Low Fat Spicy Sausage Corn Chowder

Welcome the cold evenings with a bowl of this spicy corn chowder. To make it lighter in calories, instead of cream, I used low fat evaporated milk. In addition, I substituted chicken sausages for higher calorie pork varieties. Recently, I found these spicy chicken sausages at Trader Joe's which are good in eggs, in paella, and great in this recipe. Of course, you can use any type here and also adjust  the spice level to suit your own taste.

Low Fat Spicy Sausage Corn Chowder

Serves 4 to 5

3 tbsp vegetable oil

4  spicy chicken sausages, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh oregano

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 can low fat evaporated milk

1 can corn kernels

1 can cream style corn

1/2 tsp ground all spice

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, add the oil and brown the sausage slices on both sides. Remove from the pot and add the diced onion and peppers, along with the bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Cook until softened and until the onion have browned slightly on the edges. 

2. Add the chicken stock, evaporated milk, can of corn kernels, can of creamed corn, and all spice. Stir well, and bring to a boil. 

3. Add the browned sausages and return to a boil. Serve warm, topped with chopped parsley.

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

After an intense month of joy and heartache, Spain has own the 2010 world cup. On that eventful Sunday, my husband and I planned our day around the event. Spain was our second choice after the US didn't make it into the final group of sixteen. Isn't that the magic of the game? That after the crushing loss from the US departure, all of our hopes were revived with Spain in the final. That two people with no real ties to that country (except my diluted Spanish heritage, and our love of spanish food, music, and culture) would find so much happiness in a single goal, to me, is part of the magic of the game. And not just us; among our freinds everyone was interested in the final match. One person even threatened to "unfriend" me on Facebook because of my exuberant status update after the win. Needless to say, she's a Netherlands fan, and of course was only joking... I think.

In honor of the event, I made this seafood and chicken paella. This is my basic go-to recipe for paella but this was the first time that I've made it in my new paella pan from Kitchen Window in Uptown Minneapolis. And what a difference it makes, especially in terms of a reduction in cooking time. And that chewy layer of rice at the bottom of the pan; worth every cent!

Chicken and Shrimp Paella

Serves 3 to 4

2 oz prosciutto

2 to 4 tbsp olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed*

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup diced bell pepper

1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed

1 1/2 cup long grain white rice

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 cup green peas

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

8 to 10 raw shrimp, with tails on

1. In a large pot or paella pan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the prosciutto until crispy. Remove and add the chicken. Cook for about 15 minutes until evenly browned. Remove and add the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Saute the onion, garlic, and peppers for another 8 to 10 minutes until they have browned on the edges.

2. Add the rice and saffron threads. Stir thoroughly until the rice becomes glossy and is coated nicely by the onion mixture. Pour 2 1/2 cups chicken broth over the rice and stir. It takes about another 20 minutes for the rice to cook. Stir occasionally and add more chicken broth or hot water (up to 1 cup more) if needed.

3. Once the rice has cooked, add the raw shrimp. Stir and allow shrimp to cook for another 3 or four minutes until pink throughout. Evenly layer the cooked chicken, tomatoes, peas, and crunchy prosciutto on the top before serving.

*I always like to season chicken for recipes like this, i.e. recipes where the chicken is just part of the main dish. It's a technique I've learnt from growing up in Trinidad. So here, I seasoned the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, one crushed garlic clove and the leaves of one sprig of thyme and a teaspoon of paprika.

Also, you would notice that I did not add salt to the recipe above and that is because the chicken broth already has a lot of sodium. Of course, if you find you need more salt, go right ahead and add to taste.

Roasted Cornish Hens for Two

Last year, a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, we were at the airport getting ready to board a plane for a quick trip to New York. At the newsstand, I picked up a cooking magazine with instructions on planning a flawless Thanksgiving dinner. Since that upcoming Thanksgiving would be my first time hosting dinner at our new apartment, the first time I would make dinner for Thanksgiving period, I thought, why not give it a try. After all, I really wanted to host an unforgettable dinner so I could use all the advice I can get. The day came and went and my mission was accomplished and I was left with the best technique for roasting the perfect turkey. The key is brining. The result is the most succulent meat.

I decided to employ this method with cornish hens; it is a smart way of roasting poultry to get added flavor and to prevent the meat from drying out without having to add a ton of butter. You are probably thinking this is a lot of work for such a small bird. Yes it is but the results are worth it. And with a little planning, this should not be a tedious endeavor.

Roasted Cornish Hens for Two

For the Brine:
10 - 12 cups water
3/4 cup sea salt
3/4 cup honey
1 large bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

Seasonings:
1 tbsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
2 small bunches fresh cilantro

2 whole cornish hens (1 to 1 1/2 lbs each)

1. Bring the brine ingredients to a boil. Allow to cool to room temperature. Place hens in brine, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least eight hours. Remove the birds from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Set oven to 400 degrees F. Place hens in a roasting pan and season liberally with dried thyme, salt and pepper, remembering to also season the cavity. Stuff the cavity of each bird with a handful of fresh cilantro. Roast in oven for 1 hour, rotating 180 degrees halfway through. If you find that the birds are getting too dark too quickly, cover with foil and continue to roast. Remove from the oven, and let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.

Apricot Chicken Salad

During the week, I sometimes grab lunch at Whole Foods. The hot foods and salad bars are extensive but I go there especially for two things: cabbage crunch and apricot chicken salad. Given the chance, I can eat these for lunch everyday. It really is hard to go wrong with chicken salad but adding sweet, juicy, dried apricots livens up this classic lunch dish. For my own recipe, I used left over roasted chicken but really any well seasoned pieces of chicken breast (pre-cooked) can be used.

Apricot Pecan Chicken Salad
 
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 cup dried apricots, diced
½ cup pecans, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
3 stalks green onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¾ cup plain low fat sour cream
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp ground pepper
 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Set aside.  Whisk together sour cream, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour over first six ingredients. Toss well. Serve with dry wheat toast.

The Essence of Simplicity

The prospect of spring, yelping puppies, laying under an umbrella on a beach some where tropical, the first snow fall, a good cup of coffee, a good book, being with friends whom you haven't seen in years. All simple things yet powerful enough to delight the senses and the spirit.

Keeping things simple can help minimize stress in our lives. Back in September of 2007, when were we in the process of moving to Minneapolis, it became obvious to me how much junk I have accumulated over my four years at college. (It's not a good sign when 100 boxes are barely enough to move the belongings of two people from a two bedroom apartment. ) There were things I kept because I thought I would need them yet they had not been used since the day they were bought. What was I thinking when I bought two sets of the same outfit, in different colors, that I wore only once? Not to mention the dumpling-maker that I never used. And who needs three cosmetic cases full of make-up? Ok, maybe some people do, but I am certainly not one of those. I made the decision then and there to get rid of anything I hadn't used in more than six months. Miraculously, my possessions shrunk to a little more than a half! And I like it like that.

Now here I am, six months later, in my new home, my life and surroundings seem so much more orderly. Interestingly, I am beginning to appreciate the things that I own even more, in the sense that I pay more attention to and take better care of them. Not to mention that it is now easier to find things. The apartment is a lot less cluttered (which gives the perception of neatness, stress on "perception.") There is a lot to be said about living in an environment that is neatly organized and functional.

This notion of simplicity is also extending to my approach to food. Now, don't get me wrong: I appreciate the complexity of creating an elaborate dinner; the time, energy, creativity, the plethora of ingredients. In fact, I have plans for my most elaborate and ornate Easter dinner so far (even though it will be dinner for two.) Yet, there are times when a few simple ingredients make the most impressive dishes. Interestingly, I have found that, in these cases, the fewer the ingredients, the more flavorful the final dish. Possibly, our taste buds have a heightened awareness of each individual ingredient that would have otherwise been dissipated by a jumble of stronger flavors. Or, maybe, it's just my imagination. Either way, simplicity is the main ingredient in the dishes I share with you today. At the same time, I implore you delve into your own simple world and I hope that you find a universe of elegance; a place that flows in a way that inspires you.

Simple Herb Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 lbs
1 - 2 tsp salt
11/2 tsp black pepper and lemon mixture (or ground pepper)
1/2 tsp chili powder (optional)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 small bunch fresh parsley
1 tsp dried thyme

1. Set oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Wash and dry chicken well with paper towels.
3. Mix salt, black pepper and lemon mixture, and chili powder. Set aside.
4. Remove rosemary leaves from twig and discard twigs. Cut away parsley leaves and discard stalks. Set herbs aside
5. Carefully separate the skin from the flesh of the chicken being careful not to remove it completely. Gently place parsley and rosemary underneath the skin trying to distribute it as thoroughly as possible. Flatten the skin over the flesh, being sure to remove all air bubbles.
6. Sprinkle salt mixture into chicken cavity then tie legs together securely.
7. Thoroughly rub the remainder of the salt mixture over the entire bird and place in roasting pan. Sprinkle thyme evenly over top of chicken.
8. Place in oven and roast for one hour, turning pan 180 degrees only once halfway during roasting, for even browning.
9. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before dissecting to serve.




Lentil Stew with Spinach

2 cups brown lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
3 whole tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 mild green chilies, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cooking wine
1 cup frozen or 2 cups fresh spinach
handful of fresh parsley

1. Wash and cook lentils in pressure cooker for 5 to 10 minutes until soft but still holds its structure. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In large saute pan on medium heat add olive oil. To hot olive oil add chopped onion, garlic and chilies. Cook for 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
3. Add tomatoes to pan and cook for a further 3 minutes.
3. Add cooked lentils and cooking wine. Mix well and simmer on medium low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add spinach and cook for another minute or two until fresh spinach has wilted or frozen spinach is thoroughly mixed throughout peas.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving.