Chicken Chili Bean Stew

Warm the soul with a hearty chili soup. Beans, barley and cabbage add texture and interest to this chicken chili dish.

1 sweet onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

4 boneless chicken thighs, diced
1/8 lb apple smoked bacon, diced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Chili spice mix:
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp (favorite) chili powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp flour

1 can pinto beans with chili sauce
1 can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 quart chicken broth
1/4 cup pearl barley

1 potato, peeled and diced
1-1/2 cups chopped cabbage

Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a dash of olive oil in a soup pot.

Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the veggies have softened and developed a sweeter flavor. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Add the bacon and chicken to the pot and cook down until the chicken is cooked through and the bacon begins to brown. Remove most of the bacon fat. Stir in the red pepper flakes.

Mix together the chili spice mix and toss in with the bacon mixture and cook 1-2 minutes.

Now add the beans, broth and barley to the soup pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, stir and cover the chili. Allow to simmer for about 30-45 minutes, stirring every so often, until barley is cooked through and chili thickens.

Add the potato and cabbage and more water if needed. Cook another 15 minutes or so until the potato is cooked through.

Serves 4-6.

Comments

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs. Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have. Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade. Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375F.

Scrambled Benedict

This is the ultimate Sunday brunch item. Don't be intimidated about making a Hollandaise sauce - it is so much easier and quicker than you may think. And it is oh, so luscious over eggs. You can poach your eggs or fry them; whatever you prefer. My favorite is poached, but others in the family like scrambled better, so I scrambled. Happy brunching. Hollandaise Sauce: 2 egg yokes, in a small bowl 1/2 cup butter, just melted in microwave 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp salt ~1 Tbsp lukewarm water 2 English muffins 2 remaining egg whites 3 eggs 1 Tbsp cream dash dried dill Set up a double boiler (I use a medium pot with a metal bowl on top), and bring 2 cups water to the boil. Reduce heat to low. In the yet unheated double boiler top bowl, whisk together the butter, lemon juice, mustard and salt. Warm over double boiler. Whisk the egg yokes together. Slowly whisk the yokes into the warmed butter mixture, drizzling the yokes in slowly. Whisk continuously. If the

Coconut Rice Noodles with Eggplant

Noodle bowls are always a welcome dish for a wholesome dinner meal after an outing like grooming roses with your Park friends. Or whatever you've been doing in the afternoon. This will satisfy an appetite after a good day's work, with hearty eggplant, satisfying noodles and a cozy broth of coconut and tomatoes. Garnish with basil or mint. 1/2 lb dried wide rice noodles 2 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp salted butter 1 medium onion, sliced kernels from 1 fresh corn stalk, or 1/2 cup frozen 3/4 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4-inch fresh ginger, minced 1 tsp favorite curry powder 1 can whole coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s) 2 cups chicken (or veggie broth) - I used home-made stock 1 dozen grape tomatoes, halved Set a medium pot of water to boil for the noodles. Simmer according to package directions until just before cooked. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes on

Cuisine Eric

Search This Blog