Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Who says that grilling is just a summer staple activity?  In my book, it’s done in cold weather, too.  All you need is a grilling pan.  Or, in our case, all we have is a grilling pan since we live in an apartment and that is the closest thing to a grilling mechanism that we can get our hands on.  Besides, I love to put my always reliable grilling pan to work when arctic temperatures are still looming just to get a slim whiff of what warm weather would be like, or better yet to trick myself into a summer state of mind!

These homemade Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise are a year-round mouthwatering indulgence!  They were without a doubt the best part of this year’s Super Bowl.  And the fact that I cooked them on an outside grill, in freezing temperatures and a menacing snow storm made them that much more delicious and the experience way more exciting than the actual game.  Bottom line – my burgers were unbeatable, just like the Seattle Seahawks! 

These burgers will rock your house!  They are simply lip-smacking, piney and fresh, their pleasant lightness countered by the garlicky richness of the mayonnaise.  You may think that adding a disturbing amount of garlic-rosemary mayonnaise mixture to burgers is a despicable crime, but it works like a charm.  The burgers are so juicy, dressed with big flavors and nestled in between toasty challah buns smeared with more hefty dollops of the sinful mayonnaise sauce and topped with crisp mixed greens.  One word: phenomenal!     

These chicken burgers were my dinner of choice for the Super Bowl and, wait for it, Valentine’s Day.  I know, I know… a very unconventional dinner option for such a holiday but it worked beautifully and paired with this cake for dessert, it was truly unforgettable! 

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayonnaise

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients for Mayonnaise:

·         1 cup mayonnaise

·         Scant ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

·         1 clove garlic, minced

Ingredients for Burgers:

·         1 pound ground chicken

·         Heaped ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         4 sandwich rolls or burger buns (I found that challah buns work particularly well)

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         1 cup mixed greens, divided

Instructions for the Mayonnaise:

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary.  Set aside.

Instructions for the Burgers:

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. 

In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, salt, pepper and half of the mayonnaise mixture.  Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties.  Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes on each side.  Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes. 

Brush the cut side of each roll with the olive oil and about 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture.  Grill for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden.  

Instructions to assemble the Burgers:

Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns.  Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns.  Top each with ¼ cup of the mixed greens and finish with the top half of the bun.  

P.S.: I’ll be back on March 25!  It’s time for our annual trip to Romania, so Adrian and I are off to see our families for the next couple of weeks.  I won’t be able to post while away but I’ll return with stories and new recipes from good ol’ Transylvania!  Until then…

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

French or Hungarian?

We’re talking about French food again.  After Julia Child’s Chicken with Cream, Mushrooms and Port, I came upon another French recipe.  The truth is that I had completely forgotten about this Chicken with Paprika (Poulet au Paprika) recipe, which ended up buried in my recipe collection, which I created over time.  I kept postponing trying this dish until it left my mind entirely.  Luckily, I rediscovered it not so long ago.  It was one of those nights when I just couldn’t decide what to make for dinner.  I knew I wanted something simple, but elegant (not to mention that I only had a few basic ingredients in my fridge and pantry that I kind of wanted to get rid of), but I couldn’t make up my mind.  I was frantically rushing through my ever-expanding recipe collection when I dug it up again.   

I was in Toronto when I first saw Laura Calder make this Chicken with Paprika (Poulet au Paprika) dish on Food Network Canada (the Canadian sister of Food Network).  And I was intrigued.  I’ll tell you why – because Hungarian paprika is one of the main ingredients of this dish.  I wondered if this was really a French recipe (Laura Calder’s show is called French Food at Home).  And then I saw the cream and wine…  I know that paprika is widely used in French cuisine, but it’s even more prevalent in Hungarian cooking.  So, I would say that this recipe is indeed French, but with a Hungarian twist.  

In the end, it doesn’t really matter if the recipe is French or Hungarian.  What matters are the amazing flavors that will pop and dance in your mouth, and how fast you’ll go for seconds.  The paprika gives the vegetables a nice deep red tint, and half way through the recipe they are drowned in a crisp and light white wine, which elevates the flavors to a whole different level.  The sauce has depth and is just divine.  The cream makes it velvety and rich; the red pepper makes it sweet; the celery gives it a crunch, while the plump tomatoes make it tangy and copious.  Not to mention the full-bodied aroma the chicken absorbs while bathing in this decadent sauce and still remaining moist and juicy.  It’s unbelievable how simple ingredients can create a dish that is so gourmet and flavorsome.

Chicken with Paprika (Poulet au Paprika)

Adapted from Poulet au Paprika by Laura Calder

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         4 chicken drumsticks and 4 chicken thighs

·         Salt and black pepper

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 red pepper, seeded and cut into roughly 2-inch / 5 cm julienne

·         1 medium yellow onion, sliced

·         2 celery stalks, sliced

·         1 Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         ½ cup / 125 ml white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio

·         1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

·         1 teaspoon sugar

·         1 bay leaf

·         2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil over medium heat in a sauté pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides.  Remove chicken to a platter.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion, red pepper and celery.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add the paprika.  Cook until soft, about 10-12 minutes, adding the garlic for the final minute.  Deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add the tomatoes, sugar and bay leaf.  Season with more salt and pepper to taste.  Put the chicken back in.  Cover the pan, and cook over medium-low heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until tender, about 40 minutes. 

Remove the chicken to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.  Turn up the heat under the sauce and boil down to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat, stir through the cream, check the seasonings (including the paprika, adding more if you like), then pour over the chicken, and serve.  

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)    

Inspired by Julie & Julia

One of my all-time favorite movies is Julie & Julia.  I think I’ve watched it fifty times already, and I know almost every single line by heart… I could even play in this movie by now.  Or maybe not… Anyway…  At first, I loved the film because of Meryl Streep who stars as Julia Child.  Then, the food prepared in the movie looks so appetizing that you just have to pick up the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking and start creating French delicacies with, what else, tons of butter.  Still, “is there anything better than butter?”  If there is, I haven’t found it yet.  After all, no butter, no fat, no happiness.  And then, it was the blog idea.  Even if, for some peculiar reason, I find it hard to admit, this movie planted the seed, which inspired me to start my own food blog! 

I loved the movie so much that Adrian bought me Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking for my 25^th birthday.  Some women might feel offended to receive a cookbook on such an important milestone, but I was ecstatic!  I couldn’t wait to start cooking from it.  And the first recipe that I tried from this book was Chicken with Cream, Mushrooms and Port, which was also one of the first recipes that Julie Powell tried when she started her insane one year Julie/Julia project.  For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, Julie’s project was to cook her way through Julia Child’s cookbook, completing 524 recipes in 365 days while writing a blog about it.  A totally deranged assignment if you are to ask me, but kudos to Julie Powell.

This recipe was not only easy to make, but it was also “total bliss”.  You have butter, cream, a splash of port…yes…that’s pretty much all you need to make a “delicious beyond imagining” dish.  I’ve recently revisited this classic and it was just as I remembered – spectacular!     

Chicken with Cream, Mushrooms and Port

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

·         4 chicken breasts – flatten the chicken breasts with the side of a heavy knife

·         Lemon juice

·         Salt and black pepper

·         5 Tablespoons butter

·         1 Tablespoon minced shallot

·         ¼ pound sliced fresh mushrooms

·         ¼ cup chicken broth

·         ¼ cup port

·         1 cup heavy cream

·         2 Tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Instructions:

Rub the chicken with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  In a large pan, heat the butter over medium heat until foaming.  Stir in the minced shallot and sauté a moment without browning.  Then stir in the mushrooms, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sauté lightly for 2-3 minutes without browning.

Add the chicken and cook it in the mushrooms and butter for several minutes on each side.  When the meat is springy to the touch it is done.  Remove the meat when done, leaving the mushrooms in the pan.  Pour the chicken broth and port wine over the mushrooms and boil down quickly until liquid is syrupy.  Stir in the cream and boil down again until the cream has thickened slightly.  Taste carefully for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Put the chicken back into the pan with the sauce for about 2 more minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.    

You’re probably thinking, by now, that perhaps I’m a bit obsessed with Julie & Julia especially since I’ve used a myriad of quotes from this movie throughout the post.  But that’s OK.  I’ll talk more about my movie encyclopedia later on because the Oscars are fast approaching.  Until then, Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!) 

The ultimate comfort food

Well…folks…the weather is getting windier and rainier here in Pittsburgh.  The sky is gray and the atmosphere is moist.  Shortly, we’ll have to adjust to the winter time, gaining one hour, but losing daylight.  The days will become shorter and shorter and the weather colder and colder.  Christmas will be here in no time, and soon we’ll see the first snowflakes comfortably laying themselves down on the ground for the months to come.  Wow…funny how time flies. 

Actually, it’s not that bad if you think about it.  I know that winter is fast approaching, but we can’t just overlook the holidays and the comfort food that they bring along, which always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  At the end of the day, the only thing, which you’ll want to do after a comfortable meal, is to sit by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa in your hands, totally ignoring the world outside.  I think that I’ve already started that pattern.  Although, the Pittsburgh hills are still multicolored, and the leaves on the ground have not been replaced by snowflakes yet, the rainy weather doesn’t give me the strength and energy to put a foot outside the door. 

The good thing about that is that over the past few days, I’ve been mastering the art of the ultimate comfort food – chili – with and without meat.  And by the way, these are not your usual suspects in terms of chili, but interesting versions of the classic.  Nonetheless, while I was passionately cooking as if I were stocking up on chili for the entire winter, something unexpected happened.  Someone knocked on the door.  I wasn’t expecting anyone and I can assure you that I wasn’t eager to answer the door while I was diffusing a delightful aroma of onion, garlic and chicken.  However, when I opened the door, the florist greeted me with an immense and superb bouquet of roses, lilies and gerberas.  My hubby does know how to make me smile!    

White Bean Chicken Chili

Adapted from White Bean Chicken Chili by Giada De Laurentiis

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes

·         Salt and black pepper

·         2 Tablespoons ground cumin

·         1 Tablespoon fennel seeds

·         1 Tablespoon dried oregano

·         2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder

·         3 Tablespoons flour

·         2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained

·         1 pound frozen corn, thawed

·         4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

·         ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         Grated Parmesan cheese

·         Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for up to 1 minute.  Add the cumin, fennel seeds, oregano and paprika (or chili powder – I use paprika just because that’s what I always have on hand; in Transylvania it is mandatory to have paprika in your spice cabinet), and toast them for about 1 minute.  

Make some room in the middle of the pan and add a little bit more olive oil.  Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. (FYI:  Giada’s recipe calls for ground chicken, but I actually like it better with cubed chicken breasts.  You can also use turkey, beef, pork, or anything that satisfies your tummy.)   

Stir the flour into the chicken mixture and cook it for about 1 minute.  Add the beans, corn, red pepper flakes and chicken broth (if you are using beef, add beef broth – you can always just add water, but then make sure you carefully season everything).  Bring the mixture to a boil scrapping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 65-70 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened.  If you don’t want too much heat in your chili, add the red pepper flakes right at the end and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Ladle the chili into serving bowls.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. 

I have immediately fallen in love with this delicious chili.  It is so easy to make and the parsley at the end brings all the flavors back to life and gives freshness to the entire dish.  

Now, for those of you who prefer a vegetarian version, I have the perfect recipe. 

Vegetarian Bean Chili

Inspired by Melanie Fleck’s recipe of Vegetarian Bean Chili (Penzeys Spices, Fall 2011)

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

·         2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         1 carrot, chopped

·         1 red bell pepper, chopped

·         Salt and black pepper

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 Tablespoon ground cumin

·         1 Tablespoon fennel seeds

·         ½ Tablespoon dried oregano

·         2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder

·         1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

·         1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 pound frozen corn, thawed

·         ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         2 - 2.5 cups water

·         Sour cream (optional)

·         Grated Parmesan or Cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot and red bell pepper.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the cumin, fennel seeds, oregano and paprika and toast them for about 1 minute.  

Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, red pepper flakes and water.  Season carefully with more salt and pepper, to taste.  Stir everything together and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are soft and the chili has thickened. 

Ladle the chili into serving bowls.  Add a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with the cheese.  

Everything works so well together and you don’t even feel the absence of meat.  It is filling, colorful, a bit spicy, and the corn brings a hint of sweetness to the entire dish.  Besides, you know me, I like to add corn to almost anything because corn and I “go together like a wink and a smile”.  Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Chickens

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Jamie Oliver.  Well, with his food to be more precise.  I am more of a Giada De Laurentiis and Barefoot Contessa kind of girl when it comes to food.  But my best friend Rachel gave me Jamie’s Food Revolution cookbook when she visited me a few months ago.  I never really thought much of him or his food until I got his book.  I think of him as a very unconventional chef.  Also, he is quite entertaining on camera and his show is one of the most popular cooking shows in Romania.  Even my grandmother loves him. 

However, over the past few weeks I’ve been trying several of his recipes and I was not disappointed.  I love how he uses cilantro in almost anything he makes whether it is Indian food, chili con carne, or a simple ginger and parsnip soup.  One of my favorites so far was his Chicken Tikka Masala.  I have to tell you, dear reader, that my husband and I are deeply in love with Indian food.  We have never ever had Indian food until we came to the States.  We didn’t even know what kind of food Indians ate or what their traditional dish was.  Nada…  But little by little we learnt about it and now we are Indian food aficionados.  In fact, I think that the best Indian restaurant in the US is in Boston, but that’s a different story for another time.  So, coming back to Jamie’s Indian food recipes.  Well, I think that I will have to try them all eventually, and last night I was on track with Chicken Korma.  One word – DEVINE!  It’s not your usual restaurant style Chicken Korma with raisins and tons of cream, but rather a lighter and more delightful version of the traditional dish.  So far, we loved both chicken recipes and it’s my pleasure to share them with you, and hope that you will enjoy them too.  Sit tight, I think we’ll have a Jamie Oliver week!

Chicken Korma

Adapted slightly from Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

Yields 4-6 servings

 

  

·         1 ¾ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         2 medium onions

·         Optional: 1 fresh green chile

·         A thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

·         A small bunch of fresh cilantro

·         1 x 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 Tablespoon of butter

·         ½ cup korma or mild curry paste, such as Patak’s (I used Patak’s mild curry paste)

·         1 x 14-ounce can of coconut milk

·         About ¼ cup sliced almonds, plus extra for serving

·         2 heaped Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

·         Kosher salt and black pepper

·         Optional: 2 ½ teaspoons of sugar (the recipe doesn’t call for sugar, but I personally love that hint of sweetness)

To prepare your curry

Cut the chicken into approximately 1-inch pieces.  Peel, halve, and finely slice the onions.  Halve, seed, and finely slice the chile if you’re using it.  Peel and finely chop the ginger.  Pick the cilantro leaves and finely chop the stalks.  Drain the garbanzo beans.

 

To make your curry

Put a large casserole-type pan on a medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add the onions, chile (if using it), ginger, and cilantro stalks.  Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.  Keep stirring it enough so it doesn’t catch and burn but turn evenly golden.  Cook for around 10 minutes.  Add the curry paste, coconut milk, ¼ cup sliced almonds, the drained garbanzo beans, unsweetened shredded coconut, and sliced chicken breasts.  Half fill the empty can with water, pour it into the pan, and stir.  Add the sugar and stir again.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes with the lid on.  Check the curry regularly to make sure it’s not drying out, and add extra water if necessary.  When the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season carefully with salt and pepper (and more sugar if necessary).

Chicken Tikka Masala

Adapted slightly from Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

Yields 4-6 servings 

·         1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

·         2 medium onions

·         A thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger

·         A small bunch of fresh cilantro

·         3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         1 Tablespoon of butter

·         ½ cup tikka masala or mild curry paste, such as Patak’s (I used Patak’s mild curry paste)

·         Kosher salt and black pepper

·         1 x 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes

·         1 x 14-ounce can of coconut milk

·         A small handful of sliced almonds for serving

To prepare your curry

Cut / slice the chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes or ¾-inch-thick strips.  Peel, halve, and finely slice the onions.  Peel and finely slice the ginger.  Pick the cilantro leaves and put to one side, then finely chop the stalks. 

 

To make your curry

Put a large casserole-type pan on medium heat and add the oil and butter.  Add the onions, ginger and cilantro stalks.  Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until soften and golden.  Add the curry paste and the chicken.  Stir well to coat everything with the paste and season with salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes and the coconut milk.  Fill one of the empty cans with water, pour into the pan, and stir again.  Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes with the lid on.  Check the curry regularly to make sure it’s not drying out and add extra water if necessary.  When the meat is tender and cooked, taste and carefully add a bit more salt and pepper.   

I served the chicken dishes with fluffy basmati rice.  I used Kohinoor Authentic Basmati Rice.

Yields 4-6 servings

·         1 ½ cups basmati rice

·         2 1/3 cups water

·         2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

·         Salt and pepper

Wash the rice and soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes before cooking.  Drain the rice.  Put a pan on medium heat and add the oil.  Add the rice and water, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir.  Bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 – 12 minutes with the lid on.  Do not remove the lid while cooking.  Remove the pan from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

What is interesting is that I made the Chicken Korma before my husband and I went to our weekly Yoga class.  I didn’t realize it when I chose to make this dish, but I have to say that Yoga and Indian food go very well together.  Of course we ate after our Yoga class.  And it was delicious!  Namaste!