Chicken Tinga (with fresh tomatoes, not canned)

My daughter craves this, and has loved saucy Mexi chicken since she was little. This recipe originally came from a noted Mexican restaurant in SF, and I have made it several times, but tonight was extra special. 

We made it with fresh Early Girl tomatoes and it was fantastic! So much better than the original recipe that calls for canned chopped tomatoes. I'll never do that again. 

We had the good luck to stay at a friend's house in Napa last week and returned with several big, beautiful fresh summer tomatoes, so when I realized I didn't have the proper canned tomatoes, I decided to take the chance with fresh. Glad I did. It was a game-changer. 

We served it on tiny street-taco sized corn tortillas, cooked in a hot cast-iron skillet to melt grated jack cheese, black beans, topped with avocados, sour cream and very simple cabbage/cilantro/lime/juice/mayo slaw. And Tapatio hot sauce. 

So instead of thinking Italian with all those garden tomatoes your kind friends give you, think this and invite them over for Tinga Tacos. 

Chicken Tinga for tacos or tostadas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts  - poached and shredded (instructions in one of my first posts way back...) or shredded rotisserie chicken (not as good)

2 tbsps oil

1/2 onion, sliced thin

2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

2 medium very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped - save all juice and seeds, you'll add it all

2 tsp kosher salt (necessary)

Couple of slices of jalapeño, optional

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Add 2 tablespoons oil and the sliced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the minced/pressed garlic to the onions. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more.

Add the fresh chopped tomatoes and their juices, salt and the sliced jalapeño. Simmer vigorously about 10 minutes, until the liquid had reduced slightly. 

Season to taste with additional salt. The tinga should be slightly saucy but not overly wet; if it looks thin, simmer it a bit longer to reduce the liquid. Stir in the shredded chicken and cilantro and warm gently.

Serve in tacos, on tostadas, or nachos with sliced limes and sour cream. 

Braised Red Cabbage, Austrian-style

 My CSA box gifted me a large head of red cabbage, and the San Francisco spring gifted me another day of fog, so to accompany the braised pork recipe I posted a few months ago, I made this red cabbage recipe. 

I originally had a dish like this at Leopold's, and Austrian restaurant here in SF that we frequent after out Tuesday evening yoga class (Q: How wrong is schnitzel and beer after yoga? A: Very wrong.) and while I liked the idea of it, theirs is cloyingly sweet with a strong taste of honey. One bite and I am completely repulsed. I know it's a strong word, but it's how I feel. Also disappointed. I should love this dish but really dislike it.

So after some deep dives googling Austrian red cabbage recipes, I found one I'm super happy with. I didn't screen-shot it and it just took me half an hour to find it again, so I need to get it blogged asap. 

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

1/2 large head of red cabbage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar or agave

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and black pepper

Melt butter in a sauté pan add cabbage and sauté until slightly wilted, 5 minutes.

Sprinkle sugar or agave and stir, then add balsamic. Bring to a simmer on medium-low. Cook about 20 minutes until soft, to your taste. 

Season with Salt and pepper. 

Sauerkraut I actually like

I hate sauerkraut. There I said it. 

Most people like or LOVE it. Not me. It's sour, mushy and gross. 

But I love cabbage, and many have told me I'm missing out on sauerkraut. My fam likes Reuben sandwiches and I can make a great one at home for them - homemade Russian dressing and all, but I always buy sauerkraut. Until today. 

I had all the sandwich ingredients but not sauerkraut, and realized I might be able to make some with fresh cabbage and kale. Glad I tried! Total success and I don't even hate the homemade stuff. 

Homemade Sauerkraut

This is enough to top four sandwiches generously, but it will keep for a few days in the fridge so you could have it for lunch tomorrow, too. 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white vinegar, or 1/4 white and 1/4 white wine vinegar

handful of kale, chopped

1/4 onion, sliced

1/2 head cabbage, shredded medium-fine

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

shake of pickling spice, if you have it (it's kind of key, but also optional)

pinch of black pepper, to taste

In a saucepan or pot, combine all ingredients and bring to boil. Stir and cover, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes to desired mushy-ness. Or crispness, if you are like me. 

Cool and store in a clean glass jar. 

Enjoy not hating sauerkraut anymore!

Panang Beef Curry is my JAM

A friend told me she made this recently in a crock pot and said I should give it a try.

Because I'm trying to perfect my braised-meat-skills during Covid lockdown, I decided to do it the old-fashioned way, in a Le Creuset dutch oven, in the oven. It was a lot more work, but the results were worth it. 

I browned the meat on the stovetop and braised it in water for 2.5 hours, then made the red curry sauce separately, because I was worried the off-juicing of the meat would make the curry too *beefy* and overpower the magical coconut curry flavor. Maybe next time I'll use the slow cooker, but for now I'm convinced this is the way to go. 

Set the meat to braise in the late afternoon, then the curry sauce comes together quickly right before serving as you are making the rice and accompanying vegetables. We served it with coconut rice, quick sauté of kale and home-made crispy shallots. 

Panang Beef Curry

-- for the BEEF --

2 lbs cubed chuck stew beef

1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper

Shake/coat beef cubes lightly with flour mixture and brown slowly in a heavy dutch over being careful not to crowd it so it browns well. Use enough oil (it will feel like alot, keep adding it when it is absorbed!) and try not to burn the browned bits that stick to the pan, you want those for flavor later on. Brown cubes in batches and set aside finished ones until all are nice and brown on all sides. Patience here will pay off later!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Once all are browned, cover with about an inch of water and bring to boil on the stovetop. Cover pot with foil then a heavy lid, and transfer to oven to braise for approximately 2-3 hours, checking at 2 hours and add water if necessary. Once beef reaches your desired shreddy-ness, remove from oven and set on stove for finishing with sauce below. Reserve the beef cooking liquid you will use it later in the curry sauce.

--for RED CURRY SAUCE-- can use this with just veg for a great curry too!

8 tbsp MAESRI brand red curry paste (or Thai Kitchen could be ok too?)

1 medium onion, sliced or chopped

2 cans coconut CREAM (not milk!! it's too thin, you will be disappointed)

8 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)

2 tbsp agave syrup --OR-- 3 tsp sugar, (to taste)

12 Kaffir line leaves, deveined and julienned thin - or lime zest/juice to taste

1 generous tbsp peanut butter 

Couple slices of Jalapeño or Serrano chili if you are brave

Heat large/deep skillet or a second dutch oven with 4 tbsp oil. Fry curry paste until dark red then add onions, fish sauce, coconut cream, agave and 8 tbsp of beef cooking liquid to taste - your personal taste is key here, sample along the way to make sure it's how you think it should be. Add the beef chunks and simmer for 10 mins or so, add lime leaves and peanut butter and simmer a bit more. Adjust seasoning and add chili slices if you need more heat. 

Serve over coconut rice, topped with chopped Cilantro and crispy shallots. 

This is even better on day two when flavors really settle, so if you are organized, make it the day before. Or enjoy your leftovers even more then next day!

Chuck Roast/Pot Roast and maybe even beef stew?

I've always been scared to cook things like pot roast because: 
1. there is NO CUT OF MEAT at the butcher counter called "pot roast" - so what do I use?
2. Any meat that I don't grill usually turns out tough
3. Only shreddy-beef I usually like is of the Mexican variety
4. I hate gravy
5. I really hate the mushy vegetables that accompany this sort of dish

But a blind fit of prepper-life in this state of quarantine, I bought a giant (4.5 lb) chuck roast at the meat counter and was determined to make it good. I got home and started researching chuck roast, and huh, it's what a POT ROAST is. 

I gotta say, it came out really good. So here's my recipe.

Depending on appetites, leftovers can be repurposed several ways. We ate half, and I pulled out half of the meat (sans gravy) and froze for a Shepherd's Pie; and I used the rest of the meat in the gravy for an outstanding Beef Vegetable Barley soup. 


Quarantine Pot Roast

One 3- to 5-pound chuck roast 

1/2 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seasoned salt like Lowry's or any spice mix you like

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thich-ish
2 whole onions, peeled and sliced

A few ribs of celery with the leaves on, chopped 
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 or 3 sprigs fresh oregano

3-4 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine (optional, I didn't use this because I don't like wine-y food either)
+ + + + +
For the roux:
3-4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour

Any vegetables you like, carrots, potatoes - cleaned and prepped. You will add these at the last hour of cooking so they aren't mushy, or you can roast them separately while the meat rests, like I did... I also roasted mushrooms, onions and broccolini. I prefer this, but you do you.



Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. 

Salt and pepper the chuck roast, then coat each side in the flour you seasoned with your seasoned salt/spice mix. BEWARE do not over salt at this point. You can adjust salt in your gravy later. 

Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven (with a solid lid that you will use later in the oven) over medium heat. Add the sliced onions/garlic to the pot, allowing to brown, and if you have the patience, go ahead and caramelize them on low heat for awhile. I did this and the flavor it resulted in was really worth the effort. I don't do well with caramelizing onions so I really forced myself to be patient and not burn them and I'm happy I did. Watch that the garlic doesn't burn, just nice and toasty. 

Remove the onions/garlic to a bowl.  

If needed, add more olive oil to the very hot pot. Place the meat in the pot and sear it for about two or three minutes on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Again, another exercise in patience for me and I'm glad I did it, the finished roast will have a better outside texture. Be careful to brown it and not burn it. Remove the roast to a plate. 

With the burner still high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom with a whisk or spatula. Add the caramelized onions/garlic, celery and the whole sprigs of herbs, then place the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock/water to cover the meat halfway. 

Add a sheet of foil on top and put the lid on. Roast for about 1 hour per pound of meat: 3 hours for a 3-pound roast. For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours. 

If you like mushy carrots and potatoes, add them during the last 1.5 - 1 hour of cooking and remove them before you make the gravy. 

The roast is ready when it's fall-apart tender when forked.

Remove the roast and turn your oven up to temp for your roasted vegetables. You know how to cook these so I won't elaborate. 

Remove the roast to a plate or sheet pan, skim off excess fat on the top of the remaining broth and reserve for roux. 

Strain out the onions/celery/garlic into a blender or Vitamix pitcher and remove and discard the herb stems. Using a blender or Vitamix, puree the onions/celery /garlic. 

Transfer the remaining liquid broth from your dutch oven to a large measuring cup or bowl and reserve. 

Back in your dutch oven, add the strained fat from the broth and melt about 3  tablespoons of butter, then and add the 1/2 cup of flour and cook over medium heat into a golden roux. 

Deglaze with the cooking broth, then add the onion puree and simmer a few minutes until thickened to your preference. Adjust seasoning, salt, pepper.

I cut my roast into large chunks (or leave it whole) and return it to the gravy to reheat. 

Keep warm until your vegetables are roasted or if you are serving with mashed potatoes, mash them now. 

Serve with some chopped parsley or chives, and some toasted hearty bread smeared with soft brie. Eat and repeat. 


+ + + + + +
You could probably chunk this up and make it into beef stew if you like that sort of thing? I think the trick is cooking it low and slow and season it well. 

Quick Chili (because I'm impatient)

This recipe was torn from a tattered cookbook that I had when I first graduated from college, one of those in the 101-easiest-pasta-sauce-recipes-from-whatever-is-in-your-pantry type of book. That was back when it was ok to eat pasta. 

Chili-as-a-pasta-sauce has a special meaning in our house, because my husband comes from a place where it is completely normal to eat it that way.

I, however, do not. And my childhood chili was always served with toasty warm flour tortillas (heated directly against the gas burner of your stove, to be very specific < try it it's life changing) and then slathered with butter. I've evolved to at least tolerate the chili-over-pasta thing, even though I don't practice it myself. 

What I like these days is serving it over a baked yam (the orange-flesh sweet potato thing) with shredded cheese and sour cream, and a few extra shakes of hot sauce. Perfection.

This is a great, basic chili recipe that gets the spices right, and is super fast - from here you can add all the vegetables you like. Personally, I don't eat beans, so I double up on meat by chopping up some Evergood Hot Link Sausages and browning them in the pan to render all the delicious spicy red oil, then remove them and use that oil to saute the onions, garlic and ground beef.

Now, this recipe is a weeknight go-to and I will often double it and freeze it for an even quicker dinner in the future. Can you say Chili Nachos?

Quick Chili - just double it, you will be happy you did

3 tbsp olive or veg oil
(or the equivalent of the spicy oil you rendered from those chopped Evergood Hot Link sausages^^^)
1/2 lb ground beef
3 medium garlic cloves, crushed, or 2 tsp garlic powder if you don't have fresh
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp cumin
3 tbsp chili powder (make sure it's mild, if it's spicy, use to taste)
1 - 28 oz can of tomatoes, any kind, crushed, diced, sauce, if they are whole, then crush by hand
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp sugar, if your tomatoes taste tart
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
shakes of black pepper

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat oil and add onions, garlic and then beef. Saute until the beef has lost all of it's pink color and if you can, get it to leave a toasty brown glaze on the bottom of the pan. Sometimes it will release a lot of liquid and you can't get that glaze. It's ok. 

Add the cumin, chili powder and (garlic powder, if this is your option) and toast that up for two mins.

Add the tomatoes and stir to scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze (get all the flavor bits off), add the oregano  - and the hot link sausage if that's in your plan, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. 

Taste for seasoning, add the sugar if it tastes a little tart or sour, and season with salt/pepper as you like.

Just before serving, add the rinsed beans just to heat them. If you simmer them, they will get mushy and gross. Maybe you like that? 

Serve over any shape of cooked pasta, a baked sweet potato/yam, or the proper way—with toasty buttered flour tortillas. 

Sesame Noodles by Beth

Always on the hunt for a good sesame/peanut noodle recipe, my friend served this with teriyaki salmon and I was instantly hooked. 

Like obsessed. Couldn't stop eating it. 

My apologies if you become obsessed too. Remember it's Beth's fault, I'm just the messenger. 

Sesame Noodles 

2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil

2 tbsp toasted Sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp Sambal Oelek - or any spicy chili sauce, season to taste

2 tbsp pasta water, post cooking but before you drain the pasta

10 oz any kind of pasta  - spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccini etc… cooked al dente

chopped scallions, toasted sesame send or chopped roasted peanuts, optional

Combine first six ingredients and whisk.

Cook pasta, add the 2 tbsp pasta water before you drain it. 

Toss hot pasta with sauce, mix and let sit for a bit. 

Serve warm, room temperature or cold - sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds or peanuts.