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Quick Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas

Quick Chicken Paella with Sugar Snap Peas
Bon Appétit April 2010

1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika*
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds)
4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo**
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar
2 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside. Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add long-grain rice and stir to coat. Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, and roasted red peppers. Bring to simmer. Stir in browned chorizo. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet. Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid. Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.

Transfer chicken to plate. Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter snap peas over. Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice. Cover with foil and lid. Bake until snap peas are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.

* Sometimes labeled Pimentón Dulce or Pimentón de La Vera Dulce; available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and from latienda.com.
** Spanish chorizo, a pork-link sausage flavored with garlic and spices, is milder than Mexican chorizo. It’s available at specialty foods stores and Spanish markets and from latienda.com.

Posted on » by Ashley » Theme:

Spicy Shrimp and Bell Pepper Stew with Cumin and Oregano

Spicy Shrimp and Bell Pepper Stew with Cumin and Oregano
Bon Appétit January 2001

1 1/2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips (about 1/2 cup)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup tomato paste
1 1/3 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup water

Toss shrimp, fresh lime juice, 1/3 of garlic, 1/4 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon cumin in medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, all bell peppers, 2 tablespoons parsley, dried red pepper, bay leaf, remaining garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon oregano. Sauté until onions are beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and sauté 1 minute. Stir in wine and 1/4 cup water; simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until opaque in center, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.

Posted on » by Loren » Theme:

Turkish Salad Trifecta

#1
Carrot and Raddish
2 carrots
2* radishes
Salt, pepper
Juice of one lemon
2-3 T oil
3-4 sprigs parsley

Grate radishes, peel and grate carrots. Spread the grated carrot on one side of a wide salad dish, with the radishes on the other. Mix lemon juice, salt, pepper and oil in a bowl, and drizzle over the radishes and carrots. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.

*Turkish radishes tend to be quite large; the object is to have equal parts carrot and radish.

#2
Cucumber with Walnuts
http://www.turkishcookbook.com/2009/06/cucumber-with-walnuts.php
(Cevizli Salatalik)
Cucumber with Walnuts
2 small cucumbers
1/2 cup walnuts, crumbled
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Pinch of salt

Grate the cucumbers, squeeze a little bit to remove access water with your hand. Don’t squeeze too much! Toss them with walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, crushed pepper and salt. Serve it chilled.

#3
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Tomato-Pepper-Cucumber-Mint-and-Parsley-Salad-355949

Spicy Tomato, Pepper, Cucumber, Mint, and Parsley Salad Epicurious | April 2009

by Aglaia Kremezi
Mediterranean Hot And Spicy

This is the standard salad-relish you find in every tavern and restaurant in Istanbul. It accompanies grilled meat and especially kebabs. Turkish food is often eaten with a spoon, and so is this salad—all its ingredients are finely chopped. Instead of a simple lemon vinaigrette, which is the most common dressing, I like to add a little balsamic vinegar and lemon zest. Add as much jalapeño as you like, but bear in mind that this Turkish salsa is meant to be refreshing and not overpoweringly hot.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
ingredients
Salad:
3 medium ripe fresh red tomatoes
1/2 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and finely sliced
1/2 cup tightly packed coarsely chopped purslane or arugula
2 scallions, including most of the green, thinly sliced
1 cup tightly packed coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or savory
2 to 4 jalapeño chiles, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed well and drained (optional)

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of sumac (optional)
preparation
Salad:

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze lightly to remove the seeds. With a serrated knife, dice the tomatoes and transfer to a strainer to drain. In a salad bowl, mix together the cucumber, greens, scallions, herbs, jalapeños, and capers. Add the tomatoes.

Dressing:

To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest,and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to give the flavors time to meld. Sprinkle with sumac before serving if you like.

Source Information
TMediterranean Hot and Spicy by Aglaia Kremezi

From Mediterranean Hot and Spicy by Aglaia Kremezi Copyright (c) 2009 by Aglaia Kremezi Published by Broadway Books.