Thread: Cauldron LIving in the 21st Century

THE SULTAN'S BRAISED CHICKEN

1/2 already baked chicken (leg/thigh/wing ok too)
1 large onion (spanish style xtra large onion)
1 large sweet pepper
1 large carrot
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup paprika
1/2 sick butter
1 tsp of the following: pepper, fenugreek, coriander, all spice, marjoram, oregano,pepper, salt
1/2 tsp of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, cayenne
2 -4 cups chicken broth
1/2 can tomato paste

Grind up all the dried herbs together.

Melt butter on low heat in a large cauldron and add dried ingredients. Cook for a few minutes until all butter and spices are mixed.

Mince onion, red pepper and carrot. Place in butter mixture and stir/sautee for a few minutes.

Add chicken and coat with mixture evenly then add stock and tomato paste.

Put heat on low and braise chicken in liquid for about 2 hours, or until liquid is reduced to thick sauce. Chicken should break off the bone quite easily.

Remove chicken bones and replace chicken meat into stew.

Stir in meat and correct for salt seasoning and heat level (cayenne) at end of cooking time.

enjoy,
JB

These all look so delicious... I can't wait to try them!

Hope you do try them, and please feel free to share your favorite soup, stew or sauce that you like Ash.

namaste,
JB

JayneBond wrote:
Make sure to remove bones before serving so you won't scare the children.

Aw...where's the fun in that? ÂÂ*[wink]

Best line ever from my kids re: bones in her soup bowl:

"Mommy I don't like to see the bones because it reminds me that I'm eating an animal I would probably think was cute with its fur on."

hahahahaha,
JB

Here is another good recipe for the winter when squash is still plentiful and tasty. The process of first roasting the root tubers and then slow cooking completely emulsifies the cell walls and allows you to get all of the phytonutrients from the plant.

Phytonutrients in Acorn squash are amongst the BEST at fighting cancer and heart disease. They calibrate the bad cholesterol in your body and they also attack toxins that enter the body. Acorn squash is jammed full of vitamins (A and B6 as well as C) magnesium, potassium, manganese and thiamine. They also are rich in fiber and carotenoids. Squash is the best type of food for those with a compromised immune system to rebuild after chemo for example.

Roasted Acorn Soup

2 large Acorn squashes
4-6 cups of chicken stock
1 Spanish onion (large or 2 medium red)
head of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, cumin, pepper, salt and thyme
1-3 whole cloves
olive oil (2-3 tbsp for carmelizing)
1/4 cup of cooking sherry
1/3 cup of cream

Place both acorns largest side down on a cookie sheet and bake for about an hour at 375 or until tender. Make sure to make a vent hole on top with a skewer to release steam.

Take a small ovenproof bowl and place garlic head, top down in oven covered with olive oil to roast alongside acorns. The garlic is done in about a 1/2 hour.

After the hour is up allow to cool and then remove seeds and scoop out flesh of acorns.

(You can save the husks to create fancy soup bowls if you like. Be sure not to carve out the flesh too close to the rind so that the bowl does not spring a leak. To test wash out the bowls with some water and leave some inside to make sure it is water proof.)

Mince onion and saute in olive oil in large soup pot on high. When onion is translucent and edges brown add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Allow dried ingredients to roast a minute or so and then add roasted acorn squash and garlic.

Pour in about 4 cups of the chicken stock and put heat on low, stirring frequently for at least two hours, or until the mixture becomes very viscous. Add some chicken stock if it dries out too quickly or becomes to thick. For last 5 minutes add sherry and correct salt seasoning to taste. Stir until it comes to bubble once again.

Strain out cloves. and remove to food processor or blender. Blend ingredients until smooth. Mixture should still be warm but not scorching hot. Add 1/3 to 2/3 cup cream and stir completely, do not curdle the cream by stirring briskly in small batches.

A crack of pepper on top with a sprig of fresh thyme and pouring inside the acorn squash cups makes a fancy presentation.

enjoy!
JB

Lentil Soup

This one is excellent tasting and a treat for those who like these tasty beans. I use dried pink small lentils which I find have an excellent flavor, but you can use other types as well. If you are vegetarian you can exchange vegetable stock for the chicken stock, and omit the ham and it will still be a tasty treat. Lentils contain almost 90 percent of folate, which is great if you are planning on having a child, B6 and magnesium. They are extremely high in protein and contain almost as much as meat, except they have no saturated fat and are high in fiber. This assortment of nutritional aspects make lentils extremely important for those borderline diabetic, or heart disease.

Lentil Soup
1 cup of dried lentils (yellow, green or pink)
1 large spanish onion (minced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup of minced red or yellow pepper
1 hamhock, or a piece of salted already cooked ham
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3-4 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup of finely diced kale
a few tablespoons of oil

Recipe
Soak the beans in water for about an hour then discard the water when they have plumped up.
Mince the onion, garlic and pepper in a food processor.
Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with oil and saute the onion mixture until onions become translucent.
Add kale and saute until wilted.
Then add rest of ingredients, turn pot to low and cook for at least two hours, adding chicken stock as necessary to keep beans covered, do not boil, simmer until beans create rich smooth gravy. When proper consistency is reached correct salt and pepper to taste.


The lovely yellow color and aromatic flavors coupled with the hearty beans make a very satisfying meal with toasty bread and a salad.

enjoy,
JB

Ostara Potato Soup

1-2 leeks or 1lb of fresh green scallions
2 bay leaves
2tbsp pepper
1tsp salt
2tsps dry thyme
2 tbsp minced chives
2 slices of bacon
5-6 cups of chicken stock
1 to 1.25 lbs of potatoes
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
1tbsp butter

For this recipe you have the children and anybody willing help you to peel, chop the potatoes and then inscribe them with runes for health, happiness, harmony in whatever rune language you like.

On medium heat then melt the butter and add the bacon. Allow the bacon to render its fat and crisp up before removing from pan and breaking up into tiny pieces.
Clean the leeks thoroughly and remove bottom portion and trim upper leaves. Chop the leaf matter into small rings and add to pan allowing to wilt in bacon/buttter fat.
When leaves are wilted add potato and chicken stock.
Stir and add dry herbs (not chives) and wine.
Allow to cook until potatoes emulsify in liquid and liquid reduces.
Add salt and pepper to correct for seasoning.
Remove in batches and puree, then return to soup pot and stir cream in.

You can then top with some shredded cheddar, some bacon crumbles and minced chives. A good side accompaniment to this is Irish Soda Bread.

enjoy,
JB

JB - thank you for the "bump" xoxoxoxo blessings

I usally add onion to my stock,plus a bouquet grani or sachet of:
Bay leaf
thyme
peppercrons
parsely stems and
whole cloves
this adds more flavor but all are optional. cooking is about preference and tastes.