Three Recipes From My Past!

Tonight, I’m sharing three recipes I created while working in Palm Springs, F&B Manager, also Executive Chef for a hotel and Spa a vegetable, a salad and a chicken recipe they are easy, fun plus taste great and you can have the kids work with you in the kitchen! For those of you looking to add more recipes to your collection, take a look at the key ingredient in each, then think of substitutes, by changing let’s say small pork chops for the chicken you have a new recipe.

Broccoli and Asparagus

This is a simple way to prepare any vegetable!

Ingredients

1 pound broccoli (cut florets long)

1 / 2 pound asparagus bottoms trimmed (just below the bend in the asparagus)

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoon black pepper

1 / 2 cup water

Method

To large sauté pan arrange broccoli with steamed ends towards the center of pan, place asparagus on top on broccoli pour oil over vegetables (pour as evenly as possible over all vegetables) season with salt and pepper add water place lid on pan bring water to a boil cook 5 to 7 minutes to have a little crunch in the broccoli (me, I like them cooked for about 10 minutes) Serve. My kids still like to add butter before eating but I don’t the taste is outstanding!

• Napa Salad
• 1 /2 cup sliced almonds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 / 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Napa cabbage, shared
• 2 green onion chopped fine
• 1 / 4 cup chopped Italian parsley
• pepper to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°. place almonds, in baking dish bake for 5 minutes. Let cool.

In a bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Add the cabbage, green onion and parsley and toss. Add the almonds and season with pepper. Toss again and serve.

• Braised Chicken
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 pieces of chicken (3/4 pound each) your choice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper                                          
• 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup pitted green olives, preferably
• 2 large thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 3 pieces to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and brown the remaining chicken over moderate heat.

Pour off the fat in the casserole. Add the bacon, onion, carrots and turnips and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until barely softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the olives, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and stock. Add chicken back to the casserole so they are partially submerged and bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer the dish to the oven and cook for about 45 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are tender.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter; cover and keep warm. Strain the broth into a large measuring cup and skim off as much fat as possible. Return the broth to the dish and boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken and vegetables to the dish, cover and cook for 5 minutes to heat through, then serve.

For more fun in the kitchen visit me at www.curtisaikens.com