The Apartment Kitchen » onions

Chicken and Onions with Creamy Cashew Gravy

admin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:56:10 +0000

What do you make when half the kitchen is wrapped in brown paper and lying all over the dining room table? That was the question before me as I scrolled through my massive “To Cook” list on the desktop of my computer. I peruse this list every so often for ideas and to remind myself of things I’ve seen or tasted that I want to try.

When I hit the recipe for cashew gravy, I stopped for a moment. This recipe has been on the list for a long time – it’s one of those delicious, comforting foods I love to eat at Indian restaurants. Tender meat and vegetables simmered in a nut-based gravy. As I read over the instructions, I wondered why I hadn’t made this earlier – it seemed shockingly simple. Could it be that only a handful of ingredients and 20 minutes stood between me and this fabled gravy?

YES! I made a few adaptations, of course, but this gravy is flavorful (and can be seasoned with any of your favorite spices) and would be great with almost any meat (lamb, beef, pork) or paneer! As Matt gobbled it down, he took note of the recipe – this will be a quick go to meal for many nights to come.

Chicken and Onions with Creamy Cashew Gravy

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheats well – makes a great lunch the next day!

1 (14 oz) can chicken or vegetable broth

1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup cashews

salt, to taste

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, roughly chopped

1 lb chicken, chopped

salt and pepper, as needed

cilantro, as needed for garnish

1. In a small pot, bring the broth, pepper, garlic, and cashews to a simmer. Cook until the peppers are very tender, about 8-10 minutes. Puree until smooth.

2. Season the gravy with salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the yogurt and keep warm.

3. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Saute until beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the gravy and bring the mixture to a simmer.

5. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

Tamale Pie

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:40:59 +0000

Some of my more frequent readers can probably tell when I’m in a photo shoot at work – because I disapear from the blogosphere. Managing the photo shoots for the cookbooks the CIA produces is one of the busiest and most hectic parts of my job, and it often leads to me working odd hours. For the past week and a half, I’ve been getting home an hour or two later than I usually do. This is part of the reason I have been MIA.

The other is that a few days ago, I made this tamale pie for Matt. It only made a (deep) 9″ x 9″ casserole, but it has been lasting us for days (a rareity in our house). It reheats really well in the oven, and the flavors of the filling are only getting better as they sit. (Side note – this isn’t the best picture – I always have the hardest time photographing casseroles – but the cheesy crust should be appealing enough to get you to try this!)

Over the weekend I plan to get some serious cooking in – I’m taking a class to brush up on my knife skills, and cleaning my oven (a long over-due task). I’m sure a clean kitchen and house will inspire me to tackle next week!

Tamale Pie

Adapated from Mangio Dasola

Served 4-6.

Leftover Potential: Reheat in the oven – delish!

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken

1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained

salt and pepper, as needed

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

pinch cayenne pepper

1 (14 oz) can corn kernels

1 3/4 cups cornmeal

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

2 Tbsp melted butter

grated jack cheese, for garnish

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and saute until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2. Add the ground meat and saute until browned. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and spices. Let simmer while you prepare the cornbread batter.

3. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter to combine.

4. Grease a deep 9″ by 9″ casserole dish. Pour 1/2 of the cornbread batter in the base, and cover it with half of the corn. Top that with the entire meat mixture on top, cover with remaining corn, remaining cornbread batter, and top with the cheese.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven until baked through, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Creamy Red Quinoa

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:07:57 +0000

I’ve loved quinoa since the first time I tasted it. I knew it was this super healthy whole grain sold only in health food stores (i.e. not exactly a reason to get super excited). But from first bite I was hooked. The texture is amazing – like tiny pieces of popcorn, and the flavor is perfect – slightly nutty but still mild enough to take on any flavors you add to it. I kept this dish simple by adding lots of garlic and onions and cooking it in chicken broth. Using broth instead of water makes incredibly buttery tasting grains. To give it a bit of creaminess, I added a little bit of Greek yogurt, which made it almost decadent. And in the spirit of the New Year, it couldn’t be more good for you. Yum yum.

Creamy Red Quinoa

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: This is a dish that‘s easy to make with the exact amount you‘d like - double for four people, etc. Otherwise it will reheat ok, though some texture may suffer.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red quinoa (or regular quinoa)

3/4 - 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

2 Tbsp Greek yogurt

salt, as needed

1. In a small pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the quinoa, stirring to combine and coat lightly with the oil.

3. Add 3/4 cup of chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. If the quinoa doesn’t taste tender, add more broth and keep cooking until it is completely tender.

4. Stir in the Greek yogurt and salt, and serve immediately.

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:51:14 +0000

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a major egg fan. Poached, over-easy…ok, I admit it, anything with a rich, runny yolk has my heart all a-flutter. But since Matt is not much of a breakfast fan, I don’t often indulge my cravings to have breakfast for dinner. Which is a shame, because it’s easy and super fast, and it’s the perfect way to use whatever sounds good.

This dish certainly had several items that were cooked different ways, but I optimized space and still managed very little cleanup (and some leftovers). You could always use sauteed tomatoes (I just love the flavor and juiciness of the roasted), bacon, sausage, or any leftovers you had in the fridge (grits are a pretty delicious delivery system for almost anything). In the end, it may not be the prettiest thing to look at, but that doesn’t matter, because first chance I got, I smashed it all up into one, big, delicious bowl of breakfasty goodness.

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: This amount of grits is a tad much for one person, but I liked it because I had some for breakfast the following morning.

1/2 cup grits

2 1/4 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp butter

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 steak

2 eggs

1. In a small pot, combine the grits and broth. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and have absorbed most of the liquid. Season generously with salt and pepper, and finish with a knob of butter. Keep warm.

2. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and roast in a 375 degree oven until slightly dried, about 15 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan.

4. Season the steak with salt and pepper and add to the empty side of the pan. Cook until both sides are nicely browned but the center is still pink (for medium rare), about 4-6 minutes per side.

5. Remove the steak and onions from the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan and crack the eggs inside. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the whites are set. Flip the egg over itself, and continue to cook over low heat until the white is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

6. Pile the grits into a bowl, top with the steak, tomatoes, and onions, and finish with the eggs.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Pepperjack and Caramelized Onions

theapartmentkitchen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:22:50 +0000

There’s something so wonderful about cooking a meal using things you commonly have on hand. Now that I’ve built a relatively stocked pantry, there are certain things I know I have, and can use to toss together dinner in no time. If I have a busy week ahead, I’ll also usually buy some kind of ground meat – because there are so many quick, easy meals I can make with it (depending on my mood). This burger came out of a need to eat – and fast.

As the burgers cooked, my roommate was drawn into the kitchen. We ended up enjoying these sandwiches together before moving on to our separate activities. That’s what I loved about this dinner: it was made using only what was at hand, and it brought people together around the dinner table – if only for a few moments.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Pepperjack and Caramelized Onions

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheats fine as an additional burger/sandwich the next day, but I often like to dice pre-made patties and toss with lettuce and a quick dressing for a different spin, like this.

1 lb ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch green onions, minced

3 Tbsp buffalo-style hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)***

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

4 buns, halved

pepperjack, thinly sliced

buffalo style hot sauce, as needed to garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, garlic, onions, hot sauce, Worcestershire, egg, and breadcrumbs just to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Form the meat into patties of the desired thickness (if you prefer thinner burgers, you’ll end up with more like 8-10 burgers instead of 4-6).

3. Spray a saute pan with nonstick spray or coat lightly with oil. Cook the burgers until they are browned on both sides, and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. (I actually popped my burgers, which were thick, into the oven to get them cooked through so that they didn’t overly brown, but low heat on the stovetop would be fine.)

4. While the burgers cook, heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 4-6 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Top the burgers with a slice of pepperjack cheese, and let the heat melt the cheese slightly. Build the burgers on a halved bun, topping with onions and more hot sauce, if desired.

***I found that this did add spice, but not necessarily great flavor to the burger patty itself. If you’re not as much of a spice fiend, you could eliminate the sauce in the burger, and just use it as a garnish. Or you could always substitute a pinch of cayenne in the burger for a flavorful kick.

Calzones with Ricotta, Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions

theapartmentkitchen — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:35:16 +0000

A meal like this calzone is a great excuse to use what you’ve got in the fridge. In my case, that’s usually the things I love most: veggies, cheese, herbs…all of which made their way into this calzone. You could mix up the filling anyway you like (shredded meat doused in a little sauce makes a delicious dinner…think the filling for these tacos).

It takes an understanding of your oven to best understand how to bake these, particularly because they are on the larger side. Feel free to use a pizza stone if you have one. If you find that the bottom is browning too quickly, double up on your baking sheets. If the top needs help browning, use the broiler. Since the filling is cooked before hand, it’s most important to make sure that the crust is baked and crispy!

Calzones with Ricotta, Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onion

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheat in the oven for best (and crispiest) results!

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 package baby spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and freshly ground pepper

your favorite pizza dough (my basic one is: here)

1 cup ricotta cheese, or more as needed

olive oil, as needed

kosher salt, as needed

tomato sauce, as needed

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Reduced heat to low, and continue to saute until the onions are lightly brown and caramelized.

2. Add the mushrooms, and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are completely caramelized.

3. Add the spinach and saute until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Roll the pizza dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4″ thick (you can also use your hands to stretch the dough). Brush one half of the dough with olive oil.

5. Fill the calzone with a generous scoop of the veggie filling, and top with spoonfuls of ricotta cheese (you could add additional cheeses like mozzarella, if you like).

6. Fold the dough over the filling. Fold the top edge over the bottom edge, and seal with your fingers or a fork. Brush the surface of the dough with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cut one or more vents in the top of the dough with a small knife.

7. Bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown and cooked through (the filling will be bubbling), about 20-25 minutes. Depending on your oven, it may be necessary to reduce the heat to 350 halfway through cooking. I also ran the calzone under the broiler for a moment to ensure a golden brown crust. Serve warm with tomato sauce.

Individual Sweet Potato Gratins with Creme Fraiche, Onions, and Bacon

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:33:46 +0000

One of my co-workers sent me an email about a fantastic new website, called Food52. Food 52 is the ultimate food fight, where cooks all around are battling it out in weekly recipe contests. Two contests a week for a full year, and 52 weeks later the website will produce a cookbook with the winning recipes.

I had to give it a try, because I love being inspired by challenges. The best part about Food52, is that they are sending out really generic titles in the hopes of stirring up the best ideas out there. And boy, have there been some amazing ideas. I love this savory plum tart which won for “Best Fruit Tart”.

This week’s challenges: Best Potato Gratin and Best Apple Cake. Since Matt is a general carbophobe (meaning he just doesn’t usually eat too many of them. I know, I didn’t know that existed, either), I stuck with his favorite: sweet potatoes. Combined with bacon, onions, a creamy bechamel, and a touch of creme fraiche, it won best gratin to date in our household. A great dish for fall, to boot.

Individual Sweet Potato Gratins with Creme Fraiche, Onions, and Bacon

Serves 2.

Leftover Potential: If you make a big batch you can refrigerate leftovers and reheat in the oven, but it will only last this way a day or two.

3 oz bacon, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large sweet potato, very thinly sliced (1/8″ thick)

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup whole milk

3 Tbsp creme fraiche

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp brown sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

1. Lightly grease 2 individual baking dishes (I used a bowl that holds roughly 1 1/2 cups). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from heat, and toss with onion and garlic.

3. In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, and cook until the mixture is well combined but still pale. Stir in the milk and the creme fraiche.

4. Reduce the heat to low and bring the bechamel to a simmer. Stir in nutmeg, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.

5. Layer 4-6 slices of potato at the base of each of the prepared baking dishes. Top with a few tablespoons of bechamel, and a few spoonfuls of the bacon mixture. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, another layer of bechamel, and more bacon. Top with one last layer of potatoes, and spoon remaining bechamel over the top. Finish with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese.

6. Bake the gratins until they are bubbly around the edges and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Pizza with White Bean-Rosemary Puree, Bacon, Broccoli Rabe, Tomatoes, Onions, and Parmesan

theapartmentkitchen — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:47:33 +0000

I love making pizza for a quick meal. Now, normally, some people think of “pizza as a quick meal” as picking up the phone, ordering, and waiting with $20 by the front door. But since I love making bread doughs and freezing them in individual portions until I need them, pizza is a great thing to make when I need a fast dinner. I just take the dough out of the freezer (put it into the fridge) on my way into work, and when I come home, I have dough ready to go. I can fish through the fridge and use whatever meat, veggies, and herbs I have on hand. For this version I made a quick puree of white beans and herbs from the garden (I just love the white beans – so rich and creamy, makes a great sauce substitution for this pizza).

Best of all, the warm, bubbly, cheesy result is incredibly satisfying – like I’d spent hours waiting for it to come to fruition (or to the front door). But the whole thing is done in minutes. All in all – the ideal meal: portioned for one (especially convenient as Matt hates pizza), uses up leftovers, and is done super fast. Hmm. Maybe I’ll go make another one.

Pizza with White Bean-Rosemary Puree, Bacon, Broccoli Rabe, Onions, Tomatoes and Parmesan

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: Leftover dough freezes well – just thaw when you want another pizza! Or if you think it will take less time, just refrigerate the dough until you’re ready for more! Just use whatever you have on hand for toppings!

pizza dough (or naan dough)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained

2 Tbsp rosemary

1 Tbsp basil

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp oil

5-6 pieces broccoli rabe (if the stems are thick, peel the tough outer part off, or just remove the leafy heads)

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

4 pieces bacon, diced

handful cherry tomatoes, halved

parmesan cheese, grated, as desired (I only use a little bit)

1. Roll the pizza dough out to the thickness you want. If you like a thicker crust, anywhere between 1/2″-3/4″, if you like a crispy, thin crust, anywhere between 1/8″-1/4″. When the dough gets thinner, you can also press it out with your hands. Place the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet, brush the top of the dough with olive oil.

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the beans, herbs, and oil. If necessary, add water 1 Tbsp at a time to make a smooth, spreadable mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a small saute pan. Add the broccoli rabe and onion, saute until beginning to become tender (1-2 minutes). You just want to get it started so it will be completely tender when it’s done baking.

4. To assemble the pizza, spread a layer of white bean puree onto the pizza dough. Add the broccoli rabe, onions, raw bacon, and tomatoes. Finish with grated parmesan cheese.

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the crust is crisp and the toppings are golden brown. Eat hot (or later, cold from the fridge!)

Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwich with Sundried Tomato Pesto and Fresh Mozzarella

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:28:24 +0000

One of my favorite pastimes is roaming the produce aisle at Adams Fairacre Farms. I know I’ve waxed poetic about well-stocked groceries and farmer’s markets before, but every time I go to Adams, I’m reminded why I love to cook. It’s like a dream – all of the produce is gleaming and primarily local, the cheese section is a mile long, and the butcher and fish counters are after my own heart with fresh daily cuts and catches.

Over the weekend, it was a tiny Italian eggplant that caught my eye. Even though they’re overpriced because of their cuteness, I couldn’t resist a 2 inch beauty. The idea struck to make a Mediterranean veggie sandwich. I supplemented my eggplant with bell pepper, squash, mushrooms, and red onions. I bought a loaf of crusty bread, a round of freshly pulled mozzarella, and went home – giddier than usual. The resulting lunch kept me smiling all day!

Mediterranean Vegetable Sandwich with Sundried Tomato Pesto and Fresh Mozzarella

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: I tossed the remaining roasted veggies and pesto with some pasta for a quick lunch the following day! Made 1 meal after the initial lunch.

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup basil

2 cloves garlic

3-5 Tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed

1 Italian eggplant or 1/2 regular eggplant, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, roughly chopped

1 cup mushrooms, quartered

3 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

1/2 baguette, halved

1. In a food processor or blender, process the tomatoes, basil, and garlic to make a smooth paste. Slowly add olive oil in a stream, mixing until the mixture is well combined. Season with salt and pepper. (Alternately, you can chop all the ingredients finely and mix in the oil by hand, which makes a chunkier but equally delicious pesto!)

2. Toss the cut veggies (just roughly chop them into pieces of roughly the same size) in the pesto. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet, and roast in a 350 degree oven until the veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove the veggies from the oven. Place the mozzarella on one half of the baguette, and a few spoonfuls of the veggies on the other. If you like, place this back in the oven to make sure the cheese is extra melty and the bread is toasted. Serve warm.

Caramelized Onion Gnocchi with Spring Veggies and a Simple White Wine Sauce

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:44:25 +0000

I love gnocchi – not just eating it, but making it. There’s something so satisfying about gently rolling out the ropes, cutting them, watching them fall into the water, and rise again – letting you know (just in time) that they’re ready for eating. One of my favorite versions of gnocchi is ricotta gnocchi, a super easy, apartment kitchen friendly recipe that replaces the relatively tedious potato cooking/mashing with ricotta cheese. It got me to thinking what else you could use to make these lovely pasta dumplings.

After a little research I discovered that I’d been crazy to limit my gnocchi-making self to just potatoes or cheese. Recipe writers and food bloggers everywhere had made gnocchi using spinach, carrots, and much more. So I ran home to make gnocchi with one of my favorite things: caramelized onions. The result was delicious. The onion flavor in the gnocchi was actually a little mild, but with more caramelized onion in the pasta it was delish!

Caramelized Onion Gnocchi with Spring Veggies and a Simple White Wine Sauce

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Like most pasta, this reheats pretty well. Try re-heating it in the oven with parmesan cheese baked on top for an awesome crust!

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

2 leeks, thinly sliced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

salt, as needed

1 cup flour, or more as needed

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup white wine

2 Tbsp fresh herbs (I used rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley)

salt and pepper, as needed

ricotta, as needed for garnish

1. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until caramelized, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt.

2. Place the onion mixture to a food processor or blender, and process into a smooth paste. Transfer the paste to a medium bowl, and add the flour. Mix well to combine. Add flour as needed to make a dough that will hold its shape when rolled out.

3. Roll the gnocchi into long, thin logs, and cut into 1/2″ pieces. Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water until they rise to the surface, 3-4 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the butter in a large saute pan. Add the mushrooms, peas, and garlic. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the mixture by about half for the best concentration of flavor. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper.

5. When the gnocchi has finished cooking, remove it from the water and toss it in the sauce. Saute briefly to heat through. Serve warm, with a dollop of good ricotta cheese and a sprinkling of chives! Mmmm!