Recipe: Middle Eastern Couscous with Sautéed Veggies

This dish is my go-to when I simply don't know what to make. I usually have mushrooms and bagged spinach in my fridge – I always manage to use these week after week. I also always have chicken broth. I know that most, if not all, chefs cringe at the mere mention of canned or prepackaged broth or stock. However, ordinary, non-chefs as ourselves don't normally have the time or resources to make stock night after night. My favorite broth to use is Whole Foods' 365 brand Organic Chicken Broth. There's always at least one carton in my pantry. I also always have middle eastern or Israeli couscous - it's cheap, filling and fairly readily available (I buy it in the bulk aisle at Whole Foods). I also like to use Meyer lemon when it's available. It's different from regular lemons because it imparts a much more fragrant aroma - it hints at lemons without adding too much tartness and just the right amount of acidity.

I like pairing this meal with simply prepared meats, like grilled chicken breast, marinated in salt, pepper and olive oil. I've also served this dish with sautéed porterhouse and romesco sauce, which is a traditional Spanish dipping sauce made from nuts and roasted red bell peppers.

Middle Eastern Couscous with Sautéed Veggies

Veggies:

1/4 lb button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/2 bag baby spinach, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 TB butter

2 tsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Couscous:

1 c Middle Eastern/Israeli couscous

1 c chicken broth

zest from 1 meyer lemon

juice from 1/4 meyer lemon

1 TB olive oil or white truffle oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the Veggies:

Heat a small sauté pan to medium. Add 1/2 TBSP butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Sauté half of the minced garlic for about a minute. Add mushrooms. Sauté until somewhat browned. Add a pinch of salt. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, add the rest of the butter, olive oil and garlic. Add spinach and a pinch of salt. The spinach will greatly wilt because of the salt. When all of the spinach is wilted, transfer to a bowl.

For the Couscous:

Put raw couscous in a large bowl that can be covered. Heat broth in a saucepan to boiling. When the broth boils, turn heat off and immediately pour over the couscous. Cover the bowl. After about 8 minutes, the couscous is cooked. Add the sautéed mushrooms and spinach to the couscous. Add the olive oil and truffle oil. Add the zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Saveur's Peruvian Chicken Noodle Soup, Leicafied

It's winter and the city has been gripped by intensely cold temperatures. To alleviate the shivers, I made some fabulous noodle soup last night and it was comforting, warming and absolutely delicious.

I have been dying to try this recipe ever since I saw the it in Saveur magazine. And what better time than a cold, snowy evening? Since I didn't have the time to make my own broth, I used store bought broth (I find that Trader Joe's Organic Free-Range Chicken broth has the most flavor, but any brand will do). With a little help from my husband's taste buds, I also employed some Asian ingredients to amplify the flavors, bringing more richness and depth to the dish.

Ingredients:

1 TBSP olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp pepper

2 32oz cartons chicken broth

3 TBSPs soy sauce

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

4 large handfuls of Wide Egg Noodles

Garnish:

lime wedge

chopped scallions

chiffonade of cilantro

hard boiled egg (optional)

In a small stock pan or dutch oven, pour olive oil over medium high heat, add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté for another 1 minute. Add chicken strips and saute until somewhat browned. Season with pepper. Add both cartons of broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a slow simmer and cover. Cook for 10 minutes.

Season with soy sauce and garlic powder. Bring back to a boil and add the egg noodles. Lower heat to a medium simmer and cover. Simmer until noodles are cooked.

To serve, ladle soup in a bowl, sprinkle lime juice (from one small wedge) onto soup. Top with scallions and cilantro. If you'd like, put a halved hard-boiled egg into the soup.

Enjoy!