Dinner: Wilted Kale and Asian Chicken

Deciding what to cook day in and out can be a chore but I have decided to really let the spices do the talking.  Simple meals with lots of flavor are what I am trying to make now.  Quick, easy with lots of flavor.  Today I will be making this exact meal except for the meat.  Pictured here is shark steak seasoned with Asian spices.  Today I am making it with baked, Asian chicken instead. 

My most favorite thing on this plate is the wilted kale.  I use the same recipe whether it is for kale or chard.  It always turns out great and my child loves it!  She even asks for seconds when it comes to the vegetables. 

To make wilted greens all I do is first sauté onions and sweet peppers until they begin to sweat. I use either olive or coconut oil.  Then I put in the greens and strip as needed until they are wilted and they shrink down.  It is amazing how a large bag wilts down to just a few cups.  If there are a lot of stems which sometimes occurs with the plastic bags of kale, I may even add about 1/2 of water and let them simmer for about 15 minutes until they get tender.  I do let the water all simmer away because I want the wilted flavor of the greens to be there.  About 25 minutes later, a great wilted green dish. 

The rice is the jade pearl rice.  It is green because it is infused with bamboo juice.  So, the rice, wilted greens and Asian chicken....it's what's for dinner today! Happy eating!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~

Cravings

I am having cravings today for chicken liver, of all things. Why? I am not sure. I was thinking back to the best chicken liver I ever had and it was at a small deli downtown. Chopped chicken liver was on the menu and it was out of this world! That deli closed many years ago and I have not had anything that tastes like it since.

Maybe about once a year I will buy chicken livers from the store and sautee them with onions. Good! That is about all I need to get my chicken liver fix. I think it had been over a year since I have had any chicken livers. I will have to get some this weekend!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~

Mayan Chicken Fricassee

My lunch today is something really good. I will be having Mayan Chicken Fricassee or Pollo en Pepian Dulce. It is good. I cooked it about a month ago and the recipe makes quite a bit. I froze some for later and last night I remembered it was in the freezer. Here is the recipe. It is easy and with the rasins and nuts, it is a different taste sensation. It is very good. Try it out. You will enjoy it!

MAYAN CHICKEN FRICASSEE
(Pollo en Pepian Dulce)Mexican

3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 cups chicken stock,
about 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup pepitas (Mexican pumpkin seeds)
3 red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 5 canned pimientos, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1/4 cup Seville (bitter) orange juice, or use two-thirds orange juice and one-third lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
salt, freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup seedless raisins
butter
1/4 cup chopped almonds

Put the chicken pieces into a heavy casserole, pour in the stock, adding a little more to cover, if necessary. Cover and simmer until almost tender, about 30 minutes. In a blender or food processor grind the sesame and pumpkin seeds as fine as possible and shake through a sieve. Set aside. Put the peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender or food processor and reduce to a coarse puree. Mix the puree with the ground sesame and pumpkin seeds.

Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a skillet, add the puree, and cook, over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Drain the chicken, reserve the stock, and return the chicken to the casserole. Add to the puree 1 cup of the stock, the Seville (bitter) orange juice, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix, and pour over the chicken. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is tender, about 15 minutes. Add a little more stock if necessary. The sauce should be thick. Soak the raisins in cold water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Heat a little butter in a skillet and saute the almonds until they are golden. Drain. Transfer the chicken and sauce to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the raisins and almonds. Serve over white rice. Servings 6

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.
~~Unknown~~