Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Curry leaves, an essential ingredient in Indian cooking, are thin, shiny, and dark green. Although similar in appearance to bay leaves, curry leaves exude a unique aroma and flavor. There are no substitutes for curry leaves (curry powder, for example, should not be used). You can find fresh curry leaves at Indian grocers. They have a short shelf but freeze nicely.This version of the dish is only moderately hot. You may adjust the number of chilies to suit your tastes.

• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
• 10 whole dried red chilies
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cloves
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 cup water
• 5 medium potatoes
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) lightly salted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 bunch curry leaves

1. In a large, nonstick skillet, mix the chicken, onions, chilies, cinnamon, cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and water. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook about 1 hour over medium low heat.
2. While the chicken is cooking, place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook potatoes 15 to 20 minutes, until their skins are soft and can be removed by hand. Let the potatoes cool slightly. Using rubber gloves if the potatoes are too hot to handle, peel the potatoes either by hand or with a peeler. Thinly slice the potatoes.
3. In another large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter until butter melts. Add a single layer of potatoes to the oil (you may need to fry half or a third at a time). Fry the potatoes in oil and butter mixture until they turn medium brown. sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt on the slices while frying. Remove to paper towels to drain. Place the mustard seed in the same pan and simmer until broken in the oil remaining in the pan, then add the curry leaves.
4. Once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken pieces to a bowl. Discard the chilies or, if desired, leave them in the pan to add color to the dish. Make a coarse paste out of the cooked onions by mashing them in the pan with a large spoon.
5. Add the cooked chicken to the mustard seed and curry leaves and fry 2 to 3 minutes. After the curry leaves darken, add the onion paste, mix thoroughly, and cook 5 minutes more. Add the fried potatoes and lower the heat. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

• 4 medium size chicken breast (split lengthwise, skinned and boneless)
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/4 pound butter
• 2 beatened eggs
• Flour and dry bread crumbs

Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of waxed paper. Pound with something to flatten chicken. Peel off paper and sprinkle with salt. Place a piece of butter at each end of cutlet. Sprinkle with parsley and onion. Roll meat like a jelly roll, tucking in sides and ends. Dust each roll with flour and dip in beaten egg; then roll in bread crumbs. Chill for an hour. Fry in hot fat about 15 minutes until golden brown.

• 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine all ingredients. Seal the bag and shake well. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from the marinade, discard the rest. Grill or broil chicken, turning once, 6 minutes per side or until thoroughly cooked.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 (3 ounce) thin chicken breast
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons mango chutney
• 1/4 cup sour cream

In a large skillet, heat oil. In a large plastic reclosable bag, mix the flour, curry powder, cumin and salt. Add the chicken and shake to coat. Transfer the chicken to the skillet, shaking off any excess flour (reserve the remaining flour): sauté until cooked through. Put chicken on plate and keep warm. Stir excess flour into skillet mixing with pan juices. Add orange juice and water, stirring constantly and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in chutney. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring until mixture thickens. (1 minutes) Stir in sour cream until blended. Simmer 30 seconds. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro.

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons
  Dijon mustard
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 4 (four ounce) thin chicken breast
• 2 cups small mushrooms, halved
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons vinegar, mustard and the garlic. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Transfer chicken and marinade to the skillet: sauté the chicken until cooked through. Transfer chicken to platter and keep warm. In the skillet, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil. Sauté mushrooms 1 minute, add the broth, thyme and the remaining vinegar. Cool stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer. Serve chicken, topped with mushrooms.

• 2 cups romaine lettuce, torn
• 1/3 cup Caesar salad dressing
• 31/2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound cooked chicken breast, cut into 3 inch long strips
• 1 1/4 teaspoon olive oil

Mix the ingredients together and spread into pitas.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, or 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2/3 cup milk

The texture of the biscuits should be light and tender. The dough should be minimally stirred and kneaded to ensure a flaky crumb.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, and sugar. Cut the butter into the flour with two knives held together or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the milk all at once and stir quickly and lightly with a fork for 30 seconds, just till the dough forms a ball around it.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 14 times. Pat to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a 2 inch cookie cutter. (An empty 6 ounce tomato paste can also works well.)
4. Place touching each other in the prepared cake pans, about 9 rounds of dough per pan. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

• 1 pound sirloin steak cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic in oil
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 large onion cut into wedges
• 3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• Green onions sliced
• Chinese five spice powder

Heat non-stick frying pan until hot. Add beef strips, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Stir fry for 2 minutes until meat is no longer pink. Add onion wedges, sliced mushrooms, and broccoli florets. Stir fry for another 4 minutes until broccoli is tender crisp. Combine bouillon powder, cornstarch and water in small cup. Slowly stir in beef mixture until thicker. Add onion and five spice powder and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve alone or with rice.

• 3 eggs
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 cups cooked broad noodles
• ½ cup seedless white raisins
• ½ cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons melted butter or chicken fat
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Beat the eggs and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the nutmeg, noodles, raisins, almonds, lemon juice and melted butter or fat. Turn into a well greased ring mold or baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes or until brown. Serve with meat or poultry dishes or as a dessert with a sweet fruit sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

Cut bite-size pieces from a thick slice of cured or smoked ham and substitute for the chorizo in the preceding recipe. Note: You can stuff the pastries with cubes of leftover roast, bits of cooked chicken, hash, fried pork sausage, or any filling you chose.

Tartaletas Open-faced tartlets are even more versatile than empanadillas. They can be made from the same dough and the shells can be baked hours in advance. The filling should be added no more than an hour before serving. There is a variety of cold foods suitable for fillings. Some suggestions are red caviar; anchovy with chopped hard-boiled egg; chopped chicken with mayonnaise; chopped tuna with mayonnaise and minced green olives; fish, fresh or canned, with mayonnaise and capers; cold vegetable salad with chopped cured ham. The tartlets take the form of boats in the sample recipe below, but they can be given any shape you wish; oblong, square, or round. Regardless of the shape, the baking of the shells is the same as in the following recipe.

Barcos De Anchovy A La Sevillana - Sevillian Anchovy Boats

• 1 RECIPE Empanadilla dough
• 2 small cans of pimiento
• Yolk of 1 hard-boiled egg
• Ground black pepper
• Rice for baking tarts
• 2 cans of rolled anchovies

Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Roll out dough, form small boats, prick bottoms in 2 or 3 places with a knife. Fill boats with raw rice to make them keep their hollow shape during baking. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until firm. Discard rice.Shortly before serving, dice pimiento, soak it in the liquid from the cans of anchovy and season it with a little mashed yolk of a hard-boiled egg, and decorate with rolled anchovy.