03 March

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March 28, 2012

Chicken Satay

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Chicken Satay

 Chicken Satay

March 28:  National Something-on-a-Stick Day

The aroma from Asian street vendors and ethnic food festival booths is enticing! We end up buying grilled meat sticks, such as satay, and other handheld delicacies from them as we stroll along and enjoy the rest of the day. Satay on a stick is convenient and portable as a quick snack. Indonesian and Thai restaurants serve satay as appetizers as well. But now that we have a grill of our own out on the back deck, Highlander cooks skewered strips of chicken while Islander prepares the peanut dipping sauce for a savory, South Asian-style meal. Serve chicken satay for a simply satisfying snack on National Something-on-a-Stick Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooks.com and Taste of Home)

For the chicken satay

  • 1 pound thin chicken breast strips, about an inch wide
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon ground coriander
  • ½ tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ tablespoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

Directions

With a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to ¼ – inch thick. In a bowl, make the marinade by mixing the coconut milk, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and the rest of the spices.  Place the chicken strips in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight. Discard the liquid.

Chicken Satay

Pre-soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so that they do not burn over the grill. Thread the marinated chicken onto the sticks. Cook over a hot grill, turning the skewered chicken on the other side until cooked through and no longer pink.

Chicken Satay

For the peanut dipping sauce

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • salt to taste
  • chopped peanuts (optional garnish)

Directions

In a saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in vegetable oil until the onion is transparent and the garlic is browned. Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the coconut milk. Mix in the peanut butter, cilantro, ginger, soy sauce, lime or lemon juice, brown sugar and salt. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Serve the dipping sauce with the chicken satay over leafy greens. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and garnish with cilantro or sliced green onions (optional).

Chicken Satay

Notes

  • One 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk is enough to make both the marinade and peanut sauce.
  • The oil in the peanut sauce may separate while heating it in the saucepan but can be made smooth again by pureeing it in the blender.
 

March 26, 2012

Spanakopita

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Spanakopita (σπανακόπιτα)

Spanakopita

March 26: National Spinach Day

Our college friend, Christos C. from Crete, hosted a small graduation party for Islander at his house. He cooked a traditional Greek dinner, including oregano lemon chicken, cucumber yogurt dip (tzatziki) and spinach pie (spanakopita). It was a delicious dinner showcasing his culture and cuisine.

Decades later, when we lived in Illinois (the state ranks in the top 5 with the highest Hellenic population in America), we attended the annual Greek festival in our town. Eating their food brought back good memories of the graduation meal.

Once in a while, we still cook those simple dishes that Christos taught us. We transformed his version of spinach pie into triangular dumplings so we can serve smaller spanakopitas at celebrations.  The petite pies are especially perfect on National Spinach Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Athens Foods)

For the spinach filling

  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen, chopped spinach
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup feta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced

Directions

Thaw and drain the spinach well. Chop the onion. In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the spinach with the chopped onions. Season with salt and pepper.

Spanakopita

Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the ricotta and feta cheeses. Add the dill. Cool to room temperature.

Spanakopita

For the pastry

  • 1 package of phyllo pastry sheets (we used Athens brand fillo dough), thawed according to the package directions
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Remove thawed pastry sheets and slice in half lengthwise. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth/towel to avoid drying out the sheets. Assemble the spanakopita by placing one sheet on a flat surface, such as a cutting board. Brush with melted butter.

Spanakopita

Layer 2-3 more sheets on top and brush with butter. Place about 2 tablespoons of spinach filling on the edge of one sheet. Carefully fold the corner diagonally to the opposite edge to make a triangle. Fold again, like a flag, to the other edge.

Spanakopita

Continue folding until reaching the end of the sheet and tuck into the triangle. Brush both sides with butter. Place on a sheet lined with wax paper. Continue assembling all triangles. Brush the tops of the spanakopita with butter when the pan is full. Add another layer of wax paper and place more triangles on top. Brush with butter again and cover with plastic wrap/film. Freeze until firm.

Spanakopita

Line a baking pan with foil and mist with cooking spray. Place the spanakopitas seam side down on the pan in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Spanakopita

Notes

 

March 23, 2012

Melba Toast

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Melba Toast

Melba Toast

March 23: National Melba Toast Day

While recuperating from her surgeries, Islander feasted on ice chips, Jell-O, chicken broth and weak tea before graduating to solid foods, such as crackers and toast. She especially likes the latter when it is made into Melba Toast and the triangle edges of the bread curl up under the broiler. Similar to Zweiback, Melba Toast is fed to teething babies and patients with a belly ache.

Like the dessert, Peach Melba, the toast is named after famed Victorian era opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba, who reportedly ate this type of toast when she was ill.

Once known as a food for maintaining a mild diet, Melba Toast is now mass-manufactured and marketed as a base for hors d’oeuvres for elegant entertaining.  Make Melba Toast to soothe a sick stomach, to serve as sophisticated appetizers at social gatherings and to observe National Melba Toast Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from The Great British Cookbook)

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of white bread

Directions

Slice off the crusts of the bread. Lightly brown in a toaster. Remove and slice between the toasted sides to make a thinner piece of bread. Cut into triangles. Place on a baking sheet, untoasted side up.

Melba Toast

Bake on the top rack of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F for five minutes, being careful not to burn the bread. Remove from the oven and serve.

Melba Toast

Notes

  • For more Melba food, see the recipe for Peach Melba which we posted on National Peach Melba Day on January 13.
 

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