chicken

Chicken And Waffles

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Chicken And Waffles are deeply rooted in the American south and have become a staple Soul Food item. More commonly made with fried chicken and served with gravy or honey and butter, I never really understood the attraction of the dish. However, my own version presented here, with very crisp waffles, sautéed boneless chicken breast and smothered onions in cream sauce has fully won my heart and will be a new standby in my home-kitchen repertoire.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for Waffle Recipe

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Chicken And Waffle

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Preparation :
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: butterfly 3 boneless chicken breasts

: season with kosher salt, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, saute in butter (or vegetable oil if you prefer) until just done but not dry

: while the chicken is sauteeing, prepare the waffle batter

: cook the waffle about 2 minutes longer than usual to get a crisper waffle that can stand-up better to the smothered onions in cream

: 1 done, 2 to go……..

: when cooked, remove chicken and reserve

: in the same pan/fat, saute two medium sized, sliced onions until lightly caramelized

: add 1 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup lager beer, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat

: add 3 tblsp finely chopped cilantro, check/adjust seasoning

: place waffle on serving plate

: top one side of the waffle with a chicken breast, cover the other side of the waffle with smothered onions, sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and a pinch of smoked paprika (paprika optional) ; serves 3

: Chicken And Waffle

: Chicken And Waffle

: Chicken And Waffle

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Stir Fried Squid, Udon Noodles And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce ( Yakiudon)

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There are few dishes more comforting and satisfying than a bowl of noodles with a rich sauce or in a tasty soup – either by itself or with other “stuff” thrown in, such as any kind of vegetables, mushrooms, eggs and any protein such as pork, chicken, duck or seafood. While for me, any noodle is a good noodle, udon noodles rank on top of my favorite list – the plumper the better.
Lately, I’ve been buying the vacuum packaged “fresh” udon noodles from my neighborhood Asian market, but I also have had good experiences with the frozen type more readily available around here. As for the sauce, I like to prep it as simple as possible – soy sauce, oyster sauce or hoi sin sauce, chili paste, honey or sugar, ginger and garlic, sesame oil, chicken-, vegetable- or pork-stock. For a bit of variation in the sauce, I sometimes add a bit of peanut butter or fermented bean sauce, but that’s it – simple comfort food quickly and easily prepared and always just hitting the right spot 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

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Preparation :
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: for the sauce, mix 1/2 cup oyster sauce, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 cup chicken stock or water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, i/2 tsp chili paste, i tsp sesame oil

: simmer udon in salted water until cooked but still chewy, drain

: Clean squid tubes, remove “sine” and if you prefer, black skin

: cut in half

: incise half-way through in a criss-cross manner

: cut into bite-size pieces

: season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic

: stir fry squid with peanut oil in VERY hot pan for no more than 30 seconds, remove from pan, reserve

: add blanched bok choy, green peppers and red chilis to pan, stir fry 1 minute

: add sauce mix

: add udon and squid, check / adjust seasoning

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

: Stir Fried Squid, Udon And Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce (Yaki Udon)

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Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup Recipe # 1001

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Chicken-noodle soup is probably the most unglamorous yet also one of the universally most loved dishes. Who doesn’t remember the comforting warmth it provided when ones Mom utilized it for that all-curing remedy (along with Vicks’VapoRub) during childhood and later as a grown-up the go-to comfort dish that made everything feel good again ? 🙂
As for me, no week goes by without chicken noodle soup showing up at least once, sometimes twice. If I prepare it for guests, I usually make a boneless version. For myself (and Bella), I always prepare the soup with bone-in chicken. For me, holding a leg or drumstick or wing in my hand and pulling the meat off with my teeth is a big part of the pleasure of eating chicken noodle soup. Here now is the version I had for today’s lunch……
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup – Recipe # 1001

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Preparation :
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: chinese egg noodles, grape tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, scallion

: cook and drain pasta of your choice (I used chinese egg noodles for this one), mix with a bit of sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together, keep warm

: simmer chicken drumsticks (or other chicken parts) in water seasoned with kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic paste, grated ginger and a dash of lemon juice until chicken are tender but NOT falling apart

: add carrots, simmer a few more minutes

: when chicken and carrots are tender, add cabbage, cilantro, scallions and grape-tomatoes, simmer one more minute, remove from heat, check/adjust seasoning

: Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup – Recipe # 1001

: Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup – Recipe # 1001

: Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup – Recipe # 1001

: Chicken, Noodle & Vegetable Soup – Recipe # 1001

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Hearts On Fire

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If you have followed ChefsOpinion for some time, you know that I am very fond of Offal.
I understand of course that not everybody shares this fondness, but for the most part, in most of the offal dishes that I blog about, the offal can be replaced with more run of the mill proteins, such as shrimp, chicken breast, sliced beef and even vegetables.
For the rest of us – offal rock! 🙂
In the past, when my wife and I used to go with friends to Brazilian Churrasqueiras, everybody thought I was mad when I stuffed myself with grilled chicken hearts, while Maria and our friends enjoyed their Picanha, Entrana, and other more popular cuts. But for me, the meat-course always started with a bunch of chicken hearts. I was only ever able to find them in Brazilian Churrasqueiras, so I always took advantage of the opportunity to indulge. Nowadays, I go out very seldom, so when the craving for chicken hearts hits me, I have to prepare them myself.
I prepare them in different ways, grilled, braised, fried or simmered in soup.
Last night I felt the need for something spicy, so I prepared the hearts as follows – I seasoned them with soy sauce and lots of garlic, coated them in corn starch and then fried them in pure chili oil. The result was truly “Hearts on Fire ” – they were hellishly spicy from the chili oil but the more subtle-seasoned bok choy toned it down a bit and when eaten together, the result was pure culinary bliss – very tasty,very spicy, very addictive 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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How to make Home Made Chile Oil
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Hearts on Fire

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Preparation :
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: blanch baby bok choy in salted water, shock in ice water, drain

: simmer one cup of chicken stock, season with 1 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp grated ginger and a dash of salt, thicken with a bit of corn starch slurry

: add bok choy to sauce, simmer one minute until heated through

: arrange bok choy on serving platter, nape with sauce, cover, keep warm

: season hearts (or other protein) with kosher salt, soy sauce and granulated garlic

: dust with corn starch, mix well

: fry hearts at high heat until crisp on the outside but still juicy on the inside

: add scallions and whole pickled chilies

: serve hearts over bok choy

: Hearts on Fire

: Hearts on Fire

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Tandoori-Style Chicken Drumsticks With Pickled Onions And Naan

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Some of my favorite food-memories from my time living in Karachi, Pakistan, were the many wonderful dinners Maria and I had at the rooftop restaurant of our hotel, the ” Avari Towers,Karachi“.
Sadly, I understand that this restaurant has been converted into a steak restaurant by now ( after all, its been nearly 20 years since Maria and I lived there).
However, at the time, the roof top was a very exclusive local-fare only restaurant with a tandoori oven right there on the rooftop.
Benazir Bhutto, who a few years later became prime minister of Pakistan, resided in a house just next to our hotel and came to eat at the roof top a few times while we were there, which got Maria excited each time and she actually asked Mrs.Bhutto for an autograph (which she got, despite the incredible security), which made Maria happy and embarrassed me 🙂 .
Anyway, as far as the food was concerned, the restaurants at the Avari were in my opinion by far the best and safest places to enjoy a meal in all of Karachi and the tandoori dishes at the rooftop topped it all !
I had many a good tandoori dish while traveling in Pakistan and of course in India, but never did I find a good one in Florida in all the years I have resided here. While they might exist, so far they have eluded me. So, whenever I lust for tasty, well prepared tandoori-style food that rekindles my memories of times past, I usually have to take matters in my own hands. Such was the case again yesterday, when I prepared these delicious chicken drumsticks.
For the lack of an tandoori oven, I cooked the drumsticks under high heat under the broiler, which resulted in acceptable taste and texture.
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مزےکری ! maze karein ! زندگی اچھی ہے !
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Tandoori–Style Chicken Thighs With Pickled Onions And Naan

Tandoori-Style Chicken Tighs With Pickled Onions

Tandori-Style Chicken Tighs With Pickled Onions

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Preparation :
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: cross-score each drumstick through the flesh, all the way to the bone, marinate overnight in a paste of ghee, garam masala, cumin, allspice, lemon juice, yogurt, paprika, cinnamon, grated ginger, garlic paste, black pepper and kosher salt

: mix onions, peppers, garlic paste, scallions, white vinegar, kosher salt and garlic oil, let marinade at least 2 hours

: remove chicken from marinade, simmer remaining marinade for 3 minutes, use to baste chicken during broiling

: place chicken on wire rack

: broil chicken on one side for 15 minutes

: turn chicken, brush generously with more of the marinade, cook until cooked through, about another 15 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of the drumsticks

: done…..

: plate chicken with freshly baked naan and crisp iceberg

: top chicken with the marinated onions

: Tandoori-Style Chicken Drumsticks With Pickled Onions And Naan

: Tandoori-Style Chicken Drumsticks With Pickled Onions And Naan

: Tandoori-Style Chicken Drumsticks With Pickled Onions And Naan

: Pickled Onions

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Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

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Today I had a craving for really spicy food and I answered the call with this dish. I made it very spicy, but at the same time it was also very flavorful, thank’s to the addition of hoi sin sauce, soy sauce and lots of ginger and garlic. ( If you prefer less spicy, just tone down on the chili paste)
Fabulously tasty and satisfying, this was the perfect Sunday early-dinner dish, tasty, pretty and quick to wrestle-up 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
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Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

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P.S.
In order to be able to throw together these quick meals, I always have an assortment of blanched, frozen veggies in the fridge, ready to go at a moments notice.
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: blanch vegetables in salted water

: shock vegetables in ice water

: shock vegetables in ice water, drain

: shock vegetables in ice water, drain

: shock vegetables in ice water, drain

: squeeze out excess water, wrap airtight, freeze for up to 10 days

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Also always in my fridge are grated fresh ginger (commercial, good quality) and garlic confit paste (home made, usually once a week)
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On to today’s dinner:
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Preparation :
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: slice skinlesss chicken breast into bitesize slivers

: marinade chicken with garlic paste, lime juice, soy sauce, kosher salt and cayenne pepper, add a few drops of peanut oil, mix well

: stir fry chicken on VERY high heat until lightly browned but still juicy

: remove chicken to a plate, set aside

: add a bit more oil, saute beans until lightly browned in spots

: add 2 tblsp chili/ bean paste, 2 tblsp soy sauce, 1 tblsp hoi sin sauce, 1 tblsp water, 1 tsp garlic paste, add corn, stir fry until corn is heated through, remove from heat

: add seafood-mushrooms

: return chicken to wok (or pan), mix well, check / adjust seasoning

: Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

: Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

: Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

: Stir Fried Chicken And Vegetables In Black-Bean Chile Sauce

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P.P.S.
I used Chor’s Food USA “Black Bean Chile Sauce” in this dish.
If not available in your neck of the woods :-(, substitute with equal parts of fermented black beans and chili paste 🙂
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Chicken Fried Steak

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The great thing about CFS is that one can utilize an economical (cheap, in plain English) cut of beef, such as top round or cube steak and still get excellent results. However, I happened to have some leftover raw strip loin left from yesterday’s dinner, which I sliced thin, then pounded it even thinner for this CFS.
Usually the traditional side dish would be mashed potatoes, but I am trying to cut down on my starch intake, so I felt the flour from the breading and the “Gravy” was enough of that for the day.
(The rendered fat from the chorizo and the chicken fat made this southern style gravy even tastier than it’s usual version made with bacon fat)
American comfort food at it’s finest ! (Just don’t tell your cardiologist) 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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All about Chicken Fried Steak
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All about Gravy
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Chicken Fried Steak

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Preparation :
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: pound your choice of beef steak to 1/4″ thick, season with salt and cayenne pepper

: mix whole eggs with buttermilk (or substitute with yogurt)

: season flour with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, dip steak into it and shake off excess flour

: dip steak into egg/dairy mixture

: dip steak into flour again

: cook in clarified butter

: cook until golden on both sides and steaks have done-ness you desire

: remove steaks to absorbent paper

: add a spoonful of flour to the pan with the clarified butter, saute one minute until flour is “blond” in color

: add milk, chopped thyme leaves, kosher salt and cayenne pepper to the roux, whisk well to avoid lumps, simmer for five minutes, gravy should cover the back of a spoon, check / adjust seasoning

: while gravy simmers, saute diced chorizo, sliced onions and garlic paste in chicken or duck fat

: saute until onions are translucent

: add sliced white cabbage, season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, add a cup of chicken stock, cover, simmer until cabbage is heated through but still crisp

: check / adjust seasoning

: plate the cabbage

: top with steaks and gravy

: Chicken Fried Steak

: Chicken Fried Steak

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Open Faced Octopus Salad Sandwich

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The question might be, was this a salad or was it a sandwich? I am not so sure, probably it was both, rolled into one blissful lunch. One thing however I am sure of – it was absolutely delicious.
While devouring it I was reminded of the old custom of soaking up the salad dressing with a good, hearty bread. Most folks don’t do this anymore because it’s not very elegant or cool.
However, it is a great custom if you put enjoying good food first and appearances second 🙂
Just make sure that you cut your bread into thick slices and toast it so it will stand up to the moisture of the salad. And if you are not a great fan of octopus, replace it with shrimp or even chicken and you will be just as happy as I was with the octopus version.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Open Faced Octopus Salad Sandwich

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Preparation :
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: Toast THICK CUT sour dough bread

: cut octopus into bite size pieces

: add tomatoes, onions, scallions, cucumbers, garlic paste, raspberry vinegar, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and a spritz of maggi seasoning

: plate bread on serving dish

: top with lettuce

: top with octopus salad

: Open Faced Octopus Salad Sandwich

: Open Faced Octopus Salad Sandwich

: Open Faced Octopus Salad Sandwich

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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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While there are a million and one jerk chicken recipes out there, the basic seasoning is usually brown sugar or molasses, all spice, garlic, cinnamon, scotch bonnets (as much as you can handle), ginger, thyme, nutmeg and salt. Most folks I know also add soy sauce and scallions (I do).
Then, if you have a wood burning grill, grill very slowly, covered until the chicken is charred on the outside and juicy on the inside. Since I don’t presently have a proper grill, I started my jerk chicken in a cast iron grill pan and after a light char developed, covered it and finished cooking it in the oven. The result was a very tasty, very juicy, close to perfection jerk chicken 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
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P.S.
As I was cooking this inside the house, I used all dry herbs and spices.
However, for a more authentic experience, if cooking outside on a wood grill, you want to use fresh spices and herbs, minced and mixed with the soy sauce to a paste and rubbed into the chicken and its cuts. Cooking this on a covered grill will develop the flavorful smoky taste associated with authentic jerk chicken.
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Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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Preparation :
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: cut a fresh chicken in half

: make a few incisions all the way to the bones

: grill chicken on both sides, set on a few chopped scallions, cover

: bake in oven at 350 F until cooked through but still juicy

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

: Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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Chicken Tostada

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I used to eat tostadas two or even three times a week when I was living in Cancun.
There was this small bar/restaurant on the beach of the lagoon across from where I lived, about a five minute walk away. (I believe it was on Blvd. Kukulcán KM 21 – I wonder if the place still exists?) On one side of the road is the ocean, on the other side, less than five hundred yards across the street, was this tiny place on the beach of the lagoon with a wooden pier protruding about thirty yards into the lake. Many a night I gave the waiter a small tip to set up a table for me at the end of the pier, to enjoy the night and a few drinks and snacks all by myself, usually while on the phone for a while with Maria who was back in Miami, taking care of things there. On most nights I had shrimp or chicken tostadas and a few “Negra Modelo” .
Happy times ! Aaahhhh, the memories 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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Link to Salsa Mexicana
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Link to Guacamole
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Link to Tostadas De Camarones
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