Thai Roast Chicken Thighs with Cabbage & Coconut Rice

Yes, it’s true… My husband and I could eat some sort of chicken and rice dish on a daily basis. This version was amazing!

This recipe was inspired by the rotisserie chicken from the now closed Uncle Boons in NYC where the chicken was roasted on rotating spits with heads of cabbage to catch all of the juices. The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Diana Yen. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of skin-on and bone-in.

I was able to incorporate my CSA cabbage in the dish- it was the impetus behind selecting the recipe. In this version, cabbage is used to line the skillet, allowing it to absorb all of the seasonings and pan drippings. I will definitely add this dish to my arsenal of favorite cabbage recipes to make in the future.

We ate the chicken and rice with roasted beets, kohlrabi, carrots, and fennel from my CSA share. I garnished the finished dish with CSA cilantro and served sautéed broccolini from my share on the side as well. A feast and a true celebration of my CSA box! 🙂

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 1″ piece ginger, peeled with a spoon, finely grated, plus 3 peeled slices, divided
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar or (packed) light brown sugar
• 4 T fish sauce
• 1 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, divided
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 medium head of green cabbage, stem trimmed, sliced into 1″-thick wedges
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, plus more
• 1 cup white jasmine or Basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
• cilantro leaves with tender stems and lime wedges, for serving

1. Whisk lime zest and juice, grated ginger, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 2 T oil, 2 tsp pepper in a large bowl to combine.
2. Set 1/4 cup marinade aside for serving.
3. Place chicken in remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 400°. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
5. Generously brush cabbage wedges on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange, a cut side down, in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet.
6. Remove chicken from marinade and set, “skin side up,” on top of cabbage; season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes.
7. Increase oven temperature to 450° and continue to roast, rotating pan halfway through, until chicken thighs are browned and crispy, 7 to 10 minutes more, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
8. While the chicken is roasting, bring rinsed rice, ginger slices, remaining 1 cup coconut milk, remaining 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, 15–20 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Fish out and discard ginger slices. Re-cover pan and let rice sit until ready to serve.
9. Arrange chicken on a platter; drizzle with reserved marinade and top with cilantro leaves. Serve with coconut rice and lime wedges for squeezing over. (I served the chicken on individual plates over the coconut rice.)

One-Skillet Hot Sausage and Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry

This was a crowd-pleasing dish to make with my beautiful CSA Napa cabbage. As suggested in the original recipe, we ate it in flour tortillas but it would also be delicious served over rice. It was reminiscent of one of our family favorites, Thai One-Pot.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Claire Saffitz. I modified the proportions, used scallions instead of chives, and wilted all of the Napa cabbage.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 16 to 18 ounces hot Italian sausages, casings removed (I used 6 sausages)
• 2 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 6 to 10 cups very thinly sliced Napa cabbage, divided (I used 1/2 of a large head)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 8 large flour tortillas or mu-shu wraps, warmed (I used Trader Joe’s handmade flour tortillas)
• hoisin sauce and Sriracha, for serving, as desired

1. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, work ginger and garlic into sausage in a medium bowl.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron (I used a 14″ stainless skillet), over medium-high and cook sausage mixture, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, crisp, and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to a clean bowl.
3. Increase heat to high and cook mushrooms in the fat in the skillet, tossing often, until browned and starting to release their juices, about 4 minutes (if skillet looks dry at any point, add a bit more oil).
4. Add half of cabbage and cook, tossing often, until cabbage is wilted and tender, about 4 minutes. (I incorporated all of the cabbage, a handful at a time.)
5. Drizzle in vinegar and soy sauce and cook, tossing, until liquid is mostly reduced and skillet is dry in spots, about 2 minutes.
6. Remove skillet from heat and incorporate sausage and remaining cabbage (if reserved) into stir-fry.
7. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with scallions/chives and sesame seeds.
8. Serve stir-fry with tortillas, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha for making individual wraps.

Fried Rice with Kimchi, Bacon & Cabbage

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I am planning on serving shepherd’s pie tonight, but, for those of you serving corned beef and cabbage, this quick dish will put any leftover cabbage to good use. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. We ate it drizzled with sriracha and additional soy sauce. I also served the leftovers with scrambled eggs instead of fried.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 5 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower, plus more as needed (I used canola oil)
• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small bunch scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced
• 4 cups shredded cabbage (from about 1/2 small head)
• coarse salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups cooked rice, white or brown, preferably day-old
• 2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce, plus more as needed for serving
• ½ cup kimchi, drained and chopped, plus more for serving
• ½ cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
• fried eggs or scrambled eggs, for serving, optional
• toasted sesame oil, for drizzling, optional
• sriracha or other hot sauce, for serving, optional

1. One day ahead, cook 2 cups of rice in 4 cups of water or stock. Once cool, store in the refrigerator overnight. (I used brown Basmati rice.)
2. In a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons oil until almost smoking. (I used a large 14-inch stainless steel skillet but a nonstick would have been preferable.)
3. Stir in bacon, and cook, stirring constantly, until bacon is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, leaving as much oil in the skillet as you can.
4. Add scallion whites to the pan. Cook until soft, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes. If the pan looks dry, drizzle in a little more oil, then stir in cabbage and a pinch of salt. Cook, continuing to stir frequently, until cabbage is soft, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon.
6. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and raise heat to high.
7. Add rice, and a large pinch of salt, then toss thoroughly to coat with oil. Spread out rice in an even layer along the bottom (and sides if in a wok), and drizzle fish sauce and soy sauce over. Let rice sit until sizzling stops and it starts to crackle and crisp, 1 to 4 minutes. Toss, taste, and add more fish sauce or soy sauce if necessary.
8. Fold in bacon mixture, kimchi and peas, then transfer to plates.
9. Top with scallion greens, more kimchi to taste, and fried eggs, if using. (I served it with one fried egg per person.)
10. Drizzle everything with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce, as desired, and serve immediately with hot sauce on the side.

Marcella Hazan’s Rice & Smothered Cabbage Soup

The use of Arborio rice in this hearty soup makes it almost a soupy risotto. My husband was skeptical about eating it after hearing the name of the dish, but he absolutely loved it! I knew it would be delicious coming from such a classic book.

This “community pick” recipe was adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, via Food 52’s Genius Recipes. I used green cabbage, leeks, and red wine vinegar to make the smothered cabbage. I omitted the butter and added fresh lemon juice and Parmesan rind to the soup. Nice.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 people

For the Smothered Cabbage, Venetian Style:

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds green, red, or Savoy cabbage (1 head)
  
• 1 1/2 large leeks, halved and thinly sliced or 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• coarse salt
  
• freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 T wine vinegar, white or red
  

For the Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup:

• smothered cabbage, from above
  
• 3 cups homemade meat broth or stock (we used beef here, but chicken/turkey is also good)(Vegetable stock can be substituted for a vegetarian version)
  
• 2/3 cup rice, preferably Italian Arborio rice
  
• Parmesan rind, optional
• 2 T butter, optional (I omitted it)
  
• freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  
• coarse salt
  
• freshly ground black pepper

To Make the Smothered Cabbage:

1. Detach and discard the first few outer leaves of the cabbage.
2. The remaining head of leaves must be shredded very fine. If you are going to do it by hand, cut the leaves into fine shreds, slicing them off the whole head. Turn the head after you have sliced a section of it until gradually you expose the entire core, which must be discarded. If you want to use the food processor, cut the leaves off from the core in sections, discard the core and process the leaves through a shredding attachment.
3. Put the leeks or onion and olive oil into a large sauté pan, and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it becomes colored a deep gold, then add the garlic.
4. When you have cooked the garlic until it becomes colored a very pale gold, add the shredded cabbage. Turn the cabbage over 2 or 3 times to coat it well, and cook it until it is wilted.
5. Add salt, pepper, and the vinegar.
6. Turn the cabbage over once completely, lower the heat to minimum, and cover the pan tightly.
7. Cook for at least 1 1/2 hours, or until it is very tender, turning it from time to time. If while it is cooking, the liquid in the pan should become insufficient, add 2 tablespoons water as needed.
8. When done, taste and correct for salt and pepper. Allow it to settle a few minutes off heat before serving.

Note: The smothered cabbage can be prepared 2 or 3 days ahead of the soup, or served as a side dish from here. It also freezes well.

To Make the Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup:

1. Put the cabbage and broth into a soup pot, I used a 4-quart enameled cast iron pot, and turn on the heat to medium.
2. When the broth comes to a boil, add the rice and Parmesan rind.
3. Cook uncovered, adjusting the heat so that the soup bubbles at a slow, but steady boil, stirring from time to time until the rice is done. It must be tender, but firm to the bite, and should take around 20 minutes. If while the rice is cooking, you find the soup becoming too thick, add a ladelful of homemade broth. If you are not using homemade broth, just add water. Remember that when finished, the soup should be rather dense, but there should still be some liquid.
4. When the rice is done, before turning off the heat, swirl in the butter, if using, the lemon juice, and the grated Parmesan, stirring thoroughly.
5. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind.
6. Taste and correct for salt, and add a few grindings of black pepper.
7. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, and allow it to settle just a few minutes before serving.
8. Serve with more grated Parmesan.

Swedish Meatloaf with Caramelized Cabbage (Kalpudding)

I planned to make this Swedish dish after spending the afternoon at IKEA. 🙂 I knew that we could buy the lingonberry preserves for the topping during our shopping spree too.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I used a combination of ground pork and ground turkey instead of ground beef. Next time I would double the sauce- loved it. Sifton recommended serving it with boiled potatoes. We ate it with mashed new potatoes (my husband’s request) and roasted asparagus. It was such wonderful comfort food. Great.

Yield: 6 servings

For the Meatloaf:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 head green cabbage, approximately 3 pounds, cored and shredded
• 3 tablespoons molasses or golden syrup
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup chicken, turkey, beef or vegetable stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium store-bought (or water)

For the Sauce:

• ⅓ cup lingonberry preserves
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• dash of Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

1. Shred the cabbage in a food processor.
2. Heat oven to 350, preferably on convection.
3. Put a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the cabbage and molasses, lower the heat to medium and sprinkle with salt. Cook slowly, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is caramelized, approximately 20-25 minutes.
4. While the cabbage is cooking, lightly mix the meats in a large bowl, then add the onion, cream, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Mix again to combine.
5. When the cabbage is done, add about a third of it to the meat mixture, and mix to combine.
6. Grease an 8-inch-square or 8 x 10-inch baking pan, and transfer the meat mixture to it, spreading it out to cover the whole surface evenly.
7. Spread remaining cabbage over the meat, pour the stock or water over the top and place in the oven, on a parchment-lined baking sheet, to cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is very, very caramelized, almost dry and crunchy at the edges.
8. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.
9. While the meat and cabbage cooks, make the sauce. Heat lingonberry preserves, vinegar and butter in a small pot set over medium heat, then add Worcestershire sauce to taste. Serve alongside the kalpudding.

One Year Ago:

• North African Meatballs

Two Years Ago:

• Pork & Ricotta Meatballs in Parmesan Broth

Three Years Ago:

• Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Thyme

Four Years Ago:

• Italian Braised Pork
• Pastitsio

Vaguely Vietnamese Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

This really isn’t a taco blog! (or a Mexican food blog) 😉 I’ll stop after this one… or pretty soon anyway. In fact, calling these “tacos” is a little bit of a misrepresentation. They really taste something like deconstructed dumplings. Maybe? A warm, flavorful filling topped with a bright and crunchy slaw. All I really need to say is that these “tacos” were yummy.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I used trimmed boneless pork shoulder country-style ribs instead of a bone-in pork shoulder and an unpeeled European seedless cucumber. I served the filling in warm 6-inch corn and wheat tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Perfect.

This is the second dish I’m bringing to Fiesta Friday #105 this week! 😉 Hosted by Lily @ Little Sweet Baker and Julianna @ Foodie on Board. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

For the Pork:

• 1 T sesame oil
• 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• 4 to 5-pounds boneless pork shoulder country-style ribs, fat trimmed or a 5-pound bone-in pork shoulder, skin and fat removed
• 12 to 16 corn and wheat tortillas, warmed

For the Slaw:

• ⅓ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 T sesame oil
• 2 T neutral oil, like peanut or grapeseed
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce, or to taste
• 10 oz shredded green cabbage or 1 small green cabbage, cored and sliced thinly
• 1 European seedless cucumber, unpeeled, sliced into julienne or 2 medium-size cucumbers, peeled and sliced into julienne
• 2 medium-size carrots, peeled and sliced into julienne
• 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and sliced into julienne
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, dried and roughly chopped

1. Prepare the pork: Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat. After a minute or so, swirl in the sesame oil and then the onions, stirring to combine. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to cook until the onions are soft and becoming translucent. Turn off the heat, stir in the ginger and set aside.
2. Add the hoisin sauce and the fish sauce to the pan, and stir to combine, loosening the mixture with a little less than half a cup of water. Add sriracha sauce to taste.
3. Put a few spoonfuls of the sauce in the bottom of a slow cooker, then nestle the pork on top of it. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the pork.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, or until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and allow to rest for a few minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make the slaw: Put the vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, neutral oil and sriracha sauce in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cabbage, cucumbers, carrots and Asian pear and toss to combine.
6. Shred the pork with a pair of forks. Discard bones, if applicable.
7. Return the pulled pork to the slow cooker and stir to combine with the juices. Serve with the slaw and warmed tortillas, with the cilantro on the side.

One Year Ago:

• Velvet Chicken with Mustard Sauce

Two Years Ago:

• Jose Garces’ One-Pot Arroz con Pollo

Three Years Ago:

• Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork

Rigatoni with Cabbage, Creme Fraiche, & Pumpernickel Bread Crumbs

My father-in-law has lost a considerable amount of weight by eating a raw cabbage salad prior to his meals. Thank goodness he has become quite a cabbage-fan because I couldn’t believe I served him a main dish that incorporated cabbage- an entire head of cabbage! 🙂

The cabbage in this sauce is shredded and becomes completely unrecognizable in the creamy sauce. The crème fraiche added a lovely tanginess and the pumpernickel bread crumbs added a fabulous contrasting texture. We ate it on Thanksgiving Eve with a green salad. It was a delicious dish!

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Mike Lata. I used black forest bacon, mezzi rigatoni, and green cabbage instead of Savoy. I also reduced the crushed red pepper and increased the garlic. We grated additional Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top of each serving at the table. Yum!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 8 ounces pumpernickel bread (with crusts), torn into pieces (3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice (I used black forest bacon)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 head of Savoy or green cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), shredded (I used a food processor)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound rigatoni or mezzi rigatoni
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1. In a food processor, pulse the bread until coarse crumbs form. In a skillet, melt the butter in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
2. Add the breadcrumbs and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 minutes. Season with salt.
3. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels to drain.
4. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until almost all of the stock has evaporated, 8 to 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
6. Toss the pasta with the cabbage.
7. Stir in the crème fraîche, the 1/2 cup of cheese and, if necessary, the reserved pasta water; season with salt and black pepper.
8. Transfer the pasta to bowls and garnish with the breadcrumbs, bacon and black pepper. Serve with additional cheese on the side.

One Year Ago:

• Vegetable Strudel Casserole

Two Years Ago:

• Roasted Cabbage & Bacon Pasta
• Pork Sausage & Broccoli in Hard-Cider Sauce