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!