ALDI ALERT!

My friend Sally spied two new Korean marinades at Aldi the other day, and she kindly grabbed me one of each, bulgogi and gochujang. Last night, I thinly sliced two small boneless ribeyes (one pound total) and used about half the bottle of the bulgogi marinade, then I stashed the meat in the fridge overnight. Traditionally, you’re supposed to grill the meat, but the pieces were so small, that I just cooked it in a large, very hot skillet until caramelized and served it over steamed rice (made in my magic pot) with a drizzle of sriracha. So good! YAY, Aldi! (And thanks, Sally!)

Weeknight Chicken and Dumplings

A friend recently posted some type of chicken and dumplings dish that looked yummy. I asked for the recipe, but as one was not forthcoming (ahem), I decided to try one I found online entitled 30-Minute Chicken and Dumplings. Hmm...too good to be true? Nope! True and truly good! Typically, I prefer my southern family’s rolled out/slider type of dumplings, but this style is faster and still very tasty. They are very much like the kind you get at Cracker Barrel. And of course, I made this dish in my magic pot!

IP 30-Minute Chicken and Dumplings
(Source: Adapted from The Slow-Roasted Italian)

5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used boneless, skinless thighs)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or mixed vegetables)

Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter (softened)
1 cup milk

In the liner of the Instant Pot on saute mode, bring the chicken broth, butter, parsley, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, ground celery, basil, thyme and black pepper to a boil.
Meanwhile, cut chicken into one-3/4-inch pieces. Add to the pot and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Slowly pour the slurry into the IP, stirring constantly. Add frozen vegetables.

Meanwhile combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and the butter with a fork. Gradually add the milk until just combined. Drop dumplings into the soup one tablespoon at a time. Reduce pot to low saute and cook until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about ten minutes.

Brunch Inspiration from the Evergreen State

This turned out to be one of the tastiest dishes I have ever created, and also a special long-distance dedication to my friend whom I lovingly call Dr. Bob. He recently went to brunch at a restaurant called Luna in Spokane and had a dish similar to this and shared the idea with me. My version is Butternut Squash and Parmesan Polenta Topped with Local Curried Winter Squash Sausage from Mace Chasm Farm, Sautéed Baby Bella Mushrooms and Sweet Onions, and Poached Eggs. And I made the polenta and the poached eggs in my magic pot! ALL THE YUM!!

IP Butternut Squash and Parmesan Polenta with Sautéed Sausage, Mushrooms, and Onions and Poached Eggs

2 cups frozen cubed butternut squash

4 1/2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup instant polenta

1 cup shredded Parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb. sausage (I used a curried winter squash variety), casings removed

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 lb. sliced Baby Bella mushrooms

1 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

pinch of red pepper flakes

seasoned salt and black pepper, to taste

4-8 eggs (to be poached)

Add the squash, water, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper to the IP liner. Cook on manual for five minutes, release immediately, remove the bay leaf, and puree in the pot with an immersion blender. Add the butter, switch the pot to high saute and bring to a boil. Whisking constantly, add the polenta gradually, then turn off the pot. Keep whisking until the polenta thickens and starts to come away from the sides of the liner. Whisk in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To a large skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the sausage, breaking it up as you go, until browned. Remove the sausage from the skillet, and add the other tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook the onions, garlic, and mushrooms with the rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes until the vegetables are tender and starting to color. Season to taste with seasoned salt and black pepper. Add the reserved sausage to the mushroom and onion mixture. 

Divide the reserved polenta into four portions and top each with a quarter of the sausage, mushroom, and onion mixture, and one or two poached eggs. (I poached my eggs in the IP for two minutes on steam with an instant release.)

Do-It-Yourself Grain Bowls

I was strolling through the Walmarts recently when I came upon some pre-fab frozen grain bowls that looked pretty good. But then I thought, I have grains and a magic pot...and leftover Chinese food containers. I can make my own d*mn grain bowls that are tastier and cheaper! TA-DAH! The ones I saw in the store were barley, kale, and turkey sausage. I used what I had on hand and made farro, Prince Edward Island blend veggies, and smoked turkey sausage. YUM! No fast food drive-throughs for me during finals week!

Methodology:

I put a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the IP and sauteed half of a large onion (chopped) with four cloves of minced garlic (you can just use two if you're wimpy like that). When tender, I added a cup of pearled farro and two cups of vegetable stock. I cooked it on manual for ten minutes, and let it release naturally.

Meanwhile, I browned a pound of smoked sausage in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat, and then removed it from the pan and sliced it up. To the same skillet, I added another couple of tablespoons of olive oil, the rest of the onion, a couple/few more cloves of minced garlic, and a pinch of hot pepper flakes. When tender, I deglazed the pan with half a cup of white wine, then I threw in a bag of PEI blend veggies, poured in two cups of vegetable stock, covered the pan, lowered the heat to a simmer, and let it cook until the carrots were tender. I added black pepper and seasoned salt to taste.

To build the bowls, I used three leftover Chinese food containers, and put the cooked farro in the bottom, topped that with the veggies, and then the sausage. And I poured the remaining liquid equally over the three finished bowls. Easy-peasy!

My Favorite Go-To Pasta Dish

My garden has not been great this year: too much rain and too many pests. Still, it is the high holy season when my all efforts have come to fruition, and I am trying to use up everything I harvest in delicious and creative ways. So today, I made a seafood stir-fry fettuccine dish with onions, peppers, garlic, zucchini, sweet corn, spinach, and lots of fresh herbs. I've been making slightly different versions of this dish for nearly 30 years. It's quick, it's easy, it's good for you, and it's soooooooooooo YUMMY!

Seafood Stir-Fry Fettucine with Seasonal Vegetables and Fresh Herbs

1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 large onion, diced
1 hot pepper, seeded and diced (or use a sweet pepper for a mild dish)
1 small zucchini, cored and sliced*
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. surimi "krab" (thawed)
2 ears of corn, steamed, and cut from the cob**
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon seasoned salt (your favorite blend)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 to 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup each fresh chives, parsley, and lemon basil, chopped
1 lb. fettucine, cooked until al dente, drained and pasta water reserved (or pasta of choice)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a 3 1/2 quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion, hot pepper, zucchini, and garlic and saute for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Add the surimi and corn and cook for a few minutes until the seafood has softened. Season mixture with red wine vinegar, sugar, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Add the fresh herbs, the hot pasta, about 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, and the Parmesan, and fold everything together gently to combine.

*I had zucchini and leftover corn to use this time, but I often used sliced mushrooms in this dish.
**I happened to have leftover cooked corn on the cob, but of course, you can cut the kernels off of raw corn, and then cook the corn with the other veggies at the beginning of this recipe.

Pesto...PRESTO!

I planted four kinds of basil this year--lemon, dark opal, lettuce leaf, and spicy globe--and I currently have it coming out of my ears! Obviously, I love fresh basil as much or more as the next guy, but let's face it: It's powerful juju! However, I learned a secret many years to taming that punch from the basil when making pesto, and that's to use an equal part of fresh spinach in the mix. Then when you combine the finished pesto with pasta, add a little heavy cream to mellow it out even more. Tonight's pesto featured lemon basil from my garden, Romano cheese, and macadamia nuts, and I topped the pasta with balsamic-marinated and grilled chicken.

Here's the pesto I buzzed up in the food processor tonight then added to cooked spaghetti rigate along with a few tablespoons of heavy cream:

2 cups fresh spinach
2 cups lemon basil
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
1/2 cup macadamia nut pieces
1 head garlic, cloves peeled (or use only 4 cloves like a normal person)
juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Product Recommendations!

Product Recommendation #1:
I recently watched Bobby Flay, very atypically, get beaten trying to make gnudi, which is a little like a ravioli filling without the pasta around it, or like very light gnocchi. This left me with a profound hankering for gnocchi, and I remembered that I had a package of sweet potato gnocchi from Trader Joe's in the freezer. So I sautéed them in brown butter, chopped onion, and slivers of fresh sage from my garden, and finished the dish with salt and pepper and shredded Parmesan. And honestly, it was one of the best things I've ever had! Put this product on your TJ's shopping list immediately! SO YUMMY!!

Product Recommendation #2:

Cyd was always the grill master--the only cooking I could get her to do most times. But a friend recently commented that I don't seem to grill out much, and that made me stop and think: True enough, I probably haven't grilled out since Cyd passed away. So by the hardest, I managed to fire up my rusty old grill that only lights up on one side, and cooked some jerk pork using Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning that I bought on Amazon. I used country-style pork ribs coated liberally with the seasoning and refrigerated overnight. I must say, I usually make my own jerk marinade, but this stuff was DELICIOUS, without all the cutting and chopping! But I'm sure glad I bought the MILD Walkerswood jerk rub. YIKES! 🔥🔥🔥

Orphan Black Viewing Demands Southern-Style Feast!

Tonight was the first Orphan Black gathering we've had in ages, and we watched three episodes back-to-back! So I decided that the momentous occasion called for a veritable feast--a Southern meat-and-three extravaganza for my soul seestras. I prepared Ham Hock and Fava Bean Soup, Magic Pot Baby Back Ribs with Jamaican BBQ Sauce, Magic Pot Four Cheese Mac and Cheese, and Spicy Sautéed Kale (the kale and hot pepper were from my garden). And of course, we topped it all off with sweet tea pie!

First, I will tell you about the soup, which was an IP experiment that turned into an IP fail...and then into a soupy success. I tried to cook a bag of frozen (thawed) fava beans with onions, garlic, yellow peppers, a can of Rotel, a packet of Sazon, and a ham hock in some chicken stock, on manual for five minutes, but they came out really mushy--very flavorful, but sadly mushy. Plus, they had those awful, tough skins! So I sliced open and squeezed out each one of those darn beans, added another couple of cups of chicken stock, and used a stick blender to purée. Lastly, I stirred in a little heavy cream. It ended up tasting just like split pea with ham soup. Delish!

I bought two racks of frozen, pre-marinated (Kansas City BBQ) ribs, and I thawed them overnight in the fridge. To cook them, put the metal rack into the IP, pour in a cup of apple cider vinegar, then CURL the racks of ribs into the pot. Cook on either meat or manual for 27 minutes, then brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and broil for five to ten minutes in the oven until browned and crispy on top.

Ina Makes Pasta, So I Make Pasta

Ina Garten is my spirit animal, and she prepared a lemon cream pasta on her show recently that inspired me to make something similar. Unlike Ina, I topped mine with some succulent smoked salmon that I brought home from St. John, New Brunswick, where I spent part of my summer vacation. What a fabulous combination! (Any seafood would be great with this pasta.)

Lemon Cream Angel Hair Pasta

In a medium hot skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add:
1 hot pepper, seeded and minced
2 large shallots, peeled and minced

Saute until the veggies are tender.

Add:
zest and juice of two lemons
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the sauce with one pound of angel hair pasta, cooked al dente and drained. Gently mix in chunks of smoked salmon. Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

YO! Philly Cheesesteak Pasta in the Instant Pot

I tried something new in my magic pot tonight, an adaptation of another one of those recipe videos that was going around Facebook, called Philly Cheesesteak Pasta. It turned out well, but it basically tastes like Beef Stroganoff. (That's okay. I like Beef Stroganoff. Tee hee.)

Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
(Source: Adapted from Twisted Food)

Brown in a large skillet over medium heat in two tablespoons olive oil:
1 3/4 lbs. stew meat (I used chuck)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Add browned meat to the IP. In the pan drippings plus one tablespoon butter, cook until tender:
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced (I prefer a Cubanelle)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Add the sauteed veggies to the pot, plus:
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cook on stew mode for 35 minutes, then let release naturally.

Leave pot on warm and add:
1 lb. penne, cooked to al dente and drained
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste

Happy (Belated) St. Paddy's Day to Ye!

I got invited to my wonderful friend Domenica's place for an amazing St. Patrick's Day dinner on Friday night. That girl even corned her own beef! So I didn't get around to making my own corned beef dinner until tonight.

I cooked the meat in my Instant Pot, of course, and then glazed it and finished it under the broiler. I also roasted carrots and potatoes in the oven instead of boiling them, and because I'm not a fan of steamed cabbage, I had a side of homemade hot pink sauerkraut instead. Irish-German fusion cuisine!

Instant Pot Corned Beef

1 bottle of hard cider (or beer)

2 1/2 cups beef broth

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons malt vinegar

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon ground celery

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4-5 lb. corned beef, soaked in cold water for 15-30 minutes

spice packet

Add all of the ingredients to the IP liner. Cook on Meat/Stew for 60 minutes, then let it release naturally. 

Optional glaze finish:

1/4 cup grainy mustard

2 tablespoons malt vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Mix the mustard, malt vinegar, and brown sugar and brush onto the cooked corned beef. Broil until caramelized.

Roasted Vegetables

6 medium potatoes, washed and cut into eighths

6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (parsnips would be great, too)

1/2 large onion, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup malt vinegar

2 tablespoons grainy mustard

1 teaspoon herb seasoning blend

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

Mix all of the above ingredients together on a lined sheet pan. Roast at 400F for about an hour or until the vegetables are tender enough for your tastes. 

Taken In by Another Social Media Cooking Video

I saw a recipe making the rounds on Facebook called Creamy Sundried Tomato Parmesan Chicken that looked good, so I tried it tonight. And it was delish! Of course, I changed a few things in the recipe, as is my way. I used bone-in thighs (skin removed), because that's what I had on hand. And as they were thicker cuts, I had to brown them in a skillet, then finish cooking them in the oven. I also used a bag of "Heavenly" cocktail tomatoes from Trader Joe's that I needed to use or lose and then just half the amount of sun dried called for in the original recipe. And I used light cream for the sauce and no corn starch. I did use the optional dried Italian herbs, but I omitted the fresh basil--though that would have been lovely if I had any and/or the will to go to the store during the latest arctic blast.

Creamy Sundried Tomato Parmesan Chicken
(Source: Adapted from Cafe Delites)

For the chicken:

2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 4 fillets (I used bone-in thighs, skin removed)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt (I used a spicy soul seasoning blend)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons reserved sun dried tomato oil (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
7 oz jarred sundried tomato strips in oil, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of oil for cooking)
8 oz sliced mushrooms
11/2 cups milk (or half-and-half or light cream)
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of milk**
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (do not include for dairy free option)
2 teaspoons Italian herbs (optional for added flavour)
2 tablespoons fresh shredded basil, to serve

1. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Dredge in the flour mixture; shake off excess and set aside.
2. Heat one tablespoon of the reserved oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry the chicken until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 5-6 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer onto a warm plate. (I transferred them to a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes until the thighs were cooked through.)
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet; sauté the garlic until fragrant (about one minute). Add the sundried tomatoes and mushrooms; fry until the mushrooms are just soft. (I chopped up a bag of cocktail tomatoes and threw them in as well.)
4. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the milk (or cream if using) and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the centre of the pan. Continue to simmer while quickly stirring the mixture through until the sauce thickens. (Only use cornstarch if using milk for your sauce.)
5. Add in the parmesan cheese; allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce. Add the chicken back into the pan; sprinkle with the fresh basil and a little extra pepper (optional), and serve over pasta, rice or steamed vegetables.

Deconstructing Cabbage Rolls As Winter Lingers

After a few teaser days of 50- and 60-degree weather, it has gone back to being winter. So I was thinking of making something hearty and comforting like cabbage rolls or stuffed peppers for Foodie Sunday (as my friend, Kim, calls it). But what I had on hand was a half a cabbage frozen in the back fridge and some shishito peppers that needed to be used and zero desire to go to the store in the cold. Both the cabbage leaves and the peppers were too small of vessels to be stuffed, so I came up with Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls with Homemade Tomato Sauce. All this needs is a dollop of sour cream!

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
(Source: Inspired by Martha Kostyra's recipe)

2 cups homemade tomato sauce
1 tart apple, peeled and shredded
1/2 lb. pork sausage
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped (or a few hot peppers, to taste)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 small to medium cabbage, cored and shredded
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cooked white rice
2 cups homemade tomato sauce
1 tart apple, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more to garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

To a small saucepan, add the tomato sauce and the shredded apple. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rest of the dish is done. (If you don't have homemade tomato sauce, I recommend using a basic, good-quality marinara instead of plain tomato sauce.)

In a large skillet, cook the ground meats, onion, celery, green or hot pepper(s) and garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Season the mixture with the dried parsley, salt, and pepper.

Next, add the shredded cabbage and the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and steam for five minutes. Uncover, add the cooked white rice, the reserved tomato sauce*, half a cup of sour cream*, and chopped fresh parsley. Stir to combine. Serve with an extra dollop of sour cream.

*You can top the meat, rice, and cabbage mixture with the tomato sauce and a dollop of sour cream, or you can mix the tomato sauce and sour cream into the dish. Your call.

Trader Joe's to the Weeknight Rescue!

I have made the most delicious, quick and easy, though somewhat unusual dinner. I'm calling it Pork and Beans Pasta. I used leftover pork roast that I had cooked in my magic pot, two pints of homemade marinara made with my own garden tomatoes and herbs, and two cans of Trader Joe's Giant Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce. Then I served this hearty, savory sauce over Trader Joe's Organic Red Lentil Sedanini (like a small penne). So tasty, and so packed with protein and legume-y goodness!

 

A Taste of Stockholm's Funky Food Truck Culture

When my friends picked me up from the airport in Stockholm this past summer, the first place that they insisted upon taking me was to the food trucks that set up on the weekends along the river in Södermalm (which means "South Island" and is not at all unlike hipster Brooklyn, NYC).

You have a wealth of cuisines from which to choose, it's very inexpensive, and then you sit on these bleachers in the sunshine while you dine. It's all quite a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon!

Beyond the food trucks, there's also an eclectic flea market that you can browse your way through after lunch.

Though my friend, Jen, decided on Greek fare, her husband, Mats and I opted for--ironically--"New York Style" Chicken and Rice from a fabulous truck (complete with operational disco ball!) calling itself the Funky Chicken.

The dish was comprised of yellow rice, grilled chicken marinated with Mediterranean flavors, a refreshing yogurt sauce, and a spicy harissa hot sauce, garnished with flat-leaf parsley, and served with a side of "sallad" (cole slaw) and a piece of crusty bread.

The chicken and rice was so delicious, and it reminded me very much of the halal chicken that you get from food carts in New York City. (Funny that I traveled all the way to Sweden to enjoy New York cuisine!)

Since my visit, I have reflected fondly and often on that dish, so much so that I had no choice but to try and copycat it--or something close to it--at home. And here was my recreation! Pretty close in both looks and taste, I'd say! I need to make some minor tweaks, but I was pretty proud of my first attempt.

Before I get into the recipes, I have to share a funny epilogue to my Stockholm food truck tale. The following weekend, we returned to the food trucks on Södermalm, and despite all of the wonderful choices of things to eat, I found myself back at the Funky Chicken, this time to try their "award-winning" triple cheeseburger. But as is my way, I had to put it together in a way that even the chef didn't know how good it could be.

Actually, I made them quite angry by asking if they'd put some of the harissa sauce, yogurt sauce, and slaw on my burger. They balked at this request, but with some persuasion on my part, the cook finally agreed to give me the condiments on the side. But the guy told me that I would DESTROY the burger if I put that stuff on it. (That's a direct quote.) What he failed to realize is that they could be making money hand over fist if he sold the Mediterranean Burger that I designed! It was frickin' DELICIOUS! They didn't understand who they were dealing with! I KNOW THINGS!

Instant Pot Yellow Rice
(Source: Adapted from Budget Bytes)

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups uncooked long grain jasmine rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Add the butter, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon and rinsed rice to the IP. Sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes, or just until the garlic has softened. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf to the pot. Put the lid on and cook for four minutes on manual. Let release naturally, then fluff with a fork.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken and Dill Greek Yogurt Sauce
(Source: Adapted from The Mediterranean Dish)

For the Dill Greek Yogurt Sauce:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, stems removed
1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt, to taste

Combine the minced garlic, fresh dill, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and whisk together. Season with salt. Transfer to a small container, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour or until ready to use.

For the Grilled Chicken:
10 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon Madras curry powder

1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (or substitute cinnamon)
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium size red onion, sliced
1 large lemon

In a large bowl, mix together the minced garlic, yogurt, spices and olive oil. Toss in the whole chicken thighs and the sliced onion. Cut the lemon into eighths, squeeze the juice into the bowl, and also add the rinds in. Mix everything together making sure to thoroughly coat the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.

When ready, heat a gas grill to medium-high. Place the chicken thighs on the grill. Cover for 5-6 minutes, then turn the chicken over and grill for another 5-6 minutes covered. (You can also use a grill pan or pan-fry them in a skillet if weather does not permit outdoor grilling.)

Harissa Tomato Sauce
(Source: Adapted from Abel and Cole)

2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion
1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
harissa, to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. Finely grate zest from the lemon and juice it.

2. Warm the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic and onion. Stir and cook for one minute until the pan smells sweet and spicy.

3. Add harissa, lemon zest, sugar, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down. Cover with a lid. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce is a little thicker. Stir every so often while the sauce cooks.

5. Remove the bay leaf, and use a stick blender to puree the sauce until smooth.

6. Add the lemon juice to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Swedish Cabbage Sallad
(Source: Adapted from Key Ingredient)

1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cabbage, very finely shredded
1 carrot, shredded
5 teaspoons white wine vinegar
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional)
1/2 teaspoon basil (optional)

Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage. Let sit for 15 minutes or so, then squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Stir in the cabbage and shredded carrot. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (It's better the next day!)

Note: This salad is somewhat different than the one I had at the Funky Chicken, and that was intentional. This recipe is for what the Swedes call "pizza salad," which as the name suggests, is apparently served with pizza in Sweden.