Confessions of a Foodie

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Friday, July 6, 2018

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. And, if you were lucky, with the 4th of July being this past Wednesday, you may have had basically two two-day work weeks. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Lemon Chicken Tarragon and Sloppy Joes. Enjoy!

ENCHILADAS CON CARNE

This is from Sam Sifton, founding editor of New York Times Cooking. Sam wrote, “There are a few cool tricks to this recipe, one of which I picked up from an old issue of Bon Appétit, one I learned from Robb Walsh, the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur who runs El Real Tex-Mex in Houston, and a final one I learned by happenstance. First, for the thickening agent in the chile sauce, toast raw all-purpose flour in a pan until it is nutty and golden brown, then reserve it to stir in with the browned beef later in the recipe. Second, if you like truly melty cheese in the classic Tex-Mex tradition, use a mixture of American cheese, like Velveeta, with the Cheddar you use inside and on top of the finished enchiladas. Finally, if you’re fearful that a casserole of cheese, chili and fried tortillas may be a little rich for dinner, serve it with a bowl of tomatillo pineapple salsa on the side. The acidity provides a nice balance. (Note also that as with all recipes, but particularly this one, some planning and practice can get the preparation down to 60 minutes.)” (Note: You may have to sign up to see the above-mentioned salsa.)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time 1 1/2 hours

This was featured in “Enchiladas Are the Saucy, Cheesy Addition to Your Dinner Table,” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Chili Con Carne:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola

1 pound ground chuck beef, ideally 20 percent fat

Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 jalapeño pepper or more to taste, seeds removed if you want it less spicy, stemmed and chopped

1 cup chopped or canned crushed tomatoes

3 tablespoons chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican

2 cups chicken stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium if store-bought

For the Enchiladas:

1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola

12 yellow corn tortillas

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or a mixture of 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups American cheese, like Velveeta

1 medium-size white onion, peeled and chopped (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the chili con carne: Put flour in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden brown and smell nutty, then pour it onto a plate to cool.

Wipe out sauté pan and return it to high heat with 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot and shimmery, add ground beef to pan, and cook, breaking it up with a fork and stirring, until it is well browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to remove meat to a bowl, leaving drippings behind.

Add onion, garlic and jalapeño to pan and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits of meat, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomatoes and cook until their liquid has evaporated, then add chile powder, cumin and oregano and stir to combine. After a minute or so, when mixture begins to turn fragrant, return browned meat to pan, along with toasted flour, and stir well to combine.

Lower heat to medium-high and slowly stir in chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture has thickened and started to simmer. Lower heat again and allow chili to cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meat is tender. Add more stock or water if needed. Use immediately, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a few days.

When you are ready to cook the enchiladas, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat 1/2 cup neutral oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.

Assemble the enchiladas: Using a ladle, put about 1/2 cup chili in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of cheese into each tortilla, along with a tablespoon or so of chili, then place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle remaining chili over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped onions over the top, if using, and serve immediately.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS WITH CHILI GRAVY

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Here is a recipe adapted from one that the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur Robb Walsh serves at his El Real Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston. You can find similar ones served all over South Texas, often served with rice and refried beans. I think it’s an excellent side dish for a cookout of grilled chicken or pork, but you could also slide a few fried eggs over the top and call it breakfast, or don't and use vegetable stock or water, and call it a vegetarian supper. Make sure to leave some bare tortilla peeking out on each side of the gravy and cheese so it grows crackly and awesome.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “Enchiladas Are the Saucy, Cheesy Addition to Your Dinner Table”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Chili Gravy:

1/4 cup neutral oil, like canola, or use lard or chicken or beef fat

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican oregano

2 tablespoons chile powder

2 cups chicken broth, ideally homemade or low-sodium if store-bought

For the Enchiladas:

1/2 cup neutral oil, like canola

12 yellow corn tortillas

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or a mixture of 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese and 1 1/2 cups American cheese, like Velveeta

1 medium-size white onion, peeled and chopped

Preparation

Prepare the chili gravy: In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil or fat until it begins to shimmer. Whisk in flour and stir continuously until it turns into a light brown roux, roughly the color of coffee ice cream, about 10 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and chile powder and whisk to combine, then continue whisking for another minute or so, until roux becomes fragrant.

Add chicken broth, slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until sauce begins to thicken. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer an additional 15 minutes or so. Add broth as needed to adjust the thickness of the gravy. Keep warm.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare the tortillas: In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 to 15 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.

Using a ladle, put about 1/2 cup chili gravy in the bottom of an 8-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of cheese into each tortilla, then place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle chili gravy over the top of the rolled tortillas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped onions over top and serve immediately.

LEMON CHICKEN TARRAGON

This recipe is from Family Time, and begins, “A restaurant-style dish in just 30 minutes? You bet...this tasty skillet dish is simply amazing!”

Serves: 4 servings; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Vegetable Oil or 1 tablespoon olive oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 pound)

2 cups water

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

2 tablespoons Lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves, crushed

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups uncooked instant white rice

Directions

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Stir the water, soup, lemon juice, tarragon and black pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil.

Stir in the rice. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

SOUTHWEST WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

This recipe is from Family Time, and begins, “Got 30 minutes and a craving for good chili? Then get out your saucepan, because this chicken chili really satisfies.”

Serves: 6 servings (about 1 1/4 cups each); Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 pound), cut into cubes

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium green pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

2 cans (about 15 ounces each) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons Shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, onion and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, stirring often.

Stir the soup, water, corn and beans in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese.

ONE-INGREDIENT BANANA ICE CREAM

This comes from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “This outrageously easy ‘ice cream’ is just the sort of dessert to please everyone at the table – the vegans, the lactose-intolerant, the paleo enthusiasts, the picky children. Just toss four frozen bananas into a blender and give it a good whirl. If you like soft-serve consistency, eat it right away (and adding a few tablespoons of milk to the blender wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary). For more traditional scoops, freeze it in an airtight container, and dole out as you would the Ben & Jerry's. Consider adding a spoonful of peanut butter, Nutella or honey; a handful of chocolate chips or almonds; or a 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger, cardamom or cinnamon.”

Yield: Four servings; Time: 6 hours 10 minutes.

This was featured in “Food; Uncle Food” and can be viewed online here.

Check out Melissa Clark’s guide, “How to Make Ice Cream”. Very informative, very yummy…After looking through this, I wanted to spend the next weekend making batch after batch of ice cream.

Ingredients

4 ripe bananas

Preparation

Peel the bananas, cut them in 2- to 3-inch chunks and place them in a freezer bag in the freezer for at least 6 hours. Remove and blend in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight container for at least 2 hours. Scoop and serve.

SLOPPY JOES

This is from Andrea Strong in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Some foods are memory triggers, meals that send you back to long-forgotten moments in your life. The sloppy Joe sandwich is one such time machine.

“This version is an adaptation of one developed by Chris Gesualdi, the chef at TriBakery in Manhattan. It's a tribute to the one his mother, Rose, used to make for him as a child, and it is perfect: a sweet and spicy hill of thick sautéed ground beef spilling out of a toasted homemade kaiser roll. He tops his with melted cheddar, and that can't be a bad thing. All in all, it is a terrific antidote to adulthood.”

Yield: 12 servings; Time: 1 hour 20 minutes.

This was featured in “An Ode to Sloppy Joe, a Delicious Mess”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely diced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 cup tomato paste

2 3/4 cups tomato puree

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon pureed canned chipotle in adobo

1 bay leaf

12 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

12 slices cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil, and saute onions until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, and saute until well browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add tomato paste, tomato puree, chili powder, Tabasco, chipotle and bay leaf. Stir until blended. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread on a sandwich, about 45 minutes.

To serve, heat a broiler. Slice the rolls open and place them under the broiler until lightly toasted, turning as necessary. Ladle about 1/2 cup onto the bottom of each roll, and top with cheddar cheese to taste. Return bottom halves to the broiler until cheese just melts. Top with the remaining halves, and serve immediately.

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