FAST & FLAVORFUL: 3 Quick Mains & Sides
Chicken Curry with Saffron Rice with Baby Spinach
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons mild or medium curry paste, or curry powder, to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 ½ pounds total), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- Saffron Rice with Baby Spinach (recipe follows)
Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, turning frequently, until it begins to turn golden. Add the green chilies, garlic, apple slices, raisins and curry paste (or powder) and cook for 1 minute more. Push the ingredients to the edges of the skillet leaving a large open space in the center. If the skillet surface seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the chicken pieces in the center of the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until partially cooked. Sprinkle the flour over the entire mixture and stir for 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth and stir until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the plain yogurt.
Serve the chicken curry over Saffron Rice with Baby Spinach (see recipe below). Serves 4.
Patrick Nichols' Wine Recommendation: 2005 White Knight, Clarksburg Viognier.
Saffron Rice with Baby Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- pinch ground saffron
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces baby spinach leaves, rinsed and well drained
Pan-Seared Steaks with Chunky Potatoes and Sautéed Watercress
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 8 to 10-ounce rib-eye or strip steaks, 1¨ù to 1½inches thick
- 1½ teaspoons butter
- 1½ teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 bunches watercress, rinsed and drained well
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Cook the potatoes over medium-high heat in a pot of boiling, salted water until tender-firm. Drain the potatoes and return to the warm pot. Using a fork, break up the potatoes, but do not mash. (The potatoes should be chunky, rather than smooth.) Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cover the pot and keep warm.
Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. Trim the steaks of excess fat and season them with salt and pepper. Heat 1½ teaspoons each of butter and olive oil in a stainless steel (oven-proof) sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, place the steaks in the pan and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the steaks over and cook for 30 seconds more. Place the sauté pan in the oven and roast the steaks for 4 to 5 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees for medium-rare, or until desired doneness is achieved. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Reserve the pan drippings to make a wine sauce. (To avoid burns, place a handle cover over the handle of the sauté pan.)
To make the wine sauce, add the chopped shallot to the pan and cook over low heat until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high and stir up the browned bits. Boil gently, stirring occasionally, until the wine sauce is reduced by half. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the tough stems of the watercress. sauté it for about 1 minute, just until it begins to wilt. Season with salt.
To assemble, spoon some of the potatoes onto each plate. Place some of the watercress on top of the potatoes. Cut the steaks into ½inch thick slices and arrange the slices on top, or to the side of the potatoes and watercress. Spoon some of the wine sauce over top. Serves 4.
Patrick Nichols' Wine Recommendation: 2006 Penfolds, Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet Blend.
Cajun Spiced Shrimp with Rice and Pepper Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp (16-20 count)
- Cajun Herb & Spice Blend:
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Rice and Pepper Pilaf (recipe follows)
- lime wedges
Shell and devein the shrimp and place it in a large, shallow bowl or baking pan.
Cajun Herb & Spice Blend: In a small bowl, combine all herbs and spices for the blend, mixing well.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Generously sprinkle the Cajun Herb and Spice Blend over the shrimp and turn to coat. Place the shrimp in the skillet and sauté for about 2 minutes each side. Pour 2 tablespoons of lime juice over the shrimp and remove the skillet from the heat.
Serve the shrimp over Rice and Pepper Pilaf (see recipe below). Garnish with lime wedges. Serves 4.
Patrick Nichols' wine recommendation: 2005 Concha Y Toro, Casillero Del Diablo Carmenere.
Rice and Pepper Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, cut into ½inch dice
- ½ green bell pepper, cut into1/2-inch dice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the red and green pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, turning often. Add the chicken broth and salt and raise the heat to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Let the rice stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipes by Jayni Carey ©Copyright, 2008.
