Braised Breast of Veal

Climate change brings warmer winters, that’s for sure. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the kind of rich, slow-cooked, hearty stew that we wanted when it snowed or it was bitterly cold outside!

I’ve made this dish using large cubes of veal but like it best with a whole breast (so I can gnaw on the bones).

BRAISED BREAST OF VEAL

• one breast of veal, about 3-1/2 pounds

• all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 1 cup white wine

• 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Rinse and dry the veal and press the meat into the flour to lightly coat the entire surface. Heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or casserole over medium heat, add the meat and cook for about 4 minutes per side to brown the outside. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside. Add the carrots, potatoes and onions to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes to cook them slightly. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Return the meat to the pan, moving the vegetables around so they sit on top of and around the meat. Pour in the wine. Place the rosemary sprigs in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pan and place in an oven. Turn the heat to 275F OR keep the casserole on the cooktop, lower the heat and cook at a simmer for about 2 hours or until very tender.

Makes 4 servings 

Braised Chicken with Figs and Grapes

I recently bought a whole bunch of dried figs, dates, plums (prunes) and California apricots in preparation for a Tu B’Shevat food demo/class I am doing for Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT on Thursday, January 18th, 2024 (it’s free, so if you’re in the area, give us a call).

Tu B’Shevat is a joyous holiday, a kind of Earth Day, when we celebrate and try to be mindful of our planet and its resources. This was a day I remember my parents donating money to plant trees in Israel.

With its focus on earth’s bounty, the food for this holiday features lots of fruit, including those dried fruits I mentioned. Like this chicken dish, which is braised with apple cider (sometimes I use orange juice or orange-pineapple juice), seasoned with curry and ginger and of course, includes dried figs (though any dried fruit will do!).

braised CHICKEN WITH FIGS AND GRAPES

• 1-3/4 cups apple cider (or use orange or orange-pineapple juice)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 6 bone-in pieces of chicken

• 1 shallot, chopped (or use a small onion)

• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup diced dried figs (or use other dried fruit such as prunes, apricots, nectarines or dates)

• 2-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup halved fresh grapes

• chopped fresh mint

• cooked bulgur wheat, rice or noodles, optional

Boil the cider for about 5 minutes or until it has reduced to 3/4 cup. Heat the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove the chicken pieces and set them aside on a plate. Add the shallot, ginger and diced figs to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes over low-medium heat. Return the chicken to the pan. Sprinkle the ingredients with curry powder, Aleppo pepper and salt and black pepper to taste. Pour in the reduced cider. Turn the pieces of chicken to coat all sides with the pan ingredients. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the grapes and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint. Serve on a bed of cooked bulgur wheat, rice or noodles if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings

Brisket with BBQ Glaze

I was never a big brisket fan. Soft, wet, brown meat just isn’t my thing. My mother, who was a very good cook, and every other woman in the family, served the meat with pan juices and overcooked onions and carrots.

It was one of the only recipes of my Mom’s that I didn’t like.

So when it was my turn as woman of the house this was not a dish I ever cooked for the holidays.

Then my sons-in-law came along and wanted to know “where’s the brisket?”

I had to find a way that satisfied the whole crew.

After a while I discovered Texas style barbecued brisket: tender meat glazed with thick, tangy sauce and crispy ends and outsides. It was a transformative moment, gastronomically speaking

I wish my Mom was here to try it!

Brisket is expensive, so I don’t make it often, but when I do I always pre-cook it to tenderness this way, then glaze it with barbecue sauce (instructions for when to do what are in that post too).

This year, this is the sauce I am using:

Texas Style Brisket

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 medium clove garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped chili pepper

• 2 cups ketchup

• 1/2 cup apricot jam

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• pinch of ground cloves

• pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg

Pour the olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook briefly. Add the ketchup, jam, orange juice, honey or maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cloves and nutmeg and stir to blend them. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes or until thick.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Sweet and Sour Pot Roast

There are two truths about pot roast.

First, it’s not glamorous or gorgeous.

Second, it is delicious and satisfying.

So, with that in mind, please remember that the photo may not be an artist’s dream, but the food in it is always devoured because the recipe is big winner. And, while pot roast is ideal when the weather is cold or dreary, it’s so satisfying that it will do in just about any weather.

Sweet and Sour Pot Roast

• 3-4 tablespoons all purpose flour

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 pound chuck roast

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)

• 2 medium onions, sliced

• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

• 1 1-pound 12-ounce can tomatoes (including liquid)

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce)

• 4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

• 2-3 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

In a dish, mix the flour with some salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in the flour to coat it on all sides. Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meat and cook, turning the meat occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, to brown the surface. Remove the meat and set it aside. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (and liquid), brown sugar, cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to blend the ingredients. Return the meat to the pan. Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover the pan and place it in the oven. Turn the heat to 275F. Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat is tender.

Makes 6 servings

Tzimmes Chicken

 Not everyone in my family likes brisket, so on Rosh Hashanah I make a second main course. This year I had planned on Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange Balsamic Sauce, the most popular dish on my website. But I’ve not been able to get fresh figs.

Wow, that was a short fig season!

So, I’m going to make this Tzimmes Chicken, which is basically braised/roasted chicken plus some of the ingredients I use to make one of my modern meatless tzimmes recipes.

Although the Yiddish word tzimmes means “a big fuss,”this recipe certainly isn’t! It’s not complicated, it’s easy to cook and you can make it ahead and reheat.

Fyi, a few years ago this recipe appeared in The Jewish Week Food & Wine, but the recipes on their website are no longer be available.

Shanah Tovah.

ROASTED TZIMMES CHICKEN

• 3 1/2 to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 16-18 dried apricots

• 12 large Medjool dates, pitted

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

• 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a large oven-proof sauté pan in the oven (cast iron if you have it) for 15 minutes. Dry the chicken using paper towels. Rub one tablespoon of the olive oil over the pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces, skin down for breasts and thighs in the hot pan and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, combine the onion, garlic, apricots, dates, orange peel, rosemary, Balsamic vinegar, honey and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. Toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. After the initial 10 minutes of roasting, turn the chicken pieces. The skin should be browned, if not, return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes. Scatter the fruit mixture on top of and between the chicken pieces. Return the pan to the oven. Turn the heat to 350 degrees. Roast for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer will read 160 degrees). Baste 2-3 times during roasting. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Country Captain (Curry Chicken)

Country Captain

A few years ago I cooked a recipe for Country Captain — a curry chicken dish that’s very popular in the South.

We liked it so much that I made it many times over the years and in fact, used to include the recipe in a few of my cooking classes.

Then, “knowing how way leads onto way” I prepared other recipes, new ones, experimental ones, riffs on old ones — and forgot about Country Captain.

Recently, when I was cleaning out some files, I found my old recipe (computer paper version, sauce-stained of course).

I made the dish for dinner recently and lo and behold! We liked it again!

Country Captain started as an Indian dish but somehow, because of its popularity in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia it became a Southern specialty. There are all sorts of stories about the recipe’s provenance and why it became such an iconic regional dish. I’m not sure of the whys and hows. All I know is how delicious it is. Apparently it was a favorite of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and General George Patton.

Basically Country Captain is braised chicken and tomatoes with curry seasoning and served over cooked white rice. There’s usually a garnish of toasted almonds, which add some crunch and flavor, but I’ve made the dish without the nuts and it’s just fine!

Country Captain

• 1 broiler-fryer chicken, cut into 8 parts (or 4 breasts or whole legs)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into chunks

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• 2 teaspoons curry powder, mild or hot or a combination

• 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves (or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 to 2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock or tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup raisins or currants

• Cooked white rice

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, optional

• chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Wash the chicken and dredge the pieces in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add pieces of the chicken a few at a time and cook for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned, turning pieces occasionally. Remove and set aside on a plate. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to combine ingredients. Pour in 1/2 cup of the stock. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the pan ingredients over the chicken, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and raisins or currants. Add more stock if the pan seems dry. Cook another five minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over cooked white rice.  Sprinkle with the almonds and parsley if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Cacciatore

I recently read a book about four women who entered a cooking contest in World War II England. One of the contestants had met an Italian POW who told her about Italian cuisine (virtually unknown in England at the time) and taught her how to make chicken cacciatore.

The book was just okay but the recipes were fascinating, what with dealing with rationed food and all sorts of shortages. One woman used whale meat for her entree; the contestant who planned to make chicken cacciatore actually used rabbit.

In addition, I realized that it had been years, maybe more than a decade, since I cooked chicken cacciatore.

I got out my old recipe, and, like the wartime home cooks who learned to be flexible because ingredients were difficult to get, I made a few changes based on what I had at hand. I only had grape tomatoes; had fresh parsley but not fresh basil or oregano. I was minus a bell pepper (which we don’t love anyway), and whereas my original recipe called for red wine, I had a bottle of white open, so I used that instead.

The result was a complete success.

Here is the recipe with flexible ingredient options. Might be a nice change of pace for Shabbat chicken.

Chicken Cacciatore

• 1 broiler-fryer chicken cut into 8 pieces (or use 4 large breasts or whole legs)

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cut into bite size pieces

• 3 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes (or use 4-5 plum tomatoes, chopped)

• 1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped, optional

• 1/2 cup wine (red or white)

• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs: parsley, oregano, basil (or use 2 tablespoons chopped parsley plus 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil)

• cooked pasta, rice or polenta

Coat the chicken pieces with some flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. Cook the chicken pieces a few at a time for 5-6 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are lightly crispy. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and bell pepper, if used, and cook for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened. Pour in the wine and stock. Add the herbs. Cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer the ingredients for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Serve on top of cooked pasta, rice or polenta.

Makes 4-6 servings

Osso Buco without Tomatoes

I love a cooking challenge. Whether it’s because a meal needs to be kosher or because someone is allergic to walnuts or doesn’t eat meat or hates potatoes, I am up for the task.

So, it was interesting for me to come up with this year’s new year’s menu when my cousins come. They will be houseguests for several days.

Our New Year’s eve day (which also includes my brother and sister-in-law) starts early and is all about hors d’oeuvres - groups of nibbles several hours apart. No actual “dinner.”

First up: almond crusted chicken nuggets, hot dog en croute, rumaki — maybe more.

Later: smoked salmon and avocado toasts, cheese gougeres, Romanian cheese turnovers, hummus.

and then dessert in the late evening. Probably Roasted Pears with Orange-Maple Sauce or Chocolate Pudding (in a pie crust). Or both.

There’s enough variety to assure everyone will be happy.

But in between days I need to consider food restrictions including: no tomatoes.

We all love Osso Buco, but classic recipes, including mine, are loaded with tomatoes. So I spent the last month making recipe after recipe — no tomatoes. All were absolutely delicious. I made versions with red wine or white, beef stock or chicken; some with a strip of lemon peel, some without, some with mushrooms.

This is the one I will be serving — note that I usually serve Osso Buco on top of mamaliga, but corn meal is also verboten, hence, the egg noodles.

Happy new year everyone.

Osso Buco (Sans tomatoes)

• 4 pieces veal shank

• 3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 6 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, approximately

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1-2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 strip lemon peel, about 2-inches long

• 1 cup red wine

• 1 cup beef stock

Coat each piece of veal with some flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in an ovenproof saute pan or casserole over medium heat. Cook the coated veal shanks for 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned on each side. Add 1-2 tablespoons more oil as needed to prevent sticking. Remove the shanks to a dish and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly softened. Add the garlic and mix it in. Return the shanks to the pan and spoon the vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon peel. Pour in the wine and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pan. Remove the casserole to the oven. Set the temperature to 325 degrees. Cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is soft. Serve the shanks with the pan fluids and vegetables.

Makes 4 servings

Braised Chicken with Dates

When I think about comfort foods I’m no different than most people. I’ll go for Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes and Chocolate Pudding just like the next guy.

But my list also includes Chicken Fricassee. My mother made Chicken Fricassee with chicken wings, gizzards and necks. She included potatoes and little meatballs, lots of onions and sometimes mushrooms. She loaded it up with paprika, covered it and cooked it slowly for hours until there was a rich, russet gravy and chicken soft-as-you-know-what. 

That was good.

When my mother was much older and not well, I would make some for her and bring it to her house in a kind of comforting culinary role reversal. She loved Chicken Fricassee too.

This dish was such a regular when I was a child that when I became a Mom and my kids were young, I made it too. 

They hated it. Made fun of it. Wouldn’t eat it.

I still don’t get it.

But, it wasn’t something I made because what’s the point? If your family doesn’t like something you don’t cook it for dinner.

I did however, continue to make braised chicken. Which is actually, for most purposes except the strictest definition, the same as fricassee. My daughters did eat many of the newer versions. And one day Gillian actually called me out on it and said she knew it was fricassee only with different spices and no meatballs.

This is one of the recipes that proved to be a big winner. Call it Braised Chicken with Dates if the word fricassee is not a word you want to use in your house.

Braised Chicken with Dates

• 1 cut up broiler-fryer chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 12 whole dates, preferably medjool

Rinse and dry the chicken and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken a few pieces at a time until they are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a dish and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger an cook briefly. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the onions on top. Sprinkle with the cumin, cayenne and nutmeg. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir the liquid, cover the pan and turn the heat to low-medium. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the dates and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings