Chicken Strawberry Mango Salad

I made this salad for Krista's baby shower about a month ago. Strawberries were at their peak and they were great in this savory-sweet salad.



Start by poaching a whole, cut up chicken. Let it cool and then pick the meat off. Save the bones to make stock with. You could also buy a rotisserie chicken, let it cool and use it's meat to save time.

Next, make a citrus vinaigrette and set it aside.

Celery Heart - finely chopped
Red Onion - very thinly sliced
Jalapeño - very finely chopped
Mango - diced
Strawberries - tops removed and cut into bite size pieces
Pecans - chopped and lightly toasted
1-2 T EVOO
Garlic - chopped
Shredded Chicken
2 T Citrus Vinaigrette
2-3 T Mayo or Salad Dressing
Juice from 1 large Orange
1 head Curly Leaf Lettuce - cut into bite size pieces

Mix the first six ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

In a pan large enough to fit all the chicken, heat the oil. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two. Then, add the chicken and vinaigrette to the pan. Stir and cook till the chicken is steamy and evenly heated. Turn the heat off and stir in the mayo (add more mayo if needed) and OJ. Combine the chicken and fruit mixtures.

Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with just enough citrus dressing to wet the greens. Make a well in the center of the lettuce and fill it with the chicken mixture. Top with the remaining nuts and serve.




These salad and dressing recipes are both gluten free.

Chicken Potstickers

Potstickers, like egg rolls and tamales are a great excuse to have a cooking party. Make the filling before your friends arrive. Then sit around the table together, fold, and fill. Be sure to make enough so that everyone gets some to go. Freeze the extras for latter. You don't have to defrost the potstickers before cooking, just increase the time a little.



These dumplings are great as a snack or a meal. I served them with swordfish and rice for dinner, and as an appetizer for that same dinner. We just couldn't get enough!



Chicken Breast* - ground**
Broccolini - finely chopped
Carrots - shredded
Cabbage - finely shredded
Red Bell Pepper - finely chopped
Garlic - finely chopped
Chives or Green onion - sniped
Soy Sauce
Rice Wine Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Wonton Wrappers
small bowl of Water
Cooking Oil
Chicken Stock*

In a small bowl, mix equal parts soy sauce and vinegar. Then add a very small amount of the oil and taste. You want the sesame to be subtle. Be careful not to over do it.

Next, mix the chicken and all the veggies (i.e. the next seven ingredients) together in a large bowl. Your clean hands work best for this task. At this time, mix the sauce in a spoon full at a time. The filling should be wet, but not runny.



Set one wonton wrapper in front of you and cover the rest with a damp cloth so they don't dry out. Place about 1/2 a teaspoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper.

Dip your finger in the bowl of water and then rub it around the edge of the wrapper. This will act as the glue to hold the sides together.

Then, you want to fold the wrapper so that all the air gets out and a tight seal is formed. There are many ways to do this. Experiment. Once you find a way you like, stick with it and you will become a very efficient dumpling maker. Tony helped me fold these, some of his looked nicer than mine. Who knew?



Once you have a batch sealed and ready to cook, heat a large pan. Add two tablespoons of oil and let it get very hot. Almost smoking hot.

Carefully, place your dumplings in the pan. They should not touch each other or the sides of the pan. Pour about a 1/4 cup of chicken stock in the pan and quickly cover it. Cook for 9-12 minutes, till the potstickers are crispy on the bottom and steamed on the other sides.



While this batch cooks, make more. When they are done, you can put the little purses in a warm oven or just start eating!

Serve with a soy, sweet and sour, or spicy mustard dipping sauce. A simple sauce can be made by adding chives and red pepper flakes or ground ginger to the left over sauce used to wet the chicken mixture.


*To make veggie potstickers omit the ground chicken and substitute the chicken stock with a vegetable stock.

**I used a food processor to grind my chicken, but you could buy it ground instead.

Citrus Dressing

I made this dressing for a Chicken Strawberry Mango Salad, but it would be tasty on any greens. It reminds me of a warm summer day. What else would you want from a dressing? Or, for a tasty winter salad, try this citrus vin on my Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad.

1 Orange
1 Lime
1 Lemon
1 Jalapeño - very finely diced
Chives - thinly sliced
3-4 Garlic - pressed
splash of Soy Sauce
splash of Water
Honey
Black Pepper
EVOO
fresh Mint - minced

Juice the citrus into a bowl. Add a little zest from each fruit. Then, stir in everything but the EVOO and mint.

The amount of jalapeño, honey, and black pepper that's used is up to your taste. Just keep in mind that a vinaigrette should be a balanced mix of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour.

Next, slowly and steadily whisk in the EVOO till the liquid has doubled in volume. Finish by stirring in the mint. I like to do this last so that the mint leaves don't get stuck in my whisk.

This tastes a little like jalapeño jelly. You Texans will know what I'm talking about.

Serve over greens, rice, chicken or fish.
Gluten free.

Review - India House (Closed)

India House
765 53rd Avenue Northeast
Fridley, MN 55421-1240
(763) 586-9800

I've recently discovered Indian food and now it's all I think about. When I moved from Uptown to a northern suburb I was afraid that I was also moving away from my delicious Indian restaurants. Namaste and Dancing Ganesha were may favorites. They both have very good food, with hit and miss service. Fortunately, my worries proved futile when I found India House.

The Food is great! The menu is huge, so there is something for everyone. My friend Christine was thrilled to find two pages of vegetarian dishes. There's also chicken and lamb to choose from. Of course, the menu is rounded out with crispy appetizers and sweet desserts like the creamy rice pudding.



If you already enjoy the wonderful world of Indian food, I would suggest you grab a bunch of friends and head to Fridley for a huge shared dinner. If you're not sure yet, go for lunch. They have a buffet that includes most of the favorites.

There are two hot tables, one veggie the other with meat and rice. The jasmine rice is light and fluffy and the nann (flat bread) is warm and soft. The dal (lentils) and the curried veggies were my favorite from the first table. On the next, I enjoyed the tandoori chicken (think Indian fajitas) and the vindaloo. Vindaloo is a hot and sour dish. I think my mother would like it, she loves that combo. There's also a cold table with salad, puddings and condiments. I love the mint sauce, which is bright green and spicy. The buffet also includes chi tea and mango lassi. Tony had a few cups of the lassi, a creamy mango and yogurt drink.



The alcohol selection could use a little work. There's a small wine list that is not very memorable. I had a Shiraz, it was alright. They feature the same Indian beers that you can find at most Indian restaurants, I think they taste like Bud. They also serve the usual American beers, which also taste like Bud, or Miller, or Coors.* I would start with the huge glass of water the server fills for you, have some hot tea, and finish with a lassi.

Service at the India House Restaurant is quick and friendly. The manager has made a point of saying hello and welcoming me each time that I have visited. I felt like a regular my first time there and can not wait to go back.





*I might be a bit of a beer snob. I don't like to drink beers that are owned or distributed by InBev or MillerCoors. It's not a flavor thing, it's purely political. India House does offer Guinness, Summit and Dark Horse. Which are all TastyStuffs approved.

Tip - How to Clean Leeks

Leeks and other veggies that grow in layers close to the ground can hold a lot of dirt.



This dirt can be hard to completely remove. Following these simple steps will ensure that your leeks will be grit free.

1. Slice the leeks and place in a bowl.

2. Run cold water over the leeks till the bowl is full.

3. Use your fingers or a fork to separate the pieces. This should loosen the dirt.

4. Let the water sit still for a minute so that the dirt settles to the bottom.

5. Lift the leeks out of the water and place on a plate.

6. Empty water and rinse out the bowl.

7. Place the leeks back in the bowl and repeat the above steps. Do this till the water is clean after step five.


This is Tony cleaning leeks for me. Thanks Tony!

This also works for cleaning rice. Look for small stones and bad rice in step three. Clean till the water is clear after step five.

Yellowfin Tuna and Pasta in Veggie Sauce

This meal has a lot going on, but it's still pretty simple to make. I'm breaking it down into four parts. Marinade, sauce, cooking, and enjoying. The sauce is vegetarian, so you could skip the meat steps if you wanted to and still have a yummy meal. Just add your favorite cheese.


Marinading
1 6oz Yellowfin steak
6 Jumbo Shrimp
Mayo
Worcestershire sauce
Garlic - pressed
S/P
Red Pepper Flakes (RPF)
Italian Seasoning
Red Wine Vinegar
EVOO

Mix last eight ingredients together in a bowl. Spread completely over fish. In another bowl toss shrimp with the same ingredients, except for the mayo and vinegar. Cover both dishes and place in fridge.













Sauce
EVOO and 1 T Butter
1 Leek - sliced and cleaned
1/2 Orange Pepper - diced
1 yellow Squash - diced
Garlic - diced
Tomato Paste
S/P
RPF (Red Pepper Flakes)
6 smalll Tomatoes (different verities) - diced
Fresh Basil - chiffonade
1 T Butter

Heat EVOO and butter,a tablespoon or less of each, till just hot. Add next three ingredients, season with S/P and cook till tender. Then add garlic and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the fresh tomatoes, S/P, and RPF. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer till the rest of the food is ready. Just before serving, stir in basil and 1 tablespoon butter. This sauce is vegetarian and gluten free.













Cooking
Bring water to a boil. Oil grill pan, outdoor grill, or a skillet if you don't have a grill. Heat the grill pan over medium heat. Place the fish down and do not touch it again for 2 minutes. If you move it around before a seal is formed on the fish,it will stick.

Once the water is boiling, add a tablespoon of salt and pasta. I used angel hair, but you can use whatever kind you like. Cook till almost done, then drain and toss with sauce.

Flip the steak over and put the shrimp on the grill. Once the shrimp starts to turn pink, this will happen quickly, turn them over.

Check the tuna to see if it is done to your liking. Some people like their fish rare and others must have it fully cooked. The fish I had was not sushimi grade, so I cooked it almost completely through.

I usually like my tuna blood rare so that it is never dried out, but the mayo in this recipe keeps the fish nice and moist. When it's almost done, remove it from the heat and let sit a minute. Slice before serving.

Once the shrimp are pink and firm to the touch, they are done. Do not over cook your shrimp! Remember that the seafood will continue to cook after it leaves the grill, so take it off just before it's to your liking.











Enjoying
Place pasta in shallow bowl or plate. Top with tuna and shrimp. Serve with lemon and crunchy bread, and enjoy!

Minnesota State Fair

I can't have a food blog without a mention of The Great Get-Together. For those of you that aren't in the Midwest, I'm referring to the MN State Fair.

People go to the fair for many reasons. Rides, people watching and the cute baby animals are a few. Those things are great, but I am all about the food. The theme of the fair food is anything that can be but on a stick. Which seems to only be limited by the imaginations of the fair foodies. Deep fried candy bars,alligator, beer, chicken fried bacon, they put it all on a stick! My favorite stick food is a bit more traditional, roasted corn on the cob. I also like that the cobs are recycled.

The most popular things are the All You Can Drink Milk, Martha's Cookies, Turkey To Go, Pronto Pups, and Cheese Curds. These things are long time favorites at the fair. I also love the $1 Shrimp Cocktail. (It's only a buck!)

The hardest thing is eating all of my favs and still having room to try the new creations. This year I tried the Fried Green Tomatoes. Yummy! They come with ranch dressing, but I used the salsa from the Texas food stand to dip them in.

Here are some pictures.


Here's Rebecka enjoying Fried Green Tomatoes with salsa.



The thin crispy crust is perfect surrounding the soft tart tomato.



I don't know who these guys are. I just know that that's a crazy potato chip!

Farmers Market Chowder

This soup, or chowder if you will, was inspired by the veggies I found at the market. I also used some tomatoes from Christine. Thank you Christine!

Hints: I don't measure. When I do show measurements, they're approximate. EVOO is extra virgin olive oil, and I like to type s/p for salt and pepper. Now, lets cook!

EVOO
Butter
1 Red Jalapeño - finely chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper - diced
3 Stalks Celery - finely diced
12 small Fingerling Potatoes
5-8 Cloves Garlic - chopped
Vegetable or Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Orange Lentils
6 Ears of Corn - kernels only
Heavy Cream
Half and Half
Fresh Tomatoes

Heat a large pot. Add EVOO and butter. When hot, add the 1st three ingredients and s/p. Cook till tender.
Then, add the potatoes and garlic. (I also added some spices at this point. I used Cajun seasoning, cumin and s/p.) Cover with stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to med-med/lo and cook till the potatoes are just fork tender.
Add lentils and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
Stir in the corn, cream, and half and half (or milk if you want a thinner soup). Simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes.
Divide the diced tomatoes into the bottom of bowls. Ladle the hot soup on top of the tomatoes to warm them up with out cooking them.

This chowder is vegetarian, gluten free, and some tasty stuff!
Enjoy.