Jeanne's Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

Serves 8

 

Ingredients:

·         12-ounces chicken breasts (2 or 3 depending on the size) (NOTE: I find it's easier to use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breasts)

·         8 cups chicken broth

·         1 large white onion, trimmed of root end, quartered, and peeled (only half an onion needed if you’re not cooking the chicken)

·         4 garlic cloves, peeled (only 2 if not cooking the chicken)

·         8-10 springs of cilantro, plus more chopped up for garnish

·         Salt

·         1 8-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

·         ½ to 1 jalapeno (if you want it spicier use a whole jalapeno – you can also remove seeds and ribs to make it less spicy)

·         1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

·         1 tablespoon vegetable oil

·         Tortilla chips

·         Shredded cheddar cheese

 

1.      OPTIONAL: If using raw chicken, bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, cilantro sprigs, , and ½ teaspoon of salt to a boil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate to cool. Pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard solids. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.

2.      Puree the tomatoes, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, jalapeno, and chipotle in food processor until smooth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add tomato-onion puree and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has darkened in color, about 10 minutes.

3.      Stir broth into tomato mixture, crumble in a couple of big handfuls of tortilla chips, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the Dutch oven until smooth and tortilla chips have been incorporated. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4.      Serve soup with garnishes. You can top each bowl with additional crushed chips, cheese, squeeze of lime, and chopped cilantro. 

Spice-Encrusted Lamp Popsicles

 Spice-Encrusted Lamp Popsicles

Serves 6

3.5 to 4 lbs. rock of lamb cut into chops

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 Tbsp ground cumin

1.5 tsp salt

1 to 1.5 tsp cayenne powder

2 Tbsp ground coriander

1 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp tumeric

2 Tbsp fienly chopped garlic (6 medium cloves)

1 lemon, cut in half

In a large bowl, combine lamb with oil, cumin, salt, cayenne, coriander, paprika, tumeric, and garlic. Toss lightly to coat the lamb, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to allow lamb to marinate. Cook lamb on the BBQ for 2-3 minutes a side depending on thickness. Transfer to a platter and squeeze lemon juice over top.

Smoked Salmon Pasta

 Smoked Salmon Pasta

• Bunch of smoked salmon (not lox)
• One shallot, diced
• 1 cup of cream
• 3 tablespoons (or more) capers
• Lemon juice
• Fresh dill, chopped (optional)
• Pasta (I used one package of cheese tortellini)

Cook pasta and drain saving a bit of cooking water.

While pasta cooks, saute diced shallot in a bit of olive oil or medium-high heat until soft. Add salmon, cream, capers, and a dash of lemon juice. Cook until it has thickened up a bit. 

Add pasta to sauce and add come cooking water if sauce is too thick.

Serve adding a bit of chopped dill for garnish.

Smoked Salmon (Using a Smoker)

 Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

• Salmon with skin on
• Maple syrup for basting
• Brine:
• 1 quart water
• 1/3 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix the brine ingredients together and place brine and fish in a non-reactive container, cover and put in the fridge. Cure at least four hours but not more than 48 hours. 
2. Take fish out of the brine and pat it dry. Set fish skin side down on wire rack over cookie sheet. Let fish dry overnight in the fridge.
3. Slick the skin side of the fish with some oil so it won't stick to the smoker. Smoke very low between 140 degrees F and 150 degrees for an hour. You can then finish at 175 for an hour or two. 
4. After an hour in the smoker, baste the fish with syrup and repeat every hour. This will also brush away the albumin that might form. You want the fish to be 140 degrees.

 

Chicken tikka masala

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken marinade:

• 28 oz (800g) boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (I used one pork tenderloin)
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili (or 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder) (I used cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon of salt

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable/canola oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 small onions (or 1 large onion) finely diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic finely grated
• 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 14 oz (400g) tomato puree (tomato sauce/Passata)
• 1 teaspoon ground red chili powder (I used cayenne and it was pretty spicy)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups of heavy or thickened cream 
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (a little too sweet; add to taste instead)
• 1/4 cup water if needed
• 4 tablespoons Fresh cilantro or coriander to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a bowl, combine chicken with all of the ingredients for the chicken marinade; let marinate for 10 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows).
• Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.)
• Melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft (about 3 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. 
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the tomato puree, chili powders and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown red colour.
• Stir the cream and sugar through the sauce. Add the chicken and its juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Pour in the water to thin out the sauce, if needed.
• Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve with Naan bread