chicken

Imperial Fried Rice

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Time to get excited about fried rice 🙂
No, not the cabbage and soy sauce laden one you get for two bucks at your corner chinese restaurant. No, I am talking about my treasure chest of a fried rice which has a whole bunch of goodies in it. Each one (shrimp,chicken, lap cheong, ham, eggs, vegetables), fried on it’s own with rice would make a good fried rice, but here the combination of all of this stuff together makes it a truly memorable dish.
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Imperial Fried Rice

: Imperial Fried Rice

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Ingredient’s :

Fan (飯),   day old chinese steamed rice (Recipe Here)
Chicken,   cubed
Shrimp,   peeled, tail on
Ham,   diced
Lap cheong, fresh, unsmoked
Scallion,   sliced
Bean sprouts,
Red/green bell peppers,   diced
Onions,   diced
Kernel corn,   blanched
Green peas,   blanched
Eggs,   whisked
Garlic,   paste
Ginger,   grated
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Sesame oil,
Peanut oil,   to stir fry

Method :

Season protein and vegetables with salt and cayenne pepper. Saute (stir fry) chicken in oil until medium, remove chicken. Saute shrimp, ham and sausage until shrimp are 3/4 cooked, remove. Saute vegetables, ginger and garlic until fragrant, add rice, fry until rice starts to puff a bit. Form a whole in the center, add more peanut oil, add the eggs. Styr fry until the eggs have set, return proteins to the rice and stir fry until rice starts to pop again. Add bean sprouts, season with sesame oil, salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with scallions and more bean sprouts.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos

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” Cuban Style Mojo Chicken with rice and beans and lettuce /avocado salad in honey & lime vinaigrette ”
Here is a dish which is very popular in Cuba and because of that, it is popular here in Miami as well 🙂
It is prepared in many different variations, since each region, family and restaurant have their very own special recipe for “Mojo”

Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos

: Pollo Al Mojo & Moros Y Cristianos

Ingredient’s :

2 teaspoons cumin seed
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large serrano chili, stemmed, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons sour orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 chicken legs
kosher salt to taste

Method :

Stir cumin seeds in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until seeds are fragrant and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to medium bowl. Add minced garlic, minced chili and salt to seeds; mash mixture with back of fork to form coarse paste. Heat olive oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Pour hot olive oil over garlic mixture; stir to blend. Let stand 15 minutes. Whisk in orange juice and lime juice. Add chicken to marinade; turn to coat. Cover chicken and refrigerate over night.
Put chicken on a baking rack an roast until internal temperature has reached 160 F, all the while basting with the marinade. When done, remove from oven, let rest for 15 minutes. Carry-over heat will take the temperature to a safe 165 F, while leaving the chicken very moist and tender. Serve with avocado and lettuce salad and “Moros & Cristianos“.
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Bon Provecho ! Life is Good !
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Spatchcocked Chicken “Nilda’s Way”

Spatchcocked Chicken

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When my mother in law , Nilda, was still healthy and living with us, she made roast chicken over potatoes and onions at least once a month. She did not spatchcock (what a funny word to say and write) the chicken, but rather left it whole to cook on top of the potatoes. I on the other hand, feel that to spatchcock the bird will give a superior result, both for the chicken and the potatoes. It will allow the potatoes to soak up all the juices and flavor from the chicken during the cooking process and at the same time it allows the chicken to cook very evenly, cooking all the way through but leaving both the legs and breast’s very juicy. Since the coarse salt will not all run down the side of the chicken as when you roast it whole, it will give the skin a unique texture, rather like a chinese style pepper & salt preparation. I used the same spice mix for the chicken and the potatoes / vegetables – kosher salt, sriracha, melted butter, granulated garlic. Mix the seasoning and butter with the potatoes and vegetables. Rub the chicken on both sides with a generous amount of butter and seasoning. Place the potato / vegetable mix on a rack which sit’s on a baking sheet, filled with half water and half red wine. Cook in the center of the oven at 390 F for approximately two hours. My chicken was VERY big, so it took two hours to reach a internal temperature of 16o F. After removing the chicken from the oven and letting it rest for another 15 minutes, the carry-over heat will take the temperature to a safe 165. This will leave the chicken safe to eat and the meat, including the breast, very moist and tender.
Finally, strain the jus from the sheet pan and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serving suggestion : See pictures 🙂
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Marc Osten on culinary-compass : Spatchcooking
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Mee Noodles, Straw Mushroom & Chicken In Curry/Coconut Soup

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At first I was going to do a “authentic” Malay, or Burmese ,or Thai, or Indonesian, or Indian, or whatever “authentic” coconut / curry / noodle / chicken dish. But then, for what ? There is a million and one recipes (more or less “authentic”) out there in the internet and book world available to anyone. But by now I believe (hopefully) that most of my readers subscribe to “ChefsOpinion” because of my interpretations of dishes and the ease of which they can be duplicated more ore less closely (adjust to whatever tickles your fancy). So here we go, Hans’ authentic 🙂 version of : Mee Noodles, Straw Mushroom & Chicken In Curry/Coconut Soup. Enjoy. Don’t break a leg running for authentic ingredients. Use what you’ve got available, what you like and what you can afford. The single most important authentic ingredient required for most dishes is love and passion. If you cook it and folk’s and you yourself love it – Voilà ! Success !
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Mee Noodles, Straw Mushroom & Chicken In Curry/Coconut Soup

: Mee Noodles, Straw Mushroom & Chicken In Curry/Coconut Soup

Ingredient’s :

Chicken legs, deboned, cubed
Mee noodles, cooked, tossed with sesame oil
Chicken stock,
Coconut milk,
Straw mushroom,
Tomato, seeded, julienned
Avocado, diced
Onion, julienned
Chilis, julienned
Scallions, sliced
Almonds, slivered or crashed
Limes, wedges
Curry powder,
Turmeric,
Garlic paste,
Ginger, grated
Fish sauce,
Maggi seasoning,
Scotch bonnet sauce,
Kosher salt,
Peanut oil, to saute

Method :

Saute chicken, add vegetables and garlic, saute for one minute. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric and almonds and saute until fragrant. Add coconut milk, chicken stock and salt and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat. Add fish sauce and scotch bonnet sauce to taste (careful with the fermented fish sauce, check HERE first). To serve, sprinkle with scallions and/or cilantro.

Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !

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Gizzard Adobo

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Although I tremendously enjoy Philippine style adobo served the traditional way with steamed rice, I enjoy my adobo even more with pasta and creamed spinach. Served seperate, then all mixed together on the plate, what a great, simple, tasty meal 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Kainan na!

Chicken Gizzard Adobo

: Chicken Gizzard Adobo

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Ingredients :

Chicken Gizzards,
Onions,   large dice
Garlic,   paste
Bay leaves,
Chicken stock,
Fish sauce,  substitute with oystersauce if preferred
Soy sauce,
Sugar,
Beer,
Kosher salt,
Black Pepper,   freshly ground
Peanut oil,   to saute

Method :

Saute gizzards until nicely browned, add onions and garlic and saute until onions start to brown. Add all other ingredients and simmer until gizzards are tender. At this point, the sauce should be reduced so it covers the back of a spoon (nappe). Traditionally, adobo is served with steamed rice. However, in this version I served it with creamed spinach and pasta.

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Mabuhay ! Life is Good !
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Pasta & Chicken

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One of my own personal junk food’s, pasta and chicken.
Any time of day, any which way, as long as it’s juicy and tasty 🙂
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Ingredients :

Lasagna pasta, broken into large pieces, cooked al dente
Chicken drumsticks,
Crimini mushrooms, cleaned
White cabbage, sliced
Red bell pepper, sliced
Onion, sliced
Garlic, paste
Scallion, sliced
Parmigiano reggiano, thinly sliced
Parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt,
Cayenne pepper,
Maggi seasoning,
Butter , to saute, substitute olive oil if you prefer

Method :

Saute seasoned chicken slowly in butter until golden, put on a rack and cook in oven until cooked through. Meanwhile, saute onion and mushroom in same butter until onions are translucent. Add cabbage, garlic and peppers and saute until garlic becomes fragrant. At this point your butter will be light brown. Add pasta and a bit of the pasta water, seasoning and the grated parmesan, mix until a fine film of cheese sauce coats pasta. Remove from heat, add chicken, scallions and parsley and mix. To serve, sprinkle with sliced parmesan and chopped parsley.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Poached Chicken, Arugula, Strawberry & Pomegranate

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This dish was a bit unusual for me to prepare for myself, (fru fru ? 🙂 , but I had this craving for poached chicken with a twist. I really enjoyed the combination of chicken with: spicy (chili oil, green peppercorn), sweet (strawberries, pomegranate), slightly bitter ( arugula) and acidic (lime juice). All in all, a successful dish which I will surely prepare again 🙂
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Poach the chicken in seasoned water until just done, still very juicy but cooked through. ( Remove from simmering liquid at 162F. Cover loosely and let chicken rest for 10 minutes. The carry-over heat will take it to a safe 165F without giving it a chance to dry out ). Drizzle with chili oil mixed with a bit of soy sauce and lime and sprinkle with sauteed green peppercorn. Serve with salad and fruit of your choice .

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

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Stir Fried Chicken, Mandarins, Walnuts & Bok Choy

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Usually I am not a big fan of fruit in my savory dishes,
but here it just seemed to be the right thing to add, and
it made the taste so much more rounded.
The mandarins were a bit on the acidic side, not very sweet,
I think that’s what made it at the end. Very enjoyable dish 🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Chicken Breast, wing separated, cut into large strips
Bok choy, cut on the bias
Mandarines, peeled, segmented
Walnuts, shelled, halved
Chilies, finely sliced
Cilantro, coarsely chopped
Sesame seeds, toasted,
Chicken stock,
Kosher salt,
Corn starch,
Garlic paste,
Ginger, grated
Soy sauce,
Sriracha,
Oyster sauce,
White wine,
Sesame oil,
Peanut oil, to saute

Method :

Silken chicken by mixing corn starch,
egg white and water with seasoning and chicken.
Saute chicken wings until almost done, add breast
strips and cook until golden and 3/4 cooked.
Remove chicken, set aside. Sautee bok choy,
add garlic, ginger, chilies, walnuts and mandarines.
Deglaze with a bit of chicken stock and white wine,
simmer for one minute only. Remove from heat,
add the chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and
serve with soy sauce and chili sauce.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Asian Inspired Baked Chicken “

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This was a great tasting chicken and best of all, no
more than 3 minutes of prep. Great taste, good looks,
easy to prepare.
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Ingredients :

Chicken, legs, breast, wings
Sweet chili sauce,
Oyster sauce,
Soy sauce,
Lime juice,
Garlic, paste,
Ginger, grated,
Kosher salt,

Method :

Mix all marinade ingredients, dip chicken until well coated,
bake at 375 f until done. Serve with lettuce in sesame/honey dressing.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Rigatoni Rustica “

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Last night’s dinner was a perfect example of tasty comfort food,
simple, tasty, pretty, easy, and satisfying.
(Sounds like a wish list for a spouse 🙂
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Ingredient’s :

Chicken, cut into one inch pieces
Rigatoni, cooked al dente, strained, reserve some of the cooking water
Bok choy, cut into one inch pieces
Onions, julienned
Kernel corn,
Grape tomatoes, whole
Chilies, sliced
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Kosher salt, to taste
Cayenne, to taste
Butter, to saute
Red wine, to deglaze

Method :

Season chicken and saute until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove and reserve. Saute onions, corn, garlic, ginger, bok choy and chili,
deglaze with red wine and a small amount of the cooking water from the pasta,
add pasta and tomatoes, season with salt and cayenne.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !