Skillet Chicken Thighs With Shallot, Lemon & Herbs

February 1, 2018 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

A sophisticated yet humble approach to cooking is all you need for this recipe. It is about technique. A simple one which delivers results fabulous enough for a gathering, yet quick enough for a weeknight dinner.

I have always enjoyed the down-to-earth-ness of cooking with cast iron skillets. But in the past few months, I’ve learned it is more than a look or a feel. This tool delivers fantastic results- mainly because it retains heat within the metal, cooking food uniformly at hot temperatures, and leading to superior flavors.

They are heavy in weight and require small maintenance (mainly to avoid rust), but the minor care is well worth the end results. I became a believer after making our “Best Steak of Your Life” recipe in a cast iron skillet. I’ve made many fantastic recipes since and my favorite go-to dish is Skillet Chicken Thighs! Regardless of what aromatics you use, the technique of cooking the chicken skin side down to render the natural fats, make the skin crispy and draws out phenomenal flavor!

In this rendition I use shallots, rosemary, thyme and caramelize lemons. But this recipe is infinitely customizeable. Swap the rosemary for oregano, add mushrooms or sweet tender peas. Zucchini and squash take well to this rustic recipe as well. Get creative with your favorite veggies and herbs, you can’t mess this up!

Note- My favorite skillet is the Lodge Seasoned 12″ pan found here. The supplier Quiverr provides excellent customer service on how to best care for your cast iron.

Ingredients:
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (approximately 2.5 pounds)
1 large or 2 small lemons, sliced
1-2 small shallots, sliced
1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (adjust to taste)
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme (if you don’t have fresh herbs, dried oregano works well too)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°.
Pat dry chicken with a paper towel (any water will cause messy splatter).
Season chicken generously with salt + pepper on both sides.
Slice the lemon, reserving some juice for later.

Heat skillet to medium after coating with 1 teaspoon of grape seed oil or any vegetable oil with a high smoke point. You can use olive oil, it only means you’ll have more smoke while cooking.

Add chicken skin side down and listen to the sizzle as the skin browns while the natural fat is rendered.
Cook chicken this way for 8-10 minutes or until halfway cooked through.
Transfer chicken from skillet to platter.

Layer 1/2 the lemon slices on bottom of skillet, add chicken back on top of lemons (skin side up), and add remaining lemon slices among chicken thighs.
Lemons on the bottom will beautifully caramelize while top lemons soften.
Transfer skillet to oven, allowing chicken to cook through (approximately 8 minutes).
Remove skillet from oven and move caramelized lemons and chicken to a plate.

On medium heat, add shallots, garlic, herbs and red chili flakes to the soft lemons in the skillet.
Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes. The aromas will we wonderful at this point.
Add the wine to skillet to de-glaze the plan, scraping flavor-packed brown bits from bottom of pan.
Squeeze remaining lemon into sauce and season with salt + pepper.
Return chicken to skillet and nestle in the delicious sauce you just created.
Make sure thighs are not submerged in sauce to maintain crispiness.
Top with caramelized lemons and serve!

Nani’s Decadent But Healthy Butternut Squash Soup

November 22, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 2 comments

Pumpkins are in season now and there is no fall flavor I like more than butternut squash. In Farsi they are called lazy pumpkin (kadoo tanbal), which I think is hilarious. Butternut is the perfect name for this tender, sweet and nutty flavor. I simply roast it in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper. That’s it and it’s divine! With this recipe, I take the indulgence one step further to make a rich and savory soup.

The key to the amazing flavor is roasting the squash with garlic, onion and a red bell pepper, then blending all together for a smooth and creamy texture. The result is a complex, rich and silky soup with substance. I made it for Thanksgiving last year and it was a huge hit. It is naturally back on the menu again this year. Try it for your Thanksgiving celebration or all winter long- I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Note- I serve the soup with homemade crostini and a garnish of fresh thyme.
For the corstini, simply sprinkle the bread of your choice with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Drizzle with olive oil and toast in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Recipes serves around 6-8 people, double or triple ingredients for a crowd pleaser- I sure will be this upcoming holiday.

Ingredients:
3 large butternut squash, sliced in half and seeds removed.
3 large white onions, quartered
2 red bell peppers, cut in half and seeds removed
4 cloves garlic (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil, add more if needed.
Salt and pepper
A squeeze of lemon

Directions:
Prep vegetables.
Slice squash in half, remove seeds, but leave skin on- it will be easier to remove once roasted.
Place vegetables on baking sheets- you’ll need 2.
Generously toss and coat with olive oil, season with salt + pepper.
Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Roughly half way through, remove the garlic from the oven to avoid burning.
Once golden, let cool and remove flesh of squash separating from skin with a spoon.
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Taste your magical mixture and give it a small squeeze of lemon for balance.
Salt and pepper if needed.
If consistency is too thick, add a small amount of water or olive oil for desired consistency.

The soup is amazing and rich up until this point. If you want to turn the dial on the indulgence factor, add a touch of cream or half and half while blending. But remember, it’s perfectly delicious and decadent if you keep it dairy-free.

The first harvest of butternut squash in Malekan Gardens!

Chickpea & Cauliflower Coconut Curry

November 9, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 4 comments

My latest curry craving almost had me ordering take out, but why do that when you can make fabulous vegetable curry in a snap at home? It is a great go-to dish when you want to impress someone, feed a crowd or just craving curry goodness.

Warning, this is a crazy addictive coconut curry! You can substitute vegetables and proteins to your liking, but this combo is literally awesome sauce.

What is the magic ingredient? Store-bought curry paste. Most varieties have ingredients which you can only find at Asian Markets. Since most of us don’t have lemongrass, kaffir lime, and galangal laying around, this is a great way to achieve authentic flavors.

This recipe is healthy with the added indulgence of a creamy coconut sauce. The miracle of this decadence is that it is vegan and dairy free, despite its richness. It is one of my absolute favorite dishes to eat and just one of those perfect recipes that satisfies many a taste buds and preferences.

It keeps well, so make a pot of it and you’ll have fabulous leftovers for a couple of lunches during the week.

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 large or 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 orange or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 14-ounce can whole fat coconut milk
3-4 teaspoons chili power (adjust to taste, but a kick is part of what makes this dish so darn addictive).
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon (optional)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime
Salt + Pepper
Basmati or jasmine rice for serving (optional)

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil on medium-high.
Add onions, sauté for one minute.
Add bell pepper, sauté for another 3 minutes until slightly tender.
Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the garlic.
Add cauliflower and stir.
Now add the red curry paste, chili powder, coriander, cardamom and mix well.
Cook for another couple of minutes.
The kitchen will be smelling amazing at this point!
Add coconut milk and bring the veggies to a medium simmer.
Cover the pot and cook for another 10 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge.
Once the cauliflower is tender, remove the lid and add chickpeas and peas.
Give the pot a nice squeeze of half the lime.
Taste your curry! It’ll be wonderful, I promise.
At this point add more lime if you like and season with salt and pepper.
If you prefer a “soupier” consistency, add 1/4 cup water or coconut water.
Give it one last stir and you’re ready to serve.

This curry is perfection with basmati or jasmine rice. But can also be perfectly enjoyed all by itself.

I served it over basmati rice (with the golden brown crunchy tahdig of course).
Garnish each serving with chopped cilantro and scallion and voila!

Fresh Lime Margaritas

May 23, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 2 comments

Who doesn’t love a citrusy fresh margarita! A natural addition to our Mexican themed celebration but also a fun drink to make all summer long for those hot weekend afternoons to enjoy with chips and dip and friends.

Skip the high sugar content margarita mixes and make this fresh version at home. You can either use agave nectar, honey or make a simple syrup in minutes. I usually use agave nectar, but since this was a celebration we indulged a bit by using sugar. No biggie, everything in moderation! Just combine 1/2 cup sugar in 1 cup water in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves. It only takes a few minutes.

¡Salud!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups tequila (I absolutely love Maestro Dobel Silver, it is exceptionally smooth!)
2 cups lime juice
*Note- this recipe can be made with any other citrus juice such as orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, blood orange (which is super pretty!)
2/3 cup simple syrup (after it’s cooled).
Tons of ice.

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a pitcher with lots of ice and mix.
Adjust to taste, if you like it a bit sweeter, add more simple syrup.
If you prefer to use agave nectar or honey, use a cocktail shaker to mix for better results.
Run a wedge of lime across the top of cocktail glasses. Then dip in a plate of salt to salt the rims of your glass (optional).
Pour into cocktail glasses and top with a splash of sparkling soda (optional).
This recipe makes approximately 4 servings, double up if you’re entertaining.
*Note- You can reduce the amount of tequila if you prefer less alcohol. Just have fun with it!

Versatile Salmon, done 3 ways

February 1, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

Beyond being nutritious and tasty, salmon is also an incredibly versatile ingredient to work with. I only use wild caught salmon. Stay away from the farmed variety. The diet the fish are fed are is bad for our bodies and pollute the water. They also have 1/10 of the omega-3 fatty acids which is one of the main reasons I like to have this nutritious protein in my diet.

Here I highlight a few simple but elegant ways to prepare this wonderful protein:

Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Salmon Fillet

Cold Salmon Salad

I love to entertain often, but don’t always have time to prepare extravagant menus. The smoked salmon canapes with creme fraiche are easy to make yet quite elegant. Simply place small pieces of smoked salmon on a thin cracker of your choice or pumpernickel cocktail bread. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche and sprig of fresh dill and voila! These are a hit every time.

Smoked Salmon & Creme Fraiche Canapes with Fresh Dill

Sesame Crusted Baked Salmon

This recipe is great for dinner any night of the week or on a large salmon fillet for entertaining.

Ingredients:

1 pound wild salmon (can do a smaller or larger piece depending on size of group you’re serving)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Lemon wedges + fresh herbs for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon on the salmon.

Drizzle with olive oil or sesame oil.

Season with salt + pepper.

Coat entire top of salmon with white or black or mixed sesame seeds.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.

Garnish with herbs, lemon wedges and serve with any pasta, rice or grain you like.

Cold Salmon Salad or Sandwich

What’s better than a fabulous dinner? A new fabulous lunch with the leftover.

I love cold salmon sandwiches or salmon topped on a bright and colorful salad.

You can choose any veggies you like in your salad.

Here I mixed arugula and spinach with chopped tomatoes, raw cauliflower, red beats and chopped onion.

Toss with lemon juice + good olive oil, then top with leftover salmon.

An important final step: delight in a healthy, colorful, nutritious and fabulous salad while you reflect on the beautiful food you’ve made and the people you’ve shared them with…