Triqui Family Makes Life in Alaska,Violence Grips Triqui Region in Oaxaca (with recipe for Reyna's Oaxacan Chicken Mole)

Reyna Martinez DeJesus stood before a line of smoking grills at the back of “Ricos Tostaditos,” a Mexican food stand at the Northway Mall Farmers’ Market. Tall pots, tightly covered and steaming, crowded two of the grills. On another, flank steaks cooked over flame, sending their tantalizing aromas out into the market.

The irresistible smell of grilled meat drew me over. I ate some in a tostada, dressed with fresh homemade salsa and hot sauce. I wanted more of Reyna’s food. I ordered pozole, traditional Mexican soup made with hominy corn and finished with red chile sauce, intending to take it home for lunch. I tried taking just one bite, to see how the chile sauce tasted. It was amazingly good. Before I knew it, I’d powered down every bit of the pozole.

During repeat visits to Ricos Tostaditos, I learned Reyna, 35, her husband Lorenzo DeJesus Flore, 40, and their six children are Triqui, an indigenous people from the mountains of Oaxaca, a southern Mexican state. Triqui, not Spanish, is their primary language.

So how did a family of Triqui end up in Anchorage, Alaska? It started with Lorenzo’s decision to leave his violent region for the United States.

Lorenzo and Reyna told me their story when I was at their house learning how to make Reyna’s Chicken Mole. I wanted a cooking lesson. Lorenzo wanted somebody, anybody, to know what is happening to his friends and family in San Juan Copala.

As for Reyna’s Chicken Mole, like every bite of food that Reyna makes, it’s delicious.

Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to

http://www.laurieconstantino.com/triqui-family-makes-life-in-alaska-leaves-oaxacan-violence-behind/


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Rabbit Recipes: Litsa's Rabbit and Onions & Froso's Wine-Marinated Rabbit with Onions and Potatoes (Κουνέλι της Λίτσας & Κουνέλι της Φρόσω)

In Greece, our village’s economy depends on wheat and barley farming. In the last 10 years, rabbit populations have spun out of control, ravaging newly sprouted fields, and destroying entire seasons worth of crops. As a result, local hunters work diligently to keep the rabbit population in check, sharing their bounty with fellow villagers.

In September, rabbit is common village fare. Last week, two of my friends, excellent village cooks, served braised rabbit for dinner, but cooked it different ways. I decided to try both their recipes. Both were delicious; I’ll make each recipe again.

Litsa’s Rabbit and Onions (Κουνέλι με Κρεμμύδια της Λίτσας)
Serves 4
The sweetness of onions and Litsa’s light spicing combine with wine and meat juices to form a wonderfully flavorful sauce for rabbit. Our guests were sucking bones, licking fingers, and cleaning plates with bread to capture every bit of the delicious sauce. Chicken may be substituted for rabbit.

Froso’s Wine-Marinated Rabbit with Onions and Potatoes (Κουνέλι Μαριναρισμένο σε Κρασί με Κρεμμύδια και Πατάτες της Φρόσω)
Serves 4
Froso’s deeper, richer spicing gives a more sophisticated, slightly Middle Eastern edge to rabbit’s simple clean taste. Taking bites of meltingly soft onions and rabbit together elicited sighs of pleasure from diners, who smashed the potatoes into sauce to maximize flavor. By using only a small piece of cinnamon, Froso prevents its flavor from dominating the rabbit. Froso says marinating rabbit for 2 days is best, however, 24 hours is sufficient. Use slightly waxy potatoes like Yukon golds or red potatoes, not Russets or baking potatoes which tend to fall apart when braised with meat. The small onions used in this recipe should be about 1 1/2” in diameter, nor pearl onions. Chicken may be substituted for the rabbit, in which case, marinate the chicken for 12-24 hours.


Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to


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How to Harvest Devil’s Club Shoots and Recipes for Sautéed Devil’s Club Shoots with Onions & Crispy Chicken with Roasted Garlic

Devil's Club Towering Over Teeny Metcalfe
Treadwell Mine, Douglas, Alaska
Photograph by Ray Brudie

Devil’s club leaf shoots are the ultimate seasonal treat – they’re edible for only a few days a year and taste wonderful. They have a resiny, almost piney, odor when first picked that is tamed, but doesn’t dissipate entirely, when heated. Cooked devil's club shoots have a uniquely energizing and complex flavor that tastes like nothing else I’ve ever eaten.


In spring, I check the devil’s club on our property daily, anxious lest I miss the narrow harvesting window. Once they’re ready, we immediately head out with bags and baskets in hand to pick our fill of this unusual spring green.


When I mention how good devil’s club shoots taste, I often get looks of disbelief from those who have fallen victim to the spines that cover its stalks and the underside of its giant leaves.



Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to

http://www.laurieconstantino.com/how-to-harvest-and-use-devils-club/



Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!

Sautéed Devil’s Club Shoots with OnionsServes 4
Sautéed Devil’s Club Shoots go well with Crispy Chicken with Roasted Garlic, any seafood or poultry dish, with pasta, or on their own. 


Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska has moved as of March 2011. To read this post please go to

http://www.laurieconstantino.com/how-to-harvest-and-use-devils-club/




Please click on over and visit my new site. Thank you!

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This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Cate of Sweetnicks.

Recipe: Cannelloni with Spinach Filling (Κανελόνια με Σπανάκι)

Last week I found a bag of cookbooks in my basement that I’d never read.

I’d bought the books last year at a thrift store two days before my head exploded. By the time I was up and cooking, I’d completely forgotten about the thrift store cookbook score. My recent discovery was a lovely Easter present. A new cookbook always puts me in a good mood, and here were five of them. A bonanza!

The first book I picked up was Michael Field’s Culinary Classics and Improvisations: Creative Leftovers Made from Main Course Masterpieces.

Michael Field was a successful concert pianist in the fifties and early sixties who had a passion for cooking. By 1964, that passion had become Field’s career. He got started by holding “socialite cooking classes in his Manhattan apartment.” Ultimately, he started a culinary school in New York City, wrote cookbooks and magazine articles, and was a consulting editor for the Time-Life Foods of the World series.

Field died in 1971 at age 56. Among the accomplishments cited in his Time magazine obituary are debunking “such myths as the need to wash mushrooms, devein shrimp and press garlic” and preaching the “imaginative use of leftovers.”

Field’s primary rule for using leftovers is the source of leftovers must be “of the highest quality.” To this end, Field provides classic recipes for roasted and braised meat, fish, and fowl. He uses the leftovers from these dishes for the remaining recipes.

For example, Field gives a recipe for Yankee Pot Roast, the leftovers of which can be used in his recipes for Pot Roast Pie with Braised White Onions and Mushrooms, Pirog of Beef, Bigos, Cannelloni with Beef and Spinach Filling, Pâté of Pot Roast, or Cold Braised Beef Vinaigrette.

Here’s my take on Field's Cannelloni:

Cannelloni with Spinach Filling (Κανελόνια με Σπανάκι)
Serves 4 (makes 8 cannelloni)
Adapted from Culinary Classics and Improvisations by Michael Field (Alfred A. Knopf 1967)
Cannelloni is a very flexible dish, and is a terrific way to use up leftovers. For stuffing, combine the spinach with sautéed mushrooms or leftover chicken, beef, pork, lamb, or roasted vegetables. It’s great with homemade pasta, but can also be made with plain crêpes or store-bought manicotti tubes. The tomato sauce may be made special for Cannelloni, but the dish tastes great with leftover or jarred sauce. I made my own pasta, hand-cutting noodles with the extra dough. The noodles are terrific in homemade chicken soup. Although Cannelloni may be made in one large pan, I like using individual gratin dishes for ease of serving and because it allows me to freeze assembled but unbaked cannelloni for future use.

Pasta (or substitute crêpes or purchased manicotti shells):
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. water

Cream Sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt

Filling:
1/2 pound cleaned, fresh spinach or 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup diced onion, 1/8” dice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup finely chopped leftover roast meat or leftover roast vegetables (see vegetarian variation below)
1 Tbsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 egg

1 cup tomato pasta sauce, puréed (use your favorite tomato sauce recipe or a good quality jarred pasta sauce)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Make the Pasta: Mix all the ingredients in a food processor and process until the dough clumps together, adding water if necessary. The finished dough should be very stiff. Dump the dough out on a floured surface and knead for 2 – 3 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, use a pasta machine to roll out the dough, half at a time, until the pasta has gone through the second to the last setting on the pasta machine. Let the pasta sheets dry for 10 minutes. Trim the edges and cut the pasta sheets into 5” lengths. You need 8 pasta rectangles. (NOTE: Cut the rest of the pasta into noodles, let them dry, and store in an air-tight container until ready to use.)

Cook the pasta rectangles in boiling, salted water until they are al dente. With a slotted spoon, lift out the pasta sheets and put them in a bowl of cold water. Dry the pasta rectangles by laying them out on paper towels.

Make the Cream Sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cream in a slow stream, whisking rapidly and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the cayenne and salt, remove from the heat, and set aside until ready to use.

Make the Filling: Blanch the spinach in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the blanched (or thawed) spinach, and finely chop it. Put in a bowl.

Sauté the onion, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil until the onions soften and start to turn golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion mix, meat, oregano, and parmesan to the filling and mix together thoroughly. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Mix in the egg.

Assemble the Cannelloni: Preheat the oven to 375°F

Lay out 8 rectangles of pasta, evenly divide the filling between them, and roll them up. Spread a little white sauce in the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold all the cannelloni or 4 individual gratin dishes. Place the cannelloni in the pan seam side down and side by side. Cover the cannelloni with tomato sauce and then cover the tomato sauce with the remaining cream sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. (The recipe may be made ahead to this point and refrigerated or frozen.)

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Put under the broiler until the tops are nicely browned; watch carefully, it is easy to burn the cheese.

Vegetarian Cannelloni
For meat in the filling, substitute 2 1/2 cups diced mushrooms (1/4” dice). Sauté the mushrooms, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil until the mushrooms are nicely browned.
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This is my entry for Weekend Cookbook Challenge: Vintage Cookbooks hosted by Chocolate Moosey.

Greek Village Feasting: Chicken Kokkinistos [Πετ’νός (Κόκορας) Κοκκινιστός με Πατάτες]

Chickens are ever-present in the village. Crowing roosters wake us in the morning. Chickens that have flown the coop stroll the streets at leisure, darting in and out to catch an insect or avoid a passing car.

Meandering our way down farm roads, we keep a sharp eye out for chickens. The field birds are free to go wherever they want, which is often scratching dirt in the middle of the road.

When you can find the hens’ hidden nests, field chicken eggs are remarkably good. The yolks range from deep gold to bright orange and have wonderful flavor. Making a meal from farm fresh eggs is a treat I never tire of having.

As a child of suburban America, the only live chickens I ever saw were in the smelly livestock exhibit at the county fair. For me, chicken meant a smooth pink carcass, wrapped in plastic and stuffed with a bag of giblets.

On one of my early trips to Greece, we got off the plane and drove straight to cousin Froso’s house. She was in her courtyard, up to her elbows in chicken feathers and blood. One of her roosters had been a compulsive crower, so was headed for the pot. Two hens were stacked nearby, waiting to be plucked.

The air surrounding Froso was full of flying feathers, as she deftly and rapidly cleaned the birds. The graphic scene was a far cry from the tidy, factory-cleaned chicken to which I was accustomed.

The day after we saw her plucking it, Froso served us rooster in tomato sauce in honor of our arrival. It was splendid; the rooster was tender and savory and tasted better than any chicken I’d eaten in my life.

Roosters are prized on the island for their full flavor. Long, slow cooking tenderizes the bird, which otherwise would be tough.

Rooster cooked in tomato sauce - Rooster Kokkinistos - is festive fare. It is served on name days (celebrated in Greece and similar to birthdays in America) and to welcome those returning from abroad. Traditional islanders make Rooster Kokkinistos for the August 15 Feast of the Virgin Mary, a major holiday in Greece.

Serving long-cooked rooster stew during August heat may seem counter-intuitive. The wheat harvest, however, occurs mid-summer. Chickens gorge on fresh grain left in the fields after combines pass through. By August, they are fat and at their peak of flavor.

Except in the village, we don’t have access to roosters. In Alaska, I make Chicken Kokkinistos using the best quality birds I can find, preferably organic and free range. The aromatic Kokkinistos sauce, rich with tomatoes, onions, and cinnamon, enhances the mild flavor of supermarket chicken. Its flavors spirit me back to the village.

Chicken Kokkinistos with Potatoes [Πετ’νός (Κόκορας) Κοκκινιστός με Πατάτες]
Serves 6 - 8
Adapted from Συνταγές Λημνιακής Κουζίνας by Ουρανία Βαγιάκου (Athens 2000)
Thin egg noodles can be substituted for potatoes in this dish. Simply add uncooked noodles to the sauce for the last 15 minutes, and simmer until the noodles are done, adding water if necessary. The amount of cinnamon called for in the recipe is just enough to add flavor without overwhelming the sauce. I prefer using spicy “Saigon” cinnamon in this savory dish; standard supermarket cinnamon is fine, although its flavor is milder. “Saigon” cinnamon is sold by specialty spice sellers and upscale supermarket brands. It’s important to remove the whole cloves before serving Chicken Kokkinistos; they are not pleasant to bite into. You can wrap the cloves in cheesecloth before adding to the sauce to make them easier to remove. I rarely take the time to do so; I count the number of cloves and fish around in the sauce until I account for them all.

3 - 3 1/2 pound chicken, cut up or 3 pounds chicken thighs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 cups diced yellow onions, 1/4” dice
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups dry white wine
3 cups, or 2 14.5-ounce cans, diced tomatoes with their juices
3 cups water
3 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon, preferably Vietnamese Cassia "Saigon" Cinnamon
1 tsp. sugar
2 pounds potatoes, preferably red or Yukon Gold

Wash and dry the chicken well. Season the pieces on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot until it’s very hot but not smoking (if oil is very hot, chicken skin is less likely to stick to the pan). Place the chicken in the pot, skin side down, and let cook until it’s well browned. Turn over and brown the other side of the chicken. Brown the chicken in batches; don’t try to crowd all the chicken into the pot at one time or the chicken will steam rather than brown.

Remove the chicken from the pot, and pour off most of the oil, leaving only enough to sauté the onions. Cook the onions in the remaining oil until they soften and begin to turn golden, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the wine, and cook until it is reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, water, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and sugar. Return the chicken to the pot, submerging it in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Taste and add cinnamon, as needed.

While the chicken is cooking, peel the potatoes, cut them into large chunks, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry batches of potatoes in the remaining 1/4 olive oil until they are nicely browned on all sides, but not cooked through. Remove potatoes from the oil and drain on paper towels.

After the chicken has cooked for 45 minutes, remove the 6 whole cloves from the sauce. Stir in the browned potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked, the chicken is tender, and the sauce has thickened. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Serve with a crisp green salad, slices of feta cheese, black olives, and crusty bread.

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This is my entry for Heart of the Matter, an event to promote heart-healthy eating that is the blogchild of Ilva and Joanna, hosted this month by The Accidental Scientist.

Recipes: Braised Chicken, Peppers and Greens & Chicken, Beans and Greens Soup (Κοτόπουλο, Πιπεριές και Χόρτα & Κοτόπουλο, Φασόλια και Χόρτα Σούπα)

When it’s winter in Alaska, the good news is that it’s greens weather in California and the Pacific Northwest. Since vegetables in Alaskan markets come from outside the state, we share our West Coast neighbors’ bounty of greens. (In summer, we happily grow our own.)

For the last couple months, our CSA box from Full Circle Farm has been full of greens: lacinato kale (cavolo nero), beet greens, curly endive, Swiss chard, radicchio, and lettuces. My favorite is the bag of mixed baby “braising greens” that Full Circle sometimes offers. The bag usually includes 3 kinds of baby kale, Swiss chard, and mustard greens.

“Braising” is a method of cooking in which meat or vegetables are browned in fat and then simmered in liquid until done. When raw, greens like kales and beets are usually tough and fibrous. Braising turns them soft and tender.

Last week I wanted braised greens for dinner, so dug out bunches of lacinato and purple kales, plus a bag of baby braising greens. To balance the slightly bitter greens, I added onions and red peppers for sweetness, and finished the dish with chunks of chicken and plenty of herbs.

The final dish was flavorful and filling; a feast for the eyes and senses. The kale’s curly edges trapped the herbs and cooking juices, and bathed our mouths with flavor.

Leftovers: I made more Braised Chicken, Peppers, and Greens than the two of us could eat at one sitting. With the leftovers, I put together a wonderful soup by adding stock, beans, and seasonings. The soup took 5 minutes of mixing and 30 minutes of simmering; a perfect meal for a busy day.

Braised Chicken,Peppers, and Greens (Κοτόπουλο, Πιπεριές και Χόρτα)
Serves 4 – 6
I prefer serving this on its own, but it is also good over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. For vegans or those who are fasting, this tastes great if you leave the chicken out or substitute white beans for the chicken. You can also substitute Italian sausage for the chicken. Adjust the amount of Aleppo or crushed red pepper depending on how spicy you like your food. If I know I’ll have leftovers, I make this using tough greens like kale, because they don’t fall apart or turn mushy when reheated.

1 1/2 pounds braising greens, such as kales, beet greens, chard, broccoli raab, dandelion (about 3 bunches or 3/4 pound cleaned greens)
1 pound onions (1 - 2 large)
2 red bell peppers
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 thighs) or 1 pound leftover chicken
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 Tbsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 – 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/2 – 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Wash the greens and remove the tough stems. Cut into 1 – 2” pieces. Cut the onions into 1 – 2” chunks. Clean and seed the bell peppers, and cut into 1 – 2” chunks. Cut the chicken thighs (or leftover chicken) into 1 – 2” chunks, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides.

Sauté the onions and bell pepper, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil until the onions soften and are translucent. Stir in the chicken, garlic, fennel seeds, and Aleppo pepper. If using raw chicken, cook just until the chicken starts to brown; if using leftover chicken, cook for one minute. Stir in the cleaned greens, and cook just until the greens start to wilt. Stir in the wine and vegetable stock, bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the greens are tender. Stir the pot from time to time as it simmers to prevent the greens from sticking. This takes 15 – 30 minutes depending on the size and age of the greens; the only way to tell whether braising greens are properly tender is to taste them. When the greens are done, taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Serve immediately with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Chicken, Beans, and Greens Soup (Κοτόπουλο, Φασόλια και Χόρτα Σούπα)
Serves 4

4 cups leftover Braised Chicken, Peppers, and Greens
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 – 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 Tbsp. minced garlic

Mix all of the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.

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This is my entry for Antioxidant Rich Foods/5-A-Day Tuesday hosted by Sweetnicks. I am also submitting it for Leftover Tuesdays #11 hosted by Pam at Project Foodie.

Recipe: Chicken in Rosemary Bread (Κοτόπιτα)

Twenty-five years ago, we lived in Bethel, Alaska. I was there five years. At the time, Bethel had about 4500 full-year residents, most of whom were Yup’ik Eskimos.

Located on the banks of the meandering Kuskokwim River, Bethel is 60 miles east of Alaska’s Bering Sea coast. Cold Siberian winds blowing across the treeless tundra made Bethel a chilly winter home.

During Bethel’s frosty winters, I made Chicken Bread (as this recipe is known in our family) quite frequently. Fragrant rosemary bread, stuffed with chicken and herbs, is an ideal meal to fight off winter chills. It is one of my husband’s favorite meals.

We hadn’t had Chicken Bread in years when I recently prepared it as a Christmas treat. In the past, I made it as a single glorious loaf. When company was over, I’d deliver what appeared to be a large round rosemary bread to the table. The flavorful filling was revealed only when I cut the bread into wedges for serving.

My husband often suggested I make individual loaves of Chicken Bread. Since this was for a Christmas treat, I took his suggestion and was glad I did. Single serving Chicken Breads are less messy and make better leftovers.

With single servings, every diner gets to cut open their own bread, exposing the filling and its heady aromas of herbs and chicken.

Chicken in Rosemary Bread (Κοτόπιτα)
Serves 6 - 8
If the filling isn’t cool when you stuff the breads, it may break through the dough when you try and seal it. Conscientious bakers should make the filling first and then the dough, so the filling has time to fully cool. If you are impatient (like me), and must stuff the dough when the filling is warm, bake the breads in individual gratin dishes instead of directly on the baking sheet. The gratin dishes support the dough and prevent break-throughs.
Note: Rosemary Bread is excellent served on its own, without the filling. For directions on making loaves of Rosemary Bread, go here.

Bread:
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast (1 packet)
2 Tbsp. minced rosemary
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups semolina flour
2 – 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (4 chicken thighs)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced carrots, 1/4” dice
1 cup diced celery, 1/4” dice
2 1/2 cups diced leeks or 2 cups diced onion, 1/4” dice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/2” pieces
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced thyme

Make the bread dough:
In a large bowl, mix the warm water and honey. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or by hand with a wooden spoon), mix in the rosemary, salt, olive oil, and semolina flour. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is necessary to properly hydrate the semolina).

Start mixing in the all-purpose flour. When the dough starts clumping together, switch to the dough hook (or to kneading by hand), and keep adding all-purpose flour until you have a moist, but not quite sticky, dough. Flour a board or counter, dump out the dough, and knead in flour as needed to make a smooth, soft dough. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough.

Make the filling:
Wash the boned, skinned chicken thighs and dry them well. Cut into 1” pieces.

Sauté the carrots, celery, and leeks (or onions), lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the prosciutto and garlic, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the thyme. Let cool completely.

Shape the chicken bread:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

For individual loaves, divide the dough into six pieces. Roll out each portion into a 9 – 10” circle. Place one-sixth of the filling in the center of each circle and draw up the sides, sealing the edges together. The sealed edges form a seam that runs lengthwise on top of the chicken bread from one edge to the other. Place the chicken bread on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet (or in individual gratin dishes). Repeat until all the chicken breads are made.

For one large loaf, roll the dough into a large circle, put the filling in the middle, and gently pull up the sides over the filling. Pleat the edges of dough together to form a topknot in the center of the loaf.

Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325°F and bake for 10 – 15 minutes for individual chicken breads and 15 – 20 minutes for one large chicken bread. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Leftovers: Because the breads contain chicken, leftovers must be stored in the refrigerator. However, bread tends to harden up in the refrigerator, so leftover chicken bread is best eaten warmed up to soften the bread. The easiest way to do this is to put individual chicken breads on a paper-towel covered plate. Microwave on medium for 90 – 120 seconds, or until the bread is the temperature you desire.
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This is my entry for Bread Baking Day #5, hosted this month by Rolling in Dough.

Recipe: Chicken with Pomegranate-Wine Sauce

I hardly knew Tom and Joanna when they first invited me for dinner. I thought they were smart, funny, and sarcastic, and looked forward to an amusing evening. The evening was entertaining, but not in the way I’d expected.

The pair made their home in a nondescript apartment complex, which they managed in exchange for reduced rent. The kitchen was tiny. The walls were sterile. The kitchen equipment was rudimentary.

When I arrived, Tom and Joanna hadn’t yet started cooking. The intended main course was chicken in pomegranate sauce. It was an ambitious undertaking; in those days, we experimented with complex recipes calling for skills we did not yet possess.

The difficulty with the recipe was it required juiced pomegranates. This was before pomegranate juice was readily available, and Tom and Joanna had purchased a pile of pomegranates to liquify.

Joanna had no idea how to juice a pomegranate. Neither did Tom and neither did I; the only pomegranates I’d ever had were Christmas treats, savored seed by seed. I was dubious whether pomegranates could actually be turned into juice. The kitchen equipment was clearly not up to the task.We steeled ourselves with stiff shots of Jack Daniels.

I don’t remember the exact juicing method we finally settled on. What I do remember is the pomegranates contained very little juice; not nearly enough to make the recipe. What juice there was ended up on the counters. And on the walls and backsplash, no longer sterile. And on our clothes, hands, and faces. It was a dramatic mess.

By the time all the pomegranates had been mangled, we couldn’t quit laughing. It was that laughter that sealed our lifetime friendship. In circumstances where some might be frantic or upset, Joanna just laughed and poured us another drink.

The evening left me with an indelible impression that cooking with pomegranates was more trouble than it was worth. I steered clear of them until recently, when I read Maryann’s advice on Finding La Dolce Vita to juice pomegranates by breaking them down in the blender and straining out the seeds. This sounded easy enough to try.

Maryann's advice came at a time when the local Costco store was carrying flats of huge, gorgeous pomegranates. It was kismet; I had to buy them. Once the pomegranates were piled on my counter, I couldn’t stop thinking about Tom and Joanna’s chicken in pomegranate sauce. I decided to create my own version.

I removed the pomegranate seeds in the sink, under water, to prevent their staining juice from spraying all over the kitchen. I whirred batches of seeds in the food processor and used my mom’s old Foley food mill to strain out the pits. Each large pomegranate made two cups of cleaned seeds which, in turn, made 3/4 cup of juice.

The final dish was a rousing success. The chicken, pounded thin and cooked quickly in butter, had a nutty taste that complimented the slightly sweet, but tangy, pomegranate-wine sauce. I'm not ashamed to admit I licked my plate.

I will make this recipe over and over again. Each time I do, I will laugh at the happy memory of that first dinner with Tom and Joanna, so many years ago.

Chicken with Pomegranate-Wine Sauce
Serves 4
For a more refined sauce, strain out the shallots after the sauce has thickened, and before stirring in the butter. I love the shallots' added texture, so I leave them in. Serve with Dill and Rice Pilaf, and crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

Sauce:
3/4 cup diced shallots, 1/4” dice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice (2 – 3 pomegranates)
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. butter

Chicken:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
Fresh dill or parsley, minced for garnishk

For the sauce: Sauté the shallots, lightly seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, in olive oil until they soften and start to turn golden. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, pomegranate juice, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, and is slightly syrupy. (I made the sauce ahead to this point.) Just before serving, warm up the sauce. When the sauce is hot, turn off the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

For the chicken: Wash the chicken breasts, and dry them well. Remove the “fillet” from each breast, and cut the rest into two slices by holding the pieces flat with one hand and cutting parallel to the cutting board. Pound the sliced chicken pieces, including the fillets, between pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap until they are 1/4” thick. Cut the pounded chicken into approximately 3” pieces. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (The chicken may be prepared ahead to this point and refrigerated until ready to cook).

Heat the butter in a frying pan until it just starts to bubble. Quickly cook the chicken pieces until they are lightly browned and cooked through. Cook the chicken in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, or the chicken will steam rather than brown. When all the pieces are done, quickly toss them in the frying pan to make sure all pieces are hot.

For serving: Spoon a pool of sauce onto each of 4 plates, top with pieces of browned chicken, and sprinkle with minced fresh dill or parsley.

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This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #113, hosted this week by Astrid from Paulchen's Food Blog.
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Pomegranates are a popular item this season, in part because of "the heavy promotion of the crimson fruit and its juice as rich in antioxidants." This antioxidant rich dish is my entry for this week's Antioxident Rich Food/Five-a-Day Tuesday sponsored by Sweetnicks.
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Don't forget to buy your Menu for Hope raffle tickets no later than December 21-- all proceeds go to the UN World Food Program. The Menu for Hope prize I am offering is here (wild oregano, handmade sheep cheese, handmade egg noodles, and autographed copy of Tastes Like Home: Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska), the list of all West Coast Menu for Hope prizes is here, and the list of all worldwide Menu for Hope prizes is here. For more information about Menu for Hope, go here.

Greek Cookbooks: A Festival of Recipes (Dayton, OH) with Recipes for Chicken with Toursi and Cinnamon-Scented Rice Pilaf / Κοτόπουλο με Τουρσί και Πιλάφι)

On holidays and other special occasions, most of us want the familiar foods of our childhoods. So it was with the Greeks who abruptly left Saranda Ecclessias in the 1920s. On Thanksgiving, the most American of holidays, they combined turkey with Toursi and Cinnamon-Scented Rice Pilaf, a dish redolent with the smells and flavors of their former homes in Eastern Thrace.

Evanthia Valassiades described the dish in A Festival of Recipes: A Collection of Recipes from the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Dayton, Ohio: "This combination may sound unusual but it is really wonderful. Families from Saranta Ecclessias enjoy this meal at Thanksgiving. The stuffing and sauerkraut portions would be doubled for turkey. We don’t stuff the turkey, but bake the rice accompaniment separately.”

For a rich and hearty winter meal, holiday or not, here is my version of Evanthia Valassiades’ recipe. Cinnamon-Scented Pilaf served with sweetened sauerkraut and flavorful chicken is an exotic, and compelling, flavor combination. The sugar renders the sauerkraut sweet rather than sour. I modified Evanthia’s recipe by significantly reducing the amount of sugar (the original recipe called for one cup), and by adding onion and thyme to round out the flavors.

Chicken and Toursi (Κοτόπουλο με Τουρσί)
Serves 6
The recipe is adapted from A Festival of Recipes: A Collection of Recipes from the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Dayton, Ohio, sponsored by G.A.P.A. Women, 2001


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