Wali Ya Mboga

In Swahili, wali ya mboga translates to “rice and vegetables.” This upscale version incorporated chicken as well. This dish was similar to a biryani with layered rice with greens, caramelized onions, and yogurt-marinaded chicken in tomato curry sauce. To serve, each serving was also topped with pickled onions, called kachumbar, and salted creamy yogurt. Beyond full-flavored.

I must mention that I really browned my tomato paste during the cooking process. Recently, I have read about the importance of letting tomato paste darken for optimal flavor- apparently, I took this advice to heart! The sauce in my finished dish was much deeper in color than in the original recipe.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Zaynab Issa. I modified the proportions and method. I boiled the rice as instructed in the original recipe but struggled with the method- and wasn’t completely thrilled with the resulting texture. Next time, I would cook the rice using a traditional method or use a much larger pot to boil the rice.

Yield: 6 servings

For the Dish:

• 1 2/3 cups good-quality white basmati rice (such as Shahzada)
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek) (I used whole milk cream-top plain yogurt)
• one 1″ piece ginger, scrubbed, finely grated (about 1 T)
• 8 large garlic cloves, finely grated or pushed through a garlic press, divided
• 2 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 8 medium)
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 4.5 to 4.6 oz tube double-concentrated tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, kale, or spinach, tough ribs and stems removed, sliced into 1″ ribbons (I used baby spinach- not cut or stemmed, about 8 cups, packed)

To Serve:

• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 green Thai chile or 1/2 large jalapeño, seeds removed if desired, sliced
• 2 T diced cherry, grape or Campari tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek) (I used whole milk cream-top plain yogurt)

To Make the Dish:

1. Place rice in a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover. Agitate rice with your hands until water is cloudy. Drain and repeat until water is almost clear (about 3 times). Pour in water to cover rice by 2″; soak at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
2. Stir yogurt, ginger, half of garlic, 3/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp Morton kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp turmeric in a medium bowl to combine. Season with pepper. Add chicken thighs, turning to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron pot.)
4. Add onion and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/4 tsp Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is frizzled and deeply browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer onion to a plate and set aside.
5. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in same skillet (still over medium to medium-high).
6. Working in batches if necessary, remove chicken from marinade and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes on the first side and 4 minutes on the second side. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving oil behind.
7. Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chile powder, remaining half of garlic, remaining 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp Morton kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp turmeric to skillet. Cook over medium to medium-high, stirring often, until tomato paste turns a shade darker in color, about 5 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low, stir in 1 cup water, and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors come together and sauce has thickened, 10–12 minutes.
9. Return chicken to pan and stir to coat in sauce. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm. (I placed the pan in a warming drawer.)
10. Drain rice and cook in a very large pot of boiling generously salted water 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. (Alternatively, the rice can be cooked traditionally using a 1:2 ratio with boiling water. Cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.)
11. Stir the Swiss chard, kale or spinach into the rice.
12. Continue to cook until rice is tender and greens are wilted and bright green, about 1 to 3 minutes more.
13. Drain in a colander and let sit 10 minutes to allow moisture to steam off.

To Assemble and To Serve:

1. While the rice rests, combine onion, lemon juice, chiles, tomatoes, and 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or 1/8 tsp Morton kosher salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to combine, breaking up the onion slices. Let kachumbar sit 5 minutes.
2. Stir yogurt and remaining salt in another small bowl.
3. To serve, fluff rice with a fork, making sure the greens are evenly distributed; transfer to a platter.
4. Scatter reserved caramelized onions over and arrange chicken on top. (Or for a more casual look, return rice to pot and gently stir in chicken and onion.)
5. Serve with kachumbar and salted yogurt alongside.

Sausage, Beans & Greens Pasta

This is a great end of summer ~ early fall dish. I loved that it gobbled up my CSA collards and chard. I really love any dish that transforms greens into a crowd-pleaser! 🙂 The mashed beans made the sauce creamy.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Claire Saffitz, via epicurious.com. I used garbanzo beans and a mix of collard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach. I also substituted sweet Italian sausage and modified the proportions. The fried rosemary garnish was essential.

Yield: Serves 6

• 1/3 cup (5 T) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 8 to 10 oz sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (I used 3 sweet sausages)
• 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas or cannellini beans, rinsed, patted dry
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 16 oz (1 pound) paccheri, rigatoni, or other large tubular pasta (I used pennoni pasta)
• Kosher salt
• 8 to 10 cups (lightly packed) cut or torn escarole, kale, or Swiss chard leaves (I used 1/4-inch ribbons stemmed and halved collard greens, 1/2-inch ribbons stemmed Swiss chard (stems cut into 1/4-inch pieces and reserved), & baby spinach)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T unsalted butter

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium to medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Fry rosemary, turning, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
3. Add sausage to same pot and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a shallow bowl.
4. Add chickpeas to pot and cook, tossing occasionally and mashing some chickpeas with a spoon, until browned in spots, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer about half of chickpeas to plate with sausage.
5. Add wine to pot (and add the Swiss chard stems, if using), bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
7. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with chickpeas and add the greens and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often, until the greens are wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce is thickened, about 4 minutes.
8. Add another 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add 1/2 cup cheese, tossing until melted and dissolved into a luxurious, glossy sauce.
9. Thin with more pasta cooking liquid if needed. Season with pepper, and more salt if needed. Add butter and toss to combine, then mix in reserved sausage and chickpeas.
10. Divide pasta among bowls or place in a large serving dish. Crumble fried rosemary over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Orecchiette with Sausage & Chard

This is a variation of one of my favorite Italian restaurant dishes, orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe. It was fast to prepare and really full-flavored- incorporating anchovies, freshly ground fennel seeds, and lots of garlic. Great.

This recipe was adapted from 177milkstreet.com, contributed by Jeanne Maguire. I substituted jarred fire-roasted red peppers and brine for Peppadew peppers. I used a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage as well.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
• coarse salt
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound (about 6) sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed (I used 2/3 sweet (4) and 1/3 hot sausage (2))
• 3 anchovy fillets, minced
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
• 1/4 cup finely chopped mild Peppadew peppers or fire-roasted red peppers, plus 1 T brine (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 8 to 10 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems and leaves separated
• 3/4 cup chicken broth or stock, divided
• 3 T freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

1. Remove the stems from the chard leaves and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Soak in a bowl of water, drain, and set aside.
2. Cut the leaves into 3-inch wide ribbons; wash and drain. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
4. Drain, return to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil. Set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet (with a lid available) over medium-high, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. (I used a large enameled cast iron pan.)
6. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small chunks, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 T of the drippings from the pan.
7. Add the anchovies, ground fennel seed, and peppers to the skillet and cook over medium, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
8. Stir in the garlic and chard stems, then cook until the garlic is aromatic, about 30 seconds.
9. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until most of the liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Stir in the chard leaves and the remaining 1/2 cup broth. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until the leaves are wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes.
11. Scrape the chard mixture into the pot with the pasta. (I added the pasta to the pot with the chard instead!)
12. Add the sausage and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir over medium-low until the pasta is heated through, about 1 minute.
13. Gradually stir in the Parmesan, then the Peppadew or roasted red pepper brine.
14. Taste and season with salt. Serve sprinkled with more Parmesan.

Chicken Baked on a Bed of Bread & Greens

This healthy one-pot dish is for fans of greens. 🙂 I thought that it could even work as a dish to serve for a small-scale Thanksgiving feast because it incorporates bread (stuffing), greens (vegetables), and chicken (poultry). It would just need potatoes on the side- which is actually how my husband ate the leftovers. 😉 It was a pre-Thanksgiving meal for us because my crowd prefers a more indulgent feast on the big day. We did end the meal with apple pie bars.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Melissa Perello. It was inspired by chef Judy Rodgers’ famous wood-fired roasted chicken at Zuni Café in San Francisco. I kept waiting for chard to appear in my CSA box so that I could make it. This dish gobbled up all of the chard, kale, and beet greens from my share! The capers and golden raisins made the base of the dish extra delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 8

• 8 to 10 oz (about 1/2 loaf) day-old peasant bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used a pain au levain boule)
• 4 to 6 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 T salted capers, rinsed well
• 4 T golden raisins
• 1 1/2 pounds tender fresh greens such as Swiss chard, kale, spinach, or beet greens (the original recipe uses Swiss chard)
• 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 skinless bone-in chicken thighs or one 3 1/2 pound chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
• fresh thyme and parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Prepare the Greens: If using Swiss Chard: Remove the stems and finely slice or chop; slice leaves in half through the ribs and cut into 2-inch ribbons. If using Kale: Remove ribs and discard; tear leaves in half and slice into 1/2-inch ribbons. If using Spinach or Beet greens: Remove stems and slice leaves into 2-inch ribbons. Wash and spin dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°, preferably on convection.
3. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, capers, raisins, prepared greens, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Spread the bread-greens mixture in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. (My pan was almost overflowing!)
5. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and arrange them over the bread. Sprinkle with dried thyme.
6. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper and close the casserole with a heavy lid. Bake the chicken for 35 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and parchment paper and increase the oven temperature to 400°.
8. Bake the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until golden on top and cooked through.
9. Remove the casserole from the oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the chicken with the bread and greens, garnished with fresh herbs.

Swiss Chard & Ricotta Galette

I kept waiting for Swiss chard to appear in my CSA box so that I could make this savory galette. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart. We ate it for dinner but it would be perfect for a special lunch or brunch. It was a surprisingly hearty meal served with a green salad. (I will confess that I served it with leftover pizza to please the rest of my crowd.) 🙂

The crust was particularly amazing. It is made with rolled oats and cream cheese which resulted in wonderful texture.

Yield: One 10 to 11-inch tart

For the Crust:

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 large egg yolk

For the Filling & Egg Wash:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces Swiss chard, leaves sliced in half through the center rib, stems separated and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 3 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 6 ounces ricotta, room temperature
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 large egg yolk

To Make the Crust:

1. Pulse flour, oats, and salt in a food processor to combine.
2. Add butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk; pulse until dough just holds together, 15 to 20 seconds.
3. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

To Make the Filling:

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add chard stems, onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until stems are soft and slightly brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add vinegar and cook, stirring, until liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in raisins. Transfer mixture to a nonreactive bowl.
4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high. Add anchovies, if using; cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Stir in thyme. (I incorporated the anchovies.)
5. Add chard leaves and cook until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat both cheeses with 2 tablespoons cream until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Stir in nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.

To Make the Galette:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. On a large sheet of parchment, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick round, about 13 to 14-inches in diameter.
3. Arrange onion mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 3-inch border.
4. Spread ricotta mixture over onion mixture; top with chard mixture.
5. Fold edges of dough over and gently press down to seal.
6. Transfer tart (still on parchment) to a baking sheet. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and remaining 1 tablespoon cream. Brush exposed dough with egg wash.
8. Bake until crust is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut Milk & Turmeric

This creamy and indulgent vegetarian stew was hearty and delicious. The dish is based on Southern Indian chickpea stews and some stews found in the Caribbean. I loved how it was loaded with greens (I used Swiss chard) and toppings. An added bonus is that the stew and toppings are made in one pot.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alison Roman. I doubled the onions and garlic, used rainbow chard, and substituted parsley for mint. We ate it over Basmati rice with warm naan on the side. Wonderful!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 to 8 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 to 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• ground coriander and/or ground cinnamon, to taste, if desired
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, spinach, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces (I used rainbow chard)
• 1/2 to 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves, for serving
• yogurt, for serving, optional (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
• toasted naan, pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving, optional
• Basmati rice, for serving, optional

1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, (ground coriander and/or ground cinnamon- as desired) and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey! (I continued to cook the stew to a thicker consistency.)
5. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
6. Divide among bowls, over rice (if desired) and top with mint/parsley, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil.
7. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita or naan, if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you’d like.

Pasta al Forno with Asparagus and Chard

This dish was the first-runner up for Valentine’s Day dinner. It was a Valentine’s Day bonus that I made it in addition to our celebratory biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie. Right? Why choose when you can have both? 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The Sullivan Street Bakery Cookbook by Jim Lahey. I increased the amount of vegetables, modified the baking temperature, and incorporated the garlic used to make the garlic oil. We could eat some sort of cheesy, veggie pasta every night of the week. Great!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Béchamel:

• 5 T (70 g) unsalted butter
• 2 T (20 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 cups (650 g) whole milk
• 1/4 tsp (2 g) fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp (1 g) freshly grated nutmeg

For the Pasta:

• 2 T (24 g) coarse salt
• 1 pound (454 g) penne or rigatoni
• 1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound), large stems removed, cut into 1-inch ribbons
• 1 bunch thin asparagus (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 T (30 g) extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 batch béchamel, about 3 cups (recipe above)
• 1 1/2 cups (130 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

To Make the Béchamel:

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour is a light butterscotch color, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking continuously to keep lumps from forming.
4. Continue to whisk and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and has the consistency of heavy cream.
5. Pour the sauce into a bowl to cool.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil, add the salt, and cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente.
2. Drain the pasta well and spread it out over the surface of a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Heat the oven to 475, preferably on convection.
4. Steam the chard and asparagus for 4 minutes, or until tender. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
5. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat, add the garlic, and cook for a minute or so, until it begins to sizzle. Lower the heat and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Brush the inside of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with some of the garlic oil.
7. In the pot that was used to cook the pasta, combine the cooled pasta, the garlic oil (including the garlic, if desired), the béchamel, half of the grated cheese, the steamed asparagus and chard. Stir until well incorporated.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta begins to brown on top.

One Year Ago: Flattened Chicken Thighs with Roasted Lemon Slices

Two Years Ago: Meera Sodha’s Chicken Curry

Four Years Ago:

• Steakhouse Creamed Spinach vs. Lighter Creamed Kale
• Bruschetta Bianca

Five Years Ago:

• Button Mushrooms à la Crème
• Vodka Sauce