The Pizza Trilogy Goes Quad.

How in the world did I miss writing this?  There I was, at home, making pizza dough to create a Sicilian pie for dinner.  Ah yes, that is correct, pizza is called “pie” whether it is baked round or rectangular.  Anyway, too lazy to dig out the huge binder that acts as my personal cookbook, I looked up the recipe on the food blog.  The pizza trilogy posts came up, and also one that made me do a double-take…same title as above, and it was about focaccia bread.

I had done the post way back in 2012, expressing my frustration over not being able to get a pizza that was done correctly.   Every pizzeria we tried, not just in Utah, but in the other 4 Corners states was thick and bready; very little sauce, heavy on the cheese, light on the toppings. Being a New Yorker, this was a mystery to me and I constantly asked, "Why?".  The answers varied from "it's the water", "it's the altitude" to "we can't get the same flour here as they use out East". That last one really made my eyes cross. I make my own pizza at home, use the local water, granted the altitude is 7100 feet above sea level, but white flour is white flour.

It’s 2026 now, and we have found two local restaurants that serve up pizza and calzones with very good quality; Bangers Bar and Pizza in Dove Creek, Colorado, and Smoke Pizza Company in Blanding, Utah.  Obviously, they have discovered how to get around the mysteries of water, altitude and flour; if you haven’t tried them yet, what in the world are you waiting for?  Oh, and Bangers does some great sandwiches too, my favorite being the Chicken Parm sub.  Smoke Pizza has an in-house made bakery section too, and we love their ranch bread, croissants and cream pies.  If, however, you have your own favorite places you are loyal to, that’s great; I’m only suggesting you try these two restaurants if you haven’t already.

Alright, back to my venting on incorrectly made, in my personal opinion, pizza.  One day it dawned on me so brightly; the pizzerias in Utah are making their crust out of focaccia bread dough. This dough is kneaded only once, punched down, topped and left to rise again; hence the thicker and bread-like texture. How do I know this for a fact?  I asked of course, and the owners gladly gave me a lecture on how Utah pizza is done; a couple of owners stated their learning came from Florida or California shops, so…   All I know is how I learned to make the pizzas written about in the trilogy.  Basically, pizza dough is kneaded twice, once before and once after a single rising. For a New York style, it is stretched out to a 1/4inch thickness after the second kneading, then topped and baked.  That is how its unique crispy crust is browned to perfection, yet each slice (a 16-inch is cut into only 8 slices) is foldable and doesn’t fall apart.

The Pizza Trilogy as it appeared in the San Juan Record:

September 25, 2019

The Pizza Trilogy – New York Style

October 9, 2019

The Pizza Trilogy - Sicilian Pizza 

October 23, 2019

The Pizza Trilogy – Chicago Style.

Now I am introducing you to the quad, the fourth style - Utah's Focaccia Style Pizza. I guess if this is what you've grown up on, have never experienced pizza from different regions, then this is the best that you'll ever find. Personally, bread is bread, pizza is pizza, and Utah style pizza leans more towards being a fancy bread than an actual pizza.

What is focaccia bread exactly?  Focaccia is a soft, fluffy, oven-baked Italian flatbread. It features a crisp crust infused with olive oil and a signature dimpled surface created by pressing fingertips into the dough before baking.  Its origin dates back to ancient Rome, and was mainly eaten sprinkled with sea salt, and dipped in olive oil.  Focaccia is usually shaped into one of three forms – round, rectangular or oval.

Cheese Focaccia

Vegetable Focaccia

 

  

Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 (.25 oz) packet active dry yeast

1 and 1/3 cups warm water (110 F)

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided by 2 Tbsp. and 1 Tbsp.

Optional Ingredients: chopped fresh herbs, shredded or grated cheeses, thinly sliced or diced vegetables, thinly sliced Italian cold cuts such as prosciutto, capicola or genoa salami.

Preparation:

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour and salt; make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Sprinkle in the sugar and dry yeast; carefully pour in the water; let stand for 5 minutes while yeast begins to react. Add 2 Tbsp. of oil and carefully begin stirring the flour into the wet center gradually incorporating all the flour.

Place dough on floured board and knead until smooth. Brush ½ tsp. of remaining olive oil into a clean bowl; place dough in bowl and turn once to coat both sides with oil. Cover with a clean linen towel and let dough rise for one hour.

Brush a teaspoon of oil onto a jelly roll or round pizza pan. Punch the dough down and place onto the pan; press the dough out to a ½ inch thickness. Brush with remaining olive oil; with tip of index finger, or handle tip of a wooden spoon, dimple the dough in 2-inch spaces. Sprinkle or place optional ingredients on top of dough; let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F; bake bread for 25-30 minutes; until browned on top. Remove to wire rack to cool slightly; best served warm.

Makes one bread.

For high altitude, adjust the amount of flour, as you would, when making basic bread.

 

There you go, bread that’s pizza, or pizza that’s bread; so long as you enjoy it, that is the only point that matters.

Mary Cokenour

Got to Have Faith.

“I got faith (Faith) in you, baby.

I got faith (Oh) in you now.

And you've been such a, such a good friend to me (Me).

Know that I love you somehow (Love you somehow).

I met you, hallelujah, I got faith (Faith).”

“Faith” by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande; sung at the end of “Sing” and the squid are dancing/swimming.

Oh yes, due to the Babylon Fire, we here in San Juan County have had our faith tested.  Faith in whatever beliefs we have, faith in firefighters, other responders and agencies fighting the fire, and faith in ourselves.  How did we react, not just personally, but towards others?  This has been a severe test in faith.

Ah, but enough about the fire that has been on our minds, and practically our front doors, for over three weeks.  Alright, yes, the fire forced many to reminisce about the structures that were lost, and all the good times hiking, camping or just pleasurable times in our forest.  So, to take our minds elsewhere, if just for a short time, follow me on my childhood reminiscence.

Sheepshead Bay is a waterfront neighborhood in southern Brooklyn, New York. Famous for its maritime history and piers, the area offers fresh seafood, waterfront promenades along Emmons Avenue, and party/fishing boats. It's a 5-minute ride to Coney Island, and 14-minutes to the New York Aquarium.

During the summer, we would occasionally make a day of visiting either Coney Island or the Aquarium.  Time was always made to get to Sheepshead Bay when the fishing boats were due back in.  The fishermen would lay out their catches of the day for customers to choose from, and purchase.  Hold onto your wallets folks, a three-pound sea bass went for one dollar!  There were also flounder, bluefish, cod, striped bass and squid.  Squid is what I’m going with today.

 

 

 

Now, now, now, before you start gagging, don’t be judging if you haven’t even tried it.  Squid is a low-calorie, nutrient-dense seafood packed with protein, vitamin B12, copper, zinc, and selenium, and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.  By the way, squid is typically called “calamari”, so you might have eaten it, not knowing its true origin.

While stuffed squid is delicious, I have to admit that deep fried calamari, dipped in a rich, chunky marinara sauce is the best overall.  Even now, if it’s on a menu, usually as an appetizer, we order it; unfortunately, tentacles are not included, and we really like those.  It is less costly for a restaurant to cut the body (mantle) into rings, while the arms (where the suckers are located) and tentacles are few.  However, no authentic Italian restaurant would serve calamari without tentacles.  Brought to North America, in the early 20th century, by Italian immigrants, this battered-and-fried dish exploded in popularity in the 1970s.  Remember Billy Joel’s song, "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", 1977?  He mentions Mama Leone, and yes, we have eaten in that restaurant; talk about the most amazing Italian dishes.  Sorry, it was forced to close in 1994 when rent hikes went out of control in NYC.

Squid dishes are not just found in Italian cuisine:

 

·         Italian (Calamari Fritti): Often lightly dusted in flour, fried until crispy, and served with a lemon wedge and a side of marinara sauce.  

 

Fried Calamari - Rings and Tentacles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Croatia: Fried Calamari: A casual staple. Often coated in light flour, deep-fried, and served with a squeeze of lemon and a side of French fries or tartar sauce.

       Stuffed Squid: Squid tubes are stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley,       

       and sometimes the chopped tentacles, then simmered in a rich tomato or wine sauce

       Lignje na žaru (Grilled Squid): The most celebrated preparation. Fresh squid are lightly

       brushed with high-quality olive oil, garlic, and parsley, then quickly grilled over an open

       flame. It is typically served with blitva (a classic side dish of sautéed Swiss chard and   

       boiled potatoes).

Crni Rižot (Black Risotto): A national coastal delicacy. Rice is simmered with squid or cuttlefish ink, giving it a striking black color and rich, briny flavor

·         Greek (Kalamarakia): A beloved tavern staple, typically soaked in milk before being breaded and fried, and served with tzatziki or fresh lemon juice.  

·         Asian Cuisines: In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures, squid is often prepared as Ikayaki (grilled whole squid) or as salt-and-pepper fried squid, frequently sold as street food.  

·         Oceania & South Africa: It is a standard, deep-fried option at local fish-and-chip shops.

Whenever we travel to Salt Lake City, we always make time to shop at the Chinatown Supermarket: https://chinatown-supermarket.com/, and they offer an amazing selection of fresh and frozen seafood.  It is a major complex of stores, bakeries, restaurants and market representing Asian cuisines – Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, and Taiwanese.  Visiting SLC, this is a highly recommended place to visit.

Recipe time!  The recipe for Scrumptious Stuffed Squid comes from Westchester Magazine: (https://westchestermagazine.com/food/stuffed-squid-recipe/), May 6, 2024, by Gregory Thomas.  It is from Dobbs Ferry Lobster Guys (Dobbs Ferry, NY), owned by the DiMeglio family who began a lobster fishing business in Brooklyn’s Mill Basin back in the 1960s.  I have made it, and it’s exactly like grandma used to make.  Oh, I did make a slight change by adding extra shrimp to cook in the sauce, and cheese tortellini as a side.

 

Scrumptious Stuffed Squid

Ingredients:

4 large, whole fresh squid (about 6 inches long)

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil for frying

2 (28-ounce) cans of tomato sauce (I used crushed for extra chunkiness)

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

5 large deveined shrimp, chopped (I used a 1-lb package, so the extra into the sauce)

4 medium eggs

10 pignoli/pine nuts, chopped

1 Tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ Tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped

Directions:

 

Cleaned squid is available in many stores, cleaning a whole squid is easy.  Do this by grasping the tail end of the squid, gently twisting off the head, and removing innards and interior cartilage. The skin may be left or removed. Leave the body of the squid whole.

 

 

 

 In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, chopped shrimp, eggs, chopped pignoli/pine nuts, parsley, and garlic. Let the stuffing sit for about 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Fill each squid tube ¾ full with the stuffing and close ends with a toothpick. Be careful to leave space at the top of the tube to prevent the squid from splitting open when frying.

 

 

 

 

Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a frying pan large enough for all four squid. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the stuffed squid to the pan. Cook each side of the squid (about 3 minutes per side).

 

 

 

 

Reduce the heat. Add the tomato sauce and cover. Simmer the squid for about a ½ hour. Gently flip the stuffed squid two or three times while cooking.

 

Add Shrimp Last 5 Minutes of Cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salt to taste. Serve stuffed squid warm with the tomato sauce and accompaniment of your choice.

 

Servings 2-4 servings

Please don’t eat this dish while watching “Sing”, the squid will get highly insulted.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Italian Link to Carbon(ara) County.

When making new adventure discoveries, whether in food, travel or both combined, I try to find a direct link to a name.  Take, for example, the April 25, 2018 article on “Spaghetti alla Puttanesca and Lone Rock in the Kane Creek Canyon Rim”; Lone Rock aka Prostitute Butte, and puttanesca loosely translates to prostitute, so…

In my curiosity, I wanted to know if the influx of Italian immigrants, into Utah (1850s to 1880s, the first wave), influenced the naming of any rock formations, arches, or other natural landscapes.  That is a “no” except for a mention of Termeno, a town in Italy's South Tyrol region, in the archives of the Utah Geological Survey (Geologic Hazards Information page).  It is included due to a massive rock landslide that occurred in the town, and the hazards page supplementing the dangers of rock landslides.

Now, why did so many immigrants come to Utah at that time? They consisted mainly of Mormon converts, with some families arriving from Turin in the 1850s. These early settlers were attracted to Utah by the promise of religious freedom and the opportunity to build a new life within the Mormon community.

Ah, now comes the second wave of immigrants, and they meant business; business employment and development that is.  Italian immigrants arrived in Utah between the 1890s to 1920s, drawn by the expanding mining and railroad industries. They mainly came from both northern and southern regions of Italy, including Piedmont, Veneto (Tyroleans), Abruzzi, Lazio (Romans), Calabria, and Sicilia. Primarily, the most settled areas were in Carbon, Salt Lake, Tooele, and Weber counties, working in mines and on railroads.

Carbon County was so named, in 1894, due to the rich deposits of carbon, and coal mining became a huge boon to the area.   …and now comes the link to an Italian recipe, Pasta Carbonara.  No, no, this dish was not created in Carbon County, but it certainly was introduced, along with Italian cuisine in general. 

Carbonara is associated with Rome and the Lazio region (immigrants to Utah came from here), but, as with so many Italian recipes, who did it first is debatable. It is more often connected to “pasta cacio e uova”, a Neapolitan dish of pasta tossed with melted lard, beaten raw eggs, and cheese, as written in Ippolito Cavalcanti's 1839 Neapolitan cookbook.  In Italian, "carbonara" has no direct literal translation, and only refers to the pasta dish, “Spaghetti alla Carbonara”.  Traditionally it is made with eggs, hard cheese (Pecorino Romano), cured pork (pancetta or guanciale), and ground black pepper. The name is linked to the Italian word "carbone" (coal) and refers to the coal miners who enjoyed the dish and/or the black pepper that resembles coal dust.  Pancetta is the preferred product to use; an Italian cured pork belly, similar to bacon, but not smoked. It's made by salting and seasoning the pork belly with spices like pepper, fennel, and nutmeg, then curing it for several weeks.

Pancetta - Slab, Round, Diced, Pan Fried

 

Around 1945, carbonara began getting noticed in the United States, as American soldiers returned from Italy, and were craving this dish.  Also, more Italian immigrants, many being ex-POWs, followed our boys home, hoping for a better life than what WW2 had inflicted on them.

Carbonara can be eaten as is, or another, lighter in taste, protein can be added. In our household, it is primarily seafood served as a “topping”, but chicken (seared or grilled) will work perfectly.  A red meat can be too overwhelming in taste, and the flavor of the pancetta will get lost.  With seafood and chicken, the pancetta enhances each other, so you can taste each working together, yet full flavor of each separately.

 

Pasta Carbonara with Shrimp

 

 

Here is my recipe for carbonara, and for searing seafood to accompany it.  Yes, frozen seafood can be used, but make sure to thaw before using.  If you cannot find scallops, or do not like them, definitely substitute shrimp.  Don’t like seafood, then use chicken; whatever your desire, make it your own. Can you add vegetables?  Sure, but do not make it too complicated.  A one quarter cup of diced onions and bell peppers, mixed together, is a nice, mild touch; add them into the final 10 minutes of cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta Carbonara

 Ingredients:

 2 Tbsp. butter

½ lb. diced pancetta (prosciutto, or unsmoked, thick bacon can be substituted)  

1 lb. strand pasta (thin spaghetti or angel hair are the best to use)

3 large eggs

½ cup. grated Pecorino Romano (Parmesan cheese can be substituted)

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼. tsp each salt and ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. diced fresh parsley

Preparation:

In a large skillet, medium heat, melt butter; add in pancetta (bacon) and cook till crisp; do NOT drain the fat.  At the same time, cook pasta according to package direction, but until just under al dente (I call it the “gummy” stage).

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Drain pasta and add to skillet; reduce heat to low.  Add in mixture from small bowl and mix thoroughly with pasta and crispy pancetta; cover and let cook for 10 minutes to make sure all is heated thoroughly, and the pasta becomes perfect.

Serve with sprinkled parsley over top.

Makes 4 servings.

 

Pasta Carbonara with Seared Salmon and Scallops

Seared Salmon and Scallops

 Ingredients:

 4 – ¼ lb. salmon filets (skin and pin bones removed)

12 large scallops

1 Tbsp. each sea salt, ground black pepper and paprika mixed together

4 Tbsp. olive oil (Option – substitute bacon fat for olive oil)

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation:

Season the salmon and scallops with the seasoning mixture.

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat; place in salmon and cook each side for 4 minutes.  Remove to plate.  Next, cook scallops in same skillet; 2 minutes per side; remove.

Add lemon juice to skillet, mix with oil and scrape up any bits stuck to pan.  Pour liquid over the salmon and scallops.

Makes 4 servings of each seafood.

Mary Cokenour 

What is Your Torrone Mood, Hard or Soft?

One of the great advantages, of being raised in an Italian/Croatian neighborhood, is not just experiencing two cultures, but sampling the variety of foods. Not everyone has the financial benefits of being able to travel the world, to experience what each country has to offer visitors.  However, traveling around these United States, you can basically get many of the same experiences; remember, we are a very diverse melting pot of humanity.

One of the largest celebrations, in Italian culture, is the Feast of San Gennaro.  In New York City, in September, it is an eleven-day event, within Little Italy, featuring live musical performances, parades, religious processions, vendors of every type, but foods are the major sellers.  Over one million people flock to Little Italy to enjoy this celebration of Italian heritage and culture. 

If not in a New York state of mind; don’t let Billy Joel hear that, then consider vacationing in Las Vegas, Nevada; South Florida (Tampa and Hallandale Beach), or the Georgetown area of Seattle, Washington, again, in September.  Of course, I am biased, and will push the NYC celebration before any of those other areas.

What are the typical foods being sold by the vendors during the feast? 

-Sausage and Peppers: Grilled Italian sausage with sautéed peppers and onions, typically served on a roll.

-Zeppole: Deep-fried dough balls, often covered in powdered sugar.

-Cannoli: Crisp pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cheese.

-Arancini aka Rice Balls: Large, breaded and fried balls of rice, often with a savory meat filling.

-Other Italian Dishes: Pasta dishes, pizza, and various Italian desserts and sweets.

-Ethnic Foods: The festival also features foods from other cultures, reflecting the diverse culinary landscape of NYC.  This is what I am speaking about when I say, you can experience the cultures and foods of the world, just by visiting our own United States!

Now that I have you all drooling, time to talk about a favorite Italian candy, sold at feasts, given out at weddings, and packed into Christmas stockings…Torrone.

Torrone has origin stories tracing back to Greece and the Arabian countries, but it is Italy that takes full credit for its creation.  In 1441, Bianca Maria Visconti married Francesco Sforza, and became the Duchess of Milan.  Legend states that, at the wedding in Cremona, Italy, a candied confection was served in the shape of The Torrazzo, the bell tower of the Cathedral of Cremona. Hence the name, however, it is more likely named after the Latin verb "torrere," which means "to toast", and refers to the traditional method of toasting almonds, a key ingredient in torrone.

  

Torrone is primarily made from honey, sugar, egg whites, and toasted nuts, most commonly almonds or hazelnuts. Other additions include pistachios, walnuts, and added flavorings such as lemon zest, orange zest, or vanilla extract (pure form only, nothing less will do).  The texture of the candy can be hard and crunchy (duro), or soft and chewy (morbido); it all depends on the proportion of ingredients and the cooking process.  Once cooled, the candy can be cut into a variety of small shapes which can be wrapped individually; or into a large block that can be cut apart later on.  The taste has a rich, sweet, nutty flavor that may be enhanced by the addition of the lemon, orange or vanilla flavorings.  It can even be coated in chocolate after cooling and cutting!

Torrone is a very sticky and messy confection, so rice aka wafer paper is used to hold it together.  The rice paper is made from potato starch and water, has a negligible flavor, so does not interfere with the full flavor of the torrone.  Without the rice paper, the nougat would stick to everything, and be impossible to cut, even after cooling.

 

Those of you who enjoy creating homemade candies might want to give the following recipe a try.  Otherwise, torrone is available via online shopping, and during the winter holidays, make sure to push your local stores to get the product onto the shelves.  Santa Claus will be so impressed, he might just give you an extra special present in your stocking.

So, enjoy a taste of torrone, whether you create it yourself, purchase it, or even have the blessed opportunity of traveling to the Feast of San Gennaro.  September is not that far away!

 

 

Classic Italian Torrone

Ingredients:

2 sheets edible wafer paper (rice paper), trimmed to fit your pan.

3 cups almonds (whole, blanched), roasted.

1 cup pistachios, roasted (this can be optional, or use hazelnuts)

1 and ⅓ cups honey.

1 cup + 3 Tbsp. sugar.

2 large egg whites, at room temperature.

¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract.

⅛ tsp. kosher salt.

1 Tbsp. lemon zest or orange zest (optional).

Preparation:

Prepare the pan: Line an 8x11-inch baking dish with plastic wrap and place one sheet of wafer paper on the bottom.

Roast nuts: Roast at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and keep them warm. (see Notes below).

Cook honey and sugar: Combine honey and sugar in a pot and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth. (See Notes below).

Whip egg whites: Whisk egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Combine mixtures: Gradually whisk the whipped egg whites into the warm honey mixture in batches.

Thicken the nougat: Continue cooking the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly for about 40 minutes, until it turns brighter white and thickens. A small amount dropped in ice water should feel like soft clay.

Add flavor and nuts: Whisk in lemon zest and vanilla, then add the warm nuts and stir.

Set the torrone: Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, smooth the top, and cover with the second sheet of wafer paper. Press down gently.  Be care, the mixture will be hot!

Cool and cut: Let cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours until firm. Remove from the pan and cut into 1-inch squares with a serrated knife.

Notes:

Patience and continuous stirring are essential, especially when cooking the honey and sugar and thickening the nougat; use a candy thermometer for accuracy. Soft torrone is made with a lower temperature, around 280-290°F, while hard torrone requires a higher temperature, around 295-315°F.  Work quickly as the nougat cools and thickens fast.

Wafer paper can be difficult to find; parchment paper or greased plastic wrap can be used instead, but must be removed before eating as these are not edible.

The roasted nuts can be chopped into smaller pieces instead leaving whole.  Then they can be spread more evenly throughout the nougat.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

Adventuring for More Bite.

 

Back on April 27, 2022, I gave you a recipe for Garlic Chicken with Soba Noodles and it is a fantastically good dish. As with many recipes, including my own, I like to play with the ingredients; perhaps improving further, perhaps not. That's the adventure, and honestly, do we really want to be stuck in a rut when it comes to eating?

For instance, crushed red pepper flakes give heat, but wanting more than overall heat in the mouth is the goal, we want bite!  A bite on the insides of the cheeks, on the tongue; something to make the diner stand up and take notice of the intense flavor of the dish, not just the heat. What better to work with than freshly cracked black pepper?  The oil from the cracked peppercorns gives a fresher flavor, and exciting aroma, to the dish.  Its main active compound, piperine, has benefits that include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as for brain and gastrointestinal health.

In the recipe for Garlic and Pepper Chicken, the chicken is coated in cornstarch, fried in oil and immediately seasoned with coarse salt and cracked pepper.  As the chicken drains, the seasonings adhere to the chicken ensuring a flavored packed coating.  Using peanut oil is beneficial due to its ability to reach a high temperature quickly, so the food cooks quickly itself. The oil is not heavily absorbed, so your food is light, not greasy; and no, there is no peanut taste to the finished product.

This is a one pan meal, prep and cooking times are minimal and it is a meal that you and a family member can prepare together. While a large skillet can be used, I highly recommend investing in a Wok as they cut cooking time and require easy maintenance.

 

Garlic and Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, thighs or combination); cut into ½-inch strips

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup peanut oil

1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt

2 tsp. cracked black pepper, divided in half

1 and ½ cups broccoli florets

¾ cup diced red bell pepper

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. chili sauce

2 Tbsp. mirin wine (Japanese sweet rice wine)

¼ cup dark soy sauce

¼ cup hoisin sauce

Preparation:

Coat the chicken strips in the cornstarch; shake off excess. In a Wok or large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat; add the chicken, cook until done; drain chicken on paper towels, but season with sea salt and 1 tsp. black pepper immediately.

Remove all but two tablespoons oil; add in broccoli and bell pepper; cook for two minutes. Whisk together garlic, chili sauce, mirin wine, soy and hoisin sauces, remaining teaspoon black pepper; add back chicken to Wok or skillet; pour in liquid, mix thoroughly to coat. Cook for additional two minutes before serving over rice (white, brown or fried) or rice noodles.

Makes four servings.

But wait, maybe recipes with an Asian flare are not up your taste bud alley.  Then how about going the classical culture route, Italy and Greece, aka Mediterranean, which is known for its healthy usage of garlic, olive oil and fresh ingredients.

 

Garlic Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided in half

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¼- inch slices

2 cups steamed broccoli

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 cups cooked rigatoni

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, low heat, melt the butter; add the garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes and stir occasionally to keep from sticking or burning.  Remove from heat.

In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat; sauté chicken until fully cooked; remove from skillet.  Add remaining oil to skillet and sauté vegetables until edges just begin to brown.  Add chicken back into skillet, add the garlic butter sauce, parsley and pasta; mix thoroughly and cook for 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Pasta not on your diet, whether due to the carbs or gluten?  Let’s change up the broccoli to asparagus; add sliced black olives, and give a tangy zest with feta cheese.  I call this Greek Chicken with Asparagus.

First, cut the chicken breast in half, lengthwise; then cut each cutlet in half, so we have four palm sized pieces.  With the asparagus, make sure to purchase the thin, “baby” type; bend each spear slowly and it will snap apart where freshness meets woodiness.  Those woody sections can be thrown into the compost bin.  Now, lay flat a 14” x 10” piece of aluminum foil (they are sold pre-cut), and place about 8-9 spears down, next place a piece of chicken on top.  Spread a few bell pepper strips and a good pinch of slice olives; then spoon that lovely garlic butter sauce over all.  Fold the foil over the ingredients and seal the ends, making a packet; place on a jelly roll pan (ensures no drippage onto the oven floor if a packet leaks).  Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes.

 

When you open the packet, carefully transfer all to a plate, including that scrumptious sauce, and sprinkle feta cheese crumbles over.  You will be amazed, not at just how easy this dish is, but at the wonderful flavors and scents.

This is a time when celebrations are coming up; graduations, young men and women going off on their missions, engagement parties, wedding receptions, and do not forget the yearly birthday and anniversary celebrations.  You now have three chicken recipes that will wow your guests, and, being easy to create, can be done in bulk preparation as well.

Mary Cokenour