Rice Noodles & Coconut-Matcha Broth with Delicata Squash, Baby Bok Choy & Cilantro

Image November 23, 2022 Tangie Holifield

Adapted from Blue Apron November 2020

Now, here is a dish that brings sunshine to your soul. This recipe is harnessing its complex flavor and gorgeous color of matcha powder to bring an extra-special touch to the rice noodles and vegetables. Matcha, a powder made from finely milled whole green tea leaves, has been used in Japanese tea ceremonies for nearly a millennium. In the broth, sweet coconut milk and palm sugar perfectly balance the matcha’s earthiness. Layered with herbaceous cilantro and other savory aromatics, like Thai Red Bird Chilies, this dish is a modern take on some of my favorite East Asian flavors.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

½ pound wide rice noodles
1¾ cups coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
2 scallions
1 delicata squash
1 Lime
½ pound baby bok choy
1 bunch Thai basil
One 1-Inch piece ginger
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Matcha Powder
Thai Red Bird Chilies, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high.

Using a sturdy knife, cut off and discard both ends of the squash. Slice the squash crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds; cut out and discard the pulp and seeds.

Using a peeler, remove the rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter the lime. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Trim off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; roughly chop the leaves and stems. Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems.

In a small bowl, combine the matcha powder and 2 tablespoons of warm water.

Place the squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and top with the juice of 2 lime wedges.

Once the squash has roasted for about 10 minutes, add the noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Rinse and wipe out the pot.

While the squash continues to roast, in the pot used to cook the noodles, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, bok choy and white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and the bok choy leaves have wilted.

To make the broth, add to the pot of vegetables, the coconut milk (shaking the can just before opening), matcha-water mixture, lime zest, palm sugar and the juice of the remaining lime wedges; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, rinse the cooked noodles under warm water to loosen them; drain thoroughly. Divide between 2 bowls. Top with the broth and roasted squash. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions, basil and chilies. Enjoy!

Wine Pairing Notes:

Rancho la Viña Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014

Tea notes in this Pinot reinforce the noodles’ matcha tea broth. The squash’s earthy sweetness balances the medium body and acidity.

San Simeon Pinot Noir 2014

Matcha’s green herbal note and the noodles’ nuttiness marry well with the the strawberry and cinnamon aromas of this Pinot Noir.

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Harissa Spiced Honey Roasted Chicken Thighs with Persimmons and Lemons

Image December 25, 2021 Tangie Holifield

This spicy harissa and persimmon chicken is a little sweet, a little spicy, and packed with flavor! It’s the perfect one-skillet winter meal!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-4 teaspoons harissa dry seasoning or paste, to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Chicken:
4 to 5 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup white wine
1 large shallot, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 to 4 fuyu persimmons, sliced
2 lemons, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary,finely minced
1/4 cup water

DIrections:
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Place the chicken in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag, cover with the marinade and toss to coat. Let marinate for 1 hour at room temperature. For best results, allow the chicken marinate in the fridge overnight, just be sure to let it come to room temperature for an hour before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.Shake off excess marinade before searing the chickenm but do not wipe it all off as that’s what gives you the flavorful crust Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until there is a golden brown crust. Remove from the skillet and place ona clean plate and set aside.

Pour in the wine to deglaze the skillet, then add in the thyme, rosemary, garlic shallots, persimmons and lemons. Add the water. Return the chicken back to the skillet and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F and the skin is crisped.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Cook’s Notes:

Yogurt:
You can substitute the Greek yogust with plain full fat yogurt.

Chicken:
Chicken Breasts can be used in place of the chicken thighs, if desired.

Persimmons:
There are two main types of persimmons that you’re likely to see at the grocery store between October and Januray, hachiya and fuyu.

Hachiya persimmons are elongated and shaped like a heart or acorn, they are very astringent, like quince, before they are ripe You don’t want to eat them unless they are extremely soft to the touch (almost soupy on the inside).

Fuyu persimmons are shaped like a tomato like the ones above in the photo, and have a delicately sweet flavor similar to peaches. They can be eaten when they are still very firm and are still delicious when they soften.For this recipe, you would want them on the firmer side.

Note that persimmons that are very firm will last at home for about two weeks if stored in the crisper draw in the fridge.

Baharat Spiced Persian Roasted Chicken

Image July 19, 2020 Tangie Holifield

Baharat is often used in Arabic cooking- most commonly in Persian and Turkish dishes to add spice and a little heat to meat dishes, couscous, and tagines. The warm exotic flavors of Baharat are an easy way to spice up simple dishes and give them a little intrigue.

The word “Baharat” simply means “spices” in Arabic, and this wonderfully complex blend has a unique balance of flavors. The chicken is rubbed down with salt and Baharat Spice, seared on the stove and finished in the oven until golden and crispy. Serve with saffron rice, cucumber yogurt sauce and salad and you’ll have a simple, delicious, Middle Eastern style dinner.

Photo Credit: Feasting at Home, 2014.

Baharat consists of cumin, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, peppercorns, allspice, star of anise and black lemon. For the record, black Lemons are actually dried limes, and owe their misnomer to the English translation from Arabic. They are typically used in Middle East cooking to add sourness or acidity to chutneys, soups and stews and even ground into flat breads.Ground Black Lemons have a sweet-tart flavor that is unique and really has no substitute. You can order black lemons from specialty gourmet markets found online. For this recipe, if you cannot find black lemons, you can omit them. However, in this case I used finely grated lime zest and a pinch of sugar.

Traditionally, to make the Baharat spice mix, you would normal roast whole spices and then place all the spices in a coffee grinder, and pulse until it is ground. In this version, ground spices were used. It’s perfectly fine to substitute ground spices, although the more whole seeds you have, the better the flavor. But don’t let the lack of the whole seeds stop you from making this dish.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
4 – 6 Chicken thighs, bone in, skin on.
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Baharat Spice Blend:
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
3 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground star of anise
1/2 teaspoon finely ground lime zest

For the Cucumber Salad:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 –3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, dill, parsley and cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small shallot, minced
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
A pinch of cayenne pepper

For Serving:
Cooked Jasmine Rice
Cucumber Salad, see recipe below.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 º F.

Place the cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

To make the Barahat Spice, add all the spices to a small bowl and stir to combine.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken generously with kosher salt. Rub in a generous amount , abut ¾ teaspoon of Baharat Spice on both sides of each piece of chicken.

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear chicken, in hot oil, skin side down for 3 – 4 minutes, until golden and crispy. Turn over and sear other side, turning heat down to medium. Sear another 3 – 4 minutes. Place the skillet in the middle of the oven, uncovered, and baked until cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes or until internal temp reaches 170 º F ( for thighs) and juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

To make cucumber salad, drain the cucumber slices and pat dry with paper towels. Add the cucumber the remaining salad ingredients to a medium bowl. Gently fold to combine.

To serve family style, arrange the chicken on a platter and garnish fresh mint leaves, if desired. Serve the chicken with the Jasmine rice and cucumber salad.