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!

Muffin Tin Egg Frittatas

October 27, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 0 Comment

These flavorful muffin tin frittatas are fun, easy to make and a good solution for quick make ahead breakfast. Make your weekdays easier by making a batch over the weekend. It’s also a great way to prepare eggs for a group.

There are countless filling options. I used tomato, basil, spinach & cheddar but you can incorporate your favorites. Note- this also a good way to utilize leftover salads and veggies. Get inspired by your favorite omelettes. Either way, the end result is simple & delicious!

Other combo ideas:
-Mushrooms, peppers, onions, cheddar
-Spinach, tomato, feta
-Asparagus and cheese
-Goat cheese, spinach and tomatoes
-Spinach and ricotta
-Chive, tomato and goat cheese
-Smoked mozzarella, sun-dried tomato, basil pesto
-Onion and mushroom
-Mushroom and sausage

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
A handful of fresh basil, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons milk or half and half (optional)
Cooking spray
Salt + Pepper to tastte

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray the muffin tin with cooking oil.
Divide veggies between greased muffin cups.
Crack eggs in a separate bowl and whisk until fluffy.
Add milk or cream and whisk until incorporated.
Season with salt + pepper.
Pour eggs over each cup and fill 3/4 of the way up.
Now add your cheese to individual cups if using.
Place muffin tin in the oven and bake until eggs are set, about 15-20 minutes.

Of course, you can never have enough egg recipes. For further inspiration check out our Scallion & Turmeric Mushroom Omelette , Elegant Egg Salad or Exquisite Hard Boiled Eggs

Spicy Thai Basil Beef

October 26, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 3 comments

For the one year anniversary of the blog, I wanted to create a new recipe which was festive, simple, colorful and fun. It was a celebration after all. Earlier that week, I had discovered the amazing flavor combination of Serrano chili and garlic while cooking dinner with my friend Anjali in Brooklyn. We made a classic Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Grapow) and I learned about the garlic/Serrano punch there.

That wonderful dinner in BK organically became the inspiration for the Basil & Roses anniversary recipe. We had lots of Basil and Rosé, toasted to a fun year of fabulous food and enjoyed a spicy meal followed by dancing and laughter. It was a good night.

This recipe uses Beef but you can use any protein you like- chicken or tofu work well. You can also adjust the heat level by either reducing the amount of chilies or removing seeds and veins from the peppers.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed of fat and sliced diagonally against the grain
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium white onions, sliced
1-2 green and/or red Serrano chilies, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
4 large handfuls sweet or Thai or sweet basil
Fresh Black pepper to taste
2-3 scallions chopped
1-2 pinches sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Cooked jasmine rice for serving

Directions:
Place the sliced steak in a large bowl. Add oyster sauce and soy sauce, and mix until the steak slices are coated. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a large skillet or a wok on medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and chili and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant (being careful to avoid burning garlic).
Add sliced onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add beef and season with black pepper, sauté until browned and cooked through and any liquid has evaporated.
Add red peppers, stirring for about 2 more minutes.
Turn off heat and generously add basil leaves, allowing them to wilt while you mix them in with the stir-fry.
Serve with jasmine rice and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Exquisite Hard-boiled Eggs

May 26, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 4 comments

I love eggs. It is one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen and I enjoy different ways of cooking it. From a humble omelette to a sumptuous souffle, the options of what you can make with eggs are infinite. Eggs are an excellent wellspring of nutrition in a single source: they provide proteins, antioxidants, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals.

Omelettes are great on weekends, like this savory Scallion and Mushroom Turmeric Omelette. On weekdays the classic hard boiled egg end up on salads for lunch, an express breakfast on busier days or perfect mid-afternoon snack with a pinch of flakey sea salt.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “There is always a best way of doing everything, if it be to boil an egg.” I 100% agree with that statement. Here I share with you what I consider the best way to make hard-boiled eggs. It will be one the simplest and most satisfying dishes you make.

And since here at Basil and Roses we love flowers so much, we present our eggs shaped like one! It’s just beautiful and we think it will put a smile on your face.

The key to perfect hard-boiled eggs is to NOT boil them. You read correctly.

Directions:
Place eggs in water in a pot and cover with lid.
Make sure eggs are covered with at least 1 inch of water.
Bring water to boil.
As soon as water starts boiling, turn off the stove.
For a softer yolk, let sit for approximately 5 minutes.
Then run under cold water, peel and enjoy.
For the perfectly firm yolk, let sit for 10 minutes before running under cold water and peeling.
Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh black pepper.

To present like the beautiful flower above-
Cut 2 eggs in half, then cut the half into a quarter and arrange like a flower on the plate.

Plato said “Beauty of style and harmony and grace and good rhythm depend on simplicity.” This presentation and the incredible miracle that is the egg are two great examples of that notion.

Something salty compliments eggs well. Feta cheese is a great choice.
Here I served the eggs with a typical Persian breakfast of Feta, Tomato, herbs and pita (noon o paneer o sabzi!)

Nani’s Guacamole

May 23, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

I think avocado is the most magnificent fruits in the world! It is rich, creamy, earthy, nutty, and savory. Avocados also have great health benefits. The list is long but to name a few they are high in potassium, good fats and they are one of the few high protein fruits. I love it’s creamy texture and use it as a substitute for butter or oils often. And of course, nowhere is the beautiful avocado highlighted more than in a classic guacamole! I don’t use garlic or tomato’s in my recipe, but feel free to add them if it makes you happy…

P.S. This recipe also works really well for avocado toast. It’s excellent on toasted sourdough bread with a couple of slices of tomato and a pinch of sea salt. Yum!

Ingredients:
4 avocados
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 of one jalapeno, chopped (remove veins/seeds for less heat)
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice (adjust to taste)
Salt + Pepper

Directions:
Cut avocado into cubes, slightly mash it in a bowl. I like to leave it a bit chunky.
Add chopped cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, salt + pepper and mix.
Adjust salt and pepper levels to taste.

Tuscan Inspired Lemon-Rosemary Chicken with Cannellini Beans & Roasted Squash-Arugula Salad

February 22, 2017 nmalekan@gmail.com Comments 1 comment

There is a universal feeling of satisfaction with roasted chicken. The warm aromas that fill the kitchen while it cooks just feel like home. There are endless flavor combinations of vegetables, herbs and spices for roasting chicken – but somehow this Tusccan-inspired lemon and rosemary variation end up on rotation in my kitchen more often than others.

A magical combination married with garlic and olive oil. You can develop deep flavors in this simple recipe. The cannellini beans are creamy and filling, and beautifully absorb the rosemary, garlic + lemon aromas. The kitchen will smell divine too.

Once the salad is made, serve with chicken with a nice glass of white wine. If you’re inspired by the rustic Tuscan flavors, try a nice Vermentino. Tuscany is known mainly for it’s red wines but there are lovely whites as well from the coastal regions known as “La Costa Toscana!” According to the internet, “Vermentino should have an appealing sapidità, a difficult word to translate into English — “sapidity”. Essentially it should leave you wanting another taste, or indeed another glass.”

No arm twisting required here…

Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken with Cannellini Beans

Ingredients:
8-10 chicken thighs
4 Rosemary sprigs
2 15.5 oz cans of cannellini beans
4 large or 5 small cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 lemons
1 cup white wine or water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust to desired heat)
salt + pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Wash chicken thighs and pat dry, place in roasting pan
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon on the chicken
Spread cannellini beans around chicken thighs in pan
Add chopped garlic over beans
Add rosemary sprigs spread across pan
Pour white wine into pan (if you don’t have wine, you can use water)
Squeeze the juice of another 1/2 lemon all over beans
Slice remaining lemon and place wedges in between beans + chicken
Rub top of chicken thighs with olive oil (for crispy goodness) and pour the rest over beans
Season with red chili flakes, salt + pepper
Bake at 375 degrees for approximate 45 min – 1 hour depending on size of chicken thighs

Roasted Squash-Arugula Salad

Ingredients:
3-4 cups arugula (or other green of your choice)
1 avocado, cubed
3 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh chive, chopped
juice of 1-2 lemons
3-4 tablespoons good olive oil
3-4 green squash, chopped
2 small or 1 medium white onion, chopped
salt + pepper to taste

Instructions:
Saute white onions in vegetable oil until translucent.
Saute squash until soft.
Season with salt + pepper, set aside.
Assemble salad ingredients in a bowl adding arugula, chopped tomato, chopped red onion, chopped chives (optional).
Cube 1 avocado and add to salad.
Squeeze lemon juice immediately on avocado so it doesn’t oxidize and turn black.
Add good olive oil and a bit more lemon juice directly on top of salad along with salt + pepper and fold gently to mix ingredients.
Add sauteed squash on top of salad.
Serve with the chicken and buon appetito!