Feast on February Favorites

The nights are getting shorter and the days longer but COVID is still with us. I feel very confined after almost two years of disruption. About the only ting that changes from day to day is what I put on the table for dinner.

Here are a few of my favorite recent finds.

We love artichokes in my house. I bake and stuff them; I use frozen artichokes in several chicken dishes, and even canned artichokes in salads. But I’ve never attempted baby artichokes. These come in sizes about as small as a walnut to as large as a tangerine. I finally decided to see what I could do with these little beauties. There is a little fussing to prepare the artichokes. But it’s worth it.

BABY ARTICHOKES (serves 2)
(Courtesy of Clean & Delicious)
Ingredients

1 pound baby artichokes (you may find them either loose or packed in plastic. As with large artichokes, look for leaves that are not browned)
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice-
2 cloves crushed garlic
Salt
Pepper
Directions
1. In a medium bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, a bit of salt.
2. Trim the artichokes by cutting off the top third. Trim the stem (you can eat what’s left after trimming)
3. Remove the tough outer leaves.
4. Slice the artichokes in half and add to the olive oil mixture.
5. Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium high heat. Toss the artichokes and the olive oil mix in the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cook for 3 minutes or until light brown. Add a splash of water, cover and cook for about 2 minutes.
7. Turn the artichokes over, add another splash of water; cover and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid and let water evaporate while artichokes brown.
8. The artichokes are done when they can easily be pierced with a knife.
9. Serve with fresh lemon or a light mustard-lemon sauce or even ranch dressing.

Chicken is a chameleon. It takes on the color and flavor of just about anything it’s prepared with. In that way it’s a lot like tofu but with more texture. If you like garlic, you’ll like this next dish. And you’ll like it even if you don’t like garlic. It’s really fast in an electric pressure cooker but can easily be adapted for a conventional pan and roasted in the oven.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC (4 to 6 servings)
(courtesy of The New York Times)
Ingredients
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4-6 large ones)
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
40 garlic cloves, smashed (3-4 heads of garlic or buy already separated clove. Smash with flat side of a large knife)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. white wine
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 (28 oz.) can cannelloni beans, drained or use 2 (14 oz.) cans
2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 lemon, juiced-about 1 Tbs.
2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced.
1/2 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
1. Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper. Go lightly on salt if using kosher chicken.
2. Turn on the sauce setting of a 6-8 quart Instant Pot and warm the oil. Add chicken, skin side down and sear until the skin is browned and releases easily from the pot, 6-8 minutes. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Remove the chicken using tongs.
3. Add garlic and sauce stirring constantly until just softened about 2 minutes.
4. Add pepper flakes and toast, stirring constantly about 3 seconds.
5. Add white wine and vinegar. Stir well, scraping up all the browned bits. Turn off the saute setting.
6. Stir in beans and thyme. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Go lightly on the salt if using kosher chicken. Place the chicken thighs on top of beans, skin side up.
7. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
8. Allow pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes. Release rest of pressure manually.
9. Squeeze in lemon juice and fold in scallions and parsley if serving immediately.
10. Serve in shallow bowls.
NOTES: The favors meld if served the next day. Reheat and add scallions and parsley before serving. Th skin won’t be crisp if you use an Instant Pot. So baked the chicken for a few minutes or run under the broiler to crisp up the skin- or remove it and discard.
Can be served over rice or noodles. Carrots are an excellent addition. Add them in Step 6.

For those who are tired of chicken- it’s nice to have a chicken in every pot, but nor every night- this is a tried and true, no-fail salmon dish. Dale Russakoff served it to one of our rabbinic candidates. It’s also a favorite of Lynne Kurzweil, one of Shomrei’s master chefs.

SWEET ORANGE SALMON (serves 4)
(courtesy of Cooking Light)
Ingredients
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp. .chili powder
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind ( if you don’t have this, add a little orange juice to make a paste)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (if you don’t have this, add a little more cumin)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
4 (6 oz.) salmon fillets or one large piece of salmon
Cooking spray
Directions
1. Preheat broiler or preheat oven to 400. Or use a grill pan.
2. Combine first eight ingredients in a small bowl..
3. Rub spice mixture over both sides of salmon fillets.
4. Place salmon on a broiler pan (or sheet pan) coated with cooking spray. Broil for 8 minutes until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork. Or roast for about 12 minutes until salmon flakes easily or to your taste. Or use a grill pan for crisp salmon skin. Flip carefully and cook on both sides until done.
5. Run under the broiler for a couple of minutes if you want to crisp the salmon a little.
NOTES It’s Chinese New year. To give this a slight Asian taste, add a little soy sauce and toasted sesame oil to the spice mixture. Pairs well with almost any vegetable or grain.
For a lovely garnish, slice an orange in thin rounds or half moons and cook along with the salmon. Or sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions.

What’s next? Look for more family pleasing recipes in the next recipe column plus a delicious canned tuna recipe for when there’s nothing in the house to cook.

Want to share YOUR favorite recipes? Contact me at email hidden; JavaScript is required People do read this column!

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