Classic Moroccan Chicken and Vegetable Couscous, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 3/4 lbs boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in rough 2-inch cubes
3. 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
4. 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5. 1 large onion, chopped
6. 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
7. 2 teaspoons ground cumin
8. 1 teaspoon curry powder
9. 6 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
10. 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
11. 1 pound slender carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch lengths
12. 3/4 pound white turnips, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
13. 1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
14. 1 slender zucchini, cut in 1-inch slices
15. 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
16. 1 1/2 cups pitted prunes
17. 1 cup golden raisins
18. 3 cups raw couscous
19. 1/3 cup commercial harissa or 1 cup Moroccan Hot Pepper Sauce

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a very large, preferably nonstick skillet with a lid or in a Dutch oven. Season the chicken with the 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the cayenne and cook over medium heat until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, cinnamon sticks, carrots and turnips. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes to partially cook the vegetables.
3. Add the chickpeas, zucchini, red pepper, prunes, and raisins. Return the chicken to the stew and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the chicken no longer looks pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. (The recipe can be made several hours ahead to this point and refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving.)
4. For the couscous, bring 4 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and stir in the uncooked couscous. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until the couscous is tender and the liquid is absorved, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Spoon out 1/2 cup of the stew liquid and blend it with the harissa.
6. Mound the cooked couscous in the center of a large, rimmed platter or on individual rimmed plates or shallow soup bowls. Spoon the chicken and vegetables around the outside of the couscous and ladle the broth over them. Pass additional hot sauce at the table.

Victoria's Enchiladas

Ingredients (best from authentic Mexican stores)

• Beans
• Tortillas
  
• New Mexico Chiles
  
• Tortillas
• Onions
• Garlic
• Cheddar Cheese
• Crisco

Directions

• Soak the beans overnight, then cook with onions and salt and simmer for four hours
• Take off tops of the chilies and take all seeds out (your hands will get hot -- don't touch your face!)
• Wash chilies once (to get more seeds out, dirt off) and let soak in water until soft, around half an hour
• Pour some Crisco in pan and turn on the heat to medium. Dip the tortillas in on each size for around 10 seconds (brown around the edges = too dry). Let the remaining oil drip back into the pan before layering the tortillas on paper towels to drain.
• Prepare a lot of garlic cloves. Put 5 cloves and some chilies into a blender and liquefy. Use a strainer to get the remaining skins and seeds out (ideally, with the funky strainer that Victoria had).
• Put strained chili juice into pan and heat it -- add salt and flour (for thickening) to taste.
• Dip tortillas in juice in pan and layer them on a cookie sheet.
• Put chopped onions and graded cheese on tortillas, repeat 3x (3-layer enchiladas), pour chili juice on top if too dry.
• Put enchiladas in oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until ready.
  
• Serve the beans on the side.
  

Ahi Poke

I used this recipe: http://thecookmobile.com/yellowfin-ahi-tuna-poke/

Chicken Vindaloo, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 6 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 and 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 and 1/2 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 5 cups cooked basmati or brown rice

Directions

1. Toss the cumin and coriander seeds and the chili powder in a small skillet set over medium heat until they darken a shade, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately scrape the mixture from the skillet and let it cool. Then grind it in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
2. In a blender, puree the spices with the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne [note: at this point, this mixture will smell/taste like spicy ass-fire-sauce]. Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour the puree over the chicken, coating it completely. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 6 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping any excess marinade back into the dish. Reserve the marinade. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the chicken, potatoes, onion, and bell pepper over medium heat, stirring often, just until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, and any reserved marinade.
4. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve the vindaloo spooned over the rice. Naan also helps.
   

Tips from Sherry Page

• Cutting onions: Slice in half and then place flat side of each half on cutting board so onions don't slip
• Cooking garlic: take out the bitter inside green stem
• Cheese: take out of the fridge before serving for more flavor
• Organic berries: don't wash them; you'll dilute the flavor, and especially not before refrigerating because they will mold
• Brush mushrooms instead of washing them to preserve the flavor
• Need to take stem out of shitaki mushrooms
• European-style butter has more fat, flavor, and is able to withstand higher temperatures
• Toasting almonds: put in microwave until they pop
• Get garlic smell off hands: rub against stainless steel under lukewarm water

Tunisian Couscous Pilaf with Chickpeas, Almonds, and Dates

From Family Health Cookbook, 1997 (Pocket Books)

Spicy and sweet Middle-Eastern-style dish, goes well with other spicy foods and yogurt.

Makes 4 main dish servings, or twice the side dish servings



Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil, preferably extra virgin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• .5 tsp ground cinnamon
• .5 tsp ground coriander seed
• .5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 4 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup chopped pitted dates (yum!)
• 1 box (10 oz) or 1.33 cups raw couscous
• .5 tsp salt
• .25 cup sliced natural almonds
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan wtih a lid or in a Dutch oven.
2. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, strring frequently until lightly browned, about 8 minutes
3. Add the garlic, along with the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, coriander, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for one minute
4. Add 2.5 of the 3 cups of broth, lemon juice, lemon peel, chick-peas and dates.
   
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
7. Add the couscous and salt, stir once with a fork and remove the pan from the heat. Set it aside, covered, for five minutes until the couscous absorbs the liquid and softens.
8. Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a small skillet set over medium heat, stirring often, until lightly brown and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes (I found this takes longer)
9. Fluff the couscous with a fork and season with additional salt if necessary and pepper to taste.
10. Stir in the remaining .5 cup of broth and heat through over low heat
11. Turn the couscous onto plates and spinkle with the almonds and scallions before serving.
    

Crab and Linguine with vodka sauce

An expensive but quick to make and VERY tasty, rich and filling meal... from the December 27th, 2006 Food Section of the San Jose Mercury News

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 lb crab meat
• 2 tablespoons heavy (whipping) cream
• 4 oz fresh linguine
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Place a pot of 4 to 5 quarts of water on to boil
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
3. Saute onion and garlic until onion is transparent, about 3 minutes
4. Raise the heat to high. Remove skillet from heat (for safety) and add vodka. Return to heat and cook until vodka is reduced by half, about 30 seconds
5. Turn heat down to medium. Add pasta sauce and crab. Cook gently without boiling for 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. In pot, place linguine in boiling water for 2 minutes.
8. Drain and add sauce.
9. Serve with garlic bread, romaine salad and red wine