Sesame Chicken with Mustard Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms

Mushrooms continue to be one of my favorite vegetables; both their firm yet tender texture and earthy flavor are appealing to me. Shiitake mushrooms are no exception, and might even be one the best varieties due to lovely appearance and smoky taste. Native to south Asia, shiitake mushrooms have been used in both medicine and cuisine for thousands of years. Though known by different names depending upon the country, the term shiitake, as we use in the States, is Japanese and refers to the type of evergreen tree on which shiitake mushrooms, among others, grow. Shiitake mushrooms have only been permitted for cultivation in the States since the early 1970s due to confusion with another variety of mushroom, Lentinus lepideus, which is an invasive species and prohibited by the USDA. Like other mushrooms, shiitakes are an excellent source of various vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Sesame chicken is especially good with rice and vegetables.

1 lbs chicken thighs, skin and bones removed

1 bunch mustard greens, roughly chopped

2 c shiitakes, stems removed

1 bunch scallions, cut into 2" segments

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

¼ c sesame seeds, toasted

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp mirin

salt and pepper

1. Place toasted sesame seeds in a bowl, add chicken thighs and toss until well coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat, add chicken and brown each side, about 5 minutes per side.

2. Once chicken thighs have browned, add mirin, garlic mustard greens and shitakes, reduce heat to low, cover and braise until mushrooms are tender, 5-10 minutes. Add scallions, gently stir to combine and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine with Garlic Currant Couscous

I became interested in cooking tagines a few years ago, while making a northern African inspired meal for a belly-dancing event at the Feathered Pipe Ranch. Tagines are braised stews of spiced meats and vegetables found in Morocco. They receive their name from the clay pot they are cooked in, which consists of a wide shallow bottom dish and a conical cover. A close friend gave me a tagine a few years ago, but alas it is in storage so I made do with a Dutch oven. Beet and tangerine salad or arugula and orange salad are bright citrus additions to a tagine.

Larger golden beets will work as well; I would not use red beets, as they will dye the entire dish. Additional carrots, squash or turnips may be used instead of beets. Water could substitute for wine. If you are using a tagine pot, the braising portion of the recipe would happen in the oven after being readied on the range.

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine

1 lb chicken thighs, skinned and boned

1 medium yellow onion, trimmed and chopped

2 medium yukon potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½ inch rounds

10 small golden beets, quartered

1 zucchini, trimmed, halved and sliced into ½ inch segments

½ green pepper, trimmed and finely diced

1 tart apple, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

½ c white wine

1 c chicken stock

½ c water

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp honey

1 sprig of thyme

¼ c parsley, roughly chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Garlic Currant Couscous

2 c cooked couscous

½ c currants

½ red onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and brown both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from Dutch oven, place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Working in separate batches, brown onions, apples, potatoes, carrots and beets in the Dutch oven over medium heat, placing browned vegetables aside with chicken and adding olive oil to Dutch oven as necessary.

3. Next, combine white wine, cinnamon, honey thyme and garlic to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, return browned chicken and vegetables to the Dutch oven and bring liquid back to a simmer. Once simmering again, add water and chicken stock, stir to combine. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and green pepper, cover and continue to simmer until tender, about 5 minutes, adding water ¼ c at a time as necessary to maintain cooking liquid.

5. Once all vegetables are tender, add parsley and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm over garlic currant couscous.

Garlic Currant Couscous

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until onions begin to brown slightly. Add currants and continue sautéing until currants are soft. Turn heat off, add parsley and garlic and sauté off heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Combine sautéed ingredients with cooked couscous in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 3-4

Bacon Braised Chicken with Kidney Beans and Kale

Kale is a perfect fall green, beautifully hearty and readily available. A descendant of wild cabbage from Asia, the central leaves of kale do not form the head common to modern cabbages. Believed to have been brought to Europe around 600 BCE by the Celts, kale was subsequently brought to the United States by English settlers during the 17th century. The kidney beans I used for this recipe were grown by my dear friends in Maine on Six River Farm. Socca, brown rice fritters or creamy polenta make perfect grain sides for braised chicken.

I used lacinato or dinosaur kale for this dish, but any variety of kale may be used. Kidney beans add a nice rich color to the dish, but other types of bean such as white or pinto would work as well.

1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

2 strips bacon, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

½ red pepper, trimmed and diced

1 large carrot, trimmed and cut into ¼ inch cubes

1 bunch kale, trimmed and thinly sliced widthwise

2 c cooked kidney beans

½ white wine

1 c chicken stock

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium skillet, add onions and cook, stirring often until caramelized to a deep golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Once caramelized remove from heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the bacon, stirring often until barely done. Add the chicken to the bacon and brown both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Bring the heat up to medium, add the white wine, garlic and carrot, stir to combine and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine has been reduced to about half.

3. Next, add the red pepper, kidney beans, caramelized onions and chicken stock. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low, add the kale, stir to combine, cover and allow the kale to cook for 4-5 minutes. Once kale is tender remove from heat.

4. Gently stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Serves 3-4