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Tag: clementines

Roast Chicken with Orange and Meyer Lemon

Chicken is one of the most popular proteins. There are tons of recipes in books, magazines and on the internet- but people are still always looking for new recipes to make their weeknight meals a bit more exciting.

One of the more classic ways of making chicken is roasting a whole bird. A lot of people are a bit intimidated to make this dish.

It is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. I love how my house smells as the bird is roasting in the oven. I also love how I can create a one pot meal by adding tons of vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan.

For this particular one, I used a lot of winter ingredients in season. I made a compound butter consisting of orange and meyer lemon zest. I filled the bottom of the pan with carrots and fennel.

The chicken was delicious….

  • One 4 to 5 pound whole chicken
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 2 Clementine or 1 Navel orange (save the oranges)
  • Zest of 1 Meyer lemon (save the lemon)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Mix the butter, olive oil, zests, salt and pepper in a small bowl. In the meantime, place the chicken in a roasting pan on a roasting rack. Spread the butter mixture on top and under the skin. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper inside the cavity as well as outside.

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Juice of the spare oranges and Meyer lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the chicken broth at the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the orange and lemon juice. Place the juiced oranges and lemon into the cavity. Tie the chicken legs together and tuck the wings in.

  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 pound fennel, trimmed and sliced

Place the vegetables at the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the chicken until the dark meat registers 160 degrees F. Take the chicken out and cover with aluminum foil. Take the vegetables out keep warm. Reduce the liquid by half and pour into a gravy boat. Take out excess fat and serve with the chicken and vegetables.

Fennel Apple and Endive Salad

I am always looking for salad ideas in the summer to serve with grilled meats. This is a great one…

  • 1 fennel bulb, core taken out, cleaned and sliced thin
  • 1 medium Pink Lady apple, core taken out, sliced thin
  • 1 green endive, cut in half and sliced thin
  • 1 red endive, cut in half and sliced thin

Transfer all the ingredients to a salad bowl.

Orange Dressing

  • Juice of 4 clementines
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Add all the ingredients to an airtight container and mix really well until all the dressing is emulsified. Pour on to the vegetables and toss well. Add salt and pepper if necessary.

Almond Cake with Citrus- Gluten Free!

Dessert number 2!….I have been experimenting with gluten free desserts. This is a really good one. I bought some meyer lemons from Trader Joes (go ahead and substitute regular ones as meyer lemons are not in season any more) and wanted to use them in a delicious dessert. I looked up a bunch of recipes and really liked on one site. I tweaked the recipe and came up with this one. It is really yummy and easy to make…

  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup raw cane sugar
  • Zest of one meyer lemon and one clementine
  • Juice of 2 meyer lemons and 2 clementines
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Syrup

  • Juice of 2 meyer lemons and 2 clementines
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • Confectioner sugar to dust on top

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch spring form pan with parchment paper and grease it as well. Combine the salt, almond meal, baking powder and baking soda. Keep aside.

Add the eggs and sugar to an electric mixture with a whisk attachment. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, for a good 5 to 10 minutes. Add the citrus zest, citrus juice, olive oil and vanilla extract. Beat for another minute. Add the almond meal mixture and mix well. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

While the cake is baking transfer the citrus juice and honey to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 to 40 seconds and mix well making sure the honey has melted through. Once the cake comes out, drizzle the liquid covering the surface evenly. Cool and cake completely and sprinkle powdered sugar and serve!

Chicken with Chorizo on Raisin and Pine Nut Couscous

I have to say, this is one of my favorite, recent recipes I have come up with. I am not sure what inspired me- but I am sure I was either reading or watching something or someone cook a dish with chorizo or chicken. As I have mentioned many times before, I love Latin flavors including ancho chili powder. My other favorite ingredient is chorizo. If I could, I would eat chorizo everyday- but the reality is that it is high in fat and calories… so, it is perfect to use as a flavor enhancer and not as the main protein.  I also used chicken thighs but one can use chicken breast and make the dish healthier.

The chicken and chorizo are cooked like a stew in a mixture of chicken broth and orange juice. This fall/winter, I have been using loads of fresh oranges and orange juice. I love the sweet and savory the fruit imparts in all dishes.

I served the stew with a quick raisin and pine nut couscous. I like to use whole wheat couscous to incorporate more whole grains into our diets. I also served a yummy salad .. coming up tomorrow.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless, bone in
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 cup fresh chorizo, casings off (about 2 to 3 large links) crumbled
  • 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Juice of 2 Clementines
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Add the flour, salt and pepper in a wide platter. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour. Heat a large saucepan with the oil and brown the chicken pieces on both sides for 2 minutes each. Take out and keep aside. Reheat the oil and add the chorizo. Saute on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken, orange juice, chicken broth and ancho chili powder. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and increase the heat to high. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Check for seasonings and add salt and garnish with cilantro.

Couscous with Raisins and Pine Nuts

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous

Heat a medium saucepan with the olive oil. Add the raisins and pine nuts and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Place the lid and turn the heat off. Let stand for fifteen minutes and fluff with a fork. Serve with the chicken.

Fennel Apple & Endive Salad

This is a delicious, crunchy salad- a departure from your regular, green variety. It has a combination of fresh fennel and endives. I added a crunchy apple to add some tartness and amazing flavor. I then complemented the salad with an orange dressing. The whole combination is delicious!!

  • 1 fennel bulb, core taken out, cleaned and sliced thin
  • 1 medium Pink Lady apple, core taken out, sliced thin
  • 1 green endive, cut in half and sliced thin
  • 1 red endive, cut in half and sliced thin

Transfer all the ingredients to a salad bowl.

Orange Dressing

  • Juice of 4 clementines
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Add all the ingredients to an airtight container and mix really well until all the dressing is emulsified. Pour on to the vegetables and toss well. Add salt and pepper if necessary.

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Spring is finally here, and even though the weather has been quite sketchy- spring produce is everywhere! One of my favorite things is Meyer lemons. Native to China, this citrus usually shows up in the beginning of Spring. I love making desserts and salad dressings with the juice. It is great for cocktails as well. I made this very simple vinaigrette to keep in my fridge and top it on my salads everyday.. the clementines provide a yummy sweetness…

  • 4 large Meyer lemons, juiced
  • 2 to 3 Clementines, juiced
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons agave

Transfer all the ingredients to an airtight container and mix well till incorporated.

Skillet Chicken with Chorizo and Peppers

Skillet Chicken I love one pot meals- and this one is absolutely delicious. I think I was watching some cooking show on the tube and the host was using a variety of peppers and cooked it with some chicken. That is what gave me the idea of cooking up this flavorful dish.

I bought some cheap chicken drumsticks with thighs- I love drumsticks- super flavorful. I had lots of chorizo in the freezer- I took that out and I always have lots of oranges in the fridge. That is all I needed- well, almost. I also bought a variety peppers including a red pepper, a poblano and some cubanelles.

The main flavor in this dish is the chorizo of course but also ancho chili powder- it gives the dish a little kick and a great smoky flavor.

All in all it was a really easy dish to put together.. great for through the week..

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