Miso Chicken

As I've mentioned before, despite my love of cooking I'm not inspired every night with plans for grandiose feasts.  Also, though I love grocery stores, I don't particularly relish the mundane chore of weekly shopping and often put it off until I have no fresh ingredients left.  Thus, individually frozen chicken breasts have saved my life on more than one occasion, as I can usually manage to keep them stocked in the freezer and they are easy to cook when I don't feel like doing much.  I've tried flavoring them in a variety of ways, including cooking them in pasta sauce to go over spaghetti (delicious!) or pan-frying in oil and garlic (good, but you have to monitor carefully so you don't end up with a burnt outside and pink inside).  Ultimately, the preparations I rely on are those which are least fussy, which is why I love this miso chicken.  By wrapping the frozen chicken in foil and sticking it in the oven, it will marinate, defrost, and cook all at once without my needing to touch it.

Miso is a fermented soybean paste from Japan most famous in the U.S. for being the basis of miso soup, but it can in fact have a variety of culinary uses.  In this dish it is simply used as a dressing for the chicken.  Two general types of miso are available: red, which has a stronger flavor and is saltier, and white (sometimes called yellow), which is much more mellow.  The actual flavor can vary by the brand and different processes used to make it, but you don't need to worry too much about the subtleties here.  Do go with white or yellow miso, though, as red would probably overpower the chicken and end up too salty to eat.  Also, mirin is a kind of sweet cooking sake (rice wine) used often in Japanese cooking.  Both of these ingredients can be found at any Asian market, and some larger supermarkets have even started carrying them (albeit drastically overpriced).

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
  (you can use fresh or thawed chicken, reducing the cooking time by about half)
• 1 small or 1/2 medium onion, sliced into wedges and separated
  (not strictly necessary, but since they keep forever I usually have a few lying around, and I think they add a lot to this dish)
• 2 Tbsp yellow or white miso
• 2 Tbsp mirin
  (if mirin is unavailable, you could use plain sake, white wine, or even water, though the result would be less flavorful)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger 

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. 


2.  Place a large sheet of foil (enough fold over on top) in a baking dish and scatter the onion slices over, separating them a little as you go.

3.  In a small bowl, combine the miso and mirin until a smooth paste is formed.  Add the ground ginger, and stir to completely combine.

4.  Place the frozen chicken breasts directly on top of the onions.  Spread the miso mixture evenly over the chicken (don't worry if some of it slides off, but try to keep it mostly on top).

5.  Bring in the sides of the foil one at a time to completely cover the chicken and onions, forming a packet.

6.  Bake at  400°F for 45 minutes.  When it's done, the chicken should not be pink at all inside, but it should still be moist.  Serve with the onions fished out of the liquid left in the foil.

So although this takes awhile to cook in the oven, it's mostly unattended.  The actual invested work is minimal, as are the ingredients you need on hand--all important factors for my weeknight dinner plans.  Plus, this chicken can be delicious over rice or as a main course with vegetables on the side.  I do love versatility.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

Usually I don't come up with my own recipes completely from scratch.  I find basic ideas in different places from books to the internet, and then I almost always end up altering them to fit my preferences or the ingredients I have available (except baking--I don't mess with baking).  On some rare occasions I find that inspiration in a particular dish I eat out somewhere, such as at a restaurant or a party.

This past weekend Phil and I went to my boss's 50th birthday party (kind of awkward, but overall positive), which served some pretty amazing food.  I spent some time talking with the woman who made most of it about her pickles, only to learn that the two tables full of bread/hummus/cheese/olives/vegetables/pickles were just appetizers, and that dinner was going to be served inside.  Well, the spread that greeted us in the house was perhaps even more impressive, and my poor chinette plate couldn't handle a sample of every item.  Luckily, Phil decided to try something I didn't fit on my plate, and his rave reviews spurred me to attempt a re-creation at home.  And as weird as it may sound, tomato and watermelon salad is delicious.  I want to make sure to put this up here while both of these are still in season, as the success of this recipe depends on the freshness of the ingredients.  The acidity of the tomatoes contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the watermelon, and it makes an interesting eating experience when the colors blend together and you're not sure whether your next bite will be tangy or sweet.  Phil tells me that my creation turned out very close to the original he tried at the party.  Unfortunately, I didn't really measure too much as I was experimenting, but it's all about the fun of tasting it as you go, anyway, right?

Ingredients 

• equal parts tomatoes and watermelon (without the rinds, of course), chopped into chunks of roughly the same size
  (I used roma tomatoes since they have less juice, but I don't think it matters much)
• equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar--just a little drizzled over
• fresh basil leaves, chopped roughly--enough that a piece winds up in each bite but it isn't overwhelming
• salt and pepper, to taste
  (you will need probably a little more salt than you think, and just a few dashes of pepper)

Directions

1.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl in the order listed above, tasting after each step to get the proportions right.  In the end, I think I used about 2 lbs each of tomatoes and watermelon, about 1/4 cup each of oil and vinegar, about 1/2 cup of basil, 1 Tbsp of salt, and a few dashes of pepper.  Just be cautious and taste as you go until you get something that tastes good.

Sorry if this is vague; I guess this is more of an idea for a dish than a recipe per se.  But it's really simple to bring together, and I think it's something fun to surprise people with.  Also, if you want to re-use the watermelon rinds, I suggest chucking them into a pitcher and covering with water.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours and ta da: slightly sweet infused watermelon water!  God, I sound like Martha Stewart...

Chilled Tofu with Green Onions

This is another simple Japanese dish that goes great with rice, and it is one I rely on often when I don't have anything planned for dinner and don't feel like doing a lot of prep work. I admit it sounds weird if you're not used to it, and you have to like the taste of tofu to enjoy it. But I promise you that it is delicious. Phil looked at me with horror the first time I served it to him, but now he requests it all the time. I think this is mainly because you can use the tofu as a vehicle to absorb a lot of soy sauce, but I'm not complaining.

Ingredients

1 package "extra firm" tofu
(make sure you find "extra firm"--"silken" will fall apart)

green onions--two if they're fat or three if they're skinnier--sliced thinly

soy sauce to serve

Directions

1.Remove the tofu from the package and drain the liquid. Tear off a line of 5 or 6 paper towels and place the block on one end. Roll up the tofu in the paper towels, folding in the sides as you go.

2. Place a weight on the tofu, such as a plate or a canister, and leave it to drain in the paper towels for 20 minutes to an hour. I try to arrange items around the weight so it will not fall as the tofu shifts, but I invariably fail and freak out when it crashes. This preparation removes excess water from the tofu, allowing it to absorb the soy sauce we will be dipping it in later.

3. Remove the tofu from the (now wet) paper towels and place it on a plate, topping with the sliced green onions. To eat, simply break off a bite-size piece from the block, complete with a few of the green onions. Dip into a dish of soy sauce, and enjoy.


I keep tofu and green onions in the refrigerator almost all of the time, as this makes a great last-minute protein to go with rice. I've experimented with topping it with other flavorings, including shaved fish flakes (bonito) and roasted seaweed (nori), but I find that I prefer the green onions. Chilled tofu may sound and look strange, but I bet you will get as hooked as we are.

Basic Kinpira

In case you didn't know, I make a lot of Japanese food. I kick myself for not learning more about cooking when I lived in Japan, but I really wasn't all that into it at the time. I've done a lot of research since then with numerous books and some experimentation, and now Phil and I eat Japanese-style food probably half the nights of the week. A bowl of steamed white rice is the basis of any Japanese meal, and sometimes we don't get much more complicated than that with maybe a piece of chicken or fish and some miso soup. But there are many great ways of fixing vegetables to go with rice, and I do try to fit them in since you know I'm so healthy. I hope to cover some of my pickling attempts later, but one of the simplest ways of cooking vegetables is a kinpira. Kinpira is way of cooking which is basically a sauté or a quick stir-fry, and it is perfect for hardy vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, celery, green beans, and probably others I can't think of now. It's a good way to use the hard cores of cabbage leaves and broccoli stems when you use the leafier or more tender parts for other dishes. Here is the basic recipe:

Ingredients

a pound or a little less of any hardy vegetable or a mixture of them, cut into matchsticks
(it's pretty important to get all of the pieces close to the same size to ensure even cooking, and I admit that I find it easier to buy bags of "broccoli cole slaw" already cut up)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

a little lemon juice, perhaps 1/2 tsp

red pepper flakes to taste

Directions

1. First, get a wok or deep skillet hot on medium-high heat. Pour in the sesame oil and heat until it almost starts to smoke.

2. Add the vegetables all at once and immediately start stirring to coat with the oil. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until all of the pieces are tender.

3. Pour the soy sauce over, stirring to coat. Sauté until the liquid is evaporated but before the vegetables dry out, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the lemon juice and red pepper flakes to taste and cook for about another minute, until the kimpira is soft and slightly sticking to the pan. Remove immediately to another container.


I apologize for not taking more pictures. You do need to keep everything moving to make sure it cooks evenly, and I kind of forgot to document everything. It's a short process, but your arm may get slightly sore by the time you're done (if you're as out of shape as I am, that is). This is a pretty basic recipe, and it can definitely be jazzed up with other liquids to absorb(such as sweeter mirin) and spices (like ginger or sesame seeds). Basically, it's a simple way to use up extra vegetables and a delicious side item to go with rice or with another main course. It can be eaten hot, but I usually just make it when I have the material and refrigerate it immediately. I like it even better cold. :)

Turkey and Wild Rice over Cabbage

Last night was one of those nights when Phil was about to come home and I hadn't even started to think about what to make for dinner. Upon opening the refrigerator, I found a pound of ground turkey that was going to go bad if I didn't use it. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I sighed grudgingly at my past self who thought the two-for-one deal was a good one and set to figuring something out. As I moved through the refrigerator, I also found half of a large head of cabbage which I had used for pickling. I remembered my Mom's bastardized recipe for Hoppin' John, which was I believe from a Jenny Craig cookbook and featured beans and rice over shredded cooked cabbage. I decided to have a go at my own version:

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
(another meat would probably work well, too, though you may want to spice it differently)

1 small onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced
(I love garlic so I use a lot, but you could cut this down if you want)

one small head of cabbage or half of a large one, leaves separated and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 cup uncooked rice
(I used a wild rice mixture because I thought the earthy flavor would add a lot to this dish, but plain long-grain rice would be a fine substitute)

1 14.5 oz can beans, rinsed and drained
(I used black beans because I had them on hand, but, again, you could substitute with another variety, such as pinto or even black-eye peas)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbsp butter (optional)

salt and pepper

Directions

1. First, get a large skillet hot (preferably one you have a lid for) over medium-high heat and brown the turkey, breaking it up as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Also, start a large pot of salted water to boil for the cabbage.

2. Add the minced onion and garlic as well as the cumin and curry powder. The spice amounts are approximate, so use however much looks and smells good to you. Cook until the onion has softened and started to turn translucent.

3. Pour in 1 cup of water and the uncooked rice, stirring to mix. Cover and turn the heat down to low. (If you don't have a lid for your skillet, I had success for many years by using a large cutting board). Look at the rice cooking directions for specific cooking time suggestions, but it will probably take it about 20 minutes to steam. Since we're cooking it in the pan it is going to absorb all the flavors of the turkey, onion, and spices.

4. While the rice is cooking, hopefully the water for the cabbage will start to boil. When the rice is almost done, dump all of the cabbage leaves into the salted water and boil for 3-5 minutes until tender. Drain in a colander.

5. Remove the lid from the skillet and add the drained beans, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. You should taste it here and add salt or pepper as necessary. I also decided that it could use a pat of butter to add a little fat and flavor, but it doesn't strictly need it for cooking. If you're using wild rice, you should turn off the heat and return the lid, letting the mixture sit for another 5-10 minutes to continue softening. As soon as the rice is soft and the beans are warmed, simply mix and serve over the cabbage. I like it garnished with a little tabasco sauce, as well.


Phil and I thought this turned out really delicious. This is probably enough for about 4 meals, and it refrigerates well for leftovers. I'm not sure if this recipe would find a place in a Jenny Craig cookbook, but I don't think it's too bad for you, either. If you feel like looking at turkey now (tm), I highly recommend turkey and wild rice over cabbage. I love it when my experiments turn out with such tasty results!

Slow Cooker Yogurt

Who knew that making yogurt is actually quite easy (and delicious)? Although I imagine that stove-top heating and incubating remains somewhat messy, if you have a slow cooker, you don't need much more than patience to (safely) infuse milk with tasty bacteria cultures. Here's how I did it:

Ingredients

1/2 gallon of milk
(I use 2%. Skim would probably result in a thinner yogurt, while whole milk would make it thicker.)

At least 1/2 cup of starter yogurt
(Nothing fancy--a container of plain or even vanilla yogurt from the store is fine. I used greek style originally because of its thickness, and now I just use the remnants of the last batch to start the new.)

Equipment: slow cooker

Directions

1. Pour all of the milk into the slow cooker. Set it on low and leave it for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (If you are inspired by the gin and vermouth in the background and decide to make yourself a martini at this point, I would support that plan.)

2. After the 2 1/2 to 3 hours are up, turn the slow cooker off, but leave the milk incubating inside and resist the temptation to lift the lid.

3. After another 3 hours or so, it is time to introduce the yogurt cultures. You need to whisk the starter yogurt so that it is completely dissolved in the hot milk (unrelated note: this is a phrase I don't often use in life, but it reminds me of the beginning ofHollywood Freaks by Beck. Highly recommended). I suggest putting a few ladles of the milk into another bowl with the yogurt (or in its container if it's large enough) and mixing that together before introducing it to the total mass. Just get it thoroughly distributed. At this point, we will be letting the cultures activate for 8 to 12 hours--I suggest leaving it overnight. Also, we want the yogurt to keep its warmth during this process for optimum bacteria growth, so it's a good idea to wrap the slow cooker in a towel or sweatshirt to insulate it a little bit.

4. The yogurt should have thickened overnight so that you encounter some resistance when you drag a spoon through it. Now you have a choice: the yogurt is perfectly ready to be eaten as-is, though it may be a little runnier than the store-bought variety; alternatively, you could invest a little more time and effort to strain it. Here's how I did it:

5. (optional) Place a large colander or strainer over a bowl and layer cheesecloth inside. Pour the yogurt over and let it sit for a while as the whey (liquid) drains out. The final consistency will be determined by how long you let it drain, with it getting more cream cheese-like as it loses the whey. I left this batch for about 4 hours in the refrigerator, and I think it turned out with a great creamy texture.


And that's it! I was really surprised at how simple it is to make yogurt at home, as it's not something I would normally have thought to try. But as it turns out, this process is much cheaper and better tasting (less sour, I think) than store-bought. The final product is, of course, unsweetened, but you get the opportunity to flavor it however you want. It's delicious with just a little honey, or you can mix in fresh fruit or a spoonful of jam. The yogurt should stay good for a week to ten days in the refrigerator, though if you can't eat it all in that time period, you can freeze it in small, pre-flavored batches and have delicious frozen yogurt down the line. Just make sure to save the last half cup or so to activate the next batch!

Everything's Edible

I have started blogs before. None of them has really persisted, however, (though I am holding out hopes) largely because I haven't had a lot of focus. I'm making an effort now to pare down, in perhaps the shallowest of ways, to something that is really meaningful to me: food.

The things I love about food are probably too many to name, but I hope that in the course of this project I come to really investigate some of them and maybe even find some new ones. I love newness--finding new recipes, new ingredients, new flavors, new restaurants. I love the process of creating something with my own hands and effort, and I love sharing something I've created with others. I love the taste, the process of eating. I love all the senses of food from sight to smell to taste to touch, and I suppose I am downright Pavlovian to the sound of the rice cooker. I love the anticipation as seasonal foods change with the weather and holidays. I love the communal spirit of eating with friends and family.

I love everything about food, and I hope that this blog will reflect that. I want to share a lot of recipes, not necessarily because I'm anticipating legions of fans who will rush into their kitchens to try my newest creations. To be honest, I make most of my dishes off the cuff when I'm presented with a pantry of random leftover items at 6:30 on a weeknight. But these turn out different every night, and I hope that by writing down recipes for my creations I can hone in on what makes the good ones really good.

When I told Phil about this new blog project, he said "That's a great idea. Everything you make is edible!" To be fair, he also pointed out that almost everything is actually good, but I like the challenge presented by "edible." Here's to striving for delicious...