Pork and Cauliflower Stir Fry for the Workin' Folk

Happy New Year Y'all. Mine has already started off with a bang. Work's crazy. Toddlers are crazy. Oh and all that holiday eating and drinking has left me feeling less than virtuous. Enter the stir fry. Chock full of veggies and about a million miles away from cheese-laden holiday casseroles. Not that there's anything wrong with cheese-laden casseroles, we just need to take a break from one another for a little while.

The beauty of this recipe is you can prep all the veggies and even the sauce in the morning and store them in the fridge until you're ready to make it. I bet you could even do this the night before.

Hope your new year is starting off wonderfully.

Pork and Cauliflower Stir Fry

Veg to prepare and store ahead (or use right away):
1 large shallot, sliced into thin rings
2 green onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped or cut into strips (I like one red and yellow)
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets (to cook faster)

Sauce (mix the following together and chill in a small airtight container or use right away):
1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup soy sauce (use low sodium if you are sensitive to salty food)
1/3 cup sake
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (I like brown rice)
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Also needed:
Canola/peanut or oil of choice (I like Spectrum non GMO canola/coconut blend)
1 pound lean ground pork
1 cup rice combined with 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock in a medium stockpot with lid - bring to boil then reduce heat to low and let cook for 10-12 minutes, fluff with a fork and set aside
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Red pepper flakes, optional

To make stir fry:
Add just enough oil of to lightly coat bottom and sides of a wok or large cast iron skillet, turning to help coat. Heat over medium/high heat and allow to warm through for one minute.

Add the ground pork and cook, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes until cooked through. Kill the heat as you transfer the pork to a holding plate or bowl and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan and turn the heat back onto medium/high.

Add the veggies (do not season with salt if using regular soy sauce) and sauté, using your spoon to disperse them over as much of the surface area as you can to help sear them. Cook and stir for about 7-10 minutes until you have a good sear on the veg and the cauliflower seems mostly cooked.

Return the cooked pork into the pan and pour over the prepared sauce. Crank the heat up all the way and stir everything to coat in the sauce and let it reduce and bubble away for a couple of minutes.

Serve over the prepped rice.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and/or red pepper flakes if desired.

Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken. Enter the Ring of Fire.

Chipotles may be a little five minutes ago as far as culinary trends go, but I'm very comfortable with being uncool. Chipotle chiles, found packed in cans of adobo sauce, are just plain old jalapenos that have been allowed to stay on the vine until they develop a deep red color, then are removed and smoke-dried over fire until most of the moisture is evaporated. What you get is an intense smokey flavor unlike anything on earth. It's absolutely addictive, especially in dishes like this with cilantro and sharp cheese which LOVE them some smoke.

The only catch is, chipotles are roasted with seeds and all which is why this dish lives up to its other title - Ring of Fire Chicken. So unless you really, really like a kick I advise making this with two chipotle chiles the first go around to see how much you like eating and sweating at the same time. It also helps to serve it over a mellow flavored rice with something sweet in it like peas or corn (I've included my recipe below) to round everything out. But if you're a heat freak, you could always mince up another chipotle and add it to the rice as well. And in that case my hat goes off to you. As Sissy says in the movie Urban Cowboy, "You're a real cowboy, ain't you?"

As for Kris and I, we were dying laughing while eating this, watching each others' faces get redder and redder. The phrase of the meal was, "It hurts a little but man - it's SO good!"

Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken (aka Ring of Fire Chicken)
Serves 4.
* The chipotle sauce would be good for lots of different things, especially steak.
* Kris wanted me to tell you that this chicken would also be great in warm tortillas, just in case the rice wasn't enough carbs for you...

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast cutlets (boneless and skinless)
1/2 cup milk (whole or low fat is fine - skim is a no no)
3 chipotle chiles, from a can of chipotle in adobo (use 2 for less heat), finely chopped
1/3 cup cottage cheese (regular/full fat will give better texture and flavor but you could use 2%)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I used Cracker Barrel 2% sharp cheddar)
handful of chopped green onions, for garnish
handful of cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a glass or ceramic baking dish (large enough to hold the 4 cutlets) with nonstick spray. Add the chicken (it's okay if they overlap a little but they should have the majority of space to themselves to cook evenly) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the oven is preheated, put the chicken in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges of the cutlets begin to turn white.

Meanwhile, get on with the sauce. Add the milk, chiles, cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, onion powder, cumin and salt to a medium sauce pan and bring over high heat, stirring every few minutes to keep the bottom from burning. (If you want a smooth, pretty sauce, blend the milk, chiles, garlic, and cottage cheese in a blender on high until smooth before adding them to the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Since the whole thing gets covered in cheese anyway, I save myself extra cleaning and skip this step, but to each their own.)

While you wait for the mixture to boil, mix the half and half and cornstarch in a small cup until the cornstarch is well incorporated and set aside. Once the milk mixture is boiling, add the half and half/cornstarch to the pan and stir in. Continue to boil the entire mess for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or just until the mixture thickens. Reduce the heat so that it's just simmering and not violently boiling, and let it continue to thicken - another 2 minutes or so. Take off the heat and cover while you wait for the chicken.

Once the chicken's had its first go in the oven, remove it and carefully add the chipotle sauce to the pan, covering every bit of the chicken and making sure any extra is evenly distributed around the dish. Evenly scatter over the shredded cheddar and return the dish, uncovered, to the oven for 20 minutes. Increase the heat to 450 (if you have a fancy oven, switch it to 'top' or broiler mode) and cook the chicken an additional 2 minutes, JUST until some of the cheese begins to brown in spots.

Remove and let set up for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped green onions and cilantro leaves.

Scallion Cilantro Rice
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup jasmine or other long grain rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
3/4 cup thawed frozen peas OR corn if you're not a pea person
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Instructions:
In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium heat just until melted. Add the shallot, seasoning with salt and pepper and saute until translucent - about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice, toasting for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir well, reduce heat to low and put the lid on. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid - anywhere from 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork (also checking to make sure the bottom rice hasn't burned.) Gently stir in the peas and paprika, put the cover back on and let sit off the heat another 5 minutes.

Stir in the green onions, cilantro, and almonds and serve, topping each serving with a chicken breast, sauce, and additional scallions/cilantro if desired.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs on Cilantro Scallion Rice

This is the most delicious thing I've made in months. I knew I was onto something when I drooled a little just pulling the raw chicken from the marinade, but holy hell this is delicious. I'm not even sure I what I like better - the chicken or the rice. Thank God I don't have to choose.

I tend to put shallots in all my rice dishes but I decided to hold back here and try their less sexy cousin, the green onion (okay scallion, you Yankee) in lieu of having to saute anything.

Laziness pays off. The green onions/scallions/whatever you like to call them are what make this dish so lovely. They perfume the chicken without making it too oniony and lend their sweet bite to the rice - just a handful (about 3 tablespoons) is all you need here. You'll notice that I barely put any cumin in the rice and there's a reason for this. I want the rice to have just enough flavor to let the chicken shine, not get into a pissing contest with it. If you feel differently, use a heavier hand in seasoning but I think you're wrong.

One last note. Finally, finally I get all the fuss about dark meat - chicken thighs in particular. Thank you Nigella! You were right, as always.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs on Cilantro Scallion Rice
* Marinade adapted from Bon Appetit
* Cooking time is for 4 chicken thighs - if making more, you might need longer and might need a slightly bigger pan as well as another 1/2 onion to place them on.
* Most people can easily eat 2 chicken thighs, so be sure and calculate this if serving company.
* Garam Masala is a wonderful combination of all the spices you'd want at a party. If you can't find it in your grocery, order it online. Google will pull up a trusty source for you, I'm sure.

Chicken and Marinade Instructions:
4 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (marinade will hold up to 6 if you have the need)

1 (6 oz) container Greek yogurt, either whole or 2 % (you want whole, trust me)
1/4 cup buttermilk
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions (okay scallions, you yankee)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife to break up a little and impart their juice

1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1/8 " slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix the marinade ingredients (the yogurt through the garlic) all together in a large ziploc bag. Add the chicken and smush around to make sure each piece coated. Seal and refrigerate overnight, flipping over half way if you remember, then remove about 20 minutes before baking to take the chill off.

To bake, preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8x8" glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray. Lay the onion slices over the bottom, distributing evenly to form a bed. Drizzle the onions with a teaspoon of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess, and place skin side up on top of the onions, distributing evenly. Place in the oven, uncovered and cook for 22-25 minutes, or until the skin is becoming mottled and brown in places and the onions are nice and soft and cooked through underneath. Serve the thighs on a bed of cilantro scallion rice - recipe follows.

Cilantro Scallion Rice Ingredients and Instructions:
1 cup jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup (large handful) fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin
pinch kosher or sea salt - optional

Place the rice, stock, and butter in a medium pot with a lid. Stir well, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir again, then lower the heat enough so that with the top on, the rice is only simmering gently and not spitting mad. Let simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and take off the heat. Let sit with the top on for 5 minutes, then stir in the peas, scallions, cilantro and cumin. Taste for salt and add any if necessary.

Mexican Rice

Life is funny sometimes. I spent my first 30 years hating rice. It's not like it ever did anything to me or that I got sick after eating it - I just didn't care for it. It was plain, expected, and just kind of sat there, which is why any time I was at a Mexican restaurant, I'd order double beans instead.

Then two years ago I made a rice pilaf with toasted pine nuts, parsley and lemon zest...and loved it. Rice was suddenly this mysterious, intriguing stranger, chameleon-like in its ability to take on different flavors and textures.

Now I make it all the time. This is my husband's favorite version that I patterned after the rice served at Mexicana Mama, our favorite local Mexican joint. Peas and carrots go together like...well, peas and carrots but again you can add anything you like if you're not a fan. Fresh chopped cilantro would be a nice addition at the end.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions or shallots
1 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup rice
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Instructions:
Add the oil to a medium, thick bottomed sauce pan and put the burner on medium/low heat. Add the onions, sprinkling with salt and fresh cracked pepper and cook until translucent stirring every so often - about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and cook another 5 minutes until softened. Add the stock, cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and lower the heat to low so that it's simmering but not spastically boiling/kicking the lid off the pot and let cook for 20 minutes, just until the rice sets. Stir gently to fluff adding in the paprika and peas. Taste for salt/seasoning and make any necessary adjustments.