Stirfried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios

Stirfried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios

This is one of the dishes from my class last night at Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut. It was such a lovely evening! The focus was foods for Tu B’Shevat (sort of an Israeli Earth Day), which is always such a big winner as far as food is concerned because we get to eat lots of fruit, including dried fruit, which I love. And everyone who attended the demo seemed to love too.

The recipe is Stirfried Chicken with Dried Apricots and Pistachios, from my book, Hip Kosher. As I explained, this is a versatile dish! I used couscous but you can also use rice or any other whole grain, like farro or barley.

And you can use different fruit — figs, dried cranberries and so on.

I’ve made this dish with lamb chunks too and it’s also delicious.

Or go vegetarian. Leave out the meat and use tofu or peas or water chestnuts and so on.

Pistachios are my favorite for this but cashews would work too.

I say this dish is perfect for Tu B’Shevat but really, it’s for all-year.

Stir-Fried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios (from Hip Kosher)

• 1-3/4 cups Israeli couscous

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 16-20 ounces boneless chicken, cut into bite-size chunks

• 4 thick scallions, chopped

• 1 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup shelled pistachios

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Make the couscous according to the package directions. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wok, stir-fry pan, or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 4 minutes or until the meat is white and cooked through. Dish out and set aside. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan. Add the scallions and cook for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Add the apricots, cumin, and cinnamon and cook briefly, stirring constantly. Add the couscous and chicken and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes to distribute the ingredients well. Stir in the pistachio nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat hot or let cool to lukewarm.

Makes 4 servings.

Nut Crusted Baked Apple Parfaits

What do you do when you’ve cooked something and it’s a disaster?

Well, sometimes there’s nothing you can do. Once the souffle falls, there’s no puffing it up again.

But more often than not there are some remedies.

Like the baked apple in the photo. It doesn’t look like a baked apple at all, but that’s how it started out. I had baked nut-crusted apples before but when I made these I lost track of time and left them in the oven too long. They tasted wonderful but didn’t look so good. And so, I made Baked Apple Parfaits with the remaining ones. 

And that’s what everyone thought dessert was supposed to be.

Ain’t that grand?

Nut Crusted Baked Apple Parfaits

4 large baking apples

half a lemon

1-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons chopped dates

2 tablespoons chopped dried figs

2 teaspoons butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pistachios

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons apricot jam

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup cream

6 tablespoons Mascarpone cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the apples, peel them about halfway down and remove the core with an apple corer or small knife, leaving about 1/2” on the bottom. Place the core and peel in a small saucepan with the water. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid and set it aside. Put the apples in a baking dish. Brush the peeled apple surfaces with the melted butter. Mix the brown sugar, raisins, dates and figs and stuff this mixture into the apple hollows. Top each stuffed hollow with equal amounts of the cut butter. Combine the almonds, lemon peel, jam and sugar and press the mixture onto the tops of the apples. Pour the reserved water into the baking dish. Bake the apples for 45-60 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices, or until the apples are tender. Remove the apples to a cutting board and let them cool. Cut the apples into bite size pieces and place the pieces with some of the stuffing and some of the nut crust into 4-6 parfait glasses or dessert dishes. Stir the cream into the baking pan fluids, reserve about 2 tablespoons and spoon equal amounts of the remaining fluid over each parfait. Mix the 2 reserved tablespoons of fluid with the Mascarpone cheese and garnish each parfait with some of the cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings

Baked Apples with Dates, Cranberries and Nuts

It is colder in Connecticut today than it was when I was in Antarctica a few years ago. So I decided that before I venture out today, I would put on the silk long johns and tee shirts I bought when Ed and I took an adventure trip to that place at the cold, cold bottom of the world.

And think warm thoughts.

Like reading about Tu B’Shevat, a little known Jewish holiday that celebrates the budding of the first trees in Israel. The emergence of signs of spring.

What a lovely thought. 

On Tu B’Shevat (this year on January 26th) it is customary to eat fruit, an acknowledgment of earth’s bounty.

Like Baked Apples. Not just good to eat. They also warm up the kitchen and make your house smell divine.

Baked Apples

6 baking apples

half a lemon

3 tablespoons raisins or chopped dates

3 tablespoons dried cranberries or cherries

2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup honey

1 cup orange or apple juice

1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the apples and remove the core with an apple corer or small knife, leaving about 1/2” on the bottom. Peel the apples halfway down from the top and rub the peeled surfaces with the cut side of the lemon. Put the apples in a baking dish. Mix the raisins, cranberries, nuts, cinnamon, ginger and honey. Stuff this mixture into the apple hollows. Pour the juice over the apples. Dot the tops with butter or coconut oil. Bake for 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the pan juices, or until the apples are tender. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings