easy shawarma-spiced roasted chicken

Simple go-to weeknight roasted chicken recipe.

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

just combine the spices, mix with the oil, pour over chicken, and bake your favorite way

I like getting the oven pre-heated (425 or 450; any lower and the chicken will bake pale and won’t roast,) starting the cast-iron over med-high heat, and scorching the skin until it shrinks up a bit.
Then I flip the thighs, and finish off in the oven. Depending on the size of the thighs, you may only need 10 to 15 minutes in the oven!

adapted by friedsig from Rhoda Boone via bon appetit

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They say to serve with pita, a cucumber-tomato salad with red onion, and a simple tahini-yogurt sauce. I ate it with my fingers, dipped in a tahini-yogurt-lemon-garlic sauce similar to her recipe here. The spices were very subtle – nothing a picky eater would reject – not spicy, or strongly spiced – just a little something different to mix up your roasted chicken routine. For my taste, I would probably double the spices next time, and definitely add the cucumber-tomato salad. And, hey, if you’re too broke or too lazy to eat it with pita, just say you’re being gluten-free and paleo and keto! I’m not broke; I’m just “watching my macros”!

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make your own sausage with your hands (without casings!)

Recently learned you can make a great sausage without any special tools! No blender, no meat grinder, no sausage stuffer, no casings!

If you eat meat, you’ll love this recipe: buy ground pork, and just mash it up with your hands with some spices and herbs. THAT’S IT!

You can either form them into patties, or dump the whole mess into a pan and break it up with a spatula to make little sausage chunks like for pizza. Either way, you can cook them on a grill pan, cast-iron, or regular ol’ non-stick pan on a medium or medium-high heat.

Here are some I have been experimenting with lately to get your imagination running wild. Don’t let these recipes limit you! Add some curry powder for some currywurst patties… or jalapeno and cheddar… or sundried tomato and roasted garlic… fresh herbs, fruits, anything! If you make your own sausage, post a recipe here!

Enjoy!

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maple breakfast sausage

3/4 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/2T salt 1t or less salt (or more to taste)
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 c maple syrup splash of pure maple syrup
~0.8-0.9 lbs ground pork
a little minced lard

recipe adapted by friedsig from epicurious

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sage breakfast sausage

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 t or less salt (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
~0.8-0.9 lbs ground pork
a little minced lard

* a little bland – could really use a kick – next time I will try adding some more of everything

recipe adapted by friedsig from bon appetit

currant and clove reduction pan sauce

Nothing like an autumnal pan sauce! This recipe disappeared from “new scandinavian cooking” – but thanks to the wayback machine at archive.org, it still lives on! This is a version I am making up, because I don’t have the blackberry syrup called for in the original recipe.

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meat, like chicken or steak
1 cup stock or broth
4 cloves
1 star anise
currants (or blackberry jam or syrup)
splash of red wine (optional)
lemon juice
butter
salt and pepper

1. Cook meat in a heavy-bottomed pan.

2. Add stock to pan and scrape out the solidified stock in the bottom with a spatula (unless it is burnt – if so you should make the sauce in a clean pan).

3. Add cloves and star anise, and reduce by two thirds over high heat. (Taste the stock as you go. Remove the spices if they start to give off to much flavor).

4. Stir in some currants and red wine, and let simmer until currants are soft. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoon butter.

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recipe adapted by friedsig – original recipe by “new scandinavian cooking” and accessible via the wayback machine

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edit 10/2018 – definitely worth making. this was great with chicken, but it might be even better with a beef roast. these flavors are so great together that maybe even vegans should try making a pan sauce with blackberry or blueberry jam, veggie stock or broth, a star anise, cloves, and some lemon juice. wouldn’t that taste great served alongside some perfectly roasted brussels sprouts?

peach balsamic chicken skillet (and a vegan alternative!)

It’s peach season here, and there is nothing in the world like a fresh, ripe peach. But if you grab some early, not-quite-ripe peaches, turn them into dinner!

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about two pounds of chicken legs or thighs
one medium onion
two to four cloves of garlic
two to three peaches
about a half-tablespoon of balsamic
handful of cherry tomatoes, or some tomatoes from a can (optional)
raw basil (optional garnish)

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Preheat oven to 425.

Heat a cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet on the stove on medium-high until very hot. Add some drippings, schmaltz, oil, or butter.

Brown chicken, skin side down, til crispy. (If you don’t eat chicken, heat some coconut oil or margarine, and add veggies cut side down. I have not tried this yet with vegetables, but I bet brussels sprouts cut in half, cauliflower, or something else savory would go great with the sweet peaches. Maybe even some mushrooms for that savory flavor.)

Remove chicken or veggies from the skillet. Add chunks of onions. When beginning to caramelize, add chunks of garlic, or whatever you have in the house, like shallots. Stir often. When cooked, add the chicken back to the pan, along with chunks of peaches, and if you have them on hand, cherry tomatoes. Splash balsamic on top – not much, just a few dashes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well.

Roast at 425, stirring every fifteen minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with veggies and garlic rice, and top everything with fresh basil.

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original recipe by cooking classy and adapted by friedsig.

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Really fantastic. A very August dinner, using everything from the garden or farmers market. I left out the honey from the original – August peaches don’t need sweetening. In fact, this recipe might be too sweet for some. Adding some tomatoes (from a can, or an acidic varietal like calabash or celebrity from your garden) will help cut that sweetness. It’s worth noting that the handful of cherry tomatoes I threw in were totally overwhelmed by the caramelized onion-and-peach flavor. This makes me think that a caramelized onion and peach pie would taste amazing, maybe in the style of a zweibelkuchen!

Adding this to the “rotation” tag because this is as easy as it gets for a sweet and savory weeknight dinner! Next time, I want to try this with brussels sprouts for a vegan peach stew – or maybe even both chicken and veggies?

soup joumou (haitian pumpkin soup)

two versions: VEGAN and MEATY!

This Haitian pumpkin soup looks amazing for warming up in January. & in fact, this soup is traditionally eaten on the New Year to celebrate Haitian independence. There is a great read about why Haitians celebrate their independence with this pumpkin soup on soupsong (or a short version here if you like!)

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VEGAN VERSION!:

2 lbs pumpkin
one small cabbage, diced; or one package of extra-firm tofu, cut into chunks; or one package of tempeh, cut into chunks; or 1 eggplant, diced; or anything that you like to eat that can be marinated

marinade:
2 limes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme
2 scallions
salt and pepper
soup:
1 habanero, seeded (less if you don’t like spicy food)
2 whole cloves, or a pinch of clove powder
veggie stock, or bouillon cube and water

any combination of:
cabbage
celery
carrots
potatoes
turnips
bell pepper
a few sprigs of parsley
malanga
1/4 lb vermicelli or other small pasta, broken up
pat of margarine or drizzle of oil

roast about 2 pounds of pumpkin, or cut up and boil in stockpot.
smash or puree once cooked.

marinate the meat substitute or vegetable of your choice in a paste of onion, shallot, fresh garlic and/or garlic powder, thyme, scallions, salt, and black pepper (green peppercorns if you have them, too.. but it’s not necessary.) marinate between an hour and a day.

bring water to a boil in a soup pot. add the pumpkin, habanero, and clove powder. if you are using eggplant or cabbage or some other firm veggie, add it now. simmer for a half-hour or so. add hard vegetables. cook until soft. if marinating something delicate like tofu, add now, along with vermicelli, parsley, and margarine, and cook until pasta is soft.

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MEATY VERSION!:

2 lbs pumpkin
1lb beef stew meat

marinade:
2 limes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme
2 scallions
salt and pepper

soup:
1 habanero, seeded (less if you don’t like spicy food)
2 whole cloves, or a pinch of clove powder
stock, broth, or bouillon cube and water

any combination of:
cabbage, celery, carrots, potatoes, turnips, bell pepper, a few sprigs of parsley, malanga, 1/4 lb vermicelli or other small pasta, broken up, and a pat of butter or margarine

roast about 2 pounds of pumpkin, or cut up and boil in stockpot.
smash or puree once cooked.

take a pound of beef stew meat, and squeeze half a lime over the meat. rub the other half of the lime on the meat. rinse meat. marinate it in a paste of onion, shallot, fresh garlic and/or garlic powder, thyme, scallions, salt, and black pepper (green peppercorns if you have them, too.. but it’s not necessary.) marinate between an hour and a day.

bring water to a boil in a soup pot. add the pumpkin, beef, habanero, and clove powder. simmer for an hour or two. add hard vegetables. cook until soft. add vermicelli, parsley, and butter, and cook until pasta is soft.

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adapted from love for haitian food, soupsong, and axis of logic by friedsig

 

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update 1/2016 –
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! tweaked this to make an extremely lazy version that’s great for a quick dinner if you have a few roasted squash in your fridge. it tastes great, so i can only imagine how good the real soup tastes.

just sauteed some diced onions, carrots, parsnips, and poblanos in a soup pot.

when soft, i poured in tons of homemade stock, and simmered everything with cloves and thyme for a while.

then added tons of roasted squashes (like butternut, acorn, hubbard, and golden nugget) and little soup noodles.

when everything fell apart, i turned off the heat and squeezed in some fresh limes. fantastic soup! will definitely make the real deal soon.

vegan spinach or collard callaloo

Callaloo is a soup. Or is it a sauce? Thin, or thick? It’s as thick as you want it to be! Play with the amount of water you add for your favorite consistency. Okra has a bad reputation because of its texture, but here it holds together the greens.

Callaloo is made in Jamaica, Trinidad, and all over the Caribbean! It is traditionally made with dasheen (taro) leaves. Go with any leafy green that’s fresh!

Easiest method ever. Boil everything for a while. Then eat it. That’s it!

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about 2 lbs of chopped collard, torn spinach, lamb’s quarter, kale, or whatever dark leafy greens you have (remove the toughest ribs if you’re using thick greens like collard)
1/4 cup pumpkin or other winter squash, peeled and chopped
8 okra, trimmed (fresh if you can)
1 – 2 cans of coconut milk, then fill the cans with water and add those
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional – just a deseeded piece if you like it mild, or whole if you like it extra hot)
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
1 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
stock, broth, or water and bouillon (as needed)
Salt to taste

Add everything to a soup pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes (with baby spinach or other young greens) or an hour (for collards or tough older greens), or until the greens are tender. Leave the heat fairly low and stir often – coconut milk will burn. You will have to add extra liquid if it gets thick, so keep an eye on it. You can add stock or broth if you have it, or even just water.

When it’s done, add a teaspoon or two of butter or margarine.

Simply Trini shows it over rice with avocado slices and chunks of meat. It’s just as good with rice and beans!

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adapted from simply trini cooking and caribbean pot

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edit 1/14/2016

It’s delicious! I made it with a pound of baby spinach, green chard, red chard, and kale, and a small golden nugget squash. I left out the parsley and okra and it was still great. If you like your greens sweet, you’ll love this!

cold ukranian borscht (beet soup)

This is a great summer soup!

When many people think of borscht, borsch, borshch, barzcz, or borchch, they think of a heavy winter stew made with lots of beef bones and potatoes. If you’ve never tried a summery cold borscht, I highly recommend it. Ukranian-style borscht is cool, creamy, and refreshing. Unlike heavy hot deep red borscht with chunks of beef, this pink Ukranian version doesn’t suffer at all when made vegetarian, with veggie stock.

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make your own chicken or veg stock
roast a head of garlic
shred part of a cabbage, one bunch of peeled raw beets, two small raw potatoes, and a large carrot. put some lemon juice on the shredded raw beets.

heat stock and add shredded veggies and roasted garlic, a pinch of paprika, a bay leaf, and a half-teaspoon or so of allspice. add veggie scraps like parsley stalks and carrot tops and remove before serving or storing.

while this boils, make the zapravka in a separate pan. heat some lard or oil and saute one onion. when translucent, add one chopped carrot. when they begin to soften, add salt, pepper, 2 T tomato paste,

cook everything together until it tastes amazing.

when done, add tons of plain yogurt or sour cream, tons of fresh raw dill, minced pickles or pickled peppers, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and juice from half a fresh lemon.

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adapted by friedsig from ukranianguide

mango ginger teriyaki chicken

garlic
ginger
soy sauce
mango pulp, juice, or puree (oranges work, too!)
rice wine vinegar
pinch of fennel seed
pinch of coriander
sesame seeds (optional)
fresh basil leaves or cilantro (optional)
two drops of fish sauce or splash of worcestershire sauce (optional)

blend everything, marinate chicken as long as you can stand to, and cook as usual (baked, grilled, or pan-fried – it’s all good)

invented by friedsig.wordpress.com

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Very easy, sweet, and lots of flavor. I served it with ghee rice, and basil yogurt (just plain yogurt with fresh basil minced into it) and it was good.

melitzanosalata (greek eggplant dip)

this vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo, and super-healthy dip from lemon and olives sounds very much like a tahini-free baba ghanouj. it doesn’t get much more healthy than this.

2 medium sized eggplants
⅛ cup chopped parsley (optional)
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup olive oil (or desired amount)
Salt and pepper to taste

Pierce eggplants with fork a few times and place in broiler until soft (and turns black) OR on BBQ for 10-15min turning every few minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Remove outer skin (black part) by hand.
Cut the eggplants into pieces.
Place in a large bowl and add parsley and garlic
Slowly add olive oil and lemon and crush with fork.
Mix in salt and pepper.
Serve with bread!

OR

simply roast eggplants til black, strip skin, and throw all ingredients into food processor or blender.

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from lemon and olives

malaysian spiced chicken

this recipe is from the book lobel’s meat bible by stanley, evan, mark, and david lobel.

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1 cup thinly sliced shallots
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 T ground coriander
2 t ground turmeric
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t ground fennelseed
1 t ground cumin
1 t black pepper
1/2 t cayenne
1/4 t ground clove
1 T kosher salt
2 t sweetener of your choice
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 lbs chicken thighs, cut in half across the bone (you can ask the butcher to do this if you don’t have a good knife)

mix everything but coconut milk and chicken in food processor or mortar and pestle.

combine everything and marinate in fridge for 3 to 24 hours.

remove from fridge 1 hour before cooking.

fry in an inch of oil at 365 degrees, or cook however you like.

if frying, chicken will be a very dark brown when done (but not burnt)

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from lobel’s meat bible