Roast Chicken with Pistachio Salsa, Peppers and Corn

This recipe would probably be more aptly named Our Way to Jazz Up Roast Chicken, but I must give credit where credit is due and at least bid homage to the recipe title in it's entirety. Back in November, I gave y'all a recipe for Perfect Roast Chicken and so I see no need to reinvent the wheel and bore you with yet another way to cook a bird. Especially since I already shared with you a perfect one. Actually, I'm going to go so far as to tell you NOT to roast your own chicken. This recipe (for us) is a means to take a delicious and cheap $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken and dress it up with fixings that make it both interesting and delicious AND doable on a busy weeknight. You can certainly go the extra mile and cook the chicken yourself but in the summertime I say why bother?

I used to have a really negative relationship with pistachios. They were one of those foods that I couldn't even look at without a wave of nausea and a sudden urge to run to the restroom, lips tightly sealed to prevent the inevitable. I blame Christmas for these intense bodily responses. I was one of four Wilson siblings and my parents did a really good job of making sure healthy foods were served in our home. We weren't deprived of sweets and goodies by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe one could argue that we weren't exposed to them often enough to learn self moderation or maybe we were just kids and it was just a part of the process of growing up, but every time we went to a party or extended family gathering, we would go HOG. WILD. Sweets abounded. There were M&Ms in bowls in our reach. There were cookies and candy and chips and dessert everywhere. And we didn't hold back. We would run around free range, eating and stuffing our faces silly. When the gathering would conclude, late into the evening, my parents would pry us away from our cousins and load us into the car to make the 90 minute drive home. We would usually drive a couple miles, sometimes even a few cities down the freeway before it happened.

"Mom, I think I'm going to throw up."

A little voice broke the silence from the back seat. My dad would swerve off the road and tear open the door to the mini van, knowing he had about a 4 seconds between little voice and event. It was like clock work and it happened every time. Usually it was the older of my younger brothers. He became such a regular at post-party-upchucking that my parents quit getting out the of car to open the door for him. They would veer to the shoulder and he would open the door himself and just lean out. I guess you could say it became holiday tradition.

I remember one such Christmas gathering, the one where I first discovered pistachios. They were salted and in the shell, piled in a bowl right next to the M&Ms on the jigsaw puzzle card table. I was always a party-puzzle-doer and spent a lot of my holiday hours at these tables, mindlessly filling my belly with whatever snacks were in front of me. I'd never had a pistachio before. They seemed foreign in their clam-like shells. And who in their right mind chooses to eat a nut when chocolate is the other option? It was probably peer pressure that led me to give them a try and I quickly found myself hooked. But my new-found pistachio affection was brief. A series of unfortunate events succeeded that first taste, the details of which I no longer recall but I think it's safe to say a lot of chocolate was involved. Let's just say it was my voice pleading for my parents to pull the car over on our drive home that night.

Sorry. I know you weren't expecting to read about puke on a food blog. You are probably all thinking Does she think we are going to WANT to make this recipe after reading all that? Why yes, yes, I do. Now that I've totally grossed you out, let me, like the expert writer that I am, abruptly change the subject and give you the recipe.  I'll suffice it to say that for 20 years, I couldn't even look at a pistachio without growing green in the face. It was really, really tragic, the poor nut left overlooked for so many years. But they say some things get better with age. Nevermind, I don't think that analogy works here. ANYWAY, somehow, for some reason, I decided to give pistachios another chance and this recipe was 50% of the reason why. If that doesn't sell you on it, I don't know will. (But marketing has never really been my thing...)

I should tell you right off the bat that the Pistachio Salsa is not a salsa in the double-as-a-dip-for-your-chip sense. It takes on more of the Spanish definition of the word "salsa" as in a sauce or chutney. It is very forgiving and the pistachios can be evenly chopped or barely even chopped at all and it's still delicious. I will say that it is worth it to find shelled pistachios (Trader Joe's sells these) to save you the laborious process of tearing apart those clam-like nuts that seem to bite you back with each pull. It's hard to believe a 5 ingredient "salsa" could add this much flavor and dimension to a dish but it does, contributing crunch and interest to what ordinarily might just "taste like chicken." I'm sure it would be a delicious accompaniment to other meats in addition to chicken too. Or if pulsed in a food processor, the ingredients would make an instant vegetarian pesto.

I prepare this recipe year round but most often in the summer months when fresh corn and bell peppers are at their finest. The vegetable portion requires a little chopping but I love the combination of sweet corn, crunchy peppers and spicy jalapenos. I scaled back the red pepper flakes and jalapenos called for significantly as my troops are resistant to spice. Feel free to up the quantity if you really want a dish with some kick. The capers also add an element of flavor complexity to the dish that I just love.

So, the next time you pass one of those insanely affordable rotisserie chickens at Costco, throw one in the cart and jazz it up and make this. It's fit for company. I promise.

Roast Chicken with Pistachio Salsa, Peppers and Corn
(adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

CHICKEN
1 rotisserie chicken

PEPPERS AND CORN:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons minced capers plus 1 teaspoon caper brine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
5 cups thinly sliced yellow, orange, and red bell peppers (about 3 large peppers)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears)
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

PISTACHIO SALSA
1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

MAKE THE PEPPERS AND CORN Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, capers, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and jalapenos; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10–12 minutes. Stir in caper brine, corn, parsley, and vinegar just before serving.

MAKE THE PISTACHIO SALSA Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in oil. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before serving. Serve with chicken, peppers and corn.

Serves 4-6

Sweet Corn Pancakes with Mt. Tam Cheese

I apologize. I really thought I'd shared this recipe back in the summer months when I took this shot but then my husband brought it to my attention that I have not. I beg for your forgiveness.

I really wish I'd stacked the pancakes for this picture, but, like I said I took it back when the sun was still hot and now there is no going back. I mean, I could make these puppies again so I could retake the shot but I'm out of town and I won't get home until late Sunday night and then I'd have to grocery shop for ingredients and make the meal and it'd be before the end of the week for sure that I could make all that happen. And frankly, the pancakes are just so delicious I couldn't withhold the recipe another minute.

This summery dish is fresh on my mind, not because it's summer, but because I'm currently in San Francisco where I first tasted them. I must confess I have a major food crush on this guy, Stuart Brioza. Both Graham and I do, actually. He's the chef mastermind behind these savory morsels. I'm beginning to feel a bit like his stalker because we keep showing up at his restaurants, all the way from Seattle, somehow managing to talk to him personally, giving rave reviews and singing his praises and then getting special treatment. But, really, who doesn't like having their praises sung? So we continue to stalk him and I tell myself he loves it so that I feel better.

But I digress. We first tasted his sweet corn pancakes when we visited his restaurant State Bird Provisions back in 2012, shortly after it was named "Best New Restaurant in America" by Bon Appetit Magazine (it was). I posted on my personal blog about our experiences here and here, because we did go twice after all. All of his food was to die for so we were delighted when, nearly a year later, we received our July 2013 Food and Wine Magazine and found he made his pancake recipe known to the public. And I was even more delighted when my local Trader Joe's began carrying the very Mt. Tam cheese his recipe calls for. Of course, any triple-cream brie will do but this one is particularly divine).

I have adapted his recipe ever so slightly (ok, I just swap out 1/2 cup of white flour for whole wheat to appease the dietitian in me and make them a smidge healthier). Though ordinarily I would say frozen sweet corn could be substituted for fresh in most recipes, this is not one of them. Honestly, you're better off filing this away and waiting for summer if you can't find any fresh (sorry). These should certainly become your go-to summer appetizer but I've also been known to serve them as a starch and sometimes even a main dish with a little bit of salami and a salad on the side. Oh and fair warning: you might want to make a double batch. They go quickly!!

Sweet Corn Pancakes with Mt. Tam Cheese
(adapted from Stuart Brioza)

3 large ears of corn, shucked 
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
1 1/4 cups water 
1 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 cup finely chopped scallions 
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more as needed 
2 ounces triple-cream cheese, such as Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt. Tamor St. André, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
Freshly ground black pepper 

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the corn until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely, then cut the kernels off the cobs. 

In a large bowl, beat the egg with the water. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder over the egg and whisk until a batter forms. Stir in the corn kernels and scallions. 

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of canola oil until shimmering. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet for each pancake and cook over moderate heat until browned on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the cakes and top each with a piece of cheese. Cook until the cheese just starts to melt and the corn cakes are cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the corn cakes to a serving platter and season with black pepper. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm. 

To make ahead: prepare the batter and refrigerate (overnight if needed). Stir in the corn and scallions before cooking.

Serves 4-6 first-course servings

Carbohydrate Lovers and Sweet Corn and Mushroom Truffle Pasta

It is no secret that we are a house full of pasta lovers. And that's the understatement of the year. I laugh because most recipes from health-related sources usually say a recipe containing a pound of pasta serves 8. And really it should, if you're exercising proper portion control (and trust me, I'm all about portion control). Talk to my kids though. The oldest two alone can put away 1/2 pound of pasta in one sitting. My husband and I consider it a success if we are able to make it to the end of the meal with satiated hunger pangs when pasta is on the menu. The pasta just gets devoured!

I am aware of this. And so I plan around it. We don't serve pasta every night because I don't want my kids to subsist on carbohydrates alone (and they would). I also strive to prepare healthful pasta recipes, using whole wheat noodles when possible, and incorporating vegetables. But it is important to me that my kids to learn to control their own food intake and not feel like mommy and daddy are "policing" their every bite. So when pasta is on the table, they can have at it (and they do). I usually serve one of their favorite fruits or vegetables as a side dish and this often helps temper their pasta intake some and encourages variety. But there are some nights when they pick around the veggies and protein and literally eat only the noodles. ONLY NOODLES! Nothing else. And this is normal and OK.

I plan to pepper my blog with posts about nutrition and feeding kids as it is a topic I am extremely passionate about. I also happen to be in the trenches myself with my own 3 children. It can be incredibly challenging to maneuver the conflicting messages available about raising healthy eaters. I am hoping this space can be a place where you can not only find new recipes, but also ask questions and use it as a resource for feeding your own family well.

With that said, I'll share one of our favorite pasta recipes. :) It came from Emeril Lagasse of all people (as in BAM! Kick it up a notch!) and I think I happened upon it back in 2008 when Graham and I discovered this delicious thing called truffle oil. I know the judges on Top Chef would balk at the use of the "fake" oil form of the mushroom but I'm fresh out of real truffle (wink) and I don't have a gajillion dollars to spend on my dinners. And, I guess more importantly, I'm not on Top chef. So the oil it is!

Anyway, if you love mushrooms, you have to try this stuff. Truffle oil isn't exactly cheap (except when compared to the actual truffle mushroom!) but a little goes a long way. You can find it at most supermarkets these days, at specialty shops, online and at Cost Plus World Market.

This dish is another summer favorite, showcasing sweet corn when it is at it's finest. For me, "exotic mushrooms" usually means a combination of shitake and cremini because those are the options readily available at Trader Joe's. I also like to buy their diced pancetta cubes and dried linguine for this recipe. And what the heck does it mean to chiffonade basil? Basically it's a technique used to create long, thin strips. To chiffonade, stack a handful of fresh basil leaves on top of one another and then roll together into a cigar. Thinly slice perpendicular to the roll, creating ribbons of basil. But if that feels out of your level of kitchen comfort, chopped tastes just the same! ;) Enjoy!

Sweet Corn and Mushroom Truffle Pasta

(from Emeril Lagasse)

1 pound fresh fettuccini pasta

8 ounces pancetta, julienned or cubed

2 ears of sweet corn  
1 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, sliced
Kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Drizzle of white truffle oil
3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil
Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until al dente, about 4 to 5 minutes for fresh pasta or about 8 to 10 minutes for dried. Remove the pasta from the water and drain completely. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan or skillet, over medium heat, render the pancetta until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the cob. Add the corn to the pancetta fat and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute. Toss the pasta with the corn and mushrooms, reserved pancetta, a drizzle of white truffle oil, the cheese and basil and serve.

"Serves 8" (or 4-6, if you have little carb-lovers)

Tilapia Corn Chowder

I know most of us don't run to soup recipes in the hot summer months but this one is a must when the corn is sweetest and can be harvested fresh off the cob. After eyeing the towers of corn at my local produce stand for the last few weeks, I decided it was time to turn on the stove and put this on the menu.

I've been making this soup for years now and I've changed the original recipe some (like increasing the slices of bacon for instance). It is great as-is or can be easily tweaked depending on the veggies and herbs you have on hand. This time around, I had some extra mahi mahi in the freezer and so opted to venture off the recipe and combine it with tilapia. I was out of fresh thyme but I had some rosemary and it turned out beautifully as a variation. I even threw in a handful of frozen spinach for good measure and color (see - the recipe is amazingly adaptable!) I used a bag of potatoes from Trader Joes that contained Yukon, purple and red and I'm sure the soup would be wonderful with sweet potatoes too, though I've never tried it myself. 

The soup is certainly best in the summer, but you can also prepare it in the winter using frozen corn - no harm done! It is light and slightly sweet and chalk full of delicious good-ness. And for you non-seafood lovers, tilapia is a mild fish and you'd be surprised - it's not very fishy! All three kids gobbled it up which means this soup will be returning to our table again soon.  

Tilapia Corn Chowder

(adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

 

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 slices bacon
2 stalks celery, diced
1 leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 cups fresh corn kernels, (about 4 ears)
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook bacon until crispy, ~5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels and then crumble and set aside.

Add 1 more tablespoon oil (as needed) to the bacon drippings in the pan and then sauté celery, leek, salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and corn. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the potatoes are just tender and the corn is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in tilapia and thyme; return to a gentle simmer. Cook until the tilapia is cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

Stir in half-and-half, lemon juice and the reserved bacon. Garnish with chives, if using.

6 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each