Fresh Jalapeno-Basil Lemonade

Sean has made this a couple times this summer, and it's a nice refreshing drink that also pairs wonderfully with gin or whiskey.  I like it because it's not too sweet, and the jalapeno and basil flavors really shine along with the lemons.  He used a home-made ginger simple syrup as the sweetener, and you can always adjust the amount to  your own taste depending on how sweet you prefer your lemonade.  A regular simple syrup would work just as well, but I do recommend a syrup over using plain sugar because you don't have to wait for it to dissolve.  Optionally, add a few berries to the bottom of your glass before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup simple syrup
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves only (green or purple)
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced thinly on the diagonal
• water (and ice for serving)

Yes, that is an elephant tea pot in the background...

Directions:
Combine the lemon juice, basil, and jalapeno in a large pitcher (ours is 2-quarts).  Gently muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon, pressing against the sides and bottom of the pitcher to pull some of the flavor out of the jalapeno and basil.  

By removing the seeds, the jalapeno flavor really comes through without being too spicy.  

Next, add the simple syrup and stir to combine.  Let this mixture sit for about an hour, refrigerated, to absorb the flavor from the basil and jalapenos. 

Add 5-6 cups water (until the pitcher is almost full) and taste.  Add more simple syrup or lemon juice if needed. You want it to be a little strong since you will serve it with ice.  Let it sit in the fridge for several hours before serving.  

When you are ready to serve, stir the lemonade before pouring into ice-filled glasses.  Add a couple berries for some extra sweetness if you have them on hand.  Enjoy!

Summer Fish Chowder

Mmmmmmm..... this chowder was SO delicious I had to immediately post the recipe.  With the savory, creamy broth, chunks of white cod and potato, spicy jalapeno, and sweet fresh corn and basil this soup had a depth of flavor that keeps you going back for another bite.  Sean picked it out from one of our cook books, 50 Chowders by Jasper White.  It's a great summer recipe because the flavor of the fresh corn and tomatoes really make a difference.  I tweaked the recipe a bit by increasing the bacon, subbing in a different type of fish and amping up the heat by including the jalapeno seeds.  Otherwise I stayed pretty close to the actual recipe in the book.  

Ingredients:

• 3 ears of fresh corn
• 8 oz slab or sliced bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced (I included the seeds and it had a nice level of heat)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, diced
• 1 1/2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced (I used 3 large russet potatoes)
• 4 cups strong fish or seafood stock (I recommend Kitchen Basics brand)
• 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 lbs skinless, boneless cod filet (other meaty white fish will work too)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

  Directions:

Start by husking the corn and cutting the kernels from the cob.  I find the easiest way is to use a large knife, lay the corn flat on the cutting board, and then slice and rotate until you've covered the whole cob.  The kernels are less likely to fly all over the place if you do it this way instead of holding the cob straight up and down as you slice.

Next, heat a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced bacon.  Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered.  Turn up the heat a bit until it starts to crisp.   If there is a lot of fat, drain some until only about 2 tablespoons remain with the bacon.  Then, add the garlic and butter, stir to melt, and cook for about 30 seconds.   Adding butter to bacon fat just compounds the deliciousness...

Add the onion, celery, and jalapeno to the pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and turn heat back to medium.  Saute for about 7-9 minutes until vegetables have started to soften.  

Next, add the corn, potatoes, and stock.  If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a bit of water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt if your stock is unsalted, or low in sodium.  Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.  Keep the pot covered and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 5-7 minutes.  (I did 10 minutes and thought the potatoes were slightly over-cooked)  If the stock hasn't thickened slighlty, mash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir. 

Add the diced tomatoes, and reduce heat to low.  Taste and season mixture assertively with salt and pepper.  (Season now to avoid having to stir a lot once the fish has been added.)   

While the chowder is simmering, add the fish and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.  The fish will finish cooking in this time.  Gently stir in the cream and basil and taste for more salt and pepper.  

Yes.... this is us.

If you are not serving immediately, let it come to room temperature before refrigerating.  Otherwise, serve the chowder and enjoy!  This makes about 8 servings as a main dish.  It was a big hit with our guests, I can't wait to make it again!

   

Butter Chicken

I fell in love with butter chicken the first time I had it.  There's something about the flavor of the rich savory sauce that just makes me keep coming back for it.  A flavor I thought would be impossible to match if I dared to try and make this dish on my own.  So I always make a point to order it when I see it on a menu... which is to say, not that often.  When I came across this recipe from Top Chef winner Floyd Cardoz I decided to give it a whirl.  As big Top Chef fans, we saw Floyd compete during his season and I knew a recipe from him would be as good as I was going to get when it comes to butter chicken. Though a bit time consuming, it was well worth the effort and I was surprised that this ended up every bit as good as the butter chicken I've ordered out at restaurants.  Or at least, close enough.  We cut the recipe in half.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
•  1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
•  1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (we substituted with berbere spice blend)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cups yogurt
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs  

For sauce

• 1 (28 oz.) cans roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
• 1 small jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3-1/2 cup heavy cream, to taste

Directions:


Start by marinating the chicken several hours before you plan to make this dish.  In a food processor, combine garlic, ginger, chili, lime juice, oil, salt, and spices. Process until a rough paste forms, then add yogurt and process until smooth. Transfer to a large zip lock bag or leak-proof container and add chicken. Marinate 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.

To cook the chicken, set broiler rack about 4 inches from heat source and preheat broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove chicken from zipper lock bag and wipe off the excess marinade with your hands. 

Lay it out in a single layer on baking sheet and broil until color darkens and some dark blisters form, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken, rotate sheet pan, and broil until color darkens on other side, about 5 minutes. 

Our chicken was so thin it was definitely cooked at this point, but to be safe you can use a thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches 170°F.  There should be some charring on the edges of the chicken.  Set aside to rest, and chop into bite sized pieces after it has cooled. (Try not to eat it all before it even makes it into the sauce!)

Meanwhile, begin making the sauce.  In a medium-large heavy pot, combine tomatoes, water, onion, garlic, ginger, chili, butter, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered at a hard simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.  

Blend the mixture with an immersion blender, or by transferring it to an actual blender in 2 batches.  Keep the sauce over low heat.  Once it is smooth, add the honey, fenugreek, black pepper, and heavy cream.  Stir to combine.  (Note: Floyd strains his sauce so it's completely lump free, but we decided to skip that step)

Season with salt to taste, and add the chopped chicken.  Once it has heated through, serve hot over rice.  

 

Coconut Curry Chicken with Basil

The spice blend in this recipe really packs in the flavor, and is complemented by the light and creamy coconut milk and fresh basil.  You can make it as spicy as you like by altering the amount of jalapeno pepper that goes in the recipe.  Served over rice, this is a delicious and satisfying meal!  I found this recipe on Simply Recipes and only made a couple slight changes with the amount of spices used.  This was also a great way to use up some of the fresh basil from our garden before the cold sets in!

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (we left the seeds in but it was pretty spicy)
• olive oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 14-oz can coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix all of the spices (first 8 ingredients) together in a bowl.  Add the chicken and stir until all of the pieces are evenly coated.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temp, or in the fridge for an hour or two.   

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and jalapeno peppers.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Remove this mixture and place it into a medium bowl so you can use the same pan for the chicken. 
You will likely have to do the chicken in two batches to make sure it doesn't get over-crowded in the pan.  Heat another tablespoon of oil over medium-high and place the chicken into the skillet.  Brown for a few minutes on each side, and until the chicken is fully cooked through.  Remove to the bowl with onions, and then continue with the remaining chicken.

Meanwhile, open the coconut milk and mix a couple tablespoons with the corn starch in a small bowl until it has dissolved.  Once all of the chicken is cooked and removed from the pan, add the coconut milk along with the corn starch mixture.  Cook over medium heat and stir until thick and bubbly.  Add the Worcestershire, basil, and ginger. 

Stir to combine and then add the chicken and onion mixture.  Mix well so all of the chicken is coated in the sauce. 

Serve over hot rice, and enjoy!