Two more weeks until spring and baby, it's cold outside--
and a little snow this morning!
After Christmas I pull out the few pieces I have of Mikasa Black Forest, Made In Japan, found at Goodwill years ago, along with some white bowls, a white French platter, and smaller white Spode plates and these are what I use during January, February and early March.
I introduced you to Ruth Reichel's special oatmeal in my last post but I love so many of her recipes in Ruth Reichl, My Kitchen Year.
I love everything about this book except how difficult it is to make it stay open while I'm using it. Please, publishers, give us cookbooks that will open flat!
My favorite recipe in this cookbook is Reichl's Food Cart Curry Chicken that she came up with because of her love of it sold from carts in New York City.
"The entire city smells like curry.
Passing the fourth halal chicken cart,
I can't resist.
Spicy, tangy, irresistible."
While I've never been to New York, our son lived there several years, bittersweet years, falling in love with NYC even while his first marriage fell apart. There above is the moving truck that RH rented to help him move back to Tennessee, sitting outside his apartment. Some days seem dark because you can't see the blessings ahead for you. And someday, he hopes to visit NYC again, this time our beautiful new daughter-in-law with him!
When I sent this photo to blog friend Amy, her husband immediately knew the location. Very cool address (read $$$), very cool place, NY. If I ever went I might never get into a restaurant after sampling all the amazing food sold right on the streets.
I've made this recipe three times this winter. So very good!
And such an easy meal. I prepare and marinate the chicken after breakfast and finish cooking it in minutes that night.
There are three pans on the stove.
Rice cooks first and stays warm, chicken sautés next.
I plan this meal when we've picked up organic spinach at Costco. It cooks last, in a jiffy.
Instead of the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt condiment the street carts serve with the chicken curry, I use my cucumber dip.
I'm not a fan of yogurt and I use this dip with all kinds of seafood too. (An English cucumber chopped fine, stirred into softened cream cheese, sour cream and a little mayo, chopped scallions added, some dill weed and lemon juice.)
Another of Reichl's recipes I love is her Crisp Lemony Baby Yukons. I fixed those one night with some oven-baked chicken and curried carrots from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. They are delicious!
Ruth Reichl, My Kitchen Year is not just a good cookbook, it's an inspirational journal of a year of many challenges in Reichl's life. I love visiting with Ruth in her kitchen!
Before I say goodbye on this 8th day of March where snow has been causing a lot of trouble in the Northeast, a note to those who read my post on A Silver Golf Trophy and Prejudice. I did find a copy of the book Gentleman's Agreement and loved it! I added to my post, here.
I MUST read that book. I know I would love it. I will look for it at my library since it should be considered a classic. if not found I'll get it from Amazon.
ReplyDeleteand loving all things Japanese! (did you know that?) of course you did!
the original minimalists. LOL! but Mikasa is so beautiful always.
AND... I'm finally having FUN cooking! so I will try parts of your menu for sure. like the cucumber dip! YUM. the fun part is the soy cream cheese which is delicious! and sour cream (which I confess I haven't tried yet)... but that's the fun part. to see if I can turn it into my new lifestyle. I never enjoyed cooking and yet I literally LOVED reading cookbooks! makes no sense I know!!!
Chris (Michael's late wife owns the Silver Palate cookbooks) which I know he doesn't use. I'll ask him for them.
I love your posts darling sister mine. they make me feel 'at home.' I can't explain it. but you know.
and NYC... YES! and how glad I am that your son found LOVE. it makes everything better. whether a city or a country! XOXOXO
and P.S
that particular location he lived in reminds me of the apartment that Godfrey had in 'My Man Godfrey' with Carole Lombard! watch it and see if it doesn't look like it! I'm sure it is! it's toward to end of the movie. glorious!
I loved everything about William Powell. AND Carole Lombard!
ok. I'm blabbing on here forever again. Great Scot and Cat House Thursday!!!
I know just the movie scene you're thinking of, Tam! Last time I watched it I thought of this picture, wonder if it's the same bridge?
DeleteRH uses the dairy-free cream cheese and sour cream too, being lactose intolerant. I make two recipes up almost every time I cook with dairy, one for him and one for me.
If you get the Silver Palate cookbooks I bet you'll find lots of vegetable recipes in them, don't know about vegan though, you may have to get creative to adapt recipes to that.
Yes, I know your love of all things Japanese, because that's how we "met"! Through a comment you left at Becky's on wabi sabi, and I had just read a book on it. Isn't that strange? But as a preacher friend of ours used to say, "There are no coincidences, just God-incidences."
Well, my tired eyes have been checking my blogroll every night, looking to see whether Tam or you or Doreen had posted, and I guess because I saw Ruth Reichl's name in the thumbnail, I automatically thought it was the previous post, and thus, did not pop over sooner!
ReplyDeleteDewena, you are SUCH a fabulous cook! Everything looks absolutely scrumptious, and I bet it tastes even more gourmet served on your beautiful dinnerware! Chicken is probably my favourite source of protein, aside from eggs, and when curry gets into the mix, it's even better. Love this combo of rice and spinach, but what REALLY had my mouth watering was YOUR cucumber/sour cream/cream cheese dip to substitute the yogurt, which I also am not too keen on, (although I should be!- for good bone health). I bet the chilled dip perfectly complements the spiciness of the curry while refreshing the palate.
Your son's previous, hot, BIG apple address does look and sound very NYC cool. Not familiar with the movie you and Tam describe, but how amazing that you both know that particular scene that features this area! I didn't know that you and Tam 'met' via a blog comment related to a book you had read at that time? But, as your preacher friend used to say, so wisely, what a 'God-incidence'...and a blessing for all of us!:))
Have a wonderful week, my friend!
xoxo
Poppy
Poppy, while I've always loved the flavor of curry in foods--especially in chicken salad, stuffed eggs, Chicken Divan--I've never actually eaten a Curry meal. Recently I began reading through an old book of curries that have made me determined to try some on my own. I'd always thought they would be too complicated but as usual it must be a matter of prepping as much ahead of time as possible and one time that a mise en place would be very helpful to someone as scatterbrained as I am but probably not necessary to a skilled chef like you!
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