celery, and carrot. I do not bother to peel anything, celery leaves are cool, and for the parsley - use those leftover stems! The beauty of stock is that you turn trash into treasure. Saute your veg for about 5 minutes or so, a little color on them is a good thing.

Nestle the chicken carcass, and any additional scraps, bones, etc. into the vegetables. I will add leftover pan sauce or gravy if I have that as well. Slowly add enough water to cover the carcass. Add salt, peppercorns, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook as long as you can, stirring occasionally. 8 hours is preferable, but you have a pretty decent result at 6.

Strain into a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. I actually use a pitcher. It fits into the fridge better, and it's narrower at the top so it's easier to remove the fat that has settled at the top. The next day, use a large spoon to remove the fat layer from the top before using or freezing. This gives the stock a much better flavor, in addition to removing unnecessary calories.

Rotisserie chicken

Now that summer is here, I usually cook whole birds on our rotisserie attachment for our grill instead of heating up the whole house roasting a chicken. If you have a gas grill, you should really look into buying the attachment. They are pretty affordable...anywhere in the range of $50-$100. The flavor and juiciness is stupendous!

Earlier this year I bought a bottle of BBQ 3000 from Penzey's. This was my first time using it. I cannot say enough good things about this seasoning. It really penetrated the flavor of the meat, with very minimal effort. I diddn't even let it sit very long before I "rotisserized" the chicken, maybe 15 minutes. Needless to say, this mix will be on my spice list for a long time to come. I love trying new spices. And, with specialty spice retailers you get such a better bargain for your money, not to mention a better product. I've also heard really good things about The Spice House. Which, I believe, is run by Bill Penzey's sister. Either way, stop by one of those sites and browse around. Or, better yet, if you live in the "big city", chances are you have an actual store close-by. I haven't yet had the pleasure - but I'm looking forward to visiting the Manhatten location when we head up that way.

I'm not going to bother posting a "recipe". I seasoned the chicken (4.5 lbs) with the BBQ 3000 seasoning, as well as kosher salt and black pepper. Cooked over medium-high heat on the grill, for about 1 hour 20 minutes. I will be posting the chicken noodle soup I made with leftovers later on. Homeade soup is one of my favorites!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Wanted something different for dinner, but not too complicated. This was in a recent edition of Cooks Illustrated, and seemed like a winner. Turned out delicious! Very good dinner for fall too. Since it's (finally!) been getting chillier outside, I've lusted for things that were warm and filling, and this really fit the bill. I served with jasmine rice and a nice piece of crusty ciabatta bread.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Cooks Illustrated - 9/2007

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Serves 4 to 6

Chicken Tikka

1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp table salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

Viva enchiladas!

We just got the new range (dual-fuel baby!) installed on Thursday, so I've been having fun making all our favorites that we haven't been able to have for the past 3 months. DH couldn't decide on what he wanted his first meal that he chose (I had chosen chicken marsala the night before), so I suggested enchiladas. His eyes lit up, and I knew that was a winning suggestion. I got this recipe (I've changed it a bit) from Cook's Illustrated several months ago, and it's delicious. I will add a bit of cayenne to the spices to kick up the heat a bit if it's just DH and I. These will freeze quite well too.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

1 medium onion , chopped fine
1 tsp. vegetable oil
3 medium cloves garlic , minced
3 tbsp. chili powder
3 tsp. ground cumin
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tbsp. pickled jalapenos, chopped
chopped1 fresh jalapeno, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
1 lime , cut into wedges (for serving)
Salt
Ground black pepper

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheddar, the jalapeños, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds. Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

5. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil spray. Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining 1 cup sauce and the lime wedges separately.

Chicken Marsala

I found this recipe for Chicken Marsala from Cook's Illustrated a few years back. Over the years, I've made some adjustments. I think I've got it down to just about perfect now. If you like a thicker sauce, prepare a slurry of cornstarch and cold water, the add that to the sauce after you've melted in the butter. Serve atop a bed of fettuccine, with a side of fresh sauteed green beans. Absolutely delicious! Recipe can easily be halved by just using 2 chicken breasts instead of 4. I'd recommend using the same amount of sauce though. Enjoy!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices of bacon or pancetta, chopped
2 cups white or cremini mushrooms
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
1 tbsp. minced shallot
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Marsala wine (sweet)
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (1 small lemon)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 4
pieces, room temperature
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place large heatproof dinner plate on oven rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 2 inches above pan surface for 3 to 4 seconds), about 3 minutes. Pat chicken breasts dry. Meanwhile, place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Season both sides of chicken cutlets with salt and pepper; working one piece at a time, coat both sides with flour. Lift breast from tapered end and shake to remove excess flour; set aside. Add oil to hot skillet and heat until shimmering. Place floured cutlets in single layer in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets and cook on second side until golden brown and meat feels firm when pressed with finger, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to heated plate and return plate to oven.

2. Return skillet to low heat and add pancetta; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits until pancetta is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel--lined plate. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; saute, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until liquid released by mushrooms evaporates and mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and shallot Saute for 1 minute. Add cooked pancetta and tomato paste. Stir while sauteing, until tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Off heat, add Marsala; return pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from pan bottom, until sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add lemon juice and any accumulated juices from chicken; whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately.