Eye for a Recipe

This Classic Chicken Teriyaki recipe from the January 2012 issue of Food and Wine is light, tasty and doesn’t take long to make. Chicken breasts and peppers are sautéed and then topped with teriyaki sauce made from scratch—much better than the store-bought version. To make the chicken breasts thinner, cover them with plastic wrap and pound with a meat tenderizer mallet or cast iron frying pan. This does a good job on the chicken and is an excellent way to vent the day’s frustrations. I served the chicken and peppers with steamed rice and sautéed baby bok choy.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain additives and preservatives are the broth, mirin (rice wine vinegar) and soy sauce. I used Imagine brand chicken stock, which is all-natural. Mirin and soy sauce can contain sodium benzoate, so look for tamari instead of soy sauce and a brand of mirin that uses alcohol as a preservative. I used Kikkoman brand aji-mirin.

I used a red pepper and hot banana pepper

Pound chicken breasts and saute until cooked through

Saute peppers until they start to brown

Slice the chicken and serve with the peppers and teriyaki sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1/3 cup sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons canola oil

Steamed short-grain rice, for serving

Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts, lightly pounded

2 tablespoons mirin

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sake

2 large Italian frying peppers, cut into ½-inch strips

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock with the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until the teriyaki sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup and syrupy, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned all over and cooked through, 8 to 9 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let stand for 5 minutes.

Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until shimmering.

Add the pepper strips and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer the peppers to plates. Slice the chicken breasts crosswise and transfer to the plates. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve with rice. Serves 4.

From the January 2012 issue of Food and Wine

This frittata from the June 2003 issue of Canadian Living is a great dish for either brunch or a light supper. Asparagus and red pepper pieces are sautéed and then mixed with eggs and feta. The recipe said the frittata would be set in 7 minutes – it was more like 12 minutes when I made it. A few minutes under the broiler finishes the cooking and browns the top. You need a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof, nonstick skillet for this dish; a cast iron frying pan works very well. Save any leftovers for breakfast the next day – the frittata is just as delicious at room temperature.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this dish that could have artificial ingredients include the butter, which may contain colour, and the feta cheese. Look for butter with one ingredient only: Cream. If you don’t use much butter, keep it in the freezer to preserve it. President’s Choice feta cheese in brine is additive-free.

Saute chopped asparagus and red pepper

Brown the frittata under the broiler for a few minutes before serving

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

2 cups (500 mL) trimmed asparagus, chopped

1 sweet red pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme, (or 1 tsp/5 mL dried)

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper

8 eggs

1/4 cup (60 mL) milk

1/3 cup (75 mL) feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

In 9- or 10-inch (23 or 25 cm) nonstick ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook asparagus, red pepper, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

In bowl, whisk eggs with milk. Stir into asparagus mixture; sprinkle with feta cheese. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until bottom and side are firm but top is still slightly runny, about 7 minutes. Broil until golden and set, about 1 minute. Serves 4.

From the June 2003 issue of Canadian Living

If you have had your fill of holiday turkey, ham and roast beef, try this delicious pasta with mussels in a spicy tomato sauce from the Holiday 2011 issue of Food and Drink. Arrabbiata is the Italian word for angry, but you can tone down the heat in this dish if you wish by reducing the amount of hot pepper. The recipe calls for San Marzano canned tomatoes, which taste better than regular canned plum tomatoes, so use them if you can find them. Penne rigate has ridges, meaning the sauce will cling to it, but regular penne would be fine. Be sure to discard any mussels that won’t close before cooking and any that aren’t open after cooking.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients in this recipe that may contain artificial ingredients include the pancetta and tomatoes. Use nitrite-free bacon and a brand of tomatoes that contain only tomatoes (or tomatoes and salt).

Cut pancetta or nitrite-free bacon into thin strips

Garlic, hot peppers, onion and parsley

Saute bacon until crisp

Saute onions

Add tomatoes and cook until thick

Mussels Penne Arrabbiata

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 oz thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into thin strips

1 onion, thinly sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 hot red pepper, thinly sliced

1 28-oz can San Marzano tomatoes

12 oz penne rigate

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 lbs mussels, scrubbed

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and/or basil

Preparation:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add pancetta and sauté for about 3 minutes or until crisp; use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate, leaving oil in pot. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and hot pepper and sauté for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes and scraping brown bits from pot. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until thick.

Meanwhile, cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 11 minutes or until al dente. Drain well.

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that mussels and pancetta will add salt. Stir mussels and half of the pancetta into sauce. Cover and boil gently for about 5 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any that do not open.

Divide penne among warmed serving bowls. Ladle sauce and mussels overtop. Sprinkle with remaining pancetta and parsley and/or basil. Serves 4.

From the Holiday 2011 issue of Food and Drink

This delicious side dish will be finding its way onto our table for Christmas dinner. These are not your typical Brussels sprouts – they are not boiled, nor do they turn that odd green colour that boiled or steamed sprouts tend to. Simply shred the sprouts in a food processor, sauté them in a pan that has just been used to crisp pancetta or bacon, and then combine with currants, maple syrup, mustard and the pancetta. Delicious!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

To avoid additives and preservatives, use a nitrite-free bacon, currants without sulfites added and an all-natural mustard, such as President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon.

Saute pancetta or bacon until crisp

Saute shredded sprouts in bacon fat, then toss with other ingredients

Shredded maple-mustard Brussels sprouts

Ingredients:

2 lb (907 g) Brussels sprouts

8 oz (225 g) pancetta or bacon, diced

1/4 cup (60 mL) dried currants

3 tbsp (45 mL) maple syrup

3 tbsp (45 mL) grainy mustard

1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper

Preparation:

Trim ends of Brussels sprouts; remove any discoloured leaves. In food processor and using blade attachment, shred sprouts. Set aside.
In large skillet or wok, cook pancetta over medium heat until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to small bowl.

Add sprouts to pan; cook until wilted, 8 to 10 minutes. Add currants, maple syrup, mustard, pepper and pancetta; toss to coat. Serves 10.

From the December 2011 issue of Canadian Living

This new find from the October 2011 issue of Real Simple is easy to make, tasty and colourful. Just coat chicken pieces (I used skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs) in a brown sugar-soy-lime juice sauce and roast until done. Meanwhile, toss red cabbage, carrots, scallions, mint and ginger with a quick dressing. I omitted the carrots and the slaw was still very tasty. I served the chicken and slaw with roasted potatoes. This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight supper.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe use tamari instead of soy sauce, which often contains MSG and sodium benzoate. Be sure to use fresh lime juice – concentrates include artificial ingredients.

Dissolve brown sugar in soy sauce and lime juice

Add chicken pieces, turn to coat with sauce and place skin-side down; turn once during cooking

Roast chicken until cooked through

Meanwhile, combine ingredients for red cabbage slaw

Lime and soy-glazed chicken with red cabbage slaw

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces

¼ head red cabbage, thinly sliced (4 cups)

2 large carrots, coarsely grated

4 scallions, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

kosher salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Heat oven to 400° F. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, stir together the sugar, soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons of the lime juice; add the chicken and turn to coat. Roast, skin-side down, until the sauce is simmering, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up and roast, basting occasionally, until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, scallions, and mint with the ginger, canola oil, sesame oil, the remaining 3 tablespoons of lime juice, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken. Serves 4.

From the October 2011 issue of Real Simple

This recipe from the February 2008 issue of Bon Appetit features a delicious sauce of shallots, Armagnac, prunes and thyme. Brown the chicken and remove it from the pan, leaving a lovely fond in the bottom. Add the shallots, Armagnac (I used regular brandy, which was fine), stock, prunes and thyme and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back in and simmer until cooked through. Remove the chicken again, stir vinegar into sauce, season and pour the sauce over the chicken. This is a tasty weeknight meal and would also be great for a casual dinner party.

Avoiding additives and preservatives

The items in this recipe that could contain additives and preservatives include the prunes, chicken broth, and sherry wine vinegar. Look for prunes without sulfites added and an additive-free stock such as Imagine brand. Instead of sherry wine vinegar, try a balsamic vinegar containing only naturally occurring sulfites. I use Acetaia La Bonissima Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Green). It is reasonably priced and imported by Sarafino in Uxbridge. You can find a list of where to buy Sarafino products in Ontario at http://www.sarafino.com/wheretobuy.html

Boil prunes in Armagnac

Brown chicken well on all sides

Brown shallots

Add broth, prunes and thyme sprigs

Return chicken to pan and simmer until cooked

Chicken with Shallots, Prunes and Armagnac

Ingredients:

1 cup large pitted prunes (about 20)

2/3 cup Armagnac or other brandy, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 4-pound cut-up free-range chicken

12 large shallots, peeled

1 ¼ cups organic chicken broth

3 large fresh thyme sprigs plus 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar

Preparation:

Boil prunes with 1/3 cup Armagnac in small saucepan until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet, skin side down; cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Add shallots; cook until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/3 cup Armagnac; boil 30 seconds, scraping up browned bits. Add broth, prunes, and thyme sprigs; bring to boil. Add chicken in single layer, skin side up, and any accumulated juices. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 17 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.

Stir vinegar into sauce; simmer until thickened, 3 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped thyme. Serves 4.

From the February 2008 issue of Bon Appetit

If you love spicy food, you’ll love this Sri Lankan Devil’s Chicken from the October 2011 issue of Canadian Living. Drumsticks marinate briefly in salt and turmeric before being browned. The heat comes from a tomato-vinegar-cayenne-garlic sauce, dried hot peppers and fresh hot peppers. I used dried cayenne peppers, fresh cayenne peppers and a habanero, but you could use jalapenos or hot banana peppers if you want to tone down the heat. The recipe calls for curry leaves but I could not find them; the recipe was great without them. Don’t substitute curry powder, as its flavour is much different than that of curry leaves. This recipe is a keeper – spicy and delicious!

To avoid additives and preservatives in this recipe, make sure the vinegar, tomato paste, turmeric and paprika don’t contain colour, sulfites or other artificial ingredients.

Marinate drumsticks in salt and turmeric

Grind dried hot peppers

Chop hot peppers, scallions and add a cinnamon stick

Make tomato-vinegar-cayenne-garlic-paprika sauce

Brown drumsticks well

Saute onions, peppers and spices

Return chicken to pan

Simmer until the chicken is done

Sri Lankan Devil's Chicken

Ingredients:

8 chicken drumsticks

¾ tsp (4 mL) salt

½ tsp (2 mL) turmeric

¼ cup (50 mL) malt vinegar or cider vinegar

4 tsp (18 mL) tomato paste

2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) cayenne pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

½ tsp (2 mL) hot paprika

5 dried red hot pepper

3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil

2 cups (500 mL) chopped onion

3 green onions, cut in large chunks

1 red finger hot pepper, thinly sliced

1 green finger hot pepper, thinly sliced

10 fresh curry leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups (500 mL) chopped tomato

Preparation:

Pat chicken dry. Combine chicken, three-quarters of the salt, and the turmeric; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Stir together vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic, paprika, remaining salt and ¼ cup water. In mortar with pestle, pound dried hot peppers until broken. Set hot peppers and vinegar mixture aside separately.

In wok or large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium heat; brown chicken, in batches if necessary, about 15 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Increase heat to medium-high; add remaining oil to pan. Sauté chopped onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Add pounded hot peppers; stir in green onions, red and green hot peppers, curry leaves and cinnamon; cook until vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes.

Add tomato; return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir in vinegar mixture; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

From the October 2011 issue of Canadian Living