Tangy Cucumber Pickles

I love this kind of quick, mild pickle, but most of the recipes I have for it call for a long prep time. I don't always think that far ahead of making dinner, so I was excited to find this version in Quick and Easy Thai. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 c white vinegar
• 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large hothouse cucumber, or smaller ones equal to 1 pound
• 3 Tbsp thinly sliced shallots or red onion
• 2 tsp thinly sliced fresh hot red or green chilies

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until dissolved, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 
2. Peel cucumbers and cut them lengthwise into 4 long strips. Slice each strip into small triangles. Place in a bowl. Top with shallots and chilies. Shortly before serving, pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
   

Sauteed Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

 Wow, it has been a long time since I updated this little blog. The pandemic has not done much for my cooking -- if anything I've gotten tired of doing it all the time, of being stuck at home by requirement rather than choice, of spending hours and hours in my kitchen for lack of anyplace else to do my work. For a while, it was difficult to do real menu planning, since it was hard to guess what the store would have. I made a lot of "throw together" meals that didn't rely on a recipe.

Now that the weather is getting cooler, and the situation is clearly going to drag on well into next year, I am trying to be a little more intentional about things, and to spend more time in the analog world. I have loads of cookbooks, and I've barely touched them in ages. This book in particular I don't know if I have ever used -- Bon Appetit's Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, a goliath of a compendium from years of the magazine. I subscribed for ages, but there came a time where it began to feel stale and repetitive, like I had seen the seasons of their publication year come and go too many times. I use my back issues during the holidays, and that's about all.

This entry may be a one-off--I don't try to predict much these days--but it is a solid recipe and worth recording.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken thighs with bones and skin
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or use 2 tsp dried)
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add chicken to skillet and saute until browned, about 5 minutes per side. 
2. Reduce head to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes
3. Transfer chicken to bowl. Discard all but 2 Tbsp drippings from skillet. Add garlic and rosemary, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
4. Add broth and vinegar. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 7 minutes. 
5. Return chicken and any juices to pan and simmer over low heat until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. 

 

French Onion Soup

It's a cold, gloomy day in Boston, with snow in the forecast, and not much on the schedule. Perfect, in other words, for this soup. This is not a quick one; the original version is lying when it says you will get caramelized onions in a half hour. Budget at least an hour for that stage.

On the other hand, the ingredient list is short, and this soup will look after itself for most of the time it's cooking. I have altered this recipe somewhat from the original Cooking Light version, but you are welcome to try to caramelize onions in a whisper of olive oil. I usually make a half recipe of this, since the kids aren't yet to an age where they like this kind of thing.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cups sliced onion; I use a mix of yellow, sweet, and red, and slice them thickly
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 oz French or other sturdy bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and cook for an hour or so, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a deep golden brown. 
2. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. 
3. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. 
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. 
5. Preheat broiler. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
6. Place 8 ovenproof bowls (if making the full recipe) on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.