GourmAndrea

Butter Chicken

This is a recipe I make time and time again. I will be the first to say it is a finicky recipe and there are tons of ingredients and steps but I make it all the time. It is worth the effort and it is really healthy.

This is a Janet and Greta Podleski sister recipe and was featured on the show Eat Shrink & Be Merry it is called Better Butter Chicken and here is a link to the Food Network site.

 
I like to add veggies this time I used broccoli/cauliflower but I also love a bell pepper/chickpea thing. With the leftover I made butter chicken pizza on a pita it was so good I spiced it up with chili flakes and dipped it in yogurt.

 
Butter Chicken (Tip you need to marinade chicken 6hrs or overnight)

Tandoori Chicken

10 large boneless,skinless chicken thighs 

1/2 cup bottled tandoori marinade (I use PC memories of Kashmir Spicy Tandoori Sauce for this recipe see bottom of post for pic)
Butter Chicken Sauce

2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger root

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp tumeric

3/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes drained

1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup light sour cream (not fat free)

1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (or parsley of you hate it like me)

1 tbsp cashew/almond butter (or peanut butter)

hot cooked rice (optional)

 Directions:

1.)Poke raw chicken in several places with a fork and marinade with tandoori sauce for at least 6hrs or overnight in the fridge. 

2.) Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with tinfoil and cook chicken for about 20 to 25 min until cooked through. When cool cut into bite size pieces that you will add to sauce.

Butter Chicken Sauce

1.) While chicken is baking make sauce, Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly stiring often until onions are tender about 5 min. Add gingeroot,chili powder,tumeric,coriander,cinnamon and cumin. Cook 1 more min. Add drained tomatoes,broth,brown sugar salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low cover and simmer for 10 min then take off the heat.

2.) Transfer half of the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth (If you use crushed tomatoes can omit this step). Return pureed sauce to remaining sauce and mix and return to heat. Add the sour cream,cilantro and nut butter. Add the cooked chicken and heat until just warmed through. Serve with rice if desired

  Nutritional info per (5) servings: 314 cal,12g fat (4.8 sat),33g protein,19g carb,4g fibre,120mg chol,534 mg sodium 

 

 

Borscht

 

 

 

 

This past week The Edmonton Journal had a recipe for Borscht and it was just what I needed to make given the seemingly endless winter we are having. I knew I was getting some beets in my Organic Box along with potatoes,carrots,garlic,onions so I only needed a few things.

The Ukrainians must have some serious knife skills there is a bit of chopping going but it soooo worth it! I have only had Borscht once last summer and it is such a great dish I will be adding it to my repertoire.

This recipe comes from Traditional Ukrainian Cookery by Savella Stechishin, wow what a beautiful name, Savella. The book was written in the 50's and Savella; an Edmontonian! 

Standard Borscht

Serves 10 

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium raw beets, peeled and cut into matchstick strips or grated

1 small carrot, cut into thin strips

1 medium potato, diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (extra celery leaves add nice flavor) 

1/2 cup diced string beans or cooked white beans (canned or soaked)

2 to 3 cups shredded cabbage (I used 4 cups green cabbage cut very thinly)

3/4 cup strained tomatoes or tomato juice (I used 1-14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained)

1 clove of garlic crushed

2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar

10 to 12 cups meat based stock (I used low sodium chicken and only used 6 cups I like more bits than broth in my soups)

chopped fresh dill and sour cream for garnish

salt and pepper to taste (I didn't add any salt and pepper, unusual for me but when the soup was ready I squeezed a whole lemon in to finish and it was perfectly seasoned)  

1.) Combine all the ingredients, except dill and sour cream, and cook over medium low heat. Simmer for 90 to 120 min(mine took 1 hour and 15 min)

Notes: If you are using young beets, you would add those later in the cooking process because they are not as firm as older beets. If using the beet tops add those in the last half and hour of cooking time. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.