Month: September 2014

Chicken Paprikash

, Valentina Rice

 

Sunday lunches at my grandmother’s were a wonderful constant in my childhood. The menu rarely veered from Wiener Schnitzel or Chicken Paprikash. Born in 1902, into what was then the Austro Hungarian Empire, those dishes were the classics from the region and still two of my favorites. To this day, the aroma of sour cream and dill takes me back to her flat in London. Unfailingly cheerful, she cooked for us well into her 90’s and I regret never asking her to teach me to make those dishes, wrongly assuming she’d always be around to make them for us. I’ve loved trying recipes for Chicken Paprikash from old Hungarian cookbooks that I’ve found including one written by Maria Flores, my father’s guardian during the war, sentimentally entitled “Cooking for Love”.

 

 

As the weather turns and we begin to crave hearty comfort food, it’s one of the first dishes I make each September, trying a slightly different version each time. This latest version not only made use of the incredibly juicy airline chicken breasts from Porter & York but it even got the ultimate stamp of approval from my brother, not known for effusive compliments on my cooking. He thoroughly endorsed it after taking a forkful of leftovers straight from the fridge. I hope my grandmother would have approved too.

 

 

Chicken Paprikash 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Airline Chicken Breasts (you can also substitute 8 bone-in chicken thighs with skin)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

3 teaspoons of flour, divided

1 heaped tablespoon of Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 (14 oz) can of tomatoes

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 green pepper, cut into strips with seeds removed

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon of Hungarian Paprika Salt

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large dutch oven, heat the oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and fry until golden brown, starting with skin side down (about 5 minutes each side). Fry in batches if they don’t all fit – it’s important not to overcrowd the pan.

3. When all the chicken is browned, transfer to a plate.

4. Add the onion to the remaining fat and fry until soft for approximately 10 minutes.

5. Stir in half the flour, the paprika and the cayenne and continue stirring for about 2 minutes until all the juices have been absorbed.

6. Return the chicken to the pan along with any juices from the plate. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer.

7. If using thighs, cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Add the green pepper and return to the oven (covered) for another 30 minutes. If using airline breasts, add the green pepper and cook (covered) for just 30 minutes.

8. Remove from oven. In a small bowl, mix the remaining flour with the sour cream. Then add the flour mixture to the sauce.

9. Simmer while stirring for about 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

10. Plate and finish by sprinkling with fresh dill and paprika salt. I like to serve it, as my grandmother did, with spaetzle topped with a little butter.

Honey Cake

, Valentina Rice

 

Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the new Jewish year. We make honey cake not only because it is delicious but also because it bodes well for a “sweet year” and what better way to dish up those blessings on to those we love than a rich, honey filled cake. This recipe is taken from Judy Bart Kancigor’s “Cooking Jewish,” a book my father kindly sent to me when I was finishing my conversion to Judaism. It is a wonderful resource of family recipes and I use it as my go-to for major holidays. By adding Catskill Provisions’ Fall honey to the cake it adds the perfect sweetness and also holds up to the coffee, fruit zests and other Fall flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg. This cake is extremely aromatic and is best dished up with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

 

 

Another fun part of Rosh Hashanah, is casting off your sins. If you see groups of Jewish people along the water this September, you’ll now know what they are doing. For Rosh Hashanah, Tashlich is a tradition where you throw bread into the water to symbolize you casting off the sins of the year.  I always love to take a couple slices to the Hudson and slowly absolve my sins by feeding any seagulls or ducks I can find. Almost like a scapegoat, these ducks eat my sins and swim away, making it a very cathartic experience.

 

So, Rosh Hashanah is really a beautiful holiday where you take stock of the year and get ready to start anew. My family eats this cake the morning of Rosh Hashanah for a sweet start to the day. I hope you’ll enjoy it as well!

 

Honey Cake

Source: “Cooking Jewish” by Judy Bart Kancigor (Workman) 

www.cookingjewish.com

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus extra for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil plus extra for greasing the pan

1 cup sugar

1 cup honey

2 large eggs, separated

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature (the coffee really influences the taste so use one you love)

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

Powdered sugar for dusting once cake is cooled, optional

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease a 9×5″ loaf pan (I doubled the recipe to fit into a massive cake pan but the resulting cake was immense – true family style), dust with flour and tap out the excess.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt together and then set aside.

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, blend the oil, sugar, honey, egg yolks and zests on medium speed until thick and well blended (about 3 minutes).

4. Reduce the blender speed to low and add one third of the flour mixture. Next add half the coffee. Alternate between the remaining thirds of flour and the last half of coffee, ending with the flour.

5. Stir the toasted walnuts into the batter.

6. Using a clean bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (1- 1 1/2 minutes). Stir one fourth of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then add the remaining whites in three additions folding them in until incorporated.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of the oven until the cake springs back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (about 1 hour and 10 minutes). Set on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.

8. Run a knife around the edges and turn the loaf out. Return it to the rack to cool completely.

9. Cut the cake into slices and serve with coffee or tea. This cake also goes extraordinarily well with poached pears and cream as a topping for a more decadent dessert.

 

Plank Grilled Salmon Sandwich from Not Without Salt

, Valentina Rice

 

We are thrilled to be able to share this recipe from the talented Ashley Rodriguez of Not Without Salt. We actually discovered Porter & York through her blog which we devotedly follow. What a delight to connect with not only such an outstanding food blogger but also with a new producer who sources the finest Pacific Northwest Salmon and other high quality meats. There’s nothing we enjoy more than building the Many Kitchens community to include such talented and creative individuals. We hope you enjoy the recipe, our newest products and also don’t forget to check out the Not Without Salt gift box which features some of Ashley’s favorite BBQ cuts from Porter & York.

 

Plank Grilled Salmon Sandwich

Recipe by: Ashley (Not Without Salt)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pound fillet of King Salmon

Salt & pepper

2 heaping tablespoons dijon mustard

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

12 strips bacon

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

3 cups arugula

6 brioche buns, halved

1/2 cup mayonnaise

cedar plank, soaked for at least an hour

 

Method:

1. Preheat your grill while you prepare the salmon.

2. Set the salmon on the soaked plank then season with salt and pepper. Spread the mustard on top then finish with the dark brown sugar.

3. Grill the salmon for 20 to 30 minutes or until the flesh is firm when touched and flaking.

4. After 10 minutes on the grill lay the bacon directly onto the grill and cook until crisp on both sides, about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

5. Remove the salmon and bacon from the grill then let the salmon rest while you prepare the burgers.

6. Slather the brioche buns with mayonnaise.

7. Cut the salmon into 6 or so burger-size pieces. Place a piece of the salmon on the bottom bun then top with avocado, arugula and bacon. Finish with the red onion relish and then the other half of the bun.

 

Red Onion Relish

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons red wine

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ cup drained capers

 

Method:

1. In a medium pan over low heat, add the olive oil.  Add the red onion and salt and saute for 15 minutes or until very soft, stirring frequently until done.

2. Add the sugar, wine, thyme leaves and vinegar. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid is syrupy. Fold in capers. Cool, then store in a jar in the fridge.

Potato Salad with Double Smoked Bacon

, Valentina Rice

 

And people say I don’t like salads! Granted, this is about as close to a salad as a bowl of Spaghetti alla Carbonara is to a carb free diet but the recipe calls it a salad and who am I to quibble? I adapted this recipe from Stephanie Alexander’s Cook’s Companion. Stephanie is one of those rare cookery writers, like Marcella Hazan, who has never failed me. The Cook’s Companion is in my top 5 favorite cookbooks and I’ve barely scratched the surface of all she has to offer.

 

I chose to make this recipe to kick off Oktoberfest (which curiously is always in September). By making use of Mustard & Co.’s signature mustard as well as Schaller & Weber’s ridiculously good double smoked bacon, the recipe went from great to spectacular. Pair it with the Oktoberfest Pack of Schaller & Weber’s award winning German sausages and you’ve got a feast where all you need to do is add the beer. Prost!

 

Potato Salad with Double Smoked Bacon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb of new potatoes, cut into bite size pieces (halve or quarter potatoes depending on size)

1/4 lb of Double Smoked Bacon, diced

2 tablespoons of sour cream

3 teaspoons of mustard

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of finely cut fresh chives

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 8-10 minutes, test with a knife). Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. Fry the bacon in a large frying pan (make sure pan is large enough to later fit all the potatoes).

3. When the bacon is crispy, turn off the burner and remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen towel.

4. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, mustard and vinegar and add to the frying pan while the pan is still hot. Mix thoroughly.

5. Add in the bacon and the potatoes and stir with the dressing.

6. Finish with the chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.