Tag: cold day recipes

Pork and Kale Chili

In spite of this dish having kale, this was a big, big hit. A great dish to make in this chilly weather.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound good quality ground pork
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ancho chili
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14 ounces can chopped fire roasted tomatoes with chili
4 cups chicken stock
2 14 ounces can of any kind of beans (I used black and pinto), washed and drained
Salt
10 ounces baby kale, chopped

Heat a heavy large pan with olive oil. Add the ground pork and cook on medium heat, separating the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the ground cumin, ancho chili and oregano and continue cooking and browning for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and a teaspoon of salt. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and beans and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to stir. Take lid off and add the kale and bring to a boil. Simmer for another 10 minutes until the kale is wilted and cooked through. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese and serve.

Chicken and Bean Stew

So my daughter just got a full set of braces- so she has to eat all soft stuff for a bit. I decided to make a play on pasta fagioli- I changed it by making it a stew instead of a soup. I also added chicken to it as I wanted more protein in the dish and I thought a one pot meal would be a lot easier to make. This is a great dish to make today- especially with all the snow coming…

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 chicken thighs, bone in with skin
Salt
Pepper
½ cup pancetta, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can cannellini beans
4 to 6 cups chicken broth
½ pound pasta
Salt
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally over the chicken pieces Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Brown the chicken pieces with skin side down, about 5 minutes on each side. Keep aside. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, carrots and celery. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and sauté for a minute. Add the beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked through. In the mean time take the skin off the chicken pieces and shred with fork and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces to the stew. Check for seasonings and garnish with cheese.