Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Fig, Arugula and Prosciutto

The Goat Cheese, Fig, Arugula, and Prosciutto Tapas made me think of  three of my favorite recipes: Pollo Rellano, Chicken Stuffed with Spinach, Goat Cheese and Mushrooms, and  Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with Red Chili Mole, and the possibility of a fourth favorite in this category.  Tried this stuffed chicken breast variation and was not disappointed. The first two favorites are panko/breadcrumb covered and baked while the third is pan fried.  The first few times I made this recipe I dipped the chicken in egg then bread crumbs and baked. Excellent. Now one of "four favorites".

Then I was looking for a recipe for a "hearty lunch". First recipe that came to mind was Seafood Gumbo, but I'd already served this to the intended guests. Why not pan fry (we use cast iron skillet on grille), slice and serve on a large platter on a bed of arugula along with crusty bread - sort of a chicken sandwich on steroids. Very well received. Recipe is for 2 - 3 (if larger breast and sliced), scale accordingly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut a pocket the whole length of 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (~6 to 8 oz each)

Fold open the chicken and place in order, using the prosciutto to cover any holes in the chicken and then fold prosciutto before closing the breasts to help keep the cheese in place:

1 oz goat cheese
1 T fig jam (I like Trader Joe's Fig Butter)
1 piece prosciutto 
Several leaves of arugula 

Fold the top of each breast over the filling and secure closure with toothpick if necessary.

Whisk in a small bowl: 1 egg  (I have on occasion used 1/4 c or less "egg product"  - 1 egg will actually do 4-6 pieces -  but I think in this case using the real egg is better.)

Dip each piece of chicken in the egg then coat by dipping in

Bread crumbs or panko

Place on oiled baking sheet and lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes (for a medium sized breast) until the chicken is cooked through and opaque (~160 degrees F) and the bread crumbs are browned.  Serve whole, or, particularly if larger breasts are used, slice crosswise into 3/4 - 1 inch wide pieces.

ALTERNATIVE:

Omit the egg/breadcrumb process and

In a skillet large enough to accommodate both/all the chicken breasts heat: 

2 T olive oil

When oil is hot,  place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook approximately 6 minutes on a side (longer if breast pieces are more than 6 oz each) until both sides are browned and chicken is cooked through (and temperature is ~160 degrees F). 

Turkey/Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

This red, white and green dish is perfect for the Christmas season.  I must admit I had not planned it that way. Turns out I had a lot of leftover turkey and it was pretty dry. First I made a big batch of turkey soup, then what?  I thought of two of my favorite recipes Butternut Squash Enchiladas and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with Red Chili Mole. Dinner was underway. Easy dinner for me because I had some mole sauce in the freezer.

NOTE: While a great way to use leftover turkey, this recipe would work equally well or better with chicken.

MAKE THE MOLE  (adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone; I adjusted ingredients based on availibility)

In a dry skillet toast:

1 1/2 t coriander seeds [I use 1 1/2 t ground coriander]
1 1/4 t anise seeds
1 1/4 t cumin
1 1/4 t dried Mexican oregano*

Remove to a plate as soon as herbs smell fragarant.  In a 2 quart saucepan heat:

2 1/2 T vegetable oil [I use 1 T olive oil]

Add:

1 small onion, finely diced [I use 2-3 T of finely diced sweet onion]
1 t minced garlic [Madison adds garlic with the spices]

Cook stirring frequently for about 3 - 4 minutes until the onion is wilted and slightly browned, then add the ground spices and cook for one minute more.  Remove from the heat, let the pan cool for a minute, then stir in:

1/3 c ground mild [I use medium] red chili

Mix, then gradually add 1 1/2 c water.  Return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring slowly but constantly so that the chili doesn't burn.  It will thicken as it cooks; add an additional 1/4 c water to thin it out if necessary.

Add and stir until it is melted:

1 oz Mexican chocolate. such as Ibarra, coarsley chopped [I use 1 oz unsweetened chocolate plus 1/2 t ground cinnamon or 3 T baking cocoa plus 1/2 t ground cinnamon].

Simmer for 10 minutes then stir in: 

1 t sherry vinegar.

Mole recipe makes about 2 cups, If not all used, it can be frozen for future use.

MAKE THE ENCHILADAS  (Serves two, scale accordingly)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Then finely chop:

1/2 c (or more to go heavy on veggies or omit, extra step and not key to dish ) butternut squash (carrots would work too)

1/4 large sweet onion

6 oz cooked turkey (or chicken)

several sprigs of fresh cliantro*

Toss the squash cubes in olive oil and bake  for about 10 minutes until tender.  Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

Assemble the enchiladas:

Microwave on high for 30 seconds, two at a time

4 corn tortillas

Place two tortillas on two ovenproof plates that have been lightly greased with olive oil. Spread mole sauce on each tortilla, then 1/4 of the cubed turkey, 1/4 of the chopped onion, and 1/4 of the cubed squash. Roll the tortillas, then turn them 180 degrees so that the seam where the edges of the tortilla meet is on the bottom

Top with more mole sauce and

1 1/2 - 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese, divided 4 ways.

Bake in 350 degree F oven for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with

chopped cilantro

Optional garnishes include:

Avocado, silced thin, divided two ways, chopped cilantro

Arugula or other greens that are good warm.

* I keep chopped cilantro in the freezer.  The frozen cilantro sprinkled directly on the enchiladas (shown in photo) also works well.

Thanksgiving Turkey

As of Thanksgiving 2016, I could count on one hand the number of turkeys I had cooked, the last one in 2008 and the one before that a very long time ago.  I've done Almonds, Cranberry Ice, and Creamed Onions most every year, an occasional Pumpkin or Pecan Pie (Chris and Alex now do the pies!) but seldom a turkey.

When I was a small child and we had Thanksgiving dinner as the noon meal, I heard my Mom say she had to get up really early to "dress the turkey".  Helpful child that I was, I got up even earlier and somehow managed to get the turkey out of the refrigerator (no cryovac bags in thoses days - Mom had already spent hours removing all the pinfeathers), and carefully "dressed" it with Kleenex. Last year's (2016) attempt was only a little more successful.  I got a rather large turkey, about 18 pounds I think, and used a recipe, How to Cook a Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey I found in the Boston Globe.  Think the failure was not caused by the recipe but (1) cooking the turkey closer to 180 degrees at the inner thigh, as I do with roast chicken, and perhaps buying too big a bird.  Ihe gravy makers objected to the lemons, put per recipe in the water under the turkey.  Think fresh herbs were a waste, as they did not stick as well as dried herbes d' Provence. Herbs were the least of the problem though as the white meat was very dry. Lessons learned: Do not wash turkey. Turkey is done at 165 not 180.  Don't mess to much with the "gravy base".

Soon after this turkey disaster I saw a recipe in the New York Times, How to Roast a Turkey. I filed it forThanaksgiving 2017.  When I was debating what size turkey to get that year Chris responded, I don't care about the size just don't have it dry like last year.  This sent me to an on-line search as to what causes roast turkey to be dry.  I found many references to size.  Apparently the larger the turkey, the harder to cook well, especially without a wet brine.  Many sources suggest cooking two 10 or 12 pound turkeys rather than one 20 to  24 pound bird. I then returned to Melissa Clark's NYT recipe, again front page and center in the New York Times.  Interestingly her recipe is for a 10 to 12 pound turkey and she uses a dry brine. I basically used this technique, leaving out some things (lemon zest, lemon quarters, cider and wine so as not to impact the gravy) and doing my own herb blend.

Tuesday night before Thanksgiving:
Remove giblets from the cavity and neck.  Dry (but don't first wash) the turkey with paper towels. Then rub the turkey all over with

1/2 t kosher salt per pound of turkey (rub over and leave on turkey)

fresh thyme/rosemary/sage (I'd almost say optional if turkey is going to be served without skin)
8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

Put turkey with herbs and garlic  in a 2-gallon zip-lock bag. Seal, put in second plastic bag, and place on a rimmed baking sheet in the refrigerator. Turn bird over every 12 hours.

Thanksgiving morning:
Remove turkey from zip-lock bag and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Return to the refrigerator, uncovered on the baking sheet, for at least 4 and up to 12 hours. This helps to crisp it. Again maybe not so important if not planning to eat skin.

Remove turkey from refrigerator one hour before cooking.

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Fill a large roasting pan with 1/4 inch of water (1/4 inch! I used too much this time and gravy had to be reduced for a longer than usual time) add

1 onion peeled and quartered

Stuff the dry turkey cavity with

1 onion peeled and quartered and brush the skin (top and bottom) generously with

Olive oil

Tie legs together with twine.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack inside the roasting pan.  Roast for 30 minutes then cover the turkey with aluminum foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until as instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F. About 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.  Transfer the turkey to a platter and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.

THERMOMETER Lesson learned: Have an accurate, calibrated thermometer.  Chris once pointed out to me that it is ironic that we pay more for the meat we are cooking (each time) than for the thermometer (one time).  The remote thermometer I used seemed to calibrate well in boiling water but must not have been positioned correctly as it read 165 degrees F after a little less than 2 hours total cooking. I took the foil off and checked with an instant read thermometer and the bird still had 10 degrees to go in spots and the Bell and Evans pop-up thermometer had not popped. After opening (and cooling) the oven for several temperature checks I ended up cooking the bird 30 minutes at 450 degrees F and 2 hours and 45 minutes at 350 degrees F (or less as oven cooled with each opening.  The built-in thermometer had not popped when I removed the turkey from the oven but did in the half hour while the turkey was resting.  I think next year if I get a 12 pound turkey, I will plan on 1/2 hour at 450 degrees F and 2 hours at 350 degrees F  My day was made with Chris messaged me he was safely home and then, when I thanked him for the pecan and apples pies he brought he replied, "Thanks for the turkey. You cooked it perfectly!"

Chicken (Ginger) Rice

This recipe was given to me by Dan ("for your blog") who along with Alex had variations of Chicken Rice during a trip to Vietnam a few years ago.  I did the prep for Dan and Alex a couple of times in Oregon but last night was the first time I made this myself.  It is going to become a frequent dinner.  When Dan gave me the recipe, he listed ingredients but not quantities. At first I thought that strange but as I made the Chicken Rice I found that unlike a cake or other recipe that requires exact measurement, this is a recipe very much to taste.. hotter, not so hot; sweeter, not so sweet; heavy on the ginger, light on the ginger.

Since Dan, Alex and I all go heavy on the ginger, I have added ginger to make the title more descriptive.  I have given the quantities I used, but vary according to personal tastes and the hotness of the peppers used.

Dan's recipe (the "traditional" version) Calls for chicken thighs to be boiled until done, set aside to cool and then soaked in ice water for one minute. The stock is reserved for the rice.  For a less fatty version, Dan bakes and Ed  grills chicken breasts.

Ingredients list [for 2 with leftover rice]

Chicken thighs for 4 [8 oz breast, 2 c chicken stock]
White rice [1 c jasmine]
Ginger [I used ~1.8 oz  - a little less than one-half of the whole ginger shown; 1- 1.5 oz would have been plenty]
Onion [4 oz]
Peppers [2 oz]
Vinegar [4 T rice vinegar]
Sugar [2 T]
[Soy sauce]

Finely chop the ginger, onions and peppers (ginger may be grated). [Put the vinegar and sugar in a small sauce pan and boil until sugar is dissolved]. Put rice, chicken stock, 2 T ginger and onion in rice cooker (or covered pan) and cook according to rice instructions. While rice is cooking bake or grill the chicken.

Mix peppers,vinegar and a surprisingly large amount of sugar in a ramekin, maybe some reserved stock. All to taste.  Serve chicken sliced into strips on top of rice. Use soy sauce [I added extra ginger] and pepper sauce for dipping.  [Just so Ed would "have more color on his plate" and a "salad", I garnished with grilled scallions, and a little bit of watercress and kale.  This dish, however, stands very well on its own and the peppers do add the requisite color.]

Yumm!  Thanks Dan and Alex!

Reviewed 5/13/17

Green Curry / Green Curry Paste

Though some may consider it "quaint", I still use the library, especially for cookbooks.  I had waited quite a while for Terry Romero's Vegan Eats World.  When I went to pick it up, the librarian said, "This book looks really good."  I replied it would probably be good, but I would still probably be disappointed as in my experience subsequent cookbooks are rarely as good as the author's first. Wrong. This is one of the few cookbooks I have borrowed from the library that I actually purchased.


The first recipe I tried, still trying to re-create Phat Thai's green curry, was "It's Easy Being Green Curry".  It has a lot of ingredients but the author notes, "The curry paste can be made days ahead, even frozen, making this a relatively fast weeknight meal."* This recipe, like Chicken Curry (Devaka), is a made-from-scratch, not "curry-powder-curry".   In the recipe below,  loosely adapted from Romero's, I took some short cuts. I used prepared ground coriander and cumin seeds, rather than toasting and grinding the seeds myself. I used powdered galangal root, rather than the 1/2-inch-wide piece called for (though optional) and prepared lemon grass. I did not have Thai or Serrano chili so I used a jalapeno and 2 scallions instead of shallots.  Finally, since I had returned the book to the library and my copy has not yet arrived, I did not have Romero's recipe for Savory Baked Tofu, so not being a strict vegan substituted chicken. Because I used chicken breast instead of dark meat as used in Deveka's Curry, I overcooked the chicken, but the sauce itself was excellent. I've since made this with dark meat with excellent results. Looking forward to trying with tofu.**

THE PASTE

Combine in a food processor:

2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t ground pepper
1 c lightly packed cilantro sprigs with stems
Green chili to taste, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped in half

4 t prepared lemon grass (dried) or 1 stalk fresh, outer leaves removed and chopped

1/2 t galangal root (ground/powder)
1-inch peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
1/2 t sea salt

Pulse into a smooth thick paste, using spatula to frequently scrape the sides of the bowl.

THE SAUCE

In a 2 quart pot or wok, over medium heat, melt

2 t coconut or vegetable oil

Add the curry paste and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add and stir-fry for 2 minutes:

1/2 recipe Savory Baked Tofu or 8 oz purchased baked or fried tofu sliced into 1/4 inch strips (photo with 8 oz chicken breast - if using chicken, use skinless boneless second joints)
 .

Stir in:

1 14-oz can coconut milk (I use light)
1 1/2 c mild vegetable broth or water (I omitted first time but have since added 3/4 c chicken/vegetable stock)
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 T lime juice
2 t brown sugar
1 T Thai thin soy sauce


Increase heat to medium-high, simmer for 5 minutes then reduce heat to medium low.

Add:

1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into 1/2-strip slices (omitted in photo at left)

2 small slender zucchini ***  (I used 2 medium-small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced)

1/2 c lightly packed Thai basil leaves - yum, from my garden!

Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender but still have a bit of firmness to them.  Serve with rice.

*   Page 146

** December 2013 made with Savory Baked Tofu:

*** Romero also suggests as alternative to zucchini, 6 Thai apple eggplants, stems removed and sliced into quarters.  If using Thai eggplant, add to the curry just two minutes before curry is done (or sooner - see below).

January 2015:  Found some Thai eggplant at the new Market Basket near us.  Either I sliced the eggplant too thick (photo left) or the eggplant was tougher and/or bigger than the kind Ms. Romero uses.  I added it late as directed but found I needed to cook it  almost long as zucchini of copmparable thickness.

Reviewed 7/11/2017

Browning

When I posted the Veal Stew/Paprikash recipe in January 2011,  I began to think about browning and whether or not to dredge the meat in flour before browning.  Julia Child's seminal recipe for Boeuf a la Bourguignonne  does not dredge the raw beef in flour. Before sauteing in hot oil and bacon fat, it instructs, "dry the beef in paper towels;  it will not brown if it is damp."* After the beef is browned, it instructs, "Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle portion of preheated [450 degrees F] oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.)"**

However, recipes in some of my other favorite cookbooks call for dredging the meat in flour before frying, as the Veal Marsala recipe in Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins The New Basics Cookbook. Wondering if one method is preferable, I consulted Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking. He has excellent sections on Carmelization (simplest browning reaction is the carmelization of sugar which occurs at 330 degrees F and above) and The Maillard Reactions ("Even more fortunate and complex are the reactions responsible for the cooked color and flavor of bread crusts, chocolate, coffee beans, dark beers and roasted meats, all foods that are not primarily sugar."*** These reactions occur at 250 degrees F and above.  Given the high temperatures required for browning, McGee points out the browning must be done with dry cooking methods using oil rather than water which will never exceed 212 degrees F.  He concludes this section by stating:

"...one key to a rich-tasting stew is to brown the meat, vegetables and flour quite well by frying them before adding any liquid.  On the other hand, if you want to emphasize the intrinsic flavors of the foods, avoid high temperatures that create the intense but less individualized browning flavors."****

However, he offers no opinion of how to brown these ingredients.  This advice comes later in Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes where McGee writes, " Dry food surfaces, or coat in flour or breading to minimize spatter and sticking and speed browning.  Coatings prevent the food surface itself from browning, but add crunch and flavor."*****
As evidenced in the variation in of some of my favorite recipes, either browning well dried meat or flour coated meat works, producing subtle differences.  I have noticed that browned flour, which I use to make Enchilada Sauce has a much more interesting flavor than  plain white flour.  For recipes which call for browning meat, dried of excess surface moisture, first and then adding flour, I would consider either using Ms. Child's two step browning:  first meat, then flour with meat or where that is not feasible, browning the flour separately. I brown  flour by heating it in a dry pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to turn brown. Browned flour can be made in batches and stored for several months.

In his Section on Frying, Pan Roasting and Sauteing, McGee offers another piece of very useful advice: "Preheat the pan alone to 400 to 450 degrees F/200 to 230 degrees C, then add fat or oil.  Oil heated up along with the pan is more likely to get gummy and cause sticking."******  For this type of preheating it is best not to use a nonstick pan.  When following these instructions (photo at top) I do find there is much less sticking to the pan.

*  Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition), page 316
**  Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition), page 316
***  On Food and Cooking, page 778
****  On Food and Cooking  page 779
*****  Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes, page 90
******  Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes, page 260

Reviewed 9/222017

Ginger Lime Mahi-mahi with Pea Tendrils

This recipe first came together after I purchased some Pea Tendrils and then found that mahi-mahi was on special.  Although I've eaten mahi-mahi on several occasions, most often coated with macademia nuts, I have never cooked it.  Wanting the fish to work with the pea tendrils, I though of my Tuna Steaks with Wasabi Butter recipe and modified it accordingly.

Serves 2

Marinate for ~1/2 hour

~2/3 pound piece of mahi mahi
in
2 T lime juice
1 t tamari/soy sauce
1 t sesame seed oil
1 t grated fresh ginger

Spread ginger and return liquid to top of fish frequently.

Grill fish on aluminum foil over medium heat for approximately 12 minutes or until mahi-mahi is white (check with a knife between the flakes). Just before the fish is cooked, in a small wok heat:

1 t sesame seed oil  then add
2-4* ounces pea tendrils (any tough stems removed)

Cook, stirring a minute or two just until the leaves are coated with oil and slightly wilted.  Remove immediately and divide between two plates.

Cut fish in half, remove from foil (skin should stick to and remain on foil) and place a piece of fish on top of the pea tendrils on each plate.

Served with asparagus this makes a wonderful spring meal.

* Use ~2 or ~4 ounces total depending on fondness for pea tendrils, other components of the meal and desired plating effect.  ~2 ounces of pea tendrils per person is shown in photo at top of page; ~ 1 ounce per person in photo at left and in photo below.

VARIATION: GINGER LIME CHICKEN

Follow directions given above but use 1 chicken breast per person (or if breast is large, 1 breast and slice after cooking).

VARIATION: GINGER LIME SALMON

Substitute wild salmon for mahi mahi.




Reviewed 5/22/2017

Green Chopsticks Potstickers

Fast food! Starting from scratch is seldom the easiest method and, for me at least, sometimes not the best.  A few months ago Costco had a promotion with samples of Green Chopsticks Potstickers and dumplings.  I liked both the chicken and pork  but decided to buy  2 bags of the chicken potstickers as they were much lower in fat* than the pork ones.  I choose the potstickers over the dumplings as I preferred their filling to dough ratio.

I have made potstickers and dumplings in the past but from a traditional recipe.  The ingredients in the filling of the Green Chopsticks potstickers are an imaginative combination of chicken breast, tofu, onion, sweet potato noodle, green cabbage, green onion, leek, shitake mushroom, oyster sauce, evaporated cane juice, soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Nom! The potstickers contain no msg or preservatives and the chicken is noted to be hormone and antibiotic free. The dough is thin and delicate, unlike the heavier, tougher dough found in varying degrees in most other packaged potstickers or for that matter restaurant potstickers.

The package gives three cooking options: boiling, frying or microwaving.  I use a combination of two, first microwaving on high for 2 minutes per 6 -7 potstickers and then frying the potstickers in peanut oil. I use a flat bottom frying pan large enough to hold all of the potstickers, flat in one layer and heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. As the oil is heating I sometimes add scallions (see below for preparation) and then when the oil is hot add the potstickers.   Perhaps because the dough is thin and less sticky these are not pot stickers; in fact just gently shaking the pan will cause the potstickers to slide back and forth.  When the potstickers are lightly browned (about 3-5 minutes), remove them from the pan and use a paper towel to remove excess oil.  Serve with dipping sauce.

[UPDATE:  Right after I posted this, I called one of the larger Whole Foods in Massachusetts to check on availability as my supply is running low, and I could not find them in our local Whole Foods or Costco. When I found they were not available there either, I called  Green Chopsticks, which is located in California. I was told their products are "in the process of being introduced on the East Coast"  :-(    So references to availability at Costco and Whole Foods in the last paragraph in the above link do not currently apply in many regions.  Hopefully soon.  Stay tuned.]

DIPPING SAUCE
Although this too can be purchased ready made (bottle of one of my favorite dipping sauces at far left in photo), I usually make my own version.

Mix:
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c rice vinegar (I buy the Marukan sodium free, sugar free)
1/2 - 1 t red pepper flakes, to taste
1 t sugar
1/4 c scallions, thinly sliced
1 t ginger, grated

Sometimes, especially if I am going to save some of the sauce, I combine the first 4 ingredients and then add the grated ginger and scallions to the individual dipping dishes.

PREPARING THE SCALLIONS
Wash and remove the roots of the scallions (~2 scallions per person).  Thinly slice some of the green end and reserve for the dipping sauce. If the scallions are small, slice greens in rings; if larger cut in strips then slice.  Cut the rest of the scallion in half lengthwise and then in half crosswise close enough to the white end so that the pieces in each half remained joined. Dry the scallions before frying.  Even dried, the scallions contain enough moisture to cause a great deal of spattering of the hot oil.  I think they are tasty enough to warrant the mess.

* 1.5 g/100g or 4 potstickers - no saturated or trans fat

Reviewed 5/15/17

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with Red Chili Mole

Itzocan Knock-Off

First a digression - skip straight to the recipe if you wish.

Ed and I first ate at Itzocan (now closed) in the East Village shortly after Christopher moved to New York in 2005.  We have returned to this small restaurant (only 16 seats) several times since to enjoy their innovative offerings --- Oaxaca Mexican with a French influence.  When we went there last month as an appetizer I had their "SWEET Corn Huitlacoche Mushrooms Souffle Cake w/Truffle Oil" for an appetizer. Awesome, probably with a high cream content, and  nothing I am going to easily duplicate.   For a main dish I had one of my favorites, a menu constant, "PAN ROASTED STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST with goat cheese, vegetables and red mole sauce".   I was ready to try to do this myself; the problem was finding a good red mole recipe.

VARIATION 

Then a few weeks ago Ed and I went to dinner at friends - the food always vegetarian, and always excellent.  As an added bonus I was introduced to a new cookbook/author.  The main course was Chickpeas with Potatoes and Tomatoes based on a recipe in Deborah Madison's cook book, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  I promptly checked this book as well as Madison's The Greens Cook Book out of the library.  And one of the first recipes that caught my eye was a Red Chili Mole recipe - not an elaborate Mole Poblano which contains about twenty ingredients, is the the centerpiece of Mexican Christmas and wedding meals, and often called the national dish of Mexico, but a simple red chili sauce (mole).  Ms. Madison uses this sauce for Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Corn. With this recipe in hand I was ready to give my Itzocan favorite a try.


Mole recipe makes about 2 cups, enough for 6 servings. If not all used, it can be frozen for future use. Recipe for chicken and veggies serves two.

MAKE THE MOLE:*  (adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone; I adjusted ingredients based on availibility)

In a dry skillet toast:

1 1/2 t coriander seeds [I use 1 1/2 t ground coriander]
1 1/4 t anise seeds
1 1/4 t cumin
1 1/4 t dried Mexican oregano**

Remove to a plate as soon as herbs smell fragarant.  In a 2 quart saucepan heat:


2 1/2 T vegetable oil [I use 1 T olive oil]

Add:

1 small onion, finely diced ]I use 2-3 T of finely diced sweet onion]
1 t minced garlic [Madison adds garlic with the spices]

Cook stirring frequently for about 3 - 4 minutes until the onion is wilted and slightly browned, then add the ground spices and cook for one minute more.  Remove from the heat, let the pan cool for a minute, then stir in:

1/3 c ground mild [I use medium] red chili

Mix then gradually add 1 1/2 c water.  Return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring slowly but constantly so that the chili doesn't burn.  It will thicken as it cooks; add an additional 1/4 c water to thin it out if necessary.

Add and stir until it is melted:

1 oz Mexican chocolate***, such as Ibarra, coarsley chopped [I use 1 oz unsweetened chocolate plus 1/2 t ground cinnamon or 3 T baking cocoa plus 1/2 t ground cinnamon].

Simmer for 10 minutes then stir in: 

1 t sherry vinegar

PREPARE AND COOK THE CHICKEN:

Separate, if necessary:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ~3/4 # total

then slice lengthwise down the middle, almost but not completely through, to form a large pocket

Place the chicken on a washable plate, plastic cutting board or wax paper and open each piece so the two sides lie flat. Place:

 ~1/2 - 1 oz of goat cheese (total of 1 - 2 oz/2, more is better but more cholesterol; I use goat cheese with herbs)

along the full length of each chicken breast, then fold the breast over so it appears as it did before the cutting.

In a skillet large enough to accommodate both/all the chicken breasts heat: 

2 T olive oil

When oil is hot,  place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook approximately 6 minutes on a side (longer if breast pieces are more than 3/8 # each) until both sides are browned and chicken is cooked through (and temperature is ~160 degrees F). 

MAKE THE VEGGIES: (optional)

While the chicken is cooking, in a separate skillet  sautee:

2 t olive oil

seasonal vegetables; Itzocan's veggies included carrots, onions and zucchini - great when zucchini is in season; when I have made this it was not and of poor quality and expensive so I used:

1 carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
1 parsnip, thinly sliced, crosswise
large sweet onion, 3 large crosswise rings, thinly sliced and quartered
(corn in season or frozen kernels would be a good addition too)

Cook until vegetables are tender, then add:

2 t cilantro, finely chopped

ASSEMBLE DISH:

Originally I served as shown in top photo:
Place one serving of veggies on each plate, top with a chicken breast, and put ~ 3 T mole beside the chicken.

Now I serve as shown in photo at left:

Put the veggies beside the chicken and the sauce on the chicken.

Garnish plates with cilantro and serve with extra mole on the side.

VARIATIONS:  I have also served this without the veggies, most recently with a Mushroom - Arugula Salad. Also, especially if the chicken breasts are very large, they can be sliced crosswise into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces.

*QUICK & EASY MOLE: (half recipe)

Saute in

2 t olive oil

1 t garlic, minced

1 T onion, finely chopped

When lightly browned add:

1 t ground corriander

1 t cumin

1/6 c chili powder

1 T cocoa

1/4 t cinnamon  

Mix until well blended, then add:

3/4 c cold water

Simmer for about ten minutes, stirring until all ingredients are well blended.                                           

** Mexican Oregano:

It would appear these are not the same herb although some sources say Mediterranean oregano may be substituted for Mexican oregano though the quantity reduced since Mexican oregano is more subtle.  Frankly, given the hotness of the chili I used, I'm not sure my substitution made any difference. I've since found Mexican oregano is available in the dried Mexican chili section in Whole Food Markets

From Cook's Thesaurus: "oregano = wild marjoram = pot marjoram  Pronunciation:  uh-REG-uh-no  Equivalents: 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried  Notes:   Oregano is a popular herb in Mediterranean countries, where it's often used to season tomato sauces, meat dishes, and pizzas.  Mexican oregano has a mintier taste than ordinary oregano."    

*** Mexican Chocolate:

From Cook's Thesaurus: Mexican chocolate = Mexican style sweet chocolate
Equivalents:  1 tablet = 3.1 ounces Notes:  This grainy chocolate is flavored with sugar, almonds, and cinnamon, and used to make hot chocolate and mole sauce. You can buy boxes containing large tablets of this in the Mexican foods aisle of larger supermarkets.  Ibarra is a well-respected brand.   Substitutes:  1 ounce = 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate + 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon OR  (in mole sauces) cocoa powder (Substitute one tablespoon cocoa powder for every ounce of Mexican chocolate called for in the recipe.)

I do not understand the cocoa powder substitution above.  Typically 1 oz chocolate = 3T cocoa powder plus 1 T oil .  I have made the mole both ways: using 3 T baking cocoa (with no additional oil) and 1 oz bittersweet chocolate with pretty much the same results.

Reviewed 5/13/2017
Revised 1/30/2019 spelling corrections

Revised 12/28/2024 added photo with comment

Revised 1/4/2025 added Quick and Easy Mole

Chicken Biar

Roberto Medoro, the owner/chef of Mas Fontanelles, a delightful "Hotel Rural - Restaurante"  in Biar, Spain was kind enough to share the recipe for a dish he had cooked for Ed and me the previous night.  While he carefully explained the proceedure, he apologized that he did not measure the ingredients, just did it by eye. Since I often cook this way (and have had to make a point of measuring when checking out recipes for this blog), I can appreciate his approach.  To date I have made this by  "by eye" so offer photos but no exact measurements. While Ed and I have enjoyed this rendition, neither of my attempts have met the bar set by Mas Fontanelles in either taste or presentation. Perhaps it is a combination of my reluctance to use butter,  the size of the chicken pieces I have used,  not exactly hitting the magic combination of the "mixture", or no doubt the exaggerated memory of a perfect evening.

Make a very thin omelette using 1/2 an egg in a standard size omelette pan.

[Bone, skin and trim the excess fat]
3 small/2 medium second joints per person

Slice open so they are still in one piece but lie flat and stuff with:

Omelette, thin slice
Ham [Iberian/Prosciutto]
"A mixture" of: anchoives, garlic, tyme. pepper, tapenade  [I used Whole Foods black olive tapenade]
Fresh sage

Roll each chicken piece and secure with small wooden skewers [toothpicks]

In a skillet large enough to accommodate all of the chicken, heat to cover bottom

Butter [olive oil]

Sautee until chicken is nicely browned on the bottom, then turn chicken and brown opposite side. Add:

Dry white wine [I used about 1/3 c for 9 pieces of chicken]

While chicken is cooking prepare:

1 carrot per person, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1-2 thinly sliced rings of onion per person [last night since I had no onion 1 used 1 thinly sliced shallot for 2]

Saute in a separate pan; cooking the chicken and the carrots separately makes it much easier to get each cooked to perfection, with [a small amount of]:

Butter [olive oil]

Cook until the onion is wilted and the carrots are just barely soft. [Do not overcook and if it appears carrots will be ready before chicken turn off heat under pan before carotts are fully cooked].

When the chicken is cooked through, place on individual plates and top with the onions and carrots.

At Mas Fontanelles the chicken was served with fresh grilled asparagus.

VARIATION:  Mr. Medoro said he constantly varies the stuffing "mixture", using different kinds of olives (black, green or both), sometimes adding sun-dried tomatoes (which have been boiled for one minute).

January 2012: VARIATION (photo left): While this is really best with second joints, I also make this with boneless chicken breasts (much less fatty than second joints) and when my herb garden is bountiful, throw a few extra sprigs of sage into the sautee.

Reviewed 5/13/17