Samin Nosrat's Roast Chicken (Marinated in Buttermilk)

My plans changed for Thanksgiving with Gov Walz's (kind of) stay home order, such that I did not travel to see my sister and her kids in Iowa, and instead had a solo retreat for several days at home. It was totally luxurious, particularly because I was busier with work and was ready for vacation. I had stacks of compelling books to read or page through, and had leftovers all weekend! My thanksgiving harvest dinner featured a whole roast chicken, mashed sunchokes, roasted kabocha squash with salad, and roasted savoy cabbage. I also made some cranberry/date sauce at the last minute after remembering I still had frozen cranberries in the freezer from last year. I felt happy that all the veggies were from my garden, and was very pleased with how everything turned out. Yum. 

This chicken preparation is really easy, and yielded a delicious, crispy skinned, very moist chicken. Thanks to my friend Allison for alerting me to this Samin Nosrat recipe, where all you do is salt your chicken and then marinate it in buttermilk for 24 hours before following some helpful instructions about chicken placement in the oven and cooking it. I didn't know Samin before this, but the trailer for her Netflix show Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat looks good, primarily because she seems great. It is on my list for some winter viewing in lieu of my Top Chef obsession, and I like that they list some recipes, including this one, on the website. I didn't see a note until afterwards to use plain yogurt if you have no buttermilk. (I had been wondering b/c I needed to go to three stores for buttermilk!)

Samin's Chicken

• 3½- to 4-pound (about 1.5 kilograms) chicken
• Salt
• 2 cups (475 ml) buttermilk

The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Reserve for stock. Season the chicken generously with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Stir 2 tablespoons of kosher salt or 4 teaspoons fine sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. If the chicken won’t fit in a gallon-size bag, double up two plastic produce bags to prevent leakage and tie the bag with a piece of twine.

Seal it, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate, and refrigerate. If you’re so inclined, over the next 24 hours you can turn the bag so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that’s not essential.

Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), with a rack set in the center position.

Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs of the chicken with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or shallow roasting pan.

Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven on the center rack. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing toward the rear left corner and the breast is pointing toward the center of the oven (the back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the oven, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done). Pretty soon you should hear the chicken sizzling.

After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 400°F and continue roasting for 10 minutes and then move the pan so the legs are facing the back right corner of the oven.

Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh.

When the chicken’s done, remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. 

This is the mashed sunchoke view - they were so good!

Kofta

I made a stunning dinner plate last night - it was so beautiful that it felt a shame to be eating it alone! Which is funny because it was largely comprised of leftovers, and also funny because I made and ate it during my one hour dinner break before finishing the day with evening clients. I think I find it so stunning for all the bright colors and the variety, hence the value of leftovers here.

This plate! I was not, for the COVID record, feeling bereft of companionship on this particular day, having spent the weekend with a bevy of beloved people in what turned out to be a rather profound experience of secure attachment, which may also have assisted with the beauty-making here. May we all find nourishment these days, in the multitude of forms that can take, whether we be eating alone or with others. (And may we all get to experience secure attachment. Holy smokes. So much support! Who of us got this? We are all wandering around doing our best, not ever really experiencing the support we needed. Our parents or grandparents either, clearly. I mean, I knew this before, but to actually feel what it is like to have secure guidance and group leadership?! It changes everything.)

So - My dinner plate. The main feature is the kofta, nestled in tahini sauce, accompanied by (leftover) roasted beets and squash with roasted spices. The latter really upped the meal caliber, along with the remains of a simple kale salad. I added a few pickled green tomatoes, some greek yogurt with dried mint, and I roasted a small tomato because one was ripe and red on the counter. :)

If you want to accompany your kofta with some roasted veggies, the highlight of these was that I added some whole cumin and whole coriander when I reheated them in the oven. The toasted spices, plus some dried mint, salt, and fresh ground pepper on top achieved peak deliciousness. Especially dipped in the tahini or the yogurt. 

For the kofta: I did not have parsley, so omitted that and they were still delicious. I include parsley in the recipe below, which is from the cookbook Jerusalem. My version below is modified for just 1 pound of beef (instead of their recipe for half lamb half veal/beef to total 28 ounces), but otherwise sticks to their recipe.

Kofta - serves 3

• 1 pound ground beef (or lamb)
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced/crushed
• 3 T toasted pine nuts (I used walnuts and pecans), chopped
• 1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to mix everything together well. Shape into torpedo like fingers, about 3 inches long (mine were a bit more squat). Press the mix and compress to ensure each kofta is tight and keeps its shape. Arrange on a plate and chill until ready to cook, up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and make tahini sauce (recipe follows). Heat 1-2 T avocado or olive oil in a cast iron skillet and sear the kofta, making sure they are not cramped in the pan. Sear them on all sides until brown, about 6 minutes total.  Place in the oven for 2-5 minutes if you want them medium or well done (they will be somewhat rare after the searing). 

Tahini sauce:

• 1/3 c tahini
• 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T olive oil
• salt
• 1-2 T water
• opt garnish: melted butter, finely chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts, sweet paprika

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Use enough water to make the consistency a bit runnier than honey. 

To serve: Spoon your tahini sauce onto a plate or serving dish, and lay each kofta on top. If you use butter for the kofta, spoon it over each kofta piece right out of the oven (this is extra tasty!), and top with any garnish. Serve immediately. 

Kabocha squash and kale

I had a long, rather involved morning trying to get a jump start for my car today. I actually did get one early on, only to not let my car run long enough to recharge, then parking it face-in in the garage to not start again. Um...?! This maneuver perhaps tops last week's decision to bring my house plant, aka small tree, outside for sun last week, forgetting that the nights were pretty cool and that the tree would, of course, feel the fall chill and drop its leaves, which it is now doing quietly every hour in my living room.

So. The big need for a functional vehicle today was a grocery store trip because I was out of eggs and cream. So breakfast this morning was keto style coffee (coffee blended with butter and coconut oil) and this delicious squash and kale with breakfast sausage, rather than eggs. Which was not bad. I could eat kale and kabocha squash forever, and this pairing was particularly good. (It is slightly reminiscent of the roasted kabocha with date relish from some years ago, but less fancy and less sweet!) I am coming to the end of my garden kale - I picked a bunch this morning after brushing off snow, and I suspect my next harvest will be the last. No more daily kale bounty!

This recipe is simple, and makes a great side, or eat it for breakfast as I did, with eggs and/or sausage. The fussy part of this dish is that it requires two pans: 1 for roasting the squash, and the other for the stove top. I made my squash more like slices, but you could also cut it up into chunks. I did that with the rest of the squash, which I also cooked to save for later.

• olive oil and coconut oil
  
• half of a red onion, slivered or diced
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 bunch kale, stem removed and chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped with seeds
  
• half a small kabocha squash (or butternut), seeded, peeled, and sliced about 1/2" thick
  
• salt
• few squeezes of lemon juice
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Pour about 1 T olive oil onto a rimmed sheet tray; lay kabocha squash slices in a single layer, making sure to coat both sides in the olive oil. Add more olive oil as needed, and sprinkle salt over the top. Put sheet tray on the bottom oven rack for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want the slices to brown on each side.

While squash is cooking, prep the onions and garlic and kale. Heat 1 T coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes. Add chopped kale and jalapeno and saute for 5-10 minutes, stirring often to coat all of the greens. If your kale is dry, add 1 T of water to help cook/steam the kale. (Mine was wet from the snow cover!) You want the greens to be soft, but still bright green. Keep heat under the skillet on low, uncovered, while you wait for the squash.

When squash is done, spoon it into the cast iron. Pour a glug of olive oil over the top, and give some generous squeezes of lemon juice before stirring everything together, gently. Add more salt to taste, and serve.

Paleo Tuna/Sardine Casserole

I did not grow up eating tuna casserole, but I loved tuna melts and creamed tuna on toast. I have not thought about either of those things in a long time, but they must be in there somewhere because I felt compelled to make this casserole dish. I think the idea of a creamy pasta-y dish of sorts sounded appealing as we turn back to snow and rain. And, it totally hit the spot! It was good - in a creamed tuna on toast kinda way. And with tasty ingredients that I want to eat (as opposed to a can of cream of mushroom soup!)

I used this post for inspiration, but used spaghetti squash rather than zucchini noodles (which is way less fussy because you do not need to squeeze out excess water), and added pickles and butter, and a little parmesan and almond flour for a crunchy top. I mean, what is not to like here? Also, I used sardines because they are more sustainably fished than tuna, and are lower on the food chain so you get less of the weird chemicals hanging out in our oceans. Using the squash did mean things looked more monochromatic, but that seems in keeping with the more bland origins of this dish!

For this recipe, you need an already cooked spaghetti squash: cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the center seeds. Brush a tsp of olive oil on each squash half, and place open side down on a rimmed baking tray. Add 1/4 c or so of water to the pan, and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. The squash is done when you can easily pierce a fork into the "meat" of the squash. Use a fork to scrape and pull the "noodles" from each half - they will come easily.

Sardine Casserole - 2 large servings or 4 small ones:

• 1 medium cooked spaghetti squash - you will not use it all
• 1/2 med red onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 celery stalks (I did not have any, but that would be good here)
• 3 T butter
• 1 T coconut flour
• 1/4 c coconut milk/cream/almond milk, etc
• salt/papper/chili flakes to taste
  
• 8 oz sardines (2 tins) or tuna
• 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
• 2 pickle spears, finely chopped (or olives)
• 1/3 c Mayo (homemade)
• 1 T prepared mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1 T almond flour (opt)
  
• 1-2 T parmesan cheese (opt)
  
• fresh parsley to garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a pie pan or cast iron skillet.

2. Prep "noodles": melt 1 T of the butter in a large skillet and add onion (and celery if using). Saute until soft, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add coconut flour and remaining 2 T butter and stir to make a thicker onion roux mixture. Add coconut milk/cream/milk to thin the roux and stir some more. Mix the onion/milk/flour mixture with spaghetti squash "noodles" (I used just over half of my cooked squash), salt, pepper and chili flakes so that squash is coated in the roux and seasoning.

3. Make "tuna" salad: Combine sardines or tuna, jalapenos, pickle/olives, mayo, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl until well mixed. 

4. Add tuna salad to noodle mix, and combine well. Pour the entire mixture into the pie plate/cast iron skillet. Top with parmesan cheese if using. (You will add almond flour at the end.) Bake for 15-20 minutes until everything is hot and the top is starting to brown. Sprinkle almond flour on the top, and then broil the casserole for another few minutes to brown the top. Once crispy, remove from broiler, top with fresh parsley and serve.

Borscht

I've been making soup with my carrot and beet harvest to freeze for later consumption. This borscht turned out very tasty, especially with a little yogurt and kraut on top. Borscht is so easy and flexible! I should have made a double batch, but I wasn't thinking it through. I used this Ukranian recipe for inspiration, but you can really put in whatever you have. I opted to not use cabbage, but did have a bunch of beet greens that were really nice in there. I ate this soup for breakfast one morning with soft eggs and it was so warm and delicious. 

Serves 4-6

• 2 T butter
• 1 cup celery, diced (opt - I didn't have this so added a little more onion)
  
• 1 cup onions, diced
  
• 1 cup (or more) of cabbage or beet greens, chopped
  
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• Bay leaf
  
• 6-8 cups bone broth (I used beef)
• 1 can (or equivilant) diced tomatoes 
• 3 medium to large sized peeled beets, half grated and half diced
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 medium potato, turnip, or 2 sunchokes, diced
• 1/2 cup of fresh dill weed
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Sauté the onions and celery in a large soup pot with the butter until soft and translucent (also saute cabbage here if using).
  
• Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic, and broth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and add the beets, carrots, and potato/turnip/sunchokes. Once soup is boiling again, reduce to medium heat and let simmer until beets and tubers are soft, 15-20 minutes. (Add beet greens about half way through the simmer time if using.)
  
• Remove soup from heat; stir in chopped fresh dill weed, salt and black pepper.
• Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and sauerkraut.
  

   

Ethiopian Lamb and Collards

This weekend my friend taught me a new dish that was a common winter stew back home. My friend's mom is Gurage, the tribe or people whose specialty dishes include kitfo and kocho. Gurage folks eat kocho as their form of flat bread (versus injera), and my friend tells stories about her mom only eating kocho while the rest of the family ate the injera. This dish is also a Gurage one, and we ate it this weekend with kocho that I bought at Shabelle Grocery on Franklin Ave in Minneapolis. (For $10 for a package of what amounts to 8 kocho pieces. These come from Addis Ababa, coordinated by one of the folks at Dilla Restaurant on the west bank.) I really like kocho - it is a fermented flat bread that you can read more about here. It is also gluten free, which not all injera (at least in this country), is. 

Kocho - heated/fried in a bit of oil

This dish has pretty much everything I want in winter: lots of greens, chunks of meat, and a rich, buttery broth. The kocho is an added bonus that you also don't need.

4 large servings:

• 2+ pounds lamb stew meat or leg, cut in 1-2" pieces. (Have the butcher do this since there will be some bone there.)
  
• 1/4 c avocado oil
• 2-3 large red onions, diced
  
• 2-4 bunches collard greens, chopped - if you have small bunches, do 4! You want more greens than meat
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 5-6 jalapenos, sliced with seeds
• Salt and black pepper
  
• Ethiopian spiced butter to serve
• Mitmita to serve

1. Heat your oil in a large pot. Add onions and garlic and saute on medium until soft, taking care not to burn and to stir often.

2. After 5-10 minutes, add the lamb meat and about a cup of hot water. Add generous amounts of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and decrease the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about an hour or 90 minutes total, until the lamb is tender.

3. Add the greens about 30 minutes into the simmering. *You could also add them just after the meat, but I prefer a slightly less soft green.

 4. Just before serving, adjust the seasoning to taste, and add the jalapenos. Let that simmer another few minutes and prepare your butter/mitmita, if using. *Warm your spiced butter, and stir in mitmita spice, making the butter bright red and spicy. 

5. Serve in a large bowl or rimmed plate with some of the broth. Spoon mitmita butter on the side of your bowl to dip your lamb and kocho into as you eat (it will also melt into the bit of broth). Eat with kocho if you have some!